A/N warning: sexual content

Heart of the Swarm Chapter 49

"We have a problem." Matt had called the leaders of their little battle group into the Hyperion's bridge as soon as he discovered what was happening. Jim immediately recognized the planets that Matt had on display. The urgency in Matt's voice could only mean one thing. Matt swept his hand across the holographic image of the planets the Zerg had already invaded."I've tried scan after scan and they all show nothing except the devastation that was left behind. There is no sign of even a single Zerg life form. I've sent some scouts to verify but it may take some time before they return."

"I will send out a few observers as well." Zeratul volunteered.

"Maybe they are falling back? Regrouping?" Chase asked optimistically. The others looked at him grimly, indicating that thinking that the hybrids would suddenly abandon their systemic obliteration was foolhardy. He had only been with them for a short while and hadn't yet fully experienced the horrors of war as the others had. That experience had taught them many hard lessons. One of them being that wishing for something to come true did not make it so.

Matt turned to Sarah. "The scouts would be more effective if they had a few overlords with them." Jim almost smiled at how casually Matt asked for Sarah's assistance. It wasn't just the Zerg and Terrans but the Protoss as well. It certainly took some time but cooperation between the three races had certainly been increasing of late.

"I don't think that's a good idea." Sarah's words startled everyone there. They all looked her questioningly. Sarah kept all her focus on the now abandoned planets. It was several moments later before she spoke again. "It just does not make any sense for them not to continue. They've been overrunning planets practically unopposed."

Chase took offense this. "We've slowed them a little." It seemed insulting to him that Sarah showed so little regard for what they had put in to the war effort.

Sarah could only smile warily at the young man. Chase was young. He had seen many battles but they were just battles, skirmishes really. He had yet to experience the true horror of war. "We are but pebbles trying to stem a river."

Chase thought that surely Sarah must be jesting. After all they had suffered and all the lives that had been lost there was no way that Sarah was right. He looked at the faces of those gathered for some reassurance but in their somber eyes he saw the startling truth of Sarah's words.

"You have never witnessed the full terrifying might of the Zerg or felt the very ground shake at their endless numbers." Sarah continued. "Once they have decided that we are a great enough threat they will simply throw bodies at us until we are buried under a pile of corpses."

"And you are saying that is what's happening now?" Chase could see the validity of what Sarah was explaining. "All the Zerg are suddenly heading our way to wipe us out? " His thoughts turned to all those refugees they had provided with shelter. Many of them had taken up arms, bolstering the Raider's numbers but there were still many more who were simply unable to fight. Men and women who were either too young or too old to fight. "We can't stay here."

"No we can't." Sarah agreed. "The question is where could we possibly go. No matter where we choose to defend ourselves there are simply not enough of us. We would only be delaying the inevitable."

"Then maybe its time we stopped delaying." Until that point Jim had been pretty much silent. His sudden announcement had caught everyone by surprise. "I thought we just agreed that fighting was suicide?" Chase was not the only who was confused.

Jim absent-mindedly ran his hand across his chin as plans began to form in his mind. "I didn't say we were going to fight them... At least not alone."

Jim turned his head towards the enigmatic Protoss leader but Zeratul seemed to be taken aback at the Terran seemed to be suggesting. "We are few in number, James Raynor." Zeratul barely had a token force with him, not enough to stand against a Zerg attack.

"Not the Protoss you have here but the entire Protoss armada." Jim's mouth curled up in a devious smile. They all looked at one another in confusion. They were certain he had lost his mind. "You may have been an ally in the past but to most of the Protoss you are still just a Terran. Why would the council risk the entire armada to help a human even one such as you?" Zeratul knew there was no way to convince the council that a few human lives were worth saving. Nahaan would never agree to... "Nahaan? You intend to use him to bargain with the council?"

Jim simply shrugged in response. "Nahaan is of the council and the chosen leader of his tribe but that does not mean the council would risk the security of our entire race for an individual. Particularly one that is disliked as much as he is."

Jim continued, ignoring the older Protoss. "They will not be the only helping us. Its time the Dominion military started protecting its citizens."

This time it was Hastings who spoke up, his eyes as wide as everyone elses. "The Dominion would rather watch world after world burn than come to your rescue, Raynor." "They won't have a choice. None of them will." He nodded his head as if he had just convinced himself of what it was he needed to do. He then motioned them closer and told them what he had intended to do. He watched all of their faces as he explained his plan to them. They ranged from bewilderment, to shock and to a look of in-credulousness.

"You cannot be serious?" Hastings shook his head in disbelief. This was the plan of the single most wanted man in the Dominion. "If all your schemes are as hair brained and idiotic as this one then I have no clue how you survived this long."

Chase, on the other hand, was quick to give the plan his vote of confidence but then again Raynor could say that none of them were real and that their entire stories were created as part of a massive video game and Chase would believe him. Such was the young man's faith in James Raynor. But Jim knew he needed more than just Chase's support. Such a grandiose plan required all their support, without it they would be doomed to fail as their corpses were trampled upon by the endless hordes of Zerg and hybrid that would surely follow.

Surprisingly it was Zeratul who spoke up first. "It is certainly not something they would expect." The Dark Templar thought things through for a few more minutes before giving his nod of approval. "We will join you."

"Well, this will certainly be one for the history books. I've told you before that the Raiders would follow you to hell and back so what's one more pit stop in that journey. We are in." Matt couldn't help but smile at what was happening. Who else but Jim could pull something like this off.

Sarah moved next to him as she studied him intently. "You had faith in me when no one else did. Who would I be if I did not do the same for you?" Jim shivered at not only her words but at the feel of her armored hand as it slightly brushed against his. Finally he turned to their newest ally.

Hastings raised an eyebrow at the small group. How quickly they fell into step behind Raynor. Who was this man really that he could command such loyalty and faith. Not just from his own men but apparently from members of the Zerg and Protoss as well. Before he knew what he was doing Hastings gave him a slight nod, indicating that he too would commit to the ludicrous plan that had been suggested. "Just one thing. You know as well as I do that the Dominion will betray you the first chance they get. You need to get that nanite out. This whole insane operation hinges on you." Hastings was committed but that did not mean that he would simply follow Raynor blindly. If they were going to undertake such an impossible then they were going to have to do what they could to ensure its success. Then perhaps some of them would actually live through it.

Jim swiped his hand across the star charts moving from system to system in search of a planet that would suit their needs. We was getting dangerously close to Protoss space when he came across a world he hadn't thought about since before he shot Tychus. He stared at the planet intently, weighing his options.

"Haven?" Matt says, recognizing it immediately. "It could work. They would have the equipment we need."

Jim had no doubt that the planet would serve their purposes. His problem was with the danger he would putting the colony under. "They've already been through so much."

"So have you. You stood up for them when the Protoss would have burned them to ash. They owe you this much at least." Matt winked at him before adding. "Besides I don't think Dr. Hanson would ever turn you away. I mean she practically asked you to move in with her the last time you saw her."

Jim grimaced as he felt both Nova and Kerrigan turn their heads towards him upon hearing Matt's words. He could almost see the the question forming in their lips. Who the hell is Dr. Hanson. Jim believed that the only thing that stopped them from asking was the others presence. He could see from his second in command's evil grin that Matt was fully aware what the reaction would be from his last statement. Jim made a mental note to return the favor should they ever see Mira Han again.

Jim ignored the glares he was receiving and instead focused his attention to what they needed to do. "It will take some time for this yard to reach Haven. I should probably go ahead with an advanced team to begin fortifying the area. We will use the planet as a staging area until we are ready to proceed with my plan." One by one they all nodded their heads in agreement. For better or worse this was their decided course of action. Everything rested on this. He prayed that he would not fail for he knew that if he did then the entire sector would follow him into oblivion.

He stayed a while longer, working out the details of what was expected of everyone. When he was satisfied that Matt and the others could hash what was left, he existed himself and walked out of the room. Nova watched him every step of the way. How tired he was did not escape her attention. No one else may have noticed but she had. Despite the enthusiasm he displayed while telling them of the plan he had come, Nova could tell that he was exhausted. He tried to put a brave front for everyone, especially Chase, but if they had bothered to really listen the weariness was evident. It continued even now as he walked towards the door. Once he believed that no one was looking at him, Jim head lowered, his breaths became longer and shoulder slouched forward just a little.

Nova couldn't tell if Sarah noticed or not because if anyone should have said something to Jim it should have been her. Nova supposed she suspected, if the quick flick of Sarah's eyes towards Jim every now and then were any indication but when Jim left Sarah didn't follow. Nova, however, did. She ignored the eyes that were probably trying to burn a hole in the back of her head as she followed Jim. Just as Jim was tired of playing it safe in his fight against the Dominion, Nova was tired of walking on egg shells around Jim and Sarah. As far as she was concerned the other woman had forfeited her chance since they were no longer together.

It didn't take long for Nova to follow Jim out, a minute or two at most but she was dumbfounded when she saw no trace of him in the long hallways right outside the room they had their little conference in. He was fast, she realized. More than he should be. She searched for him throughout the ship. She started with the bar, afraid that he had resorted back to liquor. When she didn't find him there she looked in the hangars and ammunition storage. Eventually she made her way back to his room, berating herself for not checking there first.

She stood in front of the door, listening carefully. The soft shuffling of footsteps told her that he was in there. Nova raised her hand to knock but stopped centimeters before her knuckles tapped on the metal surface. Her confidence evaporated, unsure now of what exactly she would say. What could she even say to a man who held as much burden as he did. She was still standing there when the door opened on its own.

"You think too loudly," Raynor called from beyond the threshold. To say that Nova shocked was an understatement. Could he really feel her mind through the door without her having noticed. It was impossible. More likely she had made some sound that had alerted him to her presence.

"Can I come in?" She asked. Raynor sighed heavily and motioned her inside. Once the door closed behind her Raynor took a seat on a chair in the corner. Nova took stock of him then. Even seated Jim seemed large and imposing. He looked tired, his eyes weary but it did not take away from the strength and authority that seemed to bleed out of his very body. He took a sip from the cup he held in his hand and gestured towards her.

"Care for a drink?"

She hesitated before answering. "Sure. Whatever you are having is fine."

Jim stood again but his body language clearly betrayed the fact that he would rather have remained seated. He poured some liquid into a cup that was identical to his own. After placing a few cubes of ice he offered it to her. She smiled in appreciation before taking a sip. Her eyes widened when the fluid touched her mouth. "Ice water?"

Jim just shrugged before retaking his seat. "So, come to argue that my plan is too risky?"

Nova shook her head vehemently. "I just wanted to make sure you were alright." Jim's lip curled upward. It was a slight smile, barely noticeable but it told her that he appreciated the concern.

"You're afraid aren't you."Nova asked after a few minutes of awkward silence. The words left Nova's mouth before she could think twice about them.

Jim's normal reaction to such a statement would usually a be boisterous laugh. He would then brush aside that suggestion as of thinking about it all was ludicrous. But there was no audience to play for here. There were no men and women he needed to keep up appearances for. No soldiers that required a boost in morale. It was just Nova and she had already seem at his weakest.

"I keep telling myself that I shouldn't be." He began. "That whatever I face is no different from any other life threatening mission I've gone through."

She wanted to tell him that it was normal for people to feel fear but she kept silent. For some reason she knew he had more to tell her.

"Sometimes I don't know anymore if I should welcome dying or fear it. Its hard to tell the difference."

"You want to die?" Nova asked incredulously.

Jim closed his eyes and leaned his head back on the wall behind as he thought about how to give words to his thoughts. He had never been particularly good about expressing himself in any other way than through a rifle.

"Why not?" Jim said after a while. "I should have died so many times before. I've been shot, stabbed, and blown up more times than I can remember. Do you know what I realized after everything I have been through?"

Nova shook her head slightly.

"It doesn't end. It will always be one thing after another. I finish one fight only to find another waiting on the horizon. I keep thinking to myself that one day my luck will run out. I will guess wrong or move to slowly. Maybe my aim will be off by just centimeter because that is all it would take. One mistake and it would all be over." His voice was soft but for Nova his words seemed to reverberate across the metal walls. She kept her eyes on him, trying to figure out what was going through that complex brain of his. If he was so tired of fighting why did he keep going? Why not just give in? It was then he answered her silent questions. "But I can't give up, can I? No matter how much I wish it wasn't so I keep finding myself in the middle of conflicts that are much larger than myself. I wanted I save my people on Mar Sara and I ended up joining a rebellion. I started a quest for vengeance against Mengsk and suddenly I'm in the middle of a fight against oppression. All I wanted to do was save her and instead I'm left alone again but this time I'm fighting for everyone in the sector. No one bothered to ask what If I wanted to lead or of I even wanted to be a part of all this. I'm just so tired of it all."

Jim sighed again. He hadn't meant to tell her all that but it came out anyway. The frustration had been building for so long and now it sought an outlet for release. He had never been able to explain that to anyone. How could he? He was the Commander. The fabled James Raynor. The man who fought off every enemy he had faced whether it be Terran, Protoss, or Zerg. Oh had fought alright. He had fought and prevailed but no one seemed to stop to notice what those victories had cost him.

The tension Nova read in Jim's body seemed to double as he spoke. His muscles seemed to tighten even more. She felt guilty then for the part that she had played in his suffering. Misguided or not she had hunted him and Sarah down. Her actions helped facilitate all that he had suffered since his capture. She felt guilt yes but her heart also broke for him. He had been fighting for others for so long but even after all that he had sacrificed he still felt unworthy to lead those that chose to follow him. It was such a stark contrast from who Mengsk had been. The emperor had ruled with an iron fist, believing that it was his destiny and right to rule. James Raynor, on the other hand, had no real desire to lead. He led the charge because people had needed him. He stayed and fought because no one else felt the obligation to. But it was these qualities also that made him best suited to lead them She realized too the extent of what troubled him. If he did not push through with the carefully concocted plan he had come up with then the hybrids would sweep through the sector until there was nothing left. If he did go through with it, if he was successful then everything would fall on to his shoulders. Each choice and each decision he would make then would utterly shape the destiny of the sector. She placed her cup on the floor and stood. Very carefully she walked towards him. It was only a few steps but the time it took seemed excruciatingly slow. When she was in front of him finally she got on her knees until her eyes were level with his. She wanted to tell him that he wasn't alone, that there were men and women that cared about him and share the burden with him. While that was true to a certain extent, she realized the truth of what he had said. He was alone and had been so for a very long time.

"I'm sorry." Those were the only words she could muster. She knew they weren't much but Nova hoped that the sincerity in her voice would offer at least some comfort to his troubled soul. If he could win someone like her over then surely others would follow and take up the fight beside him. But then again that was exactly what he feared.

Jim looked at Nova as she kneeled in front of him. He had never expected her listen so attentively as he laid out his burdens for her to see. Sometimes he forgot how much she had grown from being just a simple assassin, just like Sarah once had. Nova was beautiful. How he didn't see it before, he didn't know. Then again he had always been blind when Sarah was around. Only Sarah wasn't around now. She had made sure of that.

But Nova was here. Her blonde hair fell freely across her back, unhindered by the ponytail she usually wore. He saw the desire dancing in her eyes. By the flush that was now spreading through her cheek Jim knew what it was that Nova wanted. He reached down slowly, running his finger across Nova's arm. He could feel the goosebumps from where he traced. Her porcelain skin was warm to the touch. He looked over her body in appreciation of what he had failed to notice. The shirt she wore hugged her body nicely. The hem was tied around her midsection giving him a decent view of her toned abdomen. Her shorts only went to her mid thighs and did a poor job of concealing her shapely legs. Her beauty was not on the same level as Sarah but then again for him no one would be a match for the Queen of Blades. Even in her Zerg form she was attractive to him. It was an attraction that transcended any physical appearance.

But Nova was different. She was human and unlike Sarah's cold carapace, Nova's skin felt warm to the touch. He could feel the blood coursing through her body as her body responded to his touch. No, Nova wasn't Sarah but Nova was here and willing. He had sacrificed too much and for too long only to be denied what he wanted the most.

He kissed her then. The distance between them evaporated in an instant. She returned that kiss almost immediately as she gasped for air. He pulled her up the floor as they started tearing at their clothing. They wouldn't be gentle tonight. Perhaps in the future they would be, he didn't know. Tonight was about relieving their frustrations. They wanted to feel the connection as if to prove that the constant strife and battle hadn't driven away all the pleasures life could offer. Although the bed was close by, Jim found the wall far more appropriate. He turned Nova around and pressed her firmly against the wall. Nova knew what he wanted and adjusted her body. She arched her lower body backwards to allow him to enter her. His hands made their way to the front of her as he roughly explored her chest. It was fast, it was rough and it was exactly the release both were looking for. Outside the metal door, Sarah blinked back the tears that threatened to fall. She knew that this would happen eventually but to hear it actually going on hurt her more than she cared to admit. She wondered what people would have said if they saw her, The Queen of the Zerg, shes a tear for a man that she herself had let go. With a final sigh turned away to prepare to do her part in Raynor's grand scheme.

A/N I know, I know this chapter was a little emotion heavy and didn't offer much plot wise but if I had added everything i originally wanted to then it would be too long...

Sorry I have been gone for awhile but there you have it. I'm laying the ground work for the end...

I know I didn't explain what Raynor's plan was. I want you to be just as surprised as the Dominion.

Please review