Rise of the Zerg part 2
Terran Base
Northern Hemisphere of Aiur...
This wasn't the first time Raynor had been to Aiur. But Raynor wasn't used to
staying at a single place at once...he was used to space travelling. Raynor had
been to many places..Korhal,Char to name a few. Raynor checked his Gauss
Rifle...fully loaded.
Raynor watched as the SCV's harvested minerals and Vespene Gas. The other
Marines and Firebats were on patrol around the area heading towards the Protoss
Base nearby. The Starport was almost finished. The Factory and Barracks had
already been built. A few Siege Tanks lay in Siege Mode near the base entrance.
The Goliaths stood near the tanks to take out any enemy that managed to get near
the tanks.Raynor looked at a few SCV's that had completed building Missle
Turrets all around the base to protect it from an air attack.
"You can have the day off.." Raynor told them through his comnlink.
The SCV's understood and made their way to the Supply Depots.Raynor walked up
the high rising platform and took a look at the horizon.."The Marines are
back.." Raynor said to himself. Then he realized something was wrong...
Protoss Base
Northern Hemishere of Aiur...
Artanis kept a close eye on the construction of the Observers at the Robotics
Facility. The Observers were vital to keep an eye on the movement of the Zerg
broods. What Artanis really wanted was to pinpoint the location of the Cerebrate
that was controling the Zerg broods. Artanis turned around and moved towards the
Gateway. 8 Dark Templars were warped in... . The Dark Templars moved towards the
troop gathering point south of the base.
A Zealot moved over to Artanis," Artanis, Raynor's base is under
attack." Artanis thought for a while.." The Obsevers around the region
aren't detecting any Zerg unit's.." he said. The zealot shook his
head," Raynor says that the Terran base is under attack by Protoss
Zealots." The word "Protoss Zealots" didn't make any sense.. all
the zealot's he had warped in were at the rally point. There weren't any other
Protoss fleets he knew of that could've attacked the Terran Base. But Raynor
needed help and he couldn't waste any time..
Terran Base..
"For the Queen!" a Zealot shouted as it landed it's Psi Blade into a
Marine's chest. The marine shrieked with agony before falling lifelessly to the
ground. Raynor fired a few more rounds from the bunker at the Protoss Zealots.
"Dan! Where are those Science Vessels?!" Raynor shouted over the
comnlink. "They're on their way! Just hold on!" Dan replied. Raynor
noticed that the Zealots had strange growths on their heads.. " Dan! I want
one of those zealots alive!" Raynor shouted. "Understood!" Dan
answered.
The Siege Tanks were put out of commision when they were caught in a stasis
field. Raynor could only depend on the Firebats and Marines. "Let's
burn!" a firebat shouted as he ran forward, engulfing everything around him
in flames with his flamethrower. " Zerglings coming in!" a marine
shouted as he reloaded his Gauss Rifle. The marine was right.. at that moment 30
Zerglings entered the base, fighting side-by-side with the Zealots. Raynor knew
something was strange.. the Protoss seemed to be "helping" the
Zerglings. " Sir! 20 Protoss Scouts coming in.. it's Artanis!" a
marine shouted.
Raynor clenched his teeth.. he hoped that Artanis was not going to open fire on
his troops too. Artanis fired on the attacking zealots.. one by one the zealots
were killed being unable to attack air units, the zealots and the zerglings were
sitting ducks. Raynor sighed with relief as the Protoss Scouts landed. Artanis
walked out of one of the scouts. "What happened here?" the young
templar asked. Raynor shook his head.." I don't know.. but we're going to
find out." Raynor said, looking at the captive zealot.
Zerg Hive
Unknown Region of Aiur
Kerrigan watched the helpless Zeratul who was unable to move because of the
organic restraints that were holding him down. " Curse you Kerrigan.. what
have you done to the other Protoss?" Zeratul asked. Kerrigan laughed and
bent down towards the Dark Templar. " You will live to find out.." she
whispered. " Slay me and be done with it.." Zeratul said. Kerrigan
shook her head..." You are of use to me..". Zeratul didn't understand
what Kerrigan was talking about but he didn't intend to find out.
" When the time comes, you will call me ' my queen' " Kerrigan said
slowly. At that a Zerg Queen entered the room and floated towards Zeratul. The
Zerg Queen enveloped Zeratul.. cocooning him in a chrysalis similar to the one
that turned Kerrigan into the Queen of Blades. Zeratul struggled to break
free.." Damn you Kerrigan.. I can't let myself..." Zeratul wished he
had his Warp Blade so he could kill himself.
" Sleep..." Kerrigan's soft voice echoed through Zeratul's head.
"No!" Zeratul thought.. he struggled even harder. " Embrace the
glory of the Zerg..." once again Zeratul heard Kerrigan's voice. His
struggle began to weaken.... then he stopped struggling.. . He knew that
Kerrigan could hear his thoughts.. and.. he realized that he actually 'wanted'
to serve Kerrigan. " Yes..my queen...I will obey..." Zeratul thought
before he let himself rest in the comfort of the Zerg Chrysalis.
Kerrigan touched the chrysalis softly.." Zeratul.. you are now
..mine," Kerrigan began to laugh. With Zeratul at her side nothing could
stop her... not Artanis or Jim Raynor. Now with the knowledge of infesting the
Protoss, she would make Zeratul reveal the location of the Uraj and Khalis
crystals. With those crystals she would use the Xel'Naga Temple as a platform to
turn every life form in the galaxy into her slave. Kerrigan laughed again..
victory was as good as hers.
Terran Base
Raynor's Command Center
" Sir, incoming transmission from Kerrigan," the marine said. "Kerrigan?!
Put her on visual.." Artanis said. Raynor and Artanis looked at the
viewscreen. "Kerrigan..." Raynor whispered with fury, remembering what
she had done to Fenix. " Artanis, Raynor.. so good to see you again.."
Kerrigan said mockingly. " State your business Kerrigan," Raynor said.
Kerrigan laughed ," If you really want it that simple.. I have Zeratul. If
you want your friend back meet me at this coordinates that I am uploading into
your computer.. meet me in 3 days time. Oh, and that zealot you captured? I bet
it has killed itself.." Kerrigan laughed again before terminating the
transmission. " How did she know?" Raynor asked. Kerrigan was right,
the Protoss zealot had killed itself when the scientists were about to take it
to the Science Facilty. " Whatever it is, getting Zeratul back is
important.. meanwhile let's upgrade our defence to prevent another attack,"
Artanis suggested. " Agreed," Raynor said.
Kerrigan's meeting point
3 days later..
Raynor sat uneasily in his Vulture. He was about 5 minutes away from the meeting
point. He took a look above him..Artanis was flying his Scout. After clearing
the forest, Raynor found himself on Zerg creep. Kerrigan was standing beside a
Zerg structure that he had never seen before. Artanis landed his Scout beside
Raynor's Vulture. " Alright Kerrigan, we're here. Where's Zeratul?"
Raynor asked. Kerrigan laughed ," Gentlemen, feast your eyes on this..it's
aMature Zerg Chrysalis. It made me the Zerg I am today.." Kerrigan said
showing the Zerg structure. " We're not interested in that Kerrigan,
where's Zeratul?" Artanis asked. Kerrigan took a step forward, " Just
watch.." Kerrigan walked towards the chrysalis and stoked it gently as if
it were her child or something. " Awaken my child, and embrace the glory of
the Zerg that is your birthright.." Kerrigan whispered. The chrysalis began
to move... slowly, it opened like a blooming flower, revealing Zeratul.
The Dark Templar stood up slowly..he turned towards Kerrigan. " My queen..
thank you for nurturing me when I slept in the Chrysalis. Now I am ready to
serve you.." Zeratul said as he knelt at Kerrigan's feet. "Kerrigan!
What treachery is this?!" Artanis shouted. Raynor was equally surprised.. .
Kerrigan stroked Zeratul's head softly.
" Raszagal taught me about the Protoss.. I know all your weaknesses. Now I
possess the knowledge to infest Terran and Protoss. With Zeratul at my side... I
will have the Uraj and Khalis crystals.." Kerrigan said.
" DAMN YOU!" Artanis shouted as he unleashed a few shots at Kerrigan.
Zeratul leaped in front of Kerrigan and blocked the shots with his Warp Blade.
"What?!" Raynor exclaimed, realizing that the Dark Templar never had
the ability to do that before. Artanis stopped firing. " You see.. the
Xel'Naga created the Protoss to serve the Zerg. By turning Zeratul into a Zerg,
he is now...perfected," Kerrigan said. The Queen of Blades pointed at
Raynor and Artanis, " Zeratul, I want them alive...". Zeratul
nodded," Yes my queen..".
END OF CHAPTER TWO
