Episode 30- the divergent paths.
"The prodigious leader returns!"
The lazy group before him, surprisingly paid him attention. In the shape of opening eyes into a half lidded stare of course.
"Second in command, come over!"
Somewhere from the middle a massive zergling, three times bigger than the rest, slowly rises, and shuffled forward, avoiding trampling its brethren. Finally it reached the destination, and sat on its haunches in front of Dobromir.
"Look at the size of… her?! When did this happen?" The big Zergling was certainly bigger than him, even if not by much, but something odd occurred. This fine specimen before him was generally rounder. There were much less jagged pieces of carapax, the blades at the extra appendages became singular and more shiny, the claws became somehow less sharp and more smooth, the wings on its back were pink! The normal zergling had the standard translucent off white in color, but those were even softly shimmering. The eyes happened to be more softer and contained more pink in them.
The zergling before him just parted its front legs, showing the underbelly where a certain symbol was drawn in blood. "A terran female symbol? Well, there is only one person who would make it. Oh well, it's not the first time I have second in command of the opposite sex, I foresee no problems."
He took a few steps back, once again admiring the sight before him. Yes, she definitely stood out, not only by her new looks, but by the eyes which shined with intelligence. Maybe someday, this one would reach the same level as The Most Respected Sage Among Boars.
"Come my dear, let's have a nice chat with our lonely friend."
"Skirr."
"I can make a saber easily enough, but this thing… I will need more details." The woman standing behind the counter was surprisingly, not overly muscular, which was a shock considering all the stereotypes about smith's.
"I can leave you with a link, it should be all the visual material that you need. The mask would also be very appreciated."
The lean woman once again observed the trio standing before her, and she decided with a sigh to just let it go. The news about Dobromir's two new siblings quickly reached the ears of everyone In The Known. The general public probably just ignored the one with a weird mushroom 'hat', and didn't notice the new girl. In the circles where Dobromir is known, be it some scientist, some comrades or old (in age) friends, or his favorite tailor and smith. The new weirdness was a theme recurring so often that she has gone numb from the overstimulation to situations like these.
"What about you? Do you want something special or from the shelf?" She turned to the third, and rather new, sight. The new pilot for special nutcases was also common knowledge for those In The Know, but wasn't anything big.
"Me? Emm… I don't really know how to use anything besides a small pistol. And wasn't it supposed to be all about those two?" She pointed with her two hands in the directions of Wit and Mil.
The letter just let out a "Pish posh," With dramatic hand weaving, "A small pistol won't be enough for where we will be going. We will handle this matter here and now." Bogumila turned towards the female smith, and exclaimed "For this lady, nothing less than a spear and a one-handed sword won't do!"
Smell, he certainly noticed it now. From some time all of it faded into the background, mostly because of the smelly zergs and pungent and somewhat disgusting stench of the Overmind and his Cerebrates. The small zerg themselves smelled mostly like animals with a whiff of something weird, but the overriding stench ugh, like something that rotten for a long time. His own group after being taken under his command instantly stopped emitting smells, mostly. Now it was more like your own sweat, in the days when it actually didn't smell too bad. Kerrigan, after her rebirth, had an overlying scent too, but it started fading after she lifted the limitations left by the ghost program. Now, her actual smell slowly started seeping in her Brood.
But enough about the smells of the zerg, the time has come for "me to meet again with our dear queenie."
The female zergling beside him just gave him a side glance, and decided to ignore him.
"You're learning quickly, yes you are." Zero response. Dobromir just shrugged his shoulders, and continued walking towards the source. Even if infection gave him some degree of psionics, it still was overpowered by his rather primal magic, mingling together and leaving him with a feeling of strong smell source, and not psionic presence.
"Hey, Kerrigan!" His voice was loud enough to be heard through all those noises a zerg base could make.
"I know that voice, and the annoying person attached to it." She turned around, her blade wings made a cool swooshing sound. But it was just a coincidence, not a Drama Kid showcasing their inner Emo Coolness. At last, those were the lame arguments in her head. Shaking her head, she finally had the chance to look at him closer. He certainly looked more zerg-y, with the purple color now encompassing most of his face, and probable rest of his skin. The other thing she noted was the eyes, which now were glowing strong enough to completely hide his original eye color. Additionally, there was even something like mist leaking out of his eyes, giving him a somewhat hazy appearance.
After letting himself be looked over Dobromir replied "It's amazing how people can look after a small vacation. The experience will certainly remain in my memory for a very long time." Saying this, he had this wishful stare towards the horizon. "Anyway, how about you? Did you had fun?"
"Oh, I certainly did. Tormenting Raynor with certain dreams is simply… scratching that itch." She was squeezing all over herself with hands, her eyes gained this dreamy far away look and… she started panting, mist escaping from her mouth. Wait, was she wiggling in place? She certainly did.
Considering he was the exact opposite of a horny male, he chose to ignore the panting mess before him. Turning himself towards his female companion, he asked "What do you think?"
The zergling just looked at him, looked at her, then turned her head away with a clear distaste.
"Look Kerrigan, another Woman looks away with disgust upon seeing and hearing about your actions."
She instantly stopped, "What? Besides me only the flying queens can be considered female, even if barely. So what do you mean…?" Her answer was pointing with finger. "What? Where did you find this weird zergling?" Due to the angle of her body and head, the Zergling unintentionally hidden both of her marks.
"Oh kerri, kerri, you really know what's happening around you. Show her!" The zergling did just that, laying sideways, and supporting her head with a leg, looking like a supermodel trying to show off.
Kerrigan did recognize the markings, but was seriously and properly shocked by the zerglings' actions, it was completely un-zergly like. She looked at him.
"Don't look at me. I didn't bring any drama to her life, and I didn't make her a female to begin with, for the preparator, look right here!" He quickly whipped out a small mirror, and bringed it to her face.
"Me?! But I just painted a sign, nothing more."
"Young lady, you can leave that pose." The zergling changed to curled cat pose, making her the most adorable zerg in existence, admittedly the competition was set very low. "Now this, look something more along the lines of me. Anyway, I just wanted to say hi, to make you not my presence, and to foreshadow future tormenting which will befall upon the Zerg Queen!" The end statement was accompanied by hands outstretched outwards and upwards. The lightning flashed could almost be seen behind his glorious pose.
"Oh god why?"
'Ding!' It was a welcoming chime of the bell, which was saying goodbye this time. The trio completed another objective, only one left now.
"Why were your orders so… exotic? Or should I call them outright weird?"
"Weird clothes for weirdos! This is our right!" The teenager in the group even raised a fist in the air, as if almost starting a strike, but decided against it at the last moment. "Anyway, now it's time for weapons!"
"But," Replied Mina, "We already ordered something at the smith's workshop."
"You silly, that was only a part one, now for the most important part of any modern warriors equipment!" She showed the shop with both hands the shop before them. It was a Gunshop, but certainly different than on other planets.
After entering, Mina saw the great difference. It was filled with aisles, which in turn were filled with ranged weapons, which were honestly… pretty wild when it came to assortment. There were bows, crossbows, some flintlocks, some old guns, modern guns, throwing knives and was that a slingshot?! It couldn't be a museum, because everything was new and had tags with prices.
"What's all of this?! Why would anyone use a sling, or a flintlock pistol? I don't get it." She really didn't, most of the stuff here was seriously outdated, which in her mind means, useless.
"Oh you of a poor imagination. If I remember correctly… you were taking those people out of the Mar Sara right? You remember your last flight with a certain escort, right? Our glorious Smothership?"
"Yeah, it had obliterated the zerg in the air and on the ground in a… few heartbeats."
"Right, all the big guns were made by our shipbuilders/technicians. But you remember all those different grenades? Look over there'' Mila showed a certain aisle. It contained many grenades of all shapes and sizes, and all were… "empty. Those things are storage space for explosives, various substances or gasses. Their purpose it's to amplify the effects, by spreading it further or making the explosion bigger. Now, look over there". She pointed to the aisle with slings, "I can guarantee that all the thrown grenades you have seen were various substances developed by our scientists, packed into those small containers, and shot from the slings."
"But… why slings? Aren't there more efficient ways of shooting something?"
"In theory, yes. But… There are problems with the trajectory, maintaining the equipment, learning how to use it and let's not forget the costs! We are very poor in the non-bio materials department, which would mean import, a very costly one, add the many difficulties and… you get the picture."
"Okay," Mina nodded to this, she understood this part, but "why the bows, crossbows and flintlocks? They can't be this useful."
"You see this bow?" She pointed towards the modern compound bow with a finger "If you are good enough, you could one shot a Mutalisk. You see this one?" another pointing, "The crossbows are similar. The flintlocks, on the other hand… are mostly for show and the classicks, that's all."
The two were discussing all the weapons and their sense, more or less and Wit was just… walking behind them. It's not that he didn't want to talk, he just hadn't anything to say beyond what his sister was already saying. Additionally, his mind was occupied with other matters, mainly with the mycelium network. He recalled, through hazy memory, that the mushrooms' flagellum were practically everywhere, especially tangled around the tree's roots. They were still calling him, but he didn't know how to respond, or even reach a sensible communication. Of one thing he was certain, the memories of the original Dobromir clearly showed that it was different from the Zerg hivemind, at last because the mushrooms growing after rain didn't assault nostrils with the smells of corruption, witch were a disgusting mixture of bile, rot, a nasty plage and few other things.
Ziemowit shivered, and wondered how was his older brother dealing with this affront to pure psionics and yes, the magics counted among them.
"On a more serious note, do you know how to modify zerg?"
"What? Where did the idea come from?" She certainly wasn't expecting this, which was honestly… sensible? Veru unusual for him.
"I mean, humans and animals can be altered, and machines or weapons can be modded. I am sure zerg are strictly biological, so there must be some forced evolution involved."
"I… hmm… it makes sense? But I just ordered the zerg to mutate to this or that, that's all."
"I guided the parasite how to look on my slapped together carriage, but it was an uphill task, I just don't even have the idea where to start."
"Why would you even want to do that?"
"I want to build walls…" Dobromir got this slightly glazed & crazed eyes upon mentioning this, with a wishful sight, and did he slightly shiver from excitation?
"But zerg rush forward in endless waves, why would we need walls?" Kerrigan was a little bothered by the intense emotions of this usually calm individual, but she tried to shake this unease off, for her own good.
He just looked at her like a clueless child, "Poor little kerri, you don't know." He turned to his zergling companion, "She doesn't know." The female in question looked at Kerrigan with pity in her eyes. He turned back, his eyes were full of pity too.
Now this was uncomfortable, she felt like she did not know something very important that everyone should know. She desperately wished she would know, but being clueless was seemingly her role in this stage play. "Just tell me already." No, there wasn't any desperation in her voice, that's just your wild imagination.
"Tell me, are a bunch of marines harder to kill inside or outside of a bunker?"
"Outside, of course."
"Is shooting from higher ground easier or harder?"
"Quit this cryptic talk!" Shouted Kerrigan, she had enough drama and emotions for one day.
"I just want walls, okay? There is nothing quite like defending against enemies, and let's be frank, Zerg's defense just means offensive on a smaller scale."
"Okay, I will search through hivemind for an answer just… stop bothering me."
"Thanks!" He showed appreciation with two finger pistols, "Smell ya later." And this weirdo among weirdos walked off, together with his zergy companion. Kerrigan, on the other hand, only after a moment understood that 'smell' was literal.
A gloomy forest, wind swishing the branches, and… "Hokus pokus."
Ziemowit felt a weird sensation settling over him and… "I understand the mushrooms now!? They don't talk, strictly speaking, they send… sensations and feelings?'
"What did you expect? They are mushrooms after all, not people, of course they communicate differently." The young Crone was grumpy, mostly because of the still lingering headache.
She uttered another string of words without meaning, and this time it was Bogumilas turn to feel a weird sensation. "Those blessings should deal with any imperfections that would occur, now I am off." The eldest (by seconds) of the sisters climbed atop her forest fiend, which quickly ran off into the green and shadowy depths.
"That was… quick." Commented Mina, the 'blessings' were given in the blink of an eye, which honestly was all the rage lately. Doing things fast that is. "Anyway, our last step for today," She took a quick look at the sky, "or rather tonight. How time flies… Destination: The One Who Sees Everything!"
"Well, it seems bringing changes won't be so easy, so let's start with the basics."
"Skir". His zergy companion showed only a little of support for his actions, probably because they were action, which means no lazing around.
And so, the new hive cluster arose, for now consisting of two hatcheries, one spawn pool, and nothing else. Yes it was very poor, and very basic, "but that will change in the future." Said Dobromir, looking towards the horizon, his eyes shining like two small suns.
"Why does it look so stereotypical?"
"What, you mean the tent adorned with the moon and stars? Does it count as stereotypical if you see things like this only in films?"
Mina stared at Mila, who answered with the same. She then looked at the tent again, then to their other companion, who still wasn't paying attention. Shrugging her shoulders, she stated "Onward then, to another unusual, as expected, meeting."
Patting Mina on shoulder, Mila replied "That's the spirit, there will be something out of you yet." Opening the flaps, she gestured for them to walk in.
The inside was, as expected, decorated with colorful rugs everywhere, a few weird lamps glowing in different colors, 'mystic' baubles spread around and of course the low table with the 'seer' sitting behind it. The only thing unusual was the lack of crystal ball, replaced with… what, exactly? It was a little bigger than an adult's human head, was shiny gold & blue, and had a big convex lens on top.
The young lady had a white blue-ish hair, a purple witch's hat, purple cape, purple vest, and probably the rest hidden was purple too, and filled with stars. Every piece of clothing was covered in stars, which surprisingly didn't look ugly or gaudy. After giving her visitors time to look around her tent, the young lady smiled and began. "Welcome to my tent of wondrous fate! Here, I Trixie, will show you the past, the present, and the possible future!" Of course bombastic hand waving accompanied her whole speech. "Now, what you three wish from Trixie, the one who sees almost everything in existence, no matter the distance!"
"Em…" Mina was slightly overwhelmed, but one thing was on her mind from the beginning, "Why instead of a crystal ball there is that thing?" She pointed with the finger towards the golden object.
"It's because some mundane crystal ball isn't worthy of the Great Trixie! What you see before you is the greatest tool for networking a human can find!"
"What, actually, is it?" This manner of speech was somewhat grating, but Mina decided to follow the path of perseverance for now.
"That, my dear customer, is nothing else but a protoss watcher. Only someone as Great and Powerful as Trixie could see right through its invisibility and catch it unaware!"
Mina decided to give up this line of questioning and stepped back, gesturing towards their temporary party leader.
Mila just ignored it, and walked closer, "Trixie, I need to see where it would be beneficial for me to be." Now this sounded weirdly nice.
Closing her eyes and nodding, Trixie pointed with her hands towards the opposite end of her table. "Then sit before the Great Trixie, and your possible fate will be shown to your humble person." After hearing her listener sit, she extended her hands towards the observer, and began.
The small robot before her quickly started glowing, mainly from the big ocular on top. Suddenly, images started to appear, changing too quickly for a human eye to perceive. "Let's filter out all the useless data… exclude the past events… hmm… hmmmmm… Aha! Trixie has it, your destination: Planet Braxis, wait for a while and your chance encounter would be guaranteed."
