Space is so quiet, so peaceful and undisturbed. It is so primal in its form, so inert and unchanging.
Yet the ship on board which those thoughts rose was hardly any of the above.
"En taro Adun, judicator," radiated Tassadar at the screen.
"En taro Adun, young one," radiated Aldaris at him, his yellow eyes unblinking,
"How goes the mission?"
The mission, in fact, was going horribly. Tassadars crew seemed ready to accept the deaths of a few million aliens, but he himself couldn't. He new he must. The young race can survive the destruction of one colony, but they had no chance if the zerg attacked.
He must get used to the idea of being a bringer of death, it is his duty and command.
"It goes fine, Aldaris, I hope it will be completed soon and that we all shall return"
"Very well. En taro Adun". The screen ceased showing the judicators face and now was showing the approximate percent of infestation on the planet, along with even less useful data. Who needs to know the mineral compounds of the soil if it's going to evaporate?
Tassadar sank in his chair, returning to his earlier musings.
Somewhere deep inside the vast hulls of the carrier, something creaked, as the first robotic interceptor warped from Aiur.
"Aiur..." radiated Tassadar into the empty space above the control panel.
The troubles on Aiur were fresh in his mind even now. They were one of the reasons he agreed to go on this mission in the first place. He needed to get away from the quarrel about the dark templar, needed to get away from the image Antevus ripping the Kheadrin amulet from his neck as he quit the council, he needed fresh air. Space didn't have fresh air, and the images returned to his troubled mind.
Templar ?
Someone was gripping his shoulder, trying to get his attention.
"Templar, there is a matter that requires your attention!"
Tassadar opened his eyes, a young zealot was standing in front of him radiating the details of the incident. The zealot was too young and low ranked to know how you must begin a conversation. Tassadar radiated discontent.
"Our scout has destroyed 15 zerg flying beasts, containing possibly up to 100 units of various kinds. It was not damaged but...,"
Tassadar cut him in mid-sentence, stopping the quick flood of meaning radiating from the messengers mind.
"Slow down boy, and report as the rules require. Order is what separates us from the Zerg"
"I am... sorry... templar," hesitated the zealot, as he tried to recall the rules for reporting.
"Mission description: one scout. 15 zerg flying beasts. End. Outcome: no casualties. 15 casualties. End." The zealot seemed eager to be excused, and Tassadar was as eager to excuse him.
"Very well," radiated the Templar "I am now aware of this mission. You are excused"
The zealot radiated relief and hurried back to the barracks.
"Young" pondered Tassadar as he closed his eyes, "Impolite, a nuisance at times, but has a glorious future ahead of him.", Tassadar mused as he sank deeper into his chair, "Humans are no different. How can I let those people die?" Tassadar awoke, and flicked a button on the panel.
"Tassadar! What is it you wish?" it was their second meeting today, and no formalities were required.
"Judicator, I want to plead you to cancel the mission"
"I cannot. It is necessary and you are aware of it"
"We should contact the humans and warn them about the menace!"
"They have no tools to deal with it, even had they known", Aldaris seemed to get angrier with each sentence, his eyes becoming a brighter shade of yellow. He radiated anger at Tassadar, Tassadar radiated back.
"This conversation is over, contact me when the mission is complete" radiated Aldaris and flicked a switch on his side. The screen displayed the same useless data, slightly altered due to the expanding contamination.
Tassadar sat in his chair, fully alert; The small wasteland planet occupying more and more of his front view as they drew nearer. Almost time. He could hear the interceptors popping into existence every minute, but they did not bother him. They were a method of self defense. The real weapon was stationed lower, in the vast emptiness of the auxiliary hull, pulsing crystals set in every crevice of it's great form. The planet drew nearer. Tassadar looked up and saw a satellite of human origin orb slowly. The great ship went directly through its orbit, colliding with the tiny construction, destroying it completely.
"I am sorry" he radiated to the planet. It didn't answer. He pushed the button. Somewhere from beneath the great hulls of the carrier a sound of roar arose as the eater of life woke up and did it's singular job.
Space was quiet again.