Bucephalus, High Orbit over Char

Valerian felt somewhat out of place in his flagship's laboratory. He was an archeologist at heart and felt more at ease in an ancient ruin than he did here. The fact that the other researchers were out having lunch didn't help either. Being alone did give the crown prince the opportunity of looking through all this data unmolested. It would be some time before the scouts would return with any news on the Zerg, so he didn't have anything better to do anyway. The lab was stuffed to the brim with samples and equipment confiscated from the Raiders. The sheer volume of it all was staggering. In four years, the Raiders had caught up and, in some ways, even passed the Dominion by technologically. The fact that a small group of rebels could outdo a sector-wide empire in anything was, to say the least, impressive. The technologies here would help tremendously when the inevitable Zerg counter-attack would arrive. Time was not on their side, and humanity would need every edge it could find if it was to survive. Knowledge is power, which made some of these mysteries all the more infuriating.

Valerian's current conundrum was a strange Protoss device that used to stand on a pillar-shaped table in the Hyperion's lab. Unlike most of the other devices there, this one was almost completely untouched. The Raiders had no qualms pulling apart the other things they had come across. Why would they be so reluctant to learn more about this one? It certainly had its fair share of secrets: when one of Mengsk's staff touched it, he froze where he stood and had to be pushed away. The man had no physical trauma, at least none they could detect, but they weren't sure if the same could be said about his mind. He claimed that he was looking through the eyes of another, a Protoss of all things, and that it seemed like he was reliving memories that weren't his own. He seemed more or less fine, but Valerian ordered him quarantined and examined by Nova and a psychologist as a precaution. He didn't like imprisoning people, but just letting him go until he knew what happened to the man was too dangerous. Hoping to find some answers, Valerian scrolled through the notes of the Hyperion's head scientist, a man named Egon Stetmann. He used to be a scientist working on some sort of shielding technology for an ill-fated Dominion supersoldier program until he found his moral compass and sabotaged his own research, destroying the facility he worked in. While he caused a lot of damage, Valerian couldn't help but admire him for having the guts to do what he thought was right. Even if his courage didn't earn the crown prince's respect, his acumen certainly did. If the Hyperion's logs are to be believed, Stetmann was single-handedly responsible for many of the brilliant pieces of engineering the Raiders had at their disposal. The Dominion lost one of their finest minds when they couldn't ensure Stetmann's loyalty. Valerian regretted not having him in the Moebius Foundation. A man like that could do so much with near limitless funding and resources.

Looking through the notes, the crown prince eventually came across a series called 'Ihan Memory Crystal'. Believing that this might shed some light on the mysterious Protoss device, he opened the oldest note and started reading:

'Today, Commander Raynor brought another Protoss device to the lab. I was about to get my equipment when he stopped me, looked me in the eye, and ordered me not to touch it. As in officer-to-soldier kind of order! I've worked for Raynor and his crew for about three yonks now, and not once has he actually ordered me to do anything. Whatever that thing was, it's either really good, or really bad. To satisfy my curiosity (and probably stop me from opening it up anyway when he's gone) Raynor explained to me and Dr. Hanson that it was an 'Ihan Memory Crystal', a device that would allow you to 'relive' another person's memory. Apparently a fellow named 'Zeratul' wanted to tell him something extremely important with it. I thought the method was rather over-complicated. It seemed much simpler to just send a message over the comms. Raynor agreed, but said that you can't lie when you're using one of these things. With an Ihan crystal, you get the complete picture without bias or misinterpretation. The message must have been extremely important. The kind that could cost lives if any part of it was misunderstood or ignored in any way. If it is some sort of data storage device, I can imagine that it is very delicate. If I did pull it apart, I might end up destroying part of the message. Anyway, I asked some of the older Raiders, the ones who already served during the Brood War, who Zeratul was and they looked at me as if I asked them if water was wet. Apparently Zeratul is a big-shot Protoss hero of some kind, someone who Raynor respects more than anyone. Suffice it to say that Raynor is a better judge of character than I am. If someone is worthy of his respect, he'd be worthy of mine as well. For the time being, I will suppress my curiosity and work on these Zerg samples.'

Valerian had heard of this Zeratul before. He had fought four years ago in the Great War and the Brood War that followed it, only to vanish afterwards. Whatever he had found, it must have been of great importance for him to risk seeking out the Hyperion. Without much further thought, the crown prince opened the second entry:

'Commander Raynor will probably skin me alive if he reads this, but I could not contain my curiosity. I know, it's wrong, but I'm a scientist, for goodness' sake! His orders forbade me to open the memory crystal up, but it said nothing about visual inspection, or using the scanner. Still, I doubt Raynor will appreciate the fact that I obeyed the letter rather than the spirit of his command. Anyhow, the device appears to be a flower-like construct about the size of my hand. It seems to consist of three 'petals' made of that golden metal the Protoss use in most of their structures and machines. On each petal is a green glowing marking, possibly a logogram of some sort. My knowledge of the Protoss language is very limited, unfortunately, and I am unable to determine what these markings mean. At the center of the device is a glowing green crystal which I speculate to be the psychic transmitter of the device. A hologram of an unknown object hovers above it, although I'm not sure which part of the device projects it, or what purpose it serves. The scanner came up empty: apart from some radiation commonly found in Protoss technology, there was nothing that could tell me how it works, or what information it holds. I'll have to wait until the commander decides to use the device. Maybe I can have it once he is done with it.'

While the scientist's problems were interesting, they hadn't given the prince what he needed. He moved on to the next entry.

'I've scanned the device a few times already, but came up empty every time. Dr. Hanson, who is as curious about the memory crystal as I am, advised me to leave it be regardless, explaining, in a soft, motherly voice, that the commander will have my head if something happens to it. She's real scary when she does that. Anyway, I was in luck. Raynor came by and decided to use it. He simply walked over to the table and muttered something to himself. The crystal core started to glow more intensely and the commander froze in place. He stayed like this for hours, completely catatonic and unresponsive to any stimulus whatsoever. I tried getting his attention by making abrupt movements in front of him (which Dr. Hanson insisted on calling 'flailing about like a moron'), but to no avail. Gentle prodding him with a pen didn't do anything either. Autonomic functions appeared to be in order, however. Raynor was able to stand, his muscles seemingly fine. His breathing and heart rate were normal, although they did spike every now and then as if the commander was performing intermitted bursts of physical activity. I theorize that the device shuts down conscious brain activity and any reflexes that might result in movement, thus facilitating the transfer of information from the crystal to the commander's mind. I wanted to test that hypothesis by exposing Raynor to a sharp object (laboratory-grade scalpel) to see if his pain-response reflex arcs were disabled as well, but decided against it. While the commander would suffer little to no physical harm, I doubt the same could be said for me if he finds out I tried to stab him with a knife in the name of science. A few hours later, Raynor 'unfroze', muttered something about needing a drink, and left without saying anything to either of us. Whatever was on that crystal, it must have been quite shocking. When he returned about an hour (and a few drinks, judging by the smell of his breath) later, the only thing he wanted to talk about was our research. We asked him about what he saw, he said he wasn't sure yet, that he had only seen a part of the message. Dr. Hanson expressed her worries, but Raynor claimed it was important and he had to see it. I cannot help but wonder what was worth frying your cortex over, but I'm not the man to doubt the commander's decisions. He knows what he is doing. I hope.'

What Valerian just read was eerily similar to the experiences of the affected staff member. If nothing else, it meant that whatever he did, the man used the device the way it was meant to. The prince still didn't know what was on that device. He hoped the last entry would.

'Today had been the fourth time Commander Raynor used that crystal. Each time, he left, more exhausted and more worried than the last time. While some physical fatigue is to be expected (he stood in the same spot for hours at a time), the degree of exhaustion tells me that it's more than what it appears. Dr. Hanson said that, physically, he was fine and that the 'side effects' from using the crystal would go away with a healthy meal and a good night's sleep. The commander still hasn't shared the full details of what he had seen with us, claiming that there was too much at stake, but I'm not an idiot. I saw him in the cantina the other night, brooding. Swan says he's just thinking about Kerrigan, his girlfriend that he lost to the Zerg, but I honestly doubt that. I know what it's like to know a terrible secret, but to be unable to tell anyone about it. My research for the Dominion on Tyrador still makes hard to sleep some nights. Whatever was on that crystal, it has both my commander and a high-up Protoss running scared. Too scared to let us grunts know about it. It must have been something crucial, not just to them, but to everyone. I feel I need to know what he saw, but I can't muster the courage to ask him. I don't want to ask someone else to do it in my place; that could start all sorts of rumors. Do I even want to know what's on the crystal? Honestly, I don't know what to do. Should I take a look at the crystal myself? Demand he tell me what's on it after I've had a few Mai Tai's? No, I probably should let it rest. Raynor isn't the Dominion military. I've always trusted him; if he doesn't tell us, I'm sure he has a good reason.'

That was the last of the entries. Valerian still didn't know what was on the memory crystal. Whatever it was, he needed that information. He had to find out, no matter the risks. What could a Protoss possibly have to say to a rebel? What is so important that you would need this ridiculously overcomplicated method to pass it along?

There was only one way to find out. Valerian knew he would regret this, but he felt there was no other way. The crown prince took the crystal to his office, locked the door, and ordered that he would not be disturbed by anyone.