Starcraft : The Unfolding End

by Stephen R Sobotka

At the end of the Brood Wars, the Queen of the Zerg plots to end all Terran and Protoss existance in the Korprulu Sector, and not even Raynor and his allies stand a chance... or do they?

STARCRAFT : THE UNFOLDING END
by Stephen R. Sobotka Jr. / 2005

DISCLAIMER : Starcraft is the creation of Blizzard Games; all characters of this story -- with the exception of the original ones I created -- are the property of said licenses, and are used here without knowledge or permission of same. This story was produced to entertain fans of the original software game, and is in no way, shape or form intended to be published for monetary gain. Please do not sue.

This story is an original prose based on situations and themes from the original game. This story is the rightful property of the author; all original characters and the plot depicted within are protected by copyright law.

AUTHOR'S NOTES : I came up with the plot for this story way back when I still played Brood Wars. Any plot holes will be cheerfully fixed ASAP.

Comments/Reviews are most welcome, so please DO so! - SRS Jr

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Prelude:
The Darkest Before Dawn...

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The Inner Chambers, Central Nexus,
Zerg Hive Colony, Char
14:29 SCT, 01.10.2501

Eyes closed to the muted luminesence surrounding her, the lone infested female standing in the middle of the organic-infested chamber had her head tilted slightly to the side, as if listening to something unseen. With her blade-shaped, red-and-black tinted locks falling about her face, her lithe form swayed slightly from side to side, as if attuned to some alien cadence.

Spreading her hands wide over several organic control nodules on the platform beneath her, she breathed in the damp, musty air through her nose as she continued to listen to the psionic call of the various creatures -- zerglings, 'Lisks and others -- all in constant communion with their cluster leaders and brood masters, the cerebrates.

She let the essence of pure mind-power roll over her inner senses. The flow... the sound... its music can bridge the stars!

It is a wonderous sound, is it not?

Her lips twisting slightly, the woman merely murmured, "It is."

You have the flavor of a jaded mind, child... you show little awe for the power of what has been created here. Can you not see the greatness of what has been done... in your name?

Sighing, the red-haired woman that was once named Sarah Kerrigan pulled her focus from the 'music' of the swarms. "Be wary who you call a child, Overmind!" She stepped back from the center of the chamber, letting her hands fall away from the control nodules. "You may be powerful, but you are barely old enough to be called an infant yourself!"

The voice of the resurrected Overmind in her head seemed to flood her awareness with the sensation of amusement. You may have created me, but I will one day surpass you and become the true master of the swarm.

"Don't think you can ever be superior to me!" Kerrigan hissed. "I worked to create you from the memories and remains of your predesesor, so you could serve the needs of all Zerg broods!"

We all serve the needs of the Swarm... yet, for all to truly prosper, it is my purpose to grow, and evolve to become more than the old Overmind ever could be. Was that not your intention, when you resurrected me?

"I ressurrected you... soley to better aid me in keeping the Zerg in line," Kerrigan said sourly. "Even though I rule their cerebrates by fear and sheer will, I cannot control the entire depth and span of all Broods directly." She shook her head and opened her eyes, looking upwards to where the large receptor node -- the only way she could communicate with this new Overmind -- and said firmly, "I am your Master, and you live to serve Myself and the Zerg!"

Again, a flood of amusement filled the air. We shall see, then... Master Kerrigan.

Not rising to the bait, she sighed once more. "As we shall... now, what is the status of our forces afield?"

Your Jormungand forces have continued to harass the last of the Dominion forces that are holding fast on Dyson... the advanced scouts from Fenris are reporting no immedate uprisings near our holdings from Aiur, nor from the last of the UED forces lingering on Korhal, however...

Kerrigan cocked her head once more. "Yes?"

A small force of Terrans and Protoss have been spotted, moving towards the backwater portions of the Korprulu Sector... making their way towards Shakuras.

"A straggler force?" Kerrigan asked.

It appears to be thus... survivors from the wasted colony on one of the outlying planets of the Dyson Prime system. Shall we have them erradicated? the Overmind asked.

Kerrigan mused for a moment. "Send two token Striker clusters from our brood to deal with them."

Only two? A pitance to send after mere Terran refugees.

"That straggler force must not be allowed to reach Shakuras," Kerrigan said. "They could receive aid from the Protoss still remaining on that world. Remove them, and we can concentrate on the remaining Terrans... and, with them eliminated, we can then deal with the Protoss at our leisure."

The Dominion forces that still oppose us on Dyson are fighting with much vigor and resistance... they will not fall easily.

"They will fall eventually!" Kerrigan said firmly. "I want those defenses broken, so we can sweep into the Dominion worlds and take them... it will end the niggling presence of Terrans as a threat to the swarms, once and for all!"

It will take the bulk of the Broods to complete such a massive campaign. the Overmind stated. We will need all mobile hive clusters, just to break the siege line at the Dominion advance base... the one they call 'New Antetum'. The Overmind paused. We would be better to crush all Protoss on Shakuras, and use what can be assimilated from their remains to finish the last of the Terrans.

"We will remain focused to our original prime objective, as I have planned it, Overmind!" Kerrigan snapped. "Once the Terrans are defeated, there will be nothing to stop us from achieving final domination of this galaxy!"

And... you wish to begin by destroying the refugee fleet with a token force, then?

"Why not?" She added with a rumble of distaste, "Besides... a group of battered Terrans and shattered Protoss shouldn't be so difficult for two Striker units to handle." She turned away and started to stalk out of the chamber. "Dispatch the clusters, as I ordered, Overmind... the sooner we begin, the quicker our conquest will be complete!"

There was a pause, before the Overmind replied to her disappearing form As you wish...

Exodus Fleet, Aboard Battlecruiser Hyperion
Spinward Outbound, Dyson Prime System
15:55 SCT, 01.10.2501

There was a sharp, insistent clearing of a throat, sounding loud and echoing around the flight bridge. "Uh, Commander?" the Colonial Marine asked gruffly.

Not moving from his place at the upper tier of the command level of the bridge, the man being addressed by the Marine didn't even turn his head from the large, tactical display in front of him. "Go ahead, Major... report."

"Sir, TacCOM has two large bodies of mass on long-range sweeps!" The Marine glanced over where several of the communications and sensor techies were scrambling over their control boards. "IFoF tags 'em as two Brood swarms; moving at 3,000 clicks out and heading towards us!"

There seemed to be little reaction from the tall, lanky man in the grey-green skinsuit... save for the slight tightening around his eyes. With a sigh, the man murmured, "Adjutant... put 'er up on Tactcial."

"At once, Commander," Came the reply from a male-designate cyborg, standing near the main computer terminal.

The Marine moved up to stand next to the railing, joining his superior in looking down at the wide-ovoid display below as it filled with a wire-frame display of the two approaching swarms.

Reynor asked, "Can you tell what Brood-type these... swarms originated from?"

Shaking his head, the Marine replied, "Negative, Sir... though we have to assume they're from the same bunch of nasties that have been houndin' us since we lifted from Dyson-Six. Those were part of that she-witch's lil' bunch!"

With another sigh, Commander Jim Raynor frowned as he looked at the graphic display of the swarm in flight; Mutalisks, Guardians and Overlords, packed in tight around each other... more Zerg than he'd personally seen since the fall of Aiur... or even Korhal!

We barely made it out of that one! he told himself. "We can't risk a fight out in the open like this! Are we able to make a 'Jump now?"

The Adjuntant shook his head. "No, Sir... the warp drives won't be charged for another warp for another eight to twelve hours."

Placing both hands on the railing, Raynor continued to stare at the display for a few moments longer, before he hitched his shoulders and ordered, "Get Artanis on the blower, Major... quick!"

"Yessir!"

As the Marine moved to comply, Raynor slowly straightened up and peered up at the ceiling. Can't seem to shake your guard dogs, can we... Darlin'? he said to himself.

Just then, a smaller display nearby crackled to life, as the cyborg called out, "Contact with the Uthor established, Sir... we have Artanis on line!"

Turning away from the larger display below, Reynor faced the smaller display as the image of their alien ally appeared; filling the holo-square with his stone-faced, glowing eyed visage.

"En Taro Tassadar, Commander Reynor," the young Protoss Templar said formally.

"Hey, Artanis. Looks like we've got some company!" Reynor replied, stepping back to let the larger display be included in the visual transmission. "Your people are picking these critters up, right?"

Nodding, Artanis replied, "Indeed, Commander... we had them on our sensors just moments ago." His high, stony brows arched briefly. "Is your ship able to execute a warp jump?"

Gotta like that 'kid'... thinks just like you do, on occasion! "Hell no... we've got to charge the engines for another eight hours, at least!" Reynor countered with a question of his own, "Can your ships jump out? No sense in both of our people getting snagged by the Zerg!"

"We would not do so, and leave you and your people behind, Commander!" Artanis leveled his gaze at Reynor. "You still have many of the Dyson colony survivors aboard your transports! They would fall victim to the Zerg swarms, once they overtook you!"

Sighing, Reynor replied, "Believe me, I don't want those colonists to face the Zerg like some helpless child against a pack of Bengalaas... but, your ships have the bulk of the survivors from Dyson's six colonies. We can't let them all fall prey to those critters!" He shook his head once. "If you can jump to warp, then get your people and those survivors out of here, Artanis. We'll circle the wagons here, and try to get free of the Zerg... if we can."

Artanis slowly shook his head. "I am sorry, Commander, but I cannot do that. The surviving members of the Conclave bade me to aid you in recovering as many of your people as could be helped," he said. "It would be a loss of honor to abandon you!"

At that, Reynor's face clouded over. "Screw 'honor', Artanis, it's my call! I'm telling you... no, I'm asking you to take the colonists you have, jump out of here and save yourselves!"

"Sir!" the Major came over quickly, speaking in a hurried voice. "The swarms are now one-thousand-and-five-hundred clicks inbound! At this range, they'll be all over us in three minutes!"

From the viewscreen, Artanis stated, "We'll need at least six of your Terran minutes to execute a warp jump, Commander." With an apologetic shrug, he said, "It appears we will all be overrun by the Zerg."

"Don't bet the farm on it!" Reynor snapped his head around, "Comm! Send an order to all non-combatant carriers and transports; move in deep underneath the Protoss ships and stay put!" He then turned towards the Tactical stations. "TacCOMM, order up all Fleet combat ships to form alongside the Hyperion! We're forming a picket between the non-com ships and the Zerg! Send that order immediately!"

"Sir?" came the startled reply from a techie.

"We don't have enough ships to-!" The Major started to protest, only to have Reynor whip around to face him; the Commander's eyes blazing.

"Screw the numbers, Major! We are forming a battle line to give Artanis and his ships time to jump, and it doesn't matter one fig to me how many ships we don't have!" Reynor explained sharply. "Get those orders out, now!"

A chorus of "Aye, Sir!" and "Yessir!" came back, as the assorted members of the bridge crew scrambled to comply.

Looking back at the viewscreen, Reynor said, "Artanis, start your prep-work to 'Jump out of here! We'll buy you enough time to get clear!"

Seeing the resolve in Reynor's eyes, Artanis nodded and looked away for a moment; calling out orders in the Protoss language. "It will be done, Commander." His eyes reflected a small aura of bitterness. "I have ordered some of our fighter craft to augment your defenders... it will not be much-."

"It will do... trust me, it will do," Reynor replied with a nod. "Thanks, Artanis."

"We will not fail you, Commander," the young Protoss replied somberly. "We will take your people to safety. Tera'khala"

"Be one... with Adun, Artanis," Reynor replied with a touch of studder, just as the deckplates beneath his feet started to vibrate. "What the-?"

At once, the Adjuntant said, "Commander! We're reading a massive flux in space... right above the fleet's position!"

Snapping his head around, Reynor stared at the ceiling of the bridge; feeling the vibrations rumble stronger and with growing intensity. "Put it on the viewer, now!"

The tactical display squiggled, before showing a view of the space directly above the Exodus Fleet. There, Reynor could see a large swirling pattern obscuring the view of the stars above them.

"Crud! That's... a warp signature!" He whipped back towards the small communications display. "Artanis! Are you-?"

"We see it too, Commander!" the Protoss Praetor replied quickly.

"What is it? Are the Zerg dropping a third force on top of us?"

"No... this cannot be the Zerg! The warp energy signature is... Protoss! But it is several times more powerful than any-! Wait! It is nearing completion... something is coming through!"

Raynor turned pale. Something more powerful than a Protoss? "All ships! Brace for incoming! All defenders, launch Wraiths and Valkyries! Standard Umbrella Pattern Zeta!"

Outside, above the motley collection of Terran and Protoss ships, the very fabric of space parted, like someone had taken a knife and slashed through the inky black curtain, allowing a nimbus of violent colors to spill through the gap.

Out of this opening, three large, globe and elipsis shaped objects appeared; thundering down on a curved path on massive engines that glowed with amber fire, that danced over their faded yellow and red colored hullplates.

Before either the Terran defenders or their Protoss counterparts could move towards these strange ships, the trio arced away from the Exodus Fleet, burning a triple-trail of light and heat... as they powered through space, towards the quickly-advancing swarms of the Zerg!

TO BE CONTINUED...