Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to Starcraft or the characters, but
the story is mine. I was not paid or not receiving any money from
Blizzard.
Chapter 9
Everything was a blur to the Queen of Blades. She slowly remember killing several marines before being smacked in the head by a rifle. She realized she was now uncloaked and her hands and feet were bound together. She tried moving the newly added limbs on her back but realized they too were bound.
"That cable is a thousand pound test, good luck breaking it," a marine said smiling down at her.
She glared at him with her yellow eyes. "Do you think this will hold me?" she asked smiling back. The marines smile faded. "That's what I thought."
Kerrigan began struggling against the restraints but was not successful at escaping them. The marine without warning kicked her in he abdomen several times. Harder with every new kick.
Kerrigan let out a weaker moan with every kick. He then brought his boot up to her face and kicked her mouth. She was lucking he was not wearing his armor or that kick more then likely would have snapped her neck. She spit up some blood and again glared at him
"Your going to have to do better then that honey," she said smiling licking the blood from her mouth. She used the extra limbs again trying to break the line. She pressed harder and harder and finally a snap. She screamed and quickly rolled over to her left side.
"Heh. What's wrong? Break an limb? HAHAHAH!" the marine screamed laughing.
Kerrigan looked at him. "Actually, that was the line breaking. That sound is the sound of death for you my friend," she smiled as she brought one of the limbs up taking the mans head away from his shoulders. She then used them to break the restraints that held her hands. Once those were off, she quickly disposed of the bounds on her feet.
A voice called from afar. "She is getting away!"
Kerrigan found herself running as fast as she could. A marine stepped out in front of her but didn't have time to scream. As she ran past one of the extra limb severed his head. The body stood there on its feet for only a brief moment before toppling to the ground. It wouldn't be long before she would get caught if she didn't act fast. She had an idea that was risky but worth it.
*Jimmy, it's me. It's Sarah. Help me. The UED have captured me and plan to execute me within the next twenty four hours. Come to Mar Sara and help me, please. Jim, please.* she thought sending the message to Jim. The plus side of being a telepath.
Kerrigan ran through the small Terran camp being contructed where the Zerg Hive was no more then a hour ago. She had no time to react as a marine wearing no armor came out from behind various construction materials tackling her to the ground. She pushed him off her and stood up looking down at the man. She grabbed him by the throat and started lifting him from the ground with unreal strength.
"There she is!" cried another marine as he began charging at her with a few other soldiers. Kerrigan threw the man she had at the other men charging at her. They caught the man but fell in the process.
Kerrigan continued to run and finally made it out of the camp with a few men still close behind. As she continued to pump harder and faster until she saw an approaching cliff. Once she finally got to the edge she saw how far the drop was. It must have been at least two hundred feet straight down. She turned to see at least five marines slowing down not more then twenty feet away.
Kerrigan smiled. "Boys, can't we work something out? If you let me go, I won't kill you," she said still with a girlish smile.
"HA! I don't think so. We have just a few more people then you do," one of the marines said stepping closer. "Now if you don't resist, we won't have to kill you," he said again with a cocky arrogant smile.
Kerrigan laughed to herself silently. She was going to kill him last. She took a small step forward and with that small step, the marines had readied their weapons, the smiles fading from their faces. She took two more steps forward before one of them finally spoke up.
"Stay back! We will fire!" he screamed as Kerrigan continued walking up to them.
The claws on her back were tucked neatly behind her safe from view. She had a good five possibly six foot reach with them. She was close enough to attack now. Not for a kill but to take one of them out of the picture temporarily. She brought up the claws swinging out. The marine that was closest tried to step back but couldn't get far enough. The Gauss rifle he was holding neatly fell in two. The other five were about to fire when some greenish goo came from the extra claws landing on two of them.
As the goo covered two of the men, she charged the defenseless marine. She picked him up and threw him onto one of the marines before he could get a shot off. Another soldier had his rifle aimed dead at her and pulled the trigger but nothing happened. The color flushed out of his face as he tried to find the problem. The other marine fired repeatedly. Kerrigan ran just ahead of the bullets as a few smacked into the dirt by her feet. She quickly ran past the two men caught in the green goo who tried moving out of the way but couldn't because the substance was too heavy. The bullets had shredded the two mean before they knew what had happened.
"Die!" screamed one marine that had stood up. It was the man that was hit by the other soldier she threw. Except she was close enough to get a kill shot. Her claws on her back came up disemboweling the soldier. She brought up the claw again and had slit his throat.
The other man was still firing from before trying in vain to hit her. He clicked dry and a look of dread came over him. He dropped the rifle reaching for his side arm. He brought up the large pistol and took aim but her claws came down on his arm, cutting his right arm off from the elbow down. He screamed at the wave of pain that over came him. Kerrigan took her hand and violently tore out a large section of his throat. She looked at the last two men still alive, scared beyond anything imaginable. The man that had tried to fire the Gauss rifle at her, had dropped the gun and didn't even try to reach for his side arm. He was frozen by pure fright. The man on the ground was the one she was going to kill last. She was glad he was still alive, for now at least.
"P-please. Go. We won't try and stop you," the man said from the ground with a hand raised begging for mercy. The other man frozen in fear, only nodded.
Kerrigan walked toward the man that was still standing. He only watched as she approached him. She brought her hand up and slashed them mans face. He screamed as the sharpened fingers made contact to the flesh. He fell to the ground screaming and sobbing. Kerrigan knelt down to the injured man. She brought both hands on his face and twisted violently back and forth. The bone snapped like a tooth pick under her monstrous strength. She continued twisting it back and forth hearing the sound of the bone grinding together.
"You bitch," the other man said standing up. He had his side arm drawn pointing directly at her.
"Come on, I thought we were on the way to becoming friends. All of your comrades are my friends you know," she said with a twisted smile creeping up on her face.
"They are your friends because they are no longer a threat to you. Now, step back or I'll fire this whole damn clip into that black heart of yours," he said with his aim not faltering. His grip was firm and held the weapon steady.
Kerrigan let out a low sigh. She approached the man slowly. "Fire. I dare you," she spoke in a low tone. She took a few more steps closer and the man fired three times. The shots had found their targets smacking into her chest. She let out a short scream and fell onto her stomach.
The marine slowly approached her fallen form. "Bitch," he whispered. He picked up a Gauss rifle from the ground by one of his fallen comrades. He watched as the woman below curled into a ball moaning and whimpering for the shots that entered her body.
Kerrigan in a flash of light was on her feet grabbing the barrel of the rifle. The marine had no time to react to the sudden movement. She jerked the weapon away from him throwing it over the cliff. She grabbed him by the throat and rammed him against a tree. She took the side arm away from him as well.
She smiled looking up at him as he tired to break free of her grip. "Did you honestly think those little spit balls would break through?" she asked smiling shaking her head.
He tried in vain breaking her grip. "Ker-rigan. I'll fi-ght you, hand to h-and," he spat as he felt his lungs burn for air.
She looked shocked by the offer. "So be it," she said releasing him. He dropped to the ground gasping for air. "Your brave, but extremly foolish."
He coughed one more time and stood up. "I'm not going to be as easy as you think I am. You can't use those claws on your back. That defeats the purpose of hand to hand fighting," he said raising his hands in a fighting stance.
"Whatever. Hurry up, I need to kill you and get this over with," she said as her claws on her back tucked neatly behind her. She charged him and jumped in the air throwing jump kick. The man had blocked the kick by side stepping and grabbing onto her leg. He used her momentum and swung her into the tree she held him moments before. Her chest slammed in the tree with sickening force.
"Ugh," was all she could mutter. She got up and looked at the man. He was obviously a hand to hand fighter. She walked toward him smiling. He threw a hook at her and that was all she needed. She blocked it with little difficulty and pushed the man so his back was to her. She then turned so her back was to him. She brought her hands up and grabbed his shoulders over her shoulders. She jumped sending herself over the mans head. She brought both of her feet in as much as she could and then fully extended as her target came more into view. She locked her legs as her feet made contact with his knees, hyper extending them instantly. His knees bent backwards and he screamed as the pain made its way through his body.
"ARGH!" he screamed as he fell to the ground. She let go of him, kneeling down beside him.
"Not bad. You had a few moves going for you, but it wasn't nearly enough," she said as she brought her claws from her back around. He watched as the claws dripped blood for the other soldiers she killed approach him. She then let the claw pierce his chest. He winced but did not cry out. A look of hate filled his face as the life drained out of his body.
"There!" cried another soldier coming with what seemed like the whole camp. He had some kind of sniper rifle and took aim.
Kerrigan stood up and ran for the cliffs edge. She was about to try and slide down when a shot rang out from the weapon. The shot pierced her left shoulder and went through completely. She cried as she twisted falling from the edge. She brought her claws up from her back and tried latching onto the cliff that was rapidly passing her by. She kept trying as the cliff continued to pass her by with increasing speed. She finally felt herself slowing down. She brought up her hands to help slow her down. She continued losing speed as she finally reached the bottom. She let go of the cliff and looked up. She had been lucky. The fall would have ruined the rest of her life.
Her shoulder was in a immense amount of pain as blood oozed out of the whole made by the sniper's shot. She would have to be more careful next time. "Jim will figure out the message eventually. He will take care of the UED here for me," she said smiling but wincing as the pain in her shoulder worsened.
Kerrigan walked away from the cliff thankful. She would have to remember to kill that sniper later. She wasn't far away from the Hive Barak had established. She would go there to seek refuge for now.
Sara System (Jump Node)
The UED proved more then a match for the Protoss fleet. With the new weapons systems installed on every Cruiser, the shields went down almost instantly. And with their new armor, only the fire from the Scouts proved harmful. The Protoss fleet coward to the Castor jump node and engaged their warp engines.
On the Bridge of the Blue Nose, Admiral Gray watched as the Carriers fled into sub-space. He smiled as he saw the last one flicker out of the area. The victory had been solid with only twenty two fighters lost.
"Admiral, we are receiving a message from base camp on Mar Sara. They said they had Kerrigan, sir," Tab said relaying the message on.
The Admirals smile faded. He turned to face Tab. "What do you mean, 'had'?" he asked looking irritated.
Tab sighed. "She killed a few men and made an escape. Good news is, we have taken complete control over her hive. The Zerg presence in that area has been extinguished.," Tab said knowing the Admiral was angry for her escape. They had the woman that killed Dugalle and the UED fleet before them.
He sighed looking less irritated. "Very well then. Send out a few patrols then. See if we can't find her before she reaches wherever she is going," he said walking off the bridge. It had been a long day for him. As he was leaving the helm of the Blue Nose, one of the officers had called back to him.
"Sir! Terran fleet coming from the Castor Jump Node! Protoss fighters are accompanying them along with several Carriers!" he reported. From his tone, it was something that startled the Admiral, only slightly.
The communications officer spoke up at that time. "Admiral, they are showing no aggression. They are looking for a 'lost comrade' sir," the comm. officer reported.
The Admiral sighed again. It had been a very long day. One part of him was screaming to do something, engage the enemy. On the other hand, those were not the Protoss they had engaged with minutes before. The scanners reported other Protoss life on the surface as well.
"Let them be. If they are looking for their men, let them look. We have a Queen to catch. Mr. Tab, you have the bridge." As he left the bridge the crew looked extremely taken by his sudden change in heart. He was going to let them through to recover men that one day may fight them later on.
Tab nodded then took over. "You heard him, let them through. If they go hostile take them down without hesitation," he said as he watched the Admiral leave over his shoulder. He too was taken by surprise but respected his decision. Other Terran vessels wouldn't hold very long against them either way.
Sara System (Castor Jump Node)
The New Hope and Battle Group 001 came out of sub-space. Jim realized he was being called back to Mar Sara. He knew Kerrigan was behind this and he was virtually powerless to stop the thoughts of her.
"Raynor, are you sure this isn't a trap?" Zeratul said standing beside him to the right. He knew Kerrigan was calling him to Mar Sara but he didn't like the idea of him coming to find the message so soon.
Jim looked at him with a look he had seen before. Desperation. He needed to find her. He needed to see her in her normal self again. "I have to do this. You don't have to come with me on this one. I mean I was just walking out of the bar near Starport 319 when it hit me," he said looking back out the observation window. "If she is willing to change with that thing on Shakurus, then we go there with her. If not, I'll end this now. I can't go on like this, Zeratul, I can't. It's killing me, slowly but surely," he said staring out the observation window.
"Raynor, I will not go with you. You will have to battle your demons on your own. I will let no one go with you either. This is a matter you should deal with, alone. If one of us were to go, we would only get in your way," Zeratul spoke in a low whisper.
Jim looked at him for a brief moment and nodded. "Get a ship to get me down there, Zeratul. If I don't radio you in an hour or so, get out of here," he said shaking Zeratul's enormous hand.
"Do not let it come to that Captain Raynor," he spoke with pain in his voice and his eyes.
Jim Raynor walked off the bridge of the New Hope, maybe for the final time. He walked into the flight hanger and saw a few men working on ships watch him walk onto a Dropship alone. They admired his courage as he nodded to them walking aboard the empty ship. He sat on one of the benches inside the ship and looked to his left and right. There should be men sitting next to him but there wasn't.
The ship came to life as the engines revved up for departure. The hatch in the back closed up and they left the hanger. Jim sighed as they would be entering Mar Sara's atmosphere in a few minutes. Jim wasn't big with praying, but he found himself asking God to get him out of this. But if he couldn't, it would be quick and painless.
"Captain Raynor," the pilot called from the front of the ship looking back to see him. "God go with you, sir," he said looking at Jim with sorrowful eyes.
"Thank you. Pray for me down there," he said looking back at the man. The pilot nodded and turned back to fly the ship. Jim felt sick all of a sudden. It was like he would never see Zeratul again. He was scared that he wouldn't see any of his friends back on Castor as well. If that was the case, the Alliance was in good hands though. Zeratul was still in control of the Protoss forces while the former Magistrate, Corey Lowell, would assume control of the Terran forces. The former Magistrate was a good man and a hell of a commander. He couldn't have done better if he got to pick himself.
The Dropship jerked up a little as they broke through the atmosphere. The decent was nothing special like it always was. The ship continued on its course when Jim felt the presence grow stronger. They were right on top of it now because he felt like it was being screamed at him.
"Here! Land it now!" he screamed not in anger but excitement. He was frightened but anxious at the same time. The ship rested on the solid ground and the hatch opened revealing the dead soil. "You wait here five minutes. If I'm not back you head to the New Hope and wait for my call," he said and the Dropship pilot nodded. He saw the man was scared for his commander. Not many commanders had that much respect for their superiors but most of his crews did.
Jim ran down the lowering hatch and jumped to the ground below. He ran to where the feeling was pulling him to. He saw a trail of blood on the ground. It was the blood of a Zerg. He continued following the feeling he had in his heart and his mind rather then the trail of blood. He ran for at least three minutes before he saw he. He noticed that the blood trail was coming from her.
She looked up at him with her right hand on her left shoulder. She stood tall and proud, smiling at him. Sarah Kerrigan was standing six feet away from him and he could feel the pressure building in his ears. His heart felt like it would break through his rib cage because it was beating so hard.
"Jim Raynor, I didn't think you would figure out the calling so soon. You have caught me at a bad time.. Still want to see if I will cross over?" she asked smiling at the man.
He walked towards her slowly. "Sarah, I know there is good in you still. I know that your in there waiting to be freed. Come with me, Sarah. Things will be different I promise you," he said, still slowly approaching her.
"Oh Jimmy, you still don't get it. I am what I am because that is what I am. Nothing you can say or do will ever change that, Jim," she said shaking her head slightly. The claws then appeared from behind her back, stained with blood.
Jim felt like his heart was ripped out. He got on his knees and hung his head low. "Okay Sarah, you got me. I tried. But I want you to know this Sarah, no matter what you do or will do, I fell in love with you when we first met. I fell in love with the way you looked then and they way you spoke then and the way you handled things then. And if it were to make any difference to you now, I still do love you," he said as tears filled his eyes. He knew that this was it. This is where he finally got released from the hell he had been going through.
Jim closed his eyes tightly and awaiting the claws to tear his flesh off from his bones. He waited but the claws never came. He slowly picked his head up and saw he kneeling a few feet away with her head on her hands. She was crying. Jim felt a sudden rush of hope flow through him and he slowly got up and walked over to her. There was something strange about everything that was happening. He was approaching a killer and a good one at that, but was still living and breathing.
She looked up with sorrow, hate, betrayal, and love all pasted on her face. "Human emotions are so weak. How could you ever love. me?" she asked looking at him with a human look for the first time in a long time.
Jim knelt beside her. "Sarah, Mengsk did this to you. You did nothing to deserve this. The Confederates tampered with your mind and then the Zerg defiled your body. You had nothing to do with this," he said slowly reaching to put his hand on her right shoulder. He took a deep breath as he placed his hand on her. He thought for sure he would lose the hand, but he didn't.
"You're so afraid but you're here still. You do love me, even know don't you?" she asked as another set of tears came up. "Jim, I can't go with you. I am a Zerg now and forever," he tone was shifting now back to the murderess Queen she was.
"No, your not. Sarah, you started this life as human and that is the way it will be again. There is something that can make you normal again, darlin'. Please fight this. The Hive his trying to control you, but you have the power to break away. Do this for me," he said as he let his tears fall from his face.
Sarah Kerrigan, the Queen of Blades, screamed out in agony torn between someone she might love and the true power the Zerg gave her. For those few moments the Zerg Broods were free from the clutches of Kerrigan. They were only empowered by their Cerebrates before something else took control.
"Jim, what's going on?" she asked in the most human tone she has had in a long time. I'm free?" she asked looking at herself, still seeing the Zerg body.
"Sarah, is that really you? Sarah, come with me. Come with me now," Jim said pulling her up. "We gotta move, baby, come on!"
She was pulled up by Jim's strong hands. The strength the Zerg had given her was fading. "Jim, I no longer have control over the Zerg. Daggoth is now controlling them fully. We must hurry, Barak is sending minions this way now," she said as she started feeling weaker. Suddenly her back hurt like hell. The extra limbs felt like they were pulling out of her. Her left shoulder as well was in agonizing pain. She couldn't even walk now.
Jim picked her up and began running back to where the Dropship should be. He prayed that the pilot was still there. From far off, he heard the multiple cries of Zerg coming towards him. "Oh piss on a stick. Zerg gainin' and I quit drinkin'. Dear Lord, if you get me and her out of this, I promise I will never again get drunk without due cause," he said as he came over a hill to where the Dropship should have been. "Well, this blows."
He fell to the ground with Sarah slipping from his grasp. He felt a strong breeze come over him. The sounds drowned out of his ears as the breeze picked up. 'How poetic' he thought to himself. Then as suddenly as he fell into this state of mind he was back out of it. Sarah Kerrigan was standing over him with a look of rage on her face.
"GET UP!" she screamed loud enough for him to hear. The Dropship was in the air hovering just off the ground with the hatch down. Jim scrambled to his feet and rolled into the ship. Kerrigan followed closely behind. The hatch closed and the Dropship then gave max. throttle and sped away from the planet of Mar Sara.
He felt the back of his neck. It hurt pretty badly and there was some blood on his finger tips. He didn't know why he had fallen or why he had dazed out like he did, but he was glad they were leaving, together.
Sarah was sitting across from him. "I'm sorry, one of these claws found a pressure point in your neck," she said looking so ashamed of what she was. Her knees were pulled to her chest with her head resting on the tops of her knees. Her arms wrapped around her legs to keep them on the seat. "I don't know about you, but I don't think green is my color," she said smiling a little. Jim was glad she had made a joke about it at least. Soon she would be normal again, he hoped anyway.
Jim sat up a little from his seat. He then stood up holding onto the railing overhead. Sarah had done the same a little slower, still ashamed of what she looked like. "Oh, Sarah," he said as he wrapped his arms around her. She was shocked by this but hugged him back as well. Just like that, Jim broke down crying, letting it all go. "You don't know how long I have waited for this," he said still sobbing.
"Ladies and gentlemen in the back, make sure you are sitting in your designated seats. Remember safety first, ha hah," the pilot said turning around to see the two. He didn't know if Jim had lost his mind or he really found what he was searching for. "Kerrigan, glad to see you back with us," he said with his smile fading. He turned back around to fly them out of there.
Jim pulled away from Sarah for a moment to look into her eyes. They were different as well. The emerald green was now turned to a pale yellow. He couldn't help the affection he felt towards her even though she looked like what she did. This helped prove that love knows no boundaries. He held on to her for a moment longer wanting the moment to last. He had found her alive. He had found himself as well. He was alive.
Chapter 9
Everything was a blur to the Queen of Blades. She slowly remember killing several marines before being smacked in the head by a rifle. She realized she was now uncloaked and her hands and feet were bound together. She tried moving the newly added limbs on her back but realized they too were bound.
"That cable is a thousand pound test, good luck breaking it," a marine said smiling down at her.
She glared at him with her yellow eyes. "Do you think this will hold me?" she asked smiling back. The marines smile faded. "That's what I thought."
Kerrigan began struggling against the restraints but was not successful at escaping them. The marine without warning kicked her in he abdomen several times. Harder with every new kick.
Kerrigan let out a weaker moan with every kick. He then brought his boot up to her face and kicked her mouth. She was lucking he was not wearing his armor or that kick more then likely would have snapped her neck. She spit up some blood and again glared at him
"Your going to have to do better then that honey," she said smiling licking the blood from her mouth. She used the extra limbs again trying to break the line. She pressed harder and harder and finally a snap. She screamed and quickly rolled over to her left side.
"Heh. What's wrong? Break an limb? HAHAHAH!" the marine screamed laughing.
Kerrigan looked at him. "Actually, that was the line breaking. That sound is the sound of death for you my friend," she smiled as she brought one of the limbs up taking the mans head away from his shoulders. She then used them to break the restraints that held her hands. Once those were off, she quickly disposed of the bounds on her feet.
A voice called from afar. "She is getting away!"
Kerrigan found herself running as fast as she could. A marine stepped out in front of her but didn't have time to scream. As she ran past one of the extra limb severed his head. The body stood there on its feet for only a brief moment before toppling to the ground. It wouldn't be long before she would get caught if she didn't act fast. She had an idea that was risky but worth it.
*Jimmy, it's me. It's Sarah. Help me. The UED have captured me and plan to execute me within the next twenty four hours. Come to Mar Sara and help me, please. Jim, please.* she thought sending the message to Jim. The plus side of being a telepath.
Kerrigan ran through the small Terran camp being contructed where the Zerg Hive was no more then a hour ago. She had no time to react as a marine wearing no armor came out from behind various construction materials tackling her to the ground. She pushed him off her and stood up looking down at the man. She grabbed him by the throat and started lifting him from the ground with unreal strength.
"There she is!" cried another marine as he began charging at her with a few other soldiers. Kerrigan threw the man she had at the other men charging at her. They caught the man but fell in the process.
Kerrigan continued to run and finally made it out of the camp with a few men still close behind. As she continued to pump harder and faster until she saw an approaching cliff. Once she finally got to the edge she saw how far the drop was. It must have been at least two hundred feet straight down. She turned to see at least five marines slowing down not more then twenty feet away.
Kerrigan smiled. "Boys, can't we work something out? If you let me go, I won't kill you," she said still with a girlish smile.
"HA! I don't think so. We have just a few more people then you do," one of the marines said stepping closer. "Now if you don't resist, we won't have to kill you," he said again with a cocky arrogant smile.
Kerrigan laughed to herself silently. She was going to kill him last. She took a small step forward and with that small step, the marines had readied their weapons, the smiles fading from their faces. She took two more steps forward before one of them finally spoke up.
"Stay back! We will fire!" he screamed as Kerrigan continued walking up to them.
The claws on her back were tucked neatly behind her safe from view. She had a good five possibly six foot reach with them. She was close enough to attack now. Not for a kill but to take one of them out of the picture temporarily. She brought up the claws swinging out. The marine that was closest tried to step back but couldn't get far enough. The Gauss rifle he was holding neatly fell in two. The other five were about to fire when some greenish goo came from the extra claws landing on two of them.
As the goo covered two of the men, she charged the defenseless marine. She picked him up and threw him onto one of the marines before he could get a shot off. Another soldier had his rifle aimed dead at her and pulled the trigger but nothing happened. The color flushed out of his face as he tried to find the problem. The other marine fired repeatedly. Kerrigan ran just ahead of the bullets as a few smacked into the dirt by her feet. She quickly ran past the two men caught in the green goo who tried moving out of the way but couldn't because the substance was too heavy. The bullets had shredded the two mean before they knew what had happened.
"Die!" screamed one marine that had stood up. It was the man that was hit by the other soldier she threw. Except she was close enough to get a kill shot. Her claws on her back came up disemboweling the soldier. She brought up the claw again and had slit his throat.
The other man was still firing from before trying in vain to hit her. He clicked dry and a look of dread came over him. He dropped the rifle reaching for his side arm. He brought up the large pistol and took aim but her claws came down on his arm, cutting his right arm off from the elbow down. He screamed at the wave of pain that over came him. Kerrigan took her hand and violently tore out a large section of his throat. She looked at the last two men still alive, scared beyond anything imaginable. The man that had tried to fire the Gauss rifle at her, had dropped the gun and didn't even try to reach for his side arm. He was frozen by pure fright. The man on the ground was the one she was going to kill last. She was glad he was still alive, for now at least.
"P-please. Go. We won't try and stop you," the man said from the ground with a hand raised begging for mercy. The other man frozen in fear, only nodded.
Kerrigan walked toward the man that was still standing. He only watched as she approached him. She brought her hand up and slashed them mans face. He screamed as the sharpened fingers made contact to the flesh. He fell to the ground screaming and sobbing. Kerrigan knelt down to the injured man. She brought both hands on his face and twisted violently back and forth. The bone snapped like a tooth pick under her monstrous strength. She continued twisting it back and forth hearing the sound of the bone grinding together.
"You bitch," the other man said standing up. He had his side arm drawn pointing directly at her.
"Come on, I thought we were on the way to becoming friends. All of your comrades are my friends you know," she said with a twisted smile creeping up on her face.
"They are your friends because they are no longer a threat to you. Now, step back or I'll fire this whole damn clip into that black heart of yours," he said with his aim not faltering. His grip was firm and held the weapon steady.
Kerrigan let out a low sigh. She approached the man slowly. "Fire. I dare you," she spoke in a low tone. She took a few more steps closer and the man fired three times. The shots had found their targets smacking into her chest. She let out a short scream and fell onto her stomach.
The marine slowly approached her fallen form. "Bitch," he whispered. He picked up a Gauss rifle from the ground by one of his fallen comrades. He watched as the woman below curled into a ball moaning and whimpering for the shots that entered her body.
Kerrigan in a flash of light was on her feet grabbing the barrel of the rifle. The marine had no time to react to the sudden movement. She jerked the weapon away from him throwing it over the cliff. She grabbed him by the throat and rammed him against a tree. She took the side arm away from him as well.
She smiled looking up at him as he tired to break free of her grip. "Did you honestly think those little spit balls would break through?" she asked smiling shaking her head.
He tried in vain breaking her grip. "Ker-rigan. I'll fi-ght you, hand to h-and," he spat as he felt his lungs burn for air.
She looked shocked by the offer. "So be it," she said releasing him. He dropped to the ground gasping for air. "Your brave, but extremly foolish."
He coughed one more time and stood up. "I'm not going to be as easy as you think I am. You can't use those claws on your back. That defeats the purpose of hand to hand fighting," he said raising his hands in a fighting stance.
"Whatever. Hurry up, I need to kill you and get this over with," she said as her claws on her back tucked neatly behind her. She charged him and jumped in the air throwing jump kick. The man had blocked the kick by side stepping and grabbing onto her leg. He used her momentum and swung her into the tree she held him moments before. Her chest slammed in the tree with sickening force.
"Ugh," was all she could mutter. She got up and looked at the man. He was obviously a hand to hand fighter. She walked toward him smiling. He threw a hook at her and that was all she needed. She blocked it with little difficulty and pushed the man so his back was to her. She then turned so her back was to him. She brought her hands up and grabbed his shoulders over her shoulders. She jumped sending herself over the mans head. She brought both of her feet in as much as she could and then fully extended as her target came more into view. She locked her legs as her feet made contact with his knees, hyper extending them instantly. His knees bent backwards and he screamed as the pain made its way through his body.
"ARGH!" he screamed as he fell to the ground. She let go of him, kneeling down beside him.
"Not bad. You had a few moves going for you, but it wasn't nearly enough," she said as she brought her claws from her back around. He watched as the claws dripped blood for the other soldiers she killed approach him. She then let the claw pierce his chest. He winced but did not cry out. A look of hate filled his face as the life drained out of his body.
"There!" cried another soldier coming with what seemed like the whole camp. He had some kind of sniper rifle and took aim.
Kerrigan stood up and ran for the cliffs edge. She was about to try and slide down when a shot rang out from the weapon. The shot pierced her left shoulder and went through completely. She cried as she twisted falling from the edge. She brought her claws up from her back and tried latching onto the cliff that was rapidly passing her by. She kept trying as the cliff continued to pass her by with increasing speed. She finally felt herself slowing down. She brought up her hands to help slow her down. She continued losing speed as she finally reached the bottom. She let go of the cliff and looked up. She had been lucky. The fall would have ruined the rest of her life.
Her shoulder was in a immense amount of pain as blood oozed out of the whole made by the sniper's shot. She would have to be more careful next time. "Jim will figure out the message eventually. He will take care of the UED here for me," she said smiling but wincing as the pain in her shoulder worsened.
Kerrigan walked away from the cliff thankful. She would have to remember to kill that sniper later. She wasn't far away from the Hive Barak had established. She would go there to seek refuge for now.
Sara System (Jump Node)
The UED proved more then a match for the Protoss fleet. With the new weapons systems installed on every Cruiser, the shields went down almost instantly. And with their new armor, only the fire from the Scouts proved harmful. The Protoss fleet coward to the Castor jump node and engaged their warp engines.
On the Bridge of the Blue Nose, Admiral Gray watched as the Carriers fled into sub-space. He smiled as he saw the last one flicker out of the area. The victory had been solid with only twenty two fighters lost.
"Admiral, we are receiving a message from base camp on Mar Sara. They said they had Kerrigan, sir," Tab said relaying the message on.
The Admirals smile faded. He turned to face Tab. "What do you mean, 'had'?" he asked looking irritated.
Tab sighed. "She killed a few men and made an escape. Good news is, we have taken complete control over her hive. The Zerg presence in that area has been extinguished.," Tab said knowing the Admiral was angry for her escape. They had the woman that killed Dugalle and the UED fleet before them.
He sighed looking less irritated. "Very well then. Send out a few patrols then. See if we can't find her before she reaches wherever she is going," he said walking off the bridge. It had been a long day for him. As he was leaving the helm of the Blue Nose, one of the officers had called back to him.
"Sir! Terran fleet coming from the Castor Jump Node! Protoss fighters are accompanying them along with several Carriers!" he reported. From his tone, it was something that startled the Admiral, only slightly.
The communications officer spoke up at that time. "Admiral, they are showing no aggression. They are looking for a 'lost comrade' sir," the comm. officer reported.
The Admiral sighed again. It had been a very long day. One part of him was screaming to do something, engage the enemy. On the other hand, those were not the Protoss they had engaged with minutes before. The scanners reported other Protoss life on the surface as well.
"Let them be. If they are looking for their men, let them look. We have a Queen to catch. Mr. Tab, you have the bridge." As he left the bridge the crew looked extremely taken by his sudden change in heart. He was going to let them through to recover men that one day may fight them later on.
Tab nodded then took over. "You heard him, let them through. If they go hostile take them down without hesitation," he said as he watched the Admiral leave over his shoulder. He too was taken by surprise but respected his decision. Other Terran vessels wouldn't hold very long against them either way.
Sara System (Castor Jump Node)
The New Hope and Battle Group 001 came out of sub-space. Jim realized he was being called back to Mar Sara. He knew Kerrigan was behind this and he was virtually powerless to stop the thoughts of her.
"Raynor, are you sure this isn't a trap?" Zeratul said standing beside him to the right. He knew Kerrigan was calling him to Mar Sara but he didn't like the idea of him coming to find the message so soon.
Jim looked at him with a look he had seen before. Desperation. He needed to find her. He needed to see her in her normal self again. "I have to do this. You don't have to come with me on this one. I mean I was just walking out of the bar near Starport 319 when it hit me," he said looking back out the observation window. "If she is willing to change with that thing on Shakurus, then we go there with her. If not, I'll end this now. I can't go on like this, Zeratul, I can't. It's killing me, slowly but surely," he said staring out the observation window.
"Raynor, I will not go with you. You will have to battle your demons on your own. I will let no one go with you either. This is a matter you should deal with, alone. If one of us were to go, we would only get in your way," Zeratul spoke in a low whisper.
Jim looked at him for a brief moment and nodded. "Get a ship to get me down there, Zeratul. If I don't radio you in an hour or so, get out of here," he said shaking Zeratul's enormous hand.
"Do not let it come to that Captain Raynor," he spoke with pain in his voice and his eyes.
Jim Raynor walked off the bridge of the New Hope, maybe for the final time. He walked into the flight hanger and saw a few men working on ships watch him walk onto a Dropship alone. They admired his courage as he nodded to them walking aboard the empty ship. He sat on one of the benches inside the ship and looked to his left and right. There should be men sitting next to him but there wasn't.
The ship came to life as the engines revved up for departure. The hatch in the back closed up and they left the hanger. Jim sighed as they would be entering Mar Sara's atmosphere in a few minutes. Jim wasn't big with praying, but he found himself asking God to get him out of this. But if he couldn't, it would be quick and painless.
"Captain Raynor," the pilot called from the front of the ship looking back to see him. "God go with you, sir," he said looking at Jim with sorrowful eyes.
"Thank you. Pray for me down there," he said looking back at the man. The pilot nodded and turned back to fly the ship. Jim felt sick all of a sudden. It was like he would never see Zeratul again. He was scared that he wouldn't see any of his friends back on Castor as well. If that was the case, the Alliance was in good hands though. Zeratul was still in control of the Protoss forces while the former Magistrate, Corey Lowell, would assume control of the Terran forces. The former Magistrate was a good man and a hell of a commander. He couldn't have done better if he got to pick himself.
The Dropship jerked up a little as they broke through the atmosphere. The decent was nothing special like it always was. The ship continued on its course when Jim felt the presence grow stronger. They were right on top of it now because he felt like it was being screamed at him.
"Here! Land it now!" he screamed not in anger but excitement. He was frightened but anxious at the same time. The ship rested on the solid ground and the hatch opened revealing the dead soil. "You wait here five minutes. If I'm not back you head to the New Hope and wait for my call," he said and the Dropship pilot nodded. He saw the man was scared for his commander. Not many commanders had that much respect for their superiors but most of his crews did.
Jim ran down the lowering hatch and jumped to the ground below. He ran to where the feeling was pulling him to. He saw a trail of blood on the ground. It was the blood of a Zerg. He continued following the feeling he had in his heart and his mind rather then the trail of blood. He ran for at least three minutes before he saw he. He noticed that the blood trail was coming from her.
She looked up at him with her right hand on her left shoulder. She stood tall and proud, smiling at him. Sarah Kerrigan was standing six feet away from him and he could feel the pressure building in his ears. His heart felt like it would break through his rib cage because it was beating so hard.
"Jim Raynor, I didn't think you would figure out the calling so soon. You have caught me at a bad time.. Still want to see if I will cross over?" she asked smiling at the man.
He walked towards her slowly. "Sarah, I know there is good in you still. I know that your in there waiting to be freed. Come with me, Sarah. Things will be different I promise you," he said, still slowly approaching her.
"Oh Jimmy, you still don't get it. I am what I am because that is what I am. Nothing you can say or do will ever change that, Jim," she said shaking her head slightly. The claws then appeared from behind her back, stained with blood.
Jim felt like his heart was ripped out. He got on his knees and hung his head low. "Okay Sarah, you got me. I tried. But I want you to know this Sarah, no matter what you do or will do, I fell in love with you when we first met. I fell in love with the way you looked then and they way you spoke then and the way you handled things then. And if it were to make any difference to you now, I still do love you," he said as tears filled his eyes. He knew that this was it. This is where he finally got released from the hell he had been going through.
Jim closed his eyes tightly and awaiting the claws to tear his flesh off from his bones. He waited but the claws never came. He slowly picked his head up and saw he kneeling a few feet away with her head on her hands. She was crying. Jim felt a sudden rush of hope flow through him and he slowly got up and walked over to her. There was something strange about everything that was happening. He was approaching a killer and a good one at that, but was still living and breathing.
She looked up with sorrow, hate, betrayal, and love all pasted on her face. "Human emotions are so weak. How could you ever love. me?" she asked looking at him with a human look for the first time in a long time.
Jim knelt beside her. "Sarah, Mengsk did this to you. You did nothing to deserve this. The Confederates tampered with your mind and then the Zerg defiled your body. You had nothing to do with this," he said slowly reaching to put his hand on her right shoulder. He took a deep breath as he placed his hand on her. He thought for sure he would lose the hand, but he didn't.
"You're so afraid but you're here still. You do love me, even know don't you?" she asked as another set of tears came up. "Jim, I can't go with you. I am a Zerg now and forever," he tone was shifting now back to the murderess Queen she was.
"No, your not. Sarah, you started this life as human and that is the way it will be again. There is something that can make you normal again, darlin'. Please fight this. The Hive his trying to control you, but you have the power to break away. Do this for me," he said as he let his tears fall from his face.
Sarah Kerrigan, the Queen of Blades, screamed out in agony torn between someone she might love and the true power the Zerg gave her. For those few moments the Zerg Broods were free from the clutches of Kerrigan. They were only empowered by their Cerebrates before something else took control.
"Jim, what's going on?" she asked in the most human tone she has had in a long time. I'm free?" she asked looking at herself, still seeing the Zerg body.
"Sarah, is that really you? Sarah, come with me. Come with me now," Jim said pulling her up. "We gotta move, baby, come on!"
She was pulled up by Jim's strong hands. The strength the Zerg had given her was fading. "Jim, I no longer have control over the Zerg. Daggoth is now controlling them fully. We must hurry, Barak is sending minions this way now," she said as she started feeling weaker. Suddenly her back hurt like hell. The extra limbs felt like they were pulling out of her. Her left shoulder as well was in agonizing pain. She couldn't even walk now.
Jim picked her up and began running back to where the Dropship should be. He prayed that the pilot was still there. From far off, he heard the multiple cries of Zerg coming towards him. "Oh piss on a stick. Zerg gainin' and I quit drinkin'. Dear Lord, if you get me and her out of this, I promise I will never again get drunk without due cause," he said as he came over a hill to where the Dropship should have been. "Well, this blows."
He fell to the ground with Sarah slipping from his grasp. He felt a strong breeze come over him. The sounds drowned out of his ears as the breeze picked up. 'How poetic' he thought to himself. Then as suddenly as he fell into this state of mind he was back out of it. Sarah Kerrigan was standing over him with a look of rage on her face.
"GET UP!" she screamed loud enough for him to hear. The Dropship was in the air hovering just off the ground with the hatch down. Jim scrambled to his feet and rolled into the ship. Kerrigan followed closely behind. The hatch closed and the Dropship then gave max. throttle and sped away from the planet of Mar Sara.
He felt the back of his neck. It hurt pretty badly and there was some blood on his finger tips. He didn't know why he had fallen or why he had dazed out like he did, but he was glad they were leaving, together.
Sarah was sitting across from him. "I'm sorry, one of these claws found a pressure point in your neck," she said looking so ashamed of what she was. Her knees were pulled to her chest with her head resting on the tops of her knees. Her arms wrapped around her legs to keep them on the seat. "I don't know about you, but I don't think green is my color," she said smiling a little. Jim was glad she had made a joke about it at least. Soon she would be normal again, he hoped anyway.
Jim sat up a little from his seat. He then stood up holding onto the railing overhead. Sarah had done the same a little slower, still ashamed of what she looked like. "Oh, Sarah," he said as he wrapped his arms around her. She was shocked by this but hugged him back as well. Just like that, Jim broke down crying, letting it all go. "You don't know how long I have waited for this," he said still sobbing.
"Ladies and gentlemen in the back, make sure you are sitting in your designated seats. Remember safety first, ha hah," the pilot said turning around to see the two. He didn't know if Jim had lost his mind or he really found what he was searching for. "Kerrigan, glad to see you back with us," he said with his smile fading. He turned back around to fly them out of there.
Jim pulled away from Sarah for a moment to look into her eyes. They were different as well. The emerald green was now turned to a pale yellow. He couldn't help the affection he felt towards her even though she looked like what she did. This helped prove that love knows no boundaries. He held on to her for a moment longer wanting the moment to last. He had found her alive. He had found himself as well. He was alive.