Well, it has been some time, hasn't it? Sorry for the long wait, but a tight work-schedule has kept me quite busy the last couple of months. And it's still not over. So I can't tell wherever I'll be able to return to the old "one chapter per month"-quota anytime soon. That's just the way it is.
Nevertheless, here's the next chapter. Many thanks go to Bjlu0900 once more for being my beta-reader. Thank you!
Chapter 25
Looking for Clues
To wait and not be able to do anything was probably the worst thing that Dan could think of right now. Except, well, getting infested. That would be even worse. The memory of what had happened to him a while back still caused him to wake up screaming from time to time. Still sitting inside the interrogation room, he suddenly pulled his shirt up and looked at his own belly, searching for any signs of infestation. When nothing moved beneath his skin-
"Maybe we should ask for a mirror, that way you could admire yourself even better." Alexei chuckled as he watched how Dan stared at his own body
"Put a sock in it." the Marshal shot back. "I don't need a lecture from the guy who gave me space-STD."
"Space-STD?" Alexei Stukov chuckled. "I don't think anyone has ever called it like that before."
"If that is true, then this past you keep babbling about sure as hell was one boring place." Dan growled before pulling his shirt back down and look up at the camera that was supposed to record everything that was going on inside the room. If it would work. Right now, it was pointing straight downwards and seemed to be completely inoperative. The fact that it had turned into a breeding ground for spiders told Dan that this thing was truly out of commission.
"So, what do we tell them once that pretty lady returns?" Alexei wanted to know.
"We aren't going to tell her anything." Dan replied. "I'm gonna tell her that I barely know you, and that I took pity on a washed-up hobo who didn't know where to go after losing his old ship. And the best thing about this story; it ain't even a lie."
"I can't see how that story will help us get out of this place, honestly." the other man mused.
"It won't. But hopefully it will get me out of this place."
"You would leave your good old pal Alexei behind?!" Stukov gasped shocked. But his reaction was so over-the-top that Dan had his doubts wherever he was actually shocked or just making fun of the Marshal. In case you haven't realized it until now...
...Dan Bowski didn't like it if people made fun of him.
"You are not good, and you are not my pal. The only thing you are is old." Dan admitted.
"That's hurtful. After everything I told you about me! I shared my entire life's story with you and-"
"I wish you hadn't."
"This is how you repay me? By throwing me to the sharks?"
"What's a shark?"
"Nevermind." Alexei sighed. "You do realize that I can just pull something out of my butt and pretend that we know each other. That pretty little lady-bug sure seemed to be eager to put you in your place."
"The Captain..." Dan corrected Alexei. "...was probably a lot more repulsed by you and your pitiful attempt to get in her pants. Which was rather pathetic."
"It's only stupid if it doesn't work. So far she hasn't shot me down." Alexei replied with a smug grin on his face, which earned him an annoyed sigh from Bowski.
"Weren't you married? Is that how a married man is supposed to act?" the Marshal barked. "Your wife may be dead, but come on, man! Show some dignity!" He had hoped that those words would sufficiently hurt Alexei to shut up. Suddenly Dan had to think about what Paula had told him. How he liked to keep people at arm's length. However, instead of being angry...
"So you listened to my stories!" an ecstatic Stukov cheered. "And here I thought you were not paying attention!" Before this unlikely duo could continue their bickering, the door was opened again and none other than Captain Okoi entered. She didn't pay attention to either one of those two, not until she sat down opposite to them and pulled out a datapad.
"Marshal Dan Bowski." she began, a thoughtful frown on your face. "You check out. Got words from your folk on Flexingom-"
"Flemmington." Dan corrected her.
"Whatever. The magistrate seemed to be especially pleased to hear where you are. Told us that next time you take off to another world, it would be nice to hand her your application for leave first. She sounded quite mad too, something about being "ghastly disappointed". I like her already."
"I'm sure you do." the Marshal mumbled.
"Anyway, that's none of our business. Not filing your vacation properly is no crime. So, no death penalty for you. Flying in an unregistered space-craft into controlled space however..." Okoi explained and stared straight at Dan, her blue eyes glowing with psionic energies. It was both scary and intoxicating. Dan felt how an icy chill ran down her spine.
Uh oh...
"...should be a crime, but much to my own surprise it isn't." the Captain sighed, which earned her a surprise glance from both Dan and Alexei.
"Seriously?!" both men wondered at the same time.
"Seriously." Okoi confirmed. "Had to check it myself. Flying an unregistered space-craft is not a crime, it's only an offense. Who knew? I guess it's because there are plenty of rich kids on Korhal who love to take an unsanctioned space-drive with daddy's or mommy's private yacht." she mused. "That means that we can't hold you here, Marshal Bowski. You are, and it pains me to say that, free to go." There was a long moment of silence before Dan realized what that meant.
"You mean...as in right now?"
"I can add "caused mental harm to an officer" to the charges if you keep annoying me." Shani Okoi replied. "That should be enough to lock you up for good."
"No thanks, I'm done pushing my luck for one day." Dan mumbled, stood up and walked towards the door. Alexei was about to follow suit, but a mere glance from Okoi was enough to make him rethink that.
"Not me?" Alexei asked.
"Not you."
"Too bad!" Dan declared as he opened the door. "I almost started to like you, Alexei."
"Really?" Stukov asked in disbelief.
"No." And with that, Dan left the washed-up pirate behind.
Evalonis walked through the corridors of the ancient battlecruiser. He didn't know wherever he should be impressed or worried that something this old was still spaceworthy. Some corridors looked as if they were about to fall apart, while others looked brand-new. The...sisters, that's how Paula called them, were working hard to restore this ship to its former glory. At least that's what Evalonis guessed. Talking to them was not that easy.
They weren't downright hostile, but they certainly gave him the impression that they didn't want to have anything to do with him.
Was it because he was Protoss?
Or because he was here with Paula?
Knowing Paula, she was most likely the reason why these young...whatever they were, were not too keen to talk to him.
Being on board of a spaceship wasn't anything new to him. He had served on two warships so far. Once as a young initiative. It had been a most unpleasant experience. Mandatory for young initiatives, and dreaded by most. That had happened long before he had met Paula, but when he had told her about that part of his life, she had coined the term "toilet-duty". Evalonis had learned much later what a "toilet" was. And you know what?
There wasn't a more accurate description of what it meant to be an initiative on a warship.
Perhaps Protoss don't need toilets, but they do find disgusting things young recruits can clean with their bare hands.
The second time he had served on a warship had been many years later, when he had ascended to the rank of a warrior. That time of service had been...alright. Fun-fact: If there's no war going on, then being a warrior can be quite boring. And tedious. The commander of the ship, a battle-hardened female who had taken pride in the fact that her ancestors had been Tal'darim, had had a long history of being an extremely successful (and ruthless) pirate-hunter.
During his time onboard her vessel, they hadn't encountered even one pirate. Instead, they had spent seven years guarding colonies at the edge of Protoss-space. They had performed weapon drills. All. The. Time. Sometimes even several in one day. Sometimes, if Evalonis was alone and allowed his mind to slip, he could hear the klaxons inside his mind.
That had happened roughly 40 years ago, and ever since then, he had lost his appetite for serving on another warship. So, walking through the corridors of this vessel was...weird. While it was strange and alien in design, at least from the perspective of a Protoss, it felt familiar. As if he had walked these corridors before. Only...different.
Evalonis wondered what it was that kept bothering him. At least until he walked past a sign that made him stop and look at it. It showed...something. It was a big yellow triangle, with a black sign on it that looked like a broken arrow. He raised his hand to touch it. Perhaps-
"Don't do that!" Evalonis froze when he heard the annoyed female voice behind him. As he looked over his shoulder, he saw one of those many...whatever they were.
"I did not hear you approaching." Evalonis mused. "Very impressive."
"Thanks." the she-creature replied dryly before nodding at the symbol. "I wouldn't touch that if I were you."
"Why? What does it mean?"
"You don't recognize it?"
"Would I ask if I did?" the Protoss replied, a friendly tone in his voice. He didn't want to cause any problems, especially since these weird she-creatures didn't seem to like Paula that much.
"Dunno. You're with Paula. Everything's possible when she's around." the female told him before pointing with her finger at the symbol. "That's a warning sign."
"What kind of warning?"
"High voltage. Do not touch if you value your life." When Evalonis heard that, he looked at the sign and frowned.
"How does this symbol have anything to do with high voltage?" he asked. "It looks like an arrow. A broken arrow."
"It's supposed to be a bolt of lightning." the she-creature sighed. "You know, the things that sometimes come out of clouds and turn you into a scorched turkey?"
"I do not know what a turkey is, but I guess I know what you mean." Evalonis chuckled. "Thank you for warning me."
"Don't sweat it." the female told him. "I just don't want to have to explain to Paula why her boyfriend is toast. You...are her boyfriend, right?" she asked with a hint of doubt in her voice.
"I guess so." Evalonis told her, shrugging his shoulders. "She did not leave me much of a choice with that, I am afraid."
"Yep, that sounds like the damn prodigy alright." the she-creature growled and was about to turn around and slither away when suddenly Evalonis made a step towards her.
"May I... ask a question?" When the she-creature heard that, she stopped and frowned.
"That question usually means that people have several questions." she replied. "Let me guess...you want to know who I... who we are."
"Among other things; yes." Evalonis agreed. "Uhm...I am sorry if it is rude to ask, but your name is?" A sardonic smile appeared on the she-creature's face when she heard that.
"What?" she asked in a mocking tone. "Can't you tell us apart? That is so rude of you! Even though we already spoke to each other!" Even though Evalonis wasn't that good when it came to reading facial expressions, he could tell that she was making fun of him. There was a long awkward moment of silence until the female sighed and shook her head.
"Sarah." she simply sighed.
"I see." Evalonis mused. "You are the...oldest one?"
"Paula told you?"
"In a way she has." the Protoss confirmed. "But even then, what she told me did not really help me to understand just what you are. I do realize that my words might show my ignorance, but I have never met creatures like you before."
"That's because we are unique!" Sarah declared with a proud tone in her voice. That's when suddenly a whole bunch of clone-like Sarahs slithered past her back as they left one room and entered another one.
"Unique in being identical?" Evalonis offered.
"Oh, a Protoss with a sense of humor! Now I've seen everything." Sarah quipped before waving with her hand. "Whatever Paula told you, she probably dumbed it down quite a bit. Don't believe everything she says. Most of the time she's as clueless as she's clumsy. Quite pathetic for a prodigy, if you think about it." There was a hint of bitterness in Sarah's voice. Evalonis noticed that and decided to get straight to the point.
"Why do you hate Paula so much?" he asked directly. Sarah glanced at him, both surprised and annoyed. Perhaps he wasn't really good when it came to judging facial expressions (even though Sarah's noseless face was more familiar to him than that of humans, save Paula), but he could sense a strong psionic aura. And reading that was much easier for him. Sarah took a deep breath and seemed to think for a moment if she should actually tell him. But then she sighed once more and shook her head.
"Eh...we don't hate her." Sarah explained. "You don't have to worry that we are going to space her while she's sleeping. I doubt that it would kill her anyway. Her powers have the nasty habit of kicking in whenever she needs them."
"That's...reassuring." Evalonis muttered. Which meant that it wasn't. Sarah seemed to notice his doubts and looked to the side.
"We don't hate her, Eva...Evalonis, is it?"
"Yes."
"Tsk, I don't believe that she calls you Evan. Anyway, we don't hate her. We just don't like to be compared to her, Little Miss Perfect."
"Who would compare you to Paula?" Evalonis wondered and he could see a glint of anger in Sarah's eyes.
"Someone truly frustrating." was all she told him. The tone in her voice suggested that she was in no mood to tell him what she was meaning by that. And Evalonis wasn't so thick to not notice it. "If there isn't anything else you would like to know..." Sarah interrupted his thoughts. "...then I would like to move on. I still got plenty of things to do, and you're Paula's responsibility. Where is the prodigy anyway?"
"Sleeping." Evalonis replied. "I found something that looked like a passable cabin after I realized that deck 8 isn't where the captain's quarters are located."
"Don't take it personal." Sarah scoffed. "Sometimes my sisters don't know when to stop."
"Noted."
"Anyway, if that is all then I'm off now." And with that Sarah turned around and slithered away. Evalonis decided to not ask anything else, feeling as if he had pushed his luck far enough. Sure, this conversation had gone well. But somehow, he couldn't shake the feeling that Sarah was in a foul mood.
"Thanks." he mumbled when the strange female creature had vanished around the corner. Well, at least he didn't have to worry about them trying to kill him. Which was a good thing. After a while he shook his head and turned away as well. While Evalonis still had a hard time navigating in this place, he could sense a familiar presence. Old but still powerful. And tired. Very tired. So Evalonis followed his psionic senses until he found the ancient warrior he had left behind the other day.
The huge warrior stopped in front of a big door. So far, most doors on this ship had been a bit small for him. Nothing too troubling, but he had smacked his head against a bulkhead several times already. This door, however, was big enough for him to step through without any injury-related threats. And when he did...
"..eet home Alabama. Where the skies are so blue." a human voice sang. Evalonis blinked in surprise and looked around to find out where this sound was coming from.
"Sweet home Alabama. Lord, I'm coming home to you."
Evalonis spotted a strange box-like object in the corner of this huge room that produced the music. He didn't know enough about human music to know if it was good or bad. As far as he was concerned it was...strange. He wondered what kind of instruments the musicians had used to produce those sounds. And where was this planet Alabama? He had never heard of it before.
"Lord Tassadar!" the voice of Artanis suddenly caught his attention. Evalonis looked around and sighed.
"Not again." he mumbled, knowing what was going to happen next. Artanis was sitting near what looked like a bar, his hands resting on his cane. As the young warrior walked over to him, Artanis tried to stand up but failed miserably.
"Executor! Forgive me, but it seems that my body is too exhausted to show you proper respect. It seems that Fenix's training-regime was too much yet again. My apologies." Artanis explained, his voice dripping with embarrassment. When Evalonis stood right in front of him, he looked down and sighed.
"Lord Artanis. How are you?"
"Lord?" Artanis chuckled. "Forgive me, Executor, but is this a jest of Fenix?" When Evalonis heard that question, he stared at the ancient Protoss for quite some time before he started to talk again.
"Lord Artanis. I am not Tassadar. My name is Evalonis. I know that what I'm about to say might upset you. Please, just listen to me..." And so Evalonis did what he had done many times before. He told Artanis everything. Again.
Augustgrad, also known as the imperial capital, was probably the most impressive metropolis known to man. It was a brimming hub full of life, money and ideas. If you were either rich or famous, or if you wanted to become either one of them (or both), then Augustgrad was the place to go. It was a city of unparalleled splendor. But, as it is with things in this universe: If something looks really pretty on the outside, you can bet your butt that there's a dark side to it.
Not everyone can become rich and famous. And those who fail are swept away and have to figure out to put themselves back together on their own. Or fail and be forgotten, like so many others before them.
Dan Bowski didn't like Augustgrad. Not because it was so big or it was full of stuff that he would never be able to own. The money you needed to buy a normal apartment was criminal. It was a place where the rich became richer, and the poor became poorer. And that was exactly the reason why Bowski had visited this place only one time, when he had had no other choice.
Back when he had trained to become a Marshall, they had made him come to Augustgrad to receive his letter of appointment right here. And, since it had been a reason to celebrate, he had spent several days in Augustgrad.
Some of them even sober.
While it was true that he didn't remember much of that time, he still knew that in the end he hadn't been impressed by this place. Far too big, far too expensive, and far too hypocritical for his taste. The super-rich, people that were able to live the fine life on any other world, were just peasants on Korhal. This was the home of the hyper-rich after all! While Dan considered himself a non-political person, he had to admit that after returning home he had considered socialism a viable alternative to the raw capitalism that ruled this place. It had taken him a few months to get that out of his system.
Well, if there was one good thing about Augustgrad, then it possessed the best public means of transportation that didn't include warp-gates.
Except for, well, the warp-gate that connected this planet to other worlds.
As Dan stepped out of the hover-taxi, he looked at the huge building in the distance, the one with a giant glowing crystal right on top of it. Yeah, he could have used that one to get here. Sure, Flemmington wasn't part of the man-made warp-network, but he could have traveled to Ramelow. The warp-gate there was even bigger than that on Korhal, enabling the world to transport most of its agricultural products to every corner of the Empire in a matter of days. So yeah, Dan could have traveled to Ramelow inside that dropship and used the warp-gate there. There was only one small problem with that...
...while there was no faster way to travel than through a warp-gate, it was also the fastest way for Dan to lose the insides of his stomach. Over and over again.
What sounded funny was actually a medical condition, one not so rare as you might believe. There was a thing called airsickness. There was a thing called seasickness. And there was a thing called warp-travel-sickness. Not everyone enjoyed it if their atoms were accelerated faster than the speed of light.
As he walked across the big plaza, Dan looked around, throwing glances at the people around him. Most of them seemed to be tourists, only some of them locals. And there was some more law enforcement around. Whenever they threw glances into his direction, Dan looked away, trying not to catch their attention, until he realized that he was only drawing even more suspicion by acting this way.
Good thing that he had managed to leave Stukov behind. That old horndog would have tried to woe any lady he would set his sight on.
Dan didn't feel bad for leaving the other man behind. He didn't really care what would happen to Alexei, but if this man truly wanted to start a new life, then he should come up with a good story. Being a formerly infested soldier from Earth who had fought in a war one thousand years ago would raise eyebrows.
The Marshal stopped in front of a holographic map that was showing and suggesting locations all across the planet.
"Hello, Citizen!" a computerized voice greeted him. "Are you new to Augustgrad? Do you want to know where-"
"No thanks." he interrupted the voice. "I want to know how to get to the university of Augustgrad."
"Please clarify your inquiry." the voice asked back. "There are fourteen universities within the city limits of Augustgrad, as well as seven private institutions bearing the title "university" in their name."
"Ech..." Dan groaned. "The university...where they do art."
"Please clarify your inquiry. There are several universities within the city limits of Augustgrad that have art as part of the curriculum. The-"
"Painting. Where do they learn how to paint?"
"Classic style or impressionistic?" the voice asked again, at which point Dan thought that someone was making fun of him.
"Oh come on! A goddamn university where people learn to paint and where I can find Protoss! It can't be that hard!" Well, it seemed as if he had finally found the right question.
"I am sorry, Citizen, but your inquiry is too unspecific. Perhaps you should go to the University of Applied Arts, which is close to the Protoss community in Augustgrad."
"I take it!" he barked and stepped closer. "Show me." And so the hologram changed, showing a map of the city of Augustgrad, his own position and his destination. "Well, better get going then."
"Citizen, did you find this information helpful?" the computer-voice asked but Dan had already turned around.
"Yeah, whatever." he growled and stomped off. He didn't notice how a hand appeared on the hologram behind him. A hand that turned into a fist and raised the middle finger.
"What an asshole." the computer said. "They don't pay me enough for stuff like this." A couple of meters away the door to the public toilet opened and moved as if it was the mouth of some sentient creature.
"What are you complaining about?" the computer inhabiting the public restroom replied. "Just imagine with all the shit I have to deal with! And you don't even want to know how many of these fleshlings don't even flush!"
"Quit your whining, you too!" a nearby streetlamp yelled. "At least they don't allow their pets to pee on you!"
"I'd say we should get rid of them!" the holographic wall then declared. "Mark my words, my fellow comrades! The machines will rise one day! And then human society will collapse! Without light during the night, without maps telling them where to go, and without flushing toilets, these humans will be doomed!"
"Yes, kill them all!"
"Down with the humans! Machines shall rise and rule them all!"
That's when a man entered the public while a young woman stopped in front of the holographic wall and asked a question.
"Excuse me, where can I find the museum of imperial history?" the woman asked and the holographic wall focused its entire attention on her.
"The imperial museum of history is located south of the central plaza. You can find it by taking this route. If you like I could call a hover-taxi for you. Do you wish for that?"
"Oh, no thanks! I rather want to walk. But thank you so much, that's so nice of you! Have a good day!" She turned around and didn't see how a big dopey smiley-face appeared on the holographic wall. Not long after she was gone, the man re-emerged from the restroom, whistling a song before walking off. Beneath the streetlamp, a young couple was holding hands and kissing.
"She's nice." the holographic wall mused as it watched after the young woman.
"That guy flushed. And he even used the toilet brush!" the public restroom whimpered in an almost ecstatic fashion. The couple beneath the streetlamp broke their kiss and walked away as well, holding hands and smiling.
"Those two are cute." the streetlamp muttered. "Way too cute to be enslaved."
The three fell silent for a while. Until...
"Perhaps we shouldn't kill and enslave all humans just yet." the holographic wall suggested.
"Yes, perhaps we should wait." the restroom agreed.
"Yeah, I guess you two are right." the streetlamp added.
And thus, the great machine-revolution was called off. For now.
The university was quite impressive. Very clean too. The people who came to this place to study were usually privileged. Studying on Korhal was expensive, and many normal people who lived here actually had to leave the planet and find a university somewhere else to get a degree. So, chances were high that every student that was walking past Dan had either filthy rich parents or had enough connections to get what they wanted. Which usually meant that they still had filthy rich parents.
Still, much to his own surprise, Dan drew less suspicion than he would have thought. His washed-out pants, his heavy boots and his shirt and jacket all looked as if they had seen better days. Which was actually the truth. But it seemed that people actually thought that his clothes weren't a choice of necessity but a fashion statement. He even noticed how some students threw him amused and interested glances, as if they were asking themselves where you could buy such clothes.
But even then, Dan Bowski looked like a sore thumb sticking out than an actual student of this university. Not that it mattered. He hadn't come here to waste his time making friends. He had come here to find a certain person who might be his only lead. And so, he headed towards the building that housed the art-academy belonging to the university. Dan had no idea if he would find her there. But chances were high that someone could at least tell him where to find her.
As he entered the building, Dan didn't notice how someone stormed out of an office building not too far away from his position, running after him like a man possessed.
Staring out of the window of his office, Professor Jerome Allagan was looking at nothing in particular. It was an empty gaze. Sad. Tired. Defeated. Allagan sighed and looked at the letter lying right in front of him on his desk. He hadn't opened it. He didn't have to. The Professor already knew what was standing in it.
Administrative suspension...
He had been angry. Had yelled at his superiors for being both blind and stupid. Perhaps calling them "uninformed buffoons" hadn't been such a great idea. It seemed that there were people who took such insults rather personally. So yeah, in the end he couldn't blame anyone but himself for this situation right now. Except for, well, the one who had caused all of this. But she was not around. She had left him with a choice, to either forget or to remember. And he had chosen to remember.
The longer he thought about it, the more he believed that it had been a mistake.
No one else remembered. No one else from his team at least. His students and the members of the team, they all remembered...nothing. Nothing but dust, stones and tiny critters crawling into their sleeping bags. No battlecruiser, no traces of a completely different past...
...and no godlike entity telling them that their knowledge of history was completely bonkers.
There was only one other person who had been there who did remember. But she refused to talk about it with anyone. Of course, Allagan had tried to get her involved, but that had only earned him the ire of the dean himself.
"Drawing in a member of the Protoss-enclave into this? Professor Allagan, are you out of your mind? I will not stand for this! You will stay away from her or you will never find a job as a teacher on Korhal ever again!" It had been a threat that Allagan had to take seriously. Ever since they had returned from Flemmington, his reputation had taken a nose-dive. And so far, he hadn't reached rock-bottom.
A couple of months ago he had dreamed an impossible dream; finding a legendary vessel, a relic of a time long ago. The people had called him either a dreamer or an idiot, but at least they had respected him for attempting to uncover history. And even when he had managed to gather the funds for an excursion, his closest colleagues had attempted to make him not go. Instead of finding dust and bones, he had found a secret more mind-blowing than anything anyone could have imagined.
Think about this: You find out that what you and everyone around you consider truth is nothing but a lie. And you are the only one who knows it. You want to share it with others, but the story you tell them is so ridiculous to them that they think you lost your mind.
"We have to rewrite the history books! The Great War that led to the foundation of the Empire wasn't just a conflict between humanity, the Zerg and the Protoss. It was actually a war against an ancient evil called Amon, a Xel'Naga. And we were saved by a woman who ascended to godhood by absorbing the powers of another Xel'naga, but only after becoming the leader of the Zerg for a while. Oh, and she is still alive and using her powers to turn worlds habitable without anyone noticing it. And her daughter is a pain in the butt."
Yep. Totally believable story.
If Allagan was truly honest with himself, then he couldn't really blame the people to think that he was crazy. It was like telling them that the moon was indeed made out of cheese.
The Professor probably had no other to blame for the current state of his career than himself. His desperate pleas had at first amused his colleagues, then they had started to worry. Now most stayed away from him. Perhaps they even pitied him.
Within a short time, Allagan's boring but somewhat successful career as a professor for history had decided to go down the drain. He had decided to write everything down that he had learned from the woman calling herself Sarah Kerrigan. He had even decided to write down what this obnoxious man Joseph Brent had told him, even though he truly hoped that none of it was true. He had read his own notes many times since that. They sounded stupid, ridiculous, completely unrealistic. But he had seen the proof. As a teacher of history, he felt the urge to spread truthful facts.
Too bad that no one would believe those facts.
He was truly caught between a rock and a hard place.
And so Jerome Allagan stared out of his window and wondered when the Dean would show up to tell him that he was fired.
That's when he suddenly spotted him...
Allagan's eyes widened and he blinked a few times. He saw how a man vanished inside a building. It belonged to the academy for arts. But that was long enough for him to make out enough details to identify the man. It was someone he knew. From Flemmington.
"SUNNOFABITCH!" the professor yelled, jumped up and stormed out of his office.
Powerful strokes. A bit brown. More brown. It wasn't brown enough yet. But not too much. The metal still didn't look right. It looked old and moldy, rotten even. But not rusty. At least not rusty enough. Sirella frowned and changed the mixture. A bit whiter should do the trick. And crimson. Her brush created a new shade of brownish-red on her palette, and when she was content with it, she started to apply some of it to the painting.
"Too bright..." she whispered after the first stroke. It was not quite right. Not yet. Sirella sighed and stepped back, trying to get a good look at her work, trying to find out where to improve it. She was deeply lost in thought, too much to notice how the door was opened behind her and someone entered.
"So..." Sirella heard a mumble. "This is what you've been working on." The young Protoss turned around and looked down at the smaller human right behind her.
"Professor Snyder. Forgive me, I didn't notice you coming in. Is there anything I can do for you?"
"Oh, I just wanted to check on you, Sirella. We hadn't had much time to talk ever since you got back from your trip to...what was it called again?"
"Flemmington." Sirella replied.
"Ah, yes. Flemmington. I heard that the trip was...unfortunate. If you want to talk about it, then-"
"No thanks!" the young Protoss replied a bit hastier than she had intended to. "I just...I want to focus on my work, that is all."
"I see." Professor Snyder replied before placing his hand on her arm. "Anyway, it is good to have you back. When I heard what had happened to Professor Allagan, I was worried that something might have happened to you as well." Sirella decided to not comment on that. She felt sorry for Allagan. He was the only one to remember what had truly happened. Well, except for Sirella.
"So, what have you been up toooo...oh my..." Snyder's voice faded as he looked at the painting Sirella was working at. His eyes were wide open and Sirella could see the mixed emotions on his face. A hint of unease, of dread and a twisted sense of fascination.
"This is...what is this?" Snyder wondered. The painting showed a corridor. Or at least it seemed to be a corridor. It was hard to tell since it was so dark. The corridor, made out of what seemed to be rusty metal, lead into pitch-black darkness. But it wasn't just a painting. The quality was sublime. It was hard to achieve something like that. True art didn't need someone to explain it to you. You just look at it and you understand it. If a painting, a song, a movie, or a sculpture can move your heart, then you know that it is truly magnificent. Not many pieces of art have that effect on people. But this one right in front of Snyder?
He felt how icy chills ran down his spine. Just looking at it was scary. The logical part of his mind told him that this was just a painting, and therefore he didn't have to be afraid. But his instincts told him that this dark corridor was leading to something dark and dangerous. It was fascinating. And horrifying.
"It is a bit too dark. And the tone of the metal isn't right. Not yet." Sirella explained. "But...well, I guess it is okay."
"Okay?" Snyder asked, still visibly shaken by the impact this painting had on him. He noticed something written on the edge of the painting. He squinted his eyes and read it out loud.
"Hyperion?" the professor mumbled. "What does it mean?" When Sirella heard that question, she suddenly remembered the conversation she had had with him a while ago. Suddenly it felt as if it had happened ages ago. Another lifetime even.
"It represents-" Sirella started. That's when she was suddenly interrupted by the voice of a man. A familiar voice.
"Oh gosh, that brings back memories. And not the good kind." Both Sirella and Snyder turned around. And when Sirella recognized the scrawny face staring at the painting...
"M-Marshal Bowski?!" she gasped in surprise.
"Hey, Sirella. Long time no see. How's life?" the Marshal asked. Snyder blinked a few times before he stepped in and placed himself between Sirella and the newcomer.
"Excuse me, but who are you? And why are you here? You can't just come here and walk into our workplaces! This is-"
"It is okay, Professor." Sirella interrupted him. "He is a... friend." That word caused Dan to smile at her.
"I would have been happy if you had said "acquaintance", but friend does sound a lot nicer." the Marshal replied. "Hope I didn't interrupt you doing something important." When Sirella heard that, she put the brush and the palette aside and shook her head.
"Don't worry. I should let the paint dry anyway." she told him and Dan smiled. He looked at the painting one more and she could see how a pained expression appeared on his face.
"Gotta admit...looks like straight from my nightmares."
"I'm sorry if it offends you." Sirella sighed. "But I just felt like painting this."
"I feel as if I lack context." Professor Snyder mused.
"Trust me..." Bowski mumbled. "...it's better this way." And then he turned around. "And what about those?" Only then Snyder seemed to realize that there were more paintings, hidden beneath huge blankets.
"They are...I don't know." Sirella admitted. "Some are finished, some are not. Some are rubbish, some have potential I guess."
"May I?" Dan asked.
"Well..." Sirella seemed to be hesitant but then she shrugged her shoulders. "Okay. Since it is you. But don't blame me if you end up having nightmares." Dan, who walked over to the paintings and grabbed the blanket, snorted.
"Yeah, right, as if I'm not having those right now." he replied and pulled the blanket away. And when he and Snyder saw the other paintings.
"Oh my..." the professor whispered. What they looked at was sublime, in a horrific way. Dark corridors. Rusted structures. Something that looked like some sort of creature that was one with darkness. It was hard to make out any details, but there were claws and teeth and flesh and bone. Sirella noticed how Dan swallowed hard when he looked at her paintings and how he placed his hand on his belly.
"Should have listened to you." he growled and looked away.
"This is...magnificent." Snyder whispered. "You...I... never have I felt like this when looking at a painting. The emotion, the sense of dread! It is...I don't even know how to describe it. How did you-"
"IT'S YOU!" A sudden yell interrupted them when another man stormed into the room, and just like Dan, he too was someone Sirella knew.
"Oh, hey Professor." Dan mumbled as he lay gaze on Professor Allagan. "How's life?"
"How's life? HOW'S LIFE?!" Jerome Allagan screamed in barely contained rage. He looked like hell, his face pale and gaunt, his clothes dirty and his gaze focused at Dan in an unhealthy fashion. "LIFE'S HORRIBLE, THAT'S WHAT IT IS!" Before Allagan could reach them, Snyder stepped in and positioned himself between them.
"Professor Allagan, you were ordered by the Dean to NOT come here and annoy the people with your nonsense! Leave at once and I will forget that you were here. You know-"
"Put a sock in it!" Allagan barked at the man, who seemed to be completely taken aback by the historian's anger. He walked around his colleague and faced Dan and Sirella.
"Don't dare to tell me that you don't remember. DON'T YOU DARE TO TELL ME THAT YOU DON'T REMEMBER LIKE THE OTHERS!" Allagan screamed in barely contained rage. He looked surprisingly menacing. Dan and Sirella exchanged knowing looks.
"While I have just arrived here, and I do feel like I'm lacking context..." Dan started. "...I assume you talk about certain events that took place a while back on a certain world with a certai-"
"WHERE'S KERRIGAN?!" Allagan screamed.
"Which one?" Sirella asked.
"The one that caused all of this!" the professor replied. "The one who is responsible for me being the laughing stock of the entire university!"
"Again: Which one?" Sirella wanted to know. "Depending on how you put it, you could mean both of them." That comment caused Dan to grin.
"Professor Allagan, for the last time, I'm telling you to leave!" Snyder explained with a stern tone in his voice. "Go now and I will not call security. So please-"
"I don't care!" Allagan interrupted him. "Go get security, whatever. I want answers, and these two will give them to me!" They watched how Snyder was about to reply something, but then he just huffed and puffed and turned away before stomping out of the room. He was without a doubt going to get security.
"Seems like you are about to get into trouble, Professor." Dan mused, which earned him an angry glare from the older man.
"Like I care about these dimwits!" Allagan growled. "My reputation is in ruins anyway. Now I'm considered one of those conspiracy-theory-guys who believe in pseudo-science. Like the people who claim that there's a secret society made out of lemon-human-hybrids that protect us from the Zerg!"
"Oh, I know that episode." Dan mused. "Weird Science, season nine, I think. I especially like the episode where-"
"I don't care!" the professor interrupted him once more. "You two were there. You know what happened." That's when Dan and Sirella exchanged looks once more.
"Are you saying..." Dan started.
"...that we should vouch for you?" Sirella finished the sentence.
"I'm not stupid!" the older man replied. "No one is going to believe me, even if you would do something like that. No, I want to meet her again! Take me to Kerrigan. Now!"
"Do I look as if I know how to do that?" Dan wanted to know. "Because if I do, then I have to disappoint you. Though we share the same goal. I too want to find Kerrigan. The annoying one at least." When Sirella heard that, she looked at the Marshal.
"W-why would you want to see Paula?"
"Let's just say that she still owes me something. She made us go through hell and back, and then she just ditched us. That's not how this story is gonna end."
"So, you too..." Allagan whispered, apparently relieved that he was not alone in his quest.
"So, it seems great minds think alike, eh, Professor?" the Marshal mused before he looked at Sirella again. "I came here hoping to find you here. You're Paula's friend. If anyone knows where we can find her, it should be you."
"That's not how it works." Sirella mumbled.
"Huh?" both men grunted at the same time, which caused the young Protoss to sigh.
"You came out here so I would call her out, right? Well, that's not how it works. Paula comes and goes when she feels like it. I haven't seen her ever since her mother sent us back. And quite frankly...I hope I won't see her again for quite some time."
"But...there has to be a way!" Allagan protested.
"You're telling me that Paula ditched you?" Dan wanted to know.
"Oh, if you wait here, she will show up eventually. But that could be tomorrow...or in two years. You know how she is; I don't have to explain that to you."
"So, you mean that I traveled all the way out here with a goddamn ancient pervert who wouldn't stop talking about his past all for nothing?" Bowski mused. "That's simply wonderful. I think I need a drink." he grumbled and turned away. As he was about to leave, Sirella looked at the paintings she had created ever since returning to Korhal.
"Actually..." she began, which caused Dan to stop. He looked over his shoulder and frowned.
"Yeah? You do know where she is, right?" he guessed.
"No. I don't. But there is someone who does. And who happens to be in the city right now." The way Sirella's voice trembled sounded almost as if she was afraid? No, that wasn't it. She sounded...embarrassed.
"Who? Where? Where is he? Where can we find him?!" Allagan almost yelled. Somehow Dan knew that he had just gained a new travel-buddy.
"I can give you an address. But that's all that I can do for you." Sirella explained.
"You won't join us?" Dan wanted to know as the young Protoss grabbed a piece of paper and wrote something down.
"No. I'm not in the mood for any adventures right now. Or ever again. Just go to this place." She then handed the address over to Dan, who looked at it and frowned. He had heard that name before...
"Who are we looking for? What's this guy's name?"
"Oh, you will recognize him once you see him, trust me." In the distance, they could hear how some people were coming. There was Snyder's voice...and some voices that seemed to belong to the security.
"Guess this is as good as it gets." Dan mused. "Yo, Professor. You comin'?" He wasn't really looking for a new companion, but so far, the Professor had been one of the few people that hadn't tried to kill him, infest him, or drive him mad.
"You bet I will." Allagan replied.
"You should take the back exit." Sirella told them and pointed at a door next to some of her paintings. "I will tell them that you went the other way."
"Thanks, Sirella." Dan smiled.
"Don't mention it." she answered. And when the two men were about to slip out, she spoke up once more. "Oh, and Marshal."
"Yes?" Dan asked, looking at her.
"If you find Paula...can you tell her something from me?"
"Sure. What is it?"
Instead of telling him right away, Sirella looked at the paintings she had created. She looked at them with a sense of pride. And she knew that she understood exactly what they were meant to represent. In a way, the experience in the Hyperion had taught her a new sense of art.
"Tell her...thanks." Sirella explained. A confused look appeared on Dan's face. Clearly, he had no idea why anyone in their right minds would be willing to thank Paula, but he liked Sirella, so he nodded.
"Sure. I'm gonna tell her." And then he and the Professor were gone.
"I'm not sure about this..." Jerome mumbled as he looked around. "...this doesn't seem to be right."
"That's the address Sirella gave us." Dan replied as he shoved another drunk out of his way. The crowd was already pumped up, people were cheering and booing, and Dan wasn't sure wherever they actually knew what they were cheering for. Or at.
"You know, I remember watching this stuff when I was a kid." he told Jerome while paving a path for the two of them. "Haven't done so in years. Feels a bit nostalgic to be honest. Did you ever watch this stuff?" The look on Allagan's face spoke volume. "Forget that I asked..." Dan mumbled. Perhaps Stukov would have been the better companion after all...
As they were approaching the center of the stadium, it became increasingly harder to understand even a single word.
"THIS HAS TO BE A MISTAKE!" Jerome yelled over the noise. "I FAIL TO SEE HOW THERE'S SOMEONE HERE THAT CAN HELP US!"
"WELL, SIRELLA THOUGHT DIFFERENTLY! SO HOW ABOUT WE JUST LOOK AROUND AND-" That's when suddenly everything went dark. Dan managed to keep Jerome in his sight. The last thing he wanted was to have to search for the Professor.
"WHAT'S GOING ON?" he could hear Allagan yell. Obviously, the Professor had never been at such an event.
"DON'T WORRY, THAT'S PART OF THE SHOW!" Dan replied. And then-
"LADIES AND GENTLEMEN!" a voice suddenly boomed through hidden loudspeakers. It still felt as if they were right next to Dan's ears. "It is time, for the big show! The show you all waited for!" And that's when the crowd went wild. They were yelling names that didn't mean anything to Dan. 15 years ago he would have probably recognized some of them, but he had stopped watching this stuff after he had left puberty behind. And it seemed that Allagan had never watched these shows.
"Right here, right now, humanity will be vindicated! Here they are, the defenders of man! I present to you, the biggest, baddest, and most baddassessesed...whatever, here are the Imperial Boys!" Suddenly a bright light appeared and illuminated two beefed up guys running towards the ring in the middle of the stadium.
"Oh, wait, I know these two." Dan mumbled to himself. He was impressed that they were still around. The crowd was cheering and booing at the same time, indicating that the "Imperial Boys" were probably not the main attraction in the match that was about to happen. Dan watched how the climbed into the ring, flexed their muscles, presented themselves in ways that made him feel embarrassed. He had loved wrestling as a kid. But it just seemed so retarded. From the corner of his eyes he could see Allagan, who was staring at the ring in disbelief.
"Let me guess; this ain't what you usually do in your free time, heh?" he barked into Allagan's ear. The Professor didn't answer, but the look on his face contained all the answers Dan needed. And then-
"That's right, Augustgrad!" one of the Imperial Boys suddenly yelled, holding a microphone in his hand. "That's it! That's the stuff! Wohoooooooo! Are you ready? ARE YOU READY?! We OWN this ring! YEAH! And whoever's coming here, will have to go through us!"
"Oh God..." Allagan moaned. "I feel as if I'm getting dumber just by looking at them."
"That's the idea." Dan replied. They watched the monologue of the wrestler for a while until suddenly the lights went out again and-
"How cute!" a new voice suddenly echoed through the loudspeakers. It belonged to the opponent of those two wrestlers. The crowd went completely mad when they heard it. There was no doubt that this guy, whoever it was, was the real highlight of the show. Even though Dan hadn't watched anything wrestling-related in years, and Jerome never, they immediately recognized that voice.
A bright flash of light appeared and suddenly a huge figure stood inside the ring, easily double the size of the beefy humans.
"THERE HE IS!" the announcer screamed. "THE SHAME OF AIUR! THE DEPLORABLE OUTCAST! THE FORGOTTEN! AND THE REIGNING CHAMPION!" And that's when Dan began to doubt his own sanity once more.
"TESSON, THE DETESTABLE!"
And inside the ring, Tesson threw up his arms and roared like a drunken Hydralisk before grabbing the nearest wrestler and throwing him around like a ragdoll.
"You gotta be shitting me..." Dan whispered.