Half Machine, All Warrior
Part 3: The Perdition
By: Dark-Elk
We moved very quickly. The Terrans had slaughtered our small attack force, and we could not bear to live with our failure. Suicide isn't an option for Protoss.it never has been. The only deaths a Protoss can receive are natural deaths or those received in battle. We knew very well that our attack would be nothing short of suicide, but we managed to maintain our delusions, telling ourselves we were doing something noble, that we were indeed aiding our Protoss brethren. Not only were we gathering valuable intelligence to use later, we might very well destroy some vital structure, slowing the Terrans down enough to be destroyed. The delusions worked well.
Our Dragoon bodies deftly maneuvered between hills and vegetation. I would miss this body, having waited most of my life to acquire it.only to throw it into one of the most insane battles I ever had. Never in my life had I expected to assault a Terran base with only two Dragoons. We were fully upgraded, but that still gave us a life expectancy of less than three minutes once we came within firing range of the Terran base.
We finally reached a large hill that overlooked the Terran base. I looked down through the darkness at the flickering lights that made up the Terran base. It looked almost insignificant with such few sources of light, but I was wise. I had seen Terran bases in night before. I knew that Terrans frequently make themselves appear weaker than they are to take advantage of an unsuspecting enemy. The Terran that had aided in the slaughter of my force had deceived us well. Bitter at the fresh wound of my failure, I tried to magnify the images I was receiving. I hoped I could find a vital building that we could severely damage or destroy, but knew that the Terran's wouldn't be so foolish as to leave one where it could be easily attacked.
I scanned across the base, slowly acknowledging the structures that were visible. I could see a Barracks, numerous Supply Depots, an Academy, and a Science Facility. Remembering that the Terran that had attacked us earlier had been a Ghost, I surmised that the Science Facility probably had an attached Cover Operations module. That would indeed be a good target. The Science Facility had been foolishly placed near the rear of their base, and the hill we were standing upon would give us an easy entrance.
I asked my comrade what he thought of my plan. He was silent for a few moments, and appeared to be scanning over the base. I was about to ask my question again when he replied. He agreed that destroying the Covert Operations module would be devastating, but instead thought that the Barracks would make a better target.
I looked again at the base. The Barracks was the only one inside the base. If the Terrans were unable to keep the neural resocialization on their troops fresh, some might have various problems, ranging from dementia to hallucinations. If we destroyed it, it would take days for the Terrans to rebuild.enough time to weaken their forces. I agreed with my comrade.
It was just as we prepared to attack that we received an urgent message from the commander of Protoss forces nearby on Sumner. He told us that Hybrid forces had entered the system, and that odd energy signals had been registered at the Zerg base. His message ended as quickly as it had started. We both knew there was nothing we could do to save the Protoss base should it be attacked, and we could both care less whether or not the Zerg base was decimated. The thought of Hybrids in the area filled us both with a mix of dread and rage. We had both been "killed" by the Hybrids.we weren't excited at the prospects for reliving it.because this time there would be no second life to go to. There is nothing past a Dragoon for those slain in battle.except the nocturne of eternal slumber.
We looked over the Terran base one last time, evaluating to assure ourselves we had done everything possible to prepare for our attack. The silence of the base was what was intriguing me, because it shouldn't have been quiet, even this late at night. Terran bases are like the Terrans themselves: always moving quickly and often inefficiently. The silence grew maddening, until finally I told my comrade to begin moving towards the base. We both activated our cloaking fields and began surging towards the base.
We scuttled over the terrain, craters and heaps of dirt caused by explosive shells making the land difficult, but not impossible, to cross. I began scanning around in front of us for heat emissions, looking for anything that would signal an ambush or trap. I could see Bunkers off to the sides of us, but there was a clear path down the middle.an obvious place to mine. I stopped shortly with my comrade behind. I scanned again and this time found very low frequency signals passing through the area before us. I told my comrade I thought there was a minefield in front of us, possibly heuristic.
Heuristic minefields are perhaps the greatest defense ever created. They consist of mines spread across fields, not to dissimilar to a Vulture's Spider Mines. Heuristic mines, however, consist of a small onboard computer and communicator, enabling them to communicate with each other. If a Zergling runs into a massive field of Spider Mines, most of the mines will detonate simultaneously, leaving a massive hole in the field to be exploited. With heuristic mines, however, only one would rise and detonate, therefore leaving the remainder of the field intact. Heuristic mines can be of many varieties, although basic shrapnel explosives are the most common. Other varieties included Lockdown and EMP mines, both deadly to Protoss forces. I knew there was little we could do about the minefield without the Terrans discovering us. I finally ordered the only possible option: begin firing and charging.
We opened fire with our Phase Disruptor, firing directly at the ground in front of us, hoping vainly our fire would disable any mines in front of us long enough to pass. The mines didn't seem to be rising, so that had been successful. However, Phase Disruptors are both loud and bright, so the Terrans on guard duty now knew we were attacking. Brilliant spotlights flashed onto us from every direction, following our every move. The Marines strolling along the perimeter of the base darted into Bunkers with Gauss Rifles in hand to open fire. The Siege Tanks appeared to be inactive, although they could be waiting until we were closer for a more accurate shot.
Continuing to charge forward, rifle fire stuttered through the dirt and vegetation around us. Occasionally we would be struck, but the shields defending us handled the scattered fire with ease. We approached the base, nearing the entrance. The gunfire began to pour forth from all sides, but for the most part we were missed completely. I told my comrade to begin firing at the Barracks to complete our objective while I kept the Terrans at bay. We needed to finish quickly before a Ghost came and fired Lockdown round at us, keeping us from a victory.
I turned slightly and began picking targets. As I scanned, I could hear my comrade as he began to target vital points on the Barracks, striving for maximum damage. I spotted movement and fired. I could see from the brief illumination that I had struck what seemed to be a Ghost. My shot managed to sever his left arm from his torso, and he slumped to the ground. I scanned again, this time spotting a small squad of Marines trying to set up a firebase from the hill to the right of us. I opened fire wildly at the Marines, more to scare them and slow them down than to actually hit them. I needed only to by time for my comrade, not destroy the base by myself. I continued to fire at the Marines. Then the ground began to shake underneath me.
I turned to see half of the Barracks slough downward, the metal hot from being superheated. Communications devices on the top were slowly melting, obviously unusable. I congratulated my comrade, knowing he had just acquired a meaningful death for us. He turned, fired a quick shot at the Marines on the hill, and told me that he thought we should continue into the base. I agreed, for we already knew we would die. Doing more damage would only help out our base.
We began to retreat deeper into the base, with our "backs" as we used to think towards the base. We continued to pour fire at the rest of the defenses. Out of nowhere, my entire body suddenly flipped over almost halfway to straight up. A deafening roar blasted into the various devices that performed auditory functions for the Dragoon exoskeleton, and a blaze of white completely covered the ocular sensors. I slowly recovered, with my body automatically righting itself. I continued backward until it happened again. I finally realized what was happening. I quickly gave my comrade the order to scatter on my signal, hopefully confusing the gunners of the Siege Tanks that were pummeling us. Just as I was about to give the signal, everything fell silent.
The reloading of the Siege Tanks, the rifle fire of the Marines, and the myriad other sounds that accompany a battle were cutoff completely. We stopped and stood still, and then heard a bloodcurdling Terran scream. A body was flung through the air, clearly ravaged by some form of energy. I quickly came to the conclusion I most disliked, but knew was right. The Hybrids were attacking the base.
I knew that even with our Dragoon exoskeletons, we were little match for the Hybrids. With the speed and frequency I could hear Terran screams start and end, I guessed there were most likely massive amounts of Hybrids here, more than had ever attacked a planet. It only took one quick glance at a scanner to know I was correct. I felt a deep sorrow for the Terrans. They shouldn't have attacked us, because our vengeful strike upon the base had left the Terrans unprepared for the Hybrid attack.
I stood dumbfounded as the hideous forms of the Hybrids darted around the base, viciously slaying any Terran they came upon. We were left alone, although I knew they had seen us. Apparently we were to be entertainment after the base was decimated. My comrade quickly told me he wasn't going to be killed by the Hybrids again. I agreed as quickly. Our noble victory had been stolen from us, leaving us the sole witnesses to a massacre, soon to be slain for the amusement of the Hybrid forces. Dark rage slowly built throughout my body as I scanned around the base, watching everything that happened. I could see the Science Facility slowly collapsing, the Covert Operations module slowly following. I could see the Command Center being attacked, but only half-heartedly. Buildings were cleanup work for the Hybrids, something to be done once everyone was dead or dying. Suddenly, I glanced back at the Command Center and cursed loudly. My comrade asked what I had seen, but my response was to begin walking.
I walked over to the Command Center, stepping around the bodies of the Terrans. I could see the monolithic structure of the Command Center looming in front of me as I walked closer to it, my comrade in my wake. I rounded the Command Center, and discovered what I knew must be there.the Nuclear Silo. My comrade stopped in surprise, and began laughing. I laughed softly along with him, knowing what we would do. I didn't need to tell my comrade what was needed.
We stepped closer until we could feel the side of the Nuclear Silo. We searched for a door that would allow us entry, or at least a weak point to create our own door. We found one on the opposite side. I looked back at my comrade one last time, his nobility readily apparent. He knew his role, as I knew mine. I stepped inside, and closed the door.
I charged through the maze of the Nuclear Silo, trying to find the important room I needed. Suddenly my mind was struck full-force by a massive psionic cry. I could feel most of the Hybrids in the area stop their attack and begin to move towards my comrade, deeming him a greater threat. I scuttled around a corner and came upon the door I wanted: "Danger: Fissile Material Inside-DO NOT ENTER!". I didn't heed the warning on the door and blasted the door. I stepped inside the small room, barely enough to fit my body. I spotted the prize I had been searching for, gleaming dully on a rack. I extended one of my grippers to grasp it and dragged it over to my body. I began rapidly working the controls, glad that this wasn't dependent on a password. Finally, I came to the correct settings. I messaged my comrade, bidding him farewell and luck in the next life.
I didn't receive an answer, because at that point his psionic scream of death racked my brain. I dropped my prize, and it rolled away. I heard at the entrance of the Nuclear Silo the door being torn from the side. Apparently the Hybrids had probed my comrades mind.not that it would save them. I darted a claw towards my prize again and secured it, raising it once again under my robotic abdomen. I put my other claw directly over the button. This time, I wouldn't die in the darkness. This time, it would be light.the strongest, most powerful light imaginable. Bright enough to eliminate even the Hybrids, harbingers of destruction as they were.
A Hybrid rounded the corner, a high-level psionic. He quickly spotted me and began to dash towards me. I smiled at him, waiting for the right moment. He reached the entrance to the room, and I stabbed my claw onto the button.
The light was bright indeed.
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The Aftermath-
The subsequent nuclear devastation of hundreds of detonating warheads wrought upon the remains of the Terran base destroyed the entire force of Hybrids. Every Terran was destroyed, although every one was dead.
Both the Zerg and the Protoss bases had fallen. Sumner was completely dead, a miles deep crater on one side the only evidence that there had ever been any life upon its surface.
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Once by Darkness, Once by Light. The Dragoon knew that when it came to Destruction
Although Darkness was strong
Light was also great,
And as such would suffice.
No, I can't write poetry worth a damn. I happen to like Robert Frosts "Fire and Ice", and this can be considered an abbreviated adaptation. Don't bother telling me this is bad, I already know. I just felt that to end this tale, I should with a bang, which I suppose I did.
This story was a challenge to write, because writing about death is something every author attempts, but in my opinion fail miserably at. The only reason I think I did better than most is that I wasn't writing about a final end.instead it was a new beginning.
For those of you who read this in its nascent stages, I thank you.
For those of you who just discovered this, I thank you.
For those of you brave enough to criticize my work, I thank you.
For those of you kind enough to praise my work, I thank you.
For those of you yet to read.I'm sure you fit into one of these categories.
Catch you all on the flip side, and check out my other works.
Fight on, Dark-Elk
Part 3: The Perdition
By: Dark-Elk
We moved very quickly. The Terrans had slaughtered our small attack force, and we could not bear to live with our failure. Suicide isn't an option for Protoss.it never has been. The only deaths a Protoss can receive are natural deaths or those received in battle. We knew very well that our attack would be nothing short of suicide, but we managed to maintain our delusions, telling ourselves we were doing something noble, that we were indeed aiding our Protoss brethren. Not only were we gathering valuable intelligence to use later, we might very well destroy some vital structure, slowing the Terrans down enough to be destroyed. The delusions worked well.
Our Dragoon bodies deftly maneuvered between hills and vegetation. I would miss this body, having waited most of my life to acquire it.only to throw it into one of the most insane battles I ever had. Never in my life had I expected to assault a Terran base with only two Dragoons. We were fully upgraded, but that still gave us a life expectancy of less than three minutes once we came within firing range of the Terran base.
We finally reached a large hill that overlooked the Terran base. I looked down through the darkness at the flickering lights that made up the Terran base. It looked almost insignificant with such few sources of light, but I was wise. I had seen Terran bases in night before. I knew that Terrans frequently make themselves appear weaker than they are to take advantage of an unsuspecting enemy. The Terran that had aided in the slaughter of my force had deceived us well. Bitter at the fresh wound of my failure, I tried to magnify the images I was receiving. I hoped I could find a vital building that we could severely damage or destroy, but knew that the Terran's wouldn't be so foolish as to leave one where it could be easily attacked.
I scanned across the base, slowly acknowledging the structures that were visible. I could see a Barracks, numerous Supply Depots, an Academy, and a Science Facility. Remembering that the Terran that had attacked us earlier had been a Ghost, I surmised that the Science Facility probably had an attached Cover Operations module. That would indeed be a good target. The Science Facility had been foolishly placed near the rear of their base, and the hill we were standing upon would give us an easy entrance.
I asked my comrade what he thought of my plan. He was silent for a few moments, and appeared to be scanning over the base. I was about to ask my question again when he replied. He agreed that destroying the Covert Operations module would be devastating, but instead thought that the Barracks would make a better target.
I looked again at the base. The Barracks was the only one inside the base. If the Terrans were unable to keep the neural resocialization on their troops fresh, some might have various problems, ranging from dementia to hallucinations. If we destroyed it, it would take days for the Terrans to rebuild.enough time to weaken their forces. I agreed with my comrade.
It was just as we prepared to attack that we received an urgent message from the commander of Protoss forces nearby on Sumner. He told us that Hybrid forces had entered the system, and that odd energy signals had been registered at the Zerg base. His message ended as quickly as it had started. We both knew there was nothing we could do to save the Protoss base should it be attacked, and we could both care less whether or not the Zerg base was decimated. The thought of Hybrids in the area filled us both with a mix of dread and rage. We had both been "killed" by the Hybrids.we weren't excited at the prospects for reliving it.because this time there would be no second life to go to. There is nothing past a Dragoon for those slain in battle.except the nocturne of eternal slumber.
We looked over the Terran base one last time, evaluating to assure ourselves we had done everything possible to prepare for our attack. The silence of the base was what was intriguing me, because it shouldn't have been quiet, even this late at night. Terran bases are like the Terrans themselves: always moving quickly and often inefficiently. The silence grew maddening, until finally I told my comrade to begin moving towards the base. We both activated our cloaking fields and began surging towards the base.
We scuttled over the terrain, craters and heaps of dirt caused by explosive shells making the land difficult, but not impossible, to cross. I began scanning around in front of us for heat emissions, looking for anything that would signal an ambush or trap. I could see Bunkers off to the sides of us, but there was a clear path down the middle.an obvious place to mine. I stopped shortly with my comrade behind. I scanned again and this time found very low frequency signals passing through the area before us. I told my comrade I thought there was a minefield in front of us, possibly heuristic.
Heuristic minefields are perhaps the greatest defense ever created. They consist of mines spread across fields, not to dissimilar to a Vulture's Spider Mines. Heuristic mines, however, consist of a small onboard computer and communicator, enabling them to communicate with each other. If a Zergling runs into a massive field of Spider Mines, most of the mines will detonate simultaneously, leaving a massive hole in the field to be exploited. With heuristic mines, however, only one would rise and detonate, therefore leaving the remainder of the field intact. Heuristic mines can be of many varieties, although basic shrapnel explosives are the most common. Other varieties included Lockdown and EMP mines, both deadly to Protoss forces. I knew there was little we could do about the minefield without the Terrans discovering us. I finally ordered the only possible option: begin firing and charging.
We opened fire with our Phase Disruptor, firing directly at the ground in front of us, hoping vainly our fire would disable any mines in front of us long enough to pass. The mines didn't seem to be rising, so that had been successful. However, Phase Disruptors are both loud and bright, so the Terrans on guard duty now knew we were attacking. Brilliant spotlights flashed onto us from every direction, following our every move. The Marines strolling along the perimeter of the base darted into Bunkers with Gauss Rifles in hand to open fire. The Siege Tanks appeared to be inactive, although they could be waiting until we were closer for a more accurate shot.
Continuing to charge forward, rifle fire stuttered through the dirt and vegetation around us. Occasionally we would be struck, but the shields defending us handled the scattered fire with ease. We approached the base, nearing the entrance. The gunfire began to pour forth from all sides, but for the most part we were missed completely. I told my comrade to begin firing at the Barracks to complete our objective while I kept the Terrans at bay. We needed to finish quickly before a Ghost came and fired Lockdown round at us, keeping us from a victory.
I turned slightly and began picking targets. As I scanned, I could hear my comrade as he began to target vital points on the Barracks, striving for maximum damage. I spotted movement and fired. I could see from the brief illumination that I had struck what seemed to be a Ghost. My shot managed to sever his left arm from his torso, and he slumped to the ground. I scanned again, this time spotting a small squad of Marines trying to set up a firebase from the hill to the right of us. I opened fire wildly at the Marines, more to scare them and slow them down than to actually hit them. I needed only to by time for my comrade, not destroy the base by myself. I continued to fire at the Marines. Then the ground began to shake underneath me.
I turned to see half of the Barracks slough downward, the metal hot from being superheated. Communications devices on the top were slowly melting, obviously unusable. I congratulated my comrade, knowing he had just acquired a meaningful death for us. He turned, fired a quick shot at the Marines on the hill, and told me that he thought we should continue into the base. I agreed, for we already knew we would die. Doing more damage would only help out our base.
We began to retreat deeper into the base, with our "backs" as we used to think towards the base. We continued to pour fire at the rest of the defenses. Out of nowhere, my entire body suddenly flipped over almost halfway to straight up. A deafening roar blasted into the various devices that performed auditory functions for the Dragoon exoskeleton, and a blaze of white completely covered the ocular sensors. I slowly recovered, with my body automatically righting itself. I continued backward until it happened again. I finally realized what was happening. I quickly gave my comrade the order to scatter on my signal, hopefully confusing the gunners of the Siege Tanks that were pummeling us. Just as I was about to give the signal, everything fell silent.
The reloading of the Siege Tanks, the rifle fire of the Marines, and the myriad other sounds that accompany a battle were cutoff completely. We stopped and stood still, and then heard a bloodcurdling Terran scream. A body was flung through the air, clearly ravaged by some form of energy. I quickly came to the conclusion I most disliked, but knew was right. The Hybrids were attacking the base.
I knew that even with our Dragoon exoskeletons, we were little match for the Hybrids. With the speed and frequency I could hear Terran screams start and end, I guessed there were most likely massive amounts of Hybrids here, more than had ever attacked a planet. It only took one quick glance at a scanner to know I was correct. I felt a deep sorrow for the Terrans. They shouldn't have attacked us, because our vengeful strike upon the base had left the Terrans unprepared for the Hybrid attack.
I stood dumbfounded as the hideous forms of the Hybrids darted around the base, viciously slaying any Terran they came upon. We were left alone, although I knew they had seen us. Apparently we were to be entertainment after the base was decimated. My comrade quickly told me he wasn't going to be killed by the Hybrids again. I agreed as quickly. Our noble victory had been stolen from us, leaving us the sole witnesses to a massacre, soon to be slain for the amusement of the Hybrid forces. Dark rage slowly built throughout my body as I scanned around the base, watching everything that happened. I could see the Science Facility slowly collapsing, the Covert Operations module slowly following. I could see the Command Center being attacked, but only half-heartedly. Buildings were cleanup work for the Hybrids, something to be done once everyone was dead or dying. Suddenly, I glanced back at the Command Center and cursed loudly. My comrade asked what I had seen, but my response was to begin walking.
I walked over to the Command Center, stepping around the bodies of the Terrans. I could see the monolithic structure of the Command Center looming in front of me as I walked closer to it, my comrade in my wake. I rounded the Command Center, and discovered what I knew must be there.the Nuclear Silo. My comrade stopped in surprise, and began laughing. I laughed softly along with him, knowing what we would do. I didn't need to tell my comrade what was needed.
We stepped closer until we could feel the side of the Nuclear Silo. We searched for a door that would allow us entry, or at least a weak point to create our own door. We found one on the opposite side. I looked back at my comrade one last time, his nobility readily apparent. He knew his role, as I knew mine. I stepped inside, and closed the door.
I charged through the maze of the Nuclear Silo, trying to find the important room I needed. Suddenly my mind was struck full-force by a massive psionic cry. I could feel most of the Hybrids in the area stop their attack and begin to move towards my comrade, deeming him a greater threat. I scuttled around a corner and came upon the door I wanted: "Danger: Fissile Material Inside-DO NOT ENTER!". I didn't heed the warning on the door and blasted the door. I stepped inside the small room, barely enough to fit my body. I spotted the prize I had been searching for, gleaming dully on a rack. I extended one of my grippers to grasp it and dragged it over to my body. I began rapidly working the controls, glad that this wasn't dependent on a password. Finally, I came to the correct settings. I messaged my comrade, bidding him farewell and luck in the next life.
I didn't receive an answer, because at that point his psionic scream of death racked my brain. I dropped my prize, and it rolled away. I heard at the entrance of the Nuclear Silo the door being torn from the side. Apparently the Hybrids had probed my comrades mind.not that it would save them. I darted a claw towards my prize again and secured it, raising it once again under my robotic abdomen. I put my other claw directly over the button. This time, I wouldn't die in the darkness. This time, it would be light.the strongest, most powerful light imaginable. Bright enough to eliminate even the Hybrids, harbingers of destruction as they were.
A Hybrid rounded the corner, a high-level psionic. He quickly spotted me and began to dash towards me. I smiled at him, waiting for the right moment. He reached the entrance to the room, and I stabbed my claw onto the button.
The light was bright indeed.
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The Aftermath-
The subsequent nuclear devastation of hundreds of detonating warheads wrought upon the remains of the Terran base destroyed the entire force of Hybrids. Every Terran was destroyed, although every one was dead.
Both the Zerg and the Protoss bases had fallen. Sumner was completely dead, a miles deep crater on one side the only evidence that there had ever been any life upon its surface.
-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_- _
Once by Darkness, Once by Light. The Dragoon knew that when it came to Destruction
Although Darkness was strong
Light was also great,
And as such would suffice.
No, I can't write poetry worth a damn. I happen to like Robert Frosts "Fire and Ice", and this can be considered an abbreviated adaptation. Don't bother telling me this is bad, I already know. I just felt that to end this tale, I should with a bang, which I suppose I did.
This story was a challenge to write, because writing about death is something every author attempts, but in my opinion fail miserably at. The only reason I think I did better than most is that I wasn't writing about a final end.instead it was a new beginning.
For those of you who read this in its nascent stages, I thank you.
For those of you who just discovered this, I thank you.
For those of you brave enough to criticize my work, I thank you.
For those of you kind enough to praise my work, I thank you.
For those of you yet to read.I'm sure you fit into one of these categories.
Catch you all on the flip side, and check out my other works.
Fight on, Dark-Elk