PLEASE SEE CHAPTER ONE FOR DISCLAIMERS
PLEASE READ & REVIEW, AND TEND TO THE TROPE PAGES
-CHAPTER START-
Hyperion Bridge
Jim Raynor stood at the star-chart, his old buddy Tychus beside him.
"Seems your 'Queen of Blades' figured out who's been payin' us to snatch up all them artifacts" Tychus said. "Moebius' head honcho, Dr. Emil Narud, claims the Zerg are attackin' his main research campus on Tyrador. He can't evacuate his people until all their artifact research is safe."
-SCENE BREAK-
High orbit over Tyrador
The holo-screen showed a fairly good-sized Zerg infestation on the planet below, and a side screen showed a white-haired man.
"Commander Raynor!" Dr. Narud said. "Thank the stars, you've come! You had a sterling reputation as a Marshall many years ago, and I know you'll do your best to help us."
"Yeah, well that was all a long time ago, Doctor. Looks like you got one heck of a Zerg problem here. Where do you need us?"
"We're ready to evacuate, but none of the teams I sent to purge the Foundation's data cores have reported back. I need you to destroy those cores before the Queen of Blades finds them and discovers the coordinates of the remaining artifacts. The fate of the entire Sector could hang in the balance."
The screen suddenly fuzzed with static, and it switched to the Zerg base, showing Kerrigan's arrival.
"Class-12 psi-pattern detected" the Adjutant reported. "Recommend extreme caution."
"…Alright then, doc. Our timetable's shorter than we thought. We gotta move!"
-SCENE BREAK-
SCVs and a MULE got to work harvesting minerals and constructing a second barracks, while the starport began constructing Vikings.
"Analysis of the Queen of Blades' search pattern complete" the Adjutant announced. "Calculating her ETA to the closest data core now."
"You can't leave well enough alone, can you, Jim?" Kerrigan 'said'. "It was stupid of you to come here."
"I don't plan on stayin' long, darlin'," Raynor replied, "but I'll be damned before I let you get a hold of those artifacts."
"I'm giving you control of our Medevacs, Commander" Dr. Narud said, as two Medevac Dropships flew in. "You can use them to transport your men around the city and avoid most of the Zerg."
The dropships released four marines, who joined the four already at the base in fending off a small attack of Zerglings. Marie used an M19 rocket launcher to kill a pair of Spine Crawlers at the bottom of the base's entrance ramp, and then the two dropships picked up the eight marines and flew southwest. There, they found a roof with three more marines, a Viking, and a Marauder waiting atop it. Everyone opened fire on the data core below, soon dealing enough damage to destroy it. Back at base, more marines came from the barracks, hurrying to Marie's side in preparation for defense.
"That's one down! Keep it movin', boys!"
"Of course…" Kerrigan 'said'. "The Moebius data cores. You won't get the rest of them!"
"Ah hell, she knows what we're doin'. At least she doesn't know where to find the other cores. We better get to the next one, fast!"
A Nydus Worm popped up to the immediate southwest of the base, and Marie led the base-defense marines to handle it; a few rockets to the face killed the burrowing transport, while the marines' assault rifle fire shredded the Zerglings that came with it. Two more Marauders came out from the barracks, and two more Medevacs from the starport, while an SCV set to assembling an engineering bay. A flight of UNSC Shortswords saw an opening and took it, making a bombing run to kill a Brutalisk to the west. Several War Pigs were called in, and soon six Medevacs were loaded up and following the road north, heading for the next data core. On the way, they rescued a Moebius Goliath and a few Marauders, adding them to their force.
The dropships approached the next data core, flying around Spore Crawlers' fields of detection, and hovered over the area containing the core, rapidly releasing their armed & armored payload. Marie & the marines shredded their way through Zerglings, while the Marauders and Goliath handled Hydralisks. Two marines fell to Hydralisks' projectile spines, but soon the area was clear. Marie worked her magic with some det-packs, and the data core came crashing down in pieces.
"I've seen through your… Dr. Narud's… pathetic charade" Kerrigan said. "I know what the artifacts really are… and they will be mine."
"Whatever they are, Kerrigan, I sure as hell ain't lettin' you have 'em."
"That Queen of Blades really is quite a nuisance, isn't she?" Dr. Narud said.
The attack force returned onto the dropships. At base, two Siege Breakers were called in, setting up in Siege Mode to defend the base, obliterating a Nydus Worm that popped up.
"You never could recognize a lost cause, could you, Jim? You're even more desperate than I thought. You can't really believe this 'plan' of yours has even a chance of working."
Three more dropships loaded up with troops and flew out to join the 'fleet' out in the field, along with a squadron of Vikings. Then, the air forces moved west, the Vikings taking the lead. A landing zone was guarded by Spore Crawlers, so the Vikings dropped down into walker mode and used their guns to shred the organic AA batteries, creating a safe patch for the Medevacs to swoop in and drop off the attack force. The attack group advanced, the Vikings shifting to fighter mode to deal with a pack of Mutalisks. Marie used the DMR she brought along to take out Zerglings and Hydralisks as she moved with the marines, while the Goliath brought up the rear, firing over the soldiers' heads.
Two marines fell to a Mutalisk before it was brought down by the Vikings. The Marauders' guns dealt with Hydralisks and Spine Crawlers easily, with a few Medevacs flying overhead and using their nanite 'heal beams' to patch up the infantry as they advanced. Marie used her rocket launcher's last two warheads to wipe out a Hydralisk pack, as the final data core grew closer and closer. The Vikings, having cleared the skies, shifted to walker mode, and they & the Goliath wiped out what remained of the immediate area's defenders, allowing Marie to rush in and plant det-charges on the data core. A press of a button, and the structure exploded.
"Confirmed" Dr. Narud radioed. "The final data core has been destroyed. We should evacuate immediately."
"Alright, Doctor" Jim said as mobile buildings and dropships full of personnel made best speed away from the planet and back to the orbiting ships. "You wanna tell me why the Queen of Blades wants those artifacts so damn bad?"
"She fears their power, just as she fears the Xel'Naga who created them. The Xel'Naga created both the Protoss and the Zerg, Commander. They were the gods of their time."
-SCENE BREAK-
Hyperion cantina
Jim snapped up from a nightmare, and his drink bottle rolled off the table. A gloved hand caught it before it could hit the floor and placed it back on the table.
"I've been cleaning up after you a lot lately" Horner said.
"Leave it alone, Matt." He poured another glass and took a drink.
"Same dream?"
"I said leave it alone."
"What happened to Kerrigan wasn't your fault."
"Which part? Where she got left behind, or where she murdered eight billion people?"
"…Same old bullshit. You ain't gonna listen."
Matt reached into his pocket and placed an object face-down on the table, and then got up and headed for the door. He turned to Jim.
"Man, do you even see what you're becoming?"
"We are who we choose to be, Matt."
"…When you figure it out, let us know. We're waitin' on ya."
Raynor grabbed the object and turned it face-up. His old Marshal badge. The door slid shut.
Bridge – 6 Hours Later
"I been thinkin' 'bout Tyrador," Tychus said as he walked up, "and y'know, there's gotta be a better way to make a fast buck than divin' headlong into an alien invasion."
"If it gets too hairy for ya, just try and think of the money."
"I'm tryin', old buddy. I'm tryin' real hard… So, Moebius have got themselves set up again since the Zerg chased 'em outta their old place. They say they've worked out where to find another artifact: lovely little place called Typhon."
-SCENE BREAK-
"There she is" Tychus said, as the screen showed a reddish planet in orbit around a blue supergiant. "Planet Typhon. Don't look so bad."
"Yep" Matt said. "Sensors indicate…"
An alarm sounded. "What the hell? Aw, crap!"
"What's wrong?"
"The star's core… it's been undergoing silicon fusion for several days. The core is on the verge of the Chandresekhar Limit!"
"Which means?"
"That in only a few hours, that thing's gonna go supernova! There are waves of fire spreading across the planet, too; it's technically still habitable near the artifact, but the firestorm is devouring the forests… and is advancing toward the artifact's location!"
"Fire… Why does it always have to be fire?"
"The good news is we've got a significant cache of supplies planet-side, so we shouldn't need to build supply depots."
"Well, that's somethin'. So where's our artifact?"
"Right there," Tychus said as he changed the view-screen, "smack-dab in the middle of all them Tal'darim Protoss."
"Our mobile structures can relocate, and keep us just ahead of the fire, but we'll need to salvage everything we can't take with us."
"You ain't seriously goin' down there?"
"C'mon, partner! We got hours 'til that sun explodes!"
"Well, let's grab that artifact and get outta here before your Queen o' Blades shows up lookin' for it. I ain't in the mood to become part of a new nebula."
-SCENE BREAK-
Tyrador 9
A flight of four AH/G-24 "Banshee" Tactical-Strike Aircraft made their way east, clearing out a couple of Stalkers with a quick ASM strike.
"I hope you brought your sunscreen, cowboy."
"Now ain't the time, Swann."
"Relax, hotshot. I got somethin' useful for ya: AH/G-24 Banshees. …Yeah, I know, same name as the Sangheili's ground-attack craft, and like them they can blow the shit outta ground forces. But unlike what the Elites got, these babies have cloaking. Gotta love that!"
The Banshees flew northeast, finding a prime landing zone occupied by a Protoss Power Pylon and two Photon Cannons. The automated defenses began shooting at them, so they immediately opened fire on the pylon, breaking through its shields and shattering the power crystal; they then destroyed the powerless Photon Cannons at their leisure.
"Nice job" Raynor said. "Now let's get our base up & running and get that artifact!"
A command center, a barracks, a factory, and a starport flew in for a landing, joined by a Seagull full of Raider marines and a Pelican carrying 10 ODSTs, Kaede, and a Warthog.
"Incoming transmission" Adjutant reported.
"James Raynor!" shouted the familiar angry voice of the Tal'darim Executor. "We anticipated your arrival! Now you will pay for desecrating our holy relics!"
"Ugh. Really startin' to hate these fanatics…"
The Terran Banshees activated their cloaks and flew north, taking out a pylon that powered two photon cannons guarding a Protoss relic. They then flew south a little, taking out a few guards. At base, a fireteam of ODSTs headed east a few hundred meters, gathering a nearby Protoss artifact, while another Terran Banshee emerged from the starport, flying off to join the squadron. A trio of Hellions rolled northeast, taking out the two unpowered photon cannons and snagging another artifact. The cloaked Banshee quintet flew east, finding a small Protoss base.
"This Tal'darim base is in a good spot for us" Matt said. "We just need to clear them out and take possession."
The Banshees cloaked and wiped out a few northern guards, and then carefully took out two pylons powering a pair of photon cannons, allowing them to wreak havoc, using their air-to-surface missiles to devastate the Tal'darim while their active camouflage hid them from any attempted counterattacks. Once the area was clear, they de-cloaked, and the Raider base's buildings and troops relocated to this new location.
"Our warriors' sacrifice was not in vain!" the Executor said. "We gladly march towards death to ensure your doom!"
A small attack from the north was easily wiped out, seeing as the base's defenses currently encompassed six marines, 10 ODSTs, a Spec-Ops soldier, 10 War Pigs, eight Hellions, 4 Marauders (two of them mercenary), and 8 Terran Banshees. Seven Banshees peeled off and went southwest, clearing out the Tal'darim guarding an artifact, and the Warthog rolled out and grabbed it, bringing it back to the command center. The eight Banshees then headed east, taking out a pylon and then a pair of Stalkers, before returning to base to recharge their cloaks' power.
Next, three Medevacs escorted a force of around 30 soldiers east… and ran into a pair of Archons. The two psionic entities quickly brought down one of the transports, and then sent the foot-soldiers scattering, killing three of them right off the bat. The Banshees flew in to assist, unleashing a constant barrage of air-to-surface missiles that pounded away at the Tal'darim Archons' shields. The ground troops soon rallied and added their own fire to the mix. Even the Archons' super-heavy shielding couldn't hold up for long against all this firepower, and though they managed to kill a Marauder and two more marines, they were soon destroyed, going out in twin bursts of bluish light.
The Hellions, led by the Warthog with Kaede manning the gun, drove up to regroup with the attack force, having already snatched up two Protoss artifacts. A squadron of Vikings joined them, linking up with the Banshees. The flier force then moved southeast towards the next Tal'darim base. The Vikings unleashed a hail of missiles to destroy the Warp Prisms powering the base's Photon Cannons, and the Banshees then cloaked and rushed in, destroying the cannons and the base's Stalkers. With nearly all offense-capable hostiles terminated, they decloaked, while the Vikings flew in and shifted to walker mode. The enemy base was quickly ripped apart, clearing the way for the Raider base and its personnel to relocate to further outpace the advancing firestorm. A Hellion moved east to snatch up another artifact.
The Banshees moved north, destroying a pair of Photon Cannons and then cloaking, bombarding the nearby Tal'darim troops with ASM barrages without fear of reprisal. As they moved in, wreaking havoc, the rest of the attack force followed in their wake, spreading out to clean up stragglers and take out anti-air threats. Kaede fired the Warthog's M41 chaingun at a squad of Tal'darim Zealots, tearing through their shields and armor within seconds. The Vikings, in walker mode, took out a Stalker pack without losses. The Banshees blew a pair of High Templars to bits before they could conjure a Psionic Storm. Finally, the artifact vault was in sight. The Banshees and Marauders began hammering away at it, while everyone else kept the Tal'darim off their backs. A few marines fell, but in less than a minute the vault gave way. A Pelican dropship flew in, using its missiles to destroy a Void Ray, and snatched up the artifact.
"Okay, the artifact's secure!" Jim radioed. "Saddle up, people! We're outta here!"
Buildings and dropships gathered what they could and broke for high orbit, leaving the Tal'darim behind.
"We will pursue you to the ends of the universe, James Raynor" threatened the Tal'darim Executor. "A thousand deaths cannot atone for your wanton sacrilege!"
-SCENE BREAK-
Moebius Rendezvous Point
Space-time rippled as two ships came out of slipspace and warpspace. The Hyperion and Starshot drifted through the void, scanners online and waiting for their mysterious clients.
"Sir, we've reached the rendezvous coordinates. No contacts. Looks like the Moebius ship hasn't arrived yet."
Jim said at the star-chart table, his feet up on it. "That's strange… it ain't like them to be late."
Suddenly, three massive vessels – Behemoth-class battlecruisers – exited warpspace, led by the TDS Bucephalus.
"Sir! Dominion ships warping in! Mengsk's flagship is leading them!"
"Sweet mother o' mercy…" Tychus rumbled.
The Starshot's energy shields snapped to life, the Hyperion's following. The plasma turrets on the Starshot began to glow as they came online. Jim Raynor stood up, checking his vintage revolver and making sure that the single bullet was chambered.
"Sir, their shields are still down. I don't like this."
"Matt, pull us alongside and prep docking tubes!" He walked off, heading for the armory.
"Sir, this is not a smart move."
"You wanted your revolution, kid" Tychus said. "Now ya got it."
-SCENE BREAK-
TDS Bucephalus
Bridge access corridor Alpha
Rifle fire pinned the team down, but Teana stepped out, letting her shields take the blows as she tossed a flash-bang and ducked back into cover. The device went off, blinding and disorienting the three armored Dominion marines. Jim Raynor lowered the gold skull-etched visor of his custom black armor and charged in, gunning down the first one. Teana ventilated the skull of the second one, and Tychus shoulder-charged the third into a wall and then executed him.
The door to the bridge suddenly busted down, the crash and the thump-thump of armored boots countering the opera coming from the old-time record player. Jim Raynor threw down his rifle and drew his revolver, pointing it at the lone caped figure standing by the viewport and raising his visor.
"Turn around, Arcturus. I want you to see this comin'."
"…You won't find my father here, Commander" said the figure as he turned off the record player, and Jim noticed the dark-blond hair. "I am Valerian Mengsk, and I own the Moebius Foundation; through them, I own you as well."
"Tell me why I shouldn't kill you right now…"
"Because I can offer you what you've always wanted" he turned to look Jim in the eye. "A chance to rescue Sarah Kerrigan."
-SCENE BREAK-
Hyperion Lab
2 hours later
"The artifact fragments you've been collecting are of Xel'Naga origin" Valerian had said. "With them, I can construct a device that will reverse the infestation that transformed Kerrigan into the Queen of Blades. You're the only man who's been close to her and lived to tell the tale. You know her tactics, you know her strategies – and I know you'd risk everything for this chance to bring her back."
Jim looked at his old picture of Sarah, the smiling redhead in the picture so different from what she was now, and then headed up to the bridge, finding Matt and Tychus there.
"Sir, tell me you're not seriously considering this deal with Valerian."
"Sounds like a golden deal to me, Jimmy. Kerrigan turns human, takes a bullet between the eyes… You can put your past to rest and still make one hell of a payday!"
"Let's not get ahead of ourselves, Tychus" Jim said.
"Assaulting Char is a suicide mission!" Matt said. "You'd be putting all our lives on the line just to get your girlfriend back!"
"This is bigger than all of us, Matt! It ain't about me. This is the only chance we're ever gonna get. And I'm takin' it."
"So which is it gonna be, Jimmy? We bringin' Kerrigan back… or puttin' her in the ground?"
"Zeratul's prophecy says she needs to live, or else all life in this entire galaxy – hell, maybe the Universe - is doomed. You've both got a lot of prep work to do – get to it!"
"…Wait. What?"
Matt sighed and turned to Tychus as Jim left. "Apparently, there's some sort of malevolent entity called the Dark Voice lurking in voidspace. It was responsible for making the Zerg into killing machines. And now it's planning on using the Zerg to wipe this realm clean. The Zerg Overmind saw this thing coming and created Kerrigan to be independent of the overriding mental command to destroy that the Dark Voice put into the Overmind and its Zerg. Zeratul saw a vision of the future, where Kerrigan was killed. Without her influence, the Zerg fell under the full control of the Dark Voice and his twisted, demonic Protoss/Zerg hybrids. They wiped out every life-form in this galaxy; the Protoss were the last to fall. And then the Dark Voice literally destroyed the Milky Way – extinguished every star. Then he moved on to the next galaxy, and the next, and kept going until everything everywhere was dead."
"Ho-lee shit… Guess that means killin' her is ruled out, then. But what's Jimmy gonna do if and when we 'purify' her?"
"I don't know, Tychus. I don't know."
-SCENE BREAK-
Hyperion cantina
"This is Kate Lockwell for UNN. Tonight, top Dominion military analysts are still confused – and relieved – to report that, while attacks do continue throughout the fringe, the main Zerg push into Dominion space seems to have slowed."
"That's wonderful news, Kate. Our boys have really taken the fight to the Zerg!"
"Of course, Donny. But there's also a sense that whatever the Zerg were after… they either got it, or they've given up on it. We may never know."
"You heard it here first."
Bridge – 15 minutes
"Sir," Matt said, "I have to question your objectivity on this alliance. It's obviously a trap!"
"I got it covered, Matt. I'm askin' you to trust me."
"We were starting to make real progress against Mengsk. If we go after the Queen of Blades, we're throwing that away!"
"This is bigger than Mengsk! Matt, if we succeed on Char, we'll save billions of lives. Billions."
"I didn't sign up for this…"
"You signed up to follow my orders! If you can't do that, then hand over the reins to Colonel Holland and get the hell off my ship!"
"Sir…"
Jim stalked away, almost-literally running into Tychus as he prepared to leave.
"You sure about this?" the big man asked. "You gotta know Mengsk is gunnin' for ya. He'll hit you in a way you'll never see comin'."
"I can handle Mengsk, Tychus."
"Just watch your back, ol' buddy. That's all I'm askin'."
"I said I can handle it! If you don't wanna be a part of this, you can take your 30% and go."
Jim then noticed a transmission waiting for him on the screen nearby. He walked up and hit the button, and Valerian appeared onscreen.
"Ah, Commander Raynor. I thought we might discuss the expedition to Char. Now-"
"This is a dangerous game you're playin', kid. What's your stake in all this?"
"Jim, I think we should-"
Raynor hit the button to cut off the channel, but after a few seconds re-opened it.
"I can see why my father wants to kill you."
"I asked you a question."
"Everyone wonders if I will be 'as good an emperor' as my father. But I want something more: to prove that I will be a better emperor… and a better man."
"That shouldn't be hard…"
"If I reform the worst mass-murderer in history, make her human again, teamed with the famous outlaw Jim Raynor, that's all the proof I'll need."
"So I'm just a cog in your machine."
"If it gets you what you want, do you care?"
"…Guess I don't."
"You're no pawn, Mr. Raynor. In this coming game, you're more of a knight. And I always avoid losing my knights unless absolutely necessary. Now, we have one last piece of the artifact to acquire. Our mutual friends at the Moebius Foundation have located it in the Sigma Quadrant. When this final piece is secured, we can finish our preparations, and then proceed to Char to confront Kerrigan. Good luck, Mr. Raynor. I fear you'll need it."
-SCENE BREAK-
Sigma Quadrant
"My Moebius associates have finally tracked down the last piece of the artifact, here in this quadrant. It's on a derelict Xel'Naga mobile naval base, much like the Covenant's Unyielding Hierophant mentioned in Ms. Lanstar's records, although a little bigger at around 45 kilometers to the UH's 30."
"Pretty far off the beaten path, Junior."
"The artifact is… here" he highlighted a temple-esque structure on the stern end of the outside platform. "The ship has several rip-field generators which disintegrate everything on a molecular level in a matter of moments. Fortunately, the shields and molecular-enhanced titanium armor on our new Minotaur-class battlecruisers should be able to withstand the fields long enough to destroy the generators."
"Anything else we should know?"
"Well… long-range scanners have identified a sizeable Tal'darim force holding in the area."
"We are in way over our heads on this one, Jimmy" Tychus cut in. "Walkin' into rip-fields? I didn't sign up for no suicide mission! We should just take the money and run."
"Gettin' cold feet, Tychus?"
"I lost nine years in prison on account of you. Ain't tossin' what's left of my life away just so you can rescue your little princess, prophecy or not! Remember… you owe me, boy."
"Not enough to quit on somethin' like this! You're relieved. You can sit this one out, Findlay."
"Fine, then. You know where I'll be."
Tychus walked out.
"Adjutant, prep the ship for jump! Let's get this over with." He then turned to Teana. "You ain't quittin' on me, too, are ya?"
Teana smiled. "I'm a Spartan, and a Lanstar. The impossible is what I do for a living. I got your back."
-SCENE BREAK-
Xel'Naga FTL-Capable Naval Base (SHIP'S NAME UNIDENTIFIABLE)
"Caution. Anomalous gravity distortion detected."
"There's the first rip-field Valerian talked about."
"The battlecruisers should be able to survive long enough to destroy the generator, but only if they concentrate their fire."
"Why can't we use the Starshot's particle cannon to take them out from range?"
"Something in the field's properties neutralizes particle-beam weapons somehow. We have to rely on the battlecruisers' fusion cannons. The Starshot can still use its guns and fighters to help thin the enemy numbers, though."
"This is Gamma-1 in Sabre Bravo-39. All Sabres and Seraphs are prepped and ready to attack."
"This is Weapons Officer Bredford. Starshot's point-defense autoguns are hot and ready to engage enemy flyers. Plasma torpedoes are online and ready to be charged. If we need to we can use the ventral guns for airstrikes against enemy ground-troop concentrations and armor."
"Still can't believe their 'destroyer' is larger than and as heavily-armed as our battlecruisers…" one of the Dominion cruisers' captains muttered. "I'd hate to see how big and nasty Forerunner battlecruisers were."
Three Minotaur-class battlecruisers worked their way west, taking out a trio of Stalkers up ahead and then flying into the rip-field, their shields holding the destructive force back. A trio of fusion cannon shots destroyed the generator. Several Raider mobile buildings moved in and set down near a mineral field, and the Starshot then took position over the base.
"What do you think, sir?" Matt said. "Quick smash-and-grab?"
"We're gonna need more than just three battlecruisers to blast our way through…" Raynor replied.
"Take your time, Commander" Valerian said. "I'd rather do this right, and get the artifact."
The Starshot aimed its autoguns southwest, obliterating a trio of Tal'darim Archons and a pair of High Templars. An SCV went out to gather scattered resources. A second command center was constructed a few hundred meters south of the primary one, and a second starport to the immediate south of the first one. A fourth battlecruiser flew in, and the quartet moved west, taking out a few photon cannons and entering the next rip-field. Suddenly, a transmission came from a stasis field south of the nearby Tal'darim base.
"En Taro Tassadar, friend Raynor. The Tal'darim have imprisoned all who oppose them. Release us, and we will gladly fight at your side against them."
"Glad to see some friendly faces out here, boys. We'll have you out as soon as we can."
The Sabres deployed, easily wiping out a small Tal'darim attack force from the west; meanwhile, the four battlecruisers had wiped out most of the Tal'darim base and the second rip-field generator, and were now holding position there. Two more battlecruisers came down to the starport, and the second command center lifted off and flew west, setting down near the mineral fields captured by the battlecruisers.
After some preparation, five battlecruisers gathered at the west base and continued forward, luring the over-aggressive Tal'darim out of the rip-fields, leaving them easy pickings for the starships' guns. The Sabres flew toward a stasis field south of the west base, breaking it open and freeing the Dark Templar within.
"Our thanks, humans. The Tal'darim will pay for their treachery."
A bridge extended to allow the three Nerazim to cross onto the station's main body. They snuck their way into the Tal'darim base north of them, breaking loose three more of their brethren and then destroying the Tal'darim Warp-Gate nearby. They then headed south, then west and north, stealthing their way up to the next rip-field generator and destroying it. Suddenly, on the west-most platform of the station, the artifact was retracted into a sealed vault. A massive Protoss Mothership, wearing the colors and symbols of the Tal'darim, warped in atop it.
"Make peace with your gods, defilers! You will now answer for your crimes!"
"This mothership scans to be more formidable than the Purifier on Haven, sir" Matt reported. "It can cloak its allies, and even place them in temporary sub-dimensional pockets out of harm's way. It's gonna be a bitch to take down."
Battlecruisers continued to emerge from the starports every few minutes. The Dark Templar took out Tal'darim warp-gates, and then moved over to the Raiders' platform section. 10 battlecruisers moved southwest, destroying another rip-field generator and blowing two Tal'darim cruisers to bits. They returned to base, meeting the Starshot and a Dominion Ezekiel-class destroyer. The Dark Templar returned to the Tal'darim section and carefully snuck around the patrolling ships, holding position in the north area. A Colossus attacked the base and was destroyed by the Sabres' missiles.
12 battlecruisers moved west, their shields working to hold the rip-field at bay, using their fusion cannons to destroy the generator and two Tal'darim carriers, moving on to then destroy the base around and beneath them. Two more battlecruisers and the Starshot flew west to form up with them. A flight of Vikings from one of them freed a trio of Dark Templars on a small platform to the north, who moved out to link up with their brethren. The 15 ships then headed west, firing at the mothership with their main weapons. One battlecruiser was destroyed, carved apart by massive blue lasers, but the sheer barrage of fusion cannon blasts and plasma torpedoes obliterated the mighty vessel.
"Fools! My… spirit returns… to the Xel'Naga…"
"Finally we shut him up!" Teana said.
The ships then moved to the artifact vault, easily breaking it open.
"Alright, we're clear. Grab that thing and set a course to rendezvous with Valerian."
-SCENE BREAK-
Hyperion cantina
"Hey, you boys gotta wake up!" Ensign Kachinsky pounded his fist on the table for emphasis. "Raynor sold us out! I joined this outfit to fight the Dominion, not work for 'em!"
"Everybody simmer down!" Swann said. "We trusted the Commander before – we should trust him now!"
"You can't trust that drunk" said a drunk Tychus, still in his armor from before the last mission, staggering over to Swann. "Jim Raynor's nothin' but a spineless coward!"
"You been nothin' but poison since you got on this crate." Swann accused him, and clanked his claw-arm.
"That right?"
Tychus grabbed Swann and hoisted him off the floor by the shirt. "Pathetic. Only person you can trust is yourself. The sooner you peons figure that out-"
"Heard about enough 'a this…"
Jim Raynor stood watching the scene, Teana behind and to the right of him. Both looked pissed. Tychus tossed Swann aside onto the table.
"You got 'em all fooled, don't ya Jimmy? But the first sign'a trouble, you'll just duck an' run. It's what you do, ain't it? Me… them… that pretty little girlfriend'a yours…"
Teana stepped forward, but Jim put his arm out in front of her, holding her back. He pulled out his cigarette and threw it at Tychus, who responded by picking up a table and throwing it at him. Jim and Teana dived to either side.
"Stay back, Tia!" Jim said. "I know you can take 'em, but this is my fight!"
Tychus charged, and Jim sidestepped, leaving him to bounce off the wall. Tychus, unfazed, went with an axe blow and then a rising swing, both of which were dodged. Tychus reached up and grabbed hold of the jukebox suspended from the ceiling.
"Don't do somethin' you're gonna regret, Tychus."
Tychus ripped free the machine and threw it, but Jim rolled behind him, grabbed the power cable, and jammed it into Tychus' armor, causing it to lock up and Tychus to topple to the ground. Teana almost applauded. Jim dropped the live cable and turned to the crew.
"You think he's right?" he asked them. "That I'm just gonna run on ya?"
"You got us workin' for the Dominion now, Commander" Kachinsky replied, dragging the barely-conscious Swann. "Takin' us back to Char? It's like you're gone already."
"This ain't about the Dominion." He helped Swann to his feet. "Our war's always been about savin' lives. If the Zerg wipe everyone out, it's all been for nothin'. So I'm going back to Char. If you're with me, it's your choice. Just like it's always been." He turned and walked over to Tychus.
"…Now that's the Commander I been waitin' on."
He used his foot to turn the still-armor-locked Tychus onto his back, and then stood over him. "I don't wanna have to have this conversation again." He got up and walked away. "And fix my damn jukebox!"
Jim and Teana exited, leaving Tychus stuck on his back.
"Uh… a little help here? …Anybody?"
-SCENE BREAK-
Hyperion Bridge
Next day
"You still got a problem with us working alongside Valerian?" Jim asked.
"Mengsk turned out to be a ruthless dictator…" Matt replied, "But that shouldn't automatically condemn his son. I've followed you through Hell and back, sir. I'm not quitting on you now."
"Good man. This truce won't last forever – just long enough to get the job done."
"On a personal note? Nice job with Tychus. That ass-kicking's been a long time coming."
Jim walked over to the comm. station.
"Well, Junior, we got our hands on the final artifact. You can take possession of the whole set at any time."
"Thank you, Commander, and well-done. You're every bit as resourceful as I've been led to believe. I think the odds are stacking in our favor."
"You better hope so. Deliverin' this… artifact thing right to Kerrigan's doorstep – we're gonna need all the luck we can get."
"Rest easy. We'll have the might of the Dominion Navy behind us."
"Right…"
Jim headed to the cantina, walking over to a now-unarmored Tychus.
"You ready to tell me what the hell that was all about?"
"Man, these last few weeks… helpin' you fight the good fight… I finally got a taste what real freedom is. But that's all comin' to an end with you chargin' off like some damn hero – for a cause I couldn't care less about."
"Then what was all that talk earlier about doin' humanity a favor and getting' paid well in the process?"
"Just seems that the closer we get to your Queen o' Blades… well, let's just say things don't always work out the way ya plan, Jimmy."
"I need ya with me on this one, Tychus. Trust me… for old time's sake."
"Alright, alright. I'm with ya."
"That's my boy."
"This is Donny Vermillion, live from UNN Studios on Korhal. Troubling news tonight, as crown prince Valerian seems to have gone missing."
"That's right, Donny. Prince Valerian was scheduled to speak at the launch of the Dominion's newest battlecruiser, the White Star. But the ceremony had to proceed without the prince when he failed to arrive."
"Official government sources offered no comment."
"Whatever the situation, we here at UNN hope the prince is okay."
"Oh, Junior's doin' just fine" Raynor said. "So far."
Raynor headed up to the bridge, finding Matt and Teana.
"This is it, you guys" he said. "We either free Kerrigan from the Dark Voice's influence, or we all become Zerg chow. One way or another, this whole mess is about to end. You ready?"
"I've come this far with you, sir" Matt replied. "I'm not about to quit now. Besides, you said it yourself: this is bigger than just us."
"Yeah" Teana said. "Let's change history."
"This'll be one for the books, that's for sure. …Adjutant, contact the rest of the fleet – tell 'em it's time. Let's set course for Char!"
-CHAPTER END-
Next Time: the climactic finale of Book 2('s remake).