Part I Tremors and Darkness
Ah, the Great Hammermaster writing Starcraft fiction? A very very noble quest. A principly Zelda writer now writing starcraft? This should be good. Hello friends. You probably don't know me, I'm mostly a Zelda and Harvest Moon writer, so this is my first Starcraft story on this website. I'm rather excited about this story, for I think it is a big step away from what I usually write. A part II and perhaps a III and IV might come after this one. Well, Enjoy.
Subject 1 identified as Zergling. Smaller, warrior strain of Zerg. Known to attack without mercy. It runs on all fours, and moves very very quickly. Its front limbs have been fitted with sharp claws which it uses to tear its enemies apart. Subject 2 identified as Defiler. Larger, general non combat Zerg strain. It moves by slithering along the ground using the muscles in its stomach, its tentacles are not meant for propulsion. They are used instead like hands, to manipulate objects. The Zerg themselves were believed to be extinct ever since the Great Wars. But the discovery of these subjects brings a question as to whether that is true or not. But since we found them frozen in the ice fields of the Sardania moon, it is believed that they were frozen in the ice hundreds of years ago during the Great Wars. We have not yet determined whether they are alive or not. Though it is known that several species of animal have the ability to be frozen in ice for long periods of time, and then thaw out and be perfectly alright, it is not known if the Zerg have this ability as well. Further studies will follow.
Jack finished his report, and emailed it to his commander. He sighed, and leaned back in his chair. Jack knew his boss would email it back to him in an hour or so, telling him to fix up his grammar a little bit. Jack sighed.
"I make one grammar mistake and am branded for life?" he mused aloud.
Yeah, sometimes he regretted his choice to be a biologist. But then he would discover something amazing through his experiments, and the thrill would make him not understand how he had ever doubted his career. Then his boss graded his work.
But his boss wasn't here right now. Jack had boarded the Terran space station hours ago. His job was to study and identify the new Zerg creatures which had been found frozen in the ice on the nearby moon. Jack scratched the whiskers on his face, as he reexamined the paper. It was not easy work, for very little was documented about the Zerg. During the war the Terran race spent to much time fighting off the attacks of the Zerg that they didn't have time to actually study the species very much. Then at the end of the war, their home planet of Char was decimated by its exploding sun. At the end, when it seemed that there was no hope for the Human and Protoss races, when the Generals lost the will to act, the forces of nature which God in his wisdom had placed in the universe took action, and Char's sun, an ancient red supergiant exploded into a supernova.
The explosion devoured the planet, and with it died the highest Cerebrates, Daggoth and the others. Infested Kerrigan had long since died in the war, and no one was left to lead the Zerg swarms. The smaller Cerebrates had not adapted advanced minds, and they quickly lost control of their swarms, which rampaged out of control, destroying each other. Finally, every last Zerg had either been killed, or lost all necessary brain functions due to the lack of a leader, and just stared off into space until time took its toll and they died of starvation. And then these new Zerg had been uncovered from within the ice.
Classified as Devourer. Fluid injected, hibernation maintained. It seems that the specimens are still alive.
Ann watched the computer type up the report. She finished injecting the fluid into the Zerg guardian, and moved on to the next patient. Ann brushed her orangish red poneytail out of her face as she examined the second subject. She immediately examined the sample of blood which had been taken from the creature, and inserted the genetic information into the computer
Classified as Sunken Colony. This strain of Zerg is mutated from a Zerg drone. It was often regarded as just a building, but it is a living creature just like the other forms of Zerg. Sharp tentacles extend out from the bottom of it, and it is unclear what the purpose of these tentacles is, since they would be buried under the ground.
Next subject identified as Hydralisk. Large worm like Zerg warrior. Fitted with blade like arms to impale its enemies, which are much different than the claws of the Zerglings.
"You sure did your homework Jack," Ann said to herself as she read his latest works.
In truth, she had never met Jack, but she knew that he was the biologist who wrote the reports on the newly discovered Zerg. She admired his work, because he always managed to discover secrets about the Zerg that were strange and amazing. Ann inserted the needle into the twitching Sunken Colony, and injected the medicine.
"Bob," Josh said, shivering as usual. "When did you last see the boss?"
"Last time I saw him was this morning. He wanted bacon and eggs for breakfast this morning."
Bob was a serious looking man with smoothly combed brown hair but was shorter than most men. Josh was a crazy eyed white spiked haired tall and thin man who always looked nervous.
"No," Josh said. "Have you seen him lately. He has been acting weird."
"He said he was a bit overly stressed about this job. And besides, he's new. And he just is a strange person. You haven't figured that out yet? I once saw him drawing stick figures on a piece of paper with crayons."
"But his eyes," Josh shuddered. "They have that wild look. That... I don't know how to describe it."
"His eyes have always looked like that."
"Well..." Josh ran his hand nervously through his spikey blond hair. "I don't know if I should do something."
"Don't do anything," Bob said. "The Boss is just eccentric, that's all."
"Okay," Josh said, opening his eyes really widely so that they looked frightened, and jittery.
Bob shook his head, and turned away.
'He sure gets on my nerves,' he thought to himself.
"You've got an email," the note popped up on the screen, intriguing Jack. "One message from your boss."
Jack sighed, and clicked out of the window. At this point he didn't care what grammatical errors his boss had found in his report. Besides, his boss was down on the planet. The only boss who was up here on the space station was the Captain of the station, and he could care less what errors Jack made. The Captain of the Space Station was very strange, however. His eyes always looked wild, and it was rumored that he would draw stick figure pictures in crayon.
"You've got an email."
Jack looked up again, surprised that he had received a new email already. He wasn't familiar with the writer of the message, so he brought it up.
"Mr. Jack Daniels, this is Ann Donvin from the Containment Level. I need to speak with you about the medicine we are giving these creatures. I noticed a slight shift in there genetic structure after I injected the fluid into them. I need to speak with you soon. Are you free tomorrow at noon. If so, could we discuss this over lunch in the cafeteria."
Jack smiled slightly. He had heard about Ann. She was the one who was watching over the new Zerg creatures, and giving them there daily injections. He hadn't met her yet, but his work immediately went to her first, to help her with the subjects. He would have to meet this girl.
"You've got an email!" Jack looked up in surprise again.
"You've got an email!"
"What?" Jack said in surprise.
"You've got an email!"
"You've got an email!"
"You've got an email!"
"You've got an email!"
"You've got an email!"
"You've got an email!"
"You've got an email!"
Jack smacked the monitor.
"Stupid computer!"
"You've got an email!"
"Shut up!"
"You've got an email!"
The series of "You've got an email!"s stopped, and Jack pulled up one of the messages.
"Darkness is coming! Ha-ha-ha! Ha-ha-ha! Ha-ha-ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Death is coming! Ha-ha-ha! That will be twenty six dollars and eighty two cents!"
"Stupid spammers," Jack said, deleting the messages.
He sighed and leaned back in his chair. Some people should never be allowed to touch a computer. The door to his room opened, letting in the darkness from the outside.
"Who is it?" Jack asked, looking up from his computer.
"Its me Jack, Mr. Douglas."
Jack looked up in surprise. His boss was supposed to be on the planet surface.
"I thought you were still on the planet!"
"I decided to come on board," Mr. Douglas said. "Didn't you get the email I sent you a couple of minutes ago?"
"Oh..." Jack stopped, mentally rebuking himself for immediately assuming his bosses intentions were to nag him about his work.
"I need to file your recent findings tomorrow and send them in to headquarters. I'll need your help. Can we meet at around noon?"
"I can't," Jack said. "Ann Donvin needs to meet me for lunch tomorrow."
"Oh," his boss said. "Miss Donvin tells me your research has been very helpful to her in the last couple of days."
"That's good," Jack said.
"Okay then," Mr. Douglas said. "No noon. How about three o'clock in the afternoon? I have to go back to the planet tonight, but I'll be here tomorrow at three?"
"Sounds good," Jack said. "I'll meet you on the main deck."
Mr. Douglas then turned, and left the room. Jack leaned back in his chair, and mused over all that was happening.
Ann injected the medicine into subject fifteen, which had been identified a Hydralisk. Suddenly the computer beeped. Ann looked, up surprised, and looked at the computer screen.
"Hackhackhackhackhackhackhackhackhackhackhackhackhackhackhackhackhackhacked! I'll get you my pretties! Hahahahahahah! And your little dog too!"
"Oh please," Ann moaned. "Who let Josh on the computer this time?"
Error in the system. Error seems to be caused by program fuzzychipmunksonrampage.exe. A virus scan is recommended.
"Oh what the crap?" Ann exclaimed.
She put her shot down on the table, and walked out of the room. She immediately went to the break room to see if she could find Josh or Bob. Bob would at least know what was going on.
"Bob. Bob. Bob. Bob. Bob," Josh said, his hands twitching nervously.
"You sound like a broken record," Bob sighed. "What do you want this time Josh? I thought I told you to go easy on the coffee today."
"I tried Bob," Josh replied. "I really did. But the coffee looked so good just sitting in that coffee maker. But that's not important!"
"What?" Bob said annoyed. "What could possibly be more important than getting rid of your dependency on coffee?"
"Uh, maybe that," Josh pointed over at the computer screen.
"Ding dong the witch is BACK! The witch is BACK! The wicked Witch is Back!" Bob read the words on the screen aloud.
"Oh my gosh," Josh said, his mouth hanging open. "I saw something like this on a movie once. There were these little short guys... I mean, shorter than you, and they were..."
"Yeah I know," Bob said sighing. "Its called the 'Wizard of Oz.'"
"...and they killed this girl with a falling house," Josh finished, as if he had never been interrupted.
"The computer must have another virus," Bob said. "Lets go see Jack and find out if he's having the same problem."
"Josh? Bob?"
Ann looked in the break room, seeing no one. Josh and Bob usually hung out around here while they were on break, but they were no where to be seen. Ann eyed the empty coffee maker.
"Well I see you have already been here Josh," she said smiling.
Ann then looked over and saw a packet of tooth picks lying on the couch.
"Oh. You too Bob."
Ann turned to leave, but then saw the words on the computer console changing. They read: The house falls upon you! Hahahahaha!
"What?" Ann said to herself.
Suddenly the sliding electronic door in front of her slammed shut, just barely missing her hand.
Crush you in the might of steel! the computer said.
Ann shrieked, and jumped backwards. The door continued opening and slamming shut like that.
Didn't your mother ever teach you not to jump through scissors? the words on the screen spelled out.
"Sir, we seem to be having some sort of problem with the computers," John Harchman said.
"What's wrong with it?" Dr. Jofree asked.
"The screen has gone blank, and words have appeared on it spelling out: 'Do you believe in spooks? Do you? Do you? Do you? You WILL believe in spooks. You will! You will! You will! For the ghosts of the past are coming for you!'"
"That must be some hacker," Dr. Jofree said. "Go report this to the Captain."
"Yes sir," John Harchman turned, and walked out the door.
He went down the hallway and took a right until he came to a mechanical door. He knocked on it, but no one answered.
"Captain?"
John Harchman opened the door, and looked in. The Captain was no where in sight. His coffee cup had been knocked over, and had spilled all over his desk. His computer was smashed, and his chair had been yanked back and thrown to the floor.
"Captain?" John Harchman said again. "What happened here?"
He turned around to leave, but then a dark figure leaped out from the shadows onto John. There was a clang, and then a scream. Then silence. But then a strange voice lifted up, singing mournfully. Like some creature back from the dead, it moaned and groaned in its mournful dirge as the demon sang its bloodthirsty song. Then it was gone. The broken figure of John Harchman lay on the ground, all strewn about as if a violent struggle had occurred. His throat was slit, and his body was covered with wounds. The demon had taken him.
But his mysterious attacker had simply disappeared. Then the lights flashed off, and then back on. Then they failed completely.
"What the devil?" Dr. Jofree looked up from his work. "Its just one problem after another, isn't it.
"Oh yes it is," said a dark throaty voice which seemed to materialize out from the darkness.
Dr. Jofree looked up, startled.
"Who is it?"
"The Shadow."
"The Shadow?"
"The Shadow has come for you."
Suddenly the electronic coffee maker which sat on the table tilted towards Dr. Jofree, and sprayed hot coffee all over him.
"Aaauuuggghhh!" Dr. Jofree screamed as the scalding liquid slammed against him, causing him to tumble backwards over the table.
But he screamed even louder when he saw the face of the Shadow, leaping down upon him to strike the final blow. It was over in a second, Dr. Jofree was dead, stabbed through the heart with a strip of metal. His eyes remained fixed in the position they had been in before. And in his eyes appeared one emotion, complete senseless terror.
System's error. It seems that someone has been chewing on the computer cords. System off line until someone buys a Root Beer. Thirsty eh Jack?
"What?" Jack looked at his computer screen in disbelief.
He had never seen a computer do something like this before.
Need my advice? I think that it is time you went to the magical place over the rainbow!
The lights flashed, and then went black. Jack immediately jumped up to his feet. Something strange was happening.
The Shadow is coming for you.
Jack looked around, searching for the hidden enemy which was supposed to come out and attack him. Then he realized that this Shadow could be trying to sneak up on him, since the lights had failed. The only way to fight this creature correctly involved turning its methods against itself. Jack ducked under his desk, looking around for his enemy. And explosion suddenly shattered the quiet atmosphere, and the wall split apart, falling down upon Jack's desk, breaking the legs and causing it to collapse on top of him.
The doors slammed together again, sending sparks as the metallic edges scraped each other. Ann grabbed a table, and pushed it between the doors when they opened, hoping to hold them open. But no. The doors snapped through the wooden table like a pair of scissors. The wood splintered and split, and a piece shot out and went into Ann's arm.
Ann screamed, more out of surprise than pain, and pulled the wooden splinter out of her arm. The remains of the table fell to the ground in a heap, while the doors continued slamming shut. Ann braced herself, she would have to jump between them. They slammed shut, she jumped. The doors slammed shut again, and Ann screamed. The door slammed shut again, and again, and again. The scream ended, and silence reigned.
Bob and Josh walked into the wreck room, and looked around of Jack.
"He's probably in his office working," Bob suggested, placing a tooth pick in his mouth.
"Bob," Josh said, his eyes wide, and his hands trembling. "You know that feeling I get when something bad is going to happen?"
"Yes?"
"I'm getting it right now! Something bad is happening!"
"Right, don't get a heart attack."
Bob looked around the room, searching for anything which could be bad.
"Bob?" Josh moaned nervously.
"What is it Josh?" Bob responded.
"I... I think you'd better look over there."
"Look at what?" Bob turned, and saw where Josh was pointing.
It was an office room with the door ajar.
"What's wrong with it?" Bob asked.
"Its supposed to be closed. And... and... and..."
"And what?" Bob asked annoyed.
"And the lights are out inside, so the person who works in there must have forgotten to lock the door."
"Oh," Bob said. "Then lets go close it."
Bob walked to the doorway, and looked inside. He saw a figure sitting in the computer chair.
"Hey," Bob said. "Why are all your lights off?"
Bob flicked the lights on, and jumped up in shock. Bob stared at the dead body which lay strewn over the table, with its throat cut open. Bob was freaked out by the sight of the dead man, but mostly by the fact that a murderer was loose among them. Bob then turned off the lights, and closed the door. Panic welled up inside him, but he suppressed it. He felt the desire to run well up within him. The desire to get a ship and leave the space station to die.
"Bob?" Josh asked. "What's wrong?"
Bob looked up at Josh. He then felt a new emotion. His protective, almost fatherly instincts well up inside him. He had to make sure that Josh, as simple minded as he was, made it off the Space Station alive.
"Lets go Josh," he said. "We have to get off this station?"
"Why?" Josh asked.
"There is a murderer on board. Lets go find Jack, and then leave."
"What if Jack is the killer?" Josh said, shivering nervously.
Bob turned and looked at Josh.
"Jack is no killer."
So whatcha think? Good? Bad? Please leave a kindly review.