Chapter 1

Life was good on the planet Braxis, the cold was being cut by the rays of light from the sun. The sun felt warm upon the faces of the marines, all around sounds of men and women talking and laughing could be heard. Also sounds of ice cracking to the will of the warmth could be heard, signaling the end of the winter months, life was returning to the once dead ball of ice.

The marines stationed on Braxis were of the Terran Dominion, under the rule of the iron-fisted Arcturus Mensk. The reason they were all here, was the Zerg, an evil and malevolent race bent on total domination, of not just this system, but the entire Galaxy. The brave men and women of Alpha Squad were assigned to check Braxis for any Zerg activity and eliminate them if they were indeed there.

As the sun started to sink low on the horizon a marine saw something on a hilltop.

"Hey Johnny...do you see what I see? It's over there, on the hill." The marine said to a Firebat that was standing near him.

"I think you've been hittn' the moonshine a little hard there Matt." Johnny said as he looked at the hill that the marine pointed at and saw nothing.

"What the...there was something there...I...I swear!" Matt said as he strained to see the form that was on the hilltop earlier.

"Whatever, just keep watch for Zerg activity...alright." Johnny said as he turned back to face the southern opening of the bunker.

The sun set and night fell without so much as a sighting of a Zergling. The base fell silent as all the once joyful people had all gone to bed. The only activity was from the bunkers at the front of the base. Marines and Firebats all taking turns watching the darkness for any sign of Zerg activity. While the men in Siege Tanks were tinkering with the controls and adjusting their viewers to night vision. The night seemed to drag on for the Terrans who had the misfortune of the graveyard shift.

"Man...why do we always get the crap positions?" Said one of the men in a Siege Tank that was situated behind one of the bunkers.

"I don't know...but it really sucks." Said a marine in the bunker.

"It always seems that we always get...the...OH...MY...GOD!" Exclaimed a Firebat as he looked out the slot in the bunker.

What the Firebat saw chilled him to the bone. Millions of Zerg, and they were heading straight towards them.

The sun, even through the scorching heat, was warm upon the face of Corporal John Kerrigan. As he disembarked from the dropship he heard the familiar sound of fellow marines training for the coming battle. John, not wanting to draw attention to himself set out for the command center as quickly as he could. John entered the CC and was stopped by a Ghost.

"Halt! No one enters the Command Center without proper authorization. Let me see your papers." He said in a curt voice.

"Sure...here they are." John said as he handed over his transfer papers.

The Ghost looked them over quickly and then said "Everything seems to be in order. The Commander wants to see you immediately, he's on level 001."

"Okay, thanks." John said as he past the Ghost and made his way to level 001.

And to think...I was almost part of that. John thought to himself as he passed level 010.

The door to the command room was open as John reached level 001. As he neared the door he heard the last bit of a conversation.

"Those are my orders Commander, and you will follow them without question. Is that understood?" Came a harsh voice from inside the room.

"Yes, Emperor Mengsk." Came another voice from inside the room.

The telltale beep was heard signaling that the comm line had been closed. John knocked on the door to the command room.

"Enter." Came the voice.

"Corporal John C. Kerrigan reporting for duty sir!" John said as he entered the room and saluted.

"Ahhh, John. So good to see you again. You don't have to salute me." The voice said.

"Jim? Jim is that you?" John said as he looked through the 3D viewer.

"Yup, it's me. How have you been?" Jim asked.

"Good...I see that you made Commander..impressive Commander Johnson" John said jokingly.

"Come on smart guy, it's time to address the troops." Jim said as he walked toward the exit.

They both walked out of the temperature controlled CC and into the scorching heat of the wasteland known as the planet Korhal. It had been many years since the long defunct Terran Confederacy devastated the planets surface with a barrage of nuclear missiles. Now the home of the leader of the Terran Dominion Arcturus Mensk the planet was beginning to thrive once more.

Jim's base was a small one. It had just shy of three hundred Dominion fighters, all of which had been retrofitted with the latest in Dominion weapons and tech. As Jim and John walked toward the center of the base they were stopped by an unseen entity.

"Commander, we have received word that there are 5 Dominion dropships on a course for here. We also know that they have 12 SCVs, 3 Siege Tanks, and a hand full of marines and Medics." The entity said.

"Thank you for the report. Now, before you return to your patrol route I need you to gather up the men. We are heading out soon." Jim said to the decloaking Ghost. "Yes sir. Permission to speak freely sir?" The Ghost said.

"Granted." Jim replied.

"Sir, why are we doing this? I mean, the whole concept is, asinine. If we haven't heard anything from Braxis then, that means..." The Ghost trailed off.

"I know, but it's our orders. Anyway, I need you to gather the men, also when the newbies arrive have them briefed on what's going to happen and get the medics on healing the wounded." Jim said.

"Yes sir!" The Ghost said as he saluted.

Jim returned the salute and then sent the Ghost on his way. Jim and John walked a little further and reached the middle. After a few minutes the men and women of Alpha Squad were gathered around Jim and waited for their orders.

"I have just received orders that we are to leave Korhal immediately. We have been reassigned to a recon mission. We are going to Braxis and find out what happened to Delta Squad. Now, I'm not going to kid you all, we don't know what's happened there. For all we know, we could be walking into a Zerg, or Protoss trap, then again it may just be as simple as a jammed comm. We don't know. Now, if anyone has any questions, now is the time to ask." Jim said looking at the crowd of faces.

"Sir, if this is a recon mission...then why are we going? I mean doesn't the Dominion have specific squads that do this sort of thing?" Said one marine.

"Yes, we do, but as of right now Alpha Squad is a recon team. Those are our orders direct from Emperor Mensk. Now, anyone else have any questions?" Jim asked.

"Sir," Came a female voice from the back of the group, "should I have my whole medical team on high alert?" She continued.

"When we reach the planet. Till then just have the med-bay prepared for the worst." Jim said.

"OK...if no one has anything else, I have one more thing to add. There are five dropships arriving in a few minutes, as soon as they are here I need all of you to help them get ready to leave. I also need you all to help get their gear up-to-date. Dismissed." Jim said as he turned back to the CC and started for it.

"Oh, John. I have a special assignment for you." Jim said without turning toward John.

"Sir?" Jim asked

"I need you to undergo the Ghost training while we wait. I'll need your psychic talents when we get there." Jim said as he entered the CC.