Chapter Nineteen: A Parting of Ways
A little known fact about planetary evacuations.
Planets are big. You never get everyone off safely. Someone always gets left behind for the wolves. The only question is who?
Liberty's Reports, volume IV.
Serena walked into the medical bay on the verge of their evacuation. She found Emily sitting in a bed, resting. The marine was heavily bandaged and was lying down. By the side of her bed was a set of flowers. Serena sat down next to them.
"Are you all right, Emily?" asked Serena. "Wait, that's a stupid question. Of course, you aren't."
"Fine, Commander." said Emily. "I mean, yeah, I got a dose of hydralisk acid. But the medic says I should make a full recovery."
"I'm glad to hear it." said Serena. "Who brought the flowers?"
"Oh that was from Mikey." said Emily. "He came by earlier."
"Mikey?" asked Serena, raising an eyebrow.
"Um, I mean Reporter Liberty, ma'am." said Emily.
"You've gotten close haven't you?" asked Serena.
"Well we've spent a lot of time together." said Emily. "Frontal Company is first in, and first out. And we're part of Alpha Squadron. So he sticks around us to stay on the battlefields. Though his reports have gotten weird."
"I think we're all just tired of this war." admitted Serena. "I got news from Mom. The zerg attacked Tarsonis again. They drove them off, but even more people died.
"I hope the place is still standing when I get back."
"Oh." said Emily.
There was silence. Suddenly Serena realized that she knew very little about Emily. Nothing before she went down to Chau Sara, anyway. "Emily, do you have any family you're in contact with?"
"I don't remember them." admitted Emily, looking away. "Neurally resocialized marines are stripped of family connections. The memory can interfere with their performance of their duties."
"I'm sorry." said Serena.
"It isn't any concern." said Emily. "I can't feel bad about not remembering someone I never knew. Who I was before isn't important."
"But, what do you intend to do once all this is over?" asked Serena. "Are you going to stay in the military?"
"Well there's a lot of good which can be done out here on the fringe." admitted Emily. "Though I guess it isn't the fringe to the protoss. I think I'll make a career out of it."
Serena was uncomfortable with that answer. "…Maybe you should try to find out who your family are."
"Hmm, what do you mean?" asked Emily.
"Well, I don't know, it might give them some closure." said Serena. "Maybe it will give you some."
"I don't need closure ma'am." said Emily.
"It was just a thought." said Serena. "I've got to go speak with the Judicator."
"All right." said Emily. "Thank you for… dropping by."
She stood and walked away.
Serena found Aldaris on a balcony, looking out over the evacuation of the khalai. Those who had been deemed the most worthy of being evacuated. The list went on and on. And no matter how many they evacuated there were always more.
Billions would die here on Aiur if the plan worked.
And everyone would die if it didn't. Serena walked up to Aldaris from behind and looked out into the distance. The sun was setting. Clouds were gathering dark overhead. The hills were bathed in red light, and an uncanny silence had fallen over them.
"I've finished giving orders." said Serena. "My men are ready to lift off at any time."
"I see." said Aldaris. "Well done, Commander. I will give you the word soon. Let us give the last transports time to depart."
He fell silent. Serena said nothing. They just stood there, watching the end of Aiur. "It's so quiet. The stars are all blocked out." said Serena, as it grew dark.
"This is the final gasp of air before we are drowned." said Aldaris. "Long has the Conclave contended with the Overmind. Turning its will away from Aiur, twisting away from its tendrils of the mind. We have taken the measure of his power. Seen deep into the darkness. Delayed the day of reckoning.
"Now, at long last, our enemy is here. His broods are amassing for a final offensive that will wipe away all resistance."
"He need only unleash it."
Serena said nothing at first. It dawned on her that the protoss had been fighting the zerg for centuries. Perhaps more. They knew their enemy.
"…Is there any hope for this plan to work?" she asked.
Aldaris leaned over the balcony, and he suddenly looked very old. The glow of his eyes faded as he breathed out. "There never was any hope." he admitted with resignation. "Just a few fringe yokels who didn't know where their loyalties lay." Serena had the feeling he'd be wearing a resigned smile if he had a mouth. "My Father was a Judicator of immense power. He favored me above all my other children. Arranged that I should be given a position of influence I had not earned.
"It shamed me, that I should be the subject of nepotism. That no one called it wrong, though it was against everything we believed. I refused it and took a lesser position in a far-flung colony. I spent the whole of my life working my way up. And I never spoke to my father again. I vowed that if I should be chosen to have children, that not one word of fatherly affection would pass between us.
"They would be like any other among my brethren. Now I wonder what might have been."
"What might have been?" asked Serena, raising an eyebrow.
"Yes. A futile thought." said Aldaris. "I should focus on what is, not what is beyond reach. Yet I have done all I can, now all I can do is wait."
"I hear you." admitted Serena.
The shuttles took off. That was probably the last trip off. Unless Mengsk's dropships arrived soon everyone else was as good as dead.
"…I hate it when I lose worlds to the zerg. But blowing up a world I know isn't already lost is even worse."
"We will do what we must." said Aldaris firmly. "Our task is to ensure that some remain to see the coming dawn.
"Yet I fear it may never come again."
"Maybe so. But we've got Judicator Aldaris." said Serena. "That ought to help."
Aldairs became even darker in appearance. What had him so worried? "…Aldaris?"
"The Overmind has yet to reveal its deadliest weapon." said Aldaris. "A power so great that it is said no protoss may face them and live.
"The Tiamat Brood.
"You've faced one of the brood before. The torrasque is their basic heavy assault trooper."
The torrasque was a regular shock toop? He was joking wasn't he? "What?"
"Hunter Killers. Kululza. The Devouring Ones. The Torrasque." said Aldaris. "These are the names given to only a few of the greater breeds of the swarm. Beasts which have been bred to a level of power where the least of them can rival even the protoss in direct combat.
"They are used as elite shock troop for the most part. They supplement weaker forces.
"But no longer. Now the cerebrate, Daggoth, is calling his elite forces home to Aiur. Even as we speak, they are landing, uniting as one. Soon the greatest warriors of the swarm will be gathered in one place to face Tassadar.
"If he is destroyed before our plans are ready, then the people of Aiur will surely follow."
Well, it was one more enemy. Serena knew she should be feeling dread. But she was just tired. So tired. Her mind kept turning everything over in her head like she had over a year ago. The last time she'd been thinking like this it had been in the Magistrate's Officer of Mar Sara. She'd been talking with Hector.
"…Right now I wish I'd never taken that post on Mar Sara." admitted Serena. "I wish someone else was the Magistrate. That someone else decided who lived and who died."
"All who serve in the dead of night feel that way." said Aldaris. "It is not our task to decide when and how we die. All the choice we are afforded is how we meet our death.
"For my part, I will die standing.
At that moment Serena received a communication. "Serena here, what is it?"
"This is Morgan, ma'am." said Morgan. "We've got the Battlecruiser Medusa on the line for you. She's got a whole lot of dropships."
"I'll be right there." said Serena.
Serena made her way to the bridge and quickly found Morgan at the helm. He nodded and yielded to her, and she sat down. Opening the channel, she found Carolina Davis on the other end. The gray-haired woman looked in a foul mood.
"This is General Carolina Davis." said Davis. "I'm told you requested some dropships?"
"Perfect timing General." said Serena. "The evacuation needs all the help it can get. Send the dropships to meet me at my base camp. I'll coordinate from here."
General Carolina Davis was a superb administrator. She had a great many contacts throughout many Dominion worlds. However, she had a less than stellar record in the battlefield. Carolina had achieved minor victories on Valhalla V. Unfortunately, her defeat at the Dylerian Shipyards was one she had yet to live down.
She probably regarded this as a demotion. For her part, Serena was just glad she had some help. "Tell Aldaris that we'll be down with the dropships soon."
The panic had begun to set in. Somewhere along the line, the citizens of Aiur had learned of the evacuation. And learned that it was nearing its end. Now they were flocking from the surrounding regions without any semblance of order. The Judicator's guards formed up and forced them to a halt.
"Hold where you are!" called Aldaris. "The evacuation will proceed in proper order! All that can be saved will be!"
His words went out throughout the khalai refugees. As once they straightened. He was Aldaris the greatest of the Judicator. They trusted him.
Under his direction order was restored. But Aldaris paced restlessly upon the landing pad. His gaze kept turning to the desperate citizens of Aiur. Several times he almost walked toward them.
He seemed to be wrestling with some decision or other.
Serena said nothing. What was left to say? He was going to have to abandon the people he'd sworn to protect. For the greater good.
"Judicator," said Ankar, "we have exhausted our list of those we are to save. However, we have a large amount of space left on the transport ships."
Aldaris looked up. "That is excellent news. Begin a lottery among those that remain." He paused. "However those too old or sick to be of use to the new colonies are to be left behind."
"Judicator, you would have us abandon our invalid?" asked Ankar.
"Those who leave Aiur today will decide the future of our race." said Aldaris. "Those within that crowd are of the worker caste. They are of no great education. So we will take only those capable of working."
"...I understand, Judicator." said Ankar. He bowed and departed to give out orders.
Aldaris and Serena watched with growing despair. They saw old men abandoned by their helpers. Sickly protoss died alone. They saw the crowds continue to grow. And at last the inevitable happened.
"The Dropships are full." said a Ankar. "Step away from the gates. More will be on their way."
More would not be on their way. They had got the fleet they wanted. And it still wasn't enough. Aldaris observed from behind the line with dull eyes.
"Please, take my son!" cried a young protoss woman. "He doesn't deserve to die here!"
"Stay in order! The Conclave will evacuate all in their proper time!" cried Ankar.
Aldaris arose and walked forward. "Place that woman under arrest as once."
"Judicator-" began Ankar.
"The law of the khalai is clear." said Aldaris. "Children are not to be raised by their parents. This child is in need of reeducation and the mother in need of discipline, take them aboard now."
"Where will we find a place for them?" asked Ankar.
"Give them mine." said Aldaris. "The mother and her child may share it."
Ankar stared at him as the dropships lifted off. Serena moved forward. "Aldaris you can't stay here."
"Can't ?" asked Aldaris. "This is the homeworld of my race. I would gladly remain to ensure that what is left of it is not defiled by the zerg." He looked to Ankar. "If the people of Aiur believe we have abandoned them they may embrace the teachings of the Dark Templar. I will remain and keep order until the last day."
"…You will be remembered, brother." said Ankar.
"Remember my actions. My name is irrelevant." said Aldaris.
"Don't do this!" said Serena. "Aldaris I've lost too many friends to these damn animals already! I can't lose you as well!"
Aldaris remained silent. Finally, he put a hand to her shoulder. They were suddenly very close. Serena looked into his eyes. She felt a connection suddenly, something she had never felt before. Then it was over.
Aldaris turned away. "Farewell Commander. I wish we might have met in better days."
He walked into the crowd.
"…Get the woman and her child on board." said Ankar. "Then prepare to lift off."
Serena could say nothing.
Within the hour the Conclave departed Aiur upon its flagship, the Icarus. Within the hour all that they could take with them were saved. Within the hour the Fleets of the Protoss set in motion their final plans.
Serena had never been a very powerful psychic. But her powers had grown with her experience. So as she gazed down upon Aiur she could feel as all hope left those who were abandoned.
Author's Note:
This chapter was trying to write. Some of the scenes came easy, but for some reason finishing them was difficult. The last scene ended up getting added because it was too short otherwise.
Enjoy.