Chapter 03: The Rebels
Part 05: Hatching
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The valve of the loading ramp whistled under the pressure of the metal slowly making its way downwards. Amy was kind of nervous.
My very own ship!? How might it be?
When she heard the ramp of the small transporter, they were cramped in, hit the ground she opened her eyes. What she saw was a huge empty hall even larger than the landing bay they had been in before. A few steps from the ramp Jim Raynor looked back at her, a grin in his face.
"Hi Lady Tellarin! Welcome aboard your vessel."
She made a few steps and looked around. The floor, walls and ceiling were clad in plain metal plates. Only a few doors on the other side stood out on the smooth surface.
"Oh thank you, Commander Raynor. I.. I don't really know what to say."
"Arh.. It's a'right. I figured you need'a bigger place to stay. 'nd a ship to get around. So 'ere you go. Well.. it's just a freighter but it's good enough for gettin' around. And it's even armed a bit."
It was a mixture of content and embarrassment on his face. Amy bowed her head.
"It's really great. Commander. Thank you for your gift."
Raynor scratched the back of his head.
"You kno', every help is welcome at times like these."
He turned around, started walking and gestured Amy to followed. Before she went up to him she looked back at the transporter. It looked tiny in this over-size freight-room. Her eyes met with Yashira. The Zerg Mother had a question in her eyes and tilted her head. Amy waved at her, signalling they could come out. A moment later the Zerglings ran outside and around in circles. She could also hear the rest of the Zergs making their way out of the transporter as their legs clang on the metal floor.
Amy finally caught up next to Raynor.
"You see dose three doors over there."
He pointed forward.
"Through dat one there're some private rooms for the crew to sleep. The other is the canteen and the in the middle leads to the bridge."
Gesturing at each door separately he explained parts of the ship. He also mentioned some data about the engine and some technical details about weapons and such but after some time Amy didn't listen anymore. Her mind was just thinking about the ship, what it meant and what she was about to do.
... With this I am supposed to search this planet for more... like me. I have to do a complete mission on my own. Well Yashira will help me.
".. So that's pretty much everythin' you needa know 'bout this."
Raynor turned around and looked at her, then at the Zerglings charging around the hallway.
"It's damn strange seeing them and not havin' to fear 'em lungin' at you the next moment."
"Yeah, you're right. It is kind of strange. They seem more like animals than dangerous beasts."
Raynor nodded and they both watched them fooling around for a bit.
"Well, I should get goin'. Needa continue preparin' for the upcomin' mission."
With this he started making his way back to the small transporter.
"Thanks again, Commander Raynor."
"Jim's enough. Don' like this Commander stuff."
He waved a hand in the air without looking back.
"Oh.. well thanks Jim. I'm Amy."
She needed to shout it a bit since he was already halfway to the ship. A thumbs up was the last thing she saw of him and a few moments later the transporter lift off out of the hangar. Amy noticed the hull was already open and she could look into space. A strange field of energy surrounded the entrance and as the ship flew through it the energy was visible on the metal plates on it.
It's a force field to maintain the atmosphere in here. Cool!
She took a moment to look around her new property. Yashira joined her.
"So... this is now ours, Milady?"
"Looks like it, Yashira. We can use this as we please."
It was a nice feeling to call this ship hers – her own army and ship.
"Milady!? I think... we could fit a Hatchery in here."
"A Hatchery? Is that one of your buildings?"
Amy tried to imagine how a Zerg building would look like in this freight-room.
"Yes, Milady. It is like... the basic structure we need to form a new hive cluster. We morph it from a Drone."
"Well if it fits. I'd like to see that for myself."
Yashira bowed her head and turned to the Drones waiting a few metre away from them. A moment later one of them started hovering towards the middle of the room. The Drone sank to the ground and burrowed its claws into the metal. It took a few seconds before the body started pulsating. From every pore a purple, slimy goo flowed down to the ground and Amy could make out a cocoon forming around the body. When the cocoon was done it started expanding. Slowly it covered more and more of the floor, like a thick jelly it was crawling over a surface. The inside of the biomass glowed in a feint and violet shimmer. Every now and then something moved inside – already bigger than the Drone had ever been.
This looks kind of gross and scary but... it is fascinating. Is this the way they build... things?
"This... will still take a while... Milady."
Yashira raised her voice and Amy took a look at her as well as around. She noticed none of the other Zerg really cared for what happened in the middle of the room. Jack had already taken his place next to her while she had been busy staring at the Drone. Sobeas however had withdrawn in a corner. Laying on the floor he still had a look all around.
"And you can just command them to... well do this? Without them questioning anything you command?"
"Yes.. Every Zerg works for the Swarm. And I... no you... are our will. We have trust in you to... guide us to our purpose, Milady."
Amy smiled at the kind words.
"This is... just unbelievable. I thank you for your trust."
"No need for... gratitude, Milady. Maybe we should... start to train you in giving... commands yourself."
I? Commanding the Zerg?!
"I don't know. I guess we could..."
"Good... Milady? You can sense us, don't you?"
The Lady of Thorns nodded a bit shy.
"Well... we should try that you reach out to us... with your mind. I... I have an idea."
The Zerg Mother turned around and looked over to the other Zergs. The Zerglings were still running around restless while the Hydralisks and Roaches looked around the large room. All of a sudden the Zerglings stopped their playing around and a moment later they together started running clockwise around the growing Hatchery in a large circle. Then Yashira turned back towards her leader.
"I made.. the Zerglings to run around the Hatchery. And now... I want you to make them run the other way, Milady."
"Run the other way… Hmm... Zerglings!?"
Amy raised her voice looking at them but Yashira stopped her.
"No no, Milady. With.. your mind!"
"My mind?"
I can't even talk to Yashira. How should I command those Zerglings...
"Yes. You can feel them. Focus on them! Reach out to them, Milady!"
Getting a bit nervous Amy wasn't sure she could make this. She closed her eyes and focused on all the presences in her head. Quickly she recognised the Zerglings circling around. One round. A second. Still and steady they kept running. She tried.
Hmm... You! Run the other way!
Opening her eyes she saw them still running clockwise.
Turn around! ... Stop! ... Zerglings!
Still nothing. Amy looked at Yashira. The Mother was looking back and gestured at the Zerglings. Closing her eyes again Amy tried once more.
Zerglings! I command you to run around the Hatchery counterclockwise!
The entities in her mind kept moving their way.
"You can do it, Milady!"
Although it was a nice gesture of Yashira it didn't seem to help at all. This procedure went on for a while. Round after round Amy got more and more frustrated at the inability to issue such a simple command.
This is stupid! I can't do this, I am no Zerg. I am still a human and that is good as it is!
"Milady. I have... faith in your abilities!"
It felt like the millionth time Yashira tried to cheer her up. Amy felt anger rising up in her. She didn't want to disappoint her aid but still she couldn't figure out what to do.
Argh! Why does it have to be like this. I can just barely recognise them and now a command!?
Slowly her hands formed fists and her body tensed.
Stupid Zergs! Can you damn things just start freaking running the OTHER WAY!
With this she stomped on the ground of anger, her heels pounding on the metal floor. Suddenly the feeling of the Zergs in her mind changed. The presences shifted and it almost felt like fear. She opened her eyes seeing that all Zergs were staring at her. The Zerglings had stopped and were looking.
What did I do?!
An unnerving feeling rose up inside her. The Zerglings however slowly turned, not leaving her out of sight. Carefully and insecure they started making steps, moving the other direction than they originally were charging. With each step they picked up pace until they actually ran. Still every now and then they looked at Amy almost like they feared they did something wrong.
"That... was fierce... Milady!"
Amy looked at her aid yet Yashira seemed to be pleased with what had happened. As she was then looking down her body the Lady of Thorns noticed a small dent in the metal floor beneath her foot. Her furious burst had also triggered her blade to flung out of her arm and now it was snapped tight besides her hand.
"The voice of a leader... in my head! Well done, Milady!"
"I.. I don't know... Wasn't that to harsh?"
In her mind the feelings slowly turned back to their former calmness when a voice next to her caught her attention.
"Kheeh?"
Jack was looking at her, his body had tensed and he kind of looked like a scared dog.
"I'm sorry, Jack. I didn't meant to."
Her pet relaxed a bit and Amy turned back to Yashira, still questioning her action.
"Don't worry. As long as it works... we don't mind a little harshness."
"Okay... It seems I need quite a bit of energy to reach out to you."
But I can't just be angry at them all the time, can I?
Amy sheathed her blade and loosened her posture. Now the two females were watching the Zergs running around the mutating piece of biomass, counterclockwise.
"Try another command, Milady."
"Well… I'll try."
Carefully she began to reach out to the Zerglings once more. She ordered them to come to her but the Zergs kept running around. She tried a few times more. Each time her voice became more ferocious and louder to the point it felt like she was shouting. Eventually the Zerglings stopped once more. Now they didn't seemed to scared as much and followed her order more quickly.
"This works!"
When the group reached her she smiled.
"Well done, Zerglings."
"Well you did it.. Milady."
For some time she practiced it more. She issued different commands, all rather simple not knowing what they would understand. And after a few tries the Zergs followed. Even Jack joined them in fooling around the room.
A determine, stern voice and a clear command! That works.
She even tried to order the Roaches and Hydralisks and succeeded in it with the same difficulty as with the Zerglings. Now all of them were trotting around the freight-room. Bit by bit she found joy in it. Then she turned towards Yashira.
Yashira! You can hear me, can you?!
It was kind of weird to ask this innocent question in such a strong tone.
"Yes, I can, Milady."
Amy smiled.
"It works! But eh.. one question. When we.. like talk like this, in our heads, do all Zergs hear that?"
"The... Zerg mind functions as one... So speaking with it is... like speaking with everyone, Milady. Yet... the Queen... of Blades and some Broodmothers were able to speak to single Zergs... I think it requires more focus."
As Yashira finished Amy nodded a few times.
"I see... well it doesn't matter- wait! Like every Zerg? This means Kerrigan could listen to us?! Or is it just every Zerg from your, our... brood?"
In a sudden impulse the Lady turned her head around to the silent Infestor in his corner. He twitched at her sudden glare.
Sobeas! Do you hear me!?
A couple of moments nothing happened.
Sobeas! You hear me?!
Carefully the lone Zerg made a few steps towards her.
"Yeash!"
Came a craven answer from him.
Ok... at least something. So... Sobeas! Can you hear Kerr- the Queen of Blades?!
He looked up and it seemed he was thinking. Then he shook his head.
"Nwoh!"
Hmm... don't really trust that. I need to be careful what I say... to the mind.
"Fine. Thank you, Sobeas."
Slowly it got quiet again in the large room since every Zerg had finished their task given. Amy thought about a way to find out whether Kerrigan could listen to them.
It would be a neat way for her to know what we are doing...
"Milady? If I may.."
A couple of minutes of silence later Yashira interrupted Amy's thoughts. She shifted her view to her aid.
".. the Hatchery is nearly done mutating."
"Now! Already?!"
Quite surprised she looked at centre. The small Drone had already grown into a large bubble of biomass, way larger than Amy.
"Well... you have... trained quite long.."
Suddenly the bubble started pulsating. It expanded and shrunk rhythmically but the frequency slowly rose. And after a few more moments the skin ripped open with a loud snap. Slime and liquid splattered all around.
Ew..
The last shreds of skin retreated back under the large structure and Amy looked at what she guessed was her Hatchery. It looked like a large circular tend made of Zerg-leather littered with spines and hooks. Here and there small holes or slits gaped open where sometime small clouds of gas or runlets of liquids came from. Five large spikes pointed upwards at the edge of the Hatchery while five smaller ones decorated the peak of the tend. She noticed it shifting and moving in tiny manners.
It really is living.
"This.. thing mutated from just one Drone?!"
"Yes, Milady. Drones are capable of mutating... into many different things."
She was once again astonished at the wonders having the name Zerg on it.
"Ew... and what... is that?"
Forgetting her position or that it might be a stupid question she pointed at the weird, slimy mud that crept forth from the building outwards in all direction.
"That.. is Creep, Milady. It connects the parts of our Hive and enhances our capabilities."
"Enhance our capabilities?"
She raised a foot and carefully stepped into the slime. Surprisingly it wasn't wet or musty but a firm skin over a jelly-like flesh. Immediately she felt a pulse pumping through her leg as some of the Creep wrapped around the edges of her foot. A weird sensation rose in her body yet it felt kind of great.
"It.. increases our strength and lets us move faster."
I wanna try that!
One foot after another she walked further to the Hatchery. Starting to circle around it she picked up pace. It was difficult at first to run on this moving underground but quickly she got the pattern. The Creep was bending around her feet, pushing her forward as well as giving her support to lean further down while running. She made a couple of rounds really fast, faster she had ever been. Her hair rattled in the breeze of the run. Another thing she noticed was this running didn't seem to exhaust her as much as she would expect. It felt like her body was completely happy to blow off steam.
This is awesome!
After a few more rounds she slowed down and moved over to Yashira whom the Creep had already reached during Amy's sprint.
"Yashira! You Zerg! You are fascinating and just awesome!"
A/N: Here is the next one. And she finally gets her first Zerg structure ;) Hope you liked it =)
+halo is bad ass: It seems like you are not alone with your evil thoughts ;)
+pt1oef: I'm not going to spoil the next parts here. ;) Well Valerian and Warfield: haven't decided yet. Kerrigan: Ohoho not only you are waiting on this one ;)