"Today. Today is a day I am proud to be a terran." Mengsk spoke smugly. His voice echoed over the crowd whom had gathered around his palace. The night sky exploded in fireworks now and again as the blast of those skyrockets echoed across the sky. Mengsk stood alone in front of the crowd. It was how he always enjoyed it. No man or woman stood behind him, so all of the Terrans would know that he was their absolute leader, and that was the way it was to be. No one stood behind him taking or giving orders.. The Terran dominion needed to have an absolute rule, as its democracy had failed it, first through the confederacy and then without an army to defend it from the zerg.
"Today, I woke up and realized for the first time in three years, we alone inhabit this system. That the terran dominion is once again back in our hands!" The crowd erupted in cheers again and Mengsk smiled to them. He sent out a single hand and the crowds hushed. "It is time that we let our fears go. No longer will we be hunted by the zerg. No longer will the protoss burn our homes. No longer will the confederacy put you in danger with weapons testing." Mengsk waited a minute for his echo to disappear. "Tonight, we celebrate not the victory we have had, but for the victory that is yet to come! We celebrate because when we go home tonight, one word will echo in our subconscious. One word that I have not spoken and truly meant it in years." Mengsk allowed the pause to mount till a whisper could be heard in the crowd. "Peace!" he cried at once outstretching his hands. The crowd immediately cheered frantically for him. Mengsk gave them an appreciative nod, and let the cheers for his name fade behind him.
Mengsk walked from the platform with a large smile. He had received word late last night of Duke's success. Mar Sara was cleared of all zerg, and the war was finally over. No more protoss and no more zerg. Mengsk finally had what he had always desired. Absolute power.
"Powerful speech, Emperor." a voice came from behind him. Mengsk was startled, but did not show it.
"Dr. Hunter. What a pleasant surprise." Mengsk spoke.
"A surprise, Emperor? I was sure that I had informed you early last week-"
"Of course you did doctor." interrupted Mengsk, "with news most dire but nothing you could tell me directly, of course."
"Forgive me, Emperor. My secrecy is not without purpose, I assure you." Hunter gave a mock bow. "If there was a place where we could speak privately?"
"Of course." Mengsk motioned toward his office. Mengsk pressed down the handle and came inside. The lights turned on and he let Hunter in behind him. Mengsk stepped behind his desk and carefully sat. He motioned for Hunter to sit down.
"No, thank you, Emperor." Hunter spoke. Mengsk shrugged.
"So, what is it then?" Mengsk asked impatiently.
"Only the recent results of my project, sir."
"And?"
"Recent transmissions outside of the Terran Dominion have been received. The ghosts outside our borders can be detected. The satellites can pick up all psy readings."
Mengsk nodded. "Excellent work, doctor. Have you done a scan within the system?"
"Yes, of course."
"And?"
"A few small zerg hives seemed to have escaped Duke and Terramar's attention, but they will be no trouble at all."
"Excellent. And how is lieutenant Malask working out for you?" Mengsk asked.
"Oh, he is a truly an ambitious scientist, Emperor." Hunter leaned in a little, "But between you and me, he lacks intelligence."
"That is not my concern, Hunter."
"Of course, Emperor."
"As long as you are finding a use for him, he will remain stationed with you."
"Of course, sir. He has proven quite useful." There was a long moment of silence.
"Is that all?" asked Mengsk.
"Of course, Emperor. I will have a satellite network set up. Hopefully, within the year, you will be directly connected to all zerg readings."
"Fine, fine. Now, if you don't mind Hunter, I have other matters to attend to."
"Of course, Emperor." Hunter bowed politely and began to leave. Before he did, he turned on his heel. "One more thing, sir."
"What is it, Hunter?"
"Well, my studies have brought me far outside the Terran worlds as you know."
Mengsk waved his hand for Hunter to get to the point. "Yes, yes."
"I found some stragglers that you might want to know about.Ó he hissed.
Hunter suddenly had Mengsk's full attention. "You mean."
"Yes." said Dr. Hunter. "We have Raynor." Hunter allowed another dramatic pause. "And someone else I think you might be interested in."
* Special thanks goes to Chrono-cross maniac for editing this chapter for me. Thanks so much!
"Today, I woke up and realized for the first time in three years, we alone inhabit this system. That the terran dominion is once again back in our hands!" The crowd erupted in cheers again and Mengsk smiled to them. He sent out a single hand and the crowds hushed. "It is time that we let our fears go. No longer will we be hunted by the zerg. No longer will the protoss burn our homes. No longer will the confederacy put you in danger with weapons testing." Mengsk waited a minute for his echo to disappear. "Tonight, we celebrate not the victory we have had, but for the victory that is yet to come! We celebrate because when we go home tonight, one word will echo in our subconscious. One word that I have not spoken and truly meant it in years." Mengsk allowed the pause to mount till a whisper could be heard in the crowd. "Peace!" he cried at once outstretching his hands. The crowd immediately cheered frantically for him. Mengsk gave them an appreciative nod, and let the cheers for his name fade behind him.
Mengsk walked from the platform with a large smile. He had received word late last night of Duke's success. Mar Sara was cleared of all zerg, and the war was finally over. No more protoss and no more zerg. Mengsk finally had what he had always desired. Absolute power.
"Powerful speech, Emperor." a voice came from behind him. Mengsk was startled, but did not show it.
"Dr. Hunter. What a pleasant surprise." Mengsk spoke.
"A surprise, Emperor? I was sure that I had informed you early last week-"
"Of course you did doctor." interrupted Mengsk, "with news most dire but nothing you could tell me directly, of course."
"Forgive me, Emperor. My secrecy is not without purpose, I assure you." Hunter gave a mock bow. "If there was a place where we could speak privately?"
"Of course." Mengsk motioned toward his office. Mengsk pressed down the handle and came inside. The lights turned on and he let Hunter in behind him. Mengsk stepped behind his desk and carefully sat. He motioned for Hunter to sit down.
"No, thank you, Emperor." Hunter spoke. Mengsk shrugged.
"So, what is it then?" Mengsk asked impatiently.
"Only the recent results of my project, sir."
"And?"
"Recent transmissions outside of the Terran Dominion have been received. The ghosts outside our borders can be detected. The satellites can pick up all psy readings."
Mengsk nodded. "Excellent work, doctor. Have you done a scan within the system?"
"Yes, of course."
"And?"
"A few small zerg hives seemed to have escaped Duke and Terramar's attention, but they will be no trouble at all."
"Excellent. And how is lieutenant Malask working out for you?" Mengsk asked.
"Oh, he is a truly an ambitious scientist, Emperor." Hunter leaned in a little, "But between you and me, he lacks intelligence."
"That is not my concern, Hunter."
"Of course, Emperor."
"As long as you are finding a use for him, he will remain stationed with you."
"Of course, sir. He has proven quite useful." There was a long moment of silence.
"Is that all?" asked Mengsk.
"Of course, Emperor. I will have a satellite network set up. Hopefully, within the year, you will be directly connected to all zerg readings."
"Fine, fine. Now, if you don't mind Hunter, I have other matters to attend to."
"Of course, Emperor." Hunter bowed politely and began to leave. Before he did, he turned on his heel. "One more thing, sir."
"What is it, Hunter?"
"Well, my studies have brought me far outside the Terran worlds as you know."
Mengsk waved his hand for Hunter to get to the point. "Yes, yes."
"I found some stragglers that you might want to know about.Ó he hissed.
Hunter suddenly had Mengsk's full attention. "You mean."
"Yes." said Dr. Hunter. "We have Raynor." Hunter allowed another dramatic pause. "And someone else I think you might be interested in."
* Special thanks goes to Chrono-cross maniac for editing this chapter for me. Thanks so much!