Heroes Never Die
Chapter 9: A Question of Pawns
By: Dark-Elk
"Praetor, we've arrived at the coordinates specified by Commander Raynor. We aren't detecting any starships in the surrounding area currently. I shall notify you should any arrive," said the captain of the Tassadar before reaching to switch off the comm. unit.
Artanis turned to look at Zeratul. "I wonder what could be keeping Commander Raynor from our meeting."
Zeratul laughed softly. "He will doubtless arrive shortly, Praetor. Commander Raynor has always been. . .unorthodox."
Artanis smiled briefly as he walked over to the nearby table and pressed a few buttons. Elaborate holograms representing chess pieces flashed into existence. Artanis sat down on the side behind the black pieces, and Zeratul crossed the chamber and seated himself behind the white pieces. Artanis looked at Zeratul and smiled again. "It has been quite a few years since I last played, Prelate."
Zeratul nodded absently and looked down at the board, his eyes tracing the delicate craftsmanship of the nonexistent pieces. He reached over and slowly picked up the pawn in front of him, marveling at the feel of it as he moved it forward a space. "The Khalai workers were most skillful in designing this set, Artanis. The fields to make the pieces seem tangible were a master stroke."
Artanis picked up the pawn in front of his king-side knight and moved it forward two spaces. "Where did you learn to play this game, Zeratul?"
"Tassadar showed me the complexities of this game during his short time of exile. He was a brilliant strategist, and I only rarely defeated him," said Zeratul sadly. He moved forward one of his knights. "Were you taught by Commander Raynor?"
Artanis grinned. "I do not think that chess is a game Commander Raynor is fond of, Prelate," Artanis said with a mental grin as he moved another of his pawns forward, leaving it diagonally behind his other pawn. "During our preparations for a joint mission involving our people and Commander Raynor's renegades, I spent some time amongst his starfighter pilots, trading maneuvers and tactics effective against the Zerg. One of the Valkyrie wing commanders taught me in between simulator fighting. After he assured me that I knew the game well enough, he challenged me to three matches, and requested a wager be placed upon the match. The first match went to him, but the second and third were both my victories. I believe, though I am not sure, I left with a good portion of his money," Artanis said before shrugging.
Their game continued in silence for a few dozen moves as pieces were removed from the board, finally drawing down to the final few moves. Artanis was left with a rook, his white bishop, and a knight, while Zeratul was left with a rook, a knight, and a pawn that had traveled all but one space to the end of the board. Artanis moved his rook to block the pawn's advance, but after Zeratul placed him in check with his rook he was forced to withdraw it to defend his king. Zeratul then moved his pawn forward, promoting it to a queen. The game ended swiftly with the addition of that new factor; Artanis was steadily forced into a corner, isolated from his pieces as Zeratul continually placed him in check. Zeratul made one final move and leaned backwards. "Checkmate, Artanis."
Artanis studied his pieces for a few moments before tipping his king over with one of his long, slender fingers and laughing. "Indeed, Prelate. You played masterfully."
Zeratul turned to look out the window into the darkness of space. "Chess is a simple game with hidden complexities, Artanis. Many hundreds of years ago, it was extremely popular on ancient Earth. Military generals played frequently, equating the game to the warfare of their age." He turned back to Artanis. "War is not so simple anymore, my friend. Starships can move in any direction, not just the forward and reverse charges of ground battles. Only a few lessons this game teaches still hold true, and I continue to play to remind me of those lessons."
Artanis closed his eyes in deep thought before speaking again. "Is one of those lessons the ability of subterfuge deciding battles? Chess is about manipulating your foes into unwilling sacrifices, foolish attacks, costly retreats."
"That is one lesson that must be kept in mind. Another lesson," he said as he held up a black pawn. "Is that even pawns can become something other than themselves at times."
Zeratul stood and stretched his legs; the game had gone longer than they had expected, and the many muscles in Protoss legs were prone to cramping. He looked pointedly at Artanis again. "However, Praetor, you must also remember the differences between war and chess. Far too often, allies may betray you. In chess, there is no such factor."
Artanis followed suit and stood, stretching out his own legs. "Are you warning me of something, Prelate? Do you fear betrayal at Raynor's hands?"
Zeratul laughed softly. "Never would Raynor consider betraying you or I, my friend. Raynor has been betrayed far too many times in his life to consider doing so to another. But war can create desperate alliances, and it is wise to never depend upon such allies."
Artanis started to reply, but was cut off by a shrill buzzing noise. He walked over to the small communications center in the corner and tapped a few buttons. The face of the tactical officer of the Tassadar appeared on the screen in front of him. "Praetor, Commander Raynor's force has arrived in sector. He wishes to inform you that he has located a traitor amongst his bridge crew sending information to an unknown destination. He requests we move the meeting a short distance in case a disruption of your meeting is planned."
Surprise crossed Artanis' face, but he replied "Very well. Have our fleet move to the coordinates he asks. The Prelate and myself will arrive on the bridge shortly." He turned to Zeratul. "This is a surprising turn of events, considering our conversation."
Zeratul, lost in deep thought, could only nod. He stared intently into the darkness for a few moments before he turned to Artanis and spoke again. "Let us leave, for I am eager to meet with Commander Raynor. Too much has happened these past days, and I can only wonder what new threat he may have discovered."
-_-_-
"I'll ask again. Who were you sending the information to?" Raynor asked the man restrained before him. "Was it the Dominion?"
The man stared ahead silently, the same as he had been since his betrayal was discovered.
"Zerg? Are you infested, working for that bitch Kerrigan?"
Silence.
"That one we can test. Take a skin sample and run it through analysis, Doctor," said Raynor.
Dr. Malcolm stepped forward with a small needle in hand. He rubbed the needle against the skin of the traitor, gathering skin cells. When he was satisfied, he walked over to the computer terminal and injected the sample into a dish for analysis. A low humming sound filled the room. "It'll only take a few moments, Commander Raynor."
"I don't think you're infested though. But I bet this genetic readout can tell us a whole bunch of information you don't want us to know," said Raynor, his face grim. "We're going to find out who you are and who the hell you've been selling us out to sooner or later. It would be easier for the both of us if you just spill it now."
"I wasn't selling you out to anyone," the man said in a slow, measured voice. "I was passing along information that I thought my superiors might be interested in."
"What information was that?" asked Raynor.
"Information about the Dominion Project Starlancer," the man replied.
"So you probably aren't working for the Dominion then, which is a bit of a relief I suppose," Raynor said with a short laugh.
The humming of the terminal stopped, and the screen began filling with text. Dr. Malcolm scanned it for a few moments before turning back to Raynor, his face clearly surprised. "I'm almost positive he isn't a Dominion operative, Commander Raynor. If this readout is correct, he was born on Earth."
"Earth? What the hell is the UED still up to around here? I thought you boys got your asses handed to you by the Zerg and ran home with your tails between your legs."
The man looked at Raynor indignantly. "I'm not a member of the UED. The UED abandoned my people, and didn't bother sending out any reinforcements or anyone to find out what happened to us. I'm a member of the United Earth Remnant, the UER."
Raynor nodded. "Now we're getting somewhere. So what does the UER want with information about Starlancer?"
"Starlancer will give Mengsk too much power. Sooner or later he'll stumble across us, and then we'll be destroyed. It made sense to relay this information to my superiors now, while something can still be done about it," said the man.
A crackle of static filled the small room. "Commander Raynor, this is the bridge. The Protoss have agreed to move our meeting a short distance away, and they've begun powering up weapons in anticipation of a hostile attack. Should we follow suit?"
"Go ahead and prepare. Information we've gotten from our traitor suggests that if anyone does show up, it will be people from the UED," he said and caught an angry glare from the man in the chair. "Sorry, the UER. Same people, different name."
"Acknowledged, Commander," said the bridge officer, closing the line.
"So the UER knows about Starlancer?" asked Raynor.
"Somewhat. You captured me before I could send them the specifics. All they know is that the Dominion is building a weapon that is a great threat to all."
"Is a fleet going to show up here?"
The man turned away silently, clearly mindful of how much he had already spoken and unwilling to cooperate further. Raynor waved a few guards in from the hall, and said, "Watch him, okay? I'm sure we've got a few surprises on our hands, and I want to be able to talk to this bastard to sort them out when we're ready."
Raynor turned and walked out of the room, gesturing for Dr. Malcolm to follow him as they walked to the bridge. "This surely is an unexpected turn of events. It's going to make this planning session with the Protoss a little difficult."
"I didn't know the UED stayed behind at all. I would have thought any survivors from the massacre would have tried their hardest to get back to Earth and get reinforcements," said Dr. Malcolm thoughtfully
"Kerrigan made a big deal about leaking to the Dominion information about her pursuit of the UED forces, and she said she managed to decimate most of them. If that wasn't a lie, then they probably would have had a difficult time stuffing their people on just a few ships. Or maybe the few capital ships left were busted up too bad to make the trip. I don't know. I just don't like these extra factors. We've already got the Starlancer, the Zerg, the Dominion. It's too much to think about, and sometimes over thinking in a battle can get you killed. I wish it were like the old days, not having to deal with any of this spying and political bullshit. Damn near every problem could be solved with a Gauss rifle," Raynor said with a wistful sigh. He placed his palm on the bridge door and stepped through as it slid open. "Any traces of incoming ships?" he called out to the bridge officers.
The sensor officer twisted around to look at Raynor. "No, Sir. We've been scanning, but we're still not picking up anything. The Protoss just asked if you are satisfied with this location."
"Sure, but make sure they know that company could be here at any time. If it works for them, have them ship over here in a few minutes."
-_-_-
"Commander Raynor seems to have finally straightened out matters, Prelate. He requests our presences shortly," said Artanis with the mental equivalent of a wry grin. "Zeratul, are you a qualified pilot?"
The elder Protoss nodded thoughtfully. "In my youth, I was indeed a pilot. It has been a few years since last I flew a starfighter, but I believe it is something I haven't forgotten. Why do you ask, Artanis?"
"If we use a shuttle to travel the Hyperion, we will be stranded if it comes under attack. However, if we use Scouts or Corsairs, we could leave to aid our forces."
"A good plan, Praetor."
"I had hoped you would approve, Prelate. I have my Scout and a Corsair prepared for our usage. Shall we go see Commander Raynor now?"
"Indeed, Artanis. This reunion is one long overdue. I wish it were under more enjoyable circumstances than these."
-_-_-_-
Flying brought back bittersweet memories to Zeratul. It had been years since last he had flown, but he hadn't forgotten the beauty and awe one felt being nearly alone amongst the cosmos inside a craft that, although the height of Protoss technology, was still little protection against the hostile environment of space. One hand rested on the flight stick of the Corsair lightly while the other rested against the fighter's control panel, allowing him easy access to shielding, armament, and engine controls and settings.
Zeratul looked out of the flight canopy, seeing Artanis floating similarly nearby. Artanis looked over at Zeratul and caught his eye, giving him a mental grin. The Scout leapt forward and rolled sideways, eventually turning into an elongated loop that left him where he had started. Zeratul smiled at his young friend and slowly engaged his engines while his other hand pulled back the flight stick, back flipping his starfighter quickly. He smiled slightly as he weaved his craft's flight path with that of the Scout's, enjoying the complex maneuver. He paused in his maneuvering and looked out at the stars, a fragment of memory trying to surface. He shook his head slowly, clearing the errant thought.
"Perhaps we should dock with the Hyperion now, Praetor. Although this is invigorating, our time may be short," Zeratul said with a sigh.
The docking bays of the Hyperion slowly opened far in front of them, a massive gaping mouth eager to swallow the comparatively tiny Protoss craft. The Hyperion's bays had been modified to be able to hold the Protoss fighters during the Brood War, as their landing apparatus and size were significantly different from Terran Wraiths. The Hyperion was a near- perfect reflection of its captain: a seemingly eclectic mix of unique qualities along with the scars of battle.
As the two craft entered the maw of the Battlecruiser, the door slid shut behind them, pressurizing the docking bay against the cold space beyond. The repulsors that held the two fighters aloft slowly extinguished until they were close to the deck. The fighter canopies opened in unison, revealing the First Born held within. The two Protoss levered themselves deftly out of the cockpits and onto the wings of their fighters before jumping down to the deck.
The small door at the opposite end of the fighter bay slid open silently, revealing Raynor standing behind them. "Howdy, boys. It's good to see you two again."
Zeratul laughed softly. "I wish our meeting were under more pleasant circumstances."
"You two don't know the half of it. Doctor Malcolm here," said Raynor as he waved to Dr. Malcolm, who was stepping through the doorway, "has a whole hell of a lot to tell you, and none of it is good news. Follow me, and we'll go have ourselves a little conference and figure out what comes next."
-_-_-_-
"Commander Owens, we're only a few minutes from reversion. What is our plan?" asked the youthful voice of Firespray Duece.
Commander Owens flicked a few switches on his comm. panel, opening a broad communication link to the eight squadrons of Wraiths that he was leading. "We'll go in weapons hot, cloaking fields enabled. Our informant seems to have been caught, but we got some pretty interesting information before. I'm not sure who all is in this area though, so be careful. Everyone, keep your wingman nearby and help each other out," said Owens.
"Commander, what sort of forces does Raynor have, or was the informant caught too quickly to relay that information?" asked Novaflare Leader, his tone dour and seemingly uninterested.
"We've got some preliminary numbers, but they could have changed by now. Estimate show that Raynor may have about a half-dozen Battlecruisers in the immediate area, along with various smaller support ships and freighters. He seems to be relatively light on starfighters, so we have that advantage," said Owens. "But there might be Protoss in the zone as well," Owens added quietly.
A variegated stream of colorful profanity filled the comm. channel before Owens cut it off with a yell. "Quiet, quiet! The UER has fought the Protoss before, and we've done just fine. Just remember that a Scout can take a Wraith easy, even with the modifications our techs have made to them, so team up to take them out," he said before cautioning, "But don't let yourselves bunch up too much, or you'll be fodder for the Corsairs. Whatever else you do when we get in, don't fire until I give the go-ahead, got it?"
Calls of acknowledgement scattered across the channel, but Owens shut it off with a flick of a switch. His hand crept up to the cross he wore on a chain around his neck, and his eyes closed in deep thought. When he opened them his hand fell away.
-_-_-
"Arcturus Mengsk is mad! How could he attempt such atrocities?" asked an astonished Artanis. His eyes weren't flaring as brilliantly as usual, a testament to his current state of shock.
"Artanis, I think we all know that bastard will do whatever he thinks will get him more power," said Raynor.
"This is indeed a grave matter, Commander, but no less grave than the matter we bring before you now," Zeratul said slowly and deliberately, and then looked pointedly at Dr. Malcolm. "However, this requires an extraordinary amount of secrecy."
Dr. Malcolm stood stiffly and rubbed his hands down the front of his clothing, smoothing out unseen rumples. "I have some things to tend to anyway. If you need me, I'll be in my quarters." He looked around at the three leaders still seated. "Starlancer isn't something that we can afford to delay dealing with." He nodded curtly, and walked out of the conference room.
Raynor grinned at Zeratul. "I guess the doctor didn't like your suggestion that he could be a security hazard," he said before sighing. "You mentioned earlier that you both had some bad news, so you might as well lay it on me now."
-_-_-_-
"Commander Owens, reversion in sixty seconds, I repeat, six-oh," said the easy tones of Firespray Nine.
Commander Owens glanced quickly across his instrument board, affirming once again that everything was operating at optimum efficiency. He tapped a few buttons with one hand while his other modified his shield settings. The UER Wraiths had been retrofitted with Protoss-style energy shielding, but it ran off of the engines of the fighters. Although they had been vastly upgraded and improved in the past few years, the shields could still cause a significant decrease in speed if set too high. Owens liked to dial them down low, contrary to the practices of the pilots under his command. They were dependent upon the shielding to save them if they made a mistake, but thinking like that would lead to sloppiness and death. Owens prided himself upon his piloting skills, preferring to depend upon his greater speed and quicker reactions rather than shields to keep him alive.
"Firespray Squardron, do not fire until I give the go ahead, unless we're fired upon first. If they start something, respond with maximum force," said Owens.
A few confirmations came through the channel, but Owens ignored them. He reached again to the cross around his neck, caressing its smooth ridges with his thumb and forefinger. "God, if you're listening, help me keep my men alive." He let the crucifix drop from his fingers and placed his hand upon his piloting yoke, his face impassive as he began testing his weaponry.
-_-_-_-
"You've got to be kidding! So someone, somewhere, thought it'd be a good idea to mix the Zerg, the Protoss, and humans?" asked Raynor, clearly annoyed and worried.
Zeratul bowed his head for a few moments before he looked up and responded. "Indeed, Commander Raynor. The servant of Kerrigan, the Terran Samir Duran, was present when I assaulted the facility. I. . . "
Artanis turned and looked quizzically at the Prelate. "Is something wrong, Zeratul?"
!*!
Zeratul's eyes dimmed as he searched his many hundreds of years of memories, seeking something. . .important. Finally, he seized upon what he sought. "I remember something I found years ago, before the Brood War. It was right after Aiur fell, after Tassadar sacrificed himself to destroy the Overmind. I was preparing my fighter to aid in the search for survivors of the Zerg assault, but when I got into my Corsair I found a message waiting for me, a message I believe to have been sent by Tassadar moments before. . ."
Zeratul reached into the folds of his dark blue cloak and withdrew a data disk, handing it to Raynor. "This contains a record of the message I received. I do not fully comprehend it, but I believe it is related to these Hybrids."
Raynor stood and walked across the room, sliding the small disk into the wall terminal. A holographic projector on the table the three had been seated around flashed into operation, displaying a page of holographic text a few inches above the surface of the table.
"-Zeratul The first battle is over but the war is beginning. Do not allow our brethren to remain pawns."
Raynor whistled softly from where he was leaning by the terminal, but his noise of surprise failed to break the silence in the conference room. "That does sound like Tassadar."
Zeratul nodded slowly. "Though this message doesn't have a direct reference to our current plights, we must remember that we now have two threats to deal with. We cannot allow ourselves to be manipulated into dealing with the lesser threat first."
"But we don't know anything about these Hybrids, Zeratul. Hell, we don't even know where they are right now! The Starlancer is almost done, and we know where that is. For the moment, I'd say that's the greater threat. Do we agree on that?"
Artanis looked over at Zeratul before speaking. "Commander Raynor, your assessment of the situation seems astute. Our greatest threat at the moment is this Dominion weapon. We have forces enough to combine with yours to destroy this weapon with us."
Raynor frowned. "But won't that leave Shakuras under defended? I'd hate to have the Dominion or the Zerg stumble across it and wipe it out because you're all out here."
"To our knowledge, the location of Shakuras remains hidden from the Dominion. The Zerg have become strangely uncoordinated recently, similar to when the Overmind fell. However, Kerrigan has created many Cerebrates to help administer the Swarm, and this measure seems to be keeping the Swarm from erupting into chaos. For the meantime, Shakuras is safe from the Swarm," said Artanis.
"We have moved the majority of our fleet away from Shakuras, and have begun the search for a new base to stage from, Commander. It is my hope that establishing a new base will draw attention away from locating Shakuras. However, we have yet to locate a suitable world," Zeratul said.
"I think me and my people can solve that problem, Zeratul. We've found a bunch of planets that would be perfect for both our races, but we haven't wanted to be pinned down. I think, though, that if we have both our peoples entrenched there, we'll be a less likely target," said Raynor. "I'll have someone start looking through our records and see if we can't come up with something that'll work for both of us."
Artanis stood and stretched out his legs. "We seem to have accomplished all we can at this moment, Commander. Perhaps Zeratul and I should return to the Tassadar now."
Raynor started to respond, but the blaring sirens and garish lights of an emergency klaxon stopped him. Raynor's hand slapped the button below the klaxon, killing its' wailing cries. The speaker above crackled to life, bearing the words of the communications officer. "Sir, sensors have detected the reversion of a large number of starfighter class ships."
Raynor nodded to Artanis and Zeratul, and waved them out of the conference room as he responded. "Okay, what do we know? Do we have a number of fighters yet, or what type they are?"
"Sensors estimate over six dozen squadrons of starfighters. Preliminary spectrographic analysis of the engine emissions suggests heavily modified Wraiths."
"Deploy our fighters and have them go weapons-hot. Send out a science vessel and see what they can make of these fighters. And don't forget to send a message to the Protoss with this information. I'm sure they've detected the fighters too, but it can't hurt to give them a heads up as to what we've found. In the meantime, don't fire unless fired upon. I'll be on the bridge in a few minutes," he finished and pressed a button on the wall, switching off the speaker.
Raynor stepped away from where he had been leaning and walked across the room. He stopped at the doorway, looking down the empty corridor beyond. He muttered to himself, "Everything gets more interesting with Zeratul around." Then, with a laugh that sounded more like a sickly cough than good humor, he began jogging swiftly down the corridor towards the bridge, a feeling of unease settling in his gut as he tried to ignore the new threat he now knew to be lurking somewhere in the galaxy.
+=+=+=
Authors Note: Where this symbol occurs, !*!, it's a reference to another story of mine that sort of ties into this one. Actually, almost all of my stories tie together, but this is a more direct reference than usual. The story is titled "Darkness of the Void", and can be found at
I'm not going to force you to read it, and not reading it won't detract from Heroes Never Die at all, but it does in fact tie in, so you may or may not want to.
Fight on, Dark-Elk
Chapter 9: A Question of Pawns
By: Dark-Elk
"Praetor, we've arrived at the coordinates specified by Commander Raynor. We aren't detecting any starships in the surrounding area currently. I shall notify you should any arrive," said the captain of the Tassadar before reaching to switch off the comm. unit.
Artanis turned to look at Zeratul. "I wonder what could be keeping Commander Raynor from our meeting."
Zeratul laughed softly. "He will doubtless arrive shortly, Praetor. Commander Raynor has always been. . .unorthodox."
Artanis smiled briefly as he walked over to the nearby table and pressed a few buttons. Elaborate holograms representing chess pieces flashed into existence. Artanis sat down on the side behind the black pieces, and Zeratul crossed the chamber and seated himself behind the white pieces. Artanis looked at Zeratul and smiled again. "It has been quite a few years since I last played, Prelate."
Zeratul nodded absently and looked down at the board, his eyes tracing the delicate craftsmanship of the nonexistent pieces. He reached over and slowly picked up the pawn in front of him, marveling at the feel of it as he moved it forward a space. "The Khalai workers were most skillful in designing this set, Artanis. The fields to make the pieces seem tangible were a master stroke."
Artanis picked up the pawn in front of his king-side knight and moved it forward two spaces. "Where did you learn to play this game, Zeratul?"
"Tassadar showed me the complexities of this game during his short time of exile. He was a brilliant strategist, and I only rarely defeated him," said Zeratul sadly. He moved forward one of his knights. "Were you taught by Commander Raynor?"
Artanis grinned. "I do not think that chess is a game Commander Raynor is fond of, Prelate," Artanis said with a mental grin as he moved another of his pawns forward, leaving it diagonally behind his other pawn. "During our preparations for a joint mission involving our people and Commander Raynor's renegades, I spent some time amongst his starfighter pilots, trading maneuvers and tactics effective against the Zerg. One of the Valkyrie wing commanders taught me in between simulator fighting. After he assured me that I knew the game well enough, he challenged me to three matches, and requested a wager be placed upon the match. The first match went to him, but the second and third were both my victories. I believe, though I am not sure, I left with a good portion of his money," Artanis said before shrugging.
Their game continued in silence for a few dozen moves as pieces were removed from the board, finally drawing down to the final few moves. Artanis was left with a rook, his white bishop, and a knight, while Zeratul was left with a rook, a knight, and a pawn that had traveled all but one space to the end of the board. Artanis moved his rook to block the pawn's advance, but after Zeratul placed him in check with his rook he was forced to withdraw it to defend his king. Zeratul then moved his pawn forward, promoting it to a queen. The game ended swiftly with the addition of that new factor; Artanis was steadily forced into a corner, isolated from his pieces as Zeratul continually placed him in check. Zeratul made one final move and leaned backwards. "Checkmate, Artanis."
Artanis studied his pieces for a few moments before tipping his king over with one of his long, slender fingers and laughing. "Indeed, Prelate. You played masterfully."
Zeratul turned to look out the window into the darkness of space. "Chess is a simple game with hidden complexities, Artanis. Many hundreds of years ago, it was extremely popular on ancient Earth. Military generals played frequently, equating the game to the warfare of their age." He turned back to Artanis. "War is not so simple anymore, my friend. Starships can move in any direction, not just the forward and reverse charges of ground battles. Only a few lessons this game teaches still hold true, and I continue to play to remind me of those lessons."
Artanis closed his eyes in deep thought before speaking again. "Is one of those lessons the ability of subterfuge deciding battles? Chess is about manipulating your foes into unwilling sacrifices, foolish attacks, costly retreats."
"That is one lesson that must be kept in mind. Another lesson," he said as he held up a black pawn. "Is that even pawns can become something other than themselves at times."
Zeratul stood and stretched his legs; the game had gone longer than they had expected, and the many muscles in Protoss legs were prone to cramping. He looked pointedly at Artanis again. "However, Praetor, you must also remember the differences between war and chess. Far too often, allies may betray you. In chess, there is no such factor."
Artanis followed suit and stood, stretching out his own legs. "Are you warning me of something, Prelate? Do you fear betrayal at Raynor's hands?"
Zeratul laughed softly. "Never would Raynor consider betraying you or I, my friend. Raynor has been betrayed far too many times in his life to consider doing so to another. But war can create desperate alliances, and it is wise to never depend upon such allies."
Artanis started to reply, but was cut off by a shrill buzzing noise. He walked over to the small communications center in the corner and tapped a few buttons. The face of the tactical officer of the Tassadar appeared on the screen in front of him. "Praetor, Commander Raynor's force has arrived in sector. He wishes to inform you that he has located a traitor amongst his bridge crew sending information to an unknown destination. He requests we move the meeting a short distance in case a disruption of your meeting is planned."
Surprise crossed Artanis' face, but he replied "Very well. Have our fleet move to the coordinates he asks. The Prelate and myself will arrive on the bridge shortly." He turned to Zeratul. "This is a surprising turn of events, considering our conversation."
Zeratul, lost in deep thought, could only nod. He stared intently into the darkness for a few moments before he turned to Artanis and spoke again. "Let us leave, for I am eager to meet with Commander Raynor. Too much has happened these past days, and I can only wonder what new threat he may have discovered."
-_-_-
"I'll ask again. Who were you sending the information to?" Raynor asked the man restrained before him. "Was it the Dominion?"
The man stared ahead silently, the same as he had been since his betrayal was discovered.
"Zerg? Are you infested, working for that bitch Kerrigan?"
Silence.
"That one we can test. Take a skin sample and run it through analysis, Doctor," said Raynor.
Dr. Malcolm stepped forward with a small needle in hand. He rubbed the needle against the skin of the traitor, gathering skin cells. When he was satisfied, he walked over to the computer terminal and injected the sample into a dish for analysis. A low humming sound filled the room. "It'll only take a few moments, Commander Raynor."
"I don't think you're infested though. But I bet this genetic readout can tell us a whole bunch of information you don't want us to know," said Raynor, his face grim. "We're going to find out who you are and who the hell you've been selling us out to sooner or later. It would be easier for the both of us if you just spill it now."
"I wasn't selling you out to anyone," the man said in a slow, measured voice. "I was passing along information that I thought my superiors might be interested in."
"What information was that?" asked Raynor.
"Information about the Dominion Project Starlancer," the man replied.
"So you probably aren't working for the Dominion then, which is a bit of a relief I suppose," Raynor said with a short laugh.
The humming of the terminal stopped, and the screen began filling with text. Dr. Malcolm scanned it for a few moments before turning back to Raynor, his face clearly surprised. "I'm almost positive he isn't a Dominion operative, Commander Raynor. If this readout is correct, he was born on Earth."
"Earth? What the hell is the UED still up to around here? I thought you boys got your asses handed to you by the Zerg and ran home with your tails between your legs."
The man looked at Raynor indignantly. "I'm not a member of the UED. The UED abandoned my people, and didn't bother sending out any reinforcements or anyone to find out what happened to us. I'm a member of the United Earth Remnant, the UER."
Raynor nodded. "Now we're getting somewhere. So what does the UER want with information about Starlancer?"
"Starlancer will give Mengsk too much power. Sooner or later he'll stumble across us, and then we'll be destroyed. It made sense to relay this information to my superiors now, while something can still be done about it," said the man.
A crackle of static filled the small room. "Commander Raynor, this is the bridge. The Protoss have agreed to move our meeting a short distance away, and they've begun powering up weapons in anticipation of a hostile attack. Should we follow suit?"
"Go ahead and prepare. Information we've gotten from our traitor suggests that if anyone does show up, it will be people from the UED," he said and caught an angry glare from the man in the chair. "Sorry, the UER. Same people, different name."
"Acknowledged, Commander," said the bridge officer, closing the line.
"So the UER knows about Starlancer?" asked Raynor.
"Somewhat. You captured me before I could send them the specifics. All they know is that the Dominion is building a weapon that is a great threat to all."
"Is a fleet going to show up here?"
The man turned away silently, clearly mindful of how much he had already spoken and unwilling to cooperate further. Raynor waved a few guards in from the hall, and said, "Watch him, okay? I'm sure we've got a few surprises on our hands, and I want to be able to talk to this bastard to sort them out when we're ready."
Raynor turned and walked out of the room, gesturing for Dr. Malcolm to follow him as they walked to the bridge. "This surely is an unexpected turn of events. It's going to make this planning session with the Protoss a little difficult."
"I didn't know the UED stayed behind at all. I would have thought any survivors from the massacre would have tried their hardest to get back to Earth and get reinforcements," said Dr. Malcolm thoughtfully
"Kerrigan made a big deal about leaking to the Dominion information about her pursuit of the UED forces, and she said she managed to decimate most of them. If that wasn't a lie, then they probably would have had a difficult time stuffing their people on just a few ships. Or maybe the few capital ships left were busted up too bad to make the trip. I don't know. I just don't like these extra factors. We've already got the Starlancer, the Zerg, the Dominion. It's too much to think about, and sometimes over thinking in a battle can get you killed. I wish it were like the old days, not having to deal with any of this spying and political bullshit. Damn near every problem could be solved with a Gauss rifle," Raynor said with a wistful sigh. He placed his palm on the bridge door and stepped through as it slid open. "Any traces of incoming ships?" he called out to the bridge officers.
The sensor officer twisted around to look at Raynor. "No, Sir. We've been scanning, but we're still not picking up anything. The Protoss just asked if you are satisfied with this location."
"Sure, but make sure they know that company could be here at any time. If it works for them, have them ship over here in a few minutes."
-_-_-
"Commander Raynor seems to have finally straightened out matters, Prelate. He requests our presences shortly," said Artanis with the mental equivalent of a wry grin. "Zeratul, are you a qualified pilot?"
The elder Protoss nodded thoughtfully. "In my youth, I was indeed a pilot. It has been a few years since last I flew a starfighter, but I believe it is something I haven't forgotten. Why do you ask, Artanis?"
"If we use a shuttle to travel the Hyperion, we will be stranded if it comes under attack. However, if we use Scouts or Corsairs, we could leave to aid our forces."
"A good plan, Praetor."
"I had hoped you would approve, Prelate. I have my Scout and a Corsair prepared for our usage. Shall we go see Commander Raynor now?"
"Indeed, Artanis. This reunion is one long overdue. I wish it were under more enjoyable circumstances than these."
-_-_-_-
Flying brought back bittersweet memories to Zeratul. It had been years since last he had flown, but he hadn't forgotten the beauty and awe one felt being nearly alone amongst the cosmos inside a craft that, although the height of Protoss technology, was still little protection against the hostile environment of space. One hand rested on the flight stick of the Corsair lightly while the other rested against the fighter's control panel, allowing him easy access to shielding, armament, and engine controls and settings.
Zeratul looked out of the flight canopy, seeing Artanis floating similarly nearby. Artanis looked over at Zeratul and caught his eye, giving him a mental grin. The Scout leapt forward and rolled sideways, eventually turning into an elongated loop that left him where he had started. Zeratul smiled at his young friend and slowly engaged his engines while his other hand pulled back the flight stick, back flipping his starfighter quickly. He smiled slightly as he weaved his craft's flight path with that of the Scout's, enjoying the complex maneuver. He paused in his maneuvering and looked out at the stars, a fragment of memory trying to surface. He shook his head slowly, clearing the errant thought.
"Perhaps we should dock with the Hyperion now, Praetor. Although this is invigorating, our time may be short," Zeratul said with a sigh.
The docking bays of the Hyperion slowly opened far in front of them, a massive gaping mouth eager to swallow the comparatively tiny Protoss craft. The Hyperion's bays had been modified to be able to hold the Protoss fighters during the Brood War, as their landing apparatus and size were significantly different from Terran Wraiths. The Hyperion was a near- perfect reflection of its captain: a seemingly eclectic mix of unique qualities along with the scars of battle.
As the two craft entered the maw of the Battlecruiser, the door slid shut behind them, pressurizing the docking bay against the cold space beyond. The repulsors that held the two fighters aloft slowly extinguished until they were close to the deck. The fighter canopies opened in unison, revealing the First Born held within. The two Protoss levered themselves deftly out of the cockpits and onto the wings of their fighters before jumping down to the deck.
The small door at the opposite end of the fighter bay slid open silently, revealing Raynor standing behind them. "Howdy, boys. It's good to see you two again."
Zeratul laughed softly. "I wish our meeting were under more pleasant circumstances."
"You two don't know the half of it. Doctor Malcolm here," said Raynor as he waved to Dr. Malcolm, who was stepping through the doorway, "has a whole hell of a lot to tell you, and none of it is good news. Follow me, and we'll go have ourselves a little conference and figure out what comes next."
-_-_-_-
"Commander Owens, we're only a few minutes from reversion. What is our plan?" asked the youthful voice of Firespray Duece.
Commander Owens flicked a few switches on his comm. panel, opening a broad communication link to the eight squadrons of Wraiths that he was leading. "We'll go in weapons hot, cloaking fields enabled. Our informant seems to have been caught, but we got some pretty interesting information before. I'm not sure who all is in this area though, so be careful. Everyone, keep your wingman nearby and help each other out," said Owens.
"Commander, what sort of forces does Raynor have, or was the informant caught too quickly to relay that information?" asked Novaflare Leader, his tone dour and seemingly uninterested.
"We've got some preliminary numbers, but they could have changed by now. Estimate show that Raynor may have about a half-dozen Battlecruisers in the immediate area, along with various smaller support ships and freighters. He seems to be relatively light on starfighters, so we have that advantage," said Owens. "But there might be Protoss in the zone as well," Owens added quietly.
A variegated stream of colorful profanity filled the comm. channel before Owens cut it off with a yell. "Quiet, quiet! The UER has fought the Protoss before, and we've done just fine. Just remember that a Scout can take a Wraith easy, even with the modifications our techs have made to them, so team up to take them out," he said before cautioning, "But don't let yourselves bunch up too much, or you'll be fodder for the Corsairs. Whatever else you do when we get in, don't fire until I give the go-ahead, got it?"
Calls of acknowledgement scattered across the channel, but Owens shut it off with a flick of a switch. His hand crept up to the cross he wore on a chain around his neck, and his eyes closed in deep thought. When he opened them his hand fell away.
-_-_-
"Arcturus Mengsk is mad! How could he attempt such atrocities?" asked an astonished Artanis. His eyes weren't flaring as brilliantly as usual, a testament to his current state of shock.
"Artanis, I think we all know that bastard will do whatever he thinks will get him more power," said Raynor.
"This is indeed a grave matter, Commander, but no less grave than the matter we bring before you now," Zeratul said slowly and deliberately, and then looked pointedly at Dr. Malcolm. "However, this requires an extraordinary amount of secrecy."
Dr. Malcolm stood stiffly and rubbed his hands down the front of his clothing, smoothing out unseen rumples. "I have some things to tend to anyway. If you need me, I'll be in my quarters." He looked around at the three leaders still seated. "Starlancer isn't something that we can afford to delay dealing with." He nodded curtly, and walked out of the conference room.
Raynor grinned at Zeratul. "I guess the doctor didn't like your suggestion that he could be a security hazard," he said before sighing. "You mentioned earlier that you both had some bad news, so you might as well lay it on me now."
-_-_-_-
"Commander Owens, reversion in sixty seconds, I repeat, six-oh," said the easy tones of Firespray Nine.
Commander Owens glanced quickly across his instrument board, affirming once again that everything was operating at optimum efficiency. He tapped a few buttons with one hand while his other modified his shield settings. The UER Wraiths had been retrofitted with Protoss-style energy shielding, but it ran off of the engines of the fighters. Although they had been vastly upgraded and improved in the past few years, the shields could still cause a significant decrease in speed if set too high. Owens liked to dial them down low, contrary to the practices of the pilots under his command. They were dependent upon the shielding to save them if they made a mistake, but thinking like that would lead to sloppiness and death. Owens prided himself upon his piloting skills, preferring to depend upon his greater speed and quicker reactions rather than shields to keep him alive.
"Firespray Squardron, do not fire until I give the go ahead, unless we're fired upon first. If they start something, respond with maximum force," said Owens.
A few confirmations came through the channel, but Owens ignored them. He reached again to the cross around his neck, caressing its smooth ridges with his thumb and forefinger. "God, if you're listening, help me keep my men alive." He let the crucifix drop from his fingers and placed his hand upon his piloting yoke, his face impassive as he began testing his weaponry.
-_-_-_-
"You've got to be kidding! So someone, somewhere, thought it'd be a good idea to mix the Zerg, the Protoss, and humans?" asked Raynor, clearly annoyed and worried.
Zeratul bowed his head for a few moments before he looked up and responded. "Indeed, Commander Raynor. The servant of Kerrigan, the Terran Samir Duran, was present when I assaulted the facility. I. . . "
Artanis turned and looked quizzically at the Prelate. "Is something wrong, Zeratul?"
!*!
Zeratul's eyes dimmed as he searched his many hundreds of years of memories, seeking something. . .important. Finally, he seized upon what he sought. "I remember something I found years ago, before the Brood War. It was right after Aiur fell, after Tassadar sacrificed himself to destroy the Overmind. I was preparing my fighter to aid in the search for survivors of the Zerg assault, but when I got into my Corsair I found a message waiting for me, a message I believe to have been sent by Tassadar moments before. . ."
Zeratul reached into the folds of his dark blue cloak and withdrew a data disk, handing it to Raynor. "This contains a record of the message I received. I do not fully comprehend it, but I believe it is related to these Hybrids."
Raynor stood and walked across the room, sliding the small disk into the wall terminal. A holographic projector on the table the three had been seated around flashed into operation, displaying a page of holographic text a few inches above the surface of the table.
"-Zeratul The first battle is over but the war is beginning. Do not allow our brethren to remain pawns."
Raynor whistled softly from where he was leaning by the terminal, but his noise of surprise failed to break the silence in the conference room. "That does sound like Tassadar."
Zeratul nodded slowly. "Though this message doesn't have a direct reference to our current plights, we must remember that we now have two threats to deal with. We cannot allow ourselves to be manipulated into dealing with the lesser threat first."
"But we don't know anything about these Hybrids, Zeratul. Hell, we don't even know where they are right now! The Starlancer is almost done, and we know where that is. For the moment, I'd say that's the greater threat. Do we agree on that?"
Artanis looked over at Zeratul before speaking. "Commander Raynor, your assessment of the situation seems astute. Our greatest threat at the moment is this Dominion weapon. We have forces enough to combine with yours to destroy this weapon with us."
Raynor frowned. "But won't that leave Shakuras under defended? I'd hate to have the Dominion or the Zerg stumble across it and wipe it out because you're all out here."
"To our knowledge, the location of Shakuras remains hidden from the Dominion. The Zerg have become strangely uncoordinated recently, similar to when the Overmind fell. However, Kerrigan has created many Cerebrates to help administer the Swarm, and this measure seems to be keeping the Swarm from erupting into chaos. For the meantime, Shakuras is safe from the Swarm," said Artanis.
"We have moved the majority of our fleet away from Shakuras, and have begun the search for a new base to stage from, Commander. It is my hope that establishing a new base will draw attention away from locating Shakuras. However, we have yet to locate a suitable world," Zeratul said.
"I think me and my people can solve that problem, Zeratul. We've found a bunch of planets that would be perfect for both our races, but we haven't wanted to be pinned down. I think, though, that if we have both our peoples entrenched there, we'll be a less likely target," said Raynor. "I'll have someone start looking through our records and see if we can't come up with something that'll work for both of us."
Artanis stood and stretched out his legs. "We seem to have accomplished all we can at this moment, Commander. Perhaps Zeratul and I should return to the Tassadar now."
Raynor started to respond, but the blaring sirens and garish lights of an emergency klaxon stopped him. Raynor's hand slapped the button below the klaxon, killing its' wailing cries. The speaker above crackled to life, bearing the words of the communications officer. "Sir, sensors have detected the reversion of a large number of starfighter class ships."
Raynor nodded to Artanis and Zeratul, and waved them out of the conference room as he responded. "Okay, what do we know? Do we have a number of fighters yet, or what type they are?"
"Sensors estimate over six dozen squadrons of starfighters. Preliminary spectrographic analysis of the engine emissions suggests heavily modified Wraiths."
"Deploy our fighters and have them go weapons-hot. Send out a science vessel and see what they can make of these fighters. And don't forget to send a message to the Protoss with this information. I'm sure they've detected the fighters too, but it can't hurt to give them a heads up as to what we've found. In the meantime, don't fire unless fired upon. I'll be on the bridge in a few minutes," he finished and pressed a button on the wall, switching off the speaker.
Raynor stepped away from where he had been leaning and walked across the room. He stopped at the doorway, looking down the empty corridor beyond. He muttered to himself, "Everything gets more interesting with Zeratul around." Then, with a laugh that sounded more like a sickly cough than good humor, he began jogging swiftly down the corridor towards the bridge, a feeling of unease settling in his gut as he tried to ignore the new threat he now knew to be lurking somewhere in the galaxy.
+=+=+=
Authors Note: Where this symbol occurs, !*!, it's a reference to another story of mine that sort of ties into this one. Actually, almost all of my stories tie together, but this is a more direct reference than usual. The story is titled "Darkness of the Void", and can be found at
I'm not going to force you to read it, and not reading it won't detract from Heroes Never Die at all, but it does in fact tie in, so you may or may not want to.
Fight on, Dark-Elk