Here we are. The truly last chapter. A bit shorter than the others but I wanted it to be that way. I actually had planned for a different, much longer chapter with all sorts of details. But I felt unhappy with it. I think that a good ending should leave you both satisfied and give you enough room to think about, and maybe let your imagination run wild. Besides, I already did a very detailed epilogue once (that was 4 chapters long) and now I'll try something less sophisticated. It still comes from the heart, though.
Anyway, I want to thank all the people who read this, faved it and gave a review. And I also want to thank all the lurkers that maybe have read it and then moved on. Even if you only thought "that was a nice read" after you were done, I'm happy.
A special thanks goes to bjlu0900, who not only helped me to rework "Putting the Pieces back together", but also beta-read this whole story. I will be forever grateful, my friend! Thank you.
I thought about adding a lengthy afterword, but I don't think that will be necessary anymore. I wrote and said everything that I wanted to write and say. That should be enough.
The whole reason why I wrote this thing is that after I finished "Putting the Pieces back together", I had still a whole lot of ideas left that I never managed to squeeze into my first story. There are still some ideas left, but not enough for a true story. Most of those ideas got cut out because I saw no place for them in the first story, or there was no time, or I simply didn't feel like it. So yeah, most of it landed in this story.
That being said: This story, while fun to write, is a lot less focused than my other story. I think it shows. While I had fun working on this one, I put a lot less effort into planning every part of the story. So yeah, I certainly didn't reach the quality of my first story. But you know what? I can live with that. It's more like an afterthought.
Whatever will come next, I hope you all enjoyed reading this.
Till the next time. And if not:
Take care.
Epilogue
Somewhere over the Rainbow
Many centuries later...
''I am fine!'' Sirella replied as she kept on walking. ''Stop fussing around and leave me be!" Next to her walked two other Protoss, much younger than the old artist. They seemed to be worried that she would stumble by accident and break all her bones. Granted, she was old. But not that old. Being 900 years old was not uncommon for a Protoss, and she had lived a life filled with peace and void of any hardship. Her doctors told her that she could very well live for another two or three hundred years, especially when keeping in mind how long her great-grandfather had lived.
That was truly a scary thought.
"Grandmother, we should look for some transportation. The hill is steep and the stairs are many. I think-" her granddaughter told her.
"I know these stairs very well, Selendis!" Sirella interrupted her. "I walked them long before even your parents were born!" That much was true. She had come here very often, ever since the world of Sternenheim had been discovered by the people of the galaxy. Or rather: When the people of Sternenheim had decided to rejoin the people of the galaxy.
There were not many people around. The festivities were only about to start the next day or so. It was hard to tell, with no real day or night on this world. Not that it truly mattered. Not many people would come to the festivities anyway. Mayor Tesson had put his foot down and decided that only as few people as possible would be allowed to come here. Members of Artanis' family were included, but the only one that was truly welcomed was Sirella. Two of her grandchildren, Selendis and Morawag, had been asked to accompany her. As if her family was afraid that she'd break her neck in the safest place in the entire galaxy...
As Sirella walked alongside the beach, she could see the boats in the distance. Storm season was over now, so the fishermen were eager to head out there and catch some squidfish. And while Sirella had no mouth, and therefore had never eaten a squidfish (or anything else), she still enjoyed the smell of roasted seafood. It smelled...nice.
You didn't even need a nose to enjoy it.
Her grandchildren kept fussing around, even though she had told them not to. Gosh, younglings! She ignored their bickering for the most part. Some people walked past them, most of them humans, some Protoss, and some other species that she couldn't even pronounce. But not many.
The stairs leading up to the cliff came into view. In front of them stood two huge Protoss. One was wearing the colors of the Templar. It was a weird sight since the order no longer appeared in the public anymore. However, the sight next to it was even weirder, since no one had seen a traditional Dark Templar in ages either. Both were standing guards and when people would approach them, they would bow their head in respect and tell: "Forgive us, but this place is off-limits today. You may return the day after tomorrow." Some people seemed disappointed, yet most simply nodded and turned away.
"They have closed it." Morawag spoke. "Too bad. We should return then. You can rest back in the-"
"Oh, that is what you wish, right?" Sirella chuckled. "For your old and tired grandmother to just lie down and sleep so you can do whatever you want to do. Pardon me, but that is not what is going to happen."
"Th-that is not what we wanted to imply, Grandmother! We only-" Selendis came to the defense of her cousin.
"Oh, be quiet! I can see right through you. Do you take me for a fool? I was young once too, and I understand that you would like to do anything else than babysit your old grandmother. Well, I did not ask you to join me, your parents did. That does not mean that I have to babysit you. Head back to the town, if you wish. This will take some time anyway." And with that, Sirella stopped in front of the two huge warriors and lowered her head.
"Forgive me, honorable guards. I know that this place is closed to the public today, however, I was invited by someone to come here."
"Say no more, Lady Sirella." the Templar declared and he and his Nerazim-brother bent the knee right in front of her. "We were informed that you would arrive. You may pass. Do your grandchildren accompany you?" Sirella looked at Selendis and Morawag. You could see how much they didn't like to be here. It was no insult to Sirella, not really. Both cousins were young, they wanted to do other things. Like be with their friends or travel. Not watch over their old and wrinkly grandmother.
"No." Sirella then chuckled. "They can go back to the town and enjoy themselves. There is not much they can do there, but it will be better than watching old women talking about the past, right my dears?"
"We...no!" Selendis protested.
"We will come with you." Morawag agreed. It was the most unconscionable display of sincerity you could imagine.
"Bah. Off you go. Your grandmother wants to be left alone. Besides, I have no idea how long this will take. So, to quote a good friend of mine: Get lost." The two cousins looked at each other and shrugged their shoulders before they turned around and walked away. Sirella shook her head and then faced the stairs once more.
"Eh...every time I get here it seems there are more stairs to climb." she sighed.
"Lady Sirella, allow us to help you." the Nerazim exclaimed and offered his strong arm.
"Nonsense, child!" the old Protoss replied. "I can do this on my own. Besides, you have your duty. Let me not interfere with that." The two guards exchanged looks and then stepped back.
"As you wish, Lady Sirella. Your host is waiting for you on top."
"Host...how formal." Sirella chuckled before she started to climb up the stairs. Behind her, a group of young humans arrived. They didn't seem to be locals and when they were stopped by the guards and informed that they couldn't go up there on this day, one of them said: "But that one can?"
"That..." the Templar explained. "...is Lady Sirella, great-granddaughter of Artanis and a close personal friend of Lady Kerrigan." Sirella didn't look back but chuckled when she heard the gasps of the people down below.
"S-Sirella? The famed artist?" one woman whispered. "Oh wow..."
"Wait, she's a personal friend of Kerrigan? I didn't know that! Oh boy!"
"Maybe we should wait until she's back and ask for an autograph?" someone suggested. Ah, humans sometimes could be so amusing! However, Sirella had no time for them. Someone was expecting her, after all.
An old friend...
She had climbed those stairs many times. At least once every decade. Sirella remembered a time when there hadn't been any stairs, when Sternenheim had been an untouched paradise. But civilization had left its mark, and if she was brutally honest, then Sirella was glad for those stairs. Without them, she would have needed the help of one of those strong guards.
"This...used to be...easier..." Sirella sighed when she finally reached the top of the cliff. She stopped for a moment and looked across the horizon. Beautiful. So very beautiful. Every time she came here, she left with an idea for something new to paint. And then she faced him...
"Hello, Grandfather." Sirella whispered. "...It is good to see you again."
In front of her was a crystal. It looked like a miniature pylon that was floating over a slab of gray stone. As she looked at the crystal, she could make out shapes and forms. Sometimes you could make out some details, like a face or a piece of armor. Most of it showed Artanis. As a young neophyte. As a battle-hardened Templar. As Hierarch. As a diplomat. But most importantly: As her beloved great-grandfather.
This whole place was...quiet. Peaceful.
Artanis would have loved it.
Sirella remembered the day when her old friend Paula had approached her and told her about Artanis' demise. It had only been natural. Everyone dies. Yet it still had hurt so much.
The first time she had visited his grave had been...tough.
They had decided to put him to rest right here, on Sternenheim. It made sense. Artanis had never wanted to be put on a pedestal, and the thought of some politicians using his dead corpse to create a shrine had been his own personal nightmare. This grave was simple. And that gave it a kind of dignity no shrine or temple could match.
Sure, when Sternenheim had ceased to be a secret, when the people of Aiur had found out that Artanis, a legend as big as Adun and Tassadar, had been put to rest on this world, some had demanded his remains to be returned to Aiur. There were still some out there who called for that to happen, but aside from stern demands, they hadn't managed to get much done.
Besides, this was a good resting place.
Sirella walked over to the crystal and placed her hand on it. It emitted a faint energy. It was a psionic signal, and the closest thing to a "scent" a psionically gifted person could have. And this scent reminded her of Artanis. It was a beautiful place. Quiet, and peaceful. There was even a bench close by, for those who wanted to sit down and just watch the horizon.
Like a certain someone...
"Hey gal." The woman smiled when Sirella looked to her side and their eyes met.
"Hello Paula." Sirella replied. "Have you been waiting for long?" Paula just shrugged when she heard that question.
"I've been here for an hour or two. Enjoyed the silence. Don't get much of it these days. But fear not: You have not kept me waiting." Paula chuckled. She looked exactly the same way she had done when they had met the last time. And the time before that. And before that. In human terms, she looked like she was in her mid-twenties. The fact that she was almost as old as Sirella hadn't left its mark on her.
At least not on the outside.
And then, after a while...
"It is good to see you, my friend." Sirella said and you could see how Paula's expression, who had contained hints of tensions, began to soften considerably.
"Same here. And thanks. It's good to see you again too, girl." Paula then pointed at the empty spot right next to her. "Want to sit down?"
"I will not say no to that offer, Paula." Sirella sighed and walked over to the bench before sitting down. And then both of them looked at the horizon for a while. No one said a word, yet Sirella could still feel Paula's tension and her grief. And after a while...
"Sirella, I... I owe you an apology."
"You do not." Sirella replied.
"Yeah, I do. I... should have been there. Should have been a better friend." Paula told her.
"You are a busy person. You carry a lot of responsibility. Both here on Sternenheim and beyond. And with your mother handing most things over to you, I cannot even imagine how much pressure you are facing right now." the old Protoss sighed.
"Eh', it's not so bad." Paula muttered. "I got lots of people that help me. Ever since Tesson took over as Mayor, this place runs smooth like butter. So I don't have to worry about the academy or anything else. Karax keeps the eggheads on a tight leash. So, it's less demanding than you might think."
"Still, I guess there are many who wish to have an audience with you."
"Let's not call it audience, shall we? Let's call it "meetings". Or "gatherings". Or "waste of time". Especially the last one." Paula sneered.
"That sounds like someone else I know." Sirella chuckled.
"Don't know what you're talking about." Paula grunted before she sighed again. "And please let's not change the subject. I still owe you an apology for-"
"Just leave it be, Paula." Sirella told her and put her hand on the woman's shoulder. "I hold no ill will to you. I never did. You are my friend. And Evalonis felt the same way." Mentioning his name caused Paula to bite on her lip.
"Still...I should have been there."
Sometimes...things don't really work out the way people wish they do. Evalonis had been a good soul. Honest. Truthful. Loyal. Sirella knew that Paula liked to think back at those good old days. Evalonis had meant something to her. Her first true love. So, when it hadn't worked out and both had decided to live their own lives, Sirella had been there for Paula. And for Evalonis. And that had led to something else.
"I had my family with me, Paula." Sirella explained. "They were there for me. Besides, death is part of life. We had good times together, Evalonis and I. And that is all that mattered."
"Still..." Paula sighed. "...I now wish I had been there. To say goodbye at least. Evalonis was still my friend. More than that for a time..." That's when Sirella shook her head.
"It happened too fast. Even you would not have been able to come there in time." she told Paula. And then she sighed. "I know that you stayed away because of that. I wish you had not. You are still my friend, and as old as I am, I do not have many friends left." Paula looked her into the eyes before she nodded.
"Then I promise that I will be a better friend from now on."
"One that calls more often, that would be enough." And then both of them laughed until Sirella looked at the grave once more. "Besides, I do not want to talk about the past. Let us talk about the here and now!"
"As you wish..." Paula then said. "...I sensed your grandchildren. Selendis and Morawag. They seemed to be a nice bunch."
"Eh, they are young and foolish. They still have to find their way. Sometimes I wonder how we are even related. But then again...I am certain that Artanis felt the same about me at times." Sirella wondered.
"He was very proud of you."
"I know..." the old Protoss mused. "...but enough about me. I wanted to hear from you!"
"Pfff..." Paula sneered. "Not much to say, really. Work never stops, there's always someone who needs some help or to be told to drop it. It keeps me occupied."
"That is not the only thing I heard." Sirella chuckled.
"Dunno what you're talking about."
"Really? Not something about a certain someone that you have your eyes set on? Someone that makes you snicker and act like a little girl again?" the old Protoss teased her friend. "Someone with the name "Gilles" maybe?" Paula's eyes widened for a moment before they turned narrow and she stared right at Sirella.
"Who told you about that?"
"Oh, I do not know...I just happened to walk into Dan when I arrived. He told me about a certain someone." Sirella teased her old friend. She noticed how Paula began to blush. Hard.
"Dan should learn to shut up." she mumbled, which earned her a heartfelt laugh from Sirella. "And it's not "Gilles", it's "Guillaume". He's not a race driver!"
"Hahahaha! Oh, the look on your face! It is true then? The great Paula Kerrigan has met someone that she fancies? Tell me. Tell me everything!"
"Well, Dan shouldn't even be here. He was supposed to help Sarah and-"
"Do not change the subject, Paula!" Sirella interrupted her. "Dan already complained about his girlfriend being a slave-driver. And he kept bemoaning the fact that she is now exactly like her mother used to be before she made up with Joseph and their daughters, and he has turned into a younger version of his own father-in-law! I do not care about that." And then Sirella leaned over and sounded more like a teenager than a 900-year-old Protoss.
"So, tell me about this "Guillaume"." she cooed and Paula sighed.
"Fine. I met him a couple of years ago on the world of Tarnat. He is a Paladin."
"A Paladin?" Sirella wondered. "Like...some sort of Templar?" That question brought a smile to Paula's face.
"Yeah. Kinda. You see, on Tarnat the population has a much higher rate of psionically gifted. That means that people without psionics are in the minority. That has led to all sorts of trouble in the past. The Paladins are people without any psionic abilities, yet they are trained to deal with those who have psionics. They are peacekeepers. And warriors, if they have to. It is actually...hey, why are you laughing?"
"Hahahaha..." Sirella shook her head in amusement. "...only Paula Kerrigan, the mightiest psionic of all times, could fall in love with someone who was trained to hunt down psionics. Oh, how I love this irony!"
"I am not the mightiest psionic of all times." Paula said dryly.
"Oh, pardon me: Second-mightiest psionic of all time, and with room to improve." the amused Sirella corrected herself. "I am sorry. Please, go ahead. I want to hear more."
"Eh, sure you do." Paula griped but then continued nonetheless. "Well, I went to Tarnat because Dan told me that there was some bad stuff going on. And when I got there..."
On a distant world
Beyond the Koprulo Sector...
"...and will visit Sternenheim in two days. It will be the first time in over 90 years that both the reigning Empress, as head of state, and the chancellor will travel there together. After the festivities they are expected to meet with dignitaries from other nations and species." the TV screen above the register blared as a man paid for his groceries.
"Among the dignitaries will be the President of the United Sol Alliance, the Consul of Aiur, and the current heir to the Overqueen of the Zerg. They were invited by the diplomatic corps on Sternenheim. Talks will be held in a neutral place, with Head Diplomat Izsha overseeing the talks. Observers have stated that the real aim of these talks are..."
All sounded very important. Politics on a galactic scale! Important names that would make important decisions. None of that mattered to the people in this place. Especially not for the guy who put the stuff he was about to buy on the counter.
"Healthy stuff." the cashier grunted.
"You're selling it, so joke's on you."
"If someone sells guns and you buy them, doesn't mean that you have to use them."
"Did you just put cheese Doritos on the same level as firearms?"
"Maybe. Depends on which one kills more."
"Your prices have gone up." the man growled at the cashier.
"Deflation." was the other man's laconic answer.
"That doesn't make any sense. If it'd be deflation, then it would get cheaper."
"Fine, then the other thing."
"Inflation."
"Did you just call me fat?"
"Oh, for fu...fug...fnnnn..." the man buying groceries tried to say, yet for some odd reason he didn't seem to be able to finish his sentence. The cashier frowned when he said that.
"Yo, Jake, is everything okay? You havin' a stroke here?" he asked the other man, who just shook his head.
"No, I don't think so. I just wanted to say something but it almost felt as if I could not say it because my body refused to do it. Almost as if someone had control over my mind in a gentle but firm way that is totally not scary at all." Jake mumbled. The cashier pulled a brow up when he heard that.
"Well, that sounds like a load of bullsh...shnn...shisnnnn..." And that's when his tongue failed him too. Both men looked at each other in confusion. Until they heard a voice right behind them.
"As amusing as this is..." the soft voice of a woman told them. "...could we speed up this process? I just wanted to pay these." The cashier and Jake blinked a few times. Something had happened. They hadn't been able to speak. But only certain words hadn't come over their lips and...
...or had they?
"What were you talking about again, Jake?" the cashier asked. His pal shook his head and then frowned.
"I said: I let her go first so she can pay her stuff!" Jake declared as if that's exactly what he had wanted to do. The woman, a beautiful redhead, smiled when she heard that.
"Oh, really? That is so nice of you! Thanks!" She stepped forward and put her purchase on the counter. The cashier looked at it in surprise.
"That's a lot of apples." he told the woman.
"What can I say?" the redhead replied and placed her hand on her round belly. "The little ones are really hungry." Jake gave her a friendly nod.
"Do you need help with that?" he asked and pointed at the bag of apples.
"Oh, how nice of you. But don't worry, I can handle myself." the redhead told him and he nodded at her protruding belly.
"May I ask how long until it is time?" Jake asked, which earned him another smile. And what smile it was! It was truly beautiful. Whoever this woman was, she could melt a guy's heart just by smiling...
"Depends on how you look at it." the redhead explained. "Most would probably say that it's still quite the stretch. But for me? Well, time will probably fly real fast, so I just enjoy the time I got left with the little ones while they're still within me."
"Little ones?" the cashier asked. "Twins, Ma'am?"
"Yeah, that too." she simply replied, paid her apples, and offered the two of them one last smile. And when she left the store, both of them could see a guy sitting on some sort of vehicle, waiting for the redhead to climb on the backseat. Even though she was heavily pregnant, she moved with the grace and strength that neither Jake nor his pal had ever seen before.
"Man, that's one lucky dog." Jake muttered.
"A-yup."
Jim's arms rested on the controls of the heavy vulture bike. The sun was shining and there were hardly any clouds in the sky. A beautiful day, really. The smell of autumn was in the air, and the first leaves started to turn yellow. He looked over to the store when Sarah walked out and climbed on the backseat.
"Could have helped you." he told her while she held on to the bag full of apples.
"I'm a big girl, I can handle a bag of apples." Sarah chuckled and pulled out one of them before sinking her teeth into the red fruit. "Hmmm...delicious. Best apples in the entire sector." Jim chuckled when he heard that and started the engine of his vulture bike. The heavy machine came to life and the repulsors lifted it off the ground. A lot of people stared at the huge vehicle in disbelief and awe. No one had seen a machine like that in... well, a very long time.
"Is there an apple for me in that bag as well, or do you intend to eat all of them?" Jim asked. Sarah devoured another one before putting the bag into a compartment.
"How about we play a game..." she told him and Jim groaned.
"Oh no, not again." he whispered. Behind him, Sarah pulled a few marble pebbles out of her pocket and kept them in her closed hand.
"How many pebbles do I have in my hand?" she whispered into his eyes. Jim sighed and closed his eyes. When she had told him all those years ago that she had found a new hobby, he had been happy for Sarah. When she had told him that her hobby was about teaching him how to use the faint psionics that had rubbed off on him, he had been less happy.
Jim tried to focus on Sarah, on her hand, on what's inside that hand, like so many times she had shown him. And when he was certain that he knew the answer...
"Three."
…
…
…
"Sarah?" Jim asked and looked over his shoulder, only to see her amused expression. She pulled an apple out of the compartment and handed it over to Jim.
"Well, I think you deserve one for the effort." she teased him and put the five pebbles back into her pocket. He threw her an annoyed glance but took the apple nonetheless. And as he bit into the fruit, he used his free hand to steer the vulture-bike around. Sarah then slung her arms around his chest and placed her chin on his shoulder.
"So, where to next?" she asked him. Jim accelerated the heavy machine until and she could feel him shrug.
"Dunno. Thought about just driving down this road. See where it leads us." he told her. That put another smile on Sarah's face.
"Sounds good. Hit it."
With the past behind them, and the future waiting for them, Jim and Sarah knew that no matter what road they would take, they would always have a place to return to. There was a home, just beyond the horizon, where people were waiting for them. And as that family would grow, they too would set out and discover what secrets and adventures this galaxy had to offer. And maybe beyond.
For that was what it was all about, wasn't it?
To go out there...
...and find your own way.
The End
This was:
Finding your own Way
by:
Stoppelbart
Starcraft and all its characters belong to Blizzard
All characters based on other games, movies or tv-shows belong to their respective owners
If you see this story on a different site, it was uploaded without my consent
...
Take care
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