Chapter 26: A Clash of Titans
The burning trunk of the tree crashed to the ground only inches away from him, sending sparks and embers into the air. The air's acrid smell could be sensed even from within his power armor as he ran away from the conflagration, sweat running down his face. A short distance away, a shriek pierced from the thick smoke, their location shrouded by the haze. For a moment, he contemplated going toward them, but instead he gritted his teeth and kept running.
Escaping the confines of the trees, a small clearing soon came into view. The ground shook, and up ahead he saw several siege tanks which fired in unison. A moment later, the metal of the tanks turned bright red before exploding as a laser swept across it. He kept running, all the while the unseen lasers carved up the area, setting anything within sight on fire.
He stopped running, coming to a halt near the treeline to catch his breath. There was nowhere to go. A group of soldiers ran for their lives in a frantic rout before they were disintegrated with only ashes and melted metal marking that they had ever existed. Far in the distance, he could see the sleek golden titans striding across the land inexorably, bringing doom in their wake.
The flames were almost upon him now, so he ran, hoping against all hope that he would escape the attention of these monsters. Somehow, he crossed the clearing and back into the trees. He didn't know where he was going, only that he had to move. There was a tiny cave in front of him, and he ducked inside. It was a dark and cramped place, but it was the only thing that let him cling to hope.
After what seemed like an eternity, the flames died down and the monstrous machines passed overhead, their long spindly legs seeming like a pillar from heaven plunging into the earth, carving a deep furrow with each step. Only then did he dare to poke his head out and found an abandoned long range communicator laying in the dirt, its original holder collapsed on the ground next to it, unmoving.
This was the story told to Roland by the sole surviving marine, who slumped back to the ground and let out a breath of relief.
Roland sat with his hands folded in front of him as he looked at the screen showing the face of the man delivering the report. "Did heavy vegetation impede the weapons of these machines at all?" he asked.
"No sir," the man said, his voice shaking. "It cut straight through the trees. Maybe it'd stop them from seeing us but it sure didn't stop them from frying us under the trees. Armor wasn't of any use either."
"You've done the best you could. Thank you for telling us this," he said. "Try to head back to base if you can. Otherwise, hold your position and we'll evacuate you when we can."
The transmission disconnected. Roland rose from his seat and paced within the battlecruiser's bridge, his face twisted with frustration as he glared at the new menace. "The protoss revealing their new weapon now is a disaster. Even though these machines only number a dozen, we can hardly confront them in an open battle. We don't know what they're capable of and we've never seen anything like them."
"They're almost like the tripods from War of the Worlds," Hector noted. "They look quite similar and use lasers, just with four legs instead of three."
"You've read it? There are few that read such old literature these days." Roland had a somewhat wistful look on his face. "People in the past could only dream of how far we have come and the enemies we fight. But now we will not be helpless and rely on disease to do our work, which isn't going to happen here. We must fight, though it's not like we can ram them with a battleship."
He studied the pictures they had of the towering machines. "They seem designed to tower imperiously like gods over the landscape, unchallenged as they destroy anything in their wake. A fitting creation for the arrogant protoss. But there seems to be little concern for robustness or sturdiness. Remove one leg and the entire structure would crash to the ground."
"Its shield is too strong for lighter weapons to break," observed Hector.
"Noted," Roland replied. "But perhaps we could find some way to lay a trap, mines perhaps. No, they might detect it. And we can't get any people close enough to attack them, not by ground anyway. Perhaps we can hit their massive bodies from above where they cannot retaliate."
He gave orders to withdraw any remaining ground troops in the area while sending in his aerial forces, backed up by zerg fliers leading the charge.
The core of the Directorate force were the advanced valkyrie frigates brought from Earth equipped with powerful missiles and heavy armor to protect them. The wraith fighters acquired from the colonies flew escort to guard them from faster moving targets. Meanwhile, swarms of mutalisks advanced forward as the first line of attack.
Meanwhile, the protoss brought forth their flying scouts to guard the colossi while dragoons walked underneath to provide additional support. In addition, the few wraiths that Raynor's men had along with their goliath walkers also joined with the protoss forces. The formidable army continued to advance, undeterred by the UED's show of force.
Finally, the sky lit up with bright flashes as the two groups finally clashed. The missiles shot by the valkyries blanketed the sky, but the hardy protoss scouts were able to survive the initial barrage and fire back in retaliation. Meanwhile, mutalisks dived the dragoons and goliaths on the ground, which fired back at the attacking zerg, killing them as fast as they came. Then, a wave of scourge swooped straight toward the massive colossi.
For a moment, it looked as though the scourge would meet their mark. But the protoss fliers quickly circled to shoot them down before they could get near. Some of the protoss ships even flew themselves between the scourge and their targets, blocking the hit to stop the zerg from reaching their destination.
By the end of it, the protoss forces had taken serious losses while the rest were heavily battered as the UED pressed their advantage. However, by now the attacking zerg were thinning out as their numbers were depleted.
Then, a new group of flying zerg appeared, but these were not on the Directorate's side.
Seeing the shift in their fortunes, the UED valkyries and wraiths broke off the attack and retreated, carefully remaining in formation as they fought off the incoming zerg.
The bridge of the Borealis almost appeared to be in a state of panic, though well ordered panic, as ground reports streamed in ceaselessly. Officers and crew members shouted to each other over the frantic din while the captains of the other battlecruisers repeatedly called in both with demands to know what was being planned and giving unsolicited suggestions for what actions to take.
Roland continued to present an impassive facade, looking forward sternly while below the table his nails dug into the palm of his hand.
"We have around twenty more hours before the protoss force reaches our main encampment," Hector whispered to Roland. "And that is in addition to a hostile offensive from enemy zerg and a secondary force of protoss and terrans advancing on another axis."
"Our soldiers can hold back the zerg advance, and the zerg under our control can wear down the third group." Roland traced his finger across the map on his datapad. "But we still need to find a way to deal with the new protoss war machines. Also, have the damned Kel-Morians responded yet with a status report? We need them to back up our positions. Our forces are already stretched thin enough as is."
"Yes, Captain. They informed us of their status not long ago while you were speaking with Captain Laborde. Apparently most of their forces are concentrated in the hills where they've found deposits of rare crystals."
Roland slammed his hand against the table."Are they serious? Did they really think that just because the enemy went on the run they were free to disobey my orders and start mining crystals they can't even use? Do they even know we are being attacked right now?"
"They're evacuating right now because their mining is right in the path of the main protoss advance. Once our attack failed, they decided their position was untenable. They are already in the process of lifting off their structures."
Roland huffed, leaning in his chair as he propped up his chin on his arm, fingers digging into his beard. "Of course," he growled tersely. After a few moments, he looked back at the map. "It looks like the protoss ground forces will have to travel through this corridor. While the large machines could no doubt walk unimpeded through such rough terrain, the dragoons and goliaths would find their mobility too hampered in the hills."
"Sounds like you have something in mind sir," Hector noted.
"Yes, if we could set an ambush for them here, that would be ideal," Roland muttered. "The issue is how we can remain hidden."
"Well, if the Kel-Morians have been mining, perhaps there is room in the mineshafts to hide some units."
"Excellent suggestion, Hector." Roland smiled at his aide before turning to look at the map again. "Inform the Kel-Morians at once to leave behind their siege tanks and hide them in the mines. Once we give the signal, have the tanks emerge and begin bombarding the enemy. The hills will prevent the protoss war machines from retaliating easily, since their lasers can only target in their line of sight which will be blocked by the terrain if the tanks are positioned correctly. The enemy ground forces will fall over each other trying to escape. Now, we just need to make sure to use our aircraft to screen the area and destroy any observers so that our plans are not detected."
As Hector left to convey the orders, Roland slumped back into his chair again. The bridge of the ship was still filled with a cacophony of noises along with flashing lights and signals. Even closing his eyes only provided some minor relief. After a minute of calm, he ordered another stimulant drink be brought to him. He knew that it was going to be a long day for him. But this was nothing compared to bringing humanity's triumph.
For several hours he waited as battles continued to rage across the surface of Aiur. His attention moved from one battlefield to another, micromanaging the situation when he saw they were imperiled. While the other officers were capable, against such skilled enemy commanders it was a difficult task. Yet the alien commanders also had the advantage of superior endurance and stamina. Even with stimulants, he knew that he would need to end this soon.
The main protoss force was finally approaching the planned ambush point. The siege tanks were prepared in position with fliers deployed to protect them once the fight began. So far, it didn't look like they were detected.
Suddenly, a new alarm went off, warning of an attack on the base.
"Captain, we've just detected a small protoss fleet on a course set directly for our main base."
"We can't spare any fighters to intercept them right now," Roland said. "They are needed for the coming battle. But send some of our frontline soldiers back to reinforce our base just in case. With the defense we have, we should be able to repel the attack."
It was time for the decisive clash.
The sound of rocks being crushed underfoot rumbled in the valley as the protoss and terran army marched. The area was lifeless, having been scoured by the war and left desolate. Large shadows fell over them, cast by the massive colossi walking on the hills surrounding the valley. Below them, the dragoons and goliaths lumbered forward while avoiding the boulders and fissures that littered the path.
Fenix turned his body to look around the sides, his robotic legs carrying him to a new vantage point. He felt ill at ease in this silent landscape even though there were no enemies within sight. Nothing seemed to be out of the ordinary, yet he could not shake the foreboding feeling settling within him.
He opened a communication channel with Selendis at the fleet in orbit coordinating all of their armies. "Executor, are the terrans gathering for an assault against us? It seems odd that they have ignored us after their failed attack."
"I have seen no signs that they are preparing for another attack," she replied. "They were unable to gain a quick victory on the other fronts so their forces are still occupied. They have also been forced to pull back some of their soldiers because of our raid against their base. It would seem that they are in no position to confront your force."
"We must still remain vigilant," Fenix replied. "I doubt they have no other schemes prepared."
"I have already scouted the path ahead with our observers and it does not seem that they are preparing to launch any nuclear missiles against us here. Their ships continue to shadow us, but they cannot afford to get close."
Then, Fenix felt Selendis's mind become tinged with panic.
A few moments later, she responded. "The terrans have brought out tanks in the surrounding hills. They will soon be bombarding your position. You must withdraw immediately."
When the explosions began rocking the ground, the army fell into a state of pandemonium. Clouds of dust choked the valley as new craters were carved in the rocky ground. The dragoons and goliaths stumbled through the haze, some walking in the wrong direction in the confusion and colliding with the others.
Fenix quickly made his way through the confusion, adeptly jumping over newly formed craters as he sought to rally some of his brethren and get them moving out of the valley. The area was becoming a charnel house with the broken shells of dragoons littering the ground while some humans crawled out of their crippled goliath walkers. Along the way, he helped some overturned dragoons get back on their feet.
"Executor, what is the status of our colossi? We need them to destroy those tanks."
"The hills are blocking their line of attack," Selendis replied. "They have to reposition in order to be able to target the tanks. But the terran aircraft have been attacking them, and our own fighters are unable to hold them back."
"Bring the fleet to support us then," Fenix said. Then he leaped to the side just before another explosive shell landed. The explosion didn't manage to break his plasma shield and his dragoon shell was still able to maintain its footing.
He continued to scurry around, sticking close to the sides of the valley to avoid some of the bombardment. The ground was even more rocky and uneven here, making progress rather difficult.
"What is your status?" Fenix asked again.
"My deepest regrets, Praetor," Selendis answered. "The terrans have intercepted our fleet with their battlecruisers when we tried to intervene. I fear that we will need to break off from this engagement as the battle is unfavorable for us."
Fenix could only gaze upon the destruction with helplessness as he moved past the ground littered with the bodies of the dead and those who were beyond saving. He desperately wanted to put an end to this, but there were no enemies in his sight for him to fight, nothing for him to focus his anger and grief on. In the distance, he could see some still clambering toward safety as they rushed toward the mouth of the valley. Another explosion erupted from the ground near them, sending three dragoons tumbling across the ground. Two of them got up and kept moving, though slower than before. One never got up again.
"The protoss force has been crushed," Hector reported. "Their war machines were destroyed and their aircraft forced to withdraw. It would seem that most of their ground force is destroyed."
However, Roland barely reacted to this news. Instead, his attention was focused on the attack occurring at their main base. Contrary to his expectations, the protoss ships were able to break through, deploying some kind of energy field to scramble the sensors of his defenses around the base. From there, a small group had been dropped into the base. They were invisible to the naked eye and though his base had sensors placed throughout, these attackers were able to overwhelm the defenders and destroy them.
Though the hidden enemies' numbers were few, their focus on stealth allowed them to wreak havoc throughout the base. Roland had to reorganize his men and move them around in large enough groups to deter ambushes while trying to root out the attackers. Yet even then some groups would suddenly disappear with only a few panicked communications betraying their gruesome fate.
Eventually, the goal of the attackers became clear. They were targeting the machines that his scientists were using to maintain an iron grip over the zerg cerebrates. While supposedly the zerg cerebrates had submitted to the Directorate voluntarily, he had no belief that they would remain loyal without these control measures. As the attackers neared their target, he made his choice.
"Activate our countermeasures," Roland ordered. "Kill the cerebrates."
"Are you sure, sir?" Hector asked. "Our orders were to keep them alive."
"We can't risk them falling into enemy hands now." Roland looked forward with a face carved out of stone. "It will be a setback to lose access to their forces, but we have exhausted most of their armies in the battle already. Having them fall into the hands of the enemy would be far more disastrous in the long run."
"These are only a few of the cerebrates." Hector's voice held a doubting tone that Roland had seldom heard from him. "Killing them could damage our relations with the other cerebrates. There is more at stake than just our battle here."
"The zerg cerebrates have always been unwilling allies," Roland said with a scoff. "They are without a doubt always looking for an opportunity to betray us. So long as we give them no opportunity, they can do nothing. Besides, with these new machines at our disposal, they will not be able to turn against us even if they wanted to."
Another alert flashed on the screen, showing that they lost contact with the guards protecting the core region where the cerebrates and the machines controlling them were located.
Roland's tone gave no allowance for disagreement. "We have no time. Either we remove these cerebrates permanently or we will see the enemy emancipate them. Do it."
A series of large explosions rang out in the zerg hives, and his zerg forces on the battlefield descended into a wild frenzy.
As he watched the protoss force withdraw from the base, Roland prepared a message to be sent off world. He would need support from the Psi Disruptor.
For now, both sides sank into an uneasy calm as they pondered their next moves. No plan had survived contact with the enemy, but they would simply have to make do with new ones.