Chapter 3: A Growing Enemy
"Never think that war, no matter how necessary, nor how justified, is not a crime."
Ernest Hemingway
Early Evening, Throne Room, Char
"My queen, the last of your broods are beginning to take shape, we will soon be able to launch an assault on the pitiful Dominion forces patrolling the outer rim of this system," a dark, sinister voice said. The shadowy face looked down at her visitor.
"Do not be quick to judge our outlying enemies, it's been a long time since there has been any kind of large-scale battles, not since the last Great War, I've needed this time to muster my forces," the dark figure on the throne answered. Kerrigan continued to stare at her aide, Duran, who also stood ground and refused to move a muscle.
"Yes, my queen, I understand the logic, but the secret weapons that we've been breeding for the years past is almost ready to hatch and with it, we should be able to finally destroy any and all Terran and Protoss in the universe," Duran replied with a deepening tone. Kerrigan brooded for awhile before responding.
'He could be right, but I'm not sure if I want to utilize my new pets just yet,' Kerrigan silently thought to herself. She pointed at Duran and told him to mobilize her newly formed Khasara Brood to wipe out any Terran forces on the two outlying colonies just outside Char and any air armada that may be patrolling the system.
"Accepted, my queen, this task will be performed without prejudice and may we show our enemies that the Zerg will rise once more," Duran said as he was leaving Kerrigan's chambers.
'Zealous, he is, I just hope that it doesn't interfere with our plans, for I feel something strange is happening that I cannot foresee,' Kerrigan thought to herself.
"What are you planning, Jim?"
5 Days Later, Newly Constructed Terran Colony on Shakuras
Jim Raynor, Artanis, and Zeratul were making a final round checking on the remaining stages of construction. The entire colony of Terrans had constructed their new temporary home in less than 2 weeks. With the war and fighting that they had already witnessed, Raynor was really surprised they still had to the power to build a base that quickly.
'I must say Captain Raynor, I was skeptical about this at first but your Terran colony works with the strength of many beings,' Artanis telepathically told Raynor. He gazed with that solemn look most Protoss had, staring deeply with those glowing greenish eyes.
"Yea, they do know how to get a job done when told to," Raynor replied proudly of his men. He looked at a Starport with a squadron of Wraiths preparing to take off to make their rounds at the outer rim of the planet. The vehicles fired up their booster engines and blasted toward the milky dark sky. Shakuras' two moons really were a sight to see in a night with open skies. Lately, they were lucky enough to have really good weather.
'I agree, Judicator, these aren't like the pitiful creatures of the so-called Directorate, they are much more keen and willing to fight for their race and freedom,' Zeratul looked at Artanis, again with the same blank, solemn gaze however Raynor could tell that if he could, he would be smiling. It was nice to be able to feel happiness because for the longest time, Raynor couldn't think of one time that he smiled. Since the Great War, it was hard to keep emotions under control.
'I hope you're up there somewhere Fenix, I'm gonna need ya,' Raynor thought to himself. He looked up into the starry night sky of Shakuras.
The next morning, Shakuras
"Alright, men, listen up," Raynor boomed into the microphone in front of the makeshift podium. "Today, we begin training you for new forms of combat and endurance training."
The hundreds of Ghosts were staring at Raynor, eagerly waiting to get their new training underway. Across the field from where they were sitting, Artanis was overseeing Zeratul's talks with his Templar brethren.
'My brothers, today begins an immense turning point for our race, you will begin to become greater warriors than your brethren before you,' Zeratul said to his fellow men. 'It does my heart good to see all of you young, strong templar willing to do what you must to help our race and take back what was once ours, your homeland of Auir!"
With that, came cheers and howling of delight and exuberance from the crowd of templar that lined before Zeratul. They new what they had to do and were ready to do it. They would begin by learning the new forms of stealth and nuclear technology that the Terran Ghosts had mastered for centuries. They were intimidated but intrigued by this technology. The Ghosts, in turn, would begin learning about more advanced mind control powers and combat far beyond what they have ever comprehended.
Both races of elite fighting units, were about to come together to form the most potent and deadly form of combat every conceived by either of the Protoss or Terrans. What both didn't understand was, a new threat was forming on the outskirts of Char that they hadn't considered.