AN: Always open to constructive criticism.
**Hierarch, I was surprised when you sent for us to gather here. Though many reporting and then seeing even on our surface scans that the Overmind crater has... Sunken yet further, I assume you asked us here to inform us of why?** Selendis entered the conversation instantly on edge upon the Spear of Adun, with Talendar walking alongside her into the Engine room, that acted as their makeshift conference room.
**You are too forward Executor, give our Hierarch a chance to explain at his own pace.** Talendar attempted to soothe her ire, which had been growing as hours had worn on, following the reported earthquake and discovery of the Crater that had once housed the Overmind -and had been made more a visible wound on their homeworld by Amon- had further collapsed inward on itself. Initial scans determined that tunnels and some ancient Xel'Nagan construct sat beneath it all, and that the crater depth had increased nearly two full kilometers.
Artanis, raising a brow at the dynamic of the two Templar, Vorazun lightly chuckling at the two, simply waited for them to relax a moment before he began.
**Yes, it does involve such. However, there is more we should show you first.** Artanis nodded to Karax then, as the group had gathered in the Solarite Core Chamber to make it less likely for any to interrupt, and to keep any potential watchers to a minimum. They proceeded to explain the finding of Arska, following her to the Xel'Nagan Prison, interacting with Alarak and Kul, known now as Kuldaris, the second Ark ship, and their recent battle at Ulnar. Selendis frowned, disliking that she had been kept out of a battle until they showed her the recordings of said battle. The appearance of Ashtareen did not appear to render at all, little more than a hard to view blur despite the powerful observer lenses used to record her, which Karax wordlessly mentioned was intended to protect her, and those who were not familiar with her.
Selendis crossed her arms, watching skeptically and with a great deal of concern as the forces bearing down on Ulnar had easily outnumbered those used in the End War, were a threat to their early warning system and had been obliterated in a matter of moments by this strange being and supposed Goddess. Talendar took a moment to interject, that Ashtareen was also used as a revered figure for some in Antioch province that he had willingly allowed and kept quiet amongst the Templar with him. Once they had been brought up to speed with the supposed Primal Hybrid, newcomers to the sector and quelled any concerns due to the sheer size of the forces allowed to dwell along the edges of their space, Artanis then addressed the finer points of Xerxes' involvement in their history, and the genetic relations between himself, Xerxes and Vorazun, also mentioning that Alarak was of the same bloodline as Xerxes' long-dead twin.
Silence dragged on for a long moment before Selendis broke down in uncharacteristic hysterical laughter. Even Talendar simply stared at her until she was able to calm, face turning a brilliant shade of blue in embarrassment when the genetic scans from the teleport systems were then brought up for her to see the highlighted genetic markers. Even then, she shook her head in disbelief.
**There cannot be any public knowledge of this, relation to a Hybrid? Madness.**
**And yet, I cannot deny it. He is my Elder Brother, and as much as it is painful even now for me to admit, he had done all he did in order to protect me, and all Firstborn.** Artanis almost growled at Selendis' dismissal of the facts presented to her, Talendar nodding.
**Judicator Xerxes of Scion Province... I remember him, he and Judicator Jepok of Antioch were sparring partners at one time. Many balked and tried to withhold their strikes when attempting to spar with him, his size made many underestimate him...** Talendar paused, he could oftentimes hold his emotion very carefully, however in this, he wavered. **Xerxes had an uncanny ability to both discourage the division between Tribes and Castes, while encouraging the unity of our people. His charismatic nature and understanding, even as a Judicator, his openness to listen and not pass judgement based on laws he did not support and decried privately... You did not know him, nor his actions previously Selendis, what led him down this path must have been madness indeed.** Talendar's comments visibly quelled Selendis' amusement at the situation, not realizing just how serious they were, her eyes wide. **He is the reason I would have been willing to work alongside Tassadar's allies, the Terrans working under Jim Raynor. Or at least, I assume that is why.** Artanis' expression softened, seeing that Selendis had shrunk almost visibly.
**He is very open, far, far more than the Conclave would have ever allowed.** Artanis added after a moment of silence. **I cannot fault him, keeping his secrets now as he must, yet we wished to inform you of what had transpired, what we have learned. Not to mention, that the Conclave's archives were heavily redacted, his are not, and have been updated to fill in gaps of time far exceeding what the Conclave thought they could hide from the populace. Including the bloodline of Khas.** Talendar took a step back straightening up at the implication of such.
**My reaction exactly. There is so much that had been hidden and perpetuated by the Conclave, despite the faith our people had placed in them for so long... I worry Amon's influence may have been there from the beginning.** Talendar and Selendis shook their heads solemnly, more out of disbelief that nearly their entire existence may have been a lie. Yet, none could refute the truth, and that Rohana had not spoken yet proved that, to her knowledge, they spoke the truth. Even without the Khala, Rohana's experience and knowledge as a Preserver lent her more credence than most, and her solidarity in Artanis' decisions proved further that their experiences of the day were not exaggerated, nor embellished.
**So how do we move forward with this? Such personal information will be dangerous to reveal to the public, will you still make it available to any?** Selendis balked, concerned for her Hierarch if his relations are made known. Vorazun scoffed.
**You appear to have passed over the information that our Hierarch, is my Uncle, despite all the years displaced due to stasis.** Selendis spared a glance at the Nerazim Matriarch, then realized she had been listening with a rather narrow-minded view, bowing an apology. **Regardless of this fact, we intended to keep Xerxes' being a Primal Hybrid from the general public for now. All they need know is that Amon had left a time-lost prison beneath the Overmind's remains and that Xerxes had been left there until recently. We can hide Arska's involvement and the fact that there are other Primal Hybrids with him as though he had reached out psionic control to draw us in to free him. Any Enemy of Amon will be well received, and to know that he warned us just in time that another End War scale battle at Ulnar had been about to erupt should allow for cautious skepticism yet general acceptance.**
**You have thought rather well on this, haven't you?** Talendar sounded almost prideful, chuckling that his fellows were so easily adaptive to no longer having the Khala, and to those who willingly separated from it long ago. **I agree with this suggestion. If there are those that wish to know more, they can inquire directly and, once things have quieted, I suppose bringing him here shouldn't be too much bother.**
**That is where things are going to be a bit more confusing I'm afraid. Xerxes has agreed and expressed that he does not wish to return to Aiur, not if it may cause us undue stress.** Artanis motioned between himself and Vorazun. **He is dwelling with his, family, upon one of the World ships with the Avatar of Ashtareen. She and her kin have taken him in and accommodated him far better than we could hope. I, admittedly, am still uncertain, yet will defer to his preference unless needed. He has abilities that would make any sane Protoss balk or potentially cause tremendous amounts of dissolution and change, yet has willingly humbled himself and expressed he does not fault us if we wish to keep our relation secret or treat him as nothing more than acquaintance.** Artanis paused, frowning at the presence of a dull ache rising in his skull again, likely more a remnant of what Xerxes had removed earlier in the day, Selendis blinking as she had missed the context relating to such.
**Xerxes, to protect Artanis and later his own twin sons, placed a dampening chip to suppress memories and relational information inside Artanis' skull, under one of his Nervecords. It had nearly killed him due to generating a massive infection which had been aggravated during the events leading up to when we freed Xerxes. Arska's eyes, Kuldaris' similarity to Xerxes, it all caused the chip to attempt to lessen the strain, but had ultimately nearly killed our Hierarch.** Rohana broke her silence then, gaze softened yet almost appearing more tired. Selendis blinked almost comically, still not fully understanding. Karax shook his head, moving to the console to bring up the scans that Kuldaris had given him earlier, of Artanis' skull and brain when he was a child, and again just prior to the chip being removed. The mass of infected tissues and obscured chip could just barely be seen on the second scan, Selendis straightening up and eyes wide.
**Xerxes generated some form of... Psionic loop that held all of our minds, including Alarak and our two Terran friends, Egon and Valerian, in his own mindscape, but only interacted with Artanis directly, while physically he removed the chip, he showed as much of his past as he could.** Karax explained, more Scientifically inclined than Psionically, he did not know how else to phrase things, Rohana offering him a slight eye-smile and nod. Karax then tapped the necklace, now more a choker as he had changed the clasp on his silver chain in order to make it significantly shorter, sitting alongside his throat, the crystal appearing to gleam once. **Xerxes had given me this long ago, I had no idea until recently it was a mark that he had given me stewardship of the Spear of Adun. If it had not been for this, I may not have been able to get it and all of our freed Daelaam off the surface when Amon had struck.** Reminded of how she had been forced to act, had been manipulated and used by Amon, to learn everything she had come to believe of their Khala instead learning it to be a tether, no chains, to usurp the individual nature of each Protoss and then watch as her own hands were used to kill those she saw as brethren, Selendis turned away, shuddering lightly. Talendar gently placed one of his heavy mechanical hands on her upper arm.
**You could not have swayed his control. None could, only Rohana, and even then, he still forced her mind aside as though nothing.** Artanis interjected before the Purifier could respond. Talendar nodded, letting go of Selendis as Artanis moved forward. **He abused even Xerxes, far more than we know. That Xerxes willingly went to Zerus, to become a Primal hybrid and taunt Amon as he did, shows me he holds more strength and humility than I have ever seen in a Firstborn. Only Tassadar could have possibly met those aspects evenly...**
**Do not forget your own resolve Hierarch. Several of us would not be here now were it not for you.** Rohana hazarded, able to sense some of Xerxes' depression bubbling up in Artanis' thoughts. Artanis blushed lightly, chuckling.
**True though that may be, I still believe our people would have endured.** Artanis then raised a hand, to cease any further comment. **For now, I believe the plan to minimally explain Xerxes' involvement in our history and his imprisonment coupled with releasing the un-redacted archives should allow for a generous amount of time to pass without significant outcry. Selendis, can I trust you to keep what you've learned regarding Xerxes to yourself for the interim?** Artanis' eyes met Selendis' gaze, the diminutive Templar female taking in a deep breath before nodding.
**Yes Hierarch, I only hope it does not arouse suspicion or dissent.**