Jump to Part II
Jump to Part III
Jump to Part IV
Jump to Part V
Part I
COMMAND BASE ALPHA
Like all bunkers in the Terran environment, this one was cramped and stank of sweat, metal, and the horrible fuel the Firebats used for their weapons. Of all the units, Private Worshowsky believed that the Firebats were the worst to work with. You couldn't stand next to one for the smell. And their weapons were just a little to indiscriminate for his taste.
'Well, lookey there,' Private Wendell said.
'What?'
'Right out there on the horizon. See it? Kinda hard to miss, really.'
Worshowsky looked out the narrow opening, his visor sliding into place. A faint whirring noise emanated from his helmet as his visual enhancers worked their magic.
'Almost directly south, just above the horizon. See it?'
'Yeah, what the hell is it?'
'Only one thing has pretty gold covering that I know of. The S.O.B. has gotta by some kind of Protoss flyer.'
Worshowsky backed away from the narrow aperture as his visor slid away from his face. 'There weren't any reports of Protoss activity on this world, only Zerg. Maybe we better get the Major.'
'Maybe we better get the Major,' the Firebat piped in, mimicking Worshowsky, 'The Major is a little busy reading for the Zerg assault in a few days. Don't piss your pants over one Protoss flyer. They hate the Zerg and never bothered us before. Probably just wanting to see us kicks the bug's collective asses,' The Firebat yelled, bellowing like a cowboy.
'Well, I'm gonna contact Command and...'
'Attention!'
The door to the bunker hissed open just as the Major stepped in. He extended to his full height as his his eyes swept over the soldiers.
'At ease men. Just passing through the perimeter and thought I would stop by.'
Worshowsky gape at his base C.O., forgetting for a moment about the Protoss. It was the first time he had seen the man.
'Major, the Private here has something to show you,' the Firebat said, his voice dripping sarcasm.
'Er, yes sir. Look, we have a Protoss ship!' He pointed out the opening, towards the horizon.
'Protoss? I doubt that,' he hauled out his binoculars and looked. The sensors picked up the motion of the flyer and focused in, detail springing into view. The flyer drifted along the horizon, running parallel to the base perimeter. The weak starlight glittered off it's gold hull, the high, swept back wings disturbing the air slightly. The Major pressed a button and took several pics of the ship.
The Major brought down his lenses, 'I'll be damned. First time I have ever seen a Protoss unit. Good work men. Where's your link up to the Command Center? We'll report this and see what kind of ship is out there. Say, I know. Captain Dunker is one his way here by dropship and he knows all about these Protoss,' the Major thumbed a switch on the linkup, 'Command, forward these pics to the Captain. See if he can make sense of them.'
'Hey,' Wendell said quietly, ' Now there's three of 'em.'
DROPSHIP
The Dropship cruised slowly across the landscape. Dunker looked out one of the windows, scanning for some sign of their Wraith escort. He wondered if they were running under cloak or had just left the shuttle behind. Wraith pilots were notorious for doing that if not watched carefully - they had no patience for the slow-moving craft.
'Message for ya, Captain,' the pilot said. She handed him a small data pad.
'What is it , Pilot?'
'Command Base Alpha wants you to identify a rogue ship running close to them. They think it's Protoss.'
'I doubt that. Even with the large Zerg infestation on this planet, they wouldn't travel...' His voice drifted away as he studied the picture, 'Pilot, contact Command, inform them to put the base on full alert,' he ordered, his voice raising to a yell, 'Jesus Christ, this is a goddamn Arbiter!'
'What?'
'An Arbiter! They are in terrible danger! Increase our speed - hurry!'
'We're as fast as we're gonna go, Cap.'
COMMAND BASE ALPHA
'Hey, look. Those ships are turning and heading for us.'
The Major watched the ships gracefully turn as one and headed toward the base. He had no worries. Behind the bunker a missle turret hummed away, turning it's deadly armament in a quiet circle. Those ships would never get near the base. Hell, he had one of the most heavily armed encampments in the sector, all ready for their assault in the Zerg. Most of the men at the base were inexperienced, this being their first tour of duty. Even his Captain, soon to be relieved by Dunker, had never seen any action. Even so, three ships weren't going to warrent much of a threat.
One of the gold ships broke off and hovered just to the right of his sight. Another broke off and flew to the left, out of his sight. The lead ship continued slowly on it's way. The Major heard several of the men gather outside, word spreading of the Protoss ships. The words could not be made out but the tones were excited. Some even came close to the ramp leading into the base where the bunker sat. The lead ship slowly drifted to a halt and hovered, it's turbines barely making a sound.
'Anyone noticed how quiet that thing is?' Worshowsky whispered to himself.
'Well, maybe I should head on out there and welcome them. Hell, maybe they want to help with the Zerg,' the Major said importantly. He turned and headed for the door.
Whump
The Major turned back, startled by the strange noise. Being the history buff, he was reminded of the noise of old artillery fire. But outside, only the gold ship could be seen, hovering away.
'What was that?'
'What is that?' Worshowsky yelled. Outside the base, a blue ball of energy suddenly popped into view. It skimmed across the ground, dodging around little hills and some debris. It bounced merrily away, dancing around the few men and Vultures gathered on the ramp and headed for the bunker.
'Hey, that's kind of neat,' Wendell said, 'look at how it avoids any obstacles! Cool!'
The happy blue ball contacted with the wall of the bunker and vaporized it instantly.
PART TWO
The explosion echoed across the base, incinerating most of the Marines that had gathered on the ramp. A second Scarab followed, dancing up the ramp and striking the missile turret, transforming it in to a pillar of flame and debris.
The Arbiter turned and flew into the sky then, away from Base. Below, emerging as though a curtain had been raised, stood an assembled Protoss army. Those few Marines who escaped the blast looked out in horror. Hundreds of ground troops swayed, their shimmering blades painting their army in a blue glow. Among them dozens of Dragoons moved forward as one. Behind them crept what looked like armoured beetles, strange appendages whirling in their front, their bottom length undulating as they moved forward.
The Protoss Zealots lashed forward, moving impossibly fast. The stunned Marines had little time to raise their rifles before they were set upon, cut to ribbons by the wicked Psi-blades, their armour sliced like paper. They popped like blood-filled balloons.
COMMAND CENTRE
Captain Johannsen stumbled blearily out of the C.C. He staggered slightly, wondering at the strange noises.
'Those friggin' Arclites had better not have started early with their fire training,' he cursed. He was bumped aside by a sergeant running by. He ordered them man to stop.
'What the hell is going on here?'
'Under attack, sir. Maybe you had better get inside Command.'
'Under attack? By who?' His question was punctuated by another explosion, a pillar of flame lifting into the sky and lighting up the base. Then, several green balls filled the heavens, lifting into the air and falling back down to the base, smashing into buildings and men.
'Christ,' the sergeant said, 'that's Dragoon disruptor fire. Captain, get back into the base and fire up the ComSat. We're gonna need it.'
'You don't inform me what to do, Sergeant!' But the man was already gone.
The sergeant jogged toward the rapidly evolving front line. He caught up with a small group of Marines and yelled for them to report the situation.
'A whole fucking Protoss army just showed up on our doorstep, Sarge. They've penetrated the perimeter and are moving into the base.'
'How the hell did they get this close?'
'I don't know - I heard someone saying they saw three Protoss gliders moving along the horizon , then suddenly there was a whole army.'
'Alright. We got contact with C and C? Good. Have them recall those damn Siege tanks back here. Bring 'em in fast. They were on their way to maneuvers in the north but they can't have gotten far. The rest of you, let's move. Lock an load and stick together.' He worked the slide on his Gauss rifle and charged off. Followed by a dozen yelling men, they rounded a Supply Dept and came out close to the main ramp.
Zealots and Dragoons rushed up the embankment. Behind them, the huge Reavers worked their way slowly along, protected by several Zealots and the living tanks that were the Dragoons. Little or no sound came from the small army.
'Marines, let 'em have it!' The Marines quickly formed a firing line and worked the triggers. The Gauss rifles opened up, the air around them thick with muzzle flashes and the echo of the firing rounds. The deadly projectiles lashed out at the Protoss ground forces, smashing into them and deflecting away, cast aside by a strange blue aura surrounding the troops. Some of the Zealots stepped back, but most stood their ground, unmoved by the deadly barrage. The Dragoons continued on to the base, their weapons array swiveling to the Depot next to the Marines and firing their disruptors. The Zealots held back, strange the Sergeant thought. He then noticed the munitions sticker on the Depot.
'Oh, shit!' He cried, just as the Dragoon disruptor fire penetrated the weak Depot's walls and ignited the ammunition inside. The tremendous explosion scattered the Marines to the four points of the campus.
BACK AT THE COMMAND CENTRE
Captain Johannsen had fired up the ComSat station and now studied the overview of the base. The Protoss forces and penetrated the main entrance of the base, but he noticed they grouped their forces into that one opening, bottlenecking.
'Have all available forces head them off here,' he indicated the main ramp, where the major had been in the now defunct bunker, ' we should be able to hold them off there.'
'Sir, those Reavers will make short work of our ground forces.'
Johannsen pointed toward the eastern section of the base, 'Our Arclite Siege tanks are moving in. The Marines will have to give them some cover fire until they can entrench themselves. Then we'll see just how effective they are with our cannons raining down.'
'And the SCV's?'
'Our mineral patch is safe here on the northern section. The only thing reported there is a lone Protoss ship. Have a Vulture and a squad of Marines move into there.'
'Should we run a sweep of the area with the ComSat just in case?'
'No, power is limited and we'll have to monitor the situation at the main ramp. Carry on.'
Outside, with their new orders, the mass of the Terran army moved towards the front line, as the siege tanks continued to roll in.
BARRACKS
Corporal Shanks cleaned his Gauss rifle and examined the new U-238 shells. He wondered why they just didn't receive the improved shells right off instead of always having to requisition them when the floor went out from under him. The walls of the Barracks shuddered around him, dust drifting down from the rafters. Although he had not been listed to active duty yet, he ran outside.
There the sky was the familiar red of a battlefield. Near the main entrance to the base was the familiar burping noise of Gauss rifles, followed by other noises he could not identify. Off in the distance he saw eight Siege tanks making their way towards the line. Four held back slightly. He knew these would be the first to assume Siege mode and cover the other Tanks. He worked the slide on his rifle and began to head out. Four Marines charged by, away from the battle.
'What's going on?' he yelled.
One of the Marines, a Private, saw the stripes on Shanks shoulder. He nodded and said, 'Protoss invasion. Their coming in the front door. We've been ordered to cover the SCV's and the mineral patch.'
'Coming through!' A voice cut through the din. A vulture charged by, nearly knocking them to the ground. The driver's laughter carried back to them.
'Friggin' Vultures,' the Private muttered, and marched on.
Shanks watched them briefly and then began to run to the front. Deep inside, something did not feel right about this.
PART THREE
MINERAL DEPOSIT
'What is going on?' The workers voice cam out tinny from the SCV, but the panic was clear.
'Just a little assault on the base, pansy. Don't get yer panties in a knot.' The Vulture pilot spat and laughed, lighting up another cig.
One of the Marines looked around, unease painting across his features, 'I don't like this. They moved almost all of our forces to the front. We don't have any backup here.'
'That's cause the Protty are all bunched up that front ramp, ya idiot. Bunched up like yer Mammy's undies! HA!'
'Christ, you are an ass,' another Marine said, 'why don't you do something useful and lay down some of those Spider Mines?'
'Ain't been issued them yet, skirt and blouse,' he revved the Vulture, mainly to annoy his companions, 'What the hell is that?'
'It's another one of those Protoss ships. Just the one though. From what C and C said, it has no armament against ground forces. Just a scout vessel. Look, see? It's lifting up and....oh screw me!'
The Arbiter lifted higher, taking it's cloak with it and revealing a dozen Zealots.
'Shit, they're doing an end-run for the SCV's and the minerals! If they take 'em out the Base will be outta power!'
'Calm down nancy-boy and let the real men handle this,' the Vulture pilot said, 'they've only got them shiny knives for God's sake. Wahoo! Here comes the Vulture, baby!'
The driver tore off as the Marines assumed flank positions around the small ramp. The Vulture raced towards the Zealots, firing frag grenade's into their midst. Blue sparks bounced about their armour as they absorbed the strikes. One of the ground troops tore at the Vulture, moving so fast the marines had trouble following him. It's speed nearly equaled that of the Vulture. His arm lashed out, the Psi-Blade connecting with the side of the vehicle, slicing it cleanly and tearing into one of the engines. The Vulture dropped nose first into the ground and sent the driver flying into the air. He bounced and rolled to the feet of another Zealot.
Dazed, he looked into the non-reflective eyes of the Protoss. A slight hum could be heard emanating from the warrior's armour, a shimmering field of force completely covering him. The driver smiled and wiggled his fingers in a flirting "Hello" fashion. The Zealot lashed out and cut his head off, then looked to the four marines next to the minerals and cowering SCV's. He pointed to them, and the dozen warriors moved as one.
MAIN RAMP
'Open fire!' The tank commander ordered.
The Tanks had moved into position. Four had assumed Siege Mode as the other four crept forward. The Dragoons and Zealots were occupied by trying to clear the ramp and the bulk of the Marine force. Although more powerful than the Terran army, they were outnumbered. The Reavers continued to reload themselves, their one weakness in the field of battle being their limited ammunition. The Siege Tanks were safely protected for now. The air erupted into noise and fire as the incredibly powerful Arclite Cannons fired. The ground almost seemed to jump from the blast. Seconds later, the rounds struck into the Protoss horde, a Dragoon blasting apart, spraying gold metal and thick green liquid. Several Zealots were cast into the air.
'Yeah! Suck on that!' The sergeant yelled. He then noticed one of the drivers pointing to the horizon. Grabbing his spy glasses, he leveled them at the incoming targets. Several Protoss Scout flyers had cleared the horizon and where headed towards the Tanks. The Sarge hated any kind of flying device - the one major weakness of the Siege Tanks. He looked down at the two SCV's that had accompanied them on maneuvers; in case they needed repair. They were busy constructing a Missile Turret.
'That just about done?'
'Yeah...just a few more minutes,' the SCV responded.
'Good. We're gonna have company soon.' He suck his head down into the tank, 'Hey, get on the radio and have some of them Marines get over here and cover us from those Scouts.' He watched the approaching Scouts just as the Turret came on line. 'Man, what I wouldn't give for some Goliaths right about now.'
MINERAL DEPOSIT
'Command, respond! Command! We need help over here!'
The Protoss rushed up the little ramp, slashing into the small force of Marines. Their Gauss rifles pumped round after round into the Zealots, but the flickering blue force fields shrugged them off. Caring not for long range weaponry, the warriors tore into the human soldiers and cut them down, their shimmering blades flashing in the red tinted night. Some cut at their legs, watching them fall, some into the torso's of their enemies. It mattered little, the end result was the same.
The SCV's seeing their protectors cut down and no escape from the quick moving Zealots, attacked, using their Fusion cutters as weapons. The Protoss admired this, this courageous act against an obviously superior enemy, and provided the workers with a quick death.
Without the steady stream of minerals, the Base functions ground to a halt.
SIEGE TANKS
The Scouts cruised over the battlefield and strafed the Tanks, their weak guns peppering the heavily armoured vehicles. The hiss of Longbolt missiles firing from the Turret could be heard, striking at the Scouts. They quickly veered off, allowing their shields to re-form before making another pass. The Tanks used this time to fire their cannons again, blasting into the Protoss horde. Unfortunalty, the powerful Reavers remained just out of range.
'Like shooting fish in a barrel,' the sergeant said, watching the Zealots and Dragoons get shredded by the cannon fire. They began to succumb to the continuous rain of rifle fire as well, their protective shielding giving way. The scouts returned for another pass. The Turret locked in and fired a stream of missiles. One of the scouts blew apart, it's shields overcome. The remaining craft turned their weapons to the Turret, their guns blasting away. Several Marines ran up the hill to engage to the craft, cheering as the remains of the destroyed Scout fell to earth. Above the tanks, another of the Arbiters flew by. A missile struck it's side, swaying the craft. It quickly flew out of range.
The sergeant watched the large ship fly by, and noticed how they Scouts had provided cover for it. He wondered this for a moment when he turned and saw half a dozen floating Protoss approaching the Tanks. Their heads seemed to be alive with a green fire, their armour glistening. He banged on the top of the Tank and ordered his cannon to target them. The strange floating Protoss raised their arms to sky. Behind him, two more Scouts fell to earth just as the Missile Turret blew apart. The Cannon began to swivel slowly as the Protoss dropped their arms.
The air around the Tanks filled with lighting.
The sergeant screamed. One by one, the Siege Tanks exploded.
PART FOUR
One. Two. Three. Four.
The Siege Tanks exploded in a cauldron of fire and lighting. The sergeants skin popped and blistered as the lightening arced around him. His head filled with his screams as his arms rained down on the Tank. The Cannon slowly swivelled toward the High Templar's and their deadly psionic attack. The sergeant looked to the display of his vehicle's hull integrity, observing that it the wire-frame was completely red. Through blistered lips he yelled into his comm, 'Fire!'
The Arclite Cannon roared, spewing the deadly projectile. The Templars stood their ground, not moving a bit. The ground around them exploded, and the sergeant saw them disappear. Not die as he had hoped, but simply vanish.
'Illusions,' he said. Behind him, at the extreme of his peripheral vision, he caught movement. Here, he knew, was the true location of his enemy. Far, far too late for him to do any good.
The air burst one last time in lighting. The last of the Tanks went with it.
Free from the terrible rain the Tanks had placed them under, the Protoss surged once more up the ramp, lashing into the gathered Marines. The Zealots tore into the forward line as the Dragoons, protected from the Gauss rifle fire from the attack, blasted away at the rear lines. The Marines fought back desperately, forgetting for a moment about the Reavers, ponderously making their way up the ramp.
A fatal mistake.
The first Reaver cleared the ramp, fully reloaded. Marking its targets, it fired off its Scarabs. The bright blue balls of energy danced among the Dragoons and Reavers, moving among them and out of their way, sliding into the rear lines and detonating. Marines were thrown into the air, their red painted armour falling to the ground like a grim rain. The Reaver was soon joined by its brethren, and together they unloaded their deadly cargo. Within minutes, the lines of Marines were cut down to a handful.
Behind the Reavers, a surging, massive ball of red energy floated up the main ramp. The form of a Protoss was barely discernable beneath the powerful currents of mental energy.
COMMAND CENTRE
'Captain, the Protoss have broken through the perimeter and are making their way into the base.'
The lights in the room flickered and died. Emergency lights clicked on, masking everything in a dull red light.
'Sweep the area with the ComSat! Get me some numbers and find where our men are!'
'We can't, sir. We're out of power. The Protoss must have hit the mineral stores. We haven't had a shipment from the SCV's in some time.'
'We must have some in reserve! Raise the deposit area on the comm!'
'No response sir. We've been running the Base on high usage for awhile now. We're finished unless we get some more minerals.'
'And if the Protoss hit the deposit, then our SCV's are dead,' the Captain muttered, 'Is the Battlecruiser Relentless still in orbit?'
'Yes sir. That and the Science Station Alpha 1'
'Inform them of the situation and tell them we need immediate assistance.'
NEAR THE PERIMETER
Corporal Shanks jogged to the front lines, hampered by the heavy armour. He noticed that the sound of rifle fire had slowed but the Dragoon and Reaver fire had steadily increased. That and many of the buildings in the south of the base had started to explode was not a good sign. Still, he marched doggedly on.
A cold voice slid into him, 'No point in moving there, Corporal.'
Shanks stopped and turned, at first seeing no one. Then a dark figure stepped out from the shadow of a building. A Ghost, Shanks realized. He shuddered. He did not like the Terran spies, the strange conglomeration of metal and machine, giving them abilities that he, a common soldier, could not understand. It was said they could even be invisible.
The Ghost stepped forward, the visual array strapped to its head glittering, 'Battle is pretty much over, I'm afraid. We lost.'
'Is that why you're here, Ghost? Hiding from the front?'
The Ghost laughed, a strange metallic noise, 'I'm afraid we Ghosts don't do to well on the front line, Corporal. But then, neither did the Marines. Here, why don't you ask them.' He pointed southward. Shanks looked out, at first seeing nothing - the Ghost's eyes being far better than his, then four figures emerged from the gloom.
One of the men called out, 'Corporal Shanks? Is that you?'
'Brud?' Shanks returned. 'Brudabaker, it is you!' He clapped them man in the shoulder as he ran up.
'I thought you weren't on active duty yet, Corporal.'
'I don't think that matters a whole lot Private. Who do you have with you here?'
'Sir, this is Privates "Spaz" Spazowski, Lemmon, and Wombat. This here is Corporal Shanks.' The men nodded.
'What the bloody hell is going on here, Brud?'
'The Base is in the shitter, Corporal. The entire front is gone, the Protoss have secured the south and west of the base. Our division was wiped out. We're doing a fighting withdrawal at the moment. 7th company held them off till we can get to the north.'
'Nothing to the north, son,' the Ghost said quietly. The men stared at him uncertainly, noticing the spy for the first time, 'Haven't you noticed the lights on the base out? Or the factories shut down? Usually in a time like this they'd be pumping out vehicles and war machines.'
'So what?' Spaz shouted.
'He's right,' Shanks said, cursing himself for not noticing it before, 'If the Base is out of power, than that means the Protoss have taken the mineral deposit to the north.'
'Jesus Christ,' Spaz yelled, 'We got no place to go! We're going die here, man!'
'Brud, secure that man. Starting now, you're all under my command. Ghost, a word.' An explosion emphasized the Corporal's statement.
'Better not wait, Shanks. Time grows short, I think.'
'Yeah. And I notice no other Marines are coming back from the front. Listen, was that Starport ever finished?'
'Looking to catch a shuttle?' the Ghost said, amused, 'No, it wasn't.'
'That will work in our favor than. The Port is to the Northeast, and the Protoss will hit an unfinished building last. That will give us some time to get the hell out of here.'
'Very good, Corporal. I was hoping you weren't going to do something foolish like attack. I think I will stick with you for a little while longer. There is something interesting there, too.'
The Corporal looked at the masked figure, wishing he could see the man's features. The Ghost continued, 'A Siege Tank is stuck there. Pulled out for repairs during maneuvers. It should be fully operational by now. If we head straight Northeast, we'll see them.'
Shanks turned, yelled at his men to move out, and broke into a run.
COMMAND CENTRE
Boom
The walls shook as the Center took another hit. Consoles blew and sparks flew.
'Integrity down to sixty percent! We're in the yellow zone, Captain!'
'Shouldn't we launch the Center?'
'To where dammit?' the Captain yelled. He was becoming unhinged, 'We'd be picked apart the minute we lifted off by those Scout flyers!'
The comm crackled to life. A bored voice echoed out of the speakers in the room, 'Relentless to Command Base Alpha. Respond.'
The Captain stamped at the console, nearly tearing apart the switches, 'Base here! Base here!
'What is the situation, Base Alpha?'
'Under heavy attack by superior Protoss force! Request IMMEDIATE evac!'
Another, even more bored voice came over, 'Captain, this is Admiral Decker. We'll be on your location in a short while and will handle it.'
'You don't understand!' The Captain pleaded. But the comm channel was dead.
STARPORT
The five Marines and the Ghost had gathered around the Siege Tank. Under the instructions of Shanks, it had assumed Siege Mode until the tread could be repaired. One had popped off during transit to the test firing range and a lone SCV was working away at it. The Ghost was standing on top pf the Tanks, his superior ocular implants giving him a wide view of the Base.
'Situation?' Shanks asked.
'South section is in flames, and the Command Center is taking heavy fire from three Reavers. Won't be long before she pops. We'll have company soon, though.'
'Oh, good,' Shanks said sarcastically.
The Ghost pointed to the sky, indicating a churning cloud mass, 'Don't worry, this time it's good news. A Battlecruiser just made re-entry and is on its way. Got a Science Vessel following it too.'
'Thank God. That thing should make short work of those frigging Zealots.'
'Movement,' the Ghost said, jumping off the Tank, 'Might be a small force of Zealots. I lost them though, just North.'
'Find 'em, Ghost,' Shanks whispered, 'We'll hit 'em with the Cannon.'
On the other side of the Siege Tank, the Marines talked quietly.
'How many Reavers where hitting the Center?' Spaz asked.
'Three.'
'There were four at the front. Wonder where the fourth is - oh screw me!'
Slowly, a Reaver appeared from around a Supply Depot. It shuddered to a halt and let loose a dancing Scarab, flying straight at the assembled men.
'Tank! Tank! Shoot the Reaver! Shot the damn...'
The Tank was the target, and in its weakened condition was no match for the Scarab. It's hull blew apart, the concussive force throwing the men in all directions. Wombat and Lemmon vanished in the explosion, completely incinerated. The rest fell unconscious to the ground.
ABOVE THE BASE
The Relentless cleared the clouds and passed gracefully underneath them. Its course took it straight for the base, followed closely by Alpha 1. There, it slowed as the Science Station began to glow. A bright beam of energy flew from the Vessel, enclosing and encompassing the massive warship. Within moments, the ship was covered in a transparent energy shield. Increasing its speed, it closed on the heart of the Base and began to fire the ATS Laser Battery array. Zealots and Dragoons fell before the onslaught, helpless against the ships superior range and protective shielding. Alpha 1 closed as well, firing a volley of EMP Shockwave torpedoes into the Protoss forces. The shielding of the Protoss vanished as the front section of the Relentless began to glow, a telltale sigh that the Yamato Gun was powering up. The ship turned, targeting the Reavers. Scout craft tried to engage the ship, only to find their missiles deflected by the Defensive Matrix cast around it. Another blast from the ATS Lasers and the remaining Missile Turrets drove them off.
The fiercely churning red ball of energy glided along the ground, centering on the Relentless. The powerful psionic forces contained within the creature began to reach out, interact with the circuitry and machinery that powered the mighty ship. It touched each and every mind on board, swirling into their minds like water into a sink. Then, when it felt it had established each and every controlling function of the Relentless, it grabbed at them forcefully, usurping their wills within an instant.
STARPORT
Ghost forced himself awake, the sound of the approaching Reaver bringing him back to consciousness. The ground under him shook, a sign of its approach and that the machinery inside it were preparing more of the deadly Scarabs. He risked a quick look and saw his companions splayed out around him, a hole where the Tank had once been. He checked his power display. His lack of usage of his Personal Cloak for the last little while had allowed his power reserves to charge up. Looking back at the Reaver, he reached for a cannister attached to his belt.
'Don't fire,' he whispered to the Reaver, 'don't fire.'
He inserted the cannister into his rifle and brought the weapon to bear, a targeting reticule appearing in his ocular implant, being fed from the C-10 rifle. The Reaver continued it approach. He pulled the trigger and felt the rifle kick. The cannister flew, only inches high along the ground, a bright silver streak. Striking against the hull of the Reaver, it detonated in a flash of white. The Reaver shuddered and stopped.
Ghost sprang up and ran over to Shanks, hauling the man to his feet and yelling, 'Time to move, Corporal!'
'Wha..' Shanks said groggily, 'What happened to the Tank? What the....Christ...A Reaver! Why isn't it attacking?'
'It's locked down, but it won't stay that way for long. Get your men and get the hell out of here.'
'Lemmon and Wombat....'
'Dead. Get those two Privates moving and...' Ghost looked up at the Battlecruiser.
It was truly a sight to behold. It blocked out the view of the sky, its bulk nearly encompassing the Base. The front section was glowing fiercely, the entire ship doing a slow pirouette.
'Gonna blast those Reavers to hell and back,' Spaz said, stumbling to his feet with Shanks help. Brud was just coming around as well.
The Relentless fired the Yamato gun, and the four assembled men watched the Command Center disappear, the resulting explosion giving birth to a still-borne star. The Relentless turned, powering up for another volley and heading towards Alpha 1. It was followed by the remaining Protoss Scout flyers, taking formation around it.
'Oh my God,' Brud said in awe.
'Time to go,' Ghost said, 'Time to go.'
PART FIVE
RUINS OF COMMAND BASE APLHA
The four men moved Northeast, using the buildings for cover and heading for the high ground. Ghost maneuvered about, taking the point then moving to the rear, constantly covering their escape. He made no noise, but the Marines more than made up for it; they sounded like an entire regiment. It mattered little - the destruction of the base covered up any noise they might make.
They took shelter by a supply depot as another Protoss flyer passed slowly by. Ghost watched it, fingering his C-10 rifle. Shanks touched him on the shoulder and shook his head. Ghost nodded. They had to hope the flyer would not notice them - any action against it would bring down the entire army at this point. It would not take long for the Reaver to recover, and then they might come looking for them. This was the only direction not secured.
The flyer passed by without incident and the men took off running, fear fueling their legs. There was a short gap between the Depot and a trail leading into a high hill. The Siege Tanks were originally stationed at the top but had been moved down when the attack occurred. From what Ghost could detect, their was no Protoss activity there. The Marines ran, using the awkward side to side gait, their Gauss rifles swinging, hampered by their cumbersome armour. Ghost moved ahead, waited for them to catch up, then moved ahead again. Out of breath, they reached the top.
'No sign of pursuit,' Ghost said.
'Yeah, but now what? Where the hell do we go now?' Spaz said quietly. They did not use their comms for fear the Protoss would detect them. They stuck to quiet whispering.
Shanks put his hand on the terrified Marine, 'The tree line is just at the bottom of the hill. It will give us cover from the flyer. We'll head straight West when we get there. Our original landing site was there and we left some equipment - we should be able to cobble together some communication gear using our suit comms. Maybe we can hitch a shuttle out of here.'
'Take your men down there, Corporal. You are a sitting duck up here. I'm going to that precipice and have a look at the Base, see what I can see.'
Ghost headed out as Shanks began to tell him to be careful. The air around the spy shimmered and he vanished.
'Jeez,' Brud said, 'Never seen that before.'
NORTHEAST HILL
Ghost walked up to the hill and looked over the edge, balancing the long rifle on his leg. He was cloaked and did not bother sliding on the ground - if they Protoss had detectors flying around, he'd be seen if he was standing or laying flat out.
His acute ocular implants focused on the Base. Much of it was now in ruins. The entire southern section was riddled with large blast holes and debris - no sign of the buildings. Only the blasted earth gave a hint to where the Command Center once sat. The Protoss gathered in the center of the Base, and Ghost watched as the army broke into sections. Some moved to secure the perimeter, but many broke off and marched out in groups of four.
'Scouting parties,' Ghost realized. Most of them were moving North, the direction of the Zerg Hive. It would take them several days to get there.
The air grew dark as the possessed Battlecruiser returned. The Scout flyers departed its side and headed for the horizon. A flicker of light caught the spy's eyes, close to the Mineral patch. Ghost focused on it, his stomach sinking as a Warp Gate formed, illuminating the remains of several empty SCV suits. Protoss Probes moved throughout the Base, placing Warp Beacons and transporting the buildings needed. A Nexus began to coalesce.
Ghost turned and left. The long day was not ending anytime soon.
FOREST
The Marines did not stop when they entered the forest, to high strung. Their minds were numb, their muscles ached, but they knew that if they stopped, the terrors of the day would only sink in and grab them. Sleep was a long way off.
The came close to a high outcropping of rock and paused for a moment, adjusting their heavy gear and drinking a little water from tubes in their helmets.
'Shouldn't we wait for Ghost?' Spaz wondered.
'Nah...for all we know, he's right behind us. If not, he'll find us,' Brud answered.
'Quiet!' Shanks hissed, rasing his rifle and dropping to one knee, assuming a firing stance. He heard the familiar swish-swish noise of a Zealot moving. He moved his hand to indicate his men to cover their flanks.
Spaz did not move, but asked 'What? What do you hear?' when a Zealot came around the side of the out cropping. He stopped and stared at the Marines, observing cooly the rifles leveled at him. The moment paused, slowing down almost to a standstill. Blue Psi-blades hissed out of the warrior's arms, then he turned and ran.
'Christ', Shanks boomed, 'He's going for re-enforcements! Brud, Spaz, move around the other side - try to cut him off!' Shanks jumped and ran as the Privates hustled around the opposite side. Shanks cursed, knowing full well that the Zealot, with augmented legs, could easily outdistance the soldiers. Then he heard the familiar pop-click of a C-10 rifle. Ghost, he thought, Thank God.
The Protoss moved around the rock, seeming almost to flow through the air, moving fast. His Blades danced. He hated to leave the scene of a glorious battle, three Marines a threat but not one that he couldn't overcome. But Terrans were tricky - if you see one, there was usually a dozen more close by. Perhaps it was a scouting party returning to their ruined Base? Perhaps.
He came around the rock and maneuvered to the forest, intending to lose his quarry in the thick woods when a slug slammed into him, brining him to a stop. His shielding took the shot, flaring out in blue sparks. He dropped low into a fighting stance when two more shots hit him. His eyes flew around the forest but could not see his quarry. Accursed cowardly sniper, he thought, No true honour. He then knew that this was a diversionary tactic, the Marines arriving on opposite sides of him.
Another shot rang out, deflecting off his shield but weakening it. The Marines lifted their rifles and prepared to fire. Two on the right and one on the left. The Zealot launched himself at the greater threat.
Brud and Spaz opened fire, the Zealot covered in blue sparks as the U-238 shells smashed into him. He was hampered by the fire but noticed the Marine behind him was forced to hit the ground as stray shells flew around him. Panicky lot, he thought. Another shot from the woods blasted into his back. Except that one.
Shanks raised to one knee and lifted his weapon. He did not have an adequate shot, and so waited. If the Zealot was going to use his weapons, he would have to make himself a better target. Training took over. Somewhere in the back of his mind he knew that one of his men would more than likely die, but deep down, where the soldier's heart resides, he knew this was acceptable losses.
The Zealot danced in, his Blades flashing in a quick arc. A line suddenly appeared in Spaz's armour, quickly turning crimson. His mouth formed an "O" as his arm went wide, still firing his weapon. The Zealot struck again.
Shanks opened fire as the Zealot steadied his legs for the strikes. His Gauss rifle erupted, shells unerringly hitting their target. Brud also opened fire, point blank. From the woods, Ghost continued to pour metal rain on the Zealot. With a hiss, the warrior's shield vanished, overcome by the steady stream of fire. His armour became riddled with holes. With the last of his strength, he drove a Blade deep into the chest of Spaz, a killing wound. Both crumbled to the ground. Dead.
Brud fell to his knees, weeping. Shanks approached the man as Ghost emerged from the woods, his cloak dissolving. He stood apart, cradling his weapon, eyes everywhere.
'I can't take this anymore!' Brud cried, 'Everyone is dead, man! Dead! The Base, my friends! Damn you! I just...can't....'
Shanks grappled the man by the shoulder and hauled him to his feet, 'Then you can just lay down and die here, Private. Right next to Spaz. I'm still alive and plan on staying that way. Now you can sit here and cry, or you can come with us and fight and live.' He threw the man away, stepped over the corpses and marched off.
'You coming?' he asked Ghost as he passed. Ghost nodded, watching the Corporal move into the forest. Here is a man I understand, Ghost thought. He turned back to Brud, walked up and took the ammo packs from the dead Spaz. Throwing them at Brud, he said 'Bring those.'
Brud watched the spy follow the Corporal, sniffling. Grabbing the ammo, he staggered after the men.
FAR WEST OF THE BASE
All night the men marched, Ghost staying in the rear to make sure they were not followed. Shanks expected to encounter more of the Protoss following the slaying of their warrior, but found none. Perhaps the rock and hill had masked their gunfire.
The sun rose, painting the sky a gloomy gray colour. It could not penetrate the heavy cloud cover. Shanks wondered how the thick forest grew in all this darkness. But then he was a soldier, not a botanist.
The sun followed the men, first at their backs and then in their faces, setting on the western horizon. Shanks had slowed considerably. Brud began to stumble, his legs finally giving out.
'Can we stop soon, Corporal? I can't go on much longer. The terrain is getting pretty rough.' They had been steadily moving upwards, the terrain turning rocky and the trees slowly thinning out.
'Yeah. Getting tired myself. When the sun sets, maybe we'll find a cave or some other kind of cover. Then we can...'
'What is it?'
The Corporal had rounded a good size rock when his foot disappeared under thick, purple slime.
'Oh Jesus....no....oh goddamn....' Brud began to whimper.
Shanks mouth formed a tight line, 'Zerg Creep,' he said.