Chapter 31: The Price of War

The walls shook and another chunk of the ceiling crashed down in pieces next to them. Fenix shifted forward for an instant, firing his phase disruptor around the corner of the wall and vaporizing the cockpit of an approaching goliath walker. Gunfire from the accompanying marines answered, spraying the wall behind him.

As the enemy approached, the warriors beside him sprung into action, braving the gunfire with their shields as they ran forward to slice apart the terran soldiers. Fenix moved again, firing toward the soldiers in the back and blasting through their formation. It only took a few seconds before all fell silent again.

As the enemy retreated, the shelling petered out and eventually ceased. The ancient temple complex was mostly in ruins by now. When the zerg had come, this place was abandoned. Now though, it was a refuge for the noncombatants he was guarding after days of moving from one hidden location to the next, with the terrans soon finding them each time.

Fenix walked back toward the main hall of the temple, a towering structure from their once glorious past. He surveyed those assembled within. For some, they had spent many months in hiding from the zerg that still roamed Aiur before being rescued, only to once more be forced on the run. Others had returned to Aiur from Shakuras through the warp gate, wanting to contribute to the reclamation and reconstruction efforts.

Sunlight was leaking through a hole in the ceiling, and the broken remnants of a stone pillar littered the ground. Fenix spotted several protoss gathered together around someone. As he walked forward, those gathered moved aside to make way until he could finally see. Now, he saw the one laying on the ground with legs mangled beyond recognition.

Fenix leaned close to the wounded old scholar. "Nahrundor, what happened here?"

"Struck by falling stone," he answered. "An ancient temple like this from millenia ago was not built to withstand the rigors of battle. I fear that I am not long for this world."

"Nonsense," Fenix said. "You still live and can be fitted with new limbs. Even if you cannot fight as a dragoon like me, your mind is still whole."

"I shall be a burden–"

"We will not leave any more behind," Fenix declared. "Now, we must relocate to a more secure location."

Though the terrans had retreated for the moment, Fenix knew they would be back before long and they would have to flee again. As much as he longed to stand and fight properly in a grand climactic battle, the collateral damage from such a clash would bring too much harm to those under his charge.

None of his options were good. They had fled quite far already from the relatively pacified area around the warp gate, and out here the increasing numbers of feral zerg became ever more difficult to avoid. At this rate, both armies would be increasingly at risk. Perhaps it was finally time to find a place to make a stand and fight the decisive battle he knew the enemy commander must similarly crave. A battle to decide who would rise victorious.

Fenix contemplated his options as they continued the trek through the hilly land filled with decaying trees, blighted by the war which left no corner of Aiur untouched. Just how much longer would Aiur continue to be devastated?

Finally, he came to a stop.

One of the warriors beside him turned to question the pause. "Praetor, why have we halted?"

"We shall fortify ourselves here on this plateau," Fenix said. "The terrain will make it difficult for the enemy to assail us, and the hills will blunt the effect of the enemy bombardment."

"We shall do as you command," they replied. Then after a momentary pause, they asked one more question. "And what of our noncombatants? They lack the shields to protect them should the enemy attack be especially fierce."

Fenix nodded. "I want you and several others to lead them to the caves of Mendella. There they can be kept safe until the conclusion of our battle."

"Understood, Praetor."

As the contingent departed, Fenix directed the remaining warriors into position. Though the terrain was favorable, the enemy still possessed considerable numerical advantage over them. The key was to use that terrain to minimize those advantages and create a defensive line that can protect them from attacks from all angles.

For now, they could take a moment to rest. It would be some time before the enemy arrived, and when they did, he would be ready. Fenix flexed his limbs, testing that each joint was operating at optimal efficiency. They would decide the fate of Aiur here, and he will not be found lacking.

Fenix meditated upon his situation and of his people as a whole. For centuries he had fought as an honorable warrior under the direction of the Conclave, but never had he had to bear the weight of his entire people on his shoulders. The events of the past year, which was close to a blink of an eye in his life, had upended everything so completely and utterly. Perhaps in the future, those of this generation would be spoken of as those of the present spoke of Adun and Khas.

At last, Fenix was roused from his reverie when he was informed that the terrans had arrived. They paused out of range, still surveying the situation. No doubt their commander was assessing his forces and readying himself for their clash.

Fenix expected that he would soon be mired in the thick of the battle. He left his section of the line deliberately weak, or at least it would appear that way. But with him and their best warriors here, they would bear the brunt of any enemy advance. Then, the rest of his army would be able to counterattack and encircle the enemy.

The ground shook. Dirt and pebbles were tossed into the air, but the rocks in front of him blocked the brunt of the shockwave. The hills served as natural cover here and though they could be worn down over time, he doubted the terrans would expend so much ammunition to level the landscape so thoroughly, considering how they seemed to be rationing their usage in recent days. Fenix waited calmly as the bombardment began to lessen, each explosion becoming more and more sporadic.

He waited and watched for the terrans to begin their advance. In the distance, they were shuffling their forces around but made no moves to attack. Time continued to pass, and the movements of the enemy continued to be inscrutable. What were they planning?

The enemy made their move and the board was set. Roland steepled his fingers as he examined the battlefield in front of him. The protoss had chosen a good place to make their stand. As long as they were hidden in the shadows of the hills, they were mostly protected against his tanks. And a direct assault would no doubt be a quagmire. There were perhaps some vulnerabilities in the protoss lines, but the enemy no doubt had some tricks up their sleeves.

Although, there was one separate group of protoss on the move, heading into some caves. They clearly wanted to be kept out of the way during the battle. His army couldn't directly strike at them with the bulk of the enemy army in the way. However, a small force could slip by…

A plan began forming in his mind. After all, the best fortifications were of no use if you were forced to leave them.

Fenix stood in shock as the report was delivered. "Praetor! Some elements of the enemy force scouting the area have slipped around us. They are moving toward Mendella."

His heart froze. The terrans… was their goal truly the refugees all along? It was senseless. They had their chance to fight his army right here and now. During their initial invasion and the later battles, the terrans had ignored the noncombatants and prioritized fighting the protoss warriors, so why were they so focused on them now?

He had to hurry back to defend them. He could not let more of his people die. Fenix quickly gave orders for his warriors to move.

As they began their retreat, fiery death rained from the sky. The terran artillery ceased their silence and began firing upon the retreating protoss. At the same time, the army began to rush forward, advancing rapidly in the absence of any opposition.

Fenix could only watch helplessly as his brethren fell around him from the overwhelming bombardment. Some who were crippled could only be left behind while the rest fled, certain to meet their end once the terran army reached them. Faced with the full extent of the enemy's plot, all that remained in his mind was numbness and rage. These terrans, they would really sink so low. Even when the prospect of honorable combat was presented to them, they resorted to such perfidy. Were none among them warriors? Had they no sense of shame?

He arrived at Mendella to be faced with the sight of carnage. Many of his people lay dead as the terrans assailed the subterranean complex. Their attack ceased as his forces arrived, turning to face their new opposition, one actually capable of fighting back. However, they were no match for him. Every last one of them was exterminated, but it was only cold comfort.

The main terran army was bearing down on them, and the only option was for the battered remnants of his army to join the survivors in the caves. Trapped within, all they had left was to attempt to survive as long as they could. They would stand together or die together.

As the hours continued to pass by, the terran attacks were ceaseless. For the first time in his life, Fenix felt no yearning for battle. There was no honor or glory to be found here, only the cold reminder of his failure and what was lost. His heart burned with indignity at how the terrans had trampled over honorable warfare, yet he was helpless to stop them. All he could hope for now was for Raynor and Zeratul to return swiftly.

"Wake up, Captain."

Roland's eyes blinked open, the haze of drowsiness slowly lifting as he faced upward at his aide shaking him awake.

He sat up in the bed, staring into space for several seconds before finally responding. "Have they showed up?"

"Yes. The ships we sent to monitor the perimeter of the planet detected them several minutes ago. Several were destroyed by the enemy fleet during their approach."

Roland tossed on his uniform in a hurry, hastily buttoning up the shirt as they walked to the bridge. "You've given the withdrawal orders?"

Hector nodded. "Yes sir. The orders are being communicated now to the officers. They'll be following the plan."

Roland's face remained grim. Even though everything was according to plan, the mere fact that the withdrawal order was given meant they had already failed. When Tarsonis went silent, paired with elements of the enemy force no longer showing their presence here, he suspected that they had slipped away to strike at the Psi Disruptor. He had hoped they would fail, or that he could achieve the final victory here first.

Roland shook himself from his thoughts as he arrived at the bridge. He looked up at the screen displaying the current state of the battlefield. "Where is the enemy landing?"

"We don't know sir," one officer replied. "They blew through our picket and we haven't been able to track them since. Their stealth generators are keeping them hidden."

"Tell our retreating armies to stay on the alert for any attacks as we pull back to the extraction zone. In the meantime, keep scanning to find the enemy." Roland continued gazing at the map, deep in thought as he pondered the enemy's next move. They would certainly have some greater scheme in mind with their return.

The sound of pebbles crunching under metal boots filled the air as he marched along the path with the rest of his battalion. Around them was a lifeless wasteland gouged with furrows and craters. There was nothing around as they continued forward one step at a time. Then, a voice from beside him interrupted the drudgery.

"Hey Adam, do you think we really needed to pack up and leave so quickly?"

Adam turned to Margaret, one of the medics in his squad. "I dunno, they told us we'd be in danger soon and had to withdraw. But we were whipping those aliens and almost had them. I didn't come all the way here from Earth just to run away at the first hint of danger. Though I trust the commander to know what he's doing."

"I know, he hasn't steered us wrong yet," Margaret replied. "But after having all those soldiers die here, giving up when we're so close just feels like such a waste."

"Yeah I get that," he said. "We lost some good pals here. It doesn't feel good to say we lost this one and have to leave. But orders are orders."

Suddenly, a shout came from up ahead. "Form up ranks. We've got zerg incoming from the west."

"Zerg?" Why are the zerg coming at us all of a sudden?" Adam said as he shuffled into formation and started looking around.

In the distance, the first zerg appeared, coming over the crest of a far off hill. He and the rest of the marines still held their fire, watching as the swarm of zerglings got closer. Then the ground shook as explosions erupted in the distance, blasting apart the approaching zerg and littering the landscape with yet more craters.

Still, the zerg kept rushing forward, heedless of the casualties. As the survivors trickled through, Adam and his squad opened fire, Slaughtering scores of zerglings but unable to stop the wave from crashing into the first ranks of marines. As he rushed to reload, he spotted hydralisks in the mix now descending upon them as well.

While most of them were blown to bits by the bombardment, the remainder slithered forward, then reared back. A flurry of spines filled the air, some embedding themselves into the ground in front of him while others flew overhead. Adam was jolted back by a sudden impact on his shoulder pauldron. He quickly glanced at the gouge carved into the metal - the projectile had glanced off rather than penetrated.

He fired back at the approaching hydralisks, slaying them in hasty bursts even as more continued to close on his squad. He turned to a scream of terror behind him, freezing stiff as he saw a zergling dig mercilessly into the mangled face of the man next to him. A shot from his gun rang out and the zergling which had slipped through slumped dead atop the corpse. He paused for a brief moment as his thoughts finally caught up with his instincts and he realized the close call, that he could have easily been that zergling's victim.

More zerglings were getting dangerously near and he continued to desperately spray down any zergling that tried to pounce him. His frantic trance was broken with a burst of pain from his left leg, causing him to drop to the ground. A bony spine, stuck through the armor around his leg. His gun dropped on the ground as he groaned in pain.

A metal shield dropped in front of him as a pale, armored hand pushed his arm to the side, away from his leg. Through winced eyes he saw Margaret kneeling next to him, looking at the wound. Her hands grabbed onto the spine.

Pain. His world was filled with a deep burning agony coming from his leg. Adam screamed and for that moment all other thoughts had vanished from his mind.

Then almost as quickly as it appeared, the pain faded away. He allowed himself to open his eyes again and saw that the spine was no longer there.

"Luckily it was just a graze," Margaret said. "I've stopped the bleeding and dulled the pain in that area so you can still walk."

"Thanks," Adam sputtered, still in shock.

The zerg numbers were thinning out and soon it was just small streams of stragglers running in to die with suicidal overconfidence. With the zerg cleaned up, Adam and his battered squad forced themselves back on the march once more.

"How did all of these zerg appear so soon and in so many places?" Roland demanded.

The staff in the command bridge was silent, no one having an answer for how they missed such a possibility when planning.

Roland sighed. "At least our losses were relatively light. Honestly, the zerg attack was beyond sloppy. I was expecting more from them given their performance before, but I won't complain."

"Sir, perhaps these zerg weren't being commanded," Hector interjected. "We've dealt with feral zerg lurking in the wilderness on this planet before."

"If they were feral, how could they have coordinated an attack of this scale?" Roland frowned. "For them to attack all at the same time, they must be controlled. But you are right, the messy nature of their attacks also points to them being uncontrolled."

As he tapped his fingers on the metal dashboard, still troubled by the contradiction, something in his memory came to mind from the archives he had looked through all those months ago back on Tarsonis. Psi emitters, that was what the Confederacy was using to lure the zerg to serve as attack dogs. Could there be something similar here? No, there was no way for the enemy to have prepared all of that ahead of time. But the results were eerily similar, as if they were being lured toward his armies.

He knew the cerebrates said they could not command the zerg left feral after the death of their brethren, but it didn't seem farfetched to think that they could be influenced psionically. And without the Psi Disruptor hampering such signals, it could be possible for the ferals to be influenced into going on the attack even without being directly controlled.

"This is extremely troublesome," Roland announced to his staff. "It seems the enemy has some way of inducing the feral zerg into aggression. We will have to assume that we will encounter more such ambushes in the future. Tell our forces to be prepared for anything."

The tension in the room was thick as time passed with what felt like agonizing slowness. Dots inched forward on the map, showing tangible progress of their own forces that nonetheless felt far too slow.

An urgent alert came in from the commander of one of the armies. They were being attacked by protoss. Roland gritted his teeth. It seemed that even after the losses the protoss had taken over the past few days, they still had more fight left in them.

"Send our available aircraft to provide support," he ordered. "Tell the men on the ground to push back the enemy advance and then mine the area to slow them down while they continue the withdrawal."

"Captain, Lieutenant Clark's regiment is coming under heavy zerg attack."

Roland switched his view to examine the battlefield. "This attack is actually well coordinated," he muttered. "Tell them to prioritize a strong defense to blunt the initial zerg attack. Continue their withdrawal once the zerg back off, but we need to stop them from harrying us. Keep me updated on the tactical situation and I'll continue to advise as the situation develops."

"Captain, the Kel-Morian contingent is on the line."

"What is it now?" Roland's scowl deepened.

"The Kel-Morians said they need more time to complete their withdrawal. They said they were delayed gathering up their valuable finds and samples."

"They have got to be joking." Roland's voice turned ice cold. "I already told them before to not get involved with mining minerals or whatever they are after until the battle is over. They were supposed to just garrison their positions and defend. So you're telling me they went and did this again."

"I suppose that the few days we spent without being under serious threat caused them to laxen on following orders," Hector muttered.

"It's greed. Pure greed. That is all that is. I tell them to be ready to withdraw at a moment's notice and here they are unprepared because they were busy looking for profit. Absolutely worthless, the whole lot of them!" Roland took in deep breaths. "Truly, the thing to be feared isn't fighting against enemies possessing incredible skill and power, it is having allies that are complete garbage."

"So what are we going to do?" Hector asked. "Most of their forces aren't going to be able to reach the landing zone in time. We'll need to buy more time somehow."

"Buy more time?" Roland seemed incredulous. "Are they expecting me to perform magic? At this rate, our armies are barely going to be able to make it out. And they want us to hold back the enemy here? That is impossible. To hell with them."

Roland paused for a moment, considering the map again. "Perhaps their stragglers can serve as a suitable distraction to attract the enemy's attention. If I adjust our planned movements, the pressure on our forces will be reduced. At least they will be useful for one thing at least."

News continued to trickle in. Roland listened and gave his orders. Sporadic feral zerg attacks all around. Being dealt with. Protoss army still pursuing. Rearguard is successfully holding them back. Constant harassment from that infested psionic who has been so irritating to deal with along with her zerg. They could only just do their best to repel the zerg and do enough damage to force her to retreat. Pursuit won't work out, it never does. A problem which they really ought to start finding an answer for, but that was a question for another day.

Meanwhile there were also attacks from those traitors to mankind joining in the fight too. They were a slippery bunch, very hard to pin down. More ambushes, this time from cloaked protoss. He directed more scans to keep tabs on them. Another large concentration of feral zerg appeared. He'd need to reroute his troops again.

The updates continued to stream in. A procession of grim news, only broken by sporadic triumphs which saved the situation from disaster. Sweat trailed down his skin as each moment passed by with agonizing slowness.

"We cannot fall here," Roland muttered quietly, unheard by those around him. "We are the sword and shield of humanity."

The aliens were powerful; none could deny it. When they had first appeared, the people of the sector could do little but tremble and hide as the zerg and protoss battled each other, laying waste to the terran worlds in the process. Helpless, that is how the colonists described themselves in those dark days. Only when the two alien races battled each other to exhaustion did the opportunity arise to overturn the situation.

Against all odds, Earth had gained a hard fought victory. Yet the tenacious aliens could not be defeated easily, returning with new schemes and assets. They could not be allowed to prevail again. This was not merely a fight over a single planet. It was a war for humanity to be able to decide its own fate. He could not allow either the worthless parasites to weigh him down nor the traitors to bar his path, not with what was at stake. A universe for humans to truly live.

Just a bit longer. The preparations to evacuate were almost complete. As long as they could live to fight another day, not all would be lost.

"Captain, one of our divisions is reporting that they are being slowed down traveling through the marshy valley in sector K33. It's not far to our main base after they get out, but the protoss are bearing down on them. They say they aren't going to make it in time."

The terrain had proven more troublesome than expected. Roland tapped his finger with an ever increasing frequency against the metal surface he leaned on. "Do they have more mines they can lay down?"

"They've already used them all up, sir."

Roland looked around for any possible reinforcements to send. But all of their reserves were already committed elsewhere. The other armies were still on the move as well and they would need time to arrive. If the protoss broke through here, his armies would be caught in the rear and the results would be catastrophic. He had to stop them somehow.

The valley was a good place for an ambush, but unfortunately he hadn't prepared anything. The original plan wouldn't have led them through here. If only he had foreseen this earlier and made preparations for an ambush that could turn the tables. Of all the times to slip up, it had to be now. To let such a good location go to waste was truly a shame. Roland thought for a moment and then paused. It was still a good location and everyone could see that. Perhaps it would not need to go to waste.

"Tell the soldiers to halt their progress at the mouth of the valley," Roland ordered, now looking up with confidence.

"Sir? There's no way they can hold off an enemy army of that size," Hector said with confusion.

"If all goes well, they won't have to," Roland answered.

Fenix marched forward, each step bringing him closer to the enemy. The terrans of Earth had employed many tricks to hinder his progress, but now he would finally have a chance to strike back. Though his mechanical body was marred and battered, none of that could stop him. Artanis walked alongside him, their two forces having joined up again as they pursued the terrans. As they trekked through the valley, their enemy was almost within reach.

"The enemy has halted their retreat," Artanis suddenly reported. "They seem to be consolidating at the exit of the valley."

"Have they finally found what little shred of honor lies within them?" Fenix scoffed. "Come, let us destroy them once and for all. They cannot hope to defeat us."

"Indeed they cannot," Artanis agreed. Yet, he did not feel reassured.

"Why do you doubt, Artanis?" Fenix felt taken aback by the hesitation he sensed.

"They stand no chance of defeating us. That is known to us all," Artanis said. "Yet why would they fight here? Their commander is not unskilled, they have shown themselves to be a dangerous opponent. Such a move is uncharacteristic of them."

"What are you saying, Artanis?" Fenix asked.

"This location was chosen for a reason." Artanis stopped in his tracks. "This is a trap. We must retreat for now."

"Retreat?" Fenix was shocked, almost incredulous at the suggestion. "After all they have done, with them right here in our sights, you wish to flee? Have your defeats dulled your spirit so much?"

"We cannot afford to play into the enemy's hands yet again," Artanis said firmly. "The enemy is cunning. We must not underestimate them. We must first ascertain the nature of their scheme before we continue our advance."

"If there is a scheme, then we must simply fight our way through it," Fenix said. "Their tricks will not stop us. Not here, not now. We cannot let them escape after their crimes against our people."

"Such foolhardiness is what caused us to fall into such a dire state to begin with," Artanis retorted. "If we are to succeed then we must learn from our mistakes. Do not let your pride and anger drag you forward."

"Pride and anger? I held my position in Antioch with a token force as you rushed to battle. I lost my body in combat to the zerg, and even in death I still served. I held my position on Aiur as you fled with the Dark Templar to Shakuras. You are a hundred years too soon to be speaking to me of foolhardiness, young Artanis." Fenix's anger was becoming ever more evident.

Artanis took a step back. "Fenix, forgive me. I do not mean to disparage your skill and experience, nor your strength of will. I know what is at stake here, believe me. We cannot afford to let ourselves fall into another trap. Boldness and fortitude can bring us far, but sometimes, it just isn't enough, no matter how much we try, how much we struggle against it all." Artanis seemed to slip into resigned indignation. "If only it wasn't so."

Artanis paused for a moment, letting his words sink in. "We shall retreat for now. Our observers will scour the area and uncover the nature of the enemy's scheme. Then we shall land our decisive blow."

"You have let your fear guide you," Fenix said.

"No, this is the only way forward for us. When you join with those in the Khala, how will you answer them if we cause the destruction of our people," Artanis replied. "We must pull back and wait."

As Artanis ordered a retreat, Fenix had no choice but to follow. But with a keen eye he continued to watch the enemy, in anticipation of his retribution.

"Have our observers spotted anything yet?" Fenix asked.

"No, the enemy must be well hidden," Artanis replied. "We are continuing to scan the area. They will not be able to hide for long."

"Perhaps there is nothing at all," Fenix said.

"We shall see." Artanis continued to focus on observation, thinking through the possibilities.

Suddenly, the UED army began retreating.

Fenix immediately sprung into action, running forward in pursuit once more.

"We have been deceived," he said. "We must pursue the enemy at once."

The rest of the army quickly followed, once again beginning the trek through the valley. But as they exited, they could only stare from afar at the distant terran army. From above, large spaceships descended, taking with them the surviving UED forces.

Fenix turned to Artanis. "This is what your hesitance has cost us. We had the enemy in our grasp. Yet you have allowed them to escape unmolested."

"It seems that I was in error," Artanis said. "But I have never waved in my duty to our people. And it is for them that I made my choices."

"And now many of our people lie dead, their killers unpunished," Fenix said bitterly.

Artanis stood silently.

"Do you have nothing to say?" Fenix said, his anger beginning to rise again.

"What good can my words do now?" Artanis replied with a sigh. "I cannot bring them back or erase what had happened. If I had known in the past all that I know now, I would surely have acted differently. But fate makes fools of us all, and none among us can know the future. If only we could… so much could have been avoided."

"We must take a count of our dead," Artanis continued. "We must know what was lost and what we still have. They shall not be forgotten."

Fenix watched as the terran ships soon faded from sight, but their actions would not fade so easily. Every time he gazed upon the ruins, he would be reminded of his failure and the terrans who had made such a mockery of his honor. Was this all that war had come to now? That was something he could not accept. There would be a reckoning for this.