Chapter 20: The New Order
People called Roger Demis an old man, but he knew he still had more than enough energy left in him to keep running this corner store in the city of New Tyre, the capital of Mistaff IV. Though at times he felt quite tired with everything that's been going on. He heard the bell at his door sound and turned to observe the newcomer.
"Hi there, what d'ya need?" Roger asked.
"Got any soda? The customer asked.
"I still got a few." Roger opened up the fridge and took out a glass bottle. "That'll be 60 credits."
"60 credits?" The man raised their eyebrows in surprise. "This must be the finest damn soda in Koprulu then."
The shop owner paused. "You're not from around here are you? The niceties of life have been scarce as of late. So, who are you and what are you looking for on our small planet?"
"My name is Alex. I'm just passing through to talk to a contact of mine regarding some business. As for what that is, it's not for certain ears if you catch my drift."
"I'd be surprised if they were still around doing business," Roger replied. "Not much independent enterprise going on here anymore. Not since the UED got their hands on everything."
"Well I have to say that this place hasn't exactly been on my radar a lot these past few months. So, what kind of dumpster fire is being cooked up here?" Alex asked.
Roger put the bottle of soda down in front of his customer before launching into his tirade. "We were an independent colony ever since the Confederacy fell, never joining up with the Dominion. But two months ago the zerg attacked. Our militia simply wasn't enough to hold back the zerg and our defenses were in shambles. So when the guys from Earth showed up and offered to help in exchange for us giving up our independence, we had no choice but to take it. Then, they conscripted our militia into their army and sent them off somewhere else while replacing the garrison here with their own troops. After that, they had us start regearing our factories toward making weapons and equipment for them. That's where everything is going now, not much left for life's pleasures. We've been able to supplement what we have through the black market supply that's coming from somewhere, but it's nowhere near what we had before."
"I can see why this isn't the best of possible worlds. But one could say that given the danger of the zerg, a focus on total war is justified." Alex paused to observe how the man would react to this line of questioning.
"I guess so," he said with a shrug. "We might not be very happy about it, but we were willing to accept things out of necessity. Still, I wish they thought a bit more about us little people."
"I'm sure all they see is numbers on a page," Alex said.
Roger sighed. "If only we didn't get dragged into this war. Things were better back when it was nice and peaceful."
"It seems rather convenient, doesn't it?" Alex tapped a finger on the table. "The UED come just in time to save you from a sudden zerg invasion which is fought off easily. Then you all end up submitting to them. It's almost as if the zerg were trying to help them."
He laughed. "That's quite a vivid imagination you have. If they could control the zerg we'd all be screwed anyway. So there is no point in thinking about that. If that was actually the case we wouldn't be able to do anything at all."
"Well that's enough of my rambling," Alex said. "You have a good day now."
Alex left the store and began walking down the street as he observed his surroundings. The storefronts seemed rather subdued, lacking the vibrant displays and enthusiasm that one would typically see to attract customers. Rather, everyone seemed lethargic to some extent. Up ahead, there was a gathering of people. As Alex got closer, he saw there were people listening to a man talking and it was a man that he recognized.
After slipping into the crowd, Alex could hear the man's words. "It was like an endless tide of monsters that were coming straight at us that day on Mar Sara. At one point there were over a hundred mutalisks diving my position guarding the western bridge. Our missile turrets had already been taken out so all we could do was keep our heads down in the bunkers until reinforcements came. The roof of the bunker sounded like it was a car's roof being pelted by hail. A lot of us didn't make it out that day. But somehow, we survived until the dropships came to evacuate us. That was all we could do, flee. These zerg, they ain't so easy to deal with."
"There were only a dozen mutalisks, Phil." Alex said. "And we hardly cowered in our bunkers the whole time."
The speaker's head quickly turned and his eyes widened upon seeing who showed up. "Alex, I certainly didn't expect to see you here. It has sure been a while since we fought together on Mar Sara."
"It sure has, and I didn't expect to find you here playing the role of an old man telling his stories. Surely you still have another twenty years left in you before you start losing your memory and start making things up," Alex said.
Philip chuckled nervously. "Well, people say war turns youngsters into old men. Say, wanna grab a drink together?"
"Sure, I think these folks have heard enough of your stories for today."
They entered a secluded bar and ordered drinks. After taking a sip, Alex spoke up. "Phil, I can tell you're rather nervous and honestly I'm wondering what made you decide to come out here and tell stories. This doesn't really feel like you."
"I'm being paid to, Alex," he said. "The folks from Earth want me to tell everyone about how dangerous the zerg are. I wasn't in a good place after I tried settling down. I was down on luck and needed the money. If telling a few stories is all I need to do, then I'm fine with it."
"How very sly of them," Alex commented. "Making everyone scared enough so that the zerg are all that are on their mind."
"Why are you here, Alex?" Philip asked. "Surely you didn't just come all the way out here for no reason."
"I've been asked to gather a bit of information," he said. "You see, our old Magistrate has been getting rather interested in what's been going on around here."
"I see." Philip tensed up after hearing this.
"Listen, I'm not going to begrudge you for what you needed to do to survive," Alex said. "But if you are looking for something else to do, there is still a place for you if you come back. A lot of our old squadmates are still around. Even after all these battles, the commander has been keeping us alive. And I heard, things might be heating up again soon. We could use someone like you again."
"Alright. I'll think about it," Philip said.
Alex left the bar while Philip continued to stare at his drink. It was time for him to look around a bit more.
In front of the government building that stood in the center of New Tyre, the capital of the planet, there was a crowd gathered. It seemed that someone was making an announcement.
"By order of the Expeditionary Fleet of the United Earth Directorate, under the authority granted to it by the Ruling Council of Earth in regards to the restoration of order in the Koprulu Sector, the governor of Mistaff IV has been dismissed. He has been charged with violation of UED directives and unlawful appropriation of resources. He has been found to have been not only aware of but also supporting the black market trade of goods on this planet. Following his removal, proper rule of law will return to this planet and new administrators will ensure full compliance with the new statutes."
The man reading the announcement, who seemed to be some kind of bureaucrat, departed while the line of marines continued to stand there as the crowd started becoming increasingly rowdy.
Alex talked to one of the people standing nearby. "Do you think he did it, the old governor?"
"Who knows?" The person answered with a shrug. "Maybe he was skimming a bit off the top, maybe he wasn't. But I sure wouldn't bet on his replacement being any better for us. At least old Martin knew what we wanted. This rationing hasn't been easy on us. The black market was something we've had to rely on to get what we need."
At the front of the crowd, angry people were starting to shout at the soldiers.
"I've been trying to get my pops a new motorbike for two weeks now, but none of the shops have any. Hell, they hardly even have any spare parts. He says he's fine with his old bike but I've seen it, the brakes don't even work anymore. The damn thing slides to a stop through friction. Maybe you could send some more down instead of more of these tin cans," the man pointed at a marine. "Or better yet, let us make our own! My pops is an old man now and one of these days he's gonna fall off that thing and break his back. And it's because of you that I can't find any to buy."
Another man also started raising his voice. "Why is our food still being rationed? I haven't had my fill of meat in the past month. This was supposed to be a temporary measure, but this sure doesn't feel temporary to me. How are we supposed to live like this?"
Alex could feel the people nearby becoming more frantic as they seemed to become increasingly energized. Noting the shifting mood of the crowd, he decided it would be best to move to a safer distance. A nearby motel was tall enough to get a view of the city plaza while being relatively secure. From the balcony, the growing disturbance was becoming more visible.
It all started when a rock was thrown. Then, a few more. Others threw trash. The projectiles impacted against the helmets of the marines with dull thuds. It didn't seem to do any damage, but it sure caught their attention.
Several marines broke off from the front line and began pushing through the crowd, their blank helmets concealing any expression. They cut an imposing visage that made anyone nearby scramble away as the marines moved steady with purpose toward the ones who had thrown objects.
From his perch, Alex could see a man shoved aside by the faceless soldier, falling on the cobblestone ground while another man stepped on him in a rush to get away. The crowd was in a frenzy as they sought to escape, but the mass of people pushed and squeezed against each other. The initial instigators were also trapped in this mass of bodies, unable to move any after or slower than their neighbors.
The soldiers pushed their way through the crowd, closing in on the ones they identified. Though the people in their path tried to get out of the way, not all were able to. Some were peeled off from the crowd and tossed aside while others found themselves crushed against their neighbors. Several screams ran out as the grisly scene unfolded.
Eventually, the initial perpetrators were caught and dragged off to military vehicles to be hauled away while the remaining protestors dispersed, some more injured than others.
Seeing this, Alex shook his head.
On Aiur, Fenix and a group of protoss following him returned to their encampment in high spirits after their latest expedition.
"Fenix, I see that you have returned," Artanis said. "I take it that you were successful."
"Yes, we have secured the ancient research facility," Fenix replied. "We will soon begin the process of unearthing those ancient weapons."
"What are these ancient weapons y'all are talking about?" Raynor asked.
"Long ago, we designed great weapons of war which terrified even us," Artanis said. "The conclave ordered these war machines to be sealed out of concern for their destructive power. However, given our present circumstances, we believe it would be wise to make use of them."
"More firepower does sound useful. I can see why you want it," Raynor said. "But why didn't you reactivate them earlier when the zerg invaded?"
"The conclave initially believed that we would be able to defeat the zerg easily without the need to violate our ancient directives," Artanis said. "By the time that they realized their error, it was already too late and we no longer could access those facilities."
Raynor scoffed. "Sounds typical of those old windbags. I still remember how they were trying to arrest Tassadar in the middle of the war."
"That was indeed not their brightest moment," Artanis said. "But still, had we not retrieved Tassadar from Char, all would have been lost."
After they returned indoors to rest, Raynor spoke up. "Guys, there is something I reckon I'll need some help with."
"What is it, Raynor?" Artanis asked.
"I just got a call from an old pal and he told me some pretty disturbing news. Apparently, the UED has been sending the zerg to attack human planets and then swooping in to save those planets from the very zerg they sent. Then, they put themselves in control of the planet and get treated as saviors," Raynor said.
"I have heard your tales of the dishonorable acts terrans engage in, but I had not expected these terrans from Earth to stoop so low," Fenix said. "They do not fight a good fight but instead engage in such base trickery."
"So I was told that the UED were planning on attacking the planet of Krydon soon," Raynor said. "It turns out the former Magistrate has been off helping the Dominion in fighting the zerg. So Mengsk tipped them off about this and hopes that a spanner gets thrown into the UED's plans. It seems my old friend hasn't been too impressed by the UED either."
"Is not Mengsk your enemy?" Zeratul asked.
"Yes, but it looks like he isn't any happier with the UED than we are. And Krydon is an independent mining planet. They don't deserve to suffer from the UED. The Magistrate and I plan on going to Krydon to help bolster their defenses," Raynor said. "And I was wondering whether I could get some help to fight the zerg here."
"You have aided us much in our fight against the Overmind as well as helping us maintain our foothold on Aiur," Artanis said. "It is only right that we aid you as well. Our position on Aiur is stable at the moment, it should be safe to divert most of our forces on other endeavors."
"I wish to accompany you Raynor, but I must still remain here to safeguard our holdings on Aiur," Fenix said. "I will keep Aiur secure so that the fleet may aid you without worries."
"Then the way ahead seems clear," Zeratul noted. "Artanis and I shall accompany Raynor to defend the terran colony against the zerg while Fenix will remain on Aiur."
"Thanks for the help. I really appreciate it," Raynor said. "There is one other thing. I was thinking of having Kerrigan help out too."
"It would be beneficial to reduce casualties on our side if other zerg were there to bear the brunt of the damage," Zeratul noted. "However, there may be problems in distinguishing friend from foe. But that is not a problem we have not overcome before."
"Alright, I'll ask her to join us then," Raynor said.
They sent a message and soon, Kerrigan joined them in the meeting room.
"Sarah, what is the status of your zerg right now," Raynor asked.
"I have been able to greatly replenish their numbers by establishing hive clusters here," Kerrigan said. "Why do you ask?"
"Well, what do you think of lending a hand to cause the UED some trouble?" Raynor asked.
"I'm in," she said. "What are we doing?"
"I've got news that the UED is going to be using the zerg under their control to invade Krydon before sending their own fleet in to seemingly rescue the colony. We're going to go and defend the colony from the zerg so the UED won't be able to pressure the planet into submitting to them."
"I see." Kerrigan sounded a bit less enthusiastic now.
"It's important work," Raynor said. "We would be saving a lot of people there from the UED. And we would prevent them from gaining more influence. If you were expecting us to go take on the UED head on right now, I'm afraid it's definitely not the time for that yet. However, I would really value your help here."
"I'll do it," Kerrigan said. "Just tell me where we're needed."
"Good, we should be leaving as soon as we can," Raynor said. "It won't be long before the invasion happens."