STARCRAFT: KERRIGAN'S REBIRTH

CHAPTER ONE: HAPPINESS AND SADNESS



From the demented mind of David "HML" Liao

Copyright circa 2000

LOCATION: MIND'S EYE

She remembers.

A long time ago.

She was happy.

Perhaps the only time.

She was in a lush, green meadow.

Birds singing, morning dew on the leaves and 2 suns rising.

She was happy.

Everywhere there was happiness.

She felt it everywhere.

In the birds. In the dew. In the warm light of the sun.

And especially in one man.

A strong man towering over her with love.

Dad.

Then all of a sudden, she feels it.

She doesn't know what it is.

She doesn't see it in the happy green meadow.

But she knows it is there.

Like an eternal tear of sadness or a knife scraping glass, she feels it.

She remembers someone. Calling. For Father.

Mom. Something. Some words she was too young to understand.

Except for one word. Ghost.

"Go back to your room, Sarah. You can play with your doll. I have to talk to this man who wants to see me."

And she felt that sadness seep slowly into her father.

She remembers playing with her doll. Happy with it. Smiling.

But she feels the sadness again.

Then she feels something different.

Something that makes her want to cry and go insane.

Anger.

She peeks through the door.

"...doesn't matter, Lieutenant. I will not allow my daughter to be poked and prod by you neural implants. Now please leave my home, Lieutenant Janus."

"But she receive and abnormally high test score on the Psionic Perception Exam. She is a gifted child who deserves a chance to serve the Confederacy, sir. And may I remind you, participation is mandatory!"

"I DON'T CARE. I AM A CITIZEN OF THE CONFEDERACY AND HAVE BEEN ALL MY LIFE. DIDN'T YOU DAMN ANIMALS HAVE ENOUGH WHEN YOU BLEW EVERYONE ON KORHAL TO SHIT?"

"But--"

"GET OUT NOW!"

"Whatever you say, sir."

She felt the anger intensify in both men. But she felt the sadness slowly leaving.

She started crying.

"Sweetheart, are you okay? You should go back to sleep."

"Yes, Daddy."

She was back in her happy dreams.

Then she felt it.

A shrill voice of sadness and anger calling out from beyond her dreams.

The sadness. The sad man was back.

"DADDY!"

"W-w? It's 2 in the morning. What could it be?"

"Probably a nightmare. I'll go calm down little Sarah, honey."

The sadness grew stronger. Closer.

"Sarah? What happened?"
"The sad man. From before, Daddy. He's back."
"It's just a bad dream, Sarah. They can't hurt you. The sad man is just a bad dream. There, there. Tell you what, I'll make your favorite breakfast in the morning."
"No, Daddy! He's here like you're here."
"No-he's not."

RRR-RRR!

"What? Something tripped the perimeter alarms. Can't be wild animals. Oh, damn-it's a ghost."
"Daddy? What's a ghos-?"
"Sarah. I want you to go to your secret place like we said."
"DADDY! He's right behind you!"

"RUN, SARAH, RU--"

Fffp! The silent shot of a ghost canister rifle.

"DADDY!"

The sadness was now coming into her. The happiness was escaping into Daddy. Forever.

She could hear a cold distant voice as she lay sobbing by her father's side.

"This is Lt. Janus on SecureCom One reporting..."
"This is Com Control. Situation Status. Over..."
"I have the package, sir..."
"Good. Retrieve package to control central."
"Sir."
"Yes, Lt.?"
"She damn near sensed me out telepathically, sir. But I sure as hell hope she was worth it. How many times can we say the Sons of Korhal have killed another poor colonial farmer before people start t'know?"

"As many times as we tell the Confederate News Network Relay to say so. A dropship will be ETA in 3 hours. Sit tight till then and stay cloaked! Control out."



LOCATION:IN THE DEEPEST REACHES OF SPACE WHERE THE OVERMIND CURRENTLY TRAVELS TOWARD CHAR



The Overmind sees all.

He sees the dawning fear in the eye of a Confederate Marine.

He sees the sadistic arrogance of his Cerebrates.

He sees the empty bravado of a Protoss Zealot.

He sees the battle of a million broods across a million worlds.

He sees what he has expected to see for eons.

But at the same time, his mind links with Kerrigan's.

And what what he sees startles even his time-tempered persona.

He feels the sadness and anger.

He feels the impulse of helplessness and hate unleashed.

He also feels something he has never before felt.

Sympathy.



"Terrans." interrupted Zasz."Limited psionic abilities. Limited regeneration factors. Genome too complex for all but the Queen to assimilate. Augmented with pathetic anitquated Xel"Naga-age technology. Most of all arrogant and pathetic."

"Their assimilation was ordered by the Overmind," replied Daggoth, who was on Char." It was necessary to eliminate any potential allies for the Protoss. Now those who worship the Xel"Naga will too be destroyed. They will scatter at our onslaught and finally after eons, we can at last claim birthright for the Overmind."

"What of this Terran?", wondered the Overmind silently.

The loose thought bounced in his mind.

That's the problem with mental links. Any loose thoughts are shared with every Cerebrate and Overlord in the Swarm.



"Overmind," chimed in Zasz," given its high psionic abilities, it could be infested and then released to lay enough destruction to an entire planet."



The Overmind was secretly annoyed. Zasz was a recent Cerebrate, spawned only 600 years ago. It was too single-minded, brutal and impulsive. It would be child's play for any crafty Terran or Protoss to outwit. He would have to kill him one of these days. But he kept the thought hidden to himself. And Kerrigan.



"There is potential, Cerebrate. It has enormous psychic powers that the Terrans have repressed."

"How foolish,", replied Daggoth,"that Terran might have made a difference in battle if its power were not repressed."

"Still. I will personally continue my psionic probe into this Terran's mind. It is most curious. I will arrive on Char soon, Daggoth."

"I will await your arrival then, O Great Overmind."

"Zasz. I want your Queens to continue to decode this Terran's strain."

"Yes, Overmind. Victory for the Hive in battle."



"Fare well against the Protoss Expeditionary Forces, Zasz. Or Else."



Not far in orbit above Tarsonis and Kerrian's dying body

USS HYPERION Command ship for "Former" Mar Sara Colonial Militia

Former Colonial Magistrate Commander P. Lincoln



"Report, Advisor."
"The fleet has lost contact with the ground forces at New Gettysburg. General Mengsk has ordered the immediate withdrawl of the Korhal fleet from the Tarsonian system. Protoss and Zerg forces continue to battle across the main continent of Tarsonis."

"Keep trying to comsat for Kerrigan."

"Yes, Commander. But I should point out that the probabili-"

"JUST DO IT!"

"Yes, Sir. I am recieving a broadband transmission from Raynor's dropship."
"Patch it though."

"I can't believe he actually left her down there. I'm gone, man. And you'd better come with me, Commander. No tellin' who the hell Arcturus will f*ck over next."
"I dunno, Jim."
"Sir, I am recieving an general quaters hail from NORAD II. It's General Mengsk."
"Put that sonuvabitch through."
"Esteemed Ladies and Gentlemen of the Sons of Korhal. You've done very well. But remember that we've still got ourselves a job to do. The seeds of a new Empire have been sown, and if we do hope to reap-"

"Aw, stuff a Zergling inta it! This is bullshit!"
"You're making a terrible mistake, Jim. Don't even think to cross me. Ah've sacrifced too much to let this fall apart now."

"What? You mean like you sacrificed Kerrigan, you piece of shit?"
"You'll regret that. You don't seem to realize my situation here, Jim. I won't be stopped. Not by you, the Confederacy, the Protoss, ANYONE!"

"What about me?", cut in a militia captain.

"Or me?", interrupted a dropship pilot.

"And especially me.", finished the Commander.

"Ah will rule this entire sector or see it burnt to ashes! If you even try to git in mah-"

"Commander. The Korhal fleet is ready for departure into hyperspace. Awaiting Orders."
"I'm not taking any more damn orders from that rutabega. To hell with him, we're gone."
"So am I. End transmission.

Open hailing frequencies to all ships

This is the Commander to all Militia Wraiths and Dropships and anyone else who thinks this is bull. Prepare to lay in an escape vector to-"

"Commander. We have a problem. It appears that General Duke has successfully reactivated Tarsonis' primary defensive weapon, the Ion Cannon. The Cannon must be shut down or destroyed if any escape attempt is to be made."

"Dammit. Jim, you still there?"
"Yeah, Commander?"
"I want you to take some dropships down to the defensive platform and take out that damn Cannon. Me and my fleet will set up a blocakde to keep the Korhal fleet away."
"Understood, sir."

"Hit 'em hard and fast. Take out the cannon. Then get out."
"Well, Commander. Looks like we're on our own. It's funny..."
"What is, Jim?"
"Seems like only yesterday that we were the law and Arcturus was the idealistic rebel crusader. Now he's the law and we're the criminals. And you know what's even more funny?"
"Nope, what's even more funny, Jim?"
"That we helped that bastard to achieve his goals of conquest. I shouldn't have let her go alone, man. Dammit."
"Let it go, Jim. What could you have done against billions of Zerg? It's not your fault."
"That's what the hell I keep telling myself."
"Does it help?"
"Not one damned bit."


LOCATION:THE DARK LAIR OF THE ANCIENT OVERMIND OF THE ZERG

The Overmind delved deeper and deeper into Kerrigan's mind. And all it found was pain and more pain. She had been caused pain by almost every Terran she had met, except one. He found himself lost in her sadness and despair. For the first time in an uncountable millenia, the Overmind had found a kindred soul, one like him. Now he was going to give Kerrigan a chance to rebel and let loose all her fury upon the entire universe.



"Overmind.", beckoned Zasz.

"What do you desire, Cerebrate? Ask and you shall be rewarded, for that is the covenant of the Flesh."
"It appears the Terrans have taken to fighting amongst themselves. They are not only slaughtering each other but have just destroyed the Ion Cannon, which was keeping the remainder of the Swarm from coming to assist us."

"Yes, the Terrans are an impulsive and arrogant race with no unity. That is how we tricked them into allowing us to attack their own colonies with open arms. We turned their own lust for power against them and reminded them that the Swarm has only one master. We defeated them as we did the Xel'Naga-with their own pride."

"That is a gem of truth, O Great Overmind."
"Yes, but do not forget that the Protoss are very differnent. They are united and are foolishly brave."
"Yes, Overmind. I will not forget that."
"Now finish your defeat of the Terrans and rid yourself of the Protoss. I have other mattters to attend to. Matters which will further the strength of the Swarm."



LOCATION:UNKNOWN

Kerrigan woke up with a start. She rose to her feet with a groan. She soon realized she had no idea where she was. It was dark with nothing in sight but there was this disgusting smell that was unforgettable. But she had this weird feeling that she couldn't place. It felt like sadness and joy all at once. She tried to reach for her canister rifle. Gone. She searched herself for her radio or her transponder. Gone. That was when she realized she was standing there naked with no uniform and wading through a pile of ooze. She tried to keep the purplish goop of her slender legs. Then she felt it.

This time more loudly and powerful.

It was all around her.

Then it was behind her.

She turned around to see a crack of light come out of nowhere.

Then she saw a man standing there.

She raced quickly to cover herself with her arms.

"Jim, is that you?"

Silence.

She peered intently at the enigmatic figure standing before her. His face was shrouded by the light beaming out from behind him.

She cautiously marched closer all the while clutching herself slowly.

It was then that she gave a cry of alarm. Funny. She never screamed before in her life.

Not since the Confederate Ghost killed her parents when she was a little girl.

"It can't be you. You're dead, I was there myself."
Her cry was answered with a cold and brusque voice.

"But it is me. And I'm back after all this time, Sarah. And I'm going to take care of you."
"Is it really you, Daddy?"

END OF CHAPTER ONE

Legal Bullshit:

Oh yeah. By the way, all the characters, peeps, gadgets, an' shit are based on the Starcraft video game created by Blizzard Entertainment. So they technically own the rights to this fucking story. Sure sucks for me, huh?