I'm pretty sure this is the biggest chapter I have so far, but quite a bit happens and I'm happy where it finishes. Enjoy!
Hyperion – Deep Space
Swann closed his eyes as the Firebat suit was sealed, steeling his nerves for what lay ahead. Stetmann, Raynor and Horner were herding all but a small handful of the ship's infested into a cargo bay that he had prepared beforehand. "You got this hot shot." Muttering and opening his eyes, it felt strange to use a suit that wasn't repurposed for one arm, still hardly believing he had a new one. He took his time walking to that cargo bay.
You don't have to go doing this yourself, you know. Jim was sympathetic, worried for his friend.
Cowboy, you can't even fit in a suit right now. We need to make sure there's nothin' left of these things, I'll be fine. Clearing through the doorway into the cargo bay, Swann immediately questioned whether he would. There were so many. Infested were neatly lumped together inside and near the entrances of several battered old transports that would carry their remains into a nearby star, and more were streaming into the bay still. Hundreds.
Curling his hands at the controls of the suit, Swann swallowed hard and approached the first group, raising his arms and preparing to fire. Just one of the many horrors Kerrigan had inflicted that couldn't be undone. Well, undone in a way that didn't end like this.
Liquid fire spewed forth from the suit's flamethrowers as he pulled the trigger, bathing the infested thoroughly. The stench of burning flesh and the sound of sizzling meat bombarded his nostrils, leaving him grimacing and his eyes burning. Killing zerg wasn't something he would ever shy from, but these infested weren't fighting or even responding as they melted and burned away. It helped to think about how they were really just shells, and he knew full well it to be true.
When he had to stare Kachinsky in the eye as his burning mutated flesh sloughed away, tears finally came unbidden.
General Warfield was waiting patiently by an airlock, listening as the Bucephalus was physically connected to the Hyperion. Beside him stood six infested, the rest were being dispatched by Swann. Eager to get their relations with Prince Valerian's men off to a good start, he had garbed himself in his finest and made the easy persona slip back into the commander of men he had been.
Seal complete, there was a hiss of air as the doors opened and revealed people in hazard suits waiting to receive the deadly cargo. An armed escort of suited up Marines stood a few paces back, ill at ease.
"Gentlemen." Warfield nodded, hands clasped behind his back and attempting to make himself as non threatening as possible. The thunder of many nervous heartbeats immediately wore at his nerves.
"General Warfield? Sir!" A marine, unidentifiable within his suit, saluted sharply. A tug of pride pulled at his heart and he saluted back crisply.
"At ease soldier. I will remain on the Hyperion, but these infested won't give you boys any trouble."
"Yes sir." Already the hazard suit workers were clasping bands on the limbs of the infested, holding them at length with poles that packed enough of an electric discharge to, in theory, immediately fry what they were attached to, and guiding them through the Marines who parted to make way. The whole outfit moved away, back to the Bucephalus together, but the one Marine remained.
"What is it, son?" Furrowing a brow, Warfield waited.
"I just wanted to say, I am sorry for what happened on Char. My brother was down there, along with many other good men and women. I am glad you are still alive." Though he was speaking through the suits grainy speakers, likely ordered to keep his visor lowered, emotion was thick in the man's voice.
It was all too likely those men and women under his command had been infested en masse when the invasion failed, but Warfield bit back those harsh words and filtered them. "That old bitch Queen of Blades can't kill me that easy, just caught a bad case of zerg hair is all." Exchanging a soft chuckle with the unnamed man, Warfield gestured for him to leave. "Best get back to your ship."
"Yes sir!" Saluting once more, the Marine retreated back to the Bucephalus. When the airlock sealed behind him, Warfield let out a slow breath. It wasn't going to get any easier.
Jim sat heavily in a chair while Matt stared down at the star chart, idly tapping at bits of information that caught his eye. Already a crew of engineers were being sent aboard, though the infested were not all dealt with yet. Jim could barely register anything that was going on, now that recent events had begun settling in his mind.
"This has gone so far beyond us, Matt. I'm not sure I can deal with it."
Matt continued to stare down at the chart, speaking in a carefully measured tone. Jim's turmoil was clear, more so than usual with their infested connection. "Just need to deal with one thing at a time sir. I've said it before: we can't be everywhere and save everyone at once. Hell, we're the ones that need saving this time. It's a damn miracle Valerian is here." It was heartening to know someone had their backs for a change, although Junior had not yet completely proven himself.
"I ain't even talkin' about Kerrigan moving on Korhal and us being infested, Matt."
"Oh?"
"That's the second time I've heard about Amon now, and it coming from Kerrigan made it so much more real than the visions in Zeratul's Ihan crystal. What if she really was being driven by some dead god?" Just the thought of it all made Jim plant his fingers to his forehead and press hard.
Matt frowned, swiping away a piece of info for later and setting up a comm between Stetmann and the scientists on the Bucephalus. "A dead god is a pretty distant and intangible threat than what's going on right now, and who cares if something made Kerrigan kill all those people? She's still the Queen of Blades, Jim, and she clearly doesn't think overmuch about killing another planet." Also says something about your taste in women, Matt wisely did not add the last part.
Clenching his jaw, Jim heard the thought clearly but let it slide. What went on in a man's head was his own business, even if it was a dick move. "It also means the hybrid could be real, Matt. And those things are a very immediate threat if there are any here in the sector somewhere."
"I don't know sir." Planting his hand firmly on the edge of the star chart console, Horner squeezed and grimaced at the feel inside his arm. It had begun to almost feel natural. "Maybe you should talk to Valerian about it. He still owns the Moebius Foundation and they were digging up the Xel'naga artifacts to begin with, perhaps he'll have some input?"
Taking a deep breath, Jim folded his fingers together and blew it out slowly. Valerian. It was a good suggestion, but he ended up shaking his head. "Junior ain't earned my trust yet, but you are right. If anyone has somethin' to say about alien hocus pocus it is probably that kid. Thanks Matt." There was one other who might know, of course. But Jim had been avoiding thinking about her since leaving her in quarantine.
"You're welcome sir."
Bucephalus – Valerian's Quarters
"Jim, I am sending the first team of engineers to the Hyperion for repairs. Every last one of these men and women are brave and very good at what they do, but they are also afraid." Valerian was recalling his conversation with Jim and Horner after the others had left the Hyperion bridge.
"I know Junior, that's what we got rules in place for."
"Yes, these rules will help ensure everyone's safety. However, I fear making a good impression and easing their fears is now in your hands. Treat them like your own, please."
"Shouldn't be too hard." Matt supplied cheerily. "Long as we keep Tychus away from everybody."
Valerian could see Jim frowning thoughtfully. "Easier said than done, but even Tychus doesn't want to be a zerg any more than we do. We'll manage, Valerian."
Triumphant music flowed through Valerian's quarters, and the young prince was now staring through the massive viewport at the Hyperion idling beside his ship. Given the surprise of being forced to meet with Jim and the other infested sooner than he wanted to back on Kaldir, it couldn't have gone better unless the protoss themselves had stepped aside.
Recovering Raynor's Raiders, what was left of it, was a big step back in the right direction after the failed invasion. Valerian Mengsk would be a leader that the people could rally to without fear when the time came, and Jim Raynor supporting his cause meant so much towards the success of his mission. And their infestation? There was so much to learn, especially if they were willing.
The exiled prince frowned, looking at his reflection in the glass. I will be better than you, father. How could you be so blind?
Then there was the matter of Kerrigan. Valerian turned away from the Hyperion sharply. They didn't even get to see if the artifact worked on her, and the Moebius Foundation had no leads on whether there were more of them in existence, never mind attempting to replicate one. Millions were going to die if he couldn't find a way to either neutralize the rampaging Queen, or get them off the planet and out of her way. Behind all those people stood her goal: his father. Oh father, I dearly wish I could be there to watch the kind of justice she is going to unleash on you. There was no doubt in his mind that if anyone killed Arcturus Mengsk, aside from time, it would be the one he had betrayed most deeply- the monster of his own creation.
Already his skeleton crew was transferring over to the Hyperion, each volunteer as brave as the next. There had been some interesting rules put in place, safety precautions; he had to agree, the lab being off limits was perhaps the most important one. A broodmother watching over them, what had Kerrigan been thinking?
Hyperion
Uh! Tychus? I thought we were supposed to have absolute minimal contact with the new crew? We don't want to scare them or have an incident with these zerg instincts and well, you...
I ain't gonna creep around and hide just because we got some new faces in here, kid. Tychus interrupted Stetmann sharply. The annoying scientist had begun to keep a much keener eye on him after that incident in the walkway, and though it galled him to have a leash he did privately admit there was some sense in a buddy system. It also seemed the egghead had managed to perfect speaking to one another individually, which was advantageous.
Currently he was admiring some of the new ladies aboard as they filed by like spooked sheep, their crisp cardboard cutout suits really showed off their assets. They hadn't noticed him just yet, leaning on a wall just around the corner at the intersection, he blended neatly into the dark that the emergency lights couldn't reveal.
"It's so empty in here, I remember seeing the ship being grabbed by that massive leviathan. Hard to believe it's still in one piece." One girl, mousy and scared looking but tall and graced with legs that surely lead up to heaven, muttered to her companions. Tychus busied himself imagining what her heaven looked like.
"Dark, too. I've been looking at the initial analysis and it's going to take some real work to get everything up and running. Some long shifts ahead..." Their chatter continued as they walked by, leaving Tychus frowning in their wake. No heaven for him anymore.
Stepping out into the intersection of halls, intent on continuing the way he had- straight ahead and leaving the new crew members alone, it came as a surprise to him when someone bumped into his side and stumbled back.
"Oh pardon me!" Brows furrowed, Tychus looked down and saw a terribly average, bookish man reaching down to collect his fallen datapad. The device rested right beside Tychus' bare, armored and clawed, foot. The man froze with his hand half on the device, leaving Tychus smirking at the rapid acceleration of his heart beat.
"No problem. Need a hand?" The tone of his voice was friendly, exaggeratedly so, and it took some effort to stifle a laugh at how the egghead seemed to come back to life and grab up his datapad with haste.
"Oh no! No no no... I'm quite fine thank you!" Straightening up, the man clutched the datapad to his chest and inched around Tychus, very pointedly not looking at him. He made a little choked noise as Tychus' meaty, and clawed, hand planted on and engulfed his shoulder.
"If you're sure." In his pocket, Tychus had spied the telltale colors and shape of a cigarette pack. With his one hand keeping the terrified man in place, he casually plucked the box out of his victim's breast pocket and waggled it. "Much appreciated."
"All yours." Quavering, the man's voice was just a whisper. He damn near ran away as soon as Tychus had let go of him, and the large man made especially sure to not look in his direction when he did. Normally, such cowardice was something he'd enjoy ridiculing and no doubt taking advantage of, but toying with instincts and new crew members was ill advised right now.
With a shrug, Tychus popped a cigarette between his lips and frowned when he realized he had no lighter.
One day later - Cantina
A solid night of sleep had worked wonders for her temperament and energy. Jayce stood behind the cantina bar, which had been restocked with the addition of their new crew members, attempting to recreate Cooper's famous mai tai by memory. Staring down at the freshly mixed drink and dipping a finger into it for a taste test, she grimaced. "Not right."
A small group of new crew members, all looking crisp and professional in their matching Bucephalus outfits, came milling in through the doorway and startled Jayce out of her mixing frenzy. Bewildered, she watched them settle down around a table and chat quietly to one another. It felt like forever since there were fresh faces and the pleasant hum of conversation filling a room.
Smiling to herself, Jayce took another taste and grimaced anew. What did Cooper do to these things? The sound of a throat clearing brought her out of mulling, eyes snapping upwards to lock with the handsome features of a clean-shaven, smiling man who had walked over from his friends.
"You the barkeep?"
"Me? Oh no he's... Well, he's gone." Frowning slightly, Jayce resolved not to sound pathetically depressing. They knew damn well what happened. "But I can get you whatever you need out of the back, just don't ask for a mai tai, hah." Forcing herself to smile brightly and gesturing at her failed experiments, he chuckled softly and nodded.
"Just some of the usual grog, you know the type, for the lot of us. I'm Niel, what's your name?" Extending his hand over the bar top, Niel seemed a nice down to earth kind of guy. Jayce took a liking to him immediately as she clasped his hand in her own calloused one and gave it a firm shake, best to let him know she wasn't some limp wrist doll.
"Good to meet you Niel, I'm Jayce. I'm sure I can get you some of the usual." Letting his soft and warm hand go, she tamped down a chuckle at the thought of him being some kind of chair jockey. Ah well. Two rounds of drinks, six in all, were set up in quick order and he left with them on a tray.
With the poor jukebox, damn Tychus' eyes for breaking it, playing the few songs it had left and the combined friendly chatter of her new crew mates filling the cantina, Jayce returned to her mai tai mixing with a warm feeling inside.
As the flow of drink increased, Jayce steadily supplying them and thinking nothing of it, the conversation had steered towards more current events. It was not altogether surprising when she heard clearly "Haven't seen a one of them damn infested yet, wonder where they are?" It left her frowning slightly, thinking about the six men. No doubt they were having or would have difficulties of their own, with the new influx of crew members.
When she could feel stares on her, it was clear that the time to go was nearing. Confrontation wouldn't help anyone, and she didn't think she could hold up against any lines of questioning right now. It was a pleasant surprise when two of the three men cleared out of their own accord when she had begun cleaning and putting away glasses. Niel remained though, and his stares had been the hardest. She had almost made it out, glasses finished and arm extending with the intent of lifting herself over the bar top, when Niel sidled up with his drink and stood across from her.
"I just got a question." Looking down at his drink, a haze of inebriation was clouding his thoughts.
"Go ahead?" Tilting her head slightly, wary, Jayce pulled her arm back to her side and waited.
"What was it like?"
"What part?" Lips firmly sealed in a frown, she was not sure if she cared to answer either way.
"The part where you let everyone else die." Raising his gaze from his drink, Niel glared coldly with dull green eyes.
"Let them die?" Jayce blinked, giving him a double-take, unsure she just heard him right.
"There's no way you couldn't have holed up with more people than just yourself. So, Jayce, what was it like?" Leaning forwards, his tone had settled for accusatory, aggressive.
Recalling that day, Jayce stared over his shoulder in a daze and murmured. "I tried to take anyone I found on my way; but they were all trying to leave the ship, to get on transports and flee. Nobody wanted to dig in and defend, ship was as good as gone- stuck to a damn Leviathan."
Lacy! I'm headin' to the armory, come with me!
Girl, bunch of us are gettin' to ships and ridin' outta here! Y'all gon' be dead if you stay on this rig!
That was just one of a few encounters she had, running to the armory with arms overflowing with food supplies. Not a one listened. Lacy ended up jawless and making gurgling noises around a tentacle somewhere, Jayce remembered catching a glimpse of her. But she was just charred slag now, like everyone else. Almost everyone.
"I am not buying it." Niel smirked slyly, the shrk of doors sliding open behind him going unheard. Jayce had gone rigid with anger, lips in a tight line, but her eyes widened a notch when Tychus lumbered in quietly, clearly gauging the situation. He made a continue gesture, sucking on a lit cigarette he must have liberated from someone.
"Well, you don't have to buy it. Bar's closed, you should go sober up or something." Her tone was clipped, trying to downplay her anger. The situation had just become delicate, but Niel was barreling on with drunken determination.
"I ain't done my drink yet. Or my questions." Niel waggled his drink belligerently, scowling.
"Lady said the bar's closed, you should probably listen." Tychus murmured softly, taking a slow step forwards. Niel didn't even look behind.
"Not yet. One more question." He smirked malevolently and Jayce clenched her jaw in worry at what might be coming next, eyeing Tychus over his shoulder.
"Only woman on this ship. Six men, infested or not. Who'd you have to fuck to stay alive, huh? Or did they pass you around?" Grinning at his own cleverness, white teeth shining, Jayce looked suitably horrified so he continued. "You got tentacles down there now or what?" Tychus' hand closed over Niel's shoulder and turned him around so fast and violent Jayce feared his arm was about to be ripped off. Niel's glass shattered on the ground, forgotten, and he gaped upwards.
Squeezing fiercely, claws threatening to pierce the nice tidy fabric of Niel's suit, Tychus bared his teeth around the cigarette and snarled. The sound of pained and panicked stuttering, bones threatening to crumple and two rapidly thundering hearts was music to his ears as he lowered his face closer to Niel's.
"Bar's closed. Get out." Through herculean effort, Tychus guided the squealing drunkard towards the door and all but threw him through it- remarkably in one piece. When the door hissed shut and he turned to look at Jayce, his enraged expression morphed into a smirk. "He's lucky it's so damned important to not screw with relations right now, or he'd be dead even if I weren't all zerged up." Jayce had a hand over her heart and was letting out a heavy sigh of relief.
Eyes half closed as she tried to force her heart to come back to her body from outer space, Jayce laughed breathlessly. "Thank you for not killing him, seriously. Just a drunk fool."
"He had a good question though." Tychus drawled, sauntering over and leaning on the bar casually. Smirking when Jayce immediately looked confused and offended.
"What?"
"Do you got tentacles down there? Not sure if I'm down with that." Immediately she laughed, eyes shining with mirth, and leaned against the bar opposite of him.
"Hell no." Shaking her head, she gestured at the bar around them. "Bar's open for you, what can I get you?"
Casually, Tychus coiled his hand around her wrist, sliding his thumb into the palm of her hand to fill it completely and then some, rubbing slightly. "Nah sugar, alcohol don't do much of anythin' for me right now." Looking up from his hand engulfing hers to meet her calm gaze, his friendly demeanor shifted to sober instantly. "You can tell me why you lied about your arm, though." Thump-THUMP, her heart immediately picked up its pace and he felt the rush of blood through her skin.
"I-I didn't." Her expression was surprised, and she leaned away as if to flee. His hand, warm and rough, had immediately become closer to a cage than a comfort.
"Girl, you got the worst poker face I ever seen." His bass voice teased, "don't even need to hear that little heart beating to know you're lyin' to me. I just can't figure out why you are." Perplexed, Tychus held her there and waited.
Caught, Jayce looked from the leathery fist holding hers to the extra pupil-filled eyes pinning her in place, she sighed. "It isn't even anything big, really."
"Well if it ain't so big, you'll not mind sharin' it with ol' Tychus." Smirking he tilted his head, the chitinous segments he now had for hair clicking together of their own accord.
"I will. But you gotta promise me that you ain't gonna hurt anyone over it." Poking her fingertip into the thick flesh of his forearm for emphasis, she frowned.
"Heh. You know, I saw you have a little meeting with the egghead this mornin'." THUMP THUMP. "Why you two talked forever, I figure he might know somethin' about it." His eyes narrowed a degree when she squared her shoulders, clearly preparing to be stubborn.
Indeed. Aside from getting the stuttering scientist to take some blood samples just in case, and summarily telling him to mind his own business about her relationship choices unless she started spouting extra limbs, Jayce had interacted with Stetmann that morning about Shlassa healing her arm. Stupid pin. Jayce contemplated breaking it right then and there.
"So he does then." Smiling, Tychus took a drag of his cigarette. "You look real cute when you're all angry like that." Jayce was baring her teeth slightly, eyes narrowed. "But you know I'd never hurt you sugar." Patting her hand with his thumb. "The egghead, though." His eyes darkened with threat. "He's just as infested as me. Why, I wager I can be real rough with him if I need to."
"Stop. Just, stop being an ass." Annoyed, Jayce thumped his forearm with the palm of her hand, fidgeting. "I didn't use the Selfix armor to fix my arm. I couldn't do it by myself and Stetmann was in some kinda trance or somethin'"
"Soo?" Tilting his head, Tychus quirked a brow.
"The broodmother helped me get my cast off, and fixed my arm itself." There it was, she had said it. But if Tychus was going to beat up Stetmann just to figure this out then it was worth the risk to try and head it off.
"Oh. Well you look fine." Frowning, Tychus surveyed her arm with a critical eye- lifting it this way and that.
Flabbergasted, Jayce stared at him.
Looking up from her arm Tychus chuckled, amused. "All that, just to protect the egghead? Girl, you got some weird priorities." Privately, he thought that skinny nerd might just be the strongest of them all.
Rubbing her face with her free hand, Tychus was still holding her other one, Jayce sighed. "I didn't want him to get in trouble for somethin' he had no control over. Just, don't tell anyone else."
"Your secret is safe with ol' Tychus. But," He paused, sober. "I don't want you lyin' to me again. No tussle me 'n the others could get into over somethin' is worth losin' your credibility with us, sugar." Frowning, his gaze traced the dark purple rings under her eyes, wondering if she'd actually been punched. "Especially now with prince charming and all his little minions over here. Need to be able to trust one another. Did someone hit you?"
Curling her free hand around his wrist, or part of it anyway, she fingered the strange ridges of his armor curiously. "No. Been sleepin' like shit is all, don't worry about it. Due for some good rest now that other people are here. As for not lyin' anymore? Alright, fine. You're right and I sure don't trust these new guys, especially now."
Letting go of her arm and straightening up, Tychus rolled his shoulders and plucked the low burning cigarette from his lips, discarding it. "I got your back." Helping her over the bar top, he was pleased when she glued to his side of her own accord.
"Much as I enjoy your fine alien form, I believe I have an idea in regards to clothing for you." Jayce's lips bowed into a sly smile at the thought.
"As long as it ain't knitted, I'm all ears."
Med Bay
Jim stood outside the med bay doors, schooling his thoughts. Unbidden, the thought of doing the same thing back on Char when he first met the two protoss who would further shape his future came to mind, and he sighed. He settled for his thoughts being less tumultuous and stepped through the door, walking towards the bright white quarantine room with purpose. Lasarra was waiting.
She had thought that zerg thoughts would be closed off, but Jim Raynor's thoughts twisted and whirled just as Jayce's had, albeit with a dark whispering undertone that was strictly not his own. Lasarra caught a flicker of imagery before he had entered the vicinity: Dark and High Templars, arrayed in a line behind their leaders who were facing off silently, all while ash swirled heavily through the air around them. James Raynor had truly been privy to some of the more recent pivotal moments in their history.
Blue glowing eyes met and regarded black, noting the fine golden chips inside and how they quickly passed by her. Raynor immediately looked at the water cooler beside Lasarra, a cup that had only been left by virtue of embarrassment sitting atop it, and felt his shoulder spines tick in annoyance; But not surprise.
"Jayce." He stated simply, looking up at the smooth features of Lasarra's face.
Be at peace, James Raynor. Jim had spoken to many protoss in his time, they all had a distinct voice unique to themselves and radiated a feeling with them. Lasarra felt like a comforting mother, a warm blanket, a soft word. His eyes widened in surprise at the lack of hostility.
Yes. Jayce has spoken with me, and through my interactions with her and time enough to recover from what happened on Kaldir, She paused, noting the guilty shift of his features. I feel that fate has brought us together in these uncertain times.
"Well." Jim crossed his arms and leaned on his left leg slightly, thoughtful. "That's already a lot more talking than I thought we'd be doing. I am sorry for what happened on Kaldir." Lips pursing tightly, thinking about the whole rotten situation. "And I wanted you to know that I never meant for you to get dragged up here with us." It was a relief that he knew the protoss would know his sincerity.
"I wanted to talk to you about getting you outta here. There's been a, well, a development." Speaking about it brought back the memory of Kerrigan, radiating power and setting them free. He didn't doubt this protoss caught onto it.
Steeling herself, feeling the warmth of the khala strengthening her resolve, Lasarra spoke. I know of your freedom and I wish to remain. Jim seemed taken aback, confused but quiet. He wanted answers, and he'd have them. As I said. I believe fate has guided me to you, to help you and yours. My brother and my brethren are with the khala now, and though their deaths will never be forgotten I no longer lay them at your feet. Thinking about Arut brought a fresh wash of pain, but knowing he was out there, embraced by their ancestors, was enough.
What aid I am able to lend you, James Raynor, is now yours. I am Lasarra, a researcher and scholar of the first born.
Jim felt her pain, sullying the soft blanket of her voice and the motherly tone, and felt awful. He almost didn't register the offer of help, but when it soaked in during the silence after her words, he couldn't believe the luck of it all.
Lasarra took a half step back when he reached out and tapped out the command to open up the quarantine door, confused.
"Well, it sure ain't proper to keep a guest in a cage. I don't really know how people are gonna react to you, but I wager you'll be a damn sight more welcome than us infested." Shrugging, he stepped back and gave Lasarra a goodly amount of space when she cautiously exited the room. Even if her armor was purely decorative, fabric flowing down her sides and off her arms, she looked so out of place against the cold hard steel of terran technology.
My thanks. This room will be a fine dwelling, I receive what I need to survive from it. You take a risk letting me free aboard your ship, I will not abuse it. Protoss Zealots sitting like statues across ashy terrain flickered through his mind. Yes, he supposed the protoss would be fine with any room. A space was a space.
"Now I ain't gonna say no to your help, and it sure is an honor to receive it, but I'm pretty sure your people wouldn't approve." They stood facing one another now and a feeling came unbidden to him, surging from some deep well that wasn't his own; A burning hatred that left his brows furrowing and eyes averting from the protoss. Of course the zerg would not be pleased to see a protoss so close, not without killing it.
The will of the swarm, although not perverting the terran man completely, was almost a physical coil wrapping around him then. Unsure of what she could accomplish, Lasarra reached out with her mind and touched his own. A gentle caress to drive away the baser emotions of animals. While she was not in possession of any grand power like a High Templar, taming beasts was a particular specialty. The effect was immediate.
In one breath Jim had been attempting to tamp down the raw urge to surge forwards and deliver violence to the unarmed protoss and in the next a sense of pure peace had descended, driving the darkness away. His eyes widened, awed. He hadn't been aware of just how much he was struggling, the pressure on his mind relieved nearly brought tears of joy to his eyes.
Pleased, for she could both see and feel the results of her work, Lasarra beamed. Yes, I can help. Worry not about my fate, James Raynor. Perhaps there was some celestial motive for making her such an oddity among her kind, the thought kindling a passion inside her.
Armory Storage
Large doors gasped open, the silhouette of Jayce and Tychus beside one another stretching out into the darkness. Red lights along the floor throughout the storage room offered nothing more than a sinister splash of color against boxes here and there. Flicking on the snake light that she had picked up along the way, Jayce walked in cautiously. Darkness had an unsettling quality, even before the zerg had begun haunting it in her nightmares.
"You're not luring me into some kind of trap to kill me horribly, are you?" Tychus joked, it was clear that he was smiling though she didn't look back at him.
Smirking and weaving through stacked boxes, recalling the location of their quarry by memory as she muttered back at the big shadow. "You can see plain as day in here, can't you?" She appreciated the tension break, suspecting that if he and the others had really become walking lie detectors that her increased heart rate was noted.
"Maybe." Noncommittal, he looked over her head and around. There was some deep shadows, but everything had a crystal clear quality to it that he couldn't hope to have with human eyes. The answer was yes, as clear as day. "What are we lookin' for?"
"A big box." Jayces smirk widened.
"Nobody likes a smart ass."
"I know where it is, don't worry." Making a dismissive gesture as she lead the way, guiding them down another dark row, her head dipping forwards to bring attention to one box that was just slightly out of order. The deactivated hover dolly next to it was another good tell, Tychus caught her shoulder in his hand when she was about to kick her ankle right into it.
"Mind your feet, I'm guessin' this is the spot."
"Ah." Sheepish, noticing the dolly with her light a moment after she would have had a seriously smarting ankle, she shooed off his hand and patted the large box affectionately. "Thanks. This is the box, give me a hand would y-" Awkwardly shuffling aside as his forearm pushed her out of the way, she watched with a muted jealousy as he picked up the large crate and made to put it on the floor.
"Get the dolly outta the way." Of course he'd want it out of the way, she rolled her eyes and fumbled her hands over the tool, bringing it hovering to life and sliding it aside. Once the dolly was clear, Tychus lowered the large box down with a thump. "Sure don't weigh much."
"It's clothing, I hope not. Still, it's over two hundred pounds, it ain't that light either." It was special clothing of course, a big box that could take a beating was a good idea. Brushing up beside the big lug and tapping her fingertips across the faintly red glowing keypad, the box unlocked with four satisfying clicks and hissed as the top popped up an inch.
Tychus observed Jayces giddy look with suspicion, lifting the lid of the box and muttering. "The hell you tryin' to get me to wear that it needs to be in some couple hundred pound box with a keypad?" The answer was revealed in short order as the suit and its components inside lifted up for display. "Aw hell no!"
"No?" Jayce looked surprised, quirking a brow and casually fingering the cool material. "I think it'll look great." Lips splitting into a broad grin, she looked up at his dismayed face. Grabbing at the shoulder of the suit, she lifted it slightly and taunted him with it. A Spectre outfit.
"For starters, that ain't never gonna fit me and thank god for that. Secondly, those Spectre freaks are creepy as all get-out." Tychus was staring down at the suit, thinking about that wacko Tosh and his... Dolls.
"First: Yes, it will fit you and I'll explain why." Letting the suit fall back into its neatly folded pile, Jayce grabbed up a scanner of some sort and quickly closed the lid of the box, deftly starting up the small square device. It fit easily in the palm of her hand as it chirped to life. "Second: Tosh was creepy, I'll give you that, and I only saw him once. But really? You calling someone a creepy freak right now? Gimmy a break."
"That ain't nice."
Shaking her head at the silliness of it all, Jayce affectionately swatted his overlarge arm and started running the scanner over him. Widest points of his arms, shoulders, waist... Tychus blinked in recognition.
"You're takin' my damn measurements?"
"Yep, get your dimensions in this little sucker and pop it back into the box, then this whole thing tailors the suit to you right off the hop. I read the manual the other night, no wonder why them Ghosts and Spectres always look so sharp!" Her love of technology was clear in the affection in her tone.
"Can't say as I've ever seen a Spectre or a Ghost my size, you sure that'll work?" Quirking his brows, impressed, Tychus decided he'd at least enjoy the process of her getting his measurements.
"Positive. Commander spent a god awful amount of credits on these things, you bet your ass it'll work. That's the main reason for the big heavy box too, it's got more equipment in it than just the suit."
"Fancy. Say," Eyes lighting up excitedly, Tychus grinned, forgetting all about disliking being associated with Spectres. "Can I cloak in it?"
Placing the measurement tool back in the box, closing it up and starting the tailoring sequence, Jayce listened to the machinery hum to life for a moment before chuckling. "Yes. It has a battery, a very good one, kind of like Banshees. A real Spectre can use its psionic abilities to augment it and make it last damn near forever, but thankfully not you."
"Thankfully?"
"The thought of you sneaking around cloaked almost made me discard the idea." Both of them chuckled together in good nature.
Korhal – Augustgrad unveiling ceremony
The Emperor had chosen a large interview room, often used for unveiling new technology and making small-scale demonstrations, that was built off of the palace; It was also completely enclosed and, excluding the palace itself, one of the safest places to be. Nova wasn't surprised it had been chosen, although something was itching at the back of her brain- had been since she woke up that morning, tired and attending ceremonies the last thing on her mind.
Nova was a great ghost, probably the best, and this feeling was too much to ignore. So, with chagrin, she had suited up and gone over the entire building before anyone had entered it that morning and found herself a good birds-eye view. It was from there she was now watching the ceremony, or more specifically everything and everyone around it.
Comm chatter was normal. Checks were going on, units were reporting in, patrols were roaming, all was well on that front. Reporters, nowhere near as many as there normally would be, were ushered in and stood quiet before the podium their Emperor was due to stand at and make his announcement any minute.
Normally very crisp and proper looking, Nova couldn't help but see the downtrodden and bedraggled look the representatives of the press had begun to adapt. Perhaps it was the pall of gloom that hung over them like a physical cloud that made it seem more obvious, their thoughts ringing clear like bells. Fear. Hunger. Various mundane worries and concerns popping up sporadically.
But above all of it was a clear and tangible fear of what the future held for themselves and others. It was shocking, and Nova's lips pressed into a tight line of anger. What was the Dominion doing in all of this? Despite Tosh's accusations, she had very much been aware of the state of the Koprulu sector, especially Dominion Space, and didn't like what she was seeing.
"Hope you have something good to say today." Whispering to herself, she watched as Arcturus Mengsk stepped through a heavy curtain and up to his podium, resting gloved hands on either side of it and looking decidedly smug.
"Ladies and gentlemen, today I bring you news that will change the face of Korhal, of the Dominion, forever." A ripple of communication had begun in her earpiece as the Emperor began one of his long winded speeches. No doubt about the state of the planet and all the insurgents bent on disrupting the order or some nonsense like that. Nova tuned him out and gently pressed the ear piece in deeper.
Voices that had been calm and professional not more than five minutes ago were now whispering in spooked tones, leaving Nova furrowing her brows in confusion and annoyance. It seemed that the disturbance was coming out of the palace and entering the building, generally scaring the shit out of everyone who was seeing it. Lack of gunfire kept her rooted to the spot, waiting to see or feel what was going on.
"No more shall innocent civilian lives be taken by raging insurgents bent on the destruction of all we've worked for..." A large ripple spread through the curtain behind the Emperor, and Nova gripped her gun tightly. There was something behind there. Something wrong. Writhing and coiling like a snake at the edge of her mind.
"I am very proud to bring you the apex of Terran ingenuity and science. Teams of men and women who have been specially trained are being put into active duty all over Korhal as I speak to you now, prepared to bring you peace at last..." Nova's eyes widened, mind focusing on what was behind that curtain. "Behold!" The curtain had begun falling. "Shadow Corp. and the hybrid." Someone screamed when the curtain pooled on the floor, Nova barely heard it.
Surrounded by a team of marines in pure black hardskins was a creature of nightmares, and recognition flickered through her stunned mind: this was what that Spectre had been drawing. The creature was glowing radiantly with psionic energy, the twisted horror of its body floating inside. Its head, like the crown of a Hydralisk, was translucent and had a large brain throbbing within. Two sets of arms, chitinous and tipped with razor sharp clawed zerg hands, were extended outwards as if to show off the glory of its form; from its back were protruding massive tentacles that wavered through the air like a mirage.
Emperor Mengsk didn't even look, he knew exactly what he had unveiled to his people: an ultimatum. When the woman who had screamed was quickly removed from the room, he regarded the trembling group of reporters before him with a smile teasing the corner of his lips. "I assure you, no harm will come to the loyal subjects of the Dominion by the hybrid. You have questions and I will answer them." Many arms were immediately stuck into the air, oh yes, there were many pressing questions.
While the Emperor continued to attempt to assuage fears and reason away doubts, Nova stared. The soldiers around the Hybrid itself were so deadened to emotion they made the empty, happy minds of resocs look good. It was like all that made them care had been sucked away, and when she felt-knew-its gaze had landed on hers, despite her cloak, she felt the tug at her very being to confirm it.
The unveiling wasn't going as well as the Emperor had thought it would and it was clear he was failing to address issues of importance, such as how these creatures will be used to judge who is good and who is bad. When Donny Vermillion, having come down from the news station to report live himself since Kate Lockwell had been imprisoned, cracked and threw his recorder at Mengsk, the gates of hell were opened. "You're a lying son of a bitch and I won't take it anymore!" Donny's eyes erupted in a gory mess spectacularly, rendering him dead before he had even finished taking the breath he had meant to use to further call down Mengsk.
My family isn't even alive. He's nothing but lies. Nova heard Donny's last thoughts before his life had been snuffed out. Had he been coerced to continue Dominion propaganda?
Arcturus had instantly been pulled away, running to safety with his guards, when the hybrid and its Shadow Corp handlers turned on the reporters and began hunting down anyone with a stray rebellious thought. That was everyone.
Snapping out of the trance of hopelessness the hybrid had rendered upon her, Nova made her decision. From the balcony above she took aim and fired.
Bullets connected and rattled off of the deceptively thick chitinous covering of the hybrids brain. Her C-20A rifle rounds, fully capable of puncturing through combat suits like butter, were worthless.
"Nova Terra. Cease fire or you will be terminated." An unfamiliar voice, which she immediately recognized to be from one of the Shadow Corp men, grated in her ear in warning. Several of the Dominion marines on the ground floor had forced the doors of the room open and were covering for the civilians they were attempting to save. Those were the real Dominion, not this mind police bastardization Nova was witnessing. As a well-aimed bullet from her rifle pierced into the skull of one of the hybrid's escorting marines, Nova whispered into the radio. "Consider this my resignation."
Pain seared through her mind- the hybrid was attacking her while the Shadow Corp returned fire on the Dominion marines, who were retreating and covering the civilians escape into the city. They stood no chance against the hybrid, it was for the best that it had become entangled with her.
There is no hope. Surrender to despair. Inside her mind the hybrid whispered of her doom, battering against the carefully constructed mental defenses within. A ghosts mind is its greatest weapon. Clenching her jaw hard, Nova ran through the mantra as she focused her eyes on the horrible abomination and brought her mental might forwards. Leveling city blocks was one thing, so was crunching a human mind, but this was a level of focus fire that barriers were being lowered to accomplish.
Physically writhing at the counterattack, the hybrid was not prepared for the doors it had opened in Nova. As if aiming through a scope, she focused her will into a tangible force and together they screamed viscerally at the pressure building inside their minds. There was little pleasure felt in seeing the creature's brain explode within its shell, her vision darkening and winking out when she slumped to the floor unconscious.