The Griffin – Bridge
Shakuras Asteroid Field
6:01 PM – Shipboard Time
The Griffin had dropped out of warp into the system and immediately cloaked, making its way through the thick debris field. On the bridge, Nova stood at the forward console with Reigel while Hana carefully piloted the ship through the asteroid field.
"So what are the odds that the Protoss detect us?" Hana asked curiously.
"Very high. You never know when those little observers of theirs are floating around. They may not have a physical presence here at the moment but they may come running if they detect us." Nova replied as Ace entered the bridge.
"Covert Teams are ready to go on a moment's notice, Commander." Ace reported as Nova gave a nod.
"Good. With any luck, we won't need them." Nova replied as they flew past the asteroids.
"Hard to believe this was a planet only a few years ago. How'd the Protoss destroy the place anyway?" Ace asked.
"Apparently they overloaded an ancient Xel'naga temple on the planet that ripped apart the planet from the inside." Reigel replied.
"Damn if they can destroy planets, it's a good thing we're not at war with them. I know they can glass 'em but not like this." Ace commented.
"It was an ancient temple, not a weapon. Xel'naga temples are extremely rare and even then they don't all possess the same abilities if any. This one just happened to be able to destroy the whole planet." Reigel replied as Hana's console started to beep.
"Commander we've got company." Hana said as Nova pulled up a display that showed what Song had on hers.
"Protoss?" Reigel asked.
"An Arbiter. Be careful. When one of those are around, they're never alone." Nova said as the display showed a Protoss Arbiter flying slowly through the asteroid field.
"I'm seeing the residual motion blurs of a few ships. Probably right about that fleet. Just can't get a good fix on their numbers or what ships they might have." Hana said as Nova furrowed her brow.
"There's something off about this." Nova muttered as Hana's console beeped again.
"Hang on, I'm picking up an exhaust trail. It's almost faded but I think it's…yes, it's Terran in origin. It's leading towards a large asteroid near the edge of the field." Hana said as she brought the Griffin away from the Protoss fleet towards the asteroid in question. The asteroid itself was several kilometers in size with several deep craters and crevices along its surface.
"Bring us in nice and easy, Corporal." Nova said as the Griffin started its approach, following the trail around to a side facing away from the bulk of the asteroid field. There they saw a large gaping hole leading inside the asteroid.
"Trail leads in there. Hope no one has claustrophobia." Hana said as Ace chuckled.
"If I did, then man would I be living one hell of a nightmare in this tin can." Ace said as the Griffin began to enter the tunnel, still cloaked as they quietly glided inside.
"Are you picking up anything, Corporal?" Reigel asked but Hana winced.
"Asteroid walls are messing up the sensors. I can barely make anything out." She grumbled but Nova spotted something in the cave.
"Maybe the sensors can't, but I'm looking at something very interesting." Nova said as she pointed to a series of large structures built into the back walls of the tunnel. The structures were large berths meant to hold Terran spacecraft but most of them were empty save for one which held a familiar Science Vessel.
"That science vessel's transponder matches the Malthael! That's the ship from Haven!" Hana said as Nova scowled at the ship.
"Are its sensors online?" Nova asked but Hana shook her head.
"Negative. It looks like its powered down for repairs. We're in the clear. I am detecting some Zerg and Protoss bio-signs within the facility though."
"Bring us in close, quietly, and prepare to deploy covert teams. Ace, standby to enter on my mark. I'm taking point." Nova said as she picked up her rifle.
"What's the plan?" Ace asked.
"I'm going in alone. I've done this sort of thing plenty of times before. I should only need you in case things go south." Nova said as Ace gave a nod.
"Do you know what you're looking for?" he asked as Nova shrugged.
"Anything that could help us unveil what their plans are. If things go south, I want the Nighthawks to make as much of a ruckus as possible so long as it attracts the Protoss. They won't like our intrusion but they certainly won't like this base here hidden under their very noses…or, well, you know what I mean." Nova said as Ace gave a nod, following after to the door but Nova suddenly paused and looked over her shoulder towards Corporal Song.
"Oh and Corporal, we could probably use your…other skills out there." Nova said as Song's eyes lit up excitedly.
"Really?! Alright!" she exclaimed, leaping from her seat and grabbing a pair of goggles hanging from a peg behind her, rushing for the door. She ran past Nova and Ace, Ace looking at Nova confused but Nova just smirked knowingly as she walked out the door.
…
Shakuras Angel Base
Twenty minutes later…
Nova was cloaked as she crept through the Angel facility. The facility was active and hadn't noticed the Nighthawks' arrival. Nova had finally managed to get out of the facility's forward engineering and maintenance bays where they kept a few squadrons of Wraiths and Valkyries to defend the facility if necessary. She finally got into the base's deeper recesses where the Base's Command Office, where the base Commander oversaw their operations. Nova took notice of the Commander, a man in an authoritative white naval uniform with Angel insignias, overlooking the office, looking at several screens before him. Nova noticed he had a pin on his uniform that had the symbol of the Defenders of Man in bronze. A quick glance at his thoughts confirmed that he was indeed a member of the Defenders of Man a year ago. He was then approached by a man in a lab coat.
"Commander, I have the results of the recent experiments. Unfortunately they aren't the results we were looking for." The man said as he handed over a tablet to the Commander.
"Command would prefer that the weapon activate faster but given that we at least have it at the working stage, they should be satisfied." The Commander said, signing off on the results with a stylus pen and handing the tablet back to the scientist.
"I only wish our prior test had been more successful." The scientist muttered.
"Haven wasn't the most optimal choice for the test given how rural it is and how spaced out the colony was. Really the only thing, I believe that influenced the results at all was how quickly the Magistrate put everything into lockdown. Dr. Hanson had experience with infectious diseases so she recognized the signs early on. She was, perhaps, the only influencer on the results. In cases like our prime targets, Horseman One will prove exceedingly effective." The Commander said as the scientist saluted.
"We will redouble our efforts to accelerate the rate of infection." The scientist said before leaving. Nova had overheard the conversation and quietly tapped into the Commander's mind, searching for where their first target would be but the Commander only knew a few details: urban, densely populated, Dominion. That was it. No names. Nova turned her attention towards the scientist, following after him. She privately knew she would have to kill him to at least slow down the Angel's production of Horseman One.
She followed the scientist through into a more sterile part of the facility where several labs, guarded by Angel Marines, were located. Nova made her way through and spotted some things which concerned her. There were several pins with various Zerg breeds inside of them. Only Zerglings or Drones while a few cells stored Infested Terrans. She couldn't tell if these infested were from Haven or had been infested on site. Regardless, she pressed on, following behind the scientist in silence as he approached a group of other scientists looking at a holographic display of a Protoss Zealot, complete with readouts.
"What did the Commander say?" one of the scientists asked.
"It seems Command is pleased to at least have a working system. As far as we know, the Dominion remains unaware of the fact that it was a bioweapon." The lead scientist replied.
"So we can Infest Terran with Horseman One. Any success with the Protoss?" another scientist asked.
"Protoss DNA renders them immune to Zerg Infestation. The closest thing we can do is create Hybrid but all of Mobius Foundation's records on their creation were destroyed along with Revanscar. It would take millennia to create another Hybrid." Yet another scientist replied. By now Nova had turned her attention away from the scientists and began moving away, searching the facility for something more damning on the Angels.
"Perhaps we should consider getting a fresh sample of Protoss DNA. It's not like we have any shortages of sources." One of the scientists said. This caused Nova to pause, turning towards them suspiciously.
"Gentlemen, need I remind you that the Protoss are not our concern at the moment." The lead scientist reminded them.
"I still think we should increase power to the psi-screens on their cells. Those Protoss are all highly psionic." One of the scientists commented.
"They're also unable to communicate over long distances. Ever since the End War, the Protoss severed themselves from their precious Khala. Now they are individuals and unable to share thoughts and emotions like they used to. They're as trapped here as the average human would be." The lead scientist replied. Nova quickly dove into his mind, searching for where the Protoss might be kept. Finally she found their location and took off, stealthily, down the halls. As she made her way down the halls, she passed a security checkpoint where a pair of off duty marines sat knocking back a couple of cold ones.
"So what's the story on Haven? We gonna use the new 'recruits' from there or what?" one of the marines asked.
"Not possible. Colony's empty now." The other said. This caused Nova to pause outside the door, listening in.
"Empty? You mean glassed right? By the Protoss?" the first asked.
"No I mean empty. We checked after the Malthael limped back in here. All of the infested are just gone as if they were never there. We even did subterranean scans. Nothing." The second replied. This perplexed Nova to some degree.
"Wait, what do you mean the Malthael limped back here?" the first asked.
"You saw the damage done to it when it got here. Buddy of mine was on the Malthael, said they got hit by…by a ghost ship." The second replied.
"Ghost ship?" the first asked.
"Yeah. Said an old Battlecruiser just appeared and attacked them. Malthael had no weapons so they had to run. Chased after them until they jumped to warp." The second replied.
"Could've been anyone's battlecruiser. Pirates use 'em a lot." The first said.
"Not this one apparently. This one had the whole crew so spooked over half of them volunteered for the resoc tanks." The second said as the first muttered a curse under his breath. Nova had heard enough and slipped past into the holding area. She could feel the effects of the Psi-screens inside the room as soon as she entered it. The room had two levels, the upper level where she was that ran the perimeter of the room and a lower level where the captured Protoss were kept in individual cells, their weapons all kept in crates in an adjacent room on the upper level. There were several marines patrolling the upper level while there were only a couple on the lower. The Protoss inside the cells mostly all wore the golden armor of the Daelaam while a couple wore the platinum armor of the Nerazim. Most were Zealots, and in the case of the Nerazim, Centurions. However, in the center, trapped within a stasis cell in the center was a single High Templar.
Nova immediately knew what she had to do and quietly made her way to a control room near the back. Once inside, she saw the controls for the psi-screen. She quietly pulled an EMP round from her belt, sticking it into a gap under the controls before falling back to the other side of the room before hitting a detonator on her gauntlet, causing the round to explode, the hum of the psi-screens groaning to a stop. The guards quickly turned towards the control room in alarm. The Protoss noticed this and started looking around, quickly beginning to psionically communicate with each other. Nova however, put two fingers to her head, reaching out to Reigel with her mind.
"Reigel! Give the signal!" Nova ordered. On the Griffin's bridge, Reigel heard the command loud and clear in his mind. He quickly activated the Griffin's red alert.
"We have the signal! Captain Kunis, you have a go!" Reigel ordered. Down in the bay, Ace and a squad of Nighthawk Soldiers stood ready.
"Right! You heard the man! Nighthawks! Go! Go! Go!" Ace yelled as the bay doors opened, the soldiers running out into the facility, opening fire as soon as they stepped out of the Griffin's cloaking field. Ace watched them advance before hearing the heavy thumping of a mech behind him. He turned and saw Hana in her Goliath moving out of the bay.
"D'va moving out TACCOM!" Hana replied as her Goliath stormed its way to the front, Sgt. Hammer's tank following close behind. Ace quickly chased after the two on foot.
"Corporal, focus your fire on that science vessel! Let's make 'em pay for Haven!" Ace ordered as smirked at him.
"You got it!" she replied, flipping open the thumb covers on the control sticks as she turned the Goliath's head towards the Malthael, priming the walker's hellfire missiles.
"Nerf this!" she taunted with a grin as she fired a pair of missiles, the missiles smashing into the Malthael but only caused limited damage.
"Keep firing, Corporal! Keep firing until it's burning rubble! Sargent! We're to hold this position for as long as possible!" Ace yelled to Hammer in her tank.
"You wanna let me do my job, sweetheart? Just let me do my thing!" Hammer replied as she entered siege mode, firing a round straight at one of the upper levels of the base, causing incredible damage. The Angels were responding with force now as Angel Marines started hurrying to the front.
"Defensive formations! Hold this position! Let none of them through!" Ace yelled as they fired at the Angel forces. Back on the Griffin's bridge, Reigel sat at Hana's station, monitoring the battle.
"The battle is in full swing now, Morales. Any sign that the Protoss have noticed us?" Reigel asked into the comms. Sitting near the entrance to the cavern leading to the base, Morales sat at the controls of her Medivac, watching the Protoss Arbiter, which was nothing more than a shimmering speck in the distance.
"Not a thing and I've got the blinkers on and everything!" Morales replied.
"Then contact them directly, do whatever it takes to draw them in closer. The Commander is relying on us!" Reigel ordered as Morales gave a salute.
"You got it." Morales replied as she closed the channel with Reigel and then opened it up on all channels.
"Hey! Protoss! I see you out there! We've got something you might be interested in!" Morales yelled into the communicator. She then waited a moment before one of her monitors flickered with blue square tiles for a moment before revealing a very cross looking Protoss.
"Terran Vessel, you are within Nerazim Space! Leave immediately or be destroyed!" the Protoss ordered but Morales shook her head.
"Listen, I'm on your side, but the hidden Terran base we found here in the asteroid…yeah I don't think they're your friends." Morales said as the Protoss glared at her. She noticed the Arbiter in the distance starting to turn around towards her.
"I am Danimoth, Arbiter in the service of Praetor Mojo and the Daelaam. You wish for us to believe that there is a Terran base hidden within these sacred ruins?" the Protoss asked. Morales merely crossed her arms over her chest.
"Then how about you come see for yourself?" she asked. Danimoth narrowed his gaze before cutting the transmission. Morales smirked with satisfaction for a moment before suddenly seeing something happening near Danimoth. She could see a number of golden lights appearing around it and quickly realized what it was. The Arbiter had disengaged its cloaking field, allowing the fleet of Protoss ships to appear before them. There were at least two carriers and untold numbers of scouts, phoenixes, warp prims, void rays, and even ships from the Nerazim and Purifier factions. A recall conduit suddenly opened behind Danimoth, bringing forth a Purifier Carrier and a squadron of scouts. Morales's eyes widened in alarm.
"I think we might've overdone it." She muttered as she grabbed the controls turning her medivac around and flying it back into the cavern.
Back in the holding cells, the base lights turned red as the Nighthawks started their attack.
"We're under attack! Keep the prisoners guarded! We can't let the-!" one of the Marine guards ordered before suddenly collapsing to the ground, a bullet hole in his visor. As the marines looked around, two more of them were shot dead by an unseen force.
"What the hell?!" another marine exclaimed as Nova suddenly decloaked, firing and shooting him in the head, making sure some of the Protoss below could see her. She quickly cloaked again before the other marines could line up their shots, their bullet spray hitting nothing but the walls.
"We've got a Ghost in here! Someone-…uh-oh." One of the Marines said as the stasis cell over the High Templar suddenly started letting off sparks as a few key spots on it were shot up and damaged. The unconscious Protoss inside started to stir before opening his eyes in confusion but then narrowed them in anger at the Terrans.
"Khassar de templari!" the Templar roared as it unleashed a psionic storm on the Marines before it, frying them all as it broke free of its cell, floating down onto the lower level. The cell doors then opened automatically, freeing the captured Protoss.
"Hey! Up here!" Nova called as she decloaked on the upper level, gaining the attention of the Protoss.
"You freed us, Terran. Why?" one of the Zealots asked as they looked up at her.
"Because I'm not one of the assholes who locked you all up. My ship is waiting for us and we've got more of your friends incoming to tear this place apart! If you want to leave, now's your chance!" Nova replied as the Protoss looked at each other and then ran for the edges of the lower level, using their robotically enhanced legs to easily leap to the second level while the High Templar merely levitated up to the second level, leaving the strange afterimages of himself behind. He immediately approached Nova, levitating before her.
"We are grateful for your actions, Terran. What is your name and whom do you serve?" the High Templar asked.
"Nova Terra, and technically, I serve myself." Nova replied as the Templar gave a nod of understanding.
"Our lives are in your hands, Nova Terra. Lead the way. En Taro Tassadar." The Templar said as the Zealots and Centurions retrieved their weapons, igniting their psi blades. Nova turned towards the door, raising her rifle and leading them out towards the front. As she ran through the halls, Protoss close behind, she put a hand to her head.
"Reigel, I've got friendlies behind me! Do not engage the Protoss, repeat, do not engage any Protoss!" Nova said telepathically. She didn't get a reply but she didn't expect one anyway. She had to rely on faith that Reigel had gotten her message. They made their way into the labs where the scientists were scrambling to pack up and evacuate but they weren't expecting for their imprisoned Protoss to come barging in. Nova saw the lead scientist before her and immediately pointed at him.
"He's the one who had you all locked up." She said to the High Templar who scowled at him. The lead scientist looked at him in fear before suddenly being telekinetically lifted up and then electrocuted to death by a psi-blast from the High Templar. The other scientists started screaming as the Protoss charged into them, slaughtering them and their guards out of vengeance for their incarceration. Nova similarly opened fire on the scientists while the High Templar ripped them apart with his powerful psionics.
In the landing area, the Protoss were yet to arrive as Morales's medivac returned, docking with the Griffin. The Malthael was now a burning hulk of floating debris from Song's missile barrage and now had turned her attention to the Angel soldiers attempting to drive them back, the triple barreled guns on her Goliath ripping into the Angel troops while Hammer kept their forces back with her tank. Ace was near the front, fighting beside his men.
"Don't let up boys, make them pay for Haven!" Ace yelled. He then heard the sounds of engines firing up from nearby. He looked up and saw the hangar bays on the upper levels were deploying Wraiths and Vikings.
"Eyes-up marines! Bogies at twelve-o-clock!" Ace yelled as he started firing at the Angel airsupport, the Wraiths coming around to begin firing their lasers at the Nighthawks. turned her rockets on them, forcing them to evade but there were simply too many fighters approaching.
"Take cover!" Ace yelled as the Wraiths and Vikings approached. They were almost within firing range when bolts of blue energy and missiles leaving blue trails started hitting the Angel fighters. The Nighthawks all looked and saw the Protoss had finally arrived, their scouts, phoenixes, and corsairs flying in and engaging the Angel fighters, a dogfight quickly breaking out within the spacious cavern. Ace quickly turned to his men as they cheered the arrival of the Protoss.
"Stow the beers gentlemen! We're not out of the woods yet! Any sign of the Commander?" Ace yelled.
"We're almost out, Ace! Hold the line! I've got friendlies with me, so check your fire!" Nova replied over the comms.
"You heard the lady! Watch your sights!" Ace ordered as the Nighthawks continued their assault on the Angels. As they fought, the doors into the facility suddenly exploded with blue energy as the High Templar hit it with a powerful psi-blast, Nova close by him. Ace could see through the group of Protoss and could see one of the Zealots skewering the Angel Commander on a psi-blade before being tossed away.
"There they are! Covering fire men!" Ace ordered as Nova and the Protoss came surging out of the facility. The Angels saw their escaping prisoners and attempted to gun them down. A couple Zealots fell to their fire before D'va stomped forward in her mech.
"Defense Matrix engaged!" D'va yelled, activating a device built into her Goliath that projected a hexagonal white cone that began firing small white beams of energy that intercepted the incoming bullet and grenade spray from the Angels. The High Templar then paused and unleashed a Psionic Storm on the Angel troops, frying them or forcing them into cover. The Templar then turned and continued to levitate towards the Griffin, pausing to pick up the psi-blade from a fallen Zealot before continuing on, Nova taking up a position near the boarding ramps.
"We're all here! Fall back! We're pulling out!" Nova ordered as the Nighthawks started falling back, retreating aboard the Griffin, the Griffin's guns firing on the Angel fighters as the boarding ramps closed.
"Reigel we're all aboard, let's go!" Nova yelled into her radio, hurrying towards the elevator with Ace and the High Templar. The Griffin started lifting off, turning and pulling away from the facility before rocketing towards the exit, dodging Protoss and Angel fighters as they flew. On the bridge, Nova, Ace, and the High Templar emerged from the hallway, as Reigel flew the Griffin.
"We're nearing the exit, but I'm detecting the Protoss have it blockaded!" Reigel said as the High Templar looked out the front.
"They will not fire upon us. I will make sure of it." The Templar said as the Griffin rounded a corner, where they could see the three carriers and the rest of the ships too large to enter the cavern sitting outside the entrance, squadrons of Interceptors swirling around them. The Griffin came to a stop as Danimoth appeared on the main console screen.
"Halt, Terrans. Your presence is in violation of-." Danimoth said but the High Templar interrupted.
"En Taro Adun, brother. The Terran vessel before you is no enemy of the Daelaam. These Terrans have freed myself and my brethren from captivity. I ask mercy be shown upon them." The Templar said as Danimoth looked at him curiously.
"J'tokoh Zohl, Templari. We shall spare the Terran vessel for now until the Praetor decides otherwise. What of this Terran base within the asteroid?" Danimoth asked but the Templar narrowed his eyes.
"They are the ones who held us against our will. Na Adan Atum." The Templar reported as Danimoth's eyes narrowed. In the meantime, Hana entered and relieved Reigel at her station, still wearing her Goliath goggles.
"We shall bring the wrath of the Daelaam upon them. The Praetor wishes to speak to you and the Terrans directly. He will meet you aboard the Khalasanai. En Taro Tassadar." Danimoth replied as the Templar bowed slightly.
"En Taro Tassadar, Danimoth." The Templar replied before the feed cut out.
"Uh, which ship is that?" Hana asked as the Templar pointed to the Purifier carrier.
"That is the vessel. You will not be harmed." The Templar said as Hana started to guide the Griffin towards the carrier. The Templar then turned to Nova.
"I must see to my brethren. We shall speak further when we are before the Praetor." The Templar said as Nova gave a nod.
"Any chance of us leaving the system alive?" Nova asked as the Templar looked down at her.
"That, I cannot say, but I shall endeavor to defend you should the need arise." The Templar replied before he floated out of the bridge. Reigel, Nova, and Ace then approached the main console.
"Did you find anything that might help against the Angels?" Reigel asked but Nova sighed.
"Very little. Angel doesn't seem to trust her officers that much. I was only able to find out that they plan to hit an urban, well populated, Dominion planet with Horseman One. I couldn't pin down any specifics." Nova said as Ace groaned.
"That could be any number of planets, even Korhal itself could be a target given those parameters." Ace said as Nova gave a grim nod.
"They were also looking to try and revive the Hybrid program using the Protoss but they were lamenting that the research had been lost when the Protoss destroyed Revanscar during the End War. So it sounds like the Hybrid won't be an issue anymore." Nova said as Reigel pondered.
"We should still be cautious. The very mention of the Hybrid holds bad implications." Reigel replied.
"Anything else?" Ace asked as Nova gave a curious nod.
"We should consider returning to Haven. I heard some strange information from some of the guards. Apparently the infested Terrans on Haven disappeared and that some kind of ghost ship chased the Malthael off not long after the infestation." Nova said as Ace looked at her curiously.
"Ghost ship? You mean like a Moirai Battlecruiser?" Ace asked but Nova shrugged.
"Not sure. But it bears investigating." Nova said as she looked out the front to see the Griffin starting to pull alongside the Purifier Carrier.
"That's assuming the Protoss decide to let us go." Nova muttered.
End Chapter 9
I am aware that I'm technically misspelling D'va's name but this is due to the fact that fanfiction dot net doesn't allow for periods to be used in names like this. It assumes it's trying to link to a website and thus automatically deletes what it thinks is the link. So to work around this, I'm using the apostrophe or omitting the punctuation mark altogether. Thank you for your patience and understanding.