AN: This will tie in some of the 'Crossover' elements to this story, if you are unfamiliar with the old series 'Shadow Raiders: War Planets' I suggest you look it up. Sadly the series has not been re-released in newer media so a great deal of the quality has been lost, however I highly recommend it as it is done by the same company who made the original 'Reboot'.
Leon is the same LeonLocke Hellsing from the Hellsing/Hellboy crossover fic I have posted, so there's more information on his origins there if you are interested.
Leon yawned, happily lying on the expansive bridge of his ship, Pheonix Flame, the massive triangular Ark ship that held information of all species from his Earth, even some from the Elven and Fae species he hoped still lived on the Earth he had long since left behind. He could feel the calm thrumming of the core, a massive self-contained star, generated and kept stable by the Pheonix Aureiahnna, a gift to him from Ashtareen when he had been first learning of his abilities and eventual destiny.
Leon lifted his head, turning to the comparatively tiny stasis cell he lay curled around, holding a single female Human inside, long blond hair flowing around her as she slept suspended in the blue-hued fluid. Leon flicked an ear, turning to the Ahr'Aht that teleported to his side, Surriel, lowering his head as he lay in his larger form, nearly large enough to devour even Xerxes Nerthiel in a single bite if he so chose, though Surriel showed no fear or concern, knowing Leon to be using the larger form more as a defensive intimidation. Leon and Surriel knew each other more closely than most, having worked alongside each other for a time in the distant past for the two.
"Samateus isn't in any condition to help if things go sideways. You interested?" Surriel, who Leon knew more closely as Magmus, former ruler of the sacrificed Planet Fire and father to Pyrus, asked as he approached, still in his natural form, head pinions swaying lightly as he briefly looked to the stasis cell, bowing reverently even though he knew she remained in stasis. Leon sighed, using shadow to shift from his intimidation form to his much smaller bipedal one, remaining close to Surriel as he crossed his arms and sighed, wings lightly shuddering as he held them against his back.
Integra, his sister, and also the one in the stasis cell, had been in stasis since shortly after such had been invented and made available to Humans from his earth, as her auto-immune disorder had begun attacking more than just her lungs, and he could find no way to help her. All forms of treatments had been attempted, adjusted, pushed to limits most would have died instantly from, even heavy doses of oral radiation therapy and even a bone-marrow transplant from one of her descendants had all failed in even disagnosing what auto-immune disorder she had. Surriel, in the aimless wanderings of their nomadic Alliance even before he had come across the Engine-bearing planets, had come across his ship, offered to attempt to help her, as Surriel's own eldest son had a similar ailment.
That neither could discern what the problem was in either of the stasis-bound individuals in order to treat them, still nagged at both even so long after they had broken their contract and Leon had returned to his torpor slumber. That had been some centuries before for the two, and in a very different situation than the one they had pushed themselves into.
"The Singularity is actually a Void stronghold? Who was it who had bet that's what was over there, Jade?" Leon chuckled, referring to the Empress of Planet Rock and a bet on what the strange reading had been during their brief Alliance meeting after arriving in the sector. Surriel nodded, chuckling himself.
"Yes, though she's going to be hard pressed to get her share from the Brothers." Surriel smiled, bobbing his head lightly. The dynamic of their alliance, the leaders over each respective race and world, had been one of extended family and comraderie the likes of which few would see even remotely plausible given their extremely different backgrounds, societies and creeds. Under the surface though, they all -excluding Surriel and Samateus- hailed back to Earth, Leon's Earth, so they all held some very Human ties and mindsets, which Leon had been relieved to see had not changed over the few millenia since he had gone dark to his Legacy worlds.
"Well, if needed I could always haunt Femur a while." Leon grinned toothily, Surriel smiling and nodding.
"Pyrus would likely want to join in, and Zera as well. Regardless, Zagara is very... Open yet restrictive. She wishes to see what we are capable of, yet has only allowed me to bring my Flare and for Xerxes and his son to accompany with theirs." Surriel explained, pinions bouncing lightly with his speech. Common tongue, basic English as old Earth would call it, had been a staple language amongst his people since taking in the Taalrulthians and Samateus, yet he wished to add more nuance to his distaste at Zagara's apprehension, whilst still showing her his utmost respect. Leon flicked his ear, tilting his horned head slightly more toward his alternate, raising a brow.
"So that young Protoss is Khilseith's alternate? Interesting." Leon mused, nodding to the earlier spoken question. "I'll bring my genetics cache for the Overqueen then, once you have a good scan of the surrounding system so my jump in isn't too jarring for the rest. She knows I may appear?"
"I believe she is hoping on it. You're the only one she has not seen battle as yet. I'm hoping we can slipstream in fairly far off, so we can create a perimeter to keep them from getting to the edge of the system and using a void conduit." Surriel was known for his brilliant tactics, cutting off any avenue of escape would be crucial here to keep Amon's forces contained. Using a form of transportation the sector was unfamiliar with, would throw off their opponents further, giving them every possible edge to prove their worth and might. Something perhaps even the Tal'Darim would have agreed with, Surriel shuddered at the thought when Leon laughed.
"We'll be showing him up, if we pull this off. If you enclose seventy-five percent, I'll cover the remaining twenty-five. Standard signal." Leon grinned again, Surriel matching it before returning to his own ship. Leon flattened his ears back once Surriel had gone, his own inner demons whispering and tugging at the edges of his senses as he slowly moved his Ark away from the Ahr'Aht fleet. Pyrus' thoughts briefly passed through his mind, concerned to why he moved away. The young Emperor of Fire had learned a great deal in using his connection to the old Vampire, Leon sighing and briefly letting him know they would be back shortly, that it had to do with the bet made at the last Table by some of the others. Pyrus' casual laugh and jab that Femur would be scarce for the next while once Jade found out she had been right was a welcome wave of positive emotion Leon desperately needed.
**We are ready when you are.** Zagara hazarded to Surriel and Xerxes, as the two had established a commlink, including her, once Surriel had returned from a brief conversation with Leon. Surriel briefly looked to his Alternate, Xerxes nodding to Kuldaris and showed him the controls for the lesser used opaque shielding available to the Ark Ship, the massive petals unfurling and instead creating a ring around the ship that contracted and folded to make it appear, to any onlooker, like a massive bullet from the outside. Several small rows of thorn like protrusions rose from the exterior of the shielding, to aid their travel, Surriel laughing that it appeared that Xerxes had been close to accessing Slipstream travel, just had not quite gotten the engine calibrations right. Xerxes sighed, expressing that he had not been able to test his theory, and was glad to see it was indeed possible to travel on the conduits of light energy between stars to move rapidly between systems, if you knew how to.
Surriel hazarded a glance to his left, to confirm that Leon's Ark ship had moved, before he motioned to his helmsman before him.
**Outer edge of the system, let's make certain they don't see us too quickly. Those shield drones ready to go?** He could be seen turning his entire body slightly to regard another to his left, further back from the first. Surriel received an affirmation, and nodded to himself before returning to his helmsman. **Let's be off.**
Kuldaris winced, shielding his eyes as the slipstream conduit opened before them, Aurei's holographic projection disappearing as Samateus lay down on the Ark ship's catwalk platform, Xerxes narrowing but not closing his eyes, a nictating membrane briefly flashing across his eyes as though to protect them from the harsh light. Zagara simply waited as her Leviathan was pulled along with the other two ships, allocating some of the biomass aboard to generate more Scourge, on the off chance that some of Amon's forces attempted to fight back.
Dropping out of the conduit, on the far side of the system beyond the star from where Aliszha had been attacked earlier in the day, many hours earlier and after a great deal of deliberating. The Obsidian Flare's Shield petals then returned to their prior configuration, Kuldaris still in awe of the small ship with so many of the same systems the Flare had, realising that, indeed, the Ahr'Aht must have been massive leaps and bounds ahead of even the Daelaam in terms of technology.
**He also had a great deal of help, and time, in which to do so.** Samateus interjected, to keep Xerxes from feeling jealous or depressed. Xerxes rumbled, thankful for the clarification and concern extended from her, turning himself to regard her curiously and with significant concern as she lay much as she had earlier in his temporary cave-home. He moved to her cautiously, crouching on the edge of the platform next to her, tail hanging off the edge lightly. Her tired and almost pained croon to his concern furthered Xerxes moving to gently embrace her, rumbling deep in his chest. She gladly leaned in, eyes closed, pressing her crested forehead against his shoulder and chest, horns lightly catching the edge of his own crest.
**Is there something we can do to assist? You've done so much for us...** Xerxes hazarded, voice almost quiet and saddened. Her purring in response and light chuckle instantly eased his concerns, his entire body appearing to relax as he sat his rump down on the platform, larger forearms wrapped around her gently.
**I'll be alright. I just need to rest, it's been quite the couple of days.** She explained, curling her head and neck back, so Xerxes could carefully unfurl himself to sit back. **Envoking Ashtareen Herself is... taxing on my body. As with Sarah, the sheer amount of power would kill me were I to remain fully corporeal, that's why her physical appearance changed so... drastically, after the last of Amon's opposition gave her his power.** Samateus held her purr, nodding that she would be alright, motioning to the comm-screen when Surriel reappeared. Xerxes chose to keep his concerns on how much Samateus knew of what had occured during the End War and following battles within the void to himself, for now.
**We're about to close the net, you prepared Zagara?** Surriel asked, the Overqueen appearing to laugh, pausing when another warp heralded the arrival of the Aleksander. Samateus was on her feet in a flash, Xerxes and Kuldaris balking at the appearance of the Battlecruiser, visibly infested and unexpected. It moved to sit parallel to Zagara's Leviathan, on the opposite side from the Obsidian Flare and the smallish Ahr'aht flagship. Surriel blinked, frowning and speaking to one of his kin in their native language, the trills, barks and chirps sounding concerned and frightful. Samateus let out a trill of her own at one moment, Surriel pointedly stopping mid-sentence, or so they assumed, to look to her.
**I believe Alexei is here to observe our military tactics for himself. Zagara, I hope he still acknowledges you as he did Sarah?** Samateus broadcast, Zagara blinking a bit and nodding.
**I apologise, I was not aware he would be interested in these events.**
"His ship is reading as a UED forward command ship, we were concerned as, to our understanding, the UED was defeated and any remaining from their forces have either defected to work amongst the Dominion, or rebel factions therein. Before we make our move I must confirm if he is friend or foe." Surriel growled, feathers visibly constrained and flat back, as Samateus' ears were currently. Xerxes frowned, Kuldaris nodding that he had observed some of the events following the end of the Brood War and the brief war with the UED, that Alexei Stukov had been the Vice-Admiral of until his death and subsequent infestation following those events.
Samateus shared with them that Alexei had been tortured much akin to Xerxes, by the alternate of Vicar known as Narud, and that the Admiral of the infested Terran army remained a neutral party, dwelling alongside and working under the Zerg banner following his allying with Sarah.
**Stukov has been a valuable asset to the Swarm, I appreciate his counsel and would have shown him these events afterward for tactical breakdown and observations on things I may have missed. He is no threat to any of you, of that I promise.** Zagara expressed, then adding Alexei to the conversation via commlink. Immediately, the Alexsander moved to turn its weaponry toward the Obsidian Flare, spotting Xerxes and seeing only a Hybrid immediately.
**Stand down Admiral, we are no threat.** Samateus glared, her amber eyes meeting his and locking his gaze, even through the commlink. He appeared to still for a moment, before visibly shaking himself and rubbing his eyes, the intense gaze unexpected and invoking the memories of his family -which he kept closely safeguarded- completely against his will.
Xerxes had turned to her, confused and curious, that she would so blatantly address the other commander, and share her knowledge of his history with them. He moved to crouch off-side a bit, so she could stand next to him and Kuldaris at the command console. Meanwhile, Surriel and Zagara remained silent.
"And who might you be, to sound so familiar and yet... I've never seen your like before, miss." Alexei hazarded, scrutinising the image on his viewscreen. A dragon-like figure, with a Hybrid and another Protoss unfamiliar to him, on a different Protoss Ark-ship than the one used by the Daelaam, and looking frighteningly similar to something Amon may have built.
"Alexei, we worked together breifly. When you assisted Mira Han on Tarsonis last month." Samateus spoke, flicking her right ear. The familiarity in the voice confirmed Alexei's suspicion, the Admiral relaxing and commanding his ship to stand down, gaze softening.
"Jillian. I remember. I knew I felt something off about you, glad to know my instincts were correct. Who is this you are working with?" Alexei asked, genuinely relaxing.
"Xerxes and his second-son Kuldaris. They've been keeping out of the warring, unable to assist until recently, as Xerxes was imprisoned by Amon. We can fill you in later, this however, needs to be addressed now. Your arrival was... Unexpected. I apologise, Surriel, I should have warned you." Samateus bowed her head to her chest, spreading her wings in a gesture of apology.
"Understood, I apologise for my sudden arrival without further warning. Please, ignore my presence until you are finished with your battle." Alexei bowed his head, cutting his commlink, to which Zagara simply shook her head, and did the same. Surriel and Xerxes shared a long glance, both shrugging at length as they took the withdrawal of the two observers as a sign they should get started.