Uh, gentlemen! Stetmann called out with alarm, staring at Jayce's unmoving form with a fresh rush of panic. Jayce is unconscious somewhere.
Jim physically heaved a sigh, having only just gotten out of the sonic showers. That woman was far more trouble than any amount of effort she had pitched in so far, in his opinion. The hell happened?
I don't know, I was just checking up on her and I saw her laying there! See for yourself commander! Her life signs are stable, though. Stetmann added as an afterthought.
Eh. I'll go dig her up. Can't find any pants and I'm sure you all want to talk to Junior real soon. Tychus had finished his shower fast and hadn't had any luck finding clothing, nothing that didn't immediately tear at the seams anyway. He didn't care to attend some important meeting without pants. Hell, he didn't much care about attending at all, except that it may lead towards getting his body back.
Right. I'll see all of you up here on the bridge. Swann, I know you are busy but you should be present. You know what kind of help the ship needs. Horner was pacing around the bridge, thrumming with nervous energy as he eyed the Bucephalus in the viewport.
You're damn right I'm busy! Scowling to himself, Swann regretfully yielded. It would be best if they knew what to send over. I'll be up there once I finish this wiring. And you, Tychus, make sure Jayce is alright. He added, not sure if he was more stressed about the doofus apparently knocking herself out somehow or Tychus getting up close to her again.
I'm always a gentleman with the ladies. Tychus smirked to himself, picking up a datapad and flicking it on. It was only a few seconds to get Jayce's tracking pin routed over and showing her location. He was on his way, setting a quick pace with his long strides. Privately, he was concerned too.
Jayce was laying on her side, face pressing hard against the grated flooring and blood oozing sluggishly from her nose. Twitching slightly in her sleep, the day the Hyperion fell to the zerg was rushing through her mind.
Jogging down a corridor and looking at the datapad in his hand, Tychus came to a stop when Jayce's radar dot was in the exact spot he was standing. Confused, he turned his head this way and that, frowning. He was adjusting the view from radar to the visual display when a thick droplet landed on the screen, splattering hypnotically. All the pupils in his eyes constricted into pinpricks as he took in the sight and smell of blood, his gaze slowly going upwards to see where it leaked down. A small gap in the ceiling overhead where more had been congealing. Saliva flooded his mouth and he had to slurp it back down, shaking his head.
Swann, she's up in the damn ceiling. Where's an access point? Stepping away from the dripping spot, he drug his thumb across the surface of the screen and collected the red substance.
Ah, hold on. Already en route to the bridge, Swann flicked through a wireframe display and looked over the area Tychus was in, pinpointing the service ladder and sending him the coords quickly. There, sent.
Licking his thumb and grinning at the heavenly taste, Tychus chuckled softly and started walking towards the ladders location. Thanks, Chief.
As usual, nothing was built to accommodate his size. Tychus glared at the ladder, located inside what amounted to a closet, and the small open hatch at the top. Angling himself awkwardly to the side and climbing, he threw one arm up through the hatch and started shimmying himself into the walkway one limb at a time. The smell of blood was thicker up here, mixed with oil, hydraulics and other ship smells, urging him to move faster and find the source.
Zerglings were tackling down firebats, pulling apart their armor and getting at the men inside, eating them alive. Others, fleeing crew members, were being grabbed and dragged away by scorpion-like creatures or pinned where they were by Infestors. Every camera she checked either had people dying and being captured, or telltale signs of either. Safe in the armory, Jayce surrendered to despair.
Forced to walk at an angle down the walkway, Tychus' mind was buzzing. The stench of fear had begun to burn in his nose and were it not for the tight quarters he'd be running hard. A light dully illuminated the corner of an X shaped intersection ahead and he took as long of strides as he was able to.
The armory door was being banged on. Dully thudding, skittering. That never happened when the Hyperion was being attacked. Jayce raised her gaze, eyes bright with alarm, when the armory door began to lift. They were coming in, she was dead meat. THNK. Jayce jerked awake with a sharp gasp, both at the shock of the nightmare and the pain that greeted her.
A siege tank was firing rounds off in her brain, she was sure of it, and her face had been pressed into the grated steel so long that she felt the grid-like imprint of it deep in her skin when she slowly lifted her head. Dried blood from her nose crunched and stung, making her eyes water as she squinted hard and reached to wipe the dried and fresh liquid away. Lifting her shoulder had raised the snake light up from the floor enough to illuminate Tychus hunched in the wider walkway, his pupils reflecting the dull light.
Gasping and half lifting herself into a crouch, although it burned her muscles to move after being in that heap for so long, Jayce caught herself and forced her body to relax when she recognized him. He jerked slightly too, and she had not yet registered what was going on.
"You're a sight for sore eyes Tychus!" Her voice was raspy, how long had she been out for? Closing her eyes, she swallowed and cleared her throat.
Ynrr ssgt rrr ssorrre yess tchss. Tychus blinked slowly, Jayce's lips moved and sounds happened, but his brain was hazy. Resting his hands on hot pipes and thick wires on either side of himself, he squeezed slowly and focused on the blood that she was wiping away, lips parting slightly.
Tchs? Tnychus! Tychus. Stetmann, bless him, had been paying attention and it felt as though he had been bodily shoved. Blinking out of it and grunting slightly, Tychus cleared his throat. Jayce opened her eyes and smiled up at him, unaware.
"You gonna give me a hand, or did you come here to stare at me?" Tilting her head, Jayce twisted to her hands and knees stiffly, resting a hand on one knee and holding the other up for help.
Rolling his shoulders, which he still had to hunch in the wider pathway, Tychus reached down and plucked Jayce up, pulling her right into his body and kissing her firmly. Her surprised squeak was enjoyable, but more so was the taste of blood on her lips. "Mmm."
The headache, the stiff joints, any immediate thoughts and concerns, all were forgotten when her lips connected with his. Jayce's eyes widened in surprise, hands resting on his chest and fingertips curling at his collar bone. When he regretfully ended the kiss, she had a thoroughly dazed look. Voice wavering, she whispered. "Where're your pants?"
Resting his hands against her back, Tychus smiled smugly- he hadn't lost the touch. The second he had pulled Jayce in for a kiss, a rather chaste one as far as he was concerned, Stetmann had retreated from his mind as though he had just spontaneously combusted. "Forget the pants, sugar. I don't know about you, but I just survived icy Protoss hell and you managed to not get blown up too." Looking around at their surroundings pointedly, Tychus grinned lecherously. "Hows about you and me just stay here and celebrate life for a while?"
Infested or no, when Jayce rested her forehead against his chest and sighed, it was awfully tempting. He was nice and warm and everywhere. Tilting her head back and giving it a quick shake, she swatted his chest with her hand and half smiled. "You and your timing are terrible." Sobering quicker by the second, she reached up and aimed her snake light away from his face when she realized he was squinting. "Celebrating is going to have to wait. Did a certain, oh, genocidal world devourer visit you a few minutes ago?"
"More like an hour ago, doll." Tilting his head, Tychus quirked a brow and slowly lowered his hands from her back to his sides.
"An hour? No wonder why I'm so stiff, been laying there forever." Rubbing her face, she was dismayed to still feel the impression of the grate there.
"Does that mean we still get to celebrate sometime?" Grinning broadly, Tychus couldn't help it.
Rolling her eyes and looking away with a smile, Jayce shook her head. "Focus, Findlay."
"Oh I am very much so focused."
"She told me you and the others were free now," Looking back up at him, she wondered what they were told and she wasn't. "That the truth of it?"
"Yeah sugar, as free as a group of infested Terrans can be." He shrugged slightly.
"That's great, that means we can start to look for a cure and- and put down the infested crew too." The idea of bringing an end to the suffering of the old crew was sobering, and Jayce's lips curled into a frown.
"We're gonna go talk to Valerian and see what can be done." Tychus mumbled, watching the play of emotions on her face. "Man, you look like hell. No doubt they are already talkin' with Junior, we can probably make it there pretty quick- if I can fit back down that hatch."
"Feel about as good as I look right now." Jayce acknowledged, then laughed lightly at the thought of Tychus squeezing through that service hatch. "Alright. I better stay and get this pipe fixed though. Doubt I have anything to contribute." Gesturing towards the rusty bolt behind her with a dip of her head.
"Nah sugar, you're comin'. Gonna get some people from Prince Charming's ship to help fix this place up, don't worry about that none." Leaning forwards, Tychus stretched his arm past her and grasped the wrench. "Tighter or looser?"
Leaning backwards and staring into the leathery hide that was layered over his chest, Jayce mumbled. "Tighter, half a rotation only or you'll strip it." Cheeks flushing a bright red that she hoped he didn't notice. The bolt screeched in indignation and a moment later he leaned back, job done. "I made it easier for you."
"Of course you did sweet thing. Lets go, and tell me how your arm got fixed while we're walkin'." The fact she didn't have a cast anymore was not lost on him, and he was curious. Turning around, he lead the way back to the hatch which was going to take some effort for him to get down.
"Oh, hah, yeah." Smiling nervously at his broad back, Jayce opted to not tell the truth. She wasn't sure why exactly, probably to protect Stetmann more than anything. The young scientist didn't deserve a beating for what happened, in her opinion. "Stetmann, lovable idiot that he is, forgot he had that Selfix armor of his in the lab. Managed to get hooked up to it and all fixed up shortly before the Protoss attacked."
"Leave it to the egghead to forget somethin' that's right in his face." Tychus muttered, sliding down the much narrower walkway at an angle and slowing their progress considerably. He didn't miss the hitch in her tone when she lied and tried to figure out something else to say, but he wondered why she would. He'd keep it to himself for the time being, there were bigger fish to fry.
Raynor, Horner, Warfield, Swann and Stetmann were all on the bridge, finishing up discussing what needed to be brought up to Valerian.
"Warning Korhal about Kerrigan, getting some people over to help repair the Hyperion and maybe enough warm bodies to replace the infested so we can pilot the ship without them." Stetmann ticked the items off on his fingertips, looking at the assembled men for corrections.
"Junior also needs to explain why the hell the whole damn sector doesn't know about what happened on Char, too." Jim grumbled, frowning.
"Sounds good." Warfield nodded, ready to see his prince.
"Yep. Well, lets do this gentlemen." Horner was reaching forwards to call the Bucephalus on the console when Tychus and Jayce came strolling through the doorway as it hissed open. Tychus was behind Jayce but it was clear he hadn't managed to find pants.
"Took you two long enough, what the hell happened?" Horner was frowning, retracting his finger from the button. His question was clearly pointed at Jayce.
"Had a little visit with a certain Queen, sorry?" Jayce shrugged. She had taken a minute to scrub the blood off her face but there was still a coppery stain above her lips and dark stains on her sleeves, which a few of the men eyed.
"Oh, so you're up to speed at least. Guess that's good. We're about to call up Valerian, if you want to join us."
"Of course we do." Tychus grumbled, walking up with Jayce and pointedly keeping her in front of himself.
"What's the deal, Tychus?" Jim quirked a brow and gestured at their positioning.
"She's protectin' my modesty, obviously." Tychus was smirking at Jim while Jayce flushed a bright red, keeping her eyes resolutely on the air where Valerian would appear. Stetmann had likewise been lobster red since seeing the two enter the room.
"Eh, whatever. Lets say hello." Shaking his head, Horner discarded the strange awkwardness that was settling over everyone and opened the comm.
Valerian appeared immediately, eyes widening as he looked at the whole group assembled before him. He had seen them already through the station cameras, but this was very different. Recalling his courtesies, Valerian recovered smoothly. "Gentlemen, and lady, I am very glad you have contacted me."
"Yeah. Thanks for the save back on Kaldir, Junior, but you've got a heck of a lotta explainin' to do." Jim stepped forwards, taking the lead.
"Yes, I do. Much has happened and I will do my utmost to bring you up to speed, Jim."
"First off. Why does nobody know about what happened on Char?" Eyes narrowing, this was perhaps the most burning question he had. How could Junior have failed so spectacularly, if he really was on their side at all?
"Well, you need to know that my father was actually at Char during the invasion, hiding with the rest of the fleet." Valerian paused, gauging their reactions, most were startled anger. "He chased after my ship when the battle had clearly failed. He knew everything we were doing, Jim. The artifact collecting, the fight to get Kerrigan back, everything. I still don't know how." Sighing slightly, the prince shook his head. His fathers folly still cut deep. "His orders were clear: Rejoin him and he'd let my little transgression slide. Or, continue rebelling and be destroyed."
Jim's mind reeled. Arcturus was within arms reach, could've even saved his own mens lives and secured victory on Char, but chose not to.
"He could have helped us succeed, but thousands had to die for nothing instead." Valerian frowned, his fine eyebrows furrowing in anger. "I refused to rejoin him on principle. It soon became apparent that the Bucephalus had tracking devices on it, my fathers fleet would appear everywhere we warped. It took a long time to find all of them, but by the time we did and managed to get away- it was too late."
It was a task to keep his eyes locked with theirs, especially when the true price of failure was written in them and on their bodies. Valerian settled for locking gazes with Jayce for a respite.
"My father wrapped his iron fist around every source of news and fed them exactly what he wanted them to hear, and anyone who might have known otherwise was smothered out: imprisoned or killed. We've been on the run since, helping the outer worlds recover from the zerg and spreading the word as best we can."
Jim tasted bile on his tongue, when would the madness end? "Good answer, Junior."
"Prince Valerian." Warfield inclined his head, acknowledging the others higher station.
"General Warfield. I am glad to see that you've survived, although I am sorry about what has happened to you. All of you."
"I'll be glad to have survived when I'm done being an infested, sir." Warfield raised his hand and showed his talons pointedly.
"Yes, well. Some of the brightest minds in the Koprulu sector have been searching for a cure to infestation since I found out about your plight, I assure you."
"Good to know." Pulling his hands behind his back, Warfield frowned. "There has been a new development since we left Kaldir. The Queen of Blades contacted us and informed us that we are free."
Valerian couldn't hide his surprise. "Free? Why?"
"Something happened. She's changed, Valerian. Stronger, so much stronger." Jim looked angry, spines twitching. "Said she'd found power or somethin'. But the big part that matters is this: She's coming for Arcturus. She's coming to Korhal, and so's the swarm."
"This is terrible." Valerian's mind raced, overwhelmed. "I don't know if anyone will listen to me, Jim. I also don't know if Arcturus would let anyone leave, even if they did."
"We gotta stop him." Jayce mumbled, low enough not to interrupt their conversation, but Tychus heard. Giving her shoulders, which his hands had engulfed, a gentle squeeze, he grumbled.
"Speak up."
Swallowing nervously as every set of eyes was suddenly on her, Jayce steeled herself. "I said, we gotta stop him. Arcturus. It all comes back to him. We take him out, Kerrigan might not come to Korhal. Hell, she might just leave Terrans alone." Glancing around at everyone as she spoke, her eyes finally settled on a point below Valerian's face on the console.
"That's all well and good sugar, but we're a little bit infested right now." Tychus smirked. Not that he wanted to get in Kerrigan's way twice. She could take Korhal and eat it for all he cared.
"We can't do nothin' for them while we're infested, it's true. Gotta look after ourselves first. But you, Junior, can actually try." Swann finally spoke, gesturing towards Valerian.
"I have some contacts on Korhal still, it's true. I will do my best to see that the planet and its people are warned, but I am skeptical I will have an impact. If the Queen of Blades really does come to Korhal in the state it's in... Well, the core worlds have been one step below open revolt since Raynor's Raiders exposed my fathers lies to the whole sector. It's not pretty down there." Valerian crossed his arms, thinking.
"Alright, we're getting a bit off track." Horner cut in. No point going further down that road, yet. "We need to get the Hyperion repaired, Valerian. But the crew of the ship, most of it, has been infested. If we bring your men aboard to begin repairs we need to get rid of the infested."
"Yes, of course. It is very dangerous." Valerian pointedly glanced at Jayce then, and she stared back with hard eyes.
"Problem is, we pilot the Hyperion with the infested. They are shells, we can control them." Looking uncomfortable just saying it, Horner fidgeted. "We can't get rid of them unless we get a crew in here."
Valerian seemed more at ease, negotiations were well within his comfort zone. "Yes, I understand the dilemma. The Bucephalus is fully staffed and we can handle sending a skeleton crew to help operate the Hyperion, if that is what it takes. However," He paused, looking them over. "We also have some of the finest medical personnel in the Koprulu sector on this very ship, and I would like to begin studying your infestation immediately. Perhaps, instead of destroying all of the infested, you would agree to give some over for testing?"
Tychus felt Jayce go rigid with anger under his hands, looking down at the back of her head with a quirked brow.
"They are people, and they have suffered enough!" Valerian quirked a brow at the outburst.
Sighing, Jim kept his eyes on Valerian. "We'll give you some, Valerian. But you promise to destroy them when you've learned all you can. They were good people, my people."
"You can't be serious, Commander?" Jayce looked at Raynor, bewildered.
"I can. They are dead and unlike you we're still infested, we would like to change that." Gritting his teeth, Jim glanced her way.
"They will be handled with utmost care, and destroyed when we have learned all we can." Valerian nodded, hoping to set Jayce at ease. Such was not the case.
"Right. Well I got a ship to fix and you got some ass to kiss, don't let me stop you." Jerking her shoulders out from under Tychus' hands, who regretfully let her go and stood there feeling exposed, Jayce stormed out of the bridge like a hurricane. Swann's shoulders sunk slightly, but he was with the commander on this one. Jayce couldn't and wouldn't understand.
"I was meaning to ask, how did she come about being on the Hyperion?" Valerian questioned as soon as the door snapped shut, curious.
Staring at the closed door angrily for an extra second, Jim slowly looked towards Valerian and settled for frowning. Junior was doing right by them so far, no need to go rocking the boat. "Original crew member. She was there at Char and managed to lay low when everyone else got caught, the rest is history."
"I see. Quite remarkable she managed that."
"She is resourceful." Swann piped up, proud and defensive.
"Little fireball." Tychus tilt his head and acknowledged, crossing his thick arms.
"Very. Tell me Captain, were you aware that she was capable of operating your ships weapons like that? She seemed a bit out of her depth, I am surprised you let her do that." Valerian judged her to be some kind of mechanic, if the suit was anything to go by, and she all but confirmed it. Everyone else seemed rather surprised by the statement, excluding Horner.
"Didn't have any option, I wasn't able to control all those infested and operate the weapons at the same time. You did right, giving her the information she needed to get the job done, so thanks for that." Horner admitted, nodding in approval.
"Anyway." Jim piped up, eager to get the ball rolling. "You let me know what you need in regards to our little infestation issue and we'll do our best to comply, Valerian. If you can't convince Korhal to prepare for the swarm or evacuate, it's just gonna have to wait."
"I've gathered a lot of data about our individual infestations already, I can have it compiled and sent over in no time." Stetmann offered.
"That would be excellent. We can have channels between you and my ships scientists established for free information exchange immediately."
Swann tugged his datapad off his belt and scrolled through his own information, thinking. "I got a list of all the different kinds of personnel I'm gonna need over here, not to mention some parts I know need changing and we have no spares of, if you got any."
"Send it over any time. Our first order of business should be the exchange of infested and then you putting the rest of them to, ah, rest, I suppose."
"I'll have a few ready and bring them over myself." Warfield nodded and excused himself.
It was just a matter of hammering out the little details from there, Jim and Matt remained to discuss them with Valerian while everyone else set off, eager to do their own part.
Jayce was scrubbing her teary eyes with the back of her hands angrily as she stomped down hall after hall, paced on lifts and tried to remember where she had been to try and just get back to work. Her wanderings took her close to Lasarra's prison inadvertently, still unaware of the protoss being on the ship at all.
Lasarra had resorted to meditating, attempting to calm her mind and go through her options. There was a horrible broodmother on the ship that had stopped her from feeling out with her mind, all but smothering her until she could do no more than be aware of the surrounding area and a few corridors of the ship. Unless her protoss brethren came close enough in space to detect her suit, or her ship, they would have no idea where she went.
A bright, untainted terran mind, albeit in turmoil, was a surprise to feel nearby. Without hesitation, Lasarra called out. Terran, wait!
Alarmed, Jayce froze and looked around. That was no voice she'd ever heard before.
I am in the med bay, help me please. The voice was both soothing and feminine, and Jayce found herself wandering into the med bay out of curiosity. When she strode in front of the see-through walls of the quarantine room her wide, shocked eyes locked with Lasarra. The second protoss she'd ever seen in the flesh, Jayce noted the many differences between this one and the other. Where Zeratul left her feeling afraid and confused, wondering if he had been there or not, Lasarra radiated the alien and otherworldly beauty that the protoss were largely known for.
"Uh." Was all she managed to say, trying to piece together something intelligent.
This close, Lasarra could read the flow of the terran woman's thoughts easily, but it was creating more questions by the second.
Taking a breath, Jayce felt relieved that the protoss was apparently letting her gather her thoughts. "Okay. Okay." Waving her hand slightly, she looked Lasarra in her glowing eyes. "First. Why are you on the ship? You're from Kaldir?"
Unable to puzzle out any of the strange interactions this terran has had with the infested on the ship, Lasarra decided to follow the line of questioning the woman seemed to be preparing. I am Lassara, a captive from Kaldir. James Raynor and his companions brought me here, though my ship bore them to safety as I promised it would. Her eyes narrowed at the thought.
Understanding the idea of taking a hostage for defensive purposes, Jayce frowned slightly. "Did they say what they planned on doing with you?"
Quirking a brow, Lasarra found it odd the woman seemed to think she'd be allowed to leave. No. I was put here and they have not returned. I pray they do not.
"I'll talk to them. They aren't monsters, I swear my life on it." Lasarra found the sincerity burning in the woman's mind at odds with her own interactions with the infested so far, and she wondered if they were manipulating her for some purpose.
"Look, it's hard to explain just what's been goin' on. I don't even know where to start. Protoss can read minds, right? Can you read mine?" Jayce felt desperate, to give someone a window into her head and perhaps a sane opinion on what had gone on so far would be a blessing. At this point, interacting with an alien wasn't even a thought.
Maybe the terran did not understand just how complete letting ones mind be viewed is, but Lasarra would not let the opportunity slide if the woman was going to be so forthright. Placing her hand up against the glass, clawed fingertips tapping against it lightly, Lasarra nodded towards it. I can. Perhaps we can both reach a better understanding of what has transpired.
Glancing around quickly, Jayce was convinced Raynor and them would either be talking to Valerian still or starting to set their plans in motion, none of which the med bay would be a part of. This was safe. Without a second thought, she put her hand up against the glass and thought back to the start of it all.
The Terran invasion of Char and Jayces part in it. Raynor's Raiders mad bid to either bring the Queen of Blades back, or kill her trying, and the failure of the mission was just the start. Lasarra almost broke contact in surprise when Zeratul, of all protoss, appeared to Jayce; in the middle of the heart of the swarm no less.
Zeratul's words held more weight than any experience this Jayce girl would have had, he was a legend. Pressing her hand back to the glass firmer than before, Lassara pressed on.
Jayce's heart felt lighter by the second. The sensation of the protoss reading her mind was warm and fuzzy, relaxing, and although she didn't much care of the feeling of pity being projected to her, she accepted it all the same.
Her interactions between the infested men were confusing, and though they did lend weight to what James Raynor had said about being in control of themselves, Lasarra saw the struggle to retain their humanity very clearly through Jayces eyes. How many times had this terran woman dangled on the edge of death and never noticed? She was fooling herself, the infested need not try.
The broodmother fixing Jayces arm was perhaps the most out of character action Lasarra could imagine from such a creature. If she wasn't privy to all Jayces secrets and interactions, she would have believed the woman to be either infested herself or under someones control. Was this some new brood in the making? What could Kerrigan even gain from such a thing, mixing regular terrans with infested? There was much to think about.
It was harder than she expected to revisit all these memories, especially when the fight over Kaldir was quickly approaching. How this protoss would react was anyone's guess, and Jayce's was that it would not be good. Tears brimmed in her eyes anew when she saw Lassara's eyes widen and felt the shock.
The Void Rays and Carrier attacking, the terran named Valerian guiding Jayce in the counterattack, and finally the woman making the choice to end thousands of lives with the push of a button, Judicator Holrim himself died on that ship.
We were colonists. Not warriors. Lasarra steeled herself, holding her emotions tight, she was not yet done reading Jayce's mind and her mourning could wait.
Contentment and peace that had bloomed from being able to share her experience so thoroughly with someone, even if it was a strange alien prisoner, had quickly wilted at Lassaras pained words. "I knew it was wrong." They could have left and that would have been that, Jayce's face contorted in anger and sadness, both warring.
Focus. Show me everything. Lassara interjected, cutting through the terrans feelings like a hot knife. Her journey through Jayce's mind continued when the woman got a hold of herself. When Jayce tumbled to the ground and was pulled into a one on one meeting with the Queen of Blades herself, Lassara met Kerrigan's violet glowing gaze in awe. The mother of the swarm had become something more, psionic energy literally leaked out of her eyes and the cracks in her flesh, Lassara almost missed what was being said to Jayce while she was making her observations.
She has become a force so strong, I know not if my brethren can stand against her anymore. You are lucky the mere meeting did not break your mind.
"I think it almost did." Jayce frowned, thinking about the pain, the nosebleed and the awful headache that had thankfully withdrawn. "But that wasn't all." Staring at Lassara's hand against the glass, Jayce continued. She sincerely wanted to gloss over her little meeting with Tychus in the walkway, but when the protoss' eyes narrowed and her head twitched, giving what she thought to be a look of disgust, she knew that cat was out of the bag. Oh well.
When Jayce stormed out of the meeting with Valerian and the infested, Lassara could tell it was over. Pulling her hand back and letting it fall to her side, she thought about all she had learned. So they have begun to search for the cure to their infestation, truly.
Forced to ruminate on all that had happened, Jayce's hand slid down the glass and fell limp at her side when Lassara indicated they were done. "Yes. You're as up to date on what's going on as I am." She felt tired, how long had this taken? Losing her grip on time had been happening an awful lot lately. Glancing around, Jayce frowned. "You know, I could just help you get outta here and to hell with the consequences." Grumbling, she looked up at the regal alien and knew full well her sincerity was known. They had no need for this protoss and she'd be damned if she let that Dominion brat, Valerian, get his hands on her.
No. I fear the consequences for such actions would be dire for you. I am also uncertain of what my fate would be, should I return to my own people. I must remain here for now. Making a small placating gesture towards Jayce with her hand, Lassara looked around her room.
"If you're sure, you just let me know when you want to leave and they'll have to fight me over it if they feel otherwise." Jayce smiled slightly, acting tough made her feel just a little bit better.
You need not feign strength. You have been in contact with some of the most dangerous and powerful beings in this galaxy, you are strong in your own way. Inclining her head towards the terran, Lassara admitted to herself this woman was a lot like James Raynor himself; Not a warrior, but a much better example of the average terran female than the treacherous Sarah Kerrigan. There is much that I have to think on. You may wish to leave, I know not if your absence has been noted.
Now that was a compliment she was going to keep close to her heart, the protoss were not known for handing out those lightly. Jayce curled a thumb into her belt and nodded, it was time to be getting on. "You need any food or somethin', before I go?" Glancing into the white room, it was clear the protoss had been left with nothing.
My people live off the light of the sun and stars. Looking upwards at the synthetic lighting, Lassara gave the mental equivalent of a shrug. These Terran lights are a poor substitute, but I will not starve. I only require water.
Nodding, Jayce thought about the mess hall and what was available. "Impressive. You Protoss are very economical." Lips bowed into a smile, she shook her head. "Yeah, I can get you water no problem. Be back later." Giving Lassara a wave, Jayce turned and made to leave.
Thank you, Jayce. Lassara called out after her, turning away from the glass. It was tempting to call the girl out on her foolishness, reaffirming what others have said about the infested and the danger, but Zeratul's words held her at bay. And truly, her own fate if she was to return to her people on Kaldir or elsewhere was uncertain.
Would she be viewed as a traitor for not calling attention to her Warp Prism, an easy target, when they were traveling to the Hyperion? Any protoss would give his or her life to end a great threat so easily, but her thoughts had been clouded, and she thought she could do better. Even better, she could have simply steered it right to a base and delivered them to her people.
Now the Judicator and many more were dead, possibly because of her own actions. Never mind her brother, Arut, who's death was absolutely on her and no one else. But if Zeratul believed these infested men could be redeemed, just what had he seen? What if she had a part to play now? Could she forgive the transgressions of these men and possibly lend her aid? Closing her eyes, Lassara searched herself for the answers.