Zagara tapped her talons on one forelimb, awaiting aboard her Leviathan, which she had reverently named Raynor to make it easier for her to distiguish between others, moving away from Char a bit as she had been suggested to by Xerxes Surriel, to make Slipstream jumps less likely to affect nearby planets. As though on que, a brilliant white rift opened up before her and her gathered BroodQueens, long delicate appearing glowing white tendrils snaking outward before a single form became visible, looking like the head of the Goddess Samateus had invoked, the ship coming to life with a brilliant display of pulsing colours. So much like and yet so very different from her Queen. Izsha Secor, Zagara's personal Izsha clone to keep her thoughts and memories in one place, as the original Izsha that Sarah had communicated with dwelt with the Terrans now, snaked down from the ceiling nearby, wordlessly expressing that the Leviathan had been hailed.
**Open the communications link.** Zagara dipped her head lightly, surprised by the appearance of the serpentine form before her as the connection established.
**Apologies Overqueen, I suppose my appearance is unexpected?** Surriel appeared to bow before her, spreading out both pairs of limbs and his six head pinions. A display simply intended to showcase just how different he and his kind were compared to the Protoss. Far more inviting and less Xenophobic in general, not to mention potentially more genetically significant to the Zerg. As he straightened up, she could make out a different Taalrulthian lying behind him on what she assumed was the bridge of his ship, the dark blue-purple glowing eyes watching her calmly and nodded an acknowledgement to her notice.
**Indeed.** Zagara paused, watching him stand calmly, awaiting any further questions. **Should I have my Leviathan prepared for anything environmentally problematic? Cold, Heat, intense light?**
**Light perhaps, just ensure it stays as close to us as possible. If you stray too far, you could be dropped into a completely different area of the sector, or perhaps right into Daelaam space.** Xerxes Surriel warned, turquoise eyes almost exuding amusement and warmth. The two very similar names had begun to bother Zagara, that a Hybrid and a new completely alien leader shared such, even knowing them to be universal alternates to each other, became more and more worrisome for her. She had nearly brought this up, when she heard a deep chuckle.
**You may call me Surriel or Magmus, whichever you prefer. Xerxes the Hybrid may keep our shared name, as using his bloodline name is not typically acknowledged amongst the Protoss, unlike myself. I apologise if my intrusion into your thoughts causes offence, however I do not know how genetically significant my kin may be for you. We are shapeshifters, a gift from Ashtareen, and in order to do so, we have to injest and adapt the genetic material, usually only a droplet of blood, of the species we intend to shapeshift to.** Surriel explained, offering a knowing and apologetic smile. **We can speak on this more later?** Surriel paused, spotting Abathur slide down from another chamber of the Leviathan to be ever so slightly visible behind Zagara.
**Agreed. To Zerus then, to retrieve Dehaka, as best we are able.**

Dehaka saw the brilliant light conduit despite the mid-day blue sky above him, almost as bright as a star itself, the form of a leviathan and a much smaller dark ship backlit by the conduit before it closed and disappeared. He had been waiting hours now, growing more and more impatient as time dragged on, though he found this new emotion less useful than others, inhaling deeply before turning to his second and barking an order to remain close to his burrow and protect it while he went elsewhere. Dehaka rose and moved a bit further from his pack, heading into the bush carefully, snapping up several insects and smaller reptile-like primals that took to the air or attempted to jump away from him. Being idle was not his preference, yet patience had been one of his prior strengths, the change in his demeanor unwelcome.
Dehaka paused near a river, something not uncommon, yet mostly overgrown on Zerus, looking down at his reflection a moment. He had changed much, his Queen had let him gorge, encouraged him to change and become stronger and wiser than any other Primal, yet, he felt unfulfilled. As though he had desired more, to be acknowledged more as Zagara and even Abathur had, not by the Terrans, or even the Protoss, which confused him as he searched through his line or reasoning. Perhaps, as a side-effect, he had adopted several Terran emotions and desires, to leave a legacy in something other than himself. Zurvan had been massive, easily three times his current size, or larger, had gone dormant and had been left alone by all other Packs, perhaps he had known something before his Queen had slain the Massive Primal and taken his essence and power for herself.
**Dehaka.** The Packleader turned and looked up a bit, eyes narrowing at the Overseer hovering over him.
"Overqueen." Dehaka rumbled in response, straightening up slightly as he sniffed at the flyer curiously. He could tell, it could not carry him, and curiously tilted his head to one side, a motion that many might equate to a dog watching his master.
**An ally will help us move you to my Leviathan before we reach their World-Ship, are you ready for teleportation?** Zagara asked through her Overseer, the mutated overlord tilting forward to focus more eyes on him. His left lip curled up slightly at the thought of being teleported, however it was necessary, as he knew himself to be far too large to move from world to world without a Leviathan almost landing for him.
"Yes." He said at length, closing his eyes tightly as though expecting pain, none came, as a brief feeling of weightlessness wafted over him before he quickly reopened his eyes when he felt the ground beneath his feet change from soil to creep. He blinked almost comically, turning to Zagara who entered from an adjacent cavern of the Leviathan.
**I am glad you are well, and that the teleportation did not cause any pain or loss of biomass. Give our allies a moment...** Zagara stated, Abathur sliding his sluglike form along behind her and offering a brief bow to the Large Primal.
Dehaka shuddered lightly, feeling the Leviathan pass into some unknown travel corridor, likely the same he had seen earlier that brought the Leviathan and its companion ship to Zerus. It felt uncannily like and yet very different from the portal to the Void they had once travelled through, deposited not long afterward back into normal space. Another brief feeling of weightlessness and flash of light swept over him, before Dehaka, Zagara and Abathur were deposited into a clearing on the edge of a heavily wooded area, uphill from a medium sized river.
Zagara looked around first, startling slightly as Surriel arrived via teleport, with two heavily armoured escorts of his species, their iridescent black armour covering almost every bit of their forms, even the two long head-pinion feathers were tightly covered in segmented armour akin to how Alarak wore armour over his nervecords. Both looked to him as he barked for them to stay nearby and watchful, the two nodding as they visibly relaxed, yet remained alert and observant. Surriel's armour remained in its more receded form, covering mainly his hindquarters and legs, motioning for Zagara and her entourage to follow as he headed down toward the water's edge. As they moved, Abathur noticed a spire to their left with many flying figures dipping in and out of cave-like entrances to the building, one such flyer with earthen toned fur passing low overhead, its feathered wings ever so slightly tickling the top of Dehaka's back plates.
Surriel apologized wordlessly to Dehaka, that the brief wingtip touch was more to bid him welcome to their home, Zagara nodding her understanding and holding her thoughts for now as she observed quietly. Dehaka found he felt comfortable on this world, even with the strange flyers, the serpentine bodied Surriel held his interest however, so very similar to him, yet obviously different due to muscular density and reallocation of musculature to his forelimbs, instead of the hind-limbs on the Ahr'aht. Surriel turned his head slightly, smiling lightly as he met the Primal's gaze.
**I am glad we hold some similarity to you, so we are not so obviously alien to this sector. Xerxes and Samateus should be just over here.** Surriel purred as he addressed Dehaka, including Abathur and Zagara in the conversation as they neared the river. To their left, Larethon, the Primal Hybrid Ultralisk, rose up on his hind legs, carefully balancing a moment, keeping his blade-limbs closed together, before he slowly lowered himself back down, taloned forepaws digging softly into the riverbank. Samateus chuckled from nearby, Aliszha skittering into view as she observed Larethon with almost childlike abandon, running her talons along his carapace gently, looking for all the differences between him and other Ultralisks within the swarm.
**So similar and yet, you look nothing like Ultralisks within the swarm. Incredible.** She exclaimed, Xerxes rising from next to Samateus where she lay on the grass near the sand of the riverbank, having blended in almost seamlessly with his surroundings, turning to Zagara and the others as they approached. He appeared a bit surprised when he saw Dehaka, the larger Primal stopping when his gaze caught the other Primal's, Dehaka rising up more almost as though to intimidate Xerxes, but instead he stood more as he had when they had first met, sniffing curiously at the Primal Hybrid. Xerxes cautiously padded over on all fours, craning his neck in a serpentine pose to more evenly meet Dehaka's gaze, he opened his mandibles, not a threat display but more from respect, wings twitching lightly as his tail swayed.
**You've grown a great deal from back then. Though I suppose you have only experienced... Perhaps a handful of years since?** Xerxes almost purred, moving to quickly circle around and look over Dehaka almost appraisingly, pointedly hopping over the long tail with its bulbous end and long sharp spine at its tip. Dehaka nodded simply, slowly lowering himself to crouch once Xerxes moved back and away, wings raising and spreading open as though to show off a bit, long slender limbs spreading out in a bit of a bow before the much larger Primal.
"Several years, yes." Dehaka nodded, almost appearing to smile. "Terran essence, helpful for... Understanding restraint, unsure how, Protoss essence, could bind to Primal."
**Oh, yes... I was infested a bit first, admittedly, though my tortures were not the reason for your arriving here.** Xerxes turned to Zagara, and pointedly at Abathur who appeared to shrink and slid backward a pace as he approached. Zagara offered a bow, which Xerxes bowed his head and crest forward to acknowledge and respond in his own way, but his attention immediately returned to Abathur.
**You remember nothing of what you did to me in my chrysalis?** His thoughts could almost stab through like a blade, so much like and yet very different to their late Queen. Aliszha soon realised Zagara had arrived, pausing in her enthusiastic curiosity over the Primal Hybrids to skitter over and bow to Zagara, watching as Xerxes spoke with Abathur, who appeared to nod.
**Only flashes, not like Kerrigan. Overmind was, different. Constrained. Focused. Disappointed. Other that came, not Narud but felt like, did not give reason for taking you nor the older Hydralisk with him.** Abathur haltingly explained, shuddering lightly, as Xerxes moved closer, the sequencer appearing to curl inward on himself, eyes wide in fright.
**Calm yourself, I hold no blame. I warn you, be careful about the unknown sequences, even I am not fully aware of what it can do.** Xerxes held out a smaller forelimb, palm up so Abathur could take a small sample of blood from him. Zagara, surprised and concerned, met the quizzical gaze of the Sequencer, Abathur taking the slight nod of her head as permission to act, one of his long spine appendages reaching forward to cautiously pierce Xerxes' right palm for a fraction of a second before withdrawing. Xerxes paused a moment, eye-corners crinkled up in a smile, as he turned to Aliszha and Zagara, careful not to turn his back on Dehaka and still keep the others in the conversation.
**I am curious, how much Terran essence did you splice with hers?** Xerxes asked Zagara privately, referring to Aliszha. Zagara narrowed her eyes, low hiss audible before she realised he had kept such private and separate from the others. He apologetically met the gaze of Dehaka and Aliszha, who tilted her head slightly in confusion.
**A small fraction, an attempt to keep our Queen a part of our Swarm.** Zagara admitted, closing her eyes reverently for a moment. Emotion did not suit her, it never had, however while learning from Sarah, being surgically enhanced with greater and more elaborate brain mass to be able to take over as Overqueen when Sarah had to leave, and admitting such did take a toll on her she had never felt before. Xerxes rumbled calmly, gently and cautiously resting a hand on one of Zagaras' armoured shoulders.
**Sadness and Loss. Something I am certain is very... Alien for you to feel. Is it from her?** Xerxes nodded his understanding, mandibles moving to frame his face.
**Yes, I had taken a small sample from her when she had nearly died fighting Narud.** Zagara admitted, relief appearing to wash over her slowly, almost searching his eyes for an answer to why he had taken their conversation private and separate from the others, and why it felt better knowing it had not been shared with the others.
**You feel ashamed for taking her essence when it was not offered, and using it to create a daughter for yourself, it worries you more as she is more a part of you than you care to admit. Aliszha is your and Sarah's daughter, in a sense, and losing her would be more painful than you care to admit, as you feel responsible for her.** Xerxes almost smiled as a Terran would at the realization dawning on Zagara, that she had developed more Terran emotions and thought processes thanks to Sarah, and furthered such with Aliszha without intent. Before she could spiral her thoughts further, Xerxes stopped her. **Sarah wanted to make you in her image Zagara, she did not see the possible implications of making you more... Terran.** He then stepped back, having included Abathur at the end before returning to a more broadcast thought-speech. **How long before your Leviathan has healed its injury enough before it can travel? I wish to deal with this pocket of Amons followers in your territory, if you'd allow.** He asked, moving to greet Taluth as he ran over, winded, and flopped on his side in the sand, breathing heavily, happy and silly toothy grin on his features. Arska soon ran past, chasing Onehorn as they had taken to referring to the one-tusked Zergling in the interim, the slightly larger and more experienced Zergling easily dodging Arska and her attempts to trip up her play partner.
**A few hours, depending on how much biomass and resources it may need.** Zagara nearly stopped Onehorn, as Arska doggedly continued to chase but visibly tired slowly, the Swarm Zergling picking up on this and slowed just enough to allow herself to be tripped by the younger, making a show of rolling on her back in submission as Arska tackled her gently. Xerxes chuckled, rumbling low and deep in his chest, Arska perking up a moment before appearing to droop and reluctantly moved to where her brother had collapsed. Zagara looked to him quizzically.
**They've been playing since I was teleported into his temporary den... She is, very astute.** Aliszha explained, calling Onehorn over, the older Zergling happy to return to her assigned Queen, not realising that this Queen held much of the last one's essence. Xerxes chuckled, turning to look up at Dehaka, who had turned to regard Lia'Ashra, who had been respectfully keeping her distance, Xerxes raising a brow at the Primal's curiosity, before turning back to Zagara and Aliszha.
**My first hybrid daughter, Lia'Ashra. She's more... reserved, doesn't feel comfortable outside of a hive, even after we spent so long in a Xel'Nagan prison.** Xerxes explained, Lia'Ashra cautiously moving closer and offering a bow to the few gathered here, appearing apprehensive and uncertain despite herself. Dehaka brought his snout close to her, rumbling lightly before speaking.
"Smells, Primal, not from Zerus. How?" He asked with a low growl, turning his massive head to Xerxes who chuckled.
**My doing. After I had Arska, Taluth and Larethon -I will not elaborate on how at this moment- Lia'Ashra had been slowly siphoning her strength and energy into the two as they grew. More they were siphoning it from her, as she was not Primal then. I gave her a bit of my essence, a stable form, and helped her envelop and use it to make her more Primal Zerg.** Xerxes purred, raising a brow as Dehaka continued to watch him. After a moment of silence, Dehaka sighed, moving to lie down to make himself less intimidating before he continued.
"You are, not like, Daelaam. Too, understanding. Forgiving." Dehaka rumbled, uneasy, yet willing to listen. Zagara seconded the observation, also finding Xerxes far more open than expected. Surriel, forgotten in the whole conversation and having happily moved to lean against Samateus, who had watched the whole encounter quietly thus far, laughed aloud.
**You are correct, though given the history of Xenophobia and Single-minded caste system they once used, can you fault them for the mistakes of their former Conclave?** Zagara bobbed her head in understanding, Dehaka tilting his head to one side, still confused. Xerxes turned and glared briefly at his alternate before explaining further.
**The Daelaam Protoss, from Aiur originally, were heavily controlled by a group of elders wanting nothing more than to control every aspect of the lives of those within the Khala, the innate connection they have similar to the Hive-mind. Amon used that to gain control of all Daelaam, more recently, just prior to the events at Ulnar and within the Void. Artanis, Rohana, Karax and any who were connected to the Khala when Amon took control, were completely under his thrall. They severed their nervecords, similar to your own, or even mine, from before I was 'captured', to sever that connection and free themselves. Before, it had been seen as abberant and wrong, by the Conclave, who had decried the Nerazim, calling them the Dark Templar and Exiles, who severed themselves to be free of the influence of outside minds. The Conclave had used the Khala to control the populace, keeping strict rules to those within certain tribes, furthering the lies they used until the Overmind was given the location of Aiur and invaded.** Xerxes paused, sighing deeply. **I know all of what occured thanks to the memories of others, who I cannot rescue at the moment, knowing that Amon has such a stronghold so close to us, and you.** Xerxes paused, motioning to Zagara. **Were it not for that attack on your Leviathan, we would not have known. They are heavily shielding any Void in that system.**
**So much so we thought it was a singularity on our scanners.** Surriel added, long tail curled to flop over his back lightly, feathers on said tail fanned out along Samateus' side.
**Regardless, thank you for your understanding and willingness to allow us to dwell at the edge of your territory.** Xerxes bowed his head lightly, closing his eyes in thanks.
**My Pleasure, though admittedly your other alternate had offered us genetic samples in exchange.** Zagara turned to regard Abathur, who could be seen working with the sequences from what he had taken from Xerxes, and focused solely on his task. **Though they can wait for now.**
**Leon has been very open, he hinted that there are some things I cannot do yet as I am not 'ascended' as an Illithichtiel.** Xerxes looked to Samateus, receiving a nod that he had articulated the name correctly. **However, once I am, I will gladly do what I can to assist wherever needed, once I retreive the rest of my family from where they are being held.** Zagara nodded, though refrained from asking about where his family were being held, able to tell he did not like speaking on it if he could not act to remedy it.
**For now, I'd like to know more about those other Hybrids you saw, with the armour?** Xerxes inquired, turning to Aliszha who bowed and began explaining all she could.