Chapter 2: Breaking the Crutch

After boarding the transport ship to go back to the Hyperion, Raynor sat in passenger portion in silence. Though the crew members that were on the spacecraft expressed relief that he was able to survive, the Commander offered tight smiles and apologies for being exhausted. The image of Kerrigan back to being the zergified monstrosity started to eat at him. Feeling himself getting angry and disgusted, he tensed everything up. Closing his eyes and forcing himself to clear his mind, he grabbed the revolver. Applying the safety, he pulled it out and pointed the weapon down to the floor. Thinking back 15 minutes ago on the Moros, he replayed the shots he fired into the prison cell wall.

"..." Jim spoke opening his eyes. Looking down at the firearm, his hands were murderously gripping it.

'...god damnit...' the man thought. Moving his hand and placing the gun on the seat beside himself, he let go of it. Leaning forward and placing his elbows on his knees, he rubbed his face with his hands. The urge to drink and numb himself from what he was feeling was high. Letting go of his face, he shook his head.

'...hell...what the hell was all this for then?' the leader of the raiders asked in his mind. Frowning at the ground, his mind started to swirl in thoughts about the past and how far he has taken everyone with him. Lost in his mind's eye, he blinked from hearing one of the pilots call him.

"Commander, we have docked."

"...?" Jim replied looking up. Seeing the two raiders come out of the cockpit, one was approaching him while the other was beginning to open up the hatch. Getting out of his reminiscing, he gave a small smirk and stood up.

"Thanks son. Don't tell me there is a warm welcoming for me out there."

"I know Captain Horner is out there along with the kid Mengsk sir...along with medics," the soldier informed. "Would you like help sir?"

"I'm fine sport...unless I do not look fine to you," he asked. Raynor's comment drew both men's attention.

"With all due respect sir...you look a little sick," the one at the door stated and opened the hatch.

"...I see..." the lead raider replied losing the expression he had.

Turning his head toward the opening, he walked forward. Exiting out of the transport craft and going down the ramp, there was a small gathering of individuals. Matt and Valerian were seen along with Swann. To the men's left were medical personnel. Forcing himself to not frown from feeling like he was going to be a prisoner again, he stopped when he approached them.

"Welcome back Commander," Valerian spoke first. "It is good to see you are still in one piece."

"Thanks junior. I would have taken a memo from your father if he didn't blow up the Moros," Jim replied back with a small smirk.

"I didn't think my father would have gone to this level of atrocities of deciding the fate of his own soldiers," the prince remarked with a slight disappointed look on his face. "It has rattled the image of my father enough to which he is not fit to lead the Dominion."

"Glad to hear you say that," Raynor said giving a relaxed smile. Turning to Horner, both nodded to each other.

"Glad to have you back Commander," Matt greeted with a confident smile.

"Happy to be back. I'm curious on how you guys were able to find me on the Moros," he asked crossing his arms over his chest.

"Coronel Orwell. He was the only one we knew that could hack in and decrypt the Dominion Security Network."

"That's true...but...he was held by Mira Han," the Commander began then rubbed his beard a little. "I paid her to keep him under her thumb."

"That's true sir," the Captain agreed.

"How did you get her to let him go?"

"It was simple. He won another poker game with her," Swann piped in with a grinning smirk.

"..." Horner reacted with narrowing his eyes at him. "That only happened once."

"Heh heh heh," Raynor reacted with mild laughter.

"...a poker game?" Valerian asked confused looking at the different reactions of the men. Hearing Jim cough while trying to laugh, he physically held his left side with one hand and breathed a little harder.

"Matt and Mira played a poker game without him knowing...how high the stakes were," the Commander explained having a mild smirk on his face. "Lady luck was on his side...and won himself a woman."

"I wish you would not bring that up," Horner commented pinching the bridge of his nose in annoyance.

"...!" Prince Mengsk reacted a little surprised. "So that was what her communication was based on...and I thought Dominion politics were worse."

"How you holding up cowboy?" Swann asked looking a little concerned. Jim seemed to look amused and in pain; however, he seemed lost in thought. The three men saw him blink then look up.

"A little roughed up, but nothing too concerning," Raynor answered and put his left hand down to his side.

"I would recommend you going to sickbay to get checked Commander. Don't want to be surprised from the Emperor implanting something in you while you were on the Moros," the Captain suggested.

"...yeah...I don't think Arcturus did, but knowing him...he'll use any trick in the book," the raider leader agreed then turned a little to the right. Seeing the medics nod to him and approach him, Jim looked back at them.

"Thanks for helping with the rescue."

"Anytime Commander," Matt said with a smile and a nod.

"Can't have you going out on us hotshot," the chief engineer of the Hyperion commented with a smirk.

"Despite our difference Raynor, I am glad that you are back safe and sound," Valerian remarked with a small smile.

"..." the Commander responded with a smirk.

Turning around and walking with the medics, he rose his hand up to wave then put it back down to his side. The feeling of comradery eased him of the tension that was morphed from leaving the prison trip. Answering a couple of questions that the medical personnel had, they travelled to the medical hold location in the ship. Once there, he was placed on a bed and given a round of testing. Finding other than being a little dehydrated and starved, his body was still stable and function. Conducting various scans, the medics did not find anything inside of him that could put his life in jeopardy.

Lying down on the bed, he stared at the industrial color ceiling. Thoughts of what was going through him when captured on the Moros surfaced again. The memory of instant emotions and turmoil from seeing Kerrigan back to her former turned self quickly enveloped his mind shortly after. Not feeling so sensitive to them, he looked down at his left arm. Staring at the end of the bicep, it was where one doctor injected a sedative and painkiller. Blinking and feeling more calm than riled up, he went back to staring at the ceiling.

'So...now what?' he thought to no one. 'Being captured and imprisoned by the Dominion is enough fuel to get back at them...more so at Mengsk.'

'That should give me enough incentive to deliver some payback,' Jim repeated then closed his eyes.

The image of the Queen of Blades came back as if haunting him. The last battle on Char against the Zerg monstrosity flooded his mind. Saving Sarah and changing her back to mostly human, it was the end of the Zerg Queen's reign of terror. Fast forwarding to when his cell door imploded on the Moros, the new version of the former enemy came into his mind's eye. Despite not being controlled by Amon, the slightly emaciated form of a humanoid bug devil caused him to feel disgusted.

"Damnit," Raynor muttered opening his eyes. Frowning and staring hard at the ceiling, he saw one of the docs attending another wounded soldier. He had a battle wound which had left him with a cast on his left leg.

"Hey doc," the Commander called. Seeing the man turn to him, he parted with the patient and walked toward him.

"Yes Commander?"

"If I am done here, do I have to rest here?"

"..." the medical person responded with a blink then put his clipboard to his side. "Medical opinion or personal opinion sir?"

"..." Jim sighed a little impatient. "What is the damage?"

"Under medical aspects, you should rest and take it easy to regain your strength," the doctor informed then held out his hand. "On the other hand sir, you do have the authority to do what you want sir. You aren't incapacitated."

"Hmph," he reacted with a smirk and sat up. "I'll take the rest and easy bill doc. Just feel antsy about being cooped up in one area...not to say sickbay is a prison."

"No offense taken sir."

"Not going to tell me the condition of my liver?" Raynor questioned still smirking.

"I wouldn't blame you to go drink after being on the Moros ship. I think some of the crew would buy you a drink so you can feel back to your old self," he informed with a small smile.

"Appreciate that doc," Jim responded and got off the bed. "Continue to take care of the boys and gals here. They will all need you when they need help."

"Thank you sir. It is a pleasure," the medical staffer said and gave a nod. Turning around, he went back to the previous patient he was attending.

"..." the Commander said walking out of the medical area.

Going to where the mess hall was with the open bar, it would take him several minutes to get there. Walking down corridors, members of the Hyperion would greet and talk to him. Each one expressed their gratitude for his safe return. Initially, Raynor felt better from their comments and remarks. After one too many, he started to get annoyed and irritated. Hiding it, he then had second thoughts about going to the galley.

'...looks like I'll have to get one I stashed...' he thought.

Changing direction and heading toward where his quarters were, he tried avoiding running into people. Going through a couple of passageways that weren't normally used, he tried to not brood and get over the feeling of betrayal and disgust. His walking pace slowly sped up as he couldn't keep the resurging thoughts at bay. By the time he saw where his quarters were at the end of the hall, his face felt rigid. The numbing of the meds for the pain seemed only temporary as anger surged inside.

Open the door to his chamber, inside looked relatively untouched. He didn't spend much time in the room for it was just a place with a bed. Most of the time, he would be walking around the ship, talking to one of the officers, making strategic plans of their next designations, or plant himself at the open bar for long periods of time. Going to one of the generic pictures on the wall, Jim lifted it up to reveal a safe. Trying the combination, it did not open.

"..." he responded and narrowed his eyes.

Trying the combination again, it still didn't open. Attempting one more time using a different code, the small door remained closed. Clenching his teeth and pulling out his revolver, he aimed it point blank at the lock. Staring it down for several seconds, a latch opening sounded. Blinking and relaxing his face a little, he moved the gun down to his side. Pulling on the small hatch, it opened to reveal what was inside.

Three bottles of hard liquor were there. Each one was from a different planet to which two were Dominion controlled and one that was from the Confederacy side. Seeing a small note inside, it was in his handwriting. Reading it and frowning at the message, he put it back at where it was. Grabbing one that was the closes to the ledge of the safe frame, he closed the door. Turning around and going to a round table with a chair, it already had used drinking glasses on it. Placing the firearm down first, he sat himself down.

'120 proof...the Dominion must have it hard,' Raynor thought with a tight smirk.

Getting a corkscrew that was one the table, he popped the bottle. Not caring if it smelled strong, he poured himself a half full drink. Setting the alcohol container down, he grabbed the glass. Staring at it with the intention to shotgun it down, he stopped. The remembrance of being in the brig of the Moros for the first week, his eyes shifted to his hands.

"..." the Commander reacted feeling his fingers tingle.

The murderously pounding on the metal walls and him pacing around like a mad trapped animal washed over him. Shaking his head and lifting the glass, he stopped himself again. Seeing the drink in front of his face, he bore at the amber liquid. Smelling the alcohol even more, it seemed to wake him up a little bit. Sensing that his mind cleared a tad for him to process his thoughts, he began to wonder irritation.

'We need a Commander to lead us...not to see him drown himself in self-despair,' Captain Horner's voice echoed in his mind.

'Leave it alone Matt,' Raynor responded pouring himself another glass.

"..." Jim spoke curling his fingers into a fist with his free hand. Shaking his head harder and placing the glass down, he pinched the bridge of his nose. Feeling that it was not clearing his head, he started to get mad at himself. Grabbing the small container again and boring at it, his hand did not lift it.

'What the hell am I going to do?' the Commander's old self spoke in his head. It was in the bar back on the planet Mar Sara. Remembering himself drinking a whole bottle of booze by himself, the burning sensation of it going down his throat came to him. It was accompanied with his mind going numb for the amount of alcohol consumed that day.

"...just...drink...it..." he muttered himself through clenched teeth.

'Are you okay in there? Aren't you supposed to the Commander of the rebel raiders?' a Moros prison guard mocked on the other side of the prison cell hatch. 'Suffering from not getting your booze? Medicine tastes bitter traitor.'

"...I...said...just...drink...it..." Raynor repeated himself. Glaring down at the glass, he clenched it harder.

'...Jim Raynor...you traitorous fool...you think you could stand up against me and my Empire?' Arcturus mocked from the hologram message on the Dominion prison craft. 'It will only be a matter of time...till all your rebels are captured and tried for their crimes against the Dominion. Face it Raynor...you have failed...you failed your foolish followers...and you even failed Kerrigan. You get to live with that while rotting in your cell till you die.'

"SHUT UP!" Jim stated out loud with rage.

Clenching both hands murderously into fists, his glass shattered in his hand. Feeling his exposed fingers get nicks and small cuts, he cringed from feeling the alcohol splash on them. Looking up at the bottle, a thought of drinking straight from it came to him. Not wanting to throw himself into the mental turmoil again, he snatched the neck of it with his left hand. Swinging it hard to his left, he let go of it and sent it flying across the room. Impacting the opposite wall, the bottle exploded like a small window crash.

"..." the Commander breathed hard and harshly.

Looking back at his right hand, he opened his fist. Watching the larger pieces of glass fall to the table, blood started coming out of the lacerations. Giving scorn at it instead of hurt, he picked out the broken glass pieces from his fingers. Ignoring that his gloved right palm was cut up, he focused on the stinging pain to calm down. Once he finished, he looked up to the med-kit that was attached to the right wall of the chamber door. Getting up, he walked over to it and opened it up.

Getting the small gaze roll, he began wrapping his fingers. Securing them with the medical tape, he moved his fingers around. Despite still feeling the stings from certain movements, the digits still functioned. Looking at the two messes across the room, Jim sighed through his nose. Going to the head that was in the room, he retrieved the limited cleaning supplies in there.

While addressing the two broken glass accidents, the raider leader brooded to himself. While picking up pieces, his thoughts regurgitated what made him snap. Frowning to no one, he felt bitter, sour, and vengeful. Thinking about the Dominion emperor validated what he was feeling and the want to kill him. When his mind's eye turned toward Sarah and to the changed form she became, the emotions became stronger.

"Ah hell," Raynor muttered to himself. Getting up and throwing the broken pieces of glass in a small waste bin, the soaked alcohol paper towels went in as well. Staring down at the used supplies in the short trash can, their image of being broken, spillage of insides, and in disarray struck a chord with him. Hating how this seemed to represent him, he curled his hands into fists again.

'Despite both me and Sarah wanting Mengsk dead...I have no desire to join her now,' Jim pondered with a downcast face.

'However...we are going to Korhal regardless,' the man continued. Turning around and heading to the small window that was in his room, it showed the stars and emptiness of space. Putting his left hand on his hip, he placed the other on the wall and stared at the view.

'Sitting here and waiting till we reach the front gates of the Dominion Palace will eat me alive,' the Commander stated in his head. Glancing at his injured hand on the wall, he frowned at it. Looking back at the window, he could see the Zerg ship coming into view. Called a Leviathan, its organic and biological horror appearance made him scowl at it. Knowing the Queen of Blades was in there, he adverted his eyes from looking at its hideousness.

"...?" he said seeing something come into view. Moving to the left a little and narrowing his eyes to see a little better, there was a planet coming into view.

'That isn't Canis or Ursa given its color...which means we aren't in the Korhal system...where are we?' he wondered. Finding something to take his mind off of, he went to the intercom panel. Hitting the page and directing it to the Captain, Matt came on within a few seconds.

[Yes Commander?]

"Hey Matt. Where are we exactly? This does not look like the Korhal sector."

[...how did you guess that?] he asked curious.

"The planet we are approaching does not look like Korhal nor its moons," Jim answered. "Are we in the Tyrador system?"

[Based on what our map reads, yes. We are approaching Tyrador III which is the closest planet to the Korhal system] Horner replied.

"Are you on the bridge or wargame room?"

[I'm on the bridge. Velarian is using the other room and seems to be communicating with Kerrigan. Why?]

"Nevermined that. I will see you in 5," Raynor stated then hanged up. Leaving his room, he headed toward where the Captain was.

'If I remember...Tyrador III is just a colony that the Dominion picked up during the war with the Confederacy,' he thought walking with a purposeful stride. 'It housed one research facility...I just don't know if that lab is still in use or abandoned.'

After the end of the call, Horner waited for Jim to come to the bridge. Looking at the holographic map of the Tyrador System, he zoomed in on the planet that the Commander mentioned. Asking one of the attendants to pull up documentation on the location, he also asked for the history behind it. Seeing the information get transferred over to the display monitor he was at, he breezed through it. Not finding anything particularly noteworthy, he tried to think of what was the raider leader planning.

'Other than picking up supplies before going into Korhal, there isn't much down there,' the Captain thought putting his hands behind him to be at a parade-rest position. 'From just the immediate scans, the research lab down there was abandoned 3 years for unknown reasons. Mengsk never put in an order to have the facility demolished either...a little strange.'

'A scout mission to get his head back into gear,' Matt pondered re-reading the recent logs about the lab. '...possibly.'

'Then again...given that Kerrigan is here...she'll want to head straight for Korhal and hit Augustgrad.'

'Maybe that is what Prince Valerian is communicating with Kerrigan in the other room,' Horner thought glancing over at the strategy room. Hearing a door open from the opposite end of the room, he turned around. Seeing Raynor walk in, he seemed to be motivated. At the same time, he noticed all his fingers on his right hand were wrapped and taped.

"Feeling better Jim?"

"Better than resting in sickbay or laying in my bunk," Jim replied with a small smirk. "What do you have on Tyrador III?"

"Based on what we pulled up," Matt began. Turning around and gesturing to the monitor, it showed a split screen. The left window showed data while the right one showed aerial footage of the planet.

"Looking at the most recent data logs from Dominion space, there was a research lab that processed chemical, mineral, and foreign matter not seen in the Dominion territory. About 3 years ago, the logs from the facility suddenly stopped."

"Abandoned or overtaken by something?" Raynor asked.

"Best guess is abandoned," Horner answered then tapped on the zoom icon. The right side window magnified till it showed a bird's eye view of the surface.

"As you can see, we scanned the surface for life and found little to no trace of Terran signatures. There also isn't any Zerg or Protoss signatures as well. The only lifeforms we found were the animals of the natural habitat."

"Hmm...Dominions don't just abandon their labs without sending someone in to figure out what happened," Jim spoke then crossed his hands over his chest. "How much do you want to bet the info states of the research lab is a front?"

"It is possible sir given our share of raiding Dominion research labs. Hopefully this one isn't like the hybrid lab where it nearly killed you and your team."

"Yeah...that is true," the Commander agreed with a head nod. "How are we with supplies?"

"..." Matt replied with glancing at him. "We have enough to get to Korhal."

"How much mineral deposits and/or Vespene gas geysers are down there near the research lab?"

"More than enough to be at full capacity."

"Let's get two units going. One to scout and the other to scavenge," Jim stated then looked at the Captain. Seeing him nod, he stared back at him.

"I am assuming you'll be part of the scouting team sir."

"Yeah. Is that a problem?"

"No...just concerned if you are doing this for other than for scouting and supply collecting," Horner clarified with a neutral face.

"..." the raider leader gave a smirk then unfolded his arms. "I've been cooped up in Mengsk's prison ship for too long...just want to make sure I am not all rusted up. Who knows, maybe there is something down there that will give us an advantage against him."

"If you say so Commander," Matt commented. Watching him turn around and walk away, he called out after he took a couple of steps.

"Jim...do you think that Kerrigan will agree to this detour? I'm pretty sure if she is leading the charge, we won't be needing to utilize all of the resources."

"..." Raynor replied stopping. Pausing for a few seconds, he curled his hands into fists.

"I don't give a damn what she does," he stated firmly then walked off the bridge.