The overlord paused, stopping right in the enormous fleet's path.
Murdoc smiled slightly, and turned in his cushioned chair towards the
Communications Officer. The comms officer held a hand to the bug in his
ear, nodded, then turned to Murdoc.
"Sir, all science vessels reporting no other Zerg units within thirty
kilometers. The Overlord seems to be alone, sir. No units detected in
the creature's transportation sacs."
"They're called ventral sacs, Lieutenant," Murdoc said, leaning forward
in his chair. The leather in his Fleet Commander's uniform creaked
slightly as he shifted his position in the chair. Looking deep into
the small, red, beady eyes of this creature, who had carried troops and
alien creatures across uncountable starsystems, he cocked his head to
one side slightly. He could almost hear Kerrigan and rival ceribrates
whispering orders and propaganda into its tiny brain.
Standing up, he cleared his throat. On the bridge, everyone stood at
their consoles, ready to give whatever order that Murdoc deemed to
be prudent.
"Open all comm frequencies! Relay this message to Char, the overlord,
and the fleet as well!"
"Yes sir!" the bridge crew yelled, and began to do their duties. A low
humm of machines working and people speaking into comm units filled the
air.
Murdoc was proud of his bridge crew. They weren't even his originally,
being the property of some Admiral or Commander or whatever that had
gone down in battle. Bridge crews, especially those on huge flagships,
were highly prized and jealously guarded. Their efficiency, quick
thinking, and brilliant specific skills have saved many a commander's
lives and have turned the tide of battle more than once.
The comms officer stood up, and saluted to Murdoc.
"Sir, all is ready," the officer said, and Murdoc nodded thoughtfully.
"Good, good. Now sit down, I have work to accomplish. Everyone, quiet."
Murdoc keyed his comm, and waited for a few seconds before beginning.
"Kerrigan. I have come here with an ultimatum."
Suddenly, the viewscreen twisted and shifted, and the overlord and
Char was replaced by the visage of the Queen of Blades.
She sat upon a pile of human bones, crudely formed into a throne.
Around her, steel was seen through translucent slimy ooze that pulsed
with a life of its own. Purple and blue veins were seen through the
goo, pulsing with a beat that Murdoc could feel in his psychic self.
The place resembled a Terran command center's control room, except
the chairs, readout monitors, and consoles had all been ripped out.
Moans and whimpers, followed by the occasional subhuman scream
could be heard.
"Murdoc. How nice to see you again! How have you been doing all
these years?" she asked, smiling. Her fangs showed through her
purple lips. The Queen of Blades playfully crossed her legs and
placed both hands on her upper knee.
"Fine, just fine, good Queen. The Zerg transplants have almost
been flushed from my system," Murdoc said, smiling sarcastically.
"Oh," she said, pouting. She placed her hands on her hips. "I
thought I could have a little fun, with you as my little Zergling."
Murdoc smiled sarcastically.
"I did not come here, Kerrigan, to play games."
"No? Then why did you come to this world, if not to try and conquer
it?"
Murdoc glared at her, and she held up her fingers, counting off as
she said each name.
"Raynor, Tassadar, Mengsk, Duke, Duke Jr., Fenix, Aldaris,
Zeratul, Daggoth, the Overmind, umm...am I forgetting anybody?"
"Enough!" Murdoc roared.
Kerrigan's smile dropped, and her voice became serious.
"All who have challenged me have died, or have been lost in the
ages of the universe. In the last war, Raynor disappeared, Zeratul
was bested, and Duke and Fenix were both killed. Shall you be
like them?"
"Kerrigan, I would like to meet with you."
Kerrigan's eyes opened wide, and a grin appeared on her face.
"Oh, I am so flattered! No one's come to visit my house in such
a long, long time. I'll clean up my room for you, Murdoc!"
"Yes, Kerrigan, we shall meet, because I have a business
proposition to discuss with the Queen of Blades and her broods. We
all know how mighty and powerful she is, and-"
"Murdoc," she said, once again serious. "I trust you less than I would
trust myself, if I was not myself. That pretty much translates to that no
matter how you came into my defence screen, the chances of you
actually getting out without my permission would be astronomical.
And don't try any of the psi machines, or I will waste your fleet to
ashes! My overlords are not affected, and hyrdalisks are very
effective in ship combat."
"Kerrigan, I myself will personally disembark from a transport half a
kilometer from your creature. Then, I will float to your overlord, and
it will pick me up in its ventral sacs. You will transport me to the surface,
and we will talk. Is that how you wish to proceed?"
Kerrigan smiled, and clapped her hands once.
"Oh boy, oh boy! Friends over at my own house!"
The transmission ended abruptly, and there were a few snickers among
the bridge crew.
"Let's go," Murdoc said, and walked out of the bridge.
Murdoc smiled slightly, and turned in his cushioned chair towards the
Communications Officer. The comms officer held a hand to the bug in his
ear, nodded, then turned to Murdoc.
"Sir, all science vessels reporting no other Zerg units within thirty
kilometers. The Overlord seems to be alone, sir. No units detected in
the creature's transportation sacs."
"They're called ventral sacs, Lieutenant," Murdoc said, leaning forward
in his chair. The leather in his Fleet Commander's uniform creaked
slightly as he shifted his position in the chair. Looking deep into
the small, red, beady eyes of this creature, who had carried troops and
alien creatures across uncountable starsystems, he cocked his head to
one side slightly. He could almost hear Kerrigan and rival ceribrates
whispering orders and propaganda into its tiny brain.
Standing up, he cleared his throat. On the bridge, everyone stood at
their consoles, ready to give whatever order that Murdoc deemed to
be prudent.
"Open all comm frequencies! Relay this message to Char, the overlord,
and the fleet as well!"
"Yes sir!" the bridge crew yelled, and began to do their duties. A low
humm of machines working and people speaking into comm units filled the
air.
Murdoc was proud of his bridge crew. They weren't even his originally,
being the property of some Admiral or Commander or whatever that had
gone down in battle. Bridge crews, especially those on huge flagships,
were highly prized and jealously guarded. Their efficiency, quick
thinking, and brilliant specific skills have saved many a commander's
lives and have turned the tide of battle more than once.
The comms officer stood up, and saluted to Murdoc.
"Sir, all is ready," the officer said, and Murdoc nodded thoughtfully.
"Good, good. Now sit down, I have work to accomplish. Everyone, quiet."
Murdoc keyed his comm, and waited for a few seconds before beginning.
"Kerrigan. I have come here with an ultimatum."
Suddenly, the viewscreen twisted and shifted, and the overlord and
Char was replaced by the visage of the Queen of Blades.
She sat upon a pile of human bones, crudely formed into a throne.
Around her, steel was seen through translucent slimy ooze that pulsed
with a life of its own. Purple and blue veins were seen through the
goo, pulsing with a beat that Murdoc could feel in his psychic self.
The place resembled a Terran command center's control room, except
the chairs, readout monitors, and consoles had all been ripped out.
Moans and whimpers, followed by the occasional subhuman scream
could be heard.
"Murdoc. How nice to see you again! How have you been doing all
these years?" she asked, smiling. Her fangs showed through her
purple lips. The Queen of Blades playfully crossed her legs and
placed both hands on her upper knee.
"Fine, just fine, good Queen. The Zerg transplants have almost
been flushed from my system," Murdoc said, smiling sarcastically.
"Oh," she said, pouting. She placed her hands on her hips. "I
thought I could have a little fun, with you as my little Zergling."
Murdoc smiled sarcastically.
"I did not come here, Kerrigan, to play games."
"No? Then why did you come to this world, if not to try and conquer
it?"
Murdoc glared at her, and she held up her fingers, counting off as
she said each name.
"Raynor, Tassadar, Mengsk, Duke, Duke Jr., Fenix, Aldaris,
Zeratul, Daggoth, the Overmind, umm...am I forgetting anybody?"
"Enough!" Murdoc roared.
Kerrigan's smile dropped, and her voice became serious.
"All who have challenged me have died, or have been lost in the
ages of the universe. In the last war, Raynor disappeared, Zeratul
was bested, and Duke and Fenix were both killed. Shall you be
like them?"
"Kerrigan, I would like to meet with you."
Kerrigan's eyes opened wide, and a grin appeared on her face.
"Oh, I am so flattered! No one's come to visit my house in such
a long, long time. I'll clean up my room for you, Murdoc!"
"Yes, Kerrigan, we shall meet, because I have a business
proposition to discuss with the Queen of Blades and her broods. We
all know how mighty and powerful she is, and-"
"Murdoc," she said, once again serious. "I trust you less than I would
trust myself, if I was not myself. That pretty much translates to that no
matter how you came into my defence screen, the chances of you
actually getting out without my permission would be astronomical.
And don't try any of the psi machines, or I will waste your fleet to
ashes! My overlords are not affected, and hyrdalisks are very
effective in ship combat."
"Kerrigan, I myself will personally disembark from a transport half a
kilometer from your creature. Then, I will float to your overlord, and
it will pick me up in its ventral sacs. You will transport me to the surface,
and we will talk. Is that how you wish to proceed?"
Kerrigan smiled, and clapped her hands once.
"Oh boy, oh boy! Friends over at my own house!"
The transmission ended abruptly, and there were a few snickers among
the bridge crew.
"Let's go," Murdoc said, and walked out of the bridge.
