CHAPTER 4: ZERG
And so it went on, the never-ending schedule of battle, rest, battle, rest, planet after planet after planet, as her life sunk into sort of a pattern. She became Arcturus's best weapon, the leader of quite a few missions.
It was on one such mission she realized there was a hard sort of fungus on the northern border of the battlefield. She quickly dismissed the info as frivolous and unimportant.
Just when it seemed they were beating the Confeds, a swarm of doglike things rushed upon them. No, not quite like dogs, scalier, more reptilian, more… Alien. Her squad beat back only a few before making a hasty retreat.
Later, in a cloaked Wraith, she and Mensk investigated the fungus area. They saw what seemed to be… organic structures of a sort, some more like monuments, others pulsing dangerously. They shot at one and were creeped out to know it bled. "This is creepy. Hey, Look! That creepy fungus is creeping up on the battlefield!!" Cried Sarah in alarm.
Yes, the creep is growing. It will grow to your pitiful hatchery and we shall devour everything!!
"What, Arcturus?"
"I didn't say anything."
That was when Sarah realized she had read the alien's mind (minds?) and they had responded as if they had heard her speak.
Suddenly she was hit with a flash of knowing, understanding. The hatchery was where they were produced. They lived on the creep. They were here to kill and eat Humans.
And they wanted her.
She decided not to tell anyone about this. She was already beginning to forget as the vision faded. Soon all she remembered was the gut feeling she didn't like these things, they wanted to kill people. Just then some flying jellyfish things hovered over to them and they left.
For the remainder of their time on Chau Sara she kept an eye out for the purple fungus she now called Creep. They left a few weeks later, however, without another site of the strange creatures they had taken to calling "Zerg".
Some might say it was a coincidence. Others luck. Still others Fate. They left the day before Chau Sara was incinerated.
They came back, of course. But there was nothing left but a ship, stealing away in the darkness of space. "Protoss" Sarah whispered in awe and reverence. Mensk knew better than to ask how she knew.
He sent her down to the sister planet, Mar Sara, to beat back the zerg and recruit scared people to the Sons of Korhal. It came as no surprise to find that there were, indeed, Zerg on Mar Sara, happily dismembering people. The citizens were being evacuated to the countryside.
She did her work quickly and well. It was a job to her. She asked questions to which she already knew the answers, so that other people would think long and hard about them. She was anywhere and everywhere, sometimes successful, less often not. She remembered few of them, only special ones she had to work at to get, and then only when reminded.
But one case intrigued her more than the others. She found herself wondering about him after they parted. As a condition of joining, one man requested she spring his buddy from jail. There she met the man she'd never forget. Of course, it was Marshall Raynor. Most men she sprung joined I gratitude. He just thanked her and took his leave.
Sarah had almost finished her weekly report to Mensk.
"So how is your new planet faring this week?"
"It's so sad, and desolate. The Zerg here have been gnawing on people in Military bases."
"Well, I should be going to my meeting, my pet. Play nice with the Zerg now, you hear?"
"Wait! One other thing, Arcturus." She could tell by the way he suddenly stiffened they had company.
"Yes, Lieutenant?"
"Permission to aid and study Marshall Raynor's men, commander?"
"yes, yes, go on."
"Thank you Sir!"
"Fare Well, Lieutenant Kerrigan."
"Fare Well, Commander Mensk."