A/N: It's been a while, huh. Well, I'm back with a new chapter, I've begun work on the next one, I'll make another excuse for its delay (physical condition, in this case; the past two months have not been the best for me), and I'm gonna promise to not take too long again. And I'll end up breaking that promise. Rinse and repeat. Such is the Infinite Cycle.

But I'm not gonna let this die. Now then, onward to the end!

Tyrador system

The Spiritual Power had just entered the Tyrador system, and was fast approaching their target planet. There was still no sign of the Zerg, allowing the Protoss expedition to set up their plans in relative peace.

They would have to contact the science vessel hovering above Tyrador VIII, and hope that the Terrans would be cooperative. Barring that, they would have to keep their distance for the meantime, and rely on the Golden Armada to hold off the Zerg force. And hope that the Terrans would finally agree to support them once it gets into their heads that they were the ones in danger.

Haven

Little did the expedition of four know that the Protoss fleet was busy with another confrontation, on a planet sitting in the shadow of Protoss space.

"En Taro Tassadar, Selendis," Raynor greeted the Executor of the Golden Armada through the communications link. "Listen: with all due respect, your fleet needs to pull back. The people of Haven are no threat to you."

Haven lived up to its name, with suitable - close to ideal, even - conditions for life to flourish, and no prior signs of Zerg incursions. The latter, of course, had been thanks to the efforts of the Golden Armada in shutting down any infestations in the system. Agria's colonists had only recently established a settlement on Haven, but when Raynor's Raiders went over to check on the Haven settlement, they were unable to raise any contact. It was quickly discovered that the Golden Armada started disrupting all communications, and were preparing to fire upon the settlement when Raynor tried to intervene.

"Our observers detected Zerg hive spores infesting the colonists," Selendis replied matter-of-factly. It wasn't a far-off chance, either: despite the measures the Raiders took to contain the infested outbreak on Meinhoff, it was highly likely that not everybody made it out "clean". Nobody wanted another outbreak - especially the Protoss, who lost their home world to the Zerg and would answer any and all infestations with fire and fury. "They must be purified. If you wish to take this mission in our stead, we will permit it," she allowed.

"Jim," Dr. Hanson, standing beside Raynor, spoke. "Some of my people are infested but you can't let the Protoss destroy them all! If you can keep the Protoss at bay, I know I can find a cure for the infestation."

"The only cure for infestation is purification by fire," Selendis countered. "You know this to be true, James Raynor."

"I can cure them, Jim - believe me!"

Raynor was put in a difficult spot. On one hand, he personally knew that all attempts so far to create a cure for the Zerg hyper-evolutionary virus were temporary successes at best: only delaying the inevitable, before the virus mutates to overwhelm or bypass the cure entirely. The Protoss, the most advanced beings in the sector, were unable to create a true cure for the virus. What would a lone Terran scientist achieve?

On the other hand, nobody else has tried making a cure for the virus ever since the Protoss attempt eventually failed. The usual excuse was that the virus simply mutated too quickly to be contained, but Dr. Hanson has taken that into account in her research ever since joining the Raiders, along with new information gleaned from the Zerg DNA samples gathered by the Raiders so far. And necessity - especially the desperate sort - has always been the mother of progress.

Raynor looked at Selendis on the screen, and then at Hanson. "...alright, then. I ain't gonna stand by while you wipe out a whole colony, Selendis. Not while there's still a chance we can save 'em."

There was no visible reaction from the Protoss Executor, as if she expected the answer. "Then it shall be an honor to meet you on the field of battle," Selendis responded. "Your reputation as a commander is most impressive. I trust you will live up to it-"

"Wait!"

Everyone present, including Selendis, were surprised at the interruption, and directed their attention towards the source: a young woman with brilliant orange hair and bright blue eyes.

Honoka herself was suddenly speechless at what she just did. She heard the exchange of words as she passed by the bridge on her way to the armory, and her lips parted on their own as her commander and the Protoss Executor arrived at a seemingly-inevitable resolution to their impasse. Looking at the stares of everyone in the room, she wanted to shrink away and get back to her own business, but...

"Yes, Lieutenant?" Horner asked, nodding to her. It seemed like he knew what she wanted to say, and Honoka nodded back, before taking a deep breath and approaching the communicator with renewed courage.

"Back in Mar Sara, I've always wanted to shine brightly," she began, searching for words to communicate how she felt. "Not for myself, but for everyone, so they can keep smiling, living, and hoping. I started singing because of that, and it was also why I chose to become a medic for the Raiders not long after. Helping people get back up, helping them take back their freedom, gave them hope. I believe that almost anything is possible, as long as there's still hope!

"Those people down there are still alive and not yet infested, right? They're still living, and still hoping. They can still be saved, I know they can! We just need a bit of time. We just need you to believe that there's still hope left." Through it all, Selendis could feel her emotions echoing through to her, and all of them could see her eyes burning intensely in the same radiant orange luster of her hair. "Please," Honoka pleaded as she stared directly towards the Protoss Executor. "Just let us have hope."

The bridge was silent for a few heavy moments, before Selendis started speaking again: "I...will give you hope, then, child. For your sake, I hope that what you say holds true." She then turned towards Raynor and Dr. Hanson. "The virus has yet to visibly manifest among those colonists, that is true. It is still incubating, and it will take three solar days at worst for the virus to fully infest their hosts. You have until then to prove this young girl's belief to me. Should it not be the case, then there is only one option left. You will not get in our way if that moment comes."

Selendis disconnected the link afterwards, and the atmosphere in the room was of both relief and disbelief. Dr. Hanson nearly collapsed to the ground if not for Raynor catching her, and while there was no one to catch Honoka as she collapsed, Matt was there to help her back on her feet.

"You've potentially saved my people, dear," Dr. Hanson said, embracing Honoka.

Raynor wasn't so sure yet, but he agreed with her ideals. "Let's not waste this chance, then. Doc, you better get back to working on that cure, pronto."

Dr. Hason let go of the medic and nodded. "I'll do everything I can." She then marched out from the bridge and headed back to the research lab.

Honoka was sitting on the floor again, still feeling weak from relief. It wasn't her finest moment, and throughout her little speech, she'd been terrified that she would be dead wrong, and she'll have wasted everyone's time for nothing.

However, the reassuring looks from her superior officers told her that, just maybe, she was right, that there was still a chance. "You did good back there," Raynor said, affirming her thoughts and dispelling the rest of her worries. "Now let's make good on that promise of hers. You're dismissed for now." He then turned to Horner: "Let's get some volunteers from the colonists. The doc's gonna want some testing done."

Honoka immediately went back to her quarters. Surprisingly, it wasn't just Kotori in there, and the latter greeted her with a warm embrace.

"We found out what happened on the bridge," Eli said. "It was pretty brave of you, going up there and saying all that."

"It was foolish of you to say those things so suddenly..." Umi started to scold her, but her expression then softened. "But you're right."

Kotori nodded in agreement and continued to hold Honoka, who was suddenly starting to feel embarrassed, and, after a while, doubtful again.

"I hope I am," Honoka said. "I don't want to lift everyone's hopes up when they shouldn't have been."

"That doesn't sound like the Honoka I came to know when we first heard you sing on stage." Umi gave her a reassuring smile, and a pat on the head. "For better or for worse, everyone has your back. You only said what everyone was feeling deep inside, after all."

"Umi-chan..."

Kotori broke off the hug but continued to hold Honoka's hand. "We'll rescue them," she said. "Just like how we promised to rescue Nico-chan." Kotori gave Honoka a bright smile, and it was Honoka's turn to initiate a hug, this time with Umi and Eli as well.

The next two days were hectic for the research team, as they fast-tracked the development of the cure for the Zerg hyper-evolutionary virus. Each cure sample was tested on a batch of mostly-inert infested tissue, and samples which showed promise were then applied to blood samples taken from volunteers among the colonists who were confirmed to be carriers of the virus.

Two days of non-stop work, with the fate of an entire colony at stake. Fatigue and pressure led to some mistakes, and thorough cross-checking of every result ate up even more time. But, against all odds, they succeeded. The eighteenth sample was the one that finally seemed to work, despite an apparent complication: one of the blood samples started to show signs of mutation as the Zerg virus started to wake up. However, the cure sample managed to not just control, but completely suppress the Zerg virus, isolating and "starving" it until no traces of the virus remained in the host sample. Immediately after confirming the result in other samples, a live test was conducted with all of the volunteers. The cure worked on them as hoped, with all volunteers showing no more signs of Zerg pathogens, and Dr. Hanson ordered the production of several batches of the cure, to be distributed among the infected colonists.

The timing could not have been more critical. The deadline the Protoss set was fast-approaching, and Selendis and her fleet closely monitored the distribution of the cure, all while preparing their massive Purifier Mothership - equipped with the infamous 'Planet Cracker' beam that can, at maximum energy output, burn the surface of an entire planet clean of all organic life - for purification of the Haven settlement should the Terrans fail in their gamble. There have been no communication whatsoever between the two factions throughout the two days, and as the third solar day approached, Selendis was about to inform Raynor that time was running short.

Perhaps fortunately for everyone involved, Protoss sensors noted the steady decline of Zerg hive spores following the distribution of the cure. After a follow-up scan, it seemed that there were no more signs of the Zerg hyper-evolutionary virus on the planet. Haven was once more free of Zerg.

At the helm of her flagship, Selendis strangely felt relief at having to call off the attack. Logic argued against her decision to place her trust in the strange orange-haired girl that spoke up to her. However, something else within her told her otherwise. 'That Terran is certainly special, isn't she?' Perhaps Fate has greater plans. And might these plans lead to a peaceful resolution to all this conflict?

Part of her wants to believe. Much like how she decided to believe in the Terran and her leap of faith. However, far too many have laid down their lives to see the destruction of their enemies. Far too many of her people have fallen in the fight against the Zerg, and far more are willing to sacrifice themselves to reclaim their homeworld, when the time comes. The same goes for the Terrans, who continue to fight each other even as they face annihilation against the Zerg. And the Zerg themselves were warlike creatures, bound to a collective mind and directed towards a single purpose: to consume all.

War was a grim reality in the Koprulu sector, and it would take the biggest of miracles to end this cycle. 'And perhaps this small act might signal such a miracle?' But she was not an oracle. She was a warrior, and warriors like her knew that true peace will come only when their enemies are gone.

Selendis then opened a communication line to the Hyperion, which has landed on the outskirts of the settlement. Beliefs aside, the Terrans did make good on their promise. That was something worth congratulating them for.

The former Agrians saw peace a little differently, and they knew that it truly had come to them, at least for the time being. The threat of a Zerg outbreak, as well as their potential eradication as a people at the hands of the Protoss, had been averted, and they were now free to start over with their lives in their new home, and independent of the Dominion's cruel reign. Dr. Hanson and the research team of Raynor's Raiders were credited for the creation of the cure to the Zerg hyper-evolutionary virus - which is now planned to be produced and distributed across other infested systems - but all of them knew that it was a young medic who gave them the time to develop the cure, and the hope that allowed them to believe that such a feat was possible.

Hyperion Bridge

"Your research team was most impressive indeed, for achieving what we have failed to accomplish," Selendis said. "However, we know who truly deserves praise. Where is the young Terran?"

"She's over in the settlement," Raynor replied. "Putting up one last show for the colonists before we take our leave."

"Continuing to inspire hope, I see. Such a being is rare, James Raynor. Look after her." As she conversed with Raynor, she also had an observer direct its attention over the settlement. Missile turret sensors around the settlement detected the presence of the Protoss drone, but made no further action as Selendis proceeded to watch the performance of the orange-haired Terran. 'And fellows much like her, it seems.' "May Tassadar's spirit watch over her, and you, James Raynor."

The comm link was broken, and, after a while, the Protoss fleet started departing - coincidentally when Honoka, Kotori, Umi and Eli finished their performance. Raynor chuckled briefly, before heading out of the bridge.

"So, I guess this is goodbye, doc," Raynor said to Dr. Hanson, as they entered one of the Hyperion's airlocks. "I know you got a lot of cleaning to do here."

"We'll manage somehow," Hanson replied. "I just hope you boys stay out of trouble. We proved those Protoss wrong, so their pride might be a bit stung."

"If it's helping against the Zerg, they wouldn't mind one bit, I'm sure." He then pulled out a cigarette carton from his pocket, and withdrew one of the cigarettes.

As the outer airlock door opened, revealing the luscious woodland outside the Haven settlement, Dr. Hanson started to exit, but turned around to face Raynor. "You know, you could always stay here. Settle down, make a new start."

Raynor chuckled at the idea. It was something he stopped considering ever since he started his little group. "Guys like me don't get second chances, darlin'. We just gotta finish what we begun."

Raynor just put the cigarette in his mouth when Hanson then walked right in front of him, leaned over to his face, and gave him a kiss on the cheek. The cigarette fell to the ground, and Raynor just stared at Hanson, who quickly turned around and went to the open doorway.

"You're a good man, Jim Raynor." Hanson then stepped out of the airlock, and onto Haven. Raynor watched her depart, and then picked up his cigarette from the floor.

"Hmph, I ain't that good."

A while later, the four singers - 'I wonder if they've given their little quartet a name,' Raynor briefly wondered - and the medical team with them, who distributed the cure among the colonists, entered the airlock as well. They all gave Raynor a salute as the outer doors closed.

"You all did well back there," Raynor started. "The settlement's safe, and everyone in it's free of the Zerg virus. You all deserve some congratulations for that." Smiles were shared among the gathered crowd as the inner doors opened. "We'll be leaving and looking for another mission shortly, so you all rest up for now."

The crowd then dispersed, with Raynor and the medical team heading for the cantina, and the group of four heading to their separate quarters - until Honoka and Kotori suggested a sleepover at their quarters. Umi, of course, instantly rejected, saying that there wasn't enough bed space for them all, but when the former two told them they would be laying down sleeping mats on the floor, Eli was quickly on-board with the idea, and Umi was basically pressured into agreeing - she just couldn't resist the two's pleading faces.

When the Hyperion finally departed from Haven, Umi found herself between Honoka and Kotori, while Eli wisely opted for one of the beds to give the three of them ample space.

'Eli!'

The blonde quietly giggled in response and continued to feign ignorance of Umi's 'problem', as Honoka and Kotori snuggled comfortably beside the blue-haired girl, who fell asleep only after getting tired from repeatedly convincing herself that there was nothing wrong with the situation she was in.

Eli eventually rejoined them down on the mats, but still kept a respectable distance from the trio. Honoka would unconsciously drag Eli towards them after a while.

A/N: So, quite the departure from the main story, even compared to the others. But that's how it goes in this version of the Koprulu Sector. Our Terran idols will be crossing paths with the rest of the cast soon.

How soon? Well...you know how it goes. Until then, keep hope alive!