Chapter Fourteen: The Jacobs Installation

In the decade since the end of the Guild Wars everyone in the colonies had been too terrified to try and rebel. There were pirates, and paramilitary groups, of course. But mostly they preyed on civilian targets while the military was on the offensive. Turns out that going ten years without ever coming under attack makes you pretty poor at defending your installations.

-Liberty's reports, volume I.

It was the office of the Colonial Magistrate, and it was empty save for Serena, who sat down writing orders. By now word of what she had done had no doubt reached Tarsonis. She was determined to have everything in order before the inevitable occurred. Some part of her dared hoped her uncle might look the other way, or even protect her, but she knew the truth. He'd always held her in contempt since she refused to become breeding stock.

The transmission came through and there he was. Serena smiled politely. 'Ah, uncle. I was just about to call you to report the complete eradication of all zerg colonies on Mar Sara. My militia are sweeping them up as we speak.

You'll be happy to know that the Confederate Squadrons didn't have to lift a finger to help. Far from it, in fact.'

He ignored the barb. 'Your status as Colonial Magistrate is suspended barring an official investigation of your affiliation with the Sons of Korhal.' snapped Arturro Calabas. 'Furthermore, given your humiliation of the Confederate Military, you are hereby withdrawn to Tarsonis to answer charges for treason.'

'Humiliation?' asked Serena, letting her contempt become visible to him. 'You did nothing while Mar Sara burned. You did less than nothing, in fact, you actively impeded my efforts to defend the colonists!'

'You were not sent there to defend the colonists.' said Arturro. 'You were sent there to control their state of panic and prevent it from escalating. That's all. You superseded those orders illegally. Now fringe worlds across the sector are talking about how they don't need us anymore.'

'They don't need us.' hissed Serena. 'Far from it. If we're going to go around arresting them for defending themselves, they have a vested interest in getting rid of us. Maybe if you people gave them an incentive to be a part of the Confederacy instead of just pointing guns in their faces and nuking population centers you wouldn't be in this situation!'

'You…' Arturro strove, 'you are not helping your case. In light of your popularity when you return to Tarsonis I may decide to pardon you. However, your debts remain your own. If you are not on the first transport off Mar Sara I will send a squad of ghosts to retrieve you. Do you understand?'

Silence. Absolute silence. Useless fool. As if he could ever understand what these people had gone through because of him. '…Perfectly, my dear uncle.' said Serena. 'You are entirely transparent.'

'Congratulations are in order, I suppose.' said Arturro. 'When you return to Tarsonis I'll allow you to keep full responsibility and credit for your actions. Good night.' The channel cut out.

Serena sat back in her chair and stared up at the ceiling fan, letting out a sigh. Then she leaned forward and pressed a button to contact her secretary. 'Send in Ms. Munroe and Mr. Prestor, if you don't mind Carol.' She said to her secretary.

The door opened a few moments later and Mesa and Hector entered the room, sitting down in front of her. 'You called for us Magistrate?'

'Oh I'm not Magistrate anymore.' said Serena. 'It seems in light of my exemplary service I am being recalled to Tarsonis. To answer charges of treason on a technicality.'

'What?' said Hector. 'But… you saved this place! Hell, we didn't even use the Sons of Korhal dropships. It was a backup plan!'

'None of which matters in the slightest to my uncle or the Confederacy.' said Serena. 'Which leaves the matter of succession. Ms. Muroe, these documents officially swear you in as Magistrate of Mar Sara.'

'Why me?' asked Mesa.

'Well you gave a damn about me cutting funds to schools and all that.' said Serena. 'Sorry about that, but it was all necessary for survival and all that. I expect you'll be able to redirect your funds however you like now, and the people under you seem to like you. So you'll just have to do the best you can.' She paused. 'Hector, with the recent arrest of Marshall Raynor, the militia now has no clear chain of command.

'I intend to remedy the situation. As of this moment you are now the first Captain of the Mar Sara militia. Your task is to act as the Magistrate's military advisor. And keep the militia properly trained.'

'I… I get it.' said Hector. 'But what about you?'

'Me?' asked Serena. 'I'm going to Tarsonis I guess. I had intended to embezzle some funds to pay off my debts to the Combine, but I never got around to it. I expect at best I'll be pardoned, doomed to obscurity and then found hanging from a street lamp.

'Still, it was fun while it lasted.'

'We could provide you shelter.' said Hector.

'Don't be an idiot.' said Serena. 'I didn't save this colony just to put it on a collision course with the Confederacy of Man. You're continued survival and prosperity now relies on your falling under the radar.' She grabbed her bag and stood up. 'It's all arranged ahead of time. I'm nothing if not prepared, and I need to go if I'm not going to miss my flight.'

She made her way to the door, blinking back tears despite herself. All this, all of this and it counted for nothing. Not for her anyway. She supposed she could take solace in the fact that she had done good, but she really wasn't feeling up to it.

'Magistrate,' said Munroe suddenly.

Serena glanced back. 'Yes?'

'Thank you.' said Munroe.

Serena nodded and left without a word. She made her way out of the command center and looked around at the refugee camp. Once bustling with activity, it was now almost empty as people returned to their homes one by one. A few militia remained here, but it was too large to keep running without a large standing army. One they were unlikely to have in the future.

'Rough luck huh?' asked a familiar voice.

She looked up, scarcely believing her ears. Jim Raynor was leaning against the side of the wall, arms crossed with a roguish smile on his face. She stared, opening her mouth and then closing it, unable to form words.

'Hey man.' he said, raising a hand.

'Raynor, you son of a bitch!' she said, hardly able to contain her joy. 'What are you doing here? I figured you'd be stuck in New Folsom by now!'

'Arcturus' boys sprung me from the prison ship.' said Raynor. 'Apparently they're as frustrated with the Confederates as we are. I know their reputation, but they seem to be on the level. I think Arcturus wanted to speak with you.'

'So he gets me to commit treason, and now he offers me a job.' said Serena. 'Real classy. He certainly knows how to treat a lady.'

'Well to be fair you didn't have to accept.' said Raynor. 'Anyway there is a dropship waiting for us a little ways on, it'll take us to his flagship. The Hyperion. Unless you want to head off to Tarsonis and get tried for doing the Confederacy's job for them? No pressure.'

'Well what am I going to say?' asked Serena. 'No?'

The Hyperion was an impressive vessel, even by the standards of battlecruisers. it was longer than most, with engines larger than the normal sort. It had been a top of the line prototype, developed for the use of a Squadron Commander. It would have been the fastest ship in the fleet if the Sons of Korhal hadn't stolen it before it's maiden voyage.

When Mengsk had stolen it, Serena remembered the fury of her uncle. The way he had screamed at his subordinates, demanding they get it back and bring him Mengsk's head. They hadn't of course, and he'd been in a fouler mood than usual for months afterward. That had been before her betrothal, of course.

Now as she stepped into its bays, she looked with interest at the crews manning them. They worked diligently, of course, but at the same time, there seemed too few of them. Looking to Raynor, she felt compelled to ask about it as they made their way through empty halls.

'Raynor,' she said 'where is everyone?'

'Turns out that the scourge of the Confederacy is severely understaffed.' said Raynor. 'He had a skeleton crew here before we came aboard. A skirmish with Alpha Squadron did a real number on his troop numbers. That's why he rescued my boys and me; he wanted trained soldiers to work for him.

'I guess he figured we wouldn't mind fighting the Confederacy.'

'It would also explain why he felt confident he could evacuate my colony with just a battlecruiser and a few transports.' mused Serena. 'Kind of depressing actually.'

'Excuse me,' said a soldier.

Serena looked up to see a dark haired boy in a pilots uniform. He was fresh-faced and looked only a little younger than her.

'Yes?' she asked.

'I'm Matt Horner,' he said, 'I'm one of the wraith pilots for the Sons of Korhal. Are you Serena Calabas?'

'Yes, that is me.' said Serena.

'I just wanted to say that I really admire what you did down there on Mar Sara.' said Matt. 'The zerg have been appearing on other worlds. But your victory out here on Mar Sara has given people hope on the fringe worlds. I'm glad you've decided to join us.'

'I haven't decided anything.' said Serena. 'Other than that I'd prefer to hear what Mengsk has to say before I listen to charges of treason.'

'Right, right,' said Matt. 'I guess you've been told all the Confederate propaganda so you have your doubts. I understand.'

'I had a front-row seat on watching it being made.' said Serena. 'Which means I also know the Sons of Korhal have done some things which aren't matters of pride.'

'Mengsk has loose control over some of the groups affiliated with us.' said Matt. 'They wear our colors, but they act on their own. When they go too far, he cuts them loose.'

'How enormously satisfying.' said Serena. 'Well, it was nice meeting you, Mr. Horner. For now, I have a meeting to attend.'

'Of course,' said Matt. 'I uh… I won't keep you any longer.'

They made their way through the halls and eventually came to a door which led into the bridge. On that bridge stood Mengsk, looking out over the surface of Mar Sara with his hands clasped behind his back. In one of his hands was a badge. They came to a halt behind him and waited.

He then turned around and tossed the badge to Serena who caught it. It was of gold color held the emblem of the Sons of Korhal, an arm gesturing in strength. 'Commander,' he said, 'Mar Sara has been almost completely liberated from the zerg. Fortunately, the Confederates began abandoning the planet before you even began your assault. This has provided us with a unique opportunity.'

'Okay I should like to point out that I technically haven't agreed to anything yet.' said Serena. 'Or are we just skipping the part where I agree out of desperation?'

'I want you to raid this colonies Confederate outpost and retrieve whatever designs or weapons schematics that you can find in their networks.' continued Mengsk with a slight smile. 'With the chaos of the Confederate evacuation, you shouldn't have any trouble getting in or out of their installation.'

'No?' asked Serena. 'Okay then, just checking.'

'I'm into it.' said Raynor.

'Now hold on a second,' said Serena, 'some of the Confederate garrisons helped Mar Sara fight off the zerg. They disobeyed direct orders to defend the colonists. I'm not sure I'm okay with killing them.'

'If you are referring to Lieutenant Yamanov,' said Mengsk, 'you will be pleased to hear that he and his men have realized that the Confederacy does not have the sectors best interests at heart. I was able to persuade him to accept a place in the Sons of Korhal.'

'Which means,' said Raynor, 'that everyone in that installation left the colonists to rot.'

'Oh,' said Serena, 'alright let's wax them.'

The dropship shuddered as Serena wondered when it was that her life went so totally off the rails. She'd never expected that she'd end up turning on the Confederacy. But here she was, clad in marine armor again with a very terran target. Her only aspirations had been to ruffle her uncle's feathers. And to become famous by making something of herself.

Now as they drew near the facility, Serena reflected that this was quite an unexpected turn of events. She turned her attention to the now red armored marines around her, Raynor at the far end in a black marine suit. 'Alright ladies and gentlemen!' she said. 'Our primary objective is to seize the Confederate weapons schematics. It is not to kill civilians and make good on our reputation as terrorists!

I don't want any unnecessary deaths! Don't shoot at anything which isn't shooting at you! Do you understand?!'

'Yes, ma'am!' They said.

The dropships landed, and they poured out into the badlands. The doors to the installation were sealed tight. They did not remain so. Heavy explosives were set to them, and moments later it exploded inwards to reveal a large hall. Leading her troops in she reached a large sliding metal door.

Raynor was beside her.

'Alright,' said Serena, 'we'll blow the door down and scan for hostiles-'

Raynor pressed a button, and the door opened.

'They haven't even locked their doors?!' roared Serena. 'What the hell is wrong with this army?!'

'A lot of things.' said Raynor. 'Anyone with a conscience abandoned the military after Korhal. Most everyone who works for them now is either brain panned or corrupt as all hell. They have a shortage of competent officers.'

'I can tell.' said Serena as they moved forward. 'Alright, their primary data core is not going to be any of the doors in the initial area.' She led them forward down the halls. The empty, empty halls. 'Surely they could have at least have had a guard posted?'

'Their abandoning ship remember?' said Raynor. 'Besides, the guy who should have been in charge of this place's security defected.'

'Right,' said Serena, 'I forgot.'

She came before the doors and noted a side passage leading away. 'Let's take the side passage. Going in the front door strikes me as too likely to end in a firefight.'

'You mean like last time?' asked Raynor as the troops made their way onwards.

'Last time we were lucky and they were stupid.' said Serena, 'Most of their staff have probably evaced anyway, so they not have had the manpower to guard it. I doubt we'll be that lucky again.'

'Fair point.' mused Raynor.

The side passage turned, and soon they were heading straight onwards. They came to test tubes, now empty. Serena examined them, having a feeling she knew exactly what they were testing.

'What do you think these tanks were built to contain?' asked Raynor.

'Organic specimens.' said Serena. 'Possibly with medical or military intentions.' She didn't mention what she suspected the organic specimens were — no need to raise peoples concern.

They pressed onwards, scanning the halls for any sign of opposition. Finally, they came to a single white clad marine standing guard. For a moment the man stood there stunned. Serena and the men all raised their guns.

'Drop your weapon.' said Serena. 'And get up against the wall.'

The man raised his gun. The sound of him firing a shot was drowned out by the en masse unloading of gauss rifles. They tore him to bloody shreds. Something glanced off Serena's shoulder pad, leaving a gash on it. She raised her gun in one hand, so it pointed towards the ceiling.

'Someone make a note of that man's bravery.' she said. 'Let's go.'

'You know,' said Raynor, 'if they are holding top secret stuff in this lab than I reckon it means they will be keeping only their most loyal soldiers with em.'

'Nice to know.' said Serena. 'We're still not killing everything in sight.'

'I wasn't suggesting it.' said Raynor, sounding offended.

They halted, and Serena came to a door. Looking through it, she saw a computer console. There were also a number of civilian personnel, along with a single marine. She hit the open button, and they stormed in, guns a blazing.

The marine was paste in seconds, and the civilians cowered.

'Alright people,' said Serena, 'cooperate and stay down and you won't get hurt. Now, what is the purpose of this console.'

'It controls the security cameras!' cried the man.

'Excellent.' said Serena, making her way over and turning it on. Scanning through the screens, she found the main data console. It had some firebats guarding it, as well a ghost. 'There, we want there.' She turned around. 'Let's go Jim.'

They headed down a side hall, looking for the way to main data console. Instead, they found what looked to be holding pens. Serena looked at each of the animals, a nasty suspicion growing in her mind.

'These things are from all over the sector.' said Raynor. 'What would they be doing here?'

'I don't know.' said Serena. 'Biological experimentation, perhaps?'

They rounded the corner and saw a number of firebats. The firebats charged and were shorted waxed in a barrage of shots. Their fuel tanks exploded and their death screams were horrible. Serena moved over the char marks and saw a cell. Inside it, she saw a group of zerglings.

'You rebel scum!' said a civilian.

Serena raised her gun and the man cowered. Then she turned to Raynor. 'Jim get your men in front of that door and take a defensive position. We've got an extermination to perform.'

'What do you mean by-' began Raynor.

Serena made her way over to the console and opened the door. The zerglings rushed out, only to be mowed down en masse as they came. All died before they reached them. 'That. I mean that.'

'Zerg?!' said Raynor. 'I don't believe this!'

'Believe it.' said Mengsk in their ears. 'I saw zerg in Confederate holding pens myself and that was over a year ago. It's clear the Confederates have known about these creatures for some time. For all we know, they could be breeding the things. Be that as it may, our priority here is accessing the Confederate network. We've already dealt with the zerg.'

There was a stunned silence.

'…How did he do that?' asked Serena. 'See through our suits?' She wanted that technology.

'Serena,' said Raynor, 'you don't seem very surprised.' His tone was accusing.

'I've figured out a lot more than I let on.' admitted Serena. 'I've picked my own time and place to reveal it because I couldn't afford to have people start a fight. Since that is no longer an issue, I'll tell you everything I know and everything I suspect after we finish our mission.

'Right now we're on a time table.'

They retraced their steps and took the path untaken. Making their way along a winding passage, they scanned for any hostiles. They found some when a tile popped up from the floor to reveal an automated machine gun. It sprayed the hallway with fire and Serena dodged behind the wall. Peeking around the corner, she flinched back as another spray of bullets nearly did her in. Raynor drew out a grenade and hurled it, and it landed at the base of the machine gun.

There was a terrific explosion, and they passed.

'This is not what I was expecting to do to get a story when I left Tarsonis.' murmured Michael.

'Well things never do turn out like you expect them.' said Serena, trying to sound sage. 'You never know when you go to a new place that an alien invasion might take place and the government does nothing to stop it, causing you to join a group of terrorists out of sheer disgust.'

'Do you want me to put that in the paper?' asked Liberty.

'Sure, go ahead.' said Serena. 'Wait, what are you even doing here?'

'I uh… didn't anyone tell you?' asked Liberty.

'Tell me what?' asked Serena.

'I was part of the team that rescued Jim.' said Liberty.

'You were?' asked Raynor.

'I don't remember that.' said a member of the militia.

'Oh come on!' said Michael.

'Calm down, we're just hazing you.' said Raynor. 'Anyway yeah, Michael was the one who told Mengsk we needed rescue. He's acting as a sort of embed reporter.'

'You do realize that no story you send to Tarsonis is ever going to make the news right?' asked Serena in deadpan.

'Actually, I wouldn't underestimate Handy Anderson.' said Liberty. 'My boss, I mean. He's got dirt on all kinds of people, and he's set things up so if anything happens to him all of it will go viral. No one is exactly sure what he has, only that some pretty big names are part of it.

'Which means he has a bit of leeway to post what he wants. He'll probably edit things, tone them down a bit, but he loves a good story.'

'So he's an agent of the Sons of Korhal?' asked Raynor.

'No,' said Serena, 'he's an agent for himself. Anti-Confederate news is so hard to find that people eat it up like candy. I know I did. Now everyone shut up, we should have found something by now.'

The halls were empty. Empty room after empty room passed them, with everything of value stripped away. They passed through a door and found still more unguarded and abandoned rooms. Then they came to what appeared to be a dead end. The only notable thing in this empty room was a circle of steel which glowed faintly.

'What now?' asked Michael. 'Do we head back?'

'I'm not sure.' said Serena. 'I think I know what that circle is. It looks like…'

Raynor stepped onto it. For a moment he was there and then he was gone. There was a murmur from the men as Serena sighed. 'A teleportation field.'

Raynor reappeared and stepped off. 'Now that is nifty. Why don't we use those things instead of dropships?'

'It costs roughly two thousand credits to teleport one person, once.' said Serena. 'Mostly they use them when they need to have a contained environment for an experiment. With no doors or windows.'

'But if there are no doors or windows how do they dig the tunnels?' asked Michael. 'And how do they get air.

'Obviously, they dig a small tunnel which they then widen out into a large chamber. From there they create the rest of it.' said Serena. 'The tunnel becomes a ventilation system. Also an emergency escape hatch in case the teleportation field fails. Now everyone step onto it.

"And whatever you do, don't step on it, but leave yourself halfway off. It would be unfortunate if you teleported yourself in half.'

'Ouch.' said Raynor.

They all stepped onto the teleportation field and clustered together. Soon they were in an entirely new room. Making their way to the only door, they opened it and pressed onwards. As they pressed on along a hall, they began to hear voices. Serena moved against the wall, and those under her command did the same as they crept slowly along it.

'Sir, we've evacuated most of the specimens. There are only a few left for transport.' said a man. 'However a Sons of Korhal strike force has hit us. They've bypassed most of our security forces. Our communication systems are shorting out. So are the locking mechanisms.'

'The data in your computers must not fall into enemy hands.' said a fluid, familiar voice. 'Purge them immediately. I'm surprised you had to ask, Commander.' Serena peered around to see a man in a black confederate uniform. He was guarded by many white armored marines.

'Yes sir, we're already working at it, but there is a lot of ground to cover.' said the man. 'The Sons of Korhal are better armed, and we're heavily outnumbered. We don't think we'll be able to defeat them. I'd like permission to surrender.'

'You've performed your part in the experiments well, Commander. Destroy the consoles, then kill as many as you can.' The transmission cut out and whoever it was gone.

They surged around the corner along with her men who lowered their guns. The armored marines replied in kind and there was dead silence for a long moment.

'We've got company!' said a marine.

'Don't listen to him.' said Serena. 'Cooperate and you'll make it off this world alive.'

'I'd listen to the lady, boys.' said Raynor. 'You haven't been able to stop us so far.'

The Commander remained silent for a long moment. Then he drew a pistol. 'Blast them!'

All hell broke loose in a matter of moments. Gauss rounds shattered off Serena's chest plate and those of her men. Both forces unleashed a full barrage. Their guns tore through the Confederate's inferior armor. After a few moments of noise and the flash of guns they quieted.

The Confederates were all dead. Not one of Serena's soldiers had fallen. They'd never stood a chance.

The console behind the enemy had been destroyed, and they made their way forward. Raynor looked at it with a bit of humor. 'Sure hope that wasn't the only computer.'

'No.' said Serena, looking around to see civilians. 'Fan out, get these civilians where you can see them. If they try to delete anything you have my permission to shoot them. All of you away from the consoles! On your knees and get your hands behind your heads!' She fired into the ceiling, and they obeyed.

'Shame we blasted the communications array.' muttered Raynor. 'We could have figured out who sent the call.'

'It would have been anonymous.' said Serena. 'But I think I already know. Raynor, take charge of the search. Find everything you can, files, physical or digital I don't care what.' Then she turned and watched the door.

For a few minutes, they searched the room. Eventually, Raynor found a computer system which hadn't been wrecked. He ran into trouble right away. 'Serena, this console is locked down.'

'Glorious,' said Serena, 'alright everyone listen up! There are two ways this can happen! You can tell us the password to this console-'

'It's Gandalf.' said a scientist.

Serena stared at him. 'You didn't even hear me out.'

'Are you kidding me?' asked the scientist. 'I got drafted into this mess at gunpoint. And even if everything went as planned, I'd have to spend the rest of my life wondering if there was a ghost somewhere who had decided I knew too much. I'm not getting killed so the Confederates can keep their dirty little whatever it is.'

'Oh good.' said Serena, feeling a bit disappointed. 'I'm glad this worked out.'

'You really wanted to threaten someone at gunpoint didn't you.' said Liberty.

'It would have been a new experience for me.' said Serena.

'You need help.' said Liberty.

'Hey, we found the plans man.' said Raynor over the radio. 'Just have the transports waiting for us when we come out.'

Serena smiled. 'Excellent work Raynor.'

Authors Note:

Okay, that is the Jacobs Installation for you. This ended up being something of a breather episode, all things considered. With the dramatic, epic and high stakes final battle for Mar Sara over the Jacobs Installation is made less tense. After all, the zerg have been defeated.

Instead of raiding a facility on a dying world, racing against time to get in, get what they want, and get out before the protoss blow it to Kingdom come things are different. They're raiding a badly run facility with all the time in the crushed.