A flurry of gunfire echoed loudly. The make-shift shooting range, now made up of hung zerg corpses, was empty save for one particular shooter. Nova cursed, seeing her horrid aim. She shot not in accuracy but rage. She couldn't have cared less. She wanted to waste some lead and feel the brute recoil of the rifle against her shoulder as she squeezed a trigger – unleashing bullets to whatever was in its way.
"Losing your touch Nova?" asked a voice behind her.
Her commander in chief, as it were, came beside her, staring at the spent bullet casings and then at the target who's wounds did not equate with the shells.
"Nothing to worry about," replied Nova, shouldering her rifle again, preparing to fire. "I just saw my large scale combat theatre."
"I called for you, you know," said Raynor, offhandedly. "An hour ago. You were supposed to be at the Nexus Maximal making sure Fenix was kept safe. You never showed up."
"Is he dead?" asked Nova. Raynor shook his head. "Then there's nothing to worry about," she concluded, flicking off her safety.
Raynor grabbed the shaft of her rifle and forced it down. "There is something to worry about. It's you."
Nova stayed silent.
"What is going on?" he asked exasperatingly. "We could have lost Fenix today because of you. And now I find you shooting up dead zerg carcasses which are completely against regulation. You know Matt ordered to burn the corpses on the spot."
"Let me ask you a question," Nova said suddenly. "I want you to answer it directly with no bullshit."
Raynor nodded.
"Are we going after Mengsk?" she demanded with clear emphasis on every word. "That's why I joined this little charade of yours. Saving the Protoss is all well and good, but I didn't sign up to fight aliens. I stayed to fight the Dominion, to fight that son of a bitch."
"We're still fighting the Dominion," insisted Raynor. "But if we abandoned our friends we're just as bad. I ain't gonna become Mengsk just to defeat him."
"You're right," stated Nova, fresh with sarcasm. "You're not a ruthless dictator at all. You're just a drunk commander who's lost sight of his true goal."
Raynor raised an eyebrow at the comment. Nova took a moment to recollect on what she had just said.
"Sorry," she added. "I didn't mean to say that. It's just that...we got to get him. We have to get Mengsk. I don't care how, I don't care why, but we have to get him and soon."
"He doesn't deserve to live," she whispered to herself.
"We will get him, that's certain," assured Raynor. "But why Nova? Why are you so suddenly desperate to make Mengsk pay? You're alarming me, Nova. The only people who I've known to do whatever necessary have been...well...Mengsks."
"Well here's one in the flesh," snarled Nova. "Listen, don't worry about me. My motivations shouldn't matter to you. My actions should. And when we get back on track soon, you'll find I'm more than good enough to hit a target between the eyes at 100 yards. Let's just get to Mengsk. There's nothing to worry about Jimmy."
Raynor sighed and turned. "Even you don't believe that, Nova," he stated, walking away.
Nova paused for a second before raising her rifle once more and firing again on the bullet ridden corpse.
Raynor walked about down the streets of Antioch, its citizens admiring their reclaimed city. Many greeted Raynor with genuine enthusiasm as they made their way by. Raynor noticed that Artanis would receive a very different greeting when word got out of his actions. The Commander made his way into the command center. He passed by a small monitor, which flickered with light and disturbing paroles caught Raynor's attention.
"The devastating reports of the vicious Hybrid attacks unleashed by notorious criminal and terrorist James Raynor have dwindled. Many military analysts allocate this brief peace as the product of General Winston Duke's efforts to quell the threat with the full might of the Dominion Armada, promoting safety and security to the Dominion. The Hybrid has previously attacked Tyrador IX, Tyrador II and Brontes I. The closest systems in the area are the Nephor and Torus systems. In other news, efforts to rebuild the Tyrrador III University have begun with-"
"What in the hell?" mumbled Raynor, incredulously.
He took off at a blinding pace, bursting into the room with General Warfield and Matt Horner. They were both mildly surprised but Warfield had a proud smirk on his face.
"Knew you'd recover," grunted the seasoned veteran. "That's what you call determination."
"What is this smear campaign? They have video evidence of me releasing the Hybrid and now it's been attacking colonies and innocent people!"
"Don't know if you noticed, but we were a little busy fighting a war," miffed the General.
"You know Mengsk, sir," said Horner quietly. "There's no way the Hybrid got out of the Castanar facility on its own. It was brought or...unleashed. Do you think it's a coincidence that your popularity has fallen and Mengsk's has soared because of this?"
"He's using it. He must be," determined Raynor. "Jesus, killing your own people? We can't afford to wait anymore. We have to end this now before they strike again. Adjutant! Bring up the Dominion systems!"
"Well I'd never thought I'd see the day where the Emperor started killing his own people and using my troops to do it!" fumed General Warfield. "Luckily for you, I already compiled a list of targets."
The adjutant lit up. It spoke:
Dylar System – Military Capital. Loyal to the Dominion
Korhal System – Political Capital. Loyal to the Dominion
Tyrrador System – Intellectual Capital. Revolutionary Potential
"Not after that attack," said Matt dryly.
Brontes System – Loyal to the Dominion
Nephor System – Revolutionary potential
Torus System – Loyal to the Dominion
Castanar System – Loyal to the Dominion
Mackan System – no active government
Prime System – no active government
Sara System – Revolutionary potential
Tarsonis System – no active government
Jaandara System – Revolutionary potential
Turaxis System – Loyal to the Dominion
Thalon System – Loyal to the Dominion
Maltair System – Loyal to the Dominion
"The list ain't all right," said Warfield. "Torus ain't loyal to the Dominion, their loyal to me. They'll join our cause if it's the Hero of Torus who's asking. Like Horner said, the attack on the Tyrador planets is gonna be shaking up their loyalty a whole bunch."
"Then we got Nephor," pushed Matt, excitedly. "The Umojans claimed that rogue elements of the Ghost Program – specifically the one Tosh was a part of – was behind the explosion on Nephor II. The Nephor System's loyalty to the Dominion is strained. While their burying their thousands dead, the Dominion isn't lifting a finger to investigate. Mackan is pretty much deserted now, not much left of that system. And the Prime system, well, you'd be hard pressed to find anything human left there. But we got Sara support easily. You're their champion. Turaxis is largely militaristic and patriotic – we'd best forget about that system. And the Tarsonis system isn't in any shape to be doing much of anything. But we do stand a good chance at rallying support from the Jaandara system. Their economy is hurting really bad. The Depression there is out of control. They've already defied the Dominion by trading with the Kel-Morians. Getting them to join our cause isn't too farfetched."
"But Raynor," cautioned Warfield. "There's a reason Dylar is at the top of that list."
"The Shipyards," sighed Raynor. "I know what you're thinking, but we got out from luck last time. The Dylarian Shipyards is the heart of the Dominion military. It's the bastion of their strength. Deploying there means a lot of dead men, and destroyed ships over Dylar IV. We'll be encountering the might of the entire fleet! Not to mention planetary defences. If we commit to an attack there, there will be substantial losses."
"Dylar is one of the only major systems left in the Sector," argued Matt. "We won't be able to even come close to the Korhal system, not after the Odin incident. They'd send the whole armada our way if we even pointed our ships in that direction. The Castanar system would be of little worth to us. The Brontes system has too many planets for us to be able to secure the system from the Dominion without quick counterattack. Even Braxis! We can't even take that small system. It's been built to survive siege for over a year with effective trade routes between the core world and Braxis Alpha. After the Dominion has pumping money into its defences, we won't even be able to land there in one piece.
"We have to hit Dylar and we have to hit it hard," concluded Warfield firmly. "If we can take down Dylar we'll have crippled Dominion military might. It might make Korhal easier to target."
"That still doesn't explain how we can engage over half of the Dominion Armada!" exclaimed Raynor. "The Dylarian Shipyards houses a surplus of half the Dominion ships at any given time. Even with our forces bolstered, we'd be fools to engage them. The numbers game isn't on our sides."
"It can't hurt to at least get into a better position to act," replied Matt.
"Alright," sighed Raynor, not seeing an alternative. "Plot a route. We have a chance at cutting in between Brontes and Tarsonis systems."
"That's not going to work," interrupted the General. "We'd be crossing straight through the Braxis DMZ. We'd be shot out of the sky if the Braxans detected us crossing their border. We'll have to go around through the Prime system."
There was a long pause. Raynor and Matt exchanged worried looks. Antiga Prime hadn't been in the best of shape last time they were there. They were sure the rest of the system couldn't have been much better. Contact had been lost with its sister planet Almera Prime a long time ago and no one had bothered to re-establish it. Artesia Prime suffered the same fate. And judging by their last venture to the Prime system, Sigma Prime was completely deserted. Going back there was rehashing old memories that longed to be forgotten. But it was an alternative to a painful fiery death at the hands of the Dominion Braxans.
Before Raynor could decide, Rory Swann marched into the room, both desperate and confused.
"Is there no such thing as a private conversation?" demanded Warfield angrily.
"Can it!" gasped Swann. "Cowboy, you gotta see this. Their leaving! All of them, those damn betraying backstabbers!"
"Wait who is leaving?" asked Raynor.
"It's the Kel-Morians!" exclaimed Swann. "The Kel-Morians are going to war."
OOO
"What is this Artanis?" hissed the council, bathed in light while the Hierarch stood just out of sight. "You insult us by undermining our authority. You may have still the decency to speak when spoken to!"
"You hypocrites," spat Artanis. "You preach of the sanctity of the Khala and yet I know what you have done. Oh yes. You attempted to supplant me, and almost succeeded. But know this, fellow fiends and bigots, I will not succumb to the treachery of a band of miscreant dissenters. You plague my mind with lies and falsities, the likes of which I have never thought and thanks to you, will never forget."
"You're lying," stated the council.
Artanis seethed with fury. The sincerity was lacking and both parties knew it.
"I did not summon you to present you a moral speech," said Artanis. "It is much too late for that."
"You go too far young Artanis," roared the council, outraged. "You are in no position to dictate terms of superiority and ethics to us, the Civil Council. Know your place! We will not bow to the passive aggressiveness of a young foolish dictator!"
Artanis ignited his psionic blade. The blue hue lit his face and showed the council how far he was willing to go. He took steps towards them.
"If my own thoughts cannot be assured, neither can the fate of the Protoss," stated Artanis, more to himself. "The mind is sacred. Is that not what you preached?"
He stepped towards them again, raising the psionic blade to his chest.
"You dare threaten us? You dare threaten the Council? You dare threaten the Protoss?" cried the council, in rage and fear.
"No it was you who threatened the Protoss," growled Artanis. "In your power hungry pursuit you would have stripped me of my mind and throw the Protoss into disarray. I cannot allow that to happen."
He was within striking distance.
"Don't do something you will eternally regret," warned the council, all members quivering in fear. "Are you listening Hierarch? This is a mistake."
He raised the blade over his head.
"Damn you for what I must do."
The blade fell.
OOO
"Well I'll be damned," muttered a low soothing voice. "It appears that the infamous Jim Raynor has appeared before me. I would extend greetings to you but I hardly think hacking into my communications network is a proper way to elicit politeness."
"You're not General Mah Sakai, leader of the Kel-Morian Combine," said Raynor taken aback.
"No I am not," replied the man. "My predecessor was not up the task. We Kel-Morians are the embodiment of strength. But that alone will not secure our place in the sector."
"Yet somehow the Kel-Morians lost the Guild Wars and is subservient to the Dominion," remarked Matt Horner.
The man made a snicker. "So it would seem. Well, as you know, actions have been made to correct that. Anyhow, I am Rector Joseph Sieyes, leader of state for the Kel-Morian Combine and you are wasting my time."
"Rector Sieyes, you are making a mistake," pleaded Horner immediately.
"Explain exactly how that is the case," said Sieyes coldly. "The Dominion unleashed a Hybrid monster on one of our worlds. I have direct video proof and a sworn testimony from one of my soldiers who passed all psychological trauma tests to assure his sanity. I took every possible measure to secure the legitimacy of this. And now the truth comes out. This was an attack on the Kel-Morian Combine. And it will not go without retaliation. The First Response Fleet has already been deployed to Korhal space. Do not underestimate us Mr. Raynor. We have the largest fleet in the sector. And reports from the witness show that a sizeable Dominion force was present with the Hybrid, most likely to assure its cooperation. Korhal is defenceless. Its fleets are scattered around the remainders of the Kel-Morian Sigma System."
"Mengsk is ruthless!" said Raynor. "Attacking the Dominion will only assure your own destruction. There are ways to fight the Dominion but an attack on the throne world isn't it."
"So what do we do?" laughed Sieyes humourlessly. "Do we relegate ourselves to little raids on Dominion vessels? Or stealing supplies from a little train? Take a glimpse of reality, Raynor. Your revolution has done nothing! We are in the same position we were in 3 years ago. All diplomatic ties have been severed. We were at the brink of war. No longer though. Now we are in the thick of it. Mengsk wants a war, the Combine will give him one. And no bastardly ruler, no renegade commander, and no deserting General is going to convince me otherwise!"
"Can your Hubris!" scoffed Warfield. "Calculating leaders like Mengsk feast upon the impulsive natures of others. I don't know what's waiting at Korhal, but you should be damned certain that Mengsk wouldn't leave his world unprotected."
"Is that so?" spoke the Kel-Morian Rector. "Much like Mengsk wouldn't have enslaved a Hybrid to enforce loyalty through fear in his own Empire? Or use it to attack a peaceful colony? Do no waste my time general. We are but moments away now. Kel-Morian ships should be warping into Korhal space within seconds. Goodbye gentlemen."
The screen faded to black.
"Get me feed of the Kel-Morian First Response Fleet now!" barked Raynor.
Matt relayed similar orders.
"Well he's right," grunted Warfield. "Kel-Moria does have the largest fleet in the sector but it's outdated, disorganized and undisciplined. Hell, they're still using some of the old Leviathan class Battlecruisers. They wouldn't stand a chance against a Dominion Fleet."
"Is that professional pride?" asked Raynor.
"Merely an observation," he replied. "But who knows? Maybe they will actually catch a break. If the Hybrid was as monstrous as you claim it was, it will have taken a lot of manpower to control it."
"Don't count on it. Mengsk always has a plan."
"The feed is coming up now!" called Horner.
The screen flickered back to life. The following images were horrific.
Huge chunks of metal and steel floated about as all assortments of weaponry and pain were engaged. The Kel-Morian fleet had run into an entire blockade of hostile Battlecruisers. Yamato cannons were shooting Kel-Morians down faster than the captains could react. Ships collided with each other. Uncoordinated attacks by the First Response Fleet were easily outmanoeuvred by the hostile ships protecting Korhal. These ships appeared to be professionally captained. They moved in coordination almost unfound even in the Dominion. Salvos were fired, crashing into wings of old valkyrie ships, sending them spiralling out of control. The First Response Fleet was getting decimated within minutes. The large debris of former ships obstructed view and manoeuvrability. And then the platform came into view.
The platform, looking very new, had a familiar weapon housed on its surface. All watching paled when they identified it. The Ion cannon was prepping to fire. A single shot was fired. One medium sized volley of infinite carnage. It was enough to level the entire First Response Fleet. The feed cut out as the respective Battleship most likely suffered irreparable damage. The fleet's numbers dropped from nearly 50 to less than a dozen. It was a massacre. If any damage was done to the Dominion, none could see it. If anything, the Kel-Morians had merely added to the cloud of space debris as their ships were broken and destroyed in the empty void.
"Jesus," whispered Horner. "Commander, you saw it didn't you?"
"What the cannon?" demanded Warfield. "Who could have missed it? The damn thing took out nearly their entire fleet! Where the hell did they get from? I thought the Confederates burned all records of the weapon!"
"It's not the cannon," said Raynor slowly. "Those ships were marked even after all the Dominion paint and insignias had been put on. They weren't Dominion ships."
Matt tightly squeezed his fists. "They were Mira Han's."
OOO
He has it. He has it. He has it.
Everything was coming together now. Even with all her exciting reporting, Lockwell could hardly believe such elaborate conspiracies existed outside of fiction. How could Donny have it? There were rumours, in fact direct confirmations that he had it. But the sector had brushed these claims off as baseless. She had underestimated Donny, as had the rest of the sector. If he truly did have it, this changed everything. Disregarding the biggest story in Sector history, if what Donny said was true, he had the power to shake the very foundations of the entire Dominion forever. Everything made sense now. It all was fitting together. The puzzle pieces had been aligned and an undeniable picture was beginning to form. One piece was missing. The peanut butter stared Kate in the face, almost urging her on.
The reporter took a deep breath. She was crazy for even considering it, but she was a reporter. It was her job to uncover the truth. Even she couldn't afford to be a sceptic anymore. The proof was there for anyone observant enough to see. It explained Donny's abrupt dismissal from UNN and unceremonious patient status within the Dominion Mental Health Center even when he had shown no prior signs of psychosis or mental illness. It explained the surplus of armed guards at the Mental Health Center. It explained why he had asked her to look up the story. It explained everything. Even the peanut butter.
If Donny truly did have it, then he wasn't nearly as crazy as she had been lead to believe. He was the sanest one in the sector.
Author's Note: It seems to have become a habit for me to apologize about the long wait. I had this chapter all ready to post and then the Japanese Earthquake happened. It didn't seem right to post it. And then I found it increasingly difficult to write with everything going on in Japan including the nuclear meltdown. I knew a lot of good people in Japan, haven't heard from half of them. Anyway, here's the next chapter. The Revolution is once again in full swing. I've attempted to organize this whole Koprulu sector with designated systems and planets within them. I pulled together known systems and planets within Starcraft lore and organized it in a more structured fashion. Also, please give me some insight if you understand the whole Lockwell-Vermillion plot line. I'm really trying to do it right without revealing everything overtly but if its not working, I don't want to confuse people. Hope you enjoyed it and please review!
