Magistrate to Commander

Chapter 3: Mar Sara No More

"Adjutant online." The manor lights flicker to life as I plug the Adjutant in, I didn't turn them on myself just to be sure I plugged her in right. "Sensors are detecting increased Xeno activity surrounding the city, eta for attack is five minutes."

"Looks like we can't run anymore." My heart sinks.

"I'm afraid so, Magistrate."

The despair in my heart turns into righteous judgement. "Open a Transmission to the Norad Two."

"Transmission open." No greetings, I'll leave a message then.

"Edmund Duke, I am aware that you've taken Marshal James Raynor under arrest due to the destruction of a 'key confederate installation' and I know that it is law breaking, but I have proof that it was necessary for the survival of the Mar Sara colonies- send video file- and as such I request that Raynor and the colonial militia you've taken prisoner be released so they can continue to do their jobs: Keeping people safe, These Xenos aren't going to stop until the planet is consumed and as part of colonial law three dash two 'any nearby active colonial forces must come to the aid of a colony under assault', if your regulations matter so much to you, then follow all of them, end transmission."

"Transmission finished."

I take a deep breath, that's part one done. "Adjutant open a transmission to all standing settlements."

"Beginning transmission... Transmission open."

"People of Mar Sara this is your Magistrate, I'm initiating a code red evacuation on all settlements, pack your things and make your way to Mar Sara city.

"Alien life forms are surrounding the city and slaughtering all they can around us, if you can reach us we will make sure you get inside of the city, all standing militia that aren't at any settlements, make your way to the closest settlement and escort them to Mar Sara city.

"If we're going to survive this we'll need every man, woman and child working together to see the end of the month, If you manage to get here I'll have Evac off world waiting for you." I gulp. "We will hold, and we will be praying for the safety of all migrating colonists, end transmission."

"Transmission finished."

All that's left is to hope that Duke will evac us, he has to, colonial law says he has to. "Open a channel to the engineering bay."

"Channel open." Immediately I can hear machinery and the chatter of overworked engineers.

"Simmons are you there?"

"We- what- you?" I can barely hear him over the noise.

"What?" I yell.

Simmons yells something and the room quiets down a tad. "We heard the transmission, what do you need?"

"Remember what we talked about at the wasteland?"

"We already have turret parts being built now, it'll be a lot faster this way than with a clunky SCV."

"Those SCV's can carry more than you ever will."

"But outside of buildings can't build for shit, have you tried making circuit boards with an ion cutter?!"

"Fair point, I want you to resume work on what we discussed, oh and please cooperate with Corporal Johnson, okay?"

"I thought sargent Graves was the only military leadership you had here?"

"Not anymore… speaking of which, Adjutant give the new Corporal the Sargent's old permissions."

"This is breaking military protocol." The Adjutant protests.

"Temporarily, desperate times."

"Understood, Leslie Johnson's military file has been updated: Corporal, temporarily sargent."

"Simmons, this is the most important thing you can do, understood?"

"I hear ya, need anything else?"

"Nope, not yet anyways."

"Get some sleep Magistrate, you sound like you need it."

"I might do that, take care Simmons. Close channel."

"Channel closed."

"Wake me up if anything new happens, if Johnson asks why he's temporarily a sargent tell him it's because he's the highest ranking member of the militia at Mar Sara City currently."

"Yes, Magistrate."

I leave the Adjutant core without the suitcase and head for my personal quarters, hopefully the Xenos understand that I need some sleep, not more stress.

"Incoming transmission."

"I'm up!" I throw the blankets off of my bed and jump towards the holo desk in my quarters. I didn't bother changing out of my uniform, I'll need to get it washed at some point though. "Patch it through."

"Com-link established."

I'm actually thrilled when I see Duke's face appear on the hologram. "I got your message Magistrate, and frankly I don't care what you have to say about Confederate regulations."

"Does that mean that I won't be getting any support-"

"You damn fringe world Yokels are all alike, don't know where your loyalties lie."

"Duke, as part of standing colonial law you are required, by law, to come to the aid of Mar Sara, and I have provided you proof that Raynor and my men didn't break colonial law on a whim, so get your ass down here!"

"Y'all have a real good day now, y'hear?"

"You can't inforce one law and ignore the other!"

"Transmission ended."

"DUUUUUUKE!" I pound my fists on the desk and close my eyes. "Adjutant…"

"Yes, Magistrate?"

"Activate a distress beacon containing the following message: This is Maxton Dirge, Magistrate of Mar Sara, anyone who can hear this please come help us, we're surrounded by alien life-forms and they're multiplying, it won't be long until we're overrun and the confederates have abandoned us, we need an evac offworld for the sake of the people. I'm willing to do anything."

"Distress beacon active at 1220." How did things go south so quickly? Was this intentional, as a way of getting rid of the drunk who somehow got across solar systems and into another officer's uniform who stained the reputation of the governing body?

"Give me a daily update on the status of the evacing settlements, and alert me immediately if we get an answer from the distress beacon."

"Yes, Magistrate."

I stand, and silently walk away. "Oh and Adjutant… Give Corporal Johnson General status."

"Johnson's record states that he is missing officer training, service time, and experience necessary for the position of General, as well as you lacking the authority to give such a promotion." The Adjutant states.

"Override: You useless piece of junk." I tell it.

"Override enabled." I spent so much time and every favor I gained from the academy changing the adjutant's override, glad to see that it paid off.

"Lose Confederacy status."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"Confederacy status lost, promoting Corporal Leslie johnson to General, providing permissions."

"Tell the general to meet me at the academy, I'm going to try and get him the training he needs." I close the door while the Adjutant figures itself out. If it needs to contact me I still have the earpiece.

"Confederate forces have been spotted roaming Mar Sara, Three settlements have managed to evacuate and have started their trek towards Mar Sara City."

"Keep an eye on the Confederate forces."

"Yes Magistrate."

"The militia of White rock have evacuated the nearby settlement and are preparing to set out from their base, unfortunately Confederate forces are en route."

"White Rock's militia and colonists have been arrested by confederate forces, movement has suggested that they're actively avoiding Xeno forces, another settlement has evacuated and is enroute to Mar Sara City."

"Blackwater station has been overrun by Xeno forces and the confederate- warning an attack force is enroute to mar Sara city from the surrounding hives, alerting General Johnson- confederate forces have stopped at the purple vespene refinery and are arresting everyone there, the rest of the settlements have evacuated, the mining crews that aren't tied to any settlements are starting to arrive outside of xeno influence around the city."

"Johnson, we have people waiting for us to get them."

"Yes sir."

"Be ready to give me a report of what you see while enroute to get them in, I'll have a second squad ready to apply pressure elsewhere to make the journey easier."

"Sounds like a plan."

"Adjutant, provide radar support for the general and his squad."

"Should I take the volunteers?"

"No, I'll take the volunteers, your job is a lot more dangerous."

"thirty standing force casualties, one hundred refugee casualties."

"An unknown military force has engaged the Xenos and the Confederates enroute to evacuating civilians."

"Track this new group, can you identify them?"

"No, magistrate, the refugees from the first settlement have arrived."

"General."

"I heard it, Men let's move out!"

"With fewer losses this time." I half joke.

"This time we're expecting the ground spikes."

"fifteen standing force casualties, seventy five refugee casualties, Xeno forces are now reinforcing."

"All settlements have been overrun, the last of the refugees are almost at the Xeno hives surrounding the city, The confederates have pulled out as has this new militant group."

"How many refugees?"

"Eight hundred thirteen."

"That's… not as much as I was hoping for."

"Incoming transmission from the Sons of Korhal, their Liason is on hold."

The terrorist group, that explains who's been attacking the confederates, desperate times call for desperate measures. "Patch it through."

"Good day magistrate, my name is Arcturus Mengsk and I represent the Sons of Korhal."

"I've been following your movements on Mar Sara, although we didn't know who it was out of the many mercenary factions and rebel groups that didn't like my old employers." I say with a smile, no more red tape.

"I see you're familiar with the Confederate propaganda surrounding my group, but based on some of the transmissions we've intercepted, I think you'll see past that."

"You'll be correct, which is why I activated the distress beacon in the first place."

"It's never been our practice to operate in one place for too long, but these Zerg don't look like they're going to wait." Mengsk lets out a nervous chuckle.

I furrow my brow. "Zerg? Don't you mean Xenos? I was the first to see them on-"

"No Magistrate, you aren't." mengsk informs me. "We've discovered that the Confederates were aware of the Zerg since even before Chau Sara, it's why the Protoss incinerated the planet in the first place. The confederates have been conducting experiments on the Zerg for the past month or so, which is why I've extended my hand to you." Mengsk says darkly.

They brought the zerg to Mar Sara. Assigned me here knowing that they were going to kill me. I lean back in my chair thoughtfully.

"I'm going to make an offer Magistrate, I'd like to help you out by sending down a number of dropships to your colony and evacuate any survivors, you know of course that my organization operates outside the bounds of confederate law.

"That's why they spread their lies and misinformation, if you accept my help you'll be branded as an outlaw too."

"But it's a chance to save my people, the confederates lost my loyalty when they chose to arrest my militia and leave the rest to perish."

"It's time to make a stand, Magistrate." Mengsk smiles and nods.

"Adjutant, I'd like to address the people of Mar Sara, inside and outside of the city."

"Transmission starting."

"People of mar Sara, I am pleased to inform you that we now have a way offworld, if you aren't in Mar Sara City yet please hurry, we will get you inside, for those of us inside of Mar Sara city, it's time to plant our feet and hold the line at all costs. If you want to volunteer now's the best time for it, the Sons of Korhal are sending dropships to evacuate us, now's not the time for reservations, at least if you want to live to see tomorrow. End Transmission."

"Transmission finished."

"General are you there?"

"Yes magistrate." He sounds doubtful.

"The last of our people are arriving from the west, take as many as you need and bring them home, I'll take the rest and try and push the Zerg out the opposite way." Good news, Mar Sara city is surrounded by water, they can only attack us from natural choke points of the bridges. Bad news is that we're surrounded by water, they can hold the chokes against us as easily as we can, and with every settlement gone they can focus all of their forces on those chokes.

"Sons of Korhal Battle Cruiser detected in orbit." I can hear explosions, so I throw open my bedroom window and look outside, watching as laser batteries are blasting into the hives surrounding the city. "It has begun bombardment of the Zerg surrounding the city."

"How close are the refugees?"

"The refugees aren't close enough for immediate support."

It'll have to do. "General plans have changed, we're acting now. The Sons of Korhal are beginning the evacuation by bombing the Xeno's, I'm not leaving anyone behind so get moving!" I shout into the earpiece.

"Yes sir! Attention Escort squads one through five we've leaving now, get your suits on and ass's in gear!" He's shouting louder than I was.

I sprint outside, pulling my officer jacket on. They'll need me to lead the defences. "Adjutant bring the Command Centers online, and get me Simmons."

"Sir?"

"Get your men into SCV's and on repair detail, nobody's sitting on their hands for this one."

I make my way to the north east bridges, two chokes we can push and have immediate support from the forces on the adjacent bridge. I don't go to the bridges, I head for the wall in between them. In the breaks in the wall are two bunkers each, with point defence turrets in front of them.

On the walls are missile turrets, for the flying zerg we saw while making our way here, they seemed harmless enough but but… wait what are those? A new breed of Zerg emerges from the ground, taller and sleeker than the Zerglings with only two limbs, I watch as- A spine flies past my head, forcing me to the ground.

"Get the Magistrate out of-"

"I'm staying!" I stand back up, this time behind my guards. "I need every able body at the north east entrance stat, the general is going to push out to get the rest of our people in, there's a new breed of Z-Xeno out there, a ranged combatant.

"Engage with caution, and exterminate with extreme prejudice." I flick out a pocket watch. "Waiting on you, General."

"Moving now."

"Charge!" I throw an arm forward, with a war cry the soldiers sprint out guns blazing. One line pushes while another provides covering fire. The Zerg retaliate to our push by attempting to swarm the bridges.

Gas turrets spring up and spray the immediate area with vespene gas, the effect is immediate as Zerglings drop dead. Interestingly they seem to recognize the threat and destroy the turret immediately before carrying on, releasing the rest of the vespene stored. The Marines have air tanks attached to their suits, we have a massive advantage as long as the gas stays.

Provided the igniter doesn't go off. "Adjutant can you disable the igniter on the bridge to my left?"

"Flame turret disabled."

"Enable it on my mark." I tap my ear piece. "I'm going to trust that you'll let me know when you get back." The wave of lasers sweeps the area before returning to support the westward push.

"The Sons of Korhal Battlecruiser has released dropships, eta to dropzone is thirty minutes." The Adjutant informs me.

We have three thousand people to evacuate offworld, does Mengsk have enough ships for one trip? "How many dropships are we talking?"

"Twelve, each one is capable of holding a hundred passengers."

Three trips. The gas turret on the right bridge is destroyed, covering it in deadly gas that threatens to reach my position. "Disable the igniter to my right, enable it on my mark."

"Flame turret disabled, northern bridge under assault."

"Common, answer the push." I mumble under my breath as my troops reach the edge of the bridge, threatening to destroy the frontline they've maintained over the week.

If they don't stop us, we will purge their influence from the world… but if the north doesn't hold then we all die. "Careful pushing past the bridge, I saw some of them emerge from the ground." I alert the troops.

"Yes sir, you heard the Magistrate!" The troops halt their advance, holding the line within the cloud of vespene.

"Northern bridge is holding with SCV support." The Adjutant informs me.

Glad I mobilized every SCV we had, could have lost the northern front and in turn lost everyone.

There's a loud explosion from the south. "Western bridge Flame turret manually activated."

"Who activated it!?" I spin around as the laser barrage sweeps over the area, sweeping back and forth keeping the Zerg at bay. "Adjutant who detonated the west bridge?!"

"Magistrate the west bridge is going to collapse!"

"Keep it intact until the General gets back!"

"Trying, need more SCV's here!"

"Any SCV's by the north east bridges need to head over to the western bridge and keep it intact, who detonated the bridge?!" I demand, and no one answers. "I will personally court martial whoever detonated the western bridge!" They might have condemned a number of our soldiers and a number of our people to death.

"We've breached the Xeno lines, Magistrate!" I can barely hear the General over the gunfire.

"Pull back! We're heading west!"

"What about the Xeno force here?" A Marine questions.

"I'll take care of it, fall back!" I watch the line slowly fall back, keeping my head down to avoid spines as big as my head. The last one passes the bunkers. "We're not resting yet, SCV's and marines move to the western bridge and keep it up!"

It'll be quite the run, but they're soldiers. It's me that can't run. "Adjutant detonate the bridges!" But I can certainly try.

Two explosions rip through the air, leaving the north east bridges crumbling, rubble flying past my head. How did the western bridge survive the explosion?

"We heard explosions, need us to head over and-"

"No, focus on the standing bridges, and the western one." Without the gas turrets it's the weakest front, and the north east bridges are now secure. "I need a car!" I call out, no way I'm sprinting the entire distance and not getting an asthma attack.

"I'll get one." One of my guards leaves for the supply depot, maybe there's a car stored there that I can use.

I wonder how the civilians are doing. My asthma starts acting up and I pull out an inhaler for immediate use.

The guard returns with a car. "Where to?"

"The Western bridge, we need to give the general as much support as we can." I hop into the back of the transport.

"Southern bridge under assault."

"If they get within five meters of the bunkers, detonate the bridge."

"Flame turret manually active, northern bridge destroyed."

"Who detonated that one?!" I demand again, granted I was going to detonate them all once the general got back with the refugees, but this premature detonation is routing the zerg forces to the remaining ones, increasing the pressure on the other chokes. "Let the southern bridge fall and reroute forces to the western and south western bridges." Only three bridges remain, the main two at the north east have fallen, someone detonated the north and western bridges.

"I need to see the status at the Western bridge." I inform the soldiers.

"We can't put you in danger, Magistrate." The driver warns.

"I'm aware, but that doesn't change the fact that I need to survey the damage the western bridge sustained myself, if it gets to dangerous we can retreat somewhere it's not."

"Understood." I can't hear the engine over the gunfire and screeching of the Zerg. Hopefully they haven't reached the bunkers yet.

It's bad, really bad. The bunkers have been abandoned in order to push up enough for the SCV's to perform repairs on the bridge, they might be too good at their job as it's stable enough that it won't collapse.

With the bunkers empty I can observe the battlefield from within one. "I didn't know that bunkers had close range radar." I poke at the screen, it's not holo or touch, probably so that the marines can't break it. It's almost entirely red on one side of the instrument, it's not hard to guess what they are.

My guards are watching the front lines with guns at the ready, just in case anything breaks past the line and makes a beeline for the city. Reinforcements are steadily coming in, helping the frontline maintain. "Where is the general?"

"Sons of Korhal dropships have touched down." The Adjutant informs me.

"Civilians first, I want a detachment to aid in the evacuation!"

"We're running low on ammo!" The line of marines starts falling back.

"Simmons send an SCV to the barracks on a supply run for the soldiers."

"Parker you heard the man!"

One of the SCV's breaks off and hovers as fast as it's boosters can take it back into the city. "Once everyone's reloaded we're going to make a push for the general, bring our people home." We're close now, so close. "Can you rebuild the trap Simmons?"

"I'll need to get some vespene and some parts, but I should be able to."

"Do it, we're severing our land ties the moment everyone's safe." I turn my attention to the city, the first dropship takes off, followed by another and then another until they're all powering towards the battlecruiser. Thirteen hundred people have made it offworld, I can't help but smile.

If nothing else, some of us made it offworld. Gunfire, screams, reality's calling, get yourself together Max. "Tell me you're on your way back, general."

"It's bad out here, they're everywhere!"

"Are you making progress?"

"At this rate we'll be out of ammo long before getting back."

"Where's the resupply?!" There should be multiple barrack's at each bridge, there's no way Parker could get lost trying to find one.

A dozen SCV's speed around the corner, hauling crates of ammo. "Parker you son of a bitch, had us worried!" Simmons says over the coms.

Parker's local radio crackles. "Sorry to keep you waiting, got a few extra hands to haul all this."

"Gas Turrets finished."

"Reload and march! We're bringing them in!" I throw an arm out as the marines retreat to the ammo boxes.

"Keep the SCV's safe, the gas turrets can't activate with them there." The SCV's aren't as air tight as a marine suit, more like a construction rig to be honest.

"Agh!" One of the SCV's explodes as a spine hits it's gas canister.

"SCV's fall back to the bunkers, the front's too hot for you."

"Back up boys!" The SCV's fall back as freshly reloaded marines rush past them to maintain the front.

"Warning, current ammo use is exceeding ammo production." The Adjutant warns me.

"Doesn't matter, once we're done with this push we shouldn't have to fight anymore."

"We're taking heavy casualties, where's that support!"

"On It's way general." The marines push, it's a crawl with the zerg ranged support killing enough soldiers for the Zerglings to get close. It's staggering how many there are, it's as if the very ground has come alive and is trying to kill us.

Another sweep of lasers from orbit sweeps the area, lingering in the area before moving on to support the other bridges.

It was enough to let us push, a line of marines has stayed behind to hold the line at the bridge.

"The next wave of Dropships has arrived."

"That was fast."

"The Sons of Korhal are launching more dropships."

"Good to know they have the room for us."

There's an explosion in the distance, not a bridge this time thankfully. A squad of vultures appears in the distance, speeding through the zerg lines and causing havoc. "We heard you had a way off this rock."

The Viper gang, outlaws. "Indeed we do." I'm not in any position to turn down any help. "We have refugees being escorted in, but it's slow."

"We'll drive circles around these dogs, isn't that right boys!?" There is a lot of cheering over the coms as the gang speeds past the western bridge, dropping spider mines in the middle of groups of Zerg… How anyone can manage going breakneck speeds while on a hovercraft is beyond me.

One of the Vultures crashes, tumbling over and plowing through several zerg before exploding. I guess it's just luck. "I know you have your reservations about working with outlaws general, but this isn't the time for it." Chances are he can't hear me over the gunfire, screaming, and explosions, but I might as well let him know regardless.

There's a line of explosions as rows of spider mines detonate, clearing a path through the zerg that's quickly filling in. The zerg don't get too close the way as orbital bombardment sweeps the area. I can see the men coming back, with a group of refugees.

The group reaches the bridge and sprints across. "Flame turret finished!" The SCV's fall back.

"Viper Gang, everyone's across and we're going to blow the bridges, if you want off world get across now."

"You heard the man!" More cheering, these men are psychotic.

"Everyone fall back from the bridges, once they're clear detonate them." The vultures speed over the bridge, dropping yet more mines. How many can they cram into those things? "How many did we lose general?" I ask with a heavy heart.

Who could have predicted this number of- "Sir, we should fall back."

The vespene turrets start spewing their lethal poison. "I agree, back to the command center."

I'm quickly ushered out of the bunker and away from the cloud of vespene. There's a series of explosions as the remaining bridges explode, the western one falling last. We're cut off, and safe. "Now that things are quiet, status report General."

…

"General?" I close my eyes and take a deep breath. Johnson's dead, dying or unconscious. "One of you." I turn to my guards. "Get me numbers, how many did we manage to bring back."

"Yes sir."

While that's being done I enter one of the four command centers, it takes a few minutes but I reach the command room. "Radar, now."

A clump of green is surrounded by a sea of red, a hole is being swept through the sea but it fills back in. "Estimation of twenty billion Zerg on Mar Sara as of this moment."

"Excuse me?"

"Estimation of twenty-"

"I heard you!" This colony has been here for only two years, and we've yet to see even half of the entirety of Mar Sara, yet here these aliens are, covering the globe in a mere month. How can anyone hope to compare to-

"Warning, airborne zerg detected." The Adjutant highlights a pack of red dots making their way over.

"Do we have visual?" I ask and a camera's feed appears on the holo, it zooms in and the Adjutant sketches out an appearance of the airborne zerg. "That… doesn't look like the Zerg we encountered on the way here." It's not a flying octopus, it's more like a flying snake. "Looks like we're not done yet." I let out a sigh. "Are our missile turrets enough to fend them off?"

"Unsure, not enough data to make an accurate calculation."

"Use wraiths as a comparison."

"Yes, we have enough. They have engaged the missile turrets, marines and SCV's are inbound to provide support."

"How many people are left to evacuate, including military personal?"

"Nine hundred twenty three."

"How long until the next batch of Dropships reach the LZ?"

"The Airborne zerg are intercepting the dropships, forcing them to take evasive action."

"Looks like we'll have to leave the missile turrets on if we want to get out alive." Suddenly a block of airborne zerg vanishes.

"The Sons of Korhal Battlecruiser has opened fire on the airborne zerg."

"Start shutting down the Command centers, I'm going to get your portable unit before heading for extraction."

"Yes Magistrate." Every transmission I've had on Mar Sara is recorded on that thing, it'd be too much of a loss to forget it.

"Another wave of dropships has landed, civilian personnel have been loaded onto the transports, militia are awaiting your arrival before evacuating themselves."

"Do we still have the car?" I ask my guards.

"Yeah, we can be at the LZ in less than a minute if we book it."

"Brief detour, I need to grab the Adjutant's mobile unit, it has every transmission I've had as active magistrate of Mar Sara saved on it."

"We'll be a few minutes late to the party." One of my guards says into the coms.

"In the Pipe, Five by Five."

It wasn't a long detour, it's probably the most peaceful it's been in over a week or so… if it weren't for the missile turrets and the Sons of Korhal bombardment I might be persuaded to forget about the outside world.

But… that's not a possibility. "Open the AI core for access."

"Security password required."

"You piece of useless junk."

"Opening AI core." Just past the main entrance a tunnel entrance emerges from the ground, it takes a few minutes to traverse as I pass an obscene amount of turrets lining the walls, floor and ceiling. The actual Adjutant unit is suspended in the center of the chamber by wires, I don't think I'll miss it, it looks a bit too human for my tastes.

"Once I unplug this, I want the manor to shut off, it's possible we might come back and I want everything ready and able when we do." If the Zerg don't destroy everything despite it being off.

"Yes Magistrate."

I reach for the Suitcase and unplug it, stuffing the wire into the case. "Farewell, Mar Sara." While not my homeworld, it definitely felt like it.

The lights dim, and I return to my guards, holding the case for all to see.

"Let's move."

"Rock and roll!"

A dropship takes off and lands closeby the manor, opening the hatch for the car to drive into. The rest of the dropships are taking off towards the Battle cruiser. "Strap yourselves in boys."

Waiting by the top of the ramp is a regal man, it's not until I hop out of the car that I realize who he is. "Arcturus Mengsk, surprised to see you on the world you're helping to evacuate."

"I wanted to meet the Magistrate in person, Magistrate." He gives me a nod.

"We'll have plenty of time aboard your cruiser, sir." I give him a salute.

"Please, Mengsk is fine." He holds out a hand.

And I shake it. "Alright, Mengsk, where are we going from here?"

"What was holding out against the Zerg like?" he asks with a concerned expression on his face. "I saw from orbit, but things are a bit different with a bird's eye view of the planet."

"They were everywhere, coming out of the ground and apparently they can fly!" I throw an arm out towards a flock of Zerg being held back by a missile turret. "I didn't know they could multiply faster than rabbits, Mengsk."

"Come take a seat, we'll be awhile before reaching the Hyperion."

The Hyperion, my future home. "I'd appreciate the chance to rest."

Author's Notes: Whew, one of the longest chapters I've ever written, and it's probably one of my favorite missions of all the original Starcraft terran missions, I hope you enjoyed it as much as I liked- okay that's a lie, part of me wanted to put off this mission for a few chapters, but I don't see what I could have added to make this more of a filled out arc, but I guess a three chapter story arc isn't bad? Regardless things are going to slow down more now that these events aren't back to back.