Note To readers
Just want to explain a few things about some of the characters.
Noobzilla. Hes my in story self insert counterpart. He shows back up later in Brood war but will take a back seat for most of Starcraft. Also there's a very good reason why Psyon chose him and Ellen and Haruka which will be explained much later in the story. And about that one scene with Him as a Demon lord. That's a much later future version of him. At a certain point I'll return to telling his story and why he's like that. But only after I get done with Ellens story. Which is chronologically correct for his timeline.
Haruka. Shes Ellens counterpart from a alternate version of our plan & normal universe. And she'll be a side character for the starcraft Arc. And yes she'll meet Ellen then. Haruka has the body of a Gen 3 Brood queen and access to all the evolutions and Zerg breeds that Ellen's swarm has. But none of the Valkyrur powers Ellen has. She is a very powerful Brood Queen however. Gen 3 Zerg in Ellens swarm are adapted to use Ragnite to boost their abilities. So that whole story about her starting out in another universe was just her at around half power. Her swarm is the same. Without Ragnite their basicly stuck at gen 2 power levels which is why she stole that Ragnite refinery and ate Ragnite. And explaines how she transformed into that form in the previous chapter. Gen3 Zerg will be perfected by Abastein in the intervening Years between last chapter and next chapter. But their few in number. At least compared to normal Zerg. But there powerful.
Ellen. The main character of the story. If any of you reading haven't figured it out i'm trying to make Ellen the type of person others just hate. If her interaction with Spartan Gray team was any indicator. And her interaction with the Protoss will just exacerbate this. Basically mostly everyone either has a bone to pick with her, or hates her guts. But she's helpful to others and saves certain people, and then they'll owe her. And lets just say certain people who should have died, won't. But... then the end of Brood War happens. (Nervous laugh!)
Also there are a few differences between Ellens swarm and the Overminds. For one the Overmind and its Cerebrates are permanently connected to each other which means that the telepathic backlash caused when a Cerebrate dies (for good) causes serious problems like a Brood going mad and hostile to everything including other Zerg. (Sans Zasz and his Garm brood) So its a double edged sword. But the Hive mind of Ellens Swarm has been altered to be more like a internet connection which can be shut off and on with little effects making them resistant to that kind of thing which was one of the main points to Brood Queens and Phantoms.
Also since theres a lot of characters in starcraft and im following the Tarren and Zerg parts of the story as is (For The Most Part) but with a few alterations here and there. Ellen her swarm and others will be in the backround. Ellen doesnt want her swarms Essence getting taken by the Overminds swarm. Thats a big no no, so she'll mostly stay in the backround and help Raynor and others indirectly. However Ellen and her swarm will return in full during the Protoss part of the story to deal the final blow to the Overmind. But she may appear here and there before that. I'm trying to give certain characters time in the sun so as to develop them before bringing Ellen back in to the foreground as the MC.
I don't know exactly how the story will develop but I do have a game plane going in. The reason I took so long to get to to this point was I because needed to flush out certain WHY'S and HOW'S as to Ellen getting her Valkyrur powers back and how other characters fit into the story. Were finally getting into the meat of the story and it may take a few years to finish. I can drop about 2, to 2 and a half chapters a month. So around 24 chapters a year is about my limit. I do have real world stuff to do besides this. Im not a robot.
ALSO to unknown 'Guest' I've read the first few chapters of (The Voyager Remastered). It was interesting and I'll keep reading.
[World Data]
Ellens dimension is a combination universe, combining the Valkryia Chronicles/ Starcraft/ Halo/ RWBY/ Warhammer 40k. Universes. Most are in a way that allows the characters and places to exist together in one galaxy. However the Warhammer 40k part ONLY consists of the Immaterium which is how the main and final antagonist was created much like the Chaos Gods of the Warhammer universe, which were created by the psychic, mental, and emotional emanations of the self aware races. Only this god like being was created from the emotions of pride and domination that the Forerunners felt when they basically ruled the galaxy uncontested. And yes that means that back then there was a three way war between the Warp god of pride and domination, The Forerunners and The Flood.
When the Halo array was fired it did what it does best wiping the galaxy clean of all higher life forms. The flood was wiped out BUT the Forerunners being the dumb dumbs they were kept some samples on the Halos. And the Halos created the Void that acted as a buffer dimension seperating the Immaterium and our layer of reality. This forced the warp god and his forces back into the Immaterium as they can't exist in our reality without the Immaterium. It's like a fish being shunted into the vacuum of space. However if there was a local rift in reality then that would allow the Immaterium to leak into our reality then like in the Warhammer 40k universe then they could stay in our dimensional layer but only within a local area of the rift. let's say a planets width for a small portal.
Also SlipSpace from the Halo lore side of the story and the Void from which the Dark Templar Protoss get their power is the same thing.
Amon and Samir duran got to and can exist in our reality because of a mass sacrifice of Tal'darim that temporaially forced a portal to open connecting the two realities. But it was impossible to keep the portal open for long and only the minds of Amon and Samir were able to transfer over while their souls and real bodies remain in the Immaterium. Those mental projections now inhabit temporary bodies made from the flesh and blood of the Tal'darim that were sacrificed. If those bodies are destroyed then like in both Warhammer 40k and Starcraft lore Amon and Samir would just be banished back to the Immaterium.
I hope that explaines a few questions any of you had.
I don't own the characters other then my own or the worlds and cannon.
-Arc 3 StarCraft-
-Chapter 16 Prologue, War Between Giants-
-Galactic Location: Koprulu Sector-
-Planet: Protoss Forge World-
As the view changed the gleaming gold orbital ring over the planet's equator reflected the light showing the flat plane of the mega-structure. It's golden spires extending from the surface to tens of thousands of miles up. The view zoomed in showing a fleet of Protoss carriers and other ships forming a defensive formation around the planet below. A Forge world was a world devoted to industrial manufacturing and or mining. In the golden age of expansion for the Protoss empire they served as the centers of the empire but in the ages of peace and relative stagnation in which the Protoss empire remained isolationist and not interacting with other races much they fell into decline and the facilities on many were themselves dismantled for materials and the world's terraformed to a habitable state if it was not able to harbor life on its own but only if the world originally had any natural habitat before it was converted into a Forge world.
Most notably a forge world was used to build massive mega-structures such as orbital rings or a swarm of solar plates structures orbiting a sun or other space born habitat for Protoss. Most of the time the pieces of the mega-structure would be built in super sized pieces the size of a Terran city block and that piece would them be teleported across the empire to the desired location. And a Forge world could output millions of such pieces a day and still have space and capacity for other projects. The method by which the Protoss constructed their empire was both efficient and vast in scale but for a long time the forge worlds mostly lay unused for the most part.
Their unbelievable manufacturing capacity hardly taped to their full potential. However a few hundred years ago that all changed when the Protoss empire encountered a hostile space born race that even made even their mighty empire shudder in fear. The Zerg. Even though the first encounter between these two races was a small skirmish on a far distant colony at the edge of Protoss space; it was just the open act of a far greater conflict that has lasted ever since. And it has been these Forge worlds that has greatly helped keep the empire one step ahead of the insane reproductive capacity of the Zerg as many of the remaining forge worlds were ordered to begin mass construction of mechanical A.I. armies consisting of dragoons and Interceptors as well as warships and wargear for the warriors of the Templar caste.
On the bridge of one carrier a Templar officer sat in his floating command chair monitoring the traffic of cargo ships and other crafts exiting and entering the network of Stargate's around the planet. Many placed just a few hundred meters off the orbital ring which collected solar energy in vast quantities and transmitted it to the planet to be converted into matter for the construction of everything a forge world builds. Even if the Protoss have powerful fusion power technology and their great psionic matrix which originate's from their home world of Aiur, the sheer scale of a forge world's energy needs would mean that a vast array of power plants would need to be built underground just to fuel the matter forges to say nothing of the strain on Aiur's psionic matrix. It would never be enough to power the construction on such scale on one forge world let alone dozens.
It was vastly more efficient to utilize the local resources of the sun in each system to fuel the construction which was the primary function of the orbital rings. Their continent sized surface area absorbed unbelievably amounts of energy from the radiant sun. So it would be obvious to any enemy attacking such a world to target the orbital rings and leave the planet without the energy it needs to function. That's where the orbital fleets come in.
The High Templar captain was practically board out of his mind. He had been on this assignment for the passed forty standard years and not once has he encountered any Zerg. Back when he was of lower rank Zealot he had the honor to fight on the battlefield with his fellow brothers and sisters of the Templar cast who were the de- facto warriors of the protoss empire. But now after winning so many battles gaining honor through his exploits and serving the empire he has had the position of protector of this forge world placed in his hands along with command of a carrier and its crew.
Looking around He glanced at the hand full of other Templar manning the bridge. Most were male but a few were female. The captains thoughts wandered to his family consisting of his parents and other two brothers. His parents had recently told him in a communication that with his life now somewhat safer maybe it was time for him to started thinking about starting a family of his own.
"Hmm" He groaned thinking it over for the hundredth time.
On the one hand the Protoss population had hit a nose dive ever since the beginning of the war with the Zerg. So much so that the conclave started enacting propaganda stating that the empire needed fresh warriors and people to help stem back the tide of the foul Zerg. The war was going very badly at the beginning but only because of the arrogance and high mindedness of many commanders and warriors that believed in their own invincibility and that of the Protoss empire as a whole. Many... many of these, to coin a term. Zealots. Were killed in the first decades of the war between the Protoss empire and the Zerg swarm. Only after a major colony world fell and devoured by the swarm did the oh so wise Conclave enact serious changes to policy and military strategy such as making the full use of Forge worlds construction capacity among others. Many of which a Templar and Executor of great renown named Tassadar suggested far before the fall of any world in the empire. For a moment the high Templar wished he was under the command of Tassadar. But then again being the protector of a Forge world was in of itself a highly honorable task. If insufferably boring.
"Is there something a matter captain Tinex?" sensing her captains mental expression of boredom a younger female Templar walked up to him.
Looking over at the cew mate Captain Tinex suddenly realized how boring his current position was that a simple hum of thought was enough to bring the attention of another.
Captain Tinex. "I'm fine Talgin. Just bored out of my skull ridges." Tinex thought a moment about weather or not he would want to have a family. Glancing at Tal'gin he shrugged admitting to himself that after four hundred years of service as a Templar he deserves a fleshly distraction or two. But that's begs the question does Tal'gin feel the same.
Standing off his floating chair Tinex stood on his digitigrade legs and took two full steps towards Tal'gin. "Tal'gin if I may can I have a few moments of your time to discuss a serious matter between the two if us?"
Talgin raised a curious eyebrow at the odd request seeing as their both on duty and he's never asked any of the other crew anything the like before.
Talgin. "What for?" She said crossing her arms in mild interest.
Tinex hesitated a moment never having these thought or being in such a situation before. "I.."
Cutting Tinex off the bridge alarm sounded like a constant high pitched shriek. Everyone on the bridge shifted into a serious state taking their stations and typing along the holo-cotroles.
Tinex. "Grr. We'll talk later."
Nodding Tal'gin rushed over to her station to the front left of Tinex's command seat. But instead of sitting down the captain waved his hand mentally commanding his ship through his mental powers and opening a large holo-screen. Looking up at the display Tinex felt exhilaration and anticipated at the coming battle with glee. But looking at the cloud of Zerg bioforms he also growled at their bad timing as if the universe itself was conspiring against him or something.
A crew mate named Yn'an who's station was beside Tal'gin widened his eyes as he read allowed the reason for the alarm. "Confirmed. Zerg warpgate at coordinates 16, 505. It's a class 3 Zerg fleet. Numbers are calculated at 10.8 million bioforms."
On the holo-screen captain Tinex saw the distance between his fleet and the Zerg fleet was 200,000 kilometers and closing. "That's a small fleet." As if to answer the younger and less experienced crew why he knew it was a small fleet he stated. "I've seen fleets ten times that size." Turning his gaze to Tal'gin he asked. "Have the other planetary fleets been alerted?"
Talgin instantly responded. "Yes and their moving into formation to surround the Zerg fleet."
Instead of being happy or greatful Tinex clenched his fist in frustration. "Tell them to remain in position and that's an order." Turning around and taking his command chair Tinex closed his eyes focusing on his ship and fleet. In a fleeting moment he felt the collective might of his fleet of ninety craft surge through his mind and all of his carriers Interceptors launched. Unlike in the game where the Protoss carrier just carried 20 Interceptors in reality they carried 200+. All of said unmanned crafts launched from the carrier's side hangers while the crewed Scouts stayed at the ready just in case.
Tinex eyed the Zerg fleet coming ever closer to his own and then many other warning alarms sounded.
Ynan. "Another two... no five Warp-gates have opened at five different locations across the planets orbit."
Taking a small amount of satisfaction from his previous order to the other fleets to stay in position Tinex was glad that his instincts were correct. If the other fleets had made a miro tactical warp to intercept the first Zerg fleet then they would have let the other Zerg fleets fly right into the planets orbit unopposed.
Tal'gin. "Fleet is at full battle readiness. Shall we engage the Zerg fleet sir?"
Without hesitating captain Tinex replied. "No. We'll hold this position for now and let the Tachyon spires on the orbital rings do as much damage as they can before we launch a counter attack."
As the cloud shaped clusters of Zerg fleets moved closer to the planet thousands of tall towers raised out of the orbital rings. A floating focusing ring atop each hexagon shaped tower consisting of six gold triangular plates rotated up and to the top of each tower angling to the side; the plates closed inwards, aiming at the in coming clouds of flesh and blood targets. The Spires started glowing a blazing orange as the energy from the solar collectors transferred their immense power output into the Tachyon spires and then to their focusing ring. The energy pooled into the focusing ring like a sun and was compressed by it's focusing plates before being released. Thousands of blazing beams cut through thousands of miles of space slicing into the cloud of Zerg threatening the forge world below. A ten million degree plasma beams pierced a behemoth centermass popping it like a balloon. Its bio-mass scattered to the void of space as a cloud of heated goo.
Many Zerg fell as the Protoss weapons fired unopposed vaporizing them with each touch of the Tachyon spires burning light. But in mere seconds a cloud of smaller bio-forms shaped like flat discs with tentacles wiggling at the sides flew at the direction the beams were attacking from taking up a thick multi layered defensive position between the Zerg fleet and its attackers. Each of these creatures were only one/one thousandth the size of a Behemoth but their odd biology and numbers that were in the many millions gave them a purpose that only they could fulfill.
As the beams continued cutting swaths of death into the Zerg fleet their effectiveness dropped as the new cloud of smaller creatures created a multi-layered barrier that blocked most of the Protoss attack's. Five layers were evaporated by each shot from the Tachyon spires only for their beams to weaken and only do minimal damage to the other Zerg in the fleet if any before the hole was filed in again and the next shop blockled. The new Zerg defensive breed the Barnacle was a success and now the Zerg could unleash their full might on the Protoss Forge world.
Tinex eyes widened as ten more swarm clouds appeared in orbit of the forge world. Each moving inexorably closer to its target. Now one would think they would attack the orbital rings where the forge world gets its power from as that's where the defense if strongest but the Zerg have tried that before and for a moment Captain Tinex was hoping that they would attempt such a thing. But much to his grief they ignored the beams cutting into them from the orbital rings and instead headed to the surface. He had seen a fleet ten times the size of this one exhaust itself against another forge worlds orbital rings. Seeing as they are powered by the local sun itself with unlimited power that can power a shield and weapons it would be utterly pointless to attack such a thing. Normally.
Then moments after the new Zerg reinforcements arrived Tinex saw a shift in their behaviour. The clouds of Zerg organisms started changing their formation into a hundred mile long flat plate that blocked out the sun. At least that's what Tinex thought but after a few minutes the swarming mass of organisms formed a ring formation over the orbital rings.
Turning to Talgin Tinex ordered. "Is there any spatial anomalies occurring in that formation?"
Tal'gin's fingers danced across her holo-screen. "It's small but its growing. Rapidly!" she stated with fear in her voice.
Tinex attempted to think of what the Zerg were up to and he did, but to late as the warp gate formed and opened. Appearing out from the spiraling vortex a small planetoid moved ever so slowly.
Tinex. "No! Warn the crew on the orbital rings to evacuate now!"
Talgin and the other comm officers quickly sent the warning. All across the orbital ring hundreds of thousands of Protoss phase smiths warped to the safety of the planet as the zerg planetoid slowly but inexorably drifted closer to the orbital ring pulled along by the power of the Zerg warpgate that ripped it from where-ever it was before. After the rock was flung in the intended direction the Zerg fleets dispersed and once again moved for the forge world.
Tinex. "All fleets deploy Interceptors and Scouts. Prepare for battle!"
His order was sent throughout the fleet's over the planet the collective Protoss forces in orbit launched everything they had at the Zergs attacked. While the smaller flyers of the fleets battled the Planetoid drifted ever closer to the orbital ring and try as they might the thousands of Tachyon Spires spread across its surface only put small dents into the 100 mile wide ball of rock and dirt. For all their advancements and technological and psionic power if something with enough mass was thrown at them even the mighty Protoss first born of the Xel'naga were utterly powerless. Cleansing a planet's surface of all life and turning it into a blasted glass wasteland was one thing. But to destroy a whole planet; even a small one was one such ability even the Protoss considered taboo.
Tinex could do nothing but watch as the seconds turned to minutes and minutes to a hour as the battle over the forge world continued. And then it happened. With a force that couldn't be resisted the planetoid smashed into the orbital rings shield. They flared brightly like nove for half a second before being overwhelmed and with one last burst of light failed. The mass of the planetoid shattered the orbital rings and like nothing happened it continued along its course away from the forge world.
Talgin. "Calculations say that the planetoid will exit the planets gravity well and drift through the system."
That one bit of good news was enough to somewhat raise Tinex's spirit. But then he remembered that the Zerg fleet was heading for the planet. He looked at the shattered orbital ring half broken apart and with countless pieces falling from orbit.
The orbital battle ensued as millions of old generation Mutalisks and Scourges of the OverMinds swarm blitzed the Protoss fleets. Disciplined formations of thousands of Interceptors and Scouts engaged their Zerg counter parts long before they got close to the planet. Firing their Photon blasters and antimatter missiles one after the other. Thousands of Zerg flyers died in the first minutes alone as the Protoss craft were far superior to the bio weapons. But for every one that fell, its flesh scattered to atoms, another hundred took its place. Fresh formations of Mutalisk joined in the fighter battle as the last of the Scourges crossed the distance slamming against the protoss fleets and depleting their shields ever so much.
Supporting the smaller fighters the carriers fired their Photon cannons and Tachyon spires at the largest of the Zerg forces. Behemoths were cut into pieces as the barrage of energy beams and thousands of energy bolts sliced into their armor and flesh. Barnacle's quickly moved into formation around the Behemoths formation blocking most of the attacks and allowing the Zerg forces to close the distance, but one third of the Zerg fleet was still burned by the Protoss weapons before they got within a thousand miles of the Carrier fleets.
Hours passed and the battle took a turn for the worse as groups of small asteroids hidden among the Zerg fleets (far smaller the the planetoid but easily as big as the protoss carriers) were hurled at the Protoss fleets from within the tightly clustered Zerg forces.
Captain Tinex. "Evasive warp."
His fleet synchronized their jump and moments before the asteroids hit, Tinex's fleet made a short tactical warp away a thousand miles behind the Zergs fleet. Quickly turning around his fleet opened fire on the unprotected back of the Zerg fleet. Hundreds of beams cut great swaths of death through the Zerg fleet but it was only one of ten such enemy fleets. Six hours later over half the Zerg fleets were gone and what remained collected into a single fleet. But the majority of the Protoss fleets also had taken heavy losses.
The bridge shook violently as ten Scourges slammed into the unprotected underbelly of the carrier its shields striped away by flocks of Scourges. Tinex groaned in frustration at the seemingly endless swarm. Almost half of the Protoss fleets were taken out by that hidden asteroid trick and the rest were inevitably whittle down by the unending Zerg fleets.
Tinex heard a host of emergency alarms and damage reports coming from both his own ship and from those of his fleet (at least what remained of it.)
Tinex. "This attack was far more thought out then what I first thought." Looking up at the main monitor Tinex thought of a way to even the odds again. Seeing that the Zerg mostly keep a tight formation forming a shield that blocks the majority of the Protoss attacks from effecting the inner parts of their fleet Tinex got a idea. One his crew and fleet might not like.
Tinex. "Prepare to warp to the surface."
Members of his crew looked to the captain as if protesting and wondering what he was thinking. Even in defeat Templars don't retreat or run away. Especially not when their defending an important place like a Forge world.
Tinex. "And prepare to overload the psionic matrix and warp drive of this ship."
Talgin not wanting to lose faith in her captain couldn't help but ask. "Sir with all dew respect what is it your thinking?"
Looking around his bridge at the eyes watching him Tinex stood tall and with confidence. "The Zerg are a cunning lot. So we need to be cunning as well. Their fleets are close together and vulnerable."
The words were practically the opposite of what the battle suggested as the tight formation of the Zerg fleets seemed like an impenetrable shield. But the crew nonetheless keeping faith in themselves and in their captain listioned.
Tinex. "If we self detonate our ships in the center of their fleets it will cripple their forces in one blow. Tell the other fleet commanders and prepare to..." Tinex spoke his next words carefully as the protoss are a proud warrior race and the thought of retreating was all most anetahma to them. "Re-group on the surface. We'll hold the line there until reinforcements can arrive. Talgin call Aiur and request reinforcements. I'll set the ship to self destruct myself."
Nodding Talgin swiftly sent the request before following the set of the bridge crew out to the closest teleport room. "Be careful sir. We still have a conversation to finish later."
Tinex nodded and turned to his task. Using the remaining resources on his ship he constructed 200 replacement Interceptors and launched them creating a small wall like formation of them around his ship. He repeated this process over and over until depleting his ships resources. Even with the Scourges and Mutalisk in their hundreds and thousands they were blown away by a wall of Interceptors all firing at them all at once. Scanning the Zerg fleet Tinex spotted a weak point that he could fly his ship through. Two more smaller Carriers on auto pilot lead the way as they pierced into the Zerg fleet. The two carriers fired their primary weapons the Purifier beam. A weapon that used the ships main engines as a direct power source allowing for far more power and destructive potential.
The purifier beams burned giant tunnel shaped holes out of the Zerg fleet nearly as wide as the two carriers themselves. The remaining Interceptors fired at the walls of the living tunnels keeping them from closing. The two carriers fired their secondary weapons as well to help keep the Zerg from closing in and crushing them on all sides. Quickly and with haste the small strike fleet pierced into the deepest part of the Zerg cloud and stopped. Tinex set the final self destruction system for ten seconds.
The countdown timer blinked on as a A.I. spoke. "Ten seconds until self destruction."
Tinex stood up quickly turning into a blur with his psionic-charge ability.
A.I. "Nine... Eight... Seven... Six... Five... Four... Three... Two..."
Arriving at the teleporter room Tinex stepped into the closest device. Closing his eyes He was enveloped in a beam of light.
A.I. "ONE"
Opening his eyes Tinex found himself in another teleporter room on the forge worlds surface. And His crew standing before him. "Did it work?"
Talgin. "We were just heading to the Nexus to find out."
Stepping out of the device Tinex lead the way having his crew prepare for the Zerg land fall while He and some of his bridge officers went to the Nexus command room.
Stepping into the Nexus command room they saw a raised platform with a single Protoss watching a large holo-screen showing the Zerg fleet being blasted to pieces from the inside out.
"Two thirds of the remaining Zerg forces have been annihilated. The rest are beginning planet fall!" reported with alarm a Protoss working at their station around the raised platform.
Tinex and his bridge crew stopped standing at attention behind the planets leader who stood at the center of the platform. "Begin firing the anti orbital weapons array and launch all Scouts and Interceptors. Make sure all Dragoons are in formation around the cities. Tinex I Thought you could handle a simple task such as keeping those foul Creatures off our planet."
Tinex. "With all dew respect Judicator Yadris having a small planet crush our main defense line was hardly something I could have accounted for."
Judicator Yadris turned around eyeing Tinex with a air of disdain. "Hmph. On that I concede. But your defense thereafter was lacking. Now we have to hold until Aiur sends reinforcements. I expect you and the rest of the Templars to keep the beasts away from the main production cities. I'll find a position on the ground forces for you."
The massive holo-screen behind Yadris split into eight different screens showing thousands of Zerg drop pods falling from the sky while hundreds of beams from Tachyon spires and bursts from Photon cannons raked their formation destroying many of them but still many more rained down from the remaining Zerg fleets above.
-Aiur-
-Orbital Rings Fleet Docks-
-Super Carrier Gantrithor-
With in the tranquil and private meditation chamber of the ship's Captain a lone High Templar stood, hands at his sides as he floated over the floor. His mind was at a place of complete tranquility as he meditated. Then a beep from the ship's intercom broke that state of mind.
"Executor. Sorry to interrupt your meditation but a urgent request has come through. A forge world has lost its orbital defense forces and is being assaulted by a fleet of Zerg."
"I'm on my way." the High Templar said as he gently dropped to the floor and teleported directly to the bridge. "Report."
Another Templar with a robotic arm that seamlessly integrated into his armor turned at the arrival of his Executor. "Shall we move the fleet out."
The Executor hummed to himself as he thought. "Not right away. Call in another five fleets. I feel as though well need the extra forces."
The other High Templar bowed his head. "As you command Executor Tassadar."
-Protoss Forge World-
-Shuttle In transit-
Tinex sparked a psi-blade and looked deeply into the focused psionic-energy that can vaporize most matter with a touch. Deactivating it he felt the shuttle land and after a moment the bay door lowered. With Talgin and other members of his crew Tinex walked off the shuttle on to the local cities outer defense perimeter. Charred bodies of dozens of Zerg lay in the open plain still smoking. Looking up and to his right He observed the defense structure responsible.
The Photon Cannon was a standard static defense of the Protoss empire. However after the first encounters and major engagements against the Swarm the original Photon cannon was found to be greatly insufficient. This forced a need for Phase smiths to redesign and improve the Photon cannon and in the course of this research the Tachyon Spire was also developed as a middle ground between the Photon cannon and the Purifier beam. The new Photon cannon works much in the same way as the original however seeing as the Zerg use overwhelming numbers to their advantage, a rapid firing defense was needed and so the Photon cannons were given rapid fire capability. But not wanting to stop there some zealous and devoted Phase smiths also gave the defense weapons the ability to change modes into a slow firing beam mode. The Photon cannons consisted of a platform with a orb floating over it. The orb was not a sphere but a ovoid with a cylinder of six clustered barrels pointing out of its front. If viewed from the front the six barrels would look like a pizza cut into six pieces each with a flat tip pointing inward.
This made the new Photon cannons more versatile as they can now be shifted as needed into their rapid fire mode or into the much more powerful beam mode which can penetrate multiple Zerg bio-forms in one shot or shoot down any flying enemies that dare enter into range and was also more effective against armored targets.
Tinex looked down the defensive line of hundreds of Photon cannons and Tachyon Spires placed in front of the cities wall extending for nearly a hundred miles in both directions rigging around the city.
"Captain I have word of the reinforcements from Aiur," Crewman Ynan said approaching.
Talgin. "When will they arrive?"
Ynan hesitated. "Unfortunately they are gathering their forces and will not arrive for several hours. Judicator Yadris has said it is our duty to hold the line here while the main defense forces kept the main entrance of the city from falling."
Talgin narrowed her eyes in contempt for whom ever was wasting time waiting around when they could be engaging the enemy before they even get close to the city. "A mere minute can mean the difference between life and death on the battlefield. I may not fear death but failing my mission would be dishonorable."
Feeling his crew mates anger and understanding her point of view Tinex placed a hand on her shoulder to ease her mind. "Focus Talgin. We have sufficient defenses here and will hold for a time. But how long that will be will be determined by our resolve and a clear mind."
Talgin sighed relaxing her stiff body posture. "You are right captain. Complaining will not help the situation."
Tinex lowered his hand. "I am glad to hear it. But for the time being I am not a captain as I do not have a ship. So let us prepare for the coming battle." Tinex walked to the edge of the raised earthen wall 10 meters over the lower surrounding plain, on which the defense structures rested. "My Templar brothers and sisters today is a good day to fight and a good day to die." A roaring applause erupted from the thousands strong army Zealots arrayed before Tinex. "But let us make our enemy die and rue the day they dared challenge the protoss empire."
Tinex raised a arm sparking his psi-blade. All the warriors followed suit sparking their own blades as they all hungered and roared for the glory of battle. Then as if rising to their challenge the ground started shaking becoming stronger and more violent. Everyone quieted down turning to the empty plains that were left as open ground in just a situation as it allows a better view of the force attacking the city and a better killing ground. Photon cannons and Tachyon Spires hummed to life and started scanning the open plane for none protoss targets. On the far horizon their scanners detected a line of bioforms rapidly approaching.
Tinex stepped down off the raised ground followed by both Ynan and Talgin. The three of them made their way to the front of the army and took the lead position. This would mean they would be the first to meet whatever the Zerg through at them but it was also the position of most honor to be at the head of the battle. And being the highest ranking Templar present it was expected for Tinex to lead the defense. But this was just one small position on the defense of one city of many across the planet.
Tinex narrowed his eyes while off in the distance a dust cloud was kicked up by the trampling feet of a stamped of Zerglings. Their numbers stretched from the left and right horizons as far as the eye could see. Faster and faster they charged seeing the gleaming gold and blue city standing before them. A Metabolic Boost and evolved Adrenal Glands giving them a top speed of 50 miles per hour. This speed allowed the horde to quickly approach the defense walls of the protoss city as the defense's opened fire, vaporizing hundreds of Zerglings in just the first volley.
At their maximum land range on a flat plain the Photon cannons and Tachyon Spires fired on the literal tide of flesh and fangs charging at them. Even with hundreds of them the defense systems could only kill so many Zerg in so much time. The great plane that stretched outwards from the city in all directions for ten miles was just about filled with a ocean of Zerglings rushing at them despite heavy losses. The multiple-barrels of the Photon cannons spun firing encapsulated antimatter spheres only one third the size of the older photon cannons but now it shot them by the thousands which was a great improvement in this situation as the rapid firing turrets mowed down many Zerglings as they swept side to side and focused their fire on Zergling clusters.
Where the photon cannons rapid firing gunned down Zerglings in drove's the Tachyon spires carefully aimed and charged up their systems until unleashing a focused Thermal lances that vaporized a line of a dozen Zerg in one shot. Sometimes the beams would blast at clustered groups while in others situations they would sweep the line of charging zerg making them topple over dead as roasted corpses causing the zerglings behind to stumble upon their bodies slowing the charge of the horde as a whole.
A solid hour passed and the defense systems had held the charging horde at bay keeping them away from the wall of metal and Templar Zealots that served as the final line of defense. Then in a series of teleports hundreds of Dragoons arrived behind the defense network next to the pylons powering the turrets. The quadrapped craft hovered off the ground folding their legs. Now being propelled by their gravity boosters the multiped /hover tanks quickly moved to the front of the Templar forces forming firing lines.
Tinex like the rest of the Templar were not at all angered by their machine units taking kills as there were more than enough to go around even with the ground stretching for many miles littered with the bodies of many tens of thousands of dead Zerg. Two more hours passed and the Dragoons were joined by Scouts who only came buy every so often to bombard the tightest parts of the Zerg forces before flying off to another part of the defense line that surrounded the whole city. Even the dragoons would move up and down along the defense line focusing their attacks at the most dense of the Zerg formations.
Shrieks echoing from the sky signaled the arrival of Mutalisk and Guardians. They started bombarding the defense line with glavis and spore bombardments. Plasma shields flared protecting the Photon cannons and Tachyon spires and even wall sections as they took hits from the new airborne threats. And seeing as those threats were the most threatening the AIs of half the Photon cannons and Tachyon spires changed to targeting them. Beams of blue and blazing orange sliced through the sky cutting the wings and bodies of the flyers as the dragoons remained focused on the dwindling Zergling on the ground.
Tinex and his men knew that with half the defense turrets occupied with the flyers it may be needed that they would finally take to the field. But after a half hour the flyers were all dealt with and no new air reinforcements. Another hour passed with few Zerg attacking after the last Zergling was killed.
Tinex and the others who had fought the Zerg before knew that this was a deceiving respite from the storm. With in minutes of the last Zergling being vaped the ground started shaking as hundreds of moving buildings appeared off in the distance.
"Ultralisk's!" Tinax shouted as the building sized turtle like creatures charged through the tree line.
Hundreds of Ultralisk's and tens of thousands of Hydralisk, Defiliers, and a few hundred Queens who floated meters off the ground arrived. And above them more formations of Mutalisk and Guardians now joined by Devourer's swarmed the skys.
A cloaked Observer watched as the charging army entered the flat plane. In his Nexus command room Judicator Yadris groaned in frustration at the sudden shift in tactics. He looked left and right to two other holo screens showing the same thing at two other points in the defense line that just so happen to have the least defense forces concentrated.
Yadris. "A accursed Zerg." through the Khala that links all Protoss of Aiur the Judicator contacted all Templar forces. "The Zerg are concentrating their main forces in weakest parts of our defense. I'm sending reinforcements. Hold the line!"
Tinex felt somewhat insulted by that remark. But the Judicators words were not as hurtful as knowing the Zerg thought his place on the defense was weak.
The Photon and Tachyon defense turrets focused their fire on the flyers first. Piercing and slicing them out of the air with pure heat. But that left the ground breeds free rain to charge into the ranks of the Zealots and Dragoons on the ground. Tinex slowly and calmly walked forward unafraid of the army of monsters closing in with every second that passed
"There is no Templar that is weak." Tinex shouted telepathically to the army at his back. He picked up speed passing the line of Dragoons as they continued shooting at the Ultralisk and other Zerg. As if hearing his words some Hydralisk started shooting at him. Tinex sensing the spines trajectory he slashed the air with his blades in a dazzling dance of light that cut the very air itself. In mere seconds all sixteen of the bone spines were cut out of the air with none even causing his plasma shield to activate. "For we are Templar!" Tinax raised a arm up to the sky focusing his psionic power and mind forming a psi-lance. With the rod of pure power in hand he looked to the foul beasts that dare tread upon his peoples world and threw it. The Lance of light flew hundreds of meters piercing into the lead Hydralisk and exploded in a flare of light killing a dozen other Zerg. "And we are the First born!"
With those final words All the other Templar Zealot's as Tinex did sending a barrage of hundreds of Psi-lances flying into the charging Zerg lines. The collective detonations of hundreds of Psi-lances killed over a thousand Hydralisk and Defilers and a few queens. But the Ultralisks were only slightly wounded and with a roar that challenged the Templar the Ultralisk raised their bladed arms and swung at the closest Protoss. With perfect timing and coordination through the Khala, the Templar Zealot's leaped and charged out of the way, counter attacking with precise cuts to the great beasts weak points at the back of its legs and joints. Roaring in pain Ultralisk fell to their knees and in their moment of weakness more Zealots lept upon their bodies slashing and piercing vitals. But like with many larger Zerg breeds Ultralisk vital organs are randomly positioned making killing them harder the one would expect.
Roaring in anger of the ants attacking it the Ultralisk called on its swarm allies. Dozens of Zerg Queens appeared over head casting their Ensnaring nets of webbing over a large area. Most Zealots evaded but a few were caught in such a large scale casting of the Queens webs. Wasting no time other Zealots went to free their fellow Templar and others dealt with the Queens with Psi-lances. Screaming as their bodies were pierced the Queens exploded showering the area in smoking meat chunks. A pair of Ultralisk attacked the Zealots still cutting their fellow free from the Queens nets. As a ten meter long bio-blade fell two Zealots were cleaved in two, their plasma shields only able to take so much at once.
Roaring a battle cry for his fallen brothers Tinex charged at the two Ultralisk. Over charging his psi-blades they extended to five meters in length. He fell upon one Ultralisk as it turned at him opening its maw to reach down to bit his head off. Crossing his arms and tucking into a ball Tinex rolled passed the fangs of the beast and coming to a stop he stood up slashing with both psi-blades as he opened his arms. The great beasts head separated from its body and both fell to the bloodstained ground. But with no time to enjoy his victory the second Ultralisk raised its foot and stomped upon Tinex.
But as the beasts leg fell a blur raced passed like lightning. And instead of the Heavy foot crushing Tinex as the Ultralisk had thought, its leg fell off cut above the knee. Roaring in pain and confusion the Ultralisk wobbled on three legs looking down at the bloody stump. The blur raced passed again making bloody gash appeare on the Ultralisks neck. The rest of the creatures body collapsed whit the loos of the head and with no more signals being sent from the brain. Tinex was impressed at the swift felling of the beast. Then the blur stopped next to him.
"It looked like you needed help captain. Hope your not angry about me stealing your kill," Talgin said with a smug look on her face.
Looking to his Second in command Tinex felt even more attracted to her now after seeing what she could do in a real ground battle. "Actually..." Tinex sensed danger grabbing Talgin and rolling away as a dark swarm of tiny parasites blanketed the area they stood moments before. The both of them and two more Zealots called to through the Khala cast Psi-lances at the four Defilers killing them. Tinex turned to Talgin their eyes meeting. "After this to you mind becoming my bond mate?"
For a moment Talgin opened her eyes in surprise but after a fleeting moment she held up a finger. "One moment." In a blur of psionically boosted movement she disappeared dashing 50 meters over to a group of ten Hydralisk and two Queens, in a fraction of a second she diced all of them up into pieces quickly reappearing in front of Tinex. "Yes." she replied.
Twenty meters away a Hydralisk whipped its tail knocking Ynan ten feet back as he focusing his plasma shield over his arms. He looked back over his shoulder to see both his superior Tinex and Talgin nuzzling their face plates. "A little help over here!" he said.
Tinex and Talgin stopped what they were doing and each formed a psi-lance. Both psionic lances flew passed Ynan's head impaling a Hydralisk and a Queen before detonating.
"Better," Ynan said as he rejoined the others in battle.
Tinex looked back to Talgin. "We shall continue this later."
Talgin pulled away from Tinex's hands. "Yes later then."
Both rejoined the battle as a formation of Scouts flew over head launching strafing attacks on clustered formations of Zerg or focusing missile strikes on Ultralisk. After 57 minutes of combat the remaining Photon cannons and Tachyon spires that remained after being bombarded by the Zerg air force refocused on the last 90 Ultralisks. Beams blazed burning through the great beasts armor in moments finishing them off. The remaining Dragoons scattered into a U shaped formation as the last groups of Hydralisk and last 10 Defiler's and Queens were caught in a double flanking attack and cut apart from both sides. Of the roughly 2000 Templar Zealots that began the battle only 1001 of them remained.
Walking along the defense line Ynan passed beaten but never broken squads of Zealots that still stood ready to fight despite their injuries. Such before the war with the Zerg swarm were mostly the cause of training and accidents. Still the Protoss were advanced in their understanding how to heal their own bodies and could easily heal most non fatal wounds. Ynan turned passing a pair of Dragoons standing guard at the ruins of three Photon cannons and a Tachyon spire. Sitting among the ruins were a number of Zealots including Tinex and Talgin. Laying up against a Destroyed Photon cannon Tinex was having his left arm reattached by a mender machine. A type of field medical device that could repair or reattach lost limbs and most injuries.
"Sir no more Zerg have been spotted. That must have been the last of that wave."
Looking up to Ynan Tinex eyes glowed a little brighter. "Good. What about the rest of the defense paremitter?"
Ynan shifted uncomfortably. "Judicator Yadris says that the other two points of that last attack fared a bit better then our location."
Just then a army of Probes floated over head and started repairing the Photon cannons and Tachyon spires while warping away the ones that could not be restored quickly. The burned out remains of Dragoons were also warped away. But as the process of restoring the remaining defense infrastructure yet another wave of Zerg appeared on the horizon.
"Zerg!" a Zealot on lookout yelled.
Talgin turned the mender off and helped Tinex up. They, Ynan and a dozen other Zealots formed up into a squad along with hundreds of others each a dozen strong all along the wall.
The army of Zerg were smaller then before and had no Queens or Defilers. But they still had a mix of a few Ultralisk with Zerglings, and Hydralisk with a few Mutalisk for air cover. They moved faster then before thanks to a layer of Creep that had now reached the edge of the great plain surrounding the city.
Tinex. "Once again into the jaws of war."
Talgin turned to him. "Is that a quote from Fay'or?"
"Del'xen." Tinex answered.
"Ah"
Ynan. Once again into the jaws of war and thou I fight and burn to ashes thin soul will find honor eternal."
Both Tinex and Talgin looked at him. And he glanced at them with a shrug. "That's the whole sentence."
Giving a slight laugh Tinex and Talgin both stood tall and proud with Ynan and the other Templar sparking their psi-blades as the horde charged at them once again. But unlike the previous attacks the Protoss defense was greatly weakened and although the machines can be rebuilt over and over flesh and blood Protoss can not be brought back to life. And their are only so many bodies that can be sent into the grinder. Dust clouds wafted up onto the sky as the wind direction changed covering some of the charging Zerg forces.
Tinex. "That could be a problem. "
Talgin. "A little dust wont stop us."
Tinex. "True."
Closer and closer the Zerg forces got until they were almost in attack range for the Photon cannons and Tachyon spires. But then just as the automated turrets were to fire their targets were destroyed by great beams of light falling from the sky. In mere moments half the remaining Zerg attack force was burned to ashes and dust.
Looking up to the void of space Tinex and his fellow Templar raised their fists high shouting for victory.
-Super Carrier Gantrithor in orbit over Forge world-
"Fire another barrage. Eliminate all the Zerg forces remaining of the surface," Tassadar ordered.
At his command his fleet of 1000 ships fired upon the planet burning away all hive clusters and individual Zerg detected. Although there may be a presence of Zerg deep underground they will be sought out by the ground forces and taken care of. But such intensive searching and cleansing of a planet of the infestation is only possible on worlds of the inner colonies who can devote the time and resources to hunt down every last spore of Zerg influence on a planetary scale. Most other worlds unfortunately require a full bombardment that glasses the planets surface.
Tassadar. "What are the casualties?"
Another templar turned to the Executor. "From the reports." The Templar hesitated. "41,005 Zealots, 5,045 Dragoons, 1,062 Scouts, 401 Carriers and 501 civilian transports and their crew that were caught in the attacks on the orbital ring were lost."
Tassadar closed his eyes in part shame and part respect for the fallen at not being able to come sooner. But he understood that if he had been too hasty and come with too few forces then the losses could have been in the many hundreds of millions as a forge world falling would have far reaching effects on the quarantine parameter that keeps the Swarm contained in the far reaches of the sector and away from other habitable planets and races.
Tassadar looked up to the holo-screen showing the planetoid the Zerg warped in to smash the orbital rings and their defense network. It continued drifting away from the planet. "How long until the orbital ring is repaired."
The other Templar looked at a holo-screen. "From the damage which consists of half the orbital ring the damages will take half a dozen lunar cycles (months) to complete. Faster if other forge worlds send work crews to aide the process."
Tassadar nodded as he thought. "Send word to the three closest Forge worlds to send aid." Tassadar turned around taking a half second to glance at the robotic arm of the young Praetor. Where and how the injury was sustained the young and talented Templar would never say but Tassadar could tell that it was something privet that he shouldn't force. "And Artanis make sure the Judicators of those worlds know that the order comes directly from me."
Artanis nodded respectfully. "Yes Executor." He turned around taking a seat at a communication terminal.
Tassadar turned back around watching the destroyed husks of the Zerg space forces drift about the planets orbit. Then a thought came to him. He turned to another of his bridge crew. "Send a fleet to destroy the planetoid the Zerg sent to smash the orbital ring. Tell them to makes sure to search and cleanse every square mile of the rock. It could be infested."
The Bridge officer looked up at Tassadar with a confirming nod. "Yes Executor."
Minutes later Artanis walked back to Tassadar. "Executor we have received a transmission from the Conclave."
Tassadar gave a somewhat annoyed hum. "Patch them through."
A holo-screen blinked on showing the face of a elder protoss in fine clothing. "Ah Tassadar. I hear you have saved yet another world from falling to the scourge that persists in blighting so many worlds."
Tassadar was stoic. "Elder Zin'dir. What does the Conclave wish of me?"
The elder Zin'dir glanced at Artanis and then back to Tassadar. "Actually it is the both you that I have use of. Praetor Artanis I have use of you here on Aiur. Return within cycle (day). As for you Executor I and the rest of the Conclave wish you to undertake a special mission. Do you know of the Terran race?.
Tassadar. "Yes. They are a minor race that has sent a colanizing group to the edge of the local sector a few hundred solar cycles (years) ago."
Elder Zin'dir. "The conclave wises that you and a small fleet scout their worlds for Zerg infestation. Some of our Observers that watch their development has detected increasing psionic emanations from individuals. This is evidence that their species is evolving to a greater state of psionic power level. This as I know you understand will draw the Zerg to their worlds as they are particularly attracted to such things. If any of their worlds are infested then your are ordered to burn them. Reinforcing the quorinten zone and keeping the blight contained is our great mandate as we being the first born of the Xel'naga are the only ones powerful enough to do so. If we fail then the whole of the galaxy will fall to their vial infestations. Do I make myself clear. Executor."
Tassadar. "What of the Dar'Uhl. Are we not forbidden from interfering in the lesser races."
Eldar Zin'dir. " The great stewardship of the Protoss empire over the other lesser races means that it is our duty to do what is best for them. If that means burning a few worlds to save others then so be it, I will have Artanis depart within the cycle. Am I understood Executor."
Tassadar. "Yes. I understand."
Elder Zin'dir. "Good."
The holoscreen blinked off. Tassadar turned to Artanis. "Well young Praetor since the conclave themselves have summoned you to Aiur you understand what that means don't you?"
Looking up at the Executor who has served as his second mentor for many years the relatively young Artanis nodded with respect and pride in his heart. "Yes. It means im being recognized for my abilities and effort."
Tassadar nodded with pride. "Yes it does. Now go. Im sure You have much to prepare for. And I have a new assignment to complete. We'll meet again in the future. Im sure."
Artanis nodded respectfully. "Yes Executor I will prepare to leave immediately."
Tassadar watched as the young and talented Praetor left and thought that perhaps one day he would take over as Executor.
-One day later-
-High Orbit Over Chu Sara-
Tassadar looked upon the developed and thriving Terran world as his fleet hovered in orbit. "Are their any Zerg on the world?"
Hands danced over holo-screens as the bridge crew scanned the planet from orbit. Minutes passed as an intensive scan showed that the world had indeed been infested by Zerg forces that while few in numbers now, they would inevitably grow in numbers and unlike Protoss these Terrans would fall to the Zergs infestation virus.
Tassadar looked up closing his eyes at the pain of killing so many. But his experience with the Zerg and the infested has thought him to bury his heart during times like this.
"Tell the fleet to prepare the Purifiers. We will burn the Zerg presence from this world."
-Chapter 16, Rebel Yell-
-Mar Sara-
In the decade since the end of the Guild Wars the oppressive Terran Confederacy has remained unchallenged in its supremacy of Terran colonized space in the Koprulu Sector.
All that changed four days ago when a large alien fleet (Protoss) emerged from warp space and laid waste to the unsuspecting Confederate colony of Chau Sara.
-Personnel Quarters of Mar Sara Colony Magistrate-
In the early morning sun light beamed in between the curtains of the bed room illuminating the sleeping Magistrate. The room lay quite for a few moments, until the alarm started beeping incessantly.
*BEEP*BEEP*BEEP*BEEP*BEEP*
"Im up, i'm up. Shut the hell up!" Haruka bemoned as she slowly lumbered out of bed. With a flick of her hand she shut the morning alarm off and got up. Standing up with a yawn she walked over to the closet and rummaged through her uniformes. She Picked out a clean pair and took a few minutes to comb her hair tying it into a phony tail draping over her left shoulder.
Now with the black and gold himed uniform she walked out of her bed room to the private kitchen where a breakfast was already prepared for her by the maid on duty. Sometimes being a magistrate has it perks.
Haruka. "Thanks for the food Wendy."
Wendy. "Your welcome miss Reid. I'll be leaving if you don't need anything else?"
"Going somewhere?" asked Haruka as she bit into her hard egg and toast with pepper Jack cheese on top.
Wendy wiped off the counter top with a paper towel. "Just visiting my mother. Shes in the hospital for a surgery. Just her appendix nothing serious. But there's a line for that particular doctor so the surgery may take all day to even start and moms been in the hospital since yesterday."
Haruka swallowed half her glass of water knowing something of the future Wendy and everyone else on this planet has. "I'll make a call to expedit the operation."
Wendy turned around surprised. "That... uh I don't know what to say. Thank you."
Haruka finished off her meal and drink standing up wiping off her mouth with a paper towel before trashing it. "No problem. But one thing Wendy."
"Yes?"
"Make sure to call me when it's finished ok."
"Uh. Yes ma'am."
Leaving the kitchen Magistrate Haruka made her way to her office which she had taken just yesterday after being reassigned to this job which the last magistrate was more than eager to hand over seeing it as a chance to get off this backwater planet. But to Haruka it was the perfect opportunity to insert herself into the events to come in the near future. And hopefully steer things a bit differently. Or at least manage a better job then the other guy would have; who by the way she had to make indisposed with a bad case of food poisoning. Otherwise some random guy would have been assigned to Mar Sara instead of her.
The office was sparsely decorated with a large window making up one wall with a large metal desk in front of it facing towards the main entrance. Haruka walked across the black reflective floor sitting down. She pressed a button on the desks touch screen surface activating her robotic assistant. Beside the desk a cut out half cylinder raised up from the floor containing a humanoid female robot (without any limbs) attached to the inside by cables.
Beep! Beep! "Adjutant Online. Good morning Magistrate. I'll fill you in on what's been happening: Confederate traffic has increased substantially within the system due to the recent destruction of Chau-Sara colony by a as yet unidentified hostile alien fleet. The Confederates have tightened security on all out lying systems, and it's likely that this colony will be locked-down as well. Also an encrypted Confederate transmission came for you while you were at dinner. Shall I replay the message now or later?"
"Yes please."
The face of a middle aged man in red CMC armor blinked on the desk screen.
"Greetings Magistrate. I'm General Edmund Duke of the Confederate Security forces, Alpha squadron. The Confederacy has quarantined this entire planet, and we'll proceed with the lock-down within 48 hours. You're to relocate your core colonists to the outlying wastelands. Now I know there won't be any problems with these new arrangements."
Beep! beep! "Transmission ended. I have contacted the local Marshal, James Raynor. Raynor has agreed to meet your personnel en route and escort them to the new wasteland site."
Haruka took a small data drive from her pocket and walked over to the Adjutant.
"Is there something else I can do for you Magistrate?" The robot asked.
"Just updating your software with a update patch. Shut down for a moment while I upgrade your systems. That's a order."
"Yes Magistrate."
The Adjutant shut off lowering her head, her eyes lost their glow. Haruka went to work installing the new software from a friend on Reach. After a few minutes the Adjutant woke backup.
Beep Beep."Systems update successful. System efficiency estimated to be improved by 4000 percent. Also priority loyalty systems have been overridden. Confederacy loyalty chips and programming has been erased."
Haruka crossed her arms staring up at the robotic secretary. "You work for me and only now. Got it."
The Adjutant paused for a half second. "Loyalty programming and priorities set. Haruka Reid is my master."
"Good. Now I want you to use the funds I have available to hire a few merc groups and have them on Mar Sara in the next 24 hours. I want at least 500 troops and while your at it hijack a few dozen heavy space transports from a few other systems. Enough that can carry most if not all of the population of Mare Sara. Use whatever means your deem necessary. But don't let any of it lead back to me or you."
"Understood Magistrate. Contacting relevant personnel and obtaining outside funds. I will also endeavor to leave no trace of the request for such groups or leave a trail that the request came from your office."
Haruka pleased sat back down at her desk. "Good."
While the AI worked it's job Haruka contacted the Mar Sara military forces at her disposal.
-Ten hours later-
A dozen double decker ground transports (each carrying a hundred people) and a force of 100 marines, 40 SCVs and 20 mineral trucks made there way across the desolate wastelands of the Mar Sara desert. The lead vehicle in the convoy was a modified Siege tank with one barrel and two missile launchers on the sides of the turret. The long convoy traveled a few miles before across a bridge.
SCV pilot. "I can't believe we're being sent to the wastelands. These Confederate's think they can push anybody around."
Marine. "Your preaching to the choir brother. I swear. If these bastards didn't have such a big ego they'ed implode into a black hole. "
Laughter echoed over the comms as most of the marines and SCVs were listening at the banter over the comms.
"Cut the chatter people." Haruka shouted from her seat in the siege tank. "Were coming up on the location where were supposed to meet out contact."
The marines and SCVs cut their banter and proceeded onwards. Marching driving and hovering the convoy crossed the bridge. Moving a little ways passed that they arrived at a clearing where a single Vulture high speed hovercraft waited.
"Stop." Haruka ordered.
The large Siege tank slowed its motors coming to a stop next to the Vulture promptly followed by the rest of the convoy behind them. Haruka popped the hatch of the tank and hoped out with a group of marines making their way to her flanks. The man on the Vulture had black hair and brown eyes wearing blue jean pants and a white shirt and a sleeveless jacket over it with a Marshals star pinned to his chest and a rather large revolver on his hip holster.
"Howdy boys and girls. I'm James Raynor, the marshal of these parts."
Haruka stopped next to James. "I'm Haruka Reid. The colonial Magistrate tasked with leading this clown act."
James took a moment to look at Harukas hand then her face meeting her eyes and taking two seconds to admire her blue hair. "Never seen a Darcsen before." James said shaking Haruka hand.
"There may not be many of us but were around. Now getting down to business Marshal Raynor I hope you know of a suitable place to sit all my chicks. We've been on the road for a while and their really needing a bath. Those transports aren't meant to hold so many swetty people."
Jim gave a laugh at the situation and at the Magistrates lack of, stuck up ness, which he's expected from Confederacy personnel. Especially the higher ups.
"I know of a big open plane with a old prospector camp with a Command Center and Refinery with a small mineral field just a ways from here. Should take us less then a hour if we hoof it."
Haruka gave a gentle but firm smile. "Good. Lead on Marshal." She turned around and hopped back into the tank. You can't tell but Haruks fangirling on the inside.
Raynor revved his Vulture bikes engines and in one smooth motion turned a 180 degrees before bolted down the road. The siege tank and the rest of the convoy followed moving up to top speed.
-58 minutes later-
After raiding for almost another hour they came upon a pair of jagged high hills separated by a thin 20 or so meter wide gap.
Raynor opened his comms. "It's just up ahead now in a clearing passed those hills."
Haruka. "Good now let's get everything set up so the civis can settle in by tonight."
As the convoy approached the hills a pair of creatures appeared in between them blocking the path.
Raynor squinted as he rushed towards the creatures not ever remembering THAT kind of animal ever being in these parts. "What the hell?"
Seeing the two creatures in her tanks display screen Haruka zoomed in on them recognizing them for what they were. "Shit! Raynor shoot those things that's an order!"
Raynor gremiched as the Magistrate yelled in his ear. A order was a order so and those things were getting increasingly hostile looking as they waited for him to just get close enough to naw on.
"Ok your the boss?"
Raynor flipped the safety to the twin grenade launchers attached to the back of the Vulture. Both of the heavy AGP-2 Thumper grenades fired with twin loud thumps lobbing two seven inch long explosive shells down range. The two Zerglings turned their gaze upwards just in time to get a face full of explosives. Twin blasts rocked the surrounding hills leaving behind two red stains on the ground. Coming to a stop by the blood staines Raynor scrutinized the remains. Harukas Siege tank stopped right behind him.
"How did you know that these things were hostile?" Raynor asked turning to the tank.
Looking at the bodies from her displays Haruka easily made out several differences between these Zerglings and the ones in Ellenes Swarm and Harukas own minor swarm. One being that they had no shield like plating on the top of their back mounted arms. And those arms had hands that ended in three large clawed fingers. Another difference was the rust colored bodies. And the third was the fact these Zerglings only weapons (besides their fangs) were large semi serrated blade arms on their lower front legs. They looked like they would run like a gorilla (front arm blades retracted) and would pounced on their prey holding on with the arms on the back and then proceed to gore the target with the large blades on their front arms.
"Just a gut feeling. Marine squads 1 through 4 fall into formation with Raynor and scout the area ahead. Everyone else encircle the convoy and protect the transports."
Snapping to the marines moved like a well greased machine forming two rows along the left and right flanks of the transports and SCVs. Raynor quickly took command of the four squads of marines and moved out scouting the area ahead. His Vultures engines revving Raynor drove ahead with the marines following as fast as they could. Keeping a eye out for more of those creatures Raynor kept at half speed so he could retreat to the marines firing range quickly should he be attacked.
"Grrarrr!"
The distinctive shriek gave Raynor enough time to pull the handle bars spinning him around just as a Zergling jumped out from behind a rock digging its claw's into his bikes side. One engine burst into flames burning the Zerglings face. It raised its leg to push off the craft when Raynor pulled out his oversized gauss revolver leveling it at the creatures eyes. With a loud bang the Zergling died as the bullet passed through its soft eyes into its brain. Raynor whirled around for a bit trying to get control of his bike as five more of the beasts charged at him from out of know where. A hail of gauss rifle shells ripped the creatures apart giving Raynor a moment of free time to set his burning Vulture down.
A Marine ran up to him, rifle smoking. "You ok sir?" said with concern.
The Marshal looked over at the closed, orange reflective faceplate of the marine. "Im fine. And you don't have to call me sir. I'm not in the military anymore. So just call me Jim. Marshal Raynors ok too. "
The marine shifted in his bulky armor. "Mister Raynor. With all dew respect the Magistrate said you were in charge so for the time being your in command." The marine stopped a moment thinking. "Also you said your weren't in the military anymore? I'm guessing you served during the Guild wars?"
Raynor snorted with a shrug. "Yeah I did. That was a long time ago thou." Raynor looked at the marine. "Whats your name?"
Saluting the marine replied. "Corporal Wallace Helton. Sir." giving a slight chuckle at the end.
Raynor saluted him back. "Well Corporal let's get to scouting the frontier base over yonder."
Raynor pointed across the open plain to a old command Center and a Refinery off in the distance.
Corporal Helton. "That's still a distance to go. Is your bike going to be ok sir?"
Raynor looked his Vulture over and checked its self diagnostic systems. "Should be ok for a bit if I only give it half power. I can have one of your SCVs fix her up later." Raynor shut the damaged engine off and moved out.
Corporal Helton turned to his four squads. "Come one people let's go."
A few minutes later they traversed the open ground coming upon the Command center and power plant. Two marine squads had their weapons up and at the ready incase anymore of those creatures showed up again. Raynor and the other two squads split up doing a check of the command center and power plant.
-Back with Haruka-
Sitting in her tank Haruka yawned as she relaxed a bit. But the sound of the comms woke her up.
"Magistrate your... other business partners have arrived in system."
Haruka. "Get them on the job and make it snappy. We only have so many hours until the star system wide lock down is enacted by the confeds."
"Understood Magistrate." The Adjutant replied from the magistrates office.
The robotic humanoid AI blinked her eyes as she opened a signal bounced, encrypted and secure comm line with the mercs hired not long ago.
-Mar Sara city space port-
With a metallic clatter the ramp of a space shuttle touched down on the metal landing pad. Walking down the ramp the mercenary Hammer security officer Graven Hill in sunglasses a leather jacket and pants walked off the super heavy transport, flanked by four mercs in customised black colored CMC power armor.
Hills personnel comms beeped twice. He grabbed it bringing it up to his face. The screen blinked on the I pad like device showing a pretty 20 something brunette with a comm head set on.
"Hello Graven Hill of the Hammer Security group. Im Marry Hathorn. I represent your employer and was also the one who hired your group."
Hill raised his eyebrows at the woman, not knowing it was just a simulated image created by Harukas Adjutant. "Hmm yeah yeah. So what's the job pretty lady? Can't be much on this backwater planet. "
The simulated image of Marry Hathorn tilted her head a bit. "Your mission is to... for the time being wait and be the security dogs your claim to be. It is in your name isn't it."
Hill sighed but wasn't that broken up considering his merc group Hammer Security had been paid ten thousand credits before they even arrived on Mar Sara. "Ok.. We'll just chill until you contact us again about the specifics about the job. How's that."
Marry nodded. "Very good. I'll contact you at a later date. Until then try not to draw any unneeded attention from the Confederacy forces. I worked quite hard to make them ignore your planet fall."
Hill smiled appreciating the unknown help. "Thanks. And we'll try and stay out of trouble."
Hill cut the transmission. In the Magistrates office Marry the Adjutant reported to Haruka.
-With Raynor-
With a metallic groaning the door to the Command center was pulled open by two Marines. The first thing that Raynor and Corporal Helton saw was a pool of blood and meat giblets scattered all over the place.
Corporal Helton. "Oh man what the fuck!"
Raynor a bit more hardened at the sight of death was still unerved a bit by the lack of bodies. "Guess those things killed everybody here. Dammit. Well let's spread out and check the place out. See if it even works."
The Marines spread out keeping in groups of two at the least as they searched every nook and cranny. After ten minutes of searching they found two holes in the underbelly armor right in between the armor plating. Which explained how the Zerglings got in. Luckley the command center itself looked just fine. Raynor in the command centers control room opened a comm link to Haruka and the convoy.
The screen blinked on showing Magistrate Haruka Reid in the tank. "What's the situation Marshal?"
Raynor stood up straighter. "Well everyones dead over here. Those things got in here and... ate them. But the facilities are in working order so just send over your SCVs and we can get to mining for minerals and get to building your people some housing and infrastructure. Oh and my reid needs a fixing up "
Magistrate Reid nodded. "That's good to hear. But these creatures will no doubt continue to be a problem so i'll be leaving my marines here with you. Feel free to command them for the time being. As for me I'm returning to Mar Sara city. Call me when your all done here."
Raynor crossed his arms. "Will do. I'll make sure all your people are settled in nice and tight."
The comm screen blinked off and Magistrate Reid opened a intercom with the forces with her and the convoy. "Marines im returning to Mar Sara city. All of you stay here and keep things under control. And follow the Marshal orders while i'm gone."
"Understood ma'am." said a marine officer.
Harukas Siege tank rolled off the road letting the convoy and marines march out. Once they passed the two hills the siege tank rolled out returning to Mar Sara city.
Back at the Command Center Raynor saw the convoy park close by. The doors to the transports opened and a flood of people got out stretching their legs and enjoying the fact that they were out of those stuffy transports. But hey at least the air conditioning in them worked.
"Ok let's get to building," Raynor said as he fiddled with the controls and went through the mining log. He then synced up the SCVs with the command centers sensors
The mineral vain's along the nearby hill line became visible to the SCVs and they got to mining. Hours later there was more than enough stored up in the Command center to build a camp for everyone. With a order Raynor set the SCVs to construct the new and hopefully temporary homes the people would stay in for the time being.
Feeling parched and a bit tired Raynor took a brake to the nearby coffee machine. Returning with a styrofoam cup full of black steaming liquid he sat down at the controls again. The hours passed as the work progressed and he took to talking with Corporal Helton in the tedious boardom. Everyone outside was settling into the new housing blocks and enjoying themselves for the most part. After seventeen hours everyone had their own housing unit and there were even three Barracks for the Marines and a few new storage depots. Seeing as everything was in order Raynor contacted the Magistrate.
-The office of the confederate Magistrate-
Magistrate Reid laid on her bed; taking a break from the past few hours stent calming the fearing populace. There were more than a few riots after news broke of the destruction of the Chau Sara colony on the neighboring world of the same name and it took a long time to get the populace calm and not rioting. All of that left Her mentally exhausted so Haruka took the time to recharge. Even though she was really a 3rd gen Zerg brood queen on the inside some things are just tiring no matter what. That includes dealing with people. In a non-violent way.
The apartment intercom beeped. "Magistrate. Marshal Raynor is calling from the badlands."
Harukas eyes shot open as she hopped out of bead and marched to her office. Haruka ignored the fact her uniform wasn't completely on and just opened a comm link. "Marshal."
Raynor's face was up beat. "Hey, I got all your refugees tucked in nice and tight..."
Haruka practically sighed at how similar this situation was with the original starcraft game.
Raynor continued. "Huh? is there something wrong?"
Haruka raised a hand. "No no i'm fine. Just a headache. I'm fine please continue."
Raynor continued. "Hmm well. Provided we can avoid anymore surprises or interference from the confederates, and keep those beasties away from them. I think your people will be just fine. It's just like a big camping party over here. Just need some marsh-mellows and chocolate. And well.. a few dozen camp fires. "
"Thanks Raynor. It's a big help that you put in.."
Beep beep. "Priority alert! I've picked up a distress call from Backwater station, just a few kilometers north from Marshal Raynors position. They are under-attack by the unknown organisms. Distress beacon activated approximately four minutes ago. Alerting Confederate headquarters on Tarsonis as per protocol... Stand by for incoming transmission. "
Unlike in the game there wasn't a immediate response and Raynor and Magistrate Haruka Reid waited a minute or two.
The screen blinked to the oh so balding head of general Duke only he wasn't in his red power armor and instead was in a full military uniform. "We've received the distress beacon from Backwater, and we'll take care of it. You just sit tight. You'll be notified if there's anything we think you need to know or do. Until then stay put." Dukes transmission ended, the screen went blank.
Raynor was already looking angry. "Mother fu... Damnit! Listen miss Reid. Magistrate if we wait for Confederate reinforcements that stations dust. It's practically next door to me. I'll head out there now and do what I can. You can send some militia, and we'll save those people."
Reality is quite different a game and the tragic truth of the matter was that many of those people were already dead and if Haruka does what Raynor said then him and his men will get sent to a prison ship. But Haruka was also fearing that Duke may just have Raynor executed. So having some of the blame shifted to her was a better way to mitigate the worse possibility. Raynor was an important figure in the future and can't be allowed to die such an inglorious death.
"Sorry Raynor. But if WE'ER doing this. You don't need to play the hero alone. Besides it will take too long for Militia to reach your position. Just use the forces you got there. I'll send the militia but think of them as reinforcements if you run into a large group of those creatures."
Raynor was in shock at the magistrates reply. "Uh ok i'll gather a few squads and head out ASAP. Marshal Raynor out."
The screen went black and Haruka was left alone with the Adjutant.
Magistrate. Reid. "Adjutant."
The mechanical humanoid face of the metal woman snapped to at the word. "I've already sent the order to the closest Firebat militia to Backwater but their eta is not for twenty minutes. Also i've blocked confederate transmissions and falsified communications and sensor sweeps of the planet so that the main Confederate forces under general Duke's command will remain unaware of the Hammer mercenary on the planet. "
Haruka stood up her eyes flashing blue for a moment. "Then everything is in place and should proceeded as expected." Haruka turned around looking up into the dark sky illuminated by the cities lights. "Now I just wonder if Ellenes mission is going as well."
-Raynor-
"Alright boys lets get a move move on."
Hoping on his repaired Vulture Marshal Raynor lead four squads of marines north to Backwater. It was only a few minutes by vehicle but even on foot in CMC armor the trek took a good long time through the twisting hills and valleys. Keeping his Vulture ahead of the marines Raynor lead the charge but his Vulture was much faster and if he ran at full speed he could reach Backwater much quicker. But it would take far more time to wait for militia to get on sight and move out. It wasn't normal for a Marshal to be leading Confederate marines but the last order they had was to follow Raynor until future notice.
Reaching the top plain of a flat plateau Raynor and his men started getting warning beeps from their on board scanners in their suits. Corporal Helton checked his HUD radar and saw that more of those creatures were heading towards them from the left.
Corporal Helton. "Weapons free. Take aim and let er rip."
The marine squads turned left taking aim in two rows the front kneeling the back standing tall. All of them raising their rifles to their shoulders as the disciplined soldiers they were and open fire. A 10 second burst of fire ripped the Zerglings to bits freeing the group to march out once again.
After clearing the plateau and reaching a small valley passed it Raynor and his men kept moving north until reaching another natural land ramp that lead up to another plateau. As the groups marched onwards they made their way up the natural ramp to the top of the second plateau. There was a whistling noise followed by spine penetrating a marines face plate.
"Kenny! No. You bastards."
The friends of the dead marine rained death on the snake like creature not a hundred meters away shredding its body with gun fire. Then more spines flew at them from multiple angles. The snake Creatures had them surrounded and the new type could shoot projectiles capable of penetrating their armor. Dozens of spines rained on them penetrating armor but luckily the new type of creatures were aiming at all the wrong spots as if they were used to fighting another type of enemy. Luckily most of the bone projectile landed in the thickest points of the armor or didn't hit anything vital other then head shots. Which were thankfully none after the first one as the rest of the marines blocked the spines by raising their free arm of twisting their shoulder pauldrons to block the most of the spine fire.
When the fire fight ended all ten of the Snake like creatures and three marines lay dead.
Raynor. "Damn't what the hell are these things. Are they related to the other ones?"
Corporal Helton walked up to the corpse of one of the creatures poking it with the tip of his rifle. "I'm no expert... but uh... they seem to bare some similarity. Look at their armor and those claws. "
Taking a closer look Raynor in deed saw that they were quite similar to the smaller creatures. "Well damn. They do look similar. But that's enough gawking at the aliens. We got civilians to save."
Marching out again Raynor had Corporal Helton sent word to the main camp as to the location of the dead marines so their bodies could be retrieved later. More then on marine cursed at the fact the transports that had brought the civilians to the wastelands had been recalled to the city. But ignoring that failing they nonetheless marched onwards reaching another land ramp up to a plateau.
Taking more caution this time they went slowly to make themselves less vulnerable to any more ambushes by always having one third of their group watching the rear. Reaching the top of the ramp the squads spread out as they advanced. Quickly coming upon a carpet of purple flesh growing across the ground.
Raynor. "What the hell is that? It looks like the ground is... moving!"
Stopping at the disturbing layer of meat squirming on the ground for as far as they could see Raynor and the marines held caution and their rifles up as they advanced.
Corporal Helton. "I have no fucking clue. But if we want to advance were going to have to go cross it."
Raynor and the marines looked at each other a moment as if waiting for someone to take the first leap.
The other marines looked at their ranking officers Corporal Helton and sort of ranking officer Marshal Raynor.
Raynor. "Ok ok you lily lived kids 'i'll go first. Corporal if you would could you keep my flank covered as we advance."
Corporal Helton. "Sure."
Taking the first steps onto the soft sticky creep Raynor and Corporal Helton advanced followed by the others. Moving along in two columns the marines and Raynor advanced for a mile. Then they came upon a odd and seemingly organic structure off in the distance.
Marine. "Sirs we got a... I don't know what at 11 o, clock."
As soon as Raynor and Corporal Helton looked over at the Creep colony a horde of Zerg un-burrowed around it and charged at them. Not hesitating they took firing positions and opened fire.
Corporal Helton."Squads two and four focus on the snakes. One and two take out those smaller ones before they get to us!"
Raynor smiled at the Corporals steady leaderships in the face of an unknown enemy and a situation he had never trained fore and was reminded of all the fubar situations he and his buddies got into during the guild wars.
Raynor. "Come get some!"
The Marshal fired both twin grenade launchers in a arc lobing four pairs of high explosives before the first landed. The result was a lot of dead Zerg as the six grenades exploded right in the middle of the Hydralisk formation ending their ranged barrages and freeing up more guns for the Zerglings. The fire fight lasted another two minutes as the smaller creatures started darting all over trying to avoid the marines gun fire.
Marine. "Is it me or are these things getting smarter?"
Everyone nodded in silence as they all had the same thought. Before they moved out Raynor promptly lobed a few grenades at the odd living structure. In just six shots it was reduced to a broken and bloody tree stump. Moving further north two miles they finally came to the end of the Creep and a bunker that was part of the Backwater settlement.
Corporal Helton walked up to the structure banging on the neosteel door. "Hello anyone inside?"
A few silent moments passed until the clanking of locks being unlocked allowed the door to open. Much to The Corporal and Raynors shock nearly twenty people all unarmed civis were stuffed into the bunker all of them looking malnourished and a few wounded.
Civilian male. "Marshal Raynor! Oh thank god were saved. We've been out here for a few days. Hiding from those... monsters!"
Marshal Raynor. "Don't worry we've got ya covered." Raynor looked off in the distance at the buildings and then at his men. "Is your barrakes up and running. My men need a few minutes rest, ammo and repair's to their armor."
The civilian looked at the Corporal and then to the other marines. "Uh yeah. But those things can dig right through the weak points in the larger buildings. It why we've hold up in the bunkers."
Raynor. "Yeah we know. Another outpost south of you was attacked to. Unlucky for them they didn't have any bunkers to hide in. Corporal lets clear out the buildings so we can all take a rest and regroup."
Raynor and his men marched out clearing the area and buildings of the Zerg one at a time. After twenty minutes Backwater station was cleared and the remaining civilians were able to return to their houses and start burying the dead or at least what could be found of them. In the command center Marshal Raynor, Corporal Helton and the leader of Backwater station were having a meeting.
Corporal Helton. "Before, you said you've been hold up in those bunkers for days. But we only recently got a distress call?"
It just didn't add up so the obvious question was asked.
The leader of Backwater shifted nervously.
Raynor put a hand on his shoulder. "Just tell us what happened. No need to pressure yourself."
"Well my names Nathan Hasher. Me and my...my brother ran Backwater. And about two days ago those monsters attacked us. We were lucky that most of the militia were having a weapons drill that day so they were already suited up but... twenty of our people didn't. After the first attack more of them came and came until. Eh! Sorry sorry."
Raynor. "It's ok man just go at your own pace."
Nathan continued. "After a few hours of fighting off... about two dozen of those creatures our men were running out of ammo and one third had died. Most of our CMC armors were wrecked leaving just a handful left. We retreated into the Command center and were about to call for help but then they ripped through some floor plating and... and... oh god. (Shaking) "Ha... half of us died in here (Nathan looked around the room nervously). That was when we ran for the bunkers. After a few days some of us knew that our food was running out. Just some rations and supplies we kept in them. My brother Sam and a few others in the last CMC armor said that they would get a rescue team sent even if it cost them their lives. (Depressed sigh) Guess he was right about that. But they got word out and now your here."
Raynor and Helton gave each other a resigned look.
Raynor. "We'll Just take a breather before clearing those things out from the surrounding area. If my guess is right then there should be more in the area maybe with more of those weird structures and living carpet."
Nathan thank Raynor as he and Helton walked out. Over the course of the next hour Raynor and the marines took time off for some R&R. Then they split into two groups, one getting the holes in their ammo restocked and armor suits repaired in the barracks while the other group stayed on patrol. After a half hour they swapped positions and by then the militia from the Magistrate arrived.
Raynor and Corporal Helton and a few other marines watched as three Quantradyne APOD-33 Dropships flew over head and landed vertically a few dozen meters beside the command center. The rear ramps to the dropships lowered and out walked over a dozen Firebats if red armor and with fuel tanks for their flamethrowers on their backs.
Raynor. "Hehe. Well now that what I call reinforcements."
The Firebats walked up to Raynor and the Corporal giving a salute. "Milita Firebats squad A9 reporting for duty Marshal."
Marshal Raynor. "Nice to have ya. I'll give yeah a full debrief right now if you don't mind as there's pertinent information about a certain hostile lifeforms that's been terrorizing the local populace."
With a grunt the Firebat captain nodded. "Tell me everything sir."
-Ten minutes later-
After explaining the situation to the Firebat captain, Raynor and Corporal Helton split their forces. Helton and half his marines would stay and defend Backwater while Raynor, the second half of the confed marines and the Firebats would scout the area. Nathan had also told Raynor about a Confederate Command center a few miles away. But seeing as Backwater was in immediate danger Raynor and the Corporal decided to secure the surrounding area first.
Moving out Raynor and his men consisting of 12 marines and 13 Firebats. Moved out first scouting the south east. Moving down into a depression they were greeted by three Hydralisk and ten Zerglings. The marines focused fire on the snakes while the firebats roasted the Zerglings that got into range.
Firebat. "Need a light. Haha!"
A stream of liquid flame enveloped a group of Zerglings igniting them like candles. Candles that screamed and rolled around as they burned alive. Moving north they encountered more creep and two more of those odd bio structures, which meant more of those creatures as well. As on cue twenty Zerglings and four Hydralisk charged at them in sporadic groups. While the Zerg forces were still uncoordinated and lacking tactical focus Raynor being a veteran had his men fight efficiently using the odd structures as shields and taking firing lines two men deep with the marines in back and the short ranged Firebats up front kneeling so the marines could fire over them. The Firebats really didn't need to move all that much as the Zerglings were more than happy to charge at them.
The Hydralisk were the real threat as they could return fire and kill both Firebats and Marines if they hit them in the faceplate or if they hit a vital organ through a weak point in the armored CMC suit. After the first attack was repelled Raynor ordered his Firebats to toast the Creep colonies. While the first one burned another smaller group of Zerg attacked from the east. They were put down much easier then the first group and after a few minutes both Creep colonies were charcoal. Moving farther north Raynor and his men finally reached the Confederate Command Center Nathan talked about however...!
Marine. "What the hell did they do to that command center!"
The exclamation summed up the feelings of everyone present as the pulsating mass of web like veins and flesh that protruded from the hull of the command center was something unnatural and if it wasn't for the fact that all present were starting to get used to this shit they would have up lost their lunch.
Raynor. "Whatever they did it ain't pretty. And im not sending any of yeah in there to find out what's inside. Best to burn it and ask questions later."
The confederate marines were somewhat hesitant considering that the structure belonged to the confederacy. But on the other hand none of them knew how the hell they would have even cleaned that stuff out without damaging the building so they just went with the safe option and sat back and watched as the Militia Firebats did what they do best. Which was burn everything to the ground. After a solid ten minutes of flambaying the building the structures internal fuel detonated and the building went up in a blaze of glory. If the marines and Firebats had their helmets open then they would have no doubt up chucked their last meal from the oh so pleasant smell of roasted alien flesh.
Raynor wasn't so lucky as he quickly drove his Vulture a good hundred meters away before vomiting.
Puking noises. "Eh ah ugh oh that's nasty. Maybe I should get my own set of CMC armor. That shits rank."
After calming down Raynor opened a comm line to the Magistrate to report. "Magistrat Reid. Ha huh ah."
Magistrat Reid. "Yes Raynor. What's the situation. And are you... puking?"
Raynor. "Ugh. Yeah. I'm fine. Just never look at barbeque the same way ever again."
Magistrate Reid. "Well i'm sorry to hear that. What's the sit-rep?(Situation Report)"
"Well ugh. Me and your men rescued the people at Backwater. Most of them anyway. But there was a confederate command center and It was... I don't know. Infested by this living growth of some kind and me and those militia you sent me destroyed it."
Haruka gave a silent sigh of relief that everything went well. But now she was wondering and dreading what would happen once General Duke found out which should be any...
Adjutant. "Incoming transmission on Marshal Raynors side."
The image of general Duke appeared on both Raynor and Magistrat Reids video comm lines. And a few confederate dropships came into view in the distance.
"Marshal Raynor you and your men have just destroyed and important confederate installation and in doing so violated standard colonial law. You and your men are under arrest. I, suggest, you come peaceably and drop your weapons.
Raynor. "Come on general if you know that much then you should know what had happened to that command center. If we hadn't destroyed it. This whole reign could have been over run. Now if you havent taken your sweet time get..."
General Duke cut him off. "Now! I was asking nice last time boy. I didn't come here to talk with ya. Now throw down those weapons."
Raynors eyes went wide as if thinking oh he didn't just call me boy. "Hmph. Guess you wouldn't be a confederate if you weren't a pain in the ass."
-End Chapter-
