The Beginning of the End

The light that entered the room was slightly dim. Outside, rain danced on the windows of the Terran buildings. The storm had been raging for days now, and the ground next to the Command Center had turned to mud. By the window stood a desk and a chair pushed back from it. A gleaming weapon rested on the desk, and on either side were tall cabinets with carefully arranged books.

In the center stood a tall figure, framed by the incoming light. He was donning green armor. It was Raynor. The armor had never been worn by anyone before; it had been polished and had come into Jim's possession as a prototype for his new protective gear. The weapon was also a prototype for a new 20mm cannon with explosive rounds. The Terran was the first to test these accessories.

A moment later, a knock sounded at the door, and a medium-height figure entered the room. Judging by the man's hand, one could deduce he was a scholar or scientist. His face was expressionless, but suddenly brightened as a smile appeared. Jim knew who it was. He had given him what he was wearing now and what lay on his desk. His name was Taros, and he was the head of the Academy and the Engineering Station. Information about new discoveries reached him before anyone outside could find out. He was also his friend.

"How does it fit?" he asked .

"Pretty good. I didn't realize it was so light. How durable is the suit?" Jim asked

. "About 70% more durable than the older model.

" "Any additional features?

" "It can withstand temperatures of 1200 degrees. The older model started to soften at 500. It also has a healing system and steroids installed. Photon beams can reach 200 meters on a foggy morning.

" "Not bad," Raynor said, "when will you start mass production?

" "We should be starting soon. However, we're short on raw materials, and that's holding us back." "Taros informed

. "Hmm, unfortunately, there's nothing I can do about that. Go to Crowel.

" "Uh, I don't think he'll even give me a bucket of minerals." The Terran's voice was laced with doubt, as Major Crowel was the commander in this city and everything related to raw materials and gas was his responsibility.

Jim laughed. He knew Taros's superior's manner well, but there was nothing he could do about it. He picked up the gun from the desk and said,

"Let's go try this thing out." He nodded to Taros, who was looking at the neatly arranged books on the shelf.

"Yes, of course... I see you like Science Fiction," the Terran stated.

"Yeah... I like reading about how the human race defeats the aliens attacking their world. It's just a shame it doesn't work in real life." Jim's face darkened.

"Meaning?" Taros asked, curious.

"Have you heard of Operation Moment of Glory?" Raynor asked, his expression even more dejected.

"I don't remember.

" "And you should... you should.

" "Could you elaborate on that?" Taros asked.

"I'll tell you on the way to the range," Jim suggested, then tightened his grip on his weapon and left the room.

Chapter 1

General Duke and Commander Arcturus Mengsk commanded a fleet consisting of eight Behemoth-class cruisers and over 60 Starfighters. They had brought them from all corners of the Margotu and Koprulu sectors. They planned an attack on the Cerebrate, located over 5,000 kilometers away. First, they destroyed the strategic surface-to-air defense points, i.e., most of the enemy Spore Colony, from orbit. The Zerg deployed hordes of Bane to defend themselves. However, they accomplished nothing more than destroying a few Starfighters, as two Hellfire missiles were enough to disable them. Halfway through the battle between the Nightmares and the Starfighters, the Overmind sent several dozen Mutalisks to aid its warriors. Damned creatures!

The Mutalisks suffered a similar fate as the Nightmares. However, they were smarter than these "blind terrorists," and seeing themselves being decimated, they retreated, hiding in the planet's atmosphere. Mengsk had no choice but to order all cruisers and Starfighters to descend to an altitude of 6 km above the planet's surface and begin searching for the Cerebrate.

The day was rather strange in that part of the world. Beyond the infected soil, the landscape was strangely yellowed. Furthermore, a thick, pale yellow fog hung in the air. The mysterious disappearance of the Mutalisks unnerved General Duke and Arcturus. No one knew where they were or what they were doing. The cruisers descended to an even lower altitude to destroy the remaining Spore Colony formation.

In my room, I had two images on my screen: one from the Overlord, the other from the Cannibal. I could hear all the orders the cruisers' owners were issuing. I heard Duke shouting to activate the underhull searchlights, and Mengsk's command to activate the fighters' cloaking field.

Suddenly, Duke yelled, "What the f*** is that?" Something was indeed wrong. A dozen or so Suzerains were slowly emerging from the fog and beginning to approach the Terran army. This created a tense atmosphere on board the cruisers, as each commander saw that these creatures were incapable of attacking both air and ground targets. The decision was made to eliminate them as quickly as possible.

The fighters and cruisers closed within firing range, and Mengsk was about to order an attack when something happened. I even saw him raise his hand to signal. At that same moment, his face quivered, a look of utter fear. Before his eyes, monsters twice the size of Mutalisks, resembling Zergling heads with wings attached, appeared. They emerged from the fog, along with the surviving Mutalisks. They attacked Duke and Mengsk's flagship cruisers with a viscous, purple liquid that completely obscured the vision of the entire crew.

The General was the first to wake up and yelled, "Alpha Squadron, destroy the bastards." With that, the Starfighters launched their attack alongside the cruisers. However, the new forms of Mutalisks proved too powerful for the Terran army to defeat. The Starfighters were being destroyed en masse. A shout rang out from the bridge of the Overlord: "Admiral... Severe damage to the ship... We must evacuate this ship immediately." With that, Mengsk's figure disappeared from the screen. He had likely been picked up by the crew, who had put him in an escape pod and launched him from the cruiser. After a moment, the ship's captain's face appeared in the image. In a firm voice, he spoke into the microphone directed at me, "Lieutenant Raynor! We are under attack by unknown Zerg creations. We will fight to the last to protect Arcturus Mengsk's pod, which is now heading into space. Please send the Ship immediately." Transport to take over the cargo and the admiral…" Then the connection was severed. I lost contact with the Overlord, and after a short moment, with the Cannibal as well (Duke shouted, "You sons of bitches..." before disconnecting).

I couldn't come to for a long moment. Some part of my brain tried to break through the wall of astonishment, despair, and hatred. Finally, I stopped staring at the black images on the screen and relaxed enough to remember what the captain of Mengsk's flagship had said. Knocking over everything I could, I ran up the stairs of the Command Center, then through the city streets, until I found myself in Starport. I quickly ordered the launch of the only Fighter left in the hangar and the Transport Ship. The pilot took off and directed his ship into space. I watched the sky as it receded. That was the last time I saw him.

Operation Liberation Day had been a failure, and because of it, every key commander on the Terran world had perished.

Chapter 2

After finishing the story, Jim's face was filled with sadness and grief for his lost friend and the deaths of several hundred people. He and Taros were now standing in front of the doors of the commando shooting range.

"You know, one thing puzzles me. It's been over two years since that battle. How is it possible that you haven't heard about it?" Raynor asked.

"Hmm... I don't know how to put this. Two years ago, I was an ordinary employee at the Academy on Korhal IV. I wasn't particularly interested in warfare on distant planets. Perhaps that's why..."

Taros knocked, then opened the door and motioned for Jim to go in first (after the defeat in the battle for the fate of the planet and the deaths of Mengsk and Duke, Jim had been recognized as General of the Terran Military and Supreme Commander of the Army). After doing so, he pushed his way inside. Several Rangers were in the large hall. Some were chatting, while others were testing their skills by aiming their T-82 rifles at targets. There were a few empty stations out of the ten on either side of the hall.

Jim approached one of the stations and said,

"Well, let's see what this thing can do." As he spoke, he glanced at the polished weapon with the inscription "Splinter Rifle" on the stock. He raised it to eye level, aimed, and unleashed a volley of rounds at a target 20 meters away. All bullets hit their targets, making 20mm diameter holes. The screen at Jim's station showed the following statistics: 1x10pts, 2x9pts, 1x7pts, 1x3pts, Total - 29pts.

- Not bad! – Taros praised – press this and try again – saying this, he pointed to a small, rectangular button with the letter M. It was located near the index finger of his left hand, which held the weapon (a similar grip to an old-fashioned AK-47 from the 20th century on planet Earth).

Jim aimed again and pressed the trigger. The shot knocked his weapon up slightly. He looked at the shield, but it wasn't there. Instead, gray smoke rose there. Everyone in the room looked at Jim and his friend.

- What was that? - asked Raynor in surprise

. - It was a fragmentation round. - informed Taros, pleased. - When it touches a surface, it explodes. One shot is probably enough for a Hydralisk, and it's not worth wasting it on a Zergling. The gun itself finishes the creature off after 2-3 bursts.

- Hmm... How many rounds can you fit in one magazine?

- Exactly 35. The armor you're wearing has special slots for 5 such magazines and 2 for 20mm cannons, holding 250 rounds. They extend from the right and left sides of the suit.

"How did you all fit all that into that rifle?" Raynor asked.

"Huh... Impressive, isn't it?" Jim's companion smiled.

"Yeah... Can I keep it?

" "Sure, it's yours, along with the armor," Taros said.

"Start mass production as soon as possible." The Terran ordered.

"Yes, sir!"

Raynor emerged from the hall, where missiles began to echo once again. He went to his room, where he had left the gifts Taros had given him, and then to the main hall of the Command Center. He hoped that this time Tassadar would answer his call. He spoke to the link and after a moment, heard the voice of the Mainframe (an artificially intelligent computer): "No response, connection lost." The Terran's expression darkened.

A year and a half had passed since the Protoss left this planet. It had happened so suddenly. The Templar, in parting, had simply said, "Be strong, we will return!" After their departure, observers reported that most of the abandoned Protoss bases had been taken over by the Zerg. A narrow corridor of desert terrain separated the city from the rest of the uninfested planet. Currently, the entire planet has been taken over by alien organisms. The only Terran settlement remains beyond enemy reach.

The city was fortified and fortified. The Zerg could not penetrate the defenses in units smaller than a few hundred. In recent months, a decline in Zerg activity was observed on the southern side. The northern part is defended by numerous Missile Towers. There was no question of an air attack. The only thing that worried Raynor was in Starport, or rather, it wasn't. All 30 Dropships were dispatched over a year ago to the distant planet Mar Sara to aid the Terrans fighting the Zerg there. Unfortunately, no thought was given to a possible evacuation from planet Margot at the time. Therefore, efforts were focused on fortifying the city rather than building transports.

During this period, a surface-to-surface missile launcher was also developed. It is mounted in special buildings similar to Missile Towers, but the missiles are aimed at the ground. They have great destructive power, and a few missiles are enough to kill an Ultralisk. Over 20 such defense points were installed in the city.

There was only one road to the city-turned-fortress. It was very narrow, and on the sides of the cliff were bunkers and Missile Towers, which made it difficult for the enemy to get inside. Furthermore, the road was heavily mined.

Jim felt tired. So he decided to take a short nap in his quarters. He went there immediately. As he entered the room, a great weakness overcame him. Unable to stand on his own two feet, he fell to his knees, then to the floor. He felt his heart beating weaker and weaker. He had a feeling that this was the end of his life. But why? What had he done to deserve this, he thought. Finally, his mind gave out, and the Terran fell into the dark abyss of sleep.

Chapter 3

"The Zerg are breaking into the city!" one of the Commandos shouted. "Everyone to the shelter!"

A large number of Hydralisks and Zerglings were passing through the narrow passage, slaughtered by Terrans hidden in bunkers and Missile Turrets. Constant artillery fire from tanks and airstrikes – despite these efforts, the enemy was closing in on their last line of defense. Raynor, also fighting among the Commandos with his Splinter, was decimating the Zerg forces. Civilians fled to an underground bunker built specifically for such an emergency.

Suddenly, a strange premonition struck Jim. It was a mixture of hatred and weakness. He suddenly realized that his efforts were futile, for no one could defeat such a large number of enemy units. He was furious that first the Confederacy, and now his military service, had ruined his life. He didn't want to die this way. Anger burned in his eyes toward the Terrans as he slaughtered the brutal Zerg with his weapon.

He decided to end his suffering. A sinister smile graced his face as he turned toward his own building—one of the few remaining bunkers. He ran toward it and, once very close, threw himself against the structure's wall, exploding like an infected Terran.

He awoke in his quarters. He was lying on his right side, his head turned toward the window. He was drenched in a cold sweat. He felt worse than before falling asleep. Now, however, he realized that what he had just experienced was a vision of the near future. He was incredulous that he belonged to the group of people infected by the Zerg Queen. He slowly stood up, as if drunk. He leaned against the wall and looked out the window. The rain had stopped, and the sun was shining. "I wonder how long I slept?" Raynor thought.

He decided to go to a medic to see if his dream was accurate and if he himself was infected by the Queen. It wasn't easy, as every attempt to take a step ended in him falling to the floor. Holding the doorknob, he gently opened it and called out, "Taros!" through the crack (his office was across the hall, a few meters from Raynor's quarters). People emerged from several rooms to see who was making the noise on the floor, which was only accessible to authorized personnel. Taros ran from his office and, following Jim's call, reached his quarters. He carefully opened the door and went inside.

"What happened?" he asked, concerned

. "I need... your help. Help me get to... the hospital center. I don't feel well," the Terran said in a barely audible voice.

"Okay." Taros placed the general's right arm on his shoulder, supporting his body. They moved slowly but steadily. After several minutes, they reached the hospital wing.

Raynor was placed on a bed and examined. Several doctors were watching over his safety. The passage to the sector the Terran was in was sealed, and a small group of Ghosts were keeping it that way.

First, Jim was tested for the Zerg Queen's infection. The result was positive. No trace of the parasite. When Taros learned of this, he was greatly relieved. Ultimately, it was determined that the warden would have to stay in the hospital wing for a few days to recover. He was overtired and hadn't eaten much (probably because he hadn't had time). The doctors gave him some medication intravenously and then left him in a room with the Academy Headmaster.

"Are you better?" Taros asked

. "Ergh... my head is pounding. When did the rain stop?

" "About three hours ago. But I see it's starting again; the weather has been acting strange lately."

"That's a bad sign. Something's going to happen. Something big. Sooner than we imagine," Raynor said, his voice resembling that of a man on the verge of clinical death.

"Do you know what?" Taros asked uncertainly.

"I'm not sure, but I think the Zerg want to destroy our city. They seem to be gathering an army." "

How do you know that?

" "I can feel it. Tell all commanders to gather at my place in two hours.

" "Good," Taros said, approaching the door.

"Aha!" Raynor called to him. "Bring me another flask from my room. It's on the shelf.

" "Hehe," the manager laughed. "Yeah, get some rest." He said, and left the room.

Taros emerged from the hospital wing just as lightning cracked and white light flooded every room in the Command Center. Some looked fearfully at the windows, which were again battered by torrents of rain. The Terran went to the loudspeaker operator and told him to play this message over the loudspeakers: "Attention! By order of General Raynor, all commanders are to report to the hospital wing in Sector A in two hours. I repeat..."

He then went to the observer to see if Raynor's suspicions were correct. The NCO scanned the entire area and adjusted the spatial view. Taros froze. A few kilometers from the city, the Zerg were forming an unimaginably large army. A vast concentration of Hydralisks, Zerglings, and a slightly smaller number of Ultralisks were converging. Suzerains circled the enemy army a dozen or so meters away. As an observer later said, there were only a few days left before the last Zerg forces arrived. Then the final battle for Margot would begin.

So Jim had been right after all, Taros thought. The Terran ran out of the Command Center and quickly headed for the Academy. He headed toward the production manager. He was sitting in the warehouse, calculating something on a calculator and writing it down on paper. Taros asked,

"How long will it take to produce 500 TX-1 armor and Splinter-class rifles?" The manager asked bluntly.

"But boss, these are just prototypes. We have to test them first before we begin mass production..."

"I don't give a damn!" Taros interrupted. "Screw the research! You're to begin mass production immediately! You're to make 100 units by tomorrow, and in two days, there's supposed to be enough for every Commando in the city! Understood?

" "We can't do it! There's only one Academy in the city. With a handful of workers, we won't even have time to build half of what you expect.

" "If you're short on manpower, then put the passersby to work," the manager ordered.

"I'm sorry, but I can't do that.

" "Man! In a few days, this place won't be left unturned. The Zerg are preparing an army of 100,000. There are barely 500 of us. Do you think if they break in, they'll spare you?! No! They'll rip your guts out and play volleyball with your head.

" "..." The manager was speechless. He was mortally terrified by Taros's words. "Fine, I'll do as you say." However, you must give me authorization to bring civilians to work at the Academy.

"Very well, you have my permission. Let's get to work! Every second is precious. Produce as many armor and rifles as you can.

" "Yes, sir," he said with a little more confidence, then headed for the Academy's main production hall.

In the room where Jim lay, there were six men of varying heights.

They stood at attention in a circle behind the warden's bed.

"Gentlemen," Raynor began. "The day is coming when our courage will be tested. The Zerg are preparing a large army in the desert to the south. When they gather their last forces, they will attack in one massive assault. I ask you to do everything in your power to prevent the destruction of the city.

" "General, if I may ask, what are our chances?" one of the men asked.

"Rather slim," Raynor said grimly. "However, it is our duty to protect those who cannot protect themselves. I am thinking now of several thousand civilians."

"We have no chance against 100,000 Zerg!! There are just over 500 of us. We are supposed to defend the common people from the enemy's brutality..." said one of the tallest men, but also the fattest, who was interrupted by the general.

"Brutality versus technology." Jim said calmly. "We have the most advanced weaponry in the entire Koprulu Sector...

" "With all due respect, the Koprulu Sector has been completely taken over by the Zerg. A few days ago, the last bastion on Tarsonis fell." This sad news was delivered by a slim, sharp-featured Terran. Jim lowered his head and scowled. "Only Earth and this city remain in our hands."

"Mr. Wallstone. Please send a message to Earth requesting 20 transport ships to our city area. Please hurry." Raynor knew that even traveling faster than light, the ships would only reach here in five days. "We must hold off the enemy until the transport ships arrive and take us away. Understood?

" "Yes, sir!" everyone shouted.

"Then please make the necessary preparations."

Chapter 3

The next day, Taros went to the Academy to check on the progress of the battle preparations. As he opened the door, a flash of light from inside the building blinded him. He had to shield his eyes because the glare was unbearable. Someone immediately ran up to him and handed him a pair of tinted glasses. Now he saw what was happening inside. Several hundred people crowded into the small room that usually housed assembly lines. The light came from welders, fusion cutters, and so on. So they were getting to work, the manager thought.

He went to the manager and asked directly,

"How are the preparations going?

" "We've produced a dozen or so TX-1 armors and a few fewer Splinter-class rifles. As you can see, we're working at full speed. I even had to bring in civilians. That was good news. The bad news is that we won't have time to produce armor and weapons for everyone. Working all day and night, we should have about 80 armors and 60 rifles tomorrow. That's all we can afford. I'm sorry.

" "Hmm..." Taros mused. He looked around and saw ordinary people who don't normally work with production tools, trying their best to weld and cut materials needed to make protective suits for the Commandos. "Try to produce as many armors as you can. I've been informed that the last Zerg units will arrive tomorrow around 5:00 PM. You are to finish your work and retire to the fallout shelter beneath the city by noon." Only ten men will remain, who will help with donning and moving the armor and briefly train the Commando teams.

"Yes, sir." With that, Taros handed the glasses back to whoever had given them to him and left the building, and the manager also returned to work.

Jim sat in his room, writing in a small twelve-page notebook.

Meanwhile, outside, the Terrans were making final preparations for battle. Several men and a crane were assembling the last surface-to-surface Missile Tower. One of them guided the crane operator to the spot where he was to drop the module.

"A little to the right, still!" he shouted into the microphone, making appropriate hand gestures. "STOP! Good. Now down. OK." With those words, the Tower module was successfully attached to the previously prepared device. "You can activate it, Jankee!"

Another man approached the machine, a black box in his hand, displaying

a display and several buttons. He wore a microphone near his mouth, like most of the workers and officers in this city. He plugged the cable into a special slot in the Tower, which came from the box, and pressed a few buttons. At that moment, the tower rotated 180 degrees, changing the missile's angle 30 degrees upward.

"Got it, John?" asked the Jankee.

"Yes. It's ours," said the amused officer in the Command Center. With that, the cable was disconnected, and the assembly team headed to the Barracks to rest, as this was their fourth Missile Tower they had installed today.

Three of them had already entered the building, and the fourth's attention was drawn to a brown color to the south. He turned his head and squinted. He didn't have to stare at the large gathering of Zerg troops for long to understand what was happening. The enemy was regrouping, preparing to attack the Terran city.

"They'll attack earlier," Jim stated, examining the Zerg gathering through binoculars. "Evacuate everyone to the shelter and order the Commandos to take up positions in the bunkers and on the rocks.

" "Yes, sir," said the Major, who was in the room with Raynor. With that, he left, and the Terran pulled a prototype TX-1 protective suit and a Splinter-class rifle from a compartment in the wall. He put it on, fastening every buckle and latch. After a moment, he took the weapon in his right hand and thought, "Why does everything have to be like this?" After a moment, he sighed and stepped out onto the terrace from which he could fire shots at the enemy.

There was only one land entrance to the city. It was narrow and surrounded by

high rocks on both sides. Moreover, the terrain near the gate rose, providing convenient positions for repelling an attack. One officer came up with the idea of ​​installing a slab under the entire width of the road, on a rise, that would heat the ground to 2,500 degrees Celsius. This was a defense against the encroaching Zerglings over the past few months.

The commandos took up defensive positions and awaited the order to fire. Nearly 100 of them wore new armor and Splinter-class rifles. The missile turrets adjusted their sights before the rise. A small group of tanks, in siege mode, took up positions near the gate and on the rise just above the road. The Goliaths waited at the ready behind the second line of defense, which consisted of several bunkers and missile turrets.

At 1:00 PM, observers noticed the Zerg beginning their attack. The first units, followed by others, advanced on the Terran city, ready for defense. The commander of the "Entry" army radioed, "Activate the Coal Plate!" Within moments, the last of the water contained in the ground immediately evaporated. Shortly after, the first Zerglings reached the firing zone and were instantly killed by the Commandos. More followed, but they didn't even have time to touch the scorching plate. Only then did a massive wave of furious Zerglings and Hydralisks arrive.

One by one, the first five Missile Turrets fired their missiles at a point several meters from the hill. The explosion was massive, blinding nearby enemy units. Some managed to break through the Terran line of fire and touch the Coal Plate, where they died with pitiful howls, scorched by the intense heat. Another volley from the Missile Turrets thinned the Zergling and Hydralisk forces, creating a small crater in the middle of the road.

Several hundred dead lings lay over the battlefield, while Terran casualties were light. Some creatures, attempting to cross the hot ground, jumped over the rocks beside the road, but were always cut down by the Commandos in the bunkers. If anyone was injured, they were dragged from the battlefield and given painkillers and muscle stimulants. After these treatments, the Commando felt much better and was able to return to combat. The Missile Turrets were operated by radio from the Command Center to avoid casualties if the mechanism was destroyed.

They alternated between cannon fire and fragmentation rounds to increase defense effectiveness. Raynor did the same. He sat on the terrace and, aiming for the "bigger guys," fired a fragmentation round. Then, targeting the enemy group, he fired blindly, aiming at no particular target.

More and more bodies lay on the scorching slab, slowly beginning to melt. A Zergling took advantage of this opportunity, leaping over the corpses of its compatriots and avoiding Terran fire, crossed the gate and entered the city. Quickly selecting a target, a Commando standing by a bunker, he leaped upon him. While in mid-flight, his body exploded, showering the Terran with debris. Raynor then noticed Raynor, who gave a thumbs-up. The two returned to the fight.

The growing enemy pressure brought the Lings and Hydras closer and closer to the bunkers. Some even managed to fire at the building or the Commandos. This caused the defense line to become increasingly damaged. The commander of Army South ordered SCVs to be brought in to repair the damage as needed. The Missile Turrets were now operating at full power, firing every second, helping to kill the Hydralisks, which posed a threat to the Commandos outside the bunkers.

At one point, the soldiers noticed the Ultralisks joining the battle. They were running in a beserker frenzy towards the Terran buildings. The tanks, which had been firing at the Ling clusters, fired a volley at the beasts, and one fell dead. Unfortunately for the Commandos, an Abomination also joined the fray. It approached the buildings within firing range, unaffected by any missiles or fire. It released a dark cloud of spores that enveloped two of the eight bunkers at the city's entrance, leaving them vulnerable if any Zerg came within range. And so it did. Despite being decimated, the Zerglings and Hydras stepped aside to let the approaching beasts pass. They possessed fangs over 5 meters long, easily penetrating any substance. When they reached the covered bunkers, they began devastating them. Protected by the spore cloud, they didn't perish as quickly as the Lings and Hydras.

After a few moments, the bunkers began to collapse, and the crew had to evacuate to other rooms in the building. As soon as the cloud subsided, the Missile Turrets targeted the Ultralisks and immediately destroyed them. However, the giant beasts opened the way for the Zerglings and Hydralisks, and, further on, the incoming Ultralisks. The SCVs arrived only then and immediately began repairing the damaged buildings.

The glowing slab was completely covered in the bodies of Zerglings, Hydras, and Ultralisks. It was no longer functioning properly, and the enemy exploited this to gain access to the bunkers. Some soldiers began running low on ammunition, so they quickly ran to resupply. The half-destroyed bunker collapsed, and only half the crew managed to escape alive and reach safety.

The fight continued as darkness fell. The Missile Turrets had to activate their night vision to spot the approaching enemy. All the Rangers did the same, and when something suddenly exploded in the destroyed bunker, they were blinded by a flash of light. The Zerg had likely destroyed the ammunition cache inside.

Raynor didn't know what to aim at; the enemy onslaught was so intense that his finger ached from constantly squeezing the trigger. Suddenly, he saw something running across the terrain near the Barracks in the distance. It certainly wasn't a Ranger, as everyone was engaged in the fight. Had a civilian escaped from the shelter?

He looked in that direction and spotted a Hydralisk, large for its species. It was likely a Killer—a species of Hydra known for its ferocity and strength. The creature looked around cautiously but couldn't spot the Terran on the terrace. After a moment, it began pounding on the Academy doors, trying to get inside. Jim took aim and fired a fragmentation round at it. When it touched its body, it detonated with a loud bang, causing several Rangers to turn to see what was happening. Despite its immense power, the round failed to kill the creature. Jim quickly aimed again and tried to finish the creature off with his cannon. However, it fled in all directions, trying to avoid the bullets. It ran like this for several seconds before the Terran finished it off.

The Rangers, supported by tanks and Missile Turrets, fiercely defended their positions until midnight. They were increasingly feeling tired and weak. Only the TX-1 armored personnel had adrenaline reserves to keep them awake.

Shortly after midnight, the second bunker fell, and its entire crew perished. It began to burn like the previous one, as the Commandos inside used a flamethrower before their deaths. Only five bunkers remained operational.

The Zerg advanced ever further, killing Terrans and destroying their structures. It was decided that Firebat units would enter the fray at that moment. A twenty-man crew emerged from the Barracks and joined the fray. They were capable of killing several Zerglings at once, so with their help, they managed to push the enemy back halfway across the Coal Plate for 15 minutes. However, they were steadily defeated by Hydralisks, and after an hour and a half, none remained.

Around two o'clock, Terran casualties reached half their strength. Two more bunkers also fell. Jim decided it would be better to go behind the second line of defense.

"Tanks!" "Aim for the rocks above the main gate to create a rockfall. The commandos will be evacuated from the bunkers and moved to the second line of defense!" Jim shouted into the microphone, trying to be heard over the sounds of combat while continuing to fire from the Splinter. He then noticed tank shells hitting the cliff above the main gate. The rocks, not small ones at that, hit the Zerg invading the city and crushed them. Some rocks fell on the bunkers, which was inevitable. However, no Terrans were harmed.

The commandos had a few dozen seconds to escape behind the fortifications before the Zerglings.

They'll jump over the rubble. Soldiers hurriedly fled from the bunkers, heading towards the second gate leading to the city center. The Missile Towers, left unprotected, resisted for a few more minutes, but were finally destroyed. As the last Commando approached the gate, he heard terrible screams and the sound of falling rocks behind him. In his mind's eye, he saw that the temporary barricade had been breached, and a furious Zergling was now heading his way. The soldier didn't dare look away, too afraid. He ran as fast as he could... He succeeded. He found himself behind the gate, which was closed the moment a ling slammed its head against it.

All the buildings behind the gate were raised (only those capable of this) and sent flying north out of the city. Those that remained couldn't escape the brutal hand of the Hydralisks and Zerglings.

The Missile Towers on the city walls began firing intensely at the approaching enemy. Behind the gate were four bunkers, which the Commandos entered and prepared to repel the attack. The buildings were positioned to allow for convenient defense of all structures.

After 15 minutes, the entrance to the city center was destroyed (a hole half the size of an Ultralisk had formed in it). The enemy began to pour out and attack the Terrans. It was decided to bring in Goliaths as the last line of defense. 30 Machines approached the bunkers and began the attack. No Zerg managed to break through while they were nearby.

In the Command Center, one of the officers suddenly shouted:

"Aircraft attack from the south!"

"Oh fuck!" Jim said to himself, just as 30 Mutalisks and several Sentinels burst into the city, which had practically no anti-aircraft defenses from the south, as they had been destroyed by the enemy. The latter attacked with yellowish balls filled with exploding acid. They looked like cancer-like creatures with four legs and a flattened head. As soon as Raynor saw them, he decided not to expose himself to the fire of these beasts, so he quickly went to his room. He did so in The Guardian fired a missile aimed at his balcony. Jim managed to escape unscathed, but what remained of the balcony was not a pretty sight.

The Goliaths immediately turned their guns on the incoming

enemy air units and fired two rounds of guided missiles. These missiles had a much longer range than two years ago, so they could match the Guardian's missiles, which were also attacking from long range. A dozen Mutalisks fell dead before they reached the Terran Goliaths.

Suddenly, an officer dressed in white ran into Raynor's quarters. He saw the breach created by the Guardian's attack and realized that the commander already knew.

"Sir, what are you doing here?" Jim asked, stunned.

"I came to tell you... but I see you already know. We were attacked by Mutalisks.

" "Yeah, I know." Jim said, brushing off the dust that had risen from the attack on his terrace. "I'm fine.

" "What do you think? Will the Goliaths hold up?" Raynor glanced out the window. He saw the Terran units exploding one by one, destroyed by Mutalisks and Guards.

"No. It's over. Order the personnel and soldiers in the bunkers to descend through the underground corridor and head for the shelter. The Zerg will invade the city. Prepare the explosives. I'll be with you shortly.

" "With all due respect, we're not going without you," the officer said firmly

. "That's an order! Please obey!" Jim ordered. The officer saluted and went to carry out the order.

Raynor grabbed a detonator and ammunition clips from the shelf and looked out the window.

The fire from the bunkers had died down, and the Zerg now had a clear path into the city. As the final Goliath blast erupted, the Mutalisks began to destroy random buildings in their path. Jim went to the room where state-of-the-art computers were set up for combat analysis and monitoring. He heard the voice of the commander of the combined South and Entrance forces over the loudspeakers:

"The Zerg are breaking into the city! Everyone to the bunker!!! The charges are armed. Warheads will be launched in 10 minutes.

Hmm. I have to hurry if I'm to make it to the bunker in 10 minutes," Jim thought. He immediately began searching for what he'd come for. Finally, leaving

the utter chaos behind him, he pulled out a case containing a CD, about 5 cm in diameter. He stuffed it into a pocket in his armor and ran to the lower floor. He didn't want to risk the elevator, so he took the stairs.

At the bottom, he carefully scanned the corridor leading outside and the next stairwell. The corridor was empty, so he cautiously made his way to the door leading to the ground floor. He pressed a button on the left, and the door opened. At that moment, he heard a sound. Adrenaline surged through his veins, clearing his mind a bit. He reacted as quickly as he could. He slipped inside and hastily pressed the button. The door closed.

Despite the darkness, Jim could tell which step was which, thus, he didn't fall. He took a few steps down and again heard the same sound from a few seconds ago. He quickly activated his night vision and froze in terror. A few meters away, at the entrance to the ground floor, stood a Hydralisk, facing away from him. It likely hadn't noticed the Terran entering. It was puzzling why he was standing there, staring at the door leading to the ground floor. Jim couldn't understand it. He cautiously raised his weapon and took aim. He pulled the trigger just as the Hydra spotted him and tried to pounce. Unfortunately, it didn't have time, as its body was scattered across the cage.

Raynor looked at the creature's remains and spat in disgust. He went downstairs after making sure there was no danger. He walked very slowly down the wide corridor to the door leading to the bunker. His heart began to pound as he noticed three Hydras passing on the other side of the corridor. He knew that if they attacked together, his weapons and armor would be useless. He opened the door to the first room he came across and ran inside. He was sure the Hydralisks had spotted him. After closing the door, he tried to see what was in the room, hoping to find something to barricade the door. He said to himself,

"Oh fuck, why this room!?" He saw large crates containing explosives, including plastic and enriched dynamite, and four nuclear warheads placed in four corners of the room. "Damn! I'm lucky!"

Jim crouched next to the dynamite box and prepared for

the Hydralisks to enter. He aimed his weapon and waited... For a terrified moment, nothing happened. Then the door began to be eaten away by green acid. The Terran waited a few more seconds before opening fire. He didn't look to see if anyone was getting hit; he was simply fed up with this damn war and these infernal creatures. He was furious, and nothing could stop him. He alternated between firing fragmentation rounds

and his cannon. He shouted, "Aa ... To his surprise, none of them attacked. They didn't even take a single step toward him. Another Zergling entered, and the door closed by itself. "What is it?" Jim thought.

"Hello, my love." A strange female voice spoke from behind him. He was too dazed to recognize who it belonged to, but it sounded strangely familiar.

"Who are you? And what do you want?

" "Don't you recognize me, Jim?" The way his name was spoken reassured him.

"Sarah?

" "Yes. It's me." Suddenly, a Terran woman, infected by the Zerg Queen, appeared a few inches from him.

"What did they do to you?" Jim asked with pity

. "They opened my eyes to the ways of the universe. I was once an ordinary Ghost, and look what I've become." She spoke these words as she walked from one end of the room to the other. "I was born again to rule the Swarm and lead it to victory!"

"I loved you. I was willing to sacrifice everything for you..."

"And you left me between the bloodthirsty Zerg and the merciless Protoss. I destroyed the latter, but the Swarm warriors captured me and allowed me to serve them. I had no choice...

" "There's always a choice! You can leave them and come back to me!" Jim encouraged

. "HaHaHa, and would you accept me as I am if I returned?

" "..." Raynor looked her straight in the face and understood that it was impossible, but then again, anyone can change.

"There's no hope for me. But you can join me. Stand by my side as my husband, and together we will rule the Swarm!

" "Never! I'd rather die!" With that, he reached for the detonator strapped to his chest, pulled it off, and shouted, "I'd rather die, and you die with me!" "Fuck you all!" "With those words, Raynor pressed the detonation button... Nothing happened." "Hey, that's not fair!

" "You see your plan wasn't perfect," Kerrigan said, summoning a ling with a single wave of her hand. The ling slowly approached Jim and spat the severed wires from the detonator onto his armor. Sarah approached the Terran, who had fallen backward onto the crates. "You'll be mine, whether you like it or not." With those words, she kissed him. The poison in her saliva seeped into Jim's system and quickly infected his blood. He slumped to the floor and fell asleep for the last time as a Terran.

"Kill them. All of them." Kerrigan turned to the Hydralisk beside her. It made a strange gesture, like a bow, and left the room. Sarah looked at the Terran's face again, smiled, and said, "Welcome to my world, Jim."

Chapter 4

Kerrigan walked through the ruined corridors of the Terran base. She felt the excitement of meeting her former lover (Jim) and conquering this place.

She reached the end of the corridor and looked through the slit that had been a window. Night was ending and day was dawning. The first rays of sunlight illuminated the battlefield. Smoke from destroyed bunkers rose above the main gate, and hundreds, if not thousands, of Zergling and Hydra bodies lay on the ground. The landscape was filled with the torn-to-pieces corpses of the brave Terrans who had held back the enemy's advance all night. Sarah drew in air that she didn't need to exist anyway, as she transformed into the Swarm Queen. She smelled the stench of decaying bodies and the smell of smouldering Terran structures.

From the opposite end of the corridor, a Slayer emerged and began his "march" towards the Queen. She turned to him and asked,

"You carried out my order?

" "Harkrathrak!" the Hydralisk replied in the language of its species.

"That's good." Sarah suddenly felt weakness in her mutated legs, which barely managed to support her. The feeling vanished as quickly as it had come. "Suspenseors... I've stopped sensing their presence... What happened?

" "Hurkha!" the Assassin said in a gesture of helplessness

. "Go check it out!" the Queen ordered. The Hydralisk nodded and left through the nearest door.

Kerrigan descended the floor below and entered the room where Raynor lay

lying on a bed. He was suspended between life and death. His body was now being controlled by harmful spores, releasing poisonous enzymes that were altering his body. However, this wasn't happening quickly. The full mutation would be complete in a dozen or so hours. Then Jim Raynor would cease to exist, his body controlled by the Overmind.

Lying on a bed made of a few blankets and pillows Kerrigan had found somewhere, Jim was drenched in sweat, and his head tossed from side to side in rapid succession, as if trying to escape the inevitable.

"You see, Jim. The Terrans are nothing compared to us," she said in a commanding voice. "Conquering this city is not enough for the Overmind. It wants more! Much more! Nothing can stop it. Now that this planet is in our hands, the final point of invasion will be your 'Mother Earth.' The last Terran concentration will crumble before the might of our warriors. That will be the moment when the Protoss trembles at the sight of us and falls just like you!

" "Unfortunately, you won't live to see that moment," a strange, icy voice said from somewhere behind Kerrigan.

"What?! Who said—" Sarah didn't get to finish, as her head slid off her neck and fell to the ground. The body remained in place for a few seconds, then fell limply to the floor.

Raynor had no idea what had happened to him between

Kerrigan's kiss and this moment. His head was throbbing terribly, making it difficult to think rationally. He couldn't move any of his limbs, but he felt that all were in their proper places and that none had been "removed." His eyes were closed, and he felt as if a strange object had been inserted into his mouth, allowing him to breathe. He wasn't lying down, but he couldn't quite place it. He swore gravity wasn't acting on him at that moment. He wanted to open his eyes, but he lacked the strength or courage to see what was "out there."

After 15 minutes, he recovered, though his head still ached. He decided to try opening his eyes again. He strained with all his strength and moved his eyelid, which slowly rose. The view was unsatisfactory, as the image was blurry and very bright. Raynor had to close it because he couldn't bear the glare. It seemed he was in some kind of tank of liquid. Everything would have been fine except that he couldn't sense it with his body at all. Had Kerrigan deemed him an unnecessary burden in her war and thrown him into the ocean? What was happening? Consciousness left Jim, and he fell into a deep sleep.

After a few hours, the light was turned off, and with that change, the Terran awoke. He felt rested and energized. He didn't know why he felt this way, but it was a far better feeling than utter weakness. He opened his eyes without much effort and discovered that his vision wasn't blurry. On the contrary, it was quite sharp. Jim saw that he was in some strange room. There were no doors or windows, but something was illuminating the room. "Isolation ward?" Raynor thought. He turned his head and looked around the room. It was nothing like a Terran room. It contained some strange devices, the purpose of which was unknown to the Terran. A figure sat in a rather large armchair against one of the walls to the left. It seemed to pay no attention to Raynor. It didn't look like a Zerg. More like a Zealot without armor. It was twirling a strange object in its hands, resembling the short hilt of a sword... without a blade. Jim decided to learn something about his whereabouts, so even though the object in his mouth was distracting, he said to the only other person in the room,

"Hey you!" His voice sounded as if he were speaking through the wall. The figure who had been sitting in the armchair suddenly stood up and looked around the room nervously. After a few seconds, it looked at the Terran. The strange object Jim had in his mouth probably served to administer oxygen and contained a small microphone.

"Are you talking to me?" the creature asked in a strange, metallic voice. The sound was familiar to the Terran. It was Zeratul's voice. However, he is a Dark Templar, and no one but other Dark Templar can see him.

"Zeratul?" Jim asked

. "Yes, it's me, my friend. Did you hear my presence?"

"No... I see you..." Jim stopped speaking, as the Templar seemed very surprised by his words. He stepped closer and stared at Raynor.

"How is that possible? You're a Terran and have no right to see me.

" "I don't know. Tell me where I am and why I'm here?" Jim asked.

"You're aboard my flagship cruiser, the Ikarius. We took you from the planet Margot because it was completely taken over by the Zerg..."

"But there was a battle going on on that planet!" the Terran protested.

"Yes, you're right. However, by the time we got there, everyone was already dead, and you were turning into an infected Terran." At that moment, Jim thought, "Well, Kerrigan did her job." His thoughts were interrupted by Zeratul's continued story. "The Hive Queen died, along with the rest of her army, because we incinerated the entire planet. As we were about to leave, we noticed two humans. They were on the top floor of the building. They were exhausted and injured, but they survived. I don't know how that was possible." The Templar smiled.

"Where are they now, and what happened to the incoming transports from Earth?

" "We sent the transports back, and as for the survivors, they're in places similar to yours. Don't worry, they're alive and well.

" "Yes... and what about me? I should be under the Overmind's command by now. What's the matter?

" "The Overmind hasn't had time to take over your body and soul." We arrived just in time and placed you in the regeneration chamber. All the parasites were removed from your body... However, in a way, we were too late, and as a result, there are some side effects," Zeratul explained, observing Raynor carefully.

"You mean I can see you?" Jim asked

. "Exactly. We don't know what other changes have occurred in your psyche, but your body is intact.

" "Phew. Thank you... When will you let me out of here?

" "Soon. You need to fully recover. It's best to get some sleep; you'll heal faster." After these words, Zeratul retired to his seat, and Jim closed his eyes and tried to sleep, which wasn't easy, as thoughts of the place where he had fought the battle and where he had encountered Kerrigan kept coming back. Finally, after an hour, he managed to fall asleep.

The Terran opened his eyes. He saw nothing but a dark blur. He sensed he was

lying down, so he rose. The bed he was placed on was very comfortable—not too soft, not too hard at the same time. At that second, something strange happened, as Raynor began to see the room he was in. Had Kerrigan given him another gift? he thought. The room wasn't large, but it wasn't like the cramped apartments Terrans had to live in to save space. He stood up and examined his body. No spikes or extra limbs protruded from it. "Phew," Jim sighed. His armor lay on the floor next to the bed. It was covered in a stream of blood, likely from the Hydralisks that had invaded the room.

"Room... carnage... Commandos... Surviving Commandos! I have to get out of here and see them," the Terran thought. The idea was good, but execution wasn't as easy as it looked. There were no doors or windows, and the room seemed inaccessible to those outside. He walked to the nearest wall and tried to "feel" for a hole or a crack to the door, but found nothing.

Something beeped behind him, and when he turned, he saw a device resembling an old-fashioned toaster with a metal top. A flap swung open from the front, and a bowl with some liquid inside emerged. Jim took the bowl, and the toaster flap closed. He wasn't sure if he should eat it, though intense hunger and thirst had begun to plague him during his conversation with Zeratul. "Ugh... you only live once," he thought, and began drinking the strange blue liquid. In a few seconds, he had drained the entire bowl. The taste wasn't bad, though it could have been better. The hunger vanished immediately, replaced by the blissful satiety of the meal.

At that moment, a hole literally appeared in the wall to the Terran's right. It wasn't ordinary, however, for it rippled like the hot desert air. Zeratul emerged and said,

"Hello, Jim.

" "Zeratul, where am I?" Raynor asked, a bit rudely.

"This is your temporary apartment, I hope you like it?

" "Yes, I do. But what bothers me is that there are no windows and it's very dark.

" "Well, the rooms are designed for Protoss, not Terrans. Don't blame us for that; we don't need light as much as you do," the Templar explained, nodding at the empty bowl. "I see you enjoyed it."

"Quite well, actually.

" "How are you feeling?

" "Like new! Thanks!" Jim said

. "In that case, come with me and I'll show you my ship," Zeratul suggested.

"Okay."

Leaving the room was a strange experience. Walking through the door was like

stepping through cold water. Except there wasn't a speck of moisture here. The room the Terran was in was at the end of a short but very wide corridor. Halfway to the other end, the Templar turned into a "door" on the left. Jim followed him in. He found himself in a room where, on several round, white chairs floating in the air, Protossian soldiers manning Interceptor-class starfighters sat motionless, their eyes closed. Zeratul explained to Jim that they were responsible for the safety of the entire ship, so it was best not to disturb them. They left and headed for another door on the other side of the corridor.

For the first time since Raynor had been placed on the ship, the Terran saw a window onto the surrounding space. They were on the bridge, which also served as the Command Center for Zeratul's fleet. There were a dozen similar chairs here as in the previous room, but only a few were occupied. They climbed a few steps to a single chair with a view of the entire space ahead of the ship, as the vast windows a few meters ahead revealed everything.

"You have your windows," the Dark Templar joked. The Terran didn't look amused, tormented by thoughts of his race's future. Only Earth remained in their hands. What would happen next?

They left the room and headed to the other end of the corridor. They passed

through the "door" again and found themselves in a very cozy and spacious room, considering the confined space of a starship. They were now surrounded by warm colors ranging from orange to burgundy. The sight made Jim smile instantly. Apparently, this place had a way of easing the sorrows from one's mind, leaving only joy. The space was well-appointed – several comfortable armchairs (of course, floating in the air) and shelves made of a type of wood unknown to the Terran. Very old books and manuscripts were stacked on them. They were probably more than 500 years old, but that didn't worry Zeratul, who enjoyed studying ancient history.

"How do you like it? I decorated it myself; I wanted everyone who entered to feel happy and to forget their worries, if only for a moment," the Dark Templar boasted

. "Yes. This place is quite impressive.

" "Sometimes I come here to read the old chronicles of my people. It helps me uncover the past of the Protoss race. These manuscripts are the only copies that even the Judges of Aiur haven't seen."

"Who is this room for?" Jim asked, carefully examining what hung on the walls.

"For no one. This is my personal quarters." "Make yourself comfortable, I'll make you something to drink," Zeratul suggested, then moved to one of the shelves, which held a toaster-like device that had been lying in the room where Raynor had been relaxing for so long.

He placed his hand on it and then withdrew it. The flap opened, revealing two vessels resembling glasses, but slightly thicker. They held a red liquid, the properties of which the Terran would soon discover. The Dark Templar approached the two armchairs where Jim was standing. He paused for a moment, closing his eyes, then opened them again. It only took a second, and the effect was that a small table slid out of the floor and positioned itself at the Terran's waist. The Terran raised his eyebrows in confusion, but said nothing. The Protoss placed one of Jim's mugs on the table and took the other for himself. He sat down in one of the armchairs and gestured for Raynor to sit next to him.

"Now I'm going to show you something that will surely shock you, but you need to know this, because sooner or later you'll be asking about it." After these words, Zeratul closed his eyes again and focused his psi energy on the wall opposite them. Jim, of course, couldn't see this, even though he could see the Dark Templar.

A large screen slid out of the wall opposite them, and, predictably,

it began to float in mid-air like most Protoss devices. He positioned himself so that both could view it without turning their heads too much. Zeratul walked over to the floating object and inserted the CD the Terran had in his suit into a slot Jim couldn't see.

"Hey! That's..." Raynor protested.

"It's a digital data carrier that...

" "I know what it is. Why did you take it out of my suit?

" "I accidentally pressed a button and the disk fell out of your armor when we had to put you in the regeneration bay." This is a recording from the computer systems in your base.

Images from cameras installed in the base on planet

Margot appeared on the screen. They showed moments of the battle with the Zerg, including the battle for the main gate, the charge of the Firebats, and the entry of the Guardians. The images were shocking, showing the deaths of numerous Rangers and other humans.

"Those were your recordings. When we arrived, it looked like this," Zeratul said, pressing a green button.

The screen lit up with a series of images from a protossian observer.

They moved slowly so Jim could see clearly. The first few images showed the Carrier approaching the planet's surface. They showed the ruins of the city and the Zerg encroaching from all sides. Suzerains were flying in close proximity to the battle. The next image showed a squadron of Scouts killing the creatures. Gaining protection through their own abilities, the Dark Templars infiltrated the ruined city and killed most of the enemy forces. Entering the underground bunker, they found thousands of bodies ripped to shreds throughout the rooms. It wasn't a pretty sight. Blood was everywhere. On the walls, floor, and ceiling. There was also a photo of a head lying on the ground, presumably Kerrigan's.

At that moment, Jim bowed his head and tried not to cry, but he was secretly happy that it had happened. He looked back at the screen and saw his limp body being lifted aboard the Ikarius and blasted off into space. The last few frames showed the city shrinking as ships were lifted into orbit. In the final frame, an explosion occurred somewhere inside the city, and a massive shockwave obliterated everything within a dozen kilometers of the epicenter.

The screen went blank and retracted into the wall. Jim pondered for a moment, not taking his eyes off the screen. He pondered the meaning of all the years of preparations they'd made at the base. Everything was gone. "They should have run as fast as we could!" he thought. "Well, there's no point in despairing, because it won't help anyone."

"Zeratul, I'd like to see the surviving Commandos," he asked. "

Of course," the Protoss replied. "Let's go!"

The Dark Templar stood up and walked to the door, nodding to the Terran, who had just

risen and stepped through the blue glow. They found themselves in a wide corridor again. This time, Raynor noticed several Protossian scientists marching proudly forward, ignoring him. Zeratul finally entered the door on the right and found himself in the hospital wing of his ship. Jim had been in one of these rooms until recently. They entered the first room on the left and saw two Rangers dressed in Protoss uniforms, sitting at a floating table, playing... cards, and what a game it was for money! The room was small by any Terran's standards, but he didn't mind. A white glow filled the room, as if they were now on the planet's surface, watching the sun rise.

"Hey guys," Jim said

. "Welcome, General!" they shouted together and saluted.

"Tell me," he said, sitting on one of the two beds on either side of the room. "How did you survive the attack on the city?

" "Well," one of them began, "it was like this: after the Sentinel attack, we retreated to the Command Center to see if everyone had evacuated. When we were about to head for the underground shelter, a group of Hydralisks blocked our path, and we had to retreat to the top floor." We locked ourselves in the Taros manager's office—Jim was deeply pained by the thought of that man—and when they broke through the door, we hid in the safe. There we were safe until the Protoss arrived.

"It's a miracle you're alive," Raynor declared. "The entire city was razed to the ground. No one survived in the shelter. In a way, it's good that you met up with the Hydralisks. You're good soldiers.

" "Thank you, General."

Jim then turned to Zeratul, who was leaning against the wall by the door,

listening intently to the conversation taking place there.

"What now?

" "We'll take you back to your homeworld. There's no need for you to continue wandering the universe with us. Report everything that happened on this planet there. Also, prepare to defend your planet against the Zerg.

" "Good. When will we be there?" Jim asked.

"The journey will take a few days. You won't be bored, I promise." A smile appeared on Zeratul's face, but it didn't express anger or hostility, but amusement and joy. The commandos didn't know where the voice was coming from and were pleasantly surprised to find their general talking to a wall.

"We'll wait and see." The Terran laughed.

Chapter 5

Jim woke up in his quarters. Since there's no day and night in space, he must have taken a nap at some point. He decided to eat something, so he got up and walked over to the strange toaster-shaped device. Zeratul briefly explained how to use it. "First, put your finger on this plate," he remembered his friend's words, "then think about what you'd like to get and wait for the result." Easy for him to say. What if it didn't work? Could he then use his method of kicking first and then pulling out what fell out?

Raynor chuckled and did as he was told. He wanted to eat cereal with milk and honey, so that's what he thought. The device beeped, and a moment later a bowl of some green paste slid out.

"Oh fuck! I wanted cereal, not ground grass!" the Terran thought, and was about to take a sip from the device, but he gasped and realized that what was in the bowl was his cereal, only it wasn't in the same form as on every Terran planet. The Protoss didn't know about this kind of food, so it wasn't their fault Raynor was having problems now. "At least it tastes the same," he thought.

He reached for the bowl and ate it all. His hunger vanished in a flash. Suddenly, the bowl

slipped from his hands, and he lost his balance and fell to the floor. He heard an alarm, similar to the one that went off when an attack occurred or the damage was too great and a Behemoth-class cruiser needed to be abandoned. It continued intermittently for a few seconds, then everything stopped, and Jim stood up. He didn't know what was happening, and the mere thought of having to leave Zeratul's ship filled him with dread. Without thinking too much about it, he ran to the Dark Templar. He was standing on the bridge, looking out the windows, shaking his head. When he heard the Terran approaching, he turned to him, and before the Terran could ask, he said,

"Some idiot blocked our path. As if he didn't know that overtaking is forbidden on hyperspace routes." He sighed.

"Aha," Jim said.

"We'll be on Earth in a few hours," the Dark Templar informed him. "If you want, I can show you...

" "Reverend," a Protoss in a white robe with long dreadlocked hair turned to Zeratul, then bowed simply. "We've received a message from the great Tassadar."

"Let's go see her," Zeratul said happily, very pleased that his friend had finally shown some sign of life.

The three of them approached the control panel, and after a moment,

the figure of Tassadar, about a few inches tall, appeared on it. He was very restless, turning his head every few seconds as if checking if anyone was watching him. He said in a cold, metallic voice,

"Greetings, Zeratul! Unfortunately, I don't have much time, so I'll get to the point. A few weeks after our last meeting, I was captured and arrested by the Conclave on charges of preaching heresy and inciting the Protoss to save the Terrans from the Zerg threat. I am being held in custody on the planet Aiur in the Sinus sector. I will be executed in two weeks. If you somehow receive this message, I beg you for help! You are my only hope..." At that moment, someone grabbed the Templar by the shoulders and pulled him away from the visor. The message stopped.

Zeratul, deep in thought, stared for a moment at the spot where

Tassadar had been. After a few seconds, he tore his gaze from the control panel and looked at Raynor, smiling.

"Are you ready for new adventures?" he asked in a soft, challenging voice.

"Of course!" the Terran assured him.

"Then let's go! Next stop – Aiur." He turned to the controller. "Gamma velocity!

" "What's this velocity?" Jim asked curiously.

"It's the fastest way to get to your destination on time.

" "Aha."

The ship made a directional maneuver several dozen degrees to the right, though no one on

board felt anything happening. Then they prepared to jump to Gamma velocity. For a moment, everything around the ship turned reddish, and after a few seconds, the stars ceased to glow, meaning space became pitch black, and nothing could be seen.

"We'll arrive at Aiur in a week and a half, as it's a very long way from here, even at this high speed. In the meantime, come with me, I want to check something," said Zeratul.

"Okay," the Terran agreed.

They went to the Protossian hospital wing, which, contrary to appearances, was

similar to the Terran one, except that the Protoss had much more advanced technology than they did. The Dark Templar ordered Jim to stand on a metallic wheel against the wall of the room. As he did so, Zeratul pressed a button on a control panel on the wall. Jim felt a warm sensation, and after a moment, he saw a ring of bright light move from his head to his feet. When it reached the end, it simply vanished into thin air.

"Ah. Just as I thought," Zeratul said, fascinated.

"What? What happened?

" "Nothing. I just assumed that if you could see Dark Templar, you could do other things only Protoss could.

" "What exactly?"

"I don't know. It depends only on you and your training now.

" "Training? What training?

" "Khal's training. If we're to free Tassadar, you need to learn basic thinking techniques.

" "I can think," Jim said indignantly.

"I don't doubt it, but to use psi, you have to start thinking like a Protoss.

" "I'll try.

" "Okay. Maybe we should start right away. Come with me."

The training room was incredibly similar to the rooms in which

Earth samurai lived in the late 15th century. However, Jim wasn't sure if the walls were made of real wood or just a perfect imitation. Perhaps it was best to quiet the mind in such conditions. The brown walls reflected the carefully polished floor. In the center of the room lay two blue pillows and a few objects: a stone, a bowl (similar to the one Jim had eaten the gruel from), and two books.

"This room is sealed off from any outside psi energy, so it isn't distorted during training." "Zeratul said, then gestured toward the room.

"What does your training entail?" Jim asked, looking at the Dark Templar.

"As you're a Terran, I can't tell what stage your psi power is at. So we'll start from the beginning." With that, he sat down on a cushion, his cloak covering most of his body. "Sit down.

" "Okay, and what's next?

" "First of all, you can't talk so much. The path of the Khal is a path of silence and peace. You must quiet your mind and forget about the present, the past, and the future. Rid yourself of all feelings and open your mind to my teachings.

" "You're joking, right?

" "Second of all, you must stop asking stupid questions, for they cloud your consciousness. Clear your mind of them and open it to my teachings.

" "You're repeating yourself.

" "Third of all, you're not following the first primo!" Zeratul said, his tone a little harsher.

"It's okay. Don't get upset," Jim said.

Raynor calmed down at that moment and, following the Dark Templar's advice, tried

to banish the persistent thoughts. It wasn't easy, and the first signs of success didn't appear until the next day of training. Zeratul usually spent long hours in this room, striving to increase the effectiveness of his Protossian powers. He usually sat on one of the cushions with his eyes closed. He paid no attention to the Terran entering. One day, Jim saw the Protoss begin to levitate above the ground. He was clearly in a very deep state of concentration, since he could do such things.

For the next few hours, Zeratul recounted the history of his race, from the moment of creation by the Ancients, through the Aeon of Wrath, to the present. Listening to this, the Terran deepened his ability to manipulate psi energy, though he didn't know how. Until a certain point, he was convinced all he was doing was sitting mindlessly on that cushion, wasting his time. However, he had nothing to do on this ship, so he devoted all his time to training. On the fourth day, when he tried to sit down to train, he was stopped by Zeratul's words:

"You've already learned enough. I'm beginning to sense psi energy within you, and that means you're doing very well with your training. I can confidently say you've surpassed most of the Templars I knew when they began their training. I didn't expect you'd make such progress in such a short time. So let's test your abilities.

" "Okay. Just tell me how.

" "Behind you lies a stone. Now release your peace upon it, and then imagine it rising into the air."

"How do I 'liberate my peace'?" Raynor asked in a calm voice.

"Hmm. Try to 'convince' him with your will that you possess greater peace than he does."

"Well, I'll try."

Raynor focused his full attention on the stone, which he couldn't even

see at the moment, as his back was turned to it, but he was certain it would obey his will. He pressed against it with all his consciousness and mentally commanded it to rise. Then he thought that this moment of willpower between the lifeless stone and himself had lasted several minutes. In reality, the Terran's mind had only been focused this way for several seconds. From a distance, he heard the voice of the Dark Templar:

"Good, very good. Show him who's in charge!

" "Floating?" he whispered through tight lips, then relaxed his concentration and looked away to see his work. Unfortunately, he saw nothing. After a split second, something fell on his hand, which he was using to hold the floor. He noticed it was the same stone he'd fought with in a duel.

"Yes, it was floating." Zeratul approached the Terran, crouched down at his side, placed a hand on his shoulder, and smiled. "Welcome to our world, my friend."

The next few days were very exhausting for Raynor. Motivated by his

successes, he began to train harder and harder, until Zeratul himself was pleasantly surprised. However, he knew something he couldn't tell the Terran, at least not now. He watched intently as Jim lifted the same stone over and over again. He never missed a moment of training. Meanwhile, Raynor lifted the object higher and faster. He was very pleased with himself and his progress.

A few days before arriving on Aiur, the Dark Templar hadn't come to observe Raynor's training. This didn't bother him much, though he certainly would have preferred someone to see his work. So he sat down on his cushion as usual and looked toward the door. There was no one there. He sighed and turned his back to them. He sat cross-legged and rested his hands on his knees. Before him lay the stone he'd been moving from place to place by sheer force of will for the past few days. He calmed his thoughts and allowed the psi energy to flow through his consciousness, and he tried to tame it.

He focused his thoughts on the stone, trying to make it rise and fly over his head, then land on the floor. He concentrated, but the rock wouldn't budge. He tried again, knowing he couldn't give up. He gritted his teeth, closed his eyes, and tried again. He held it there for a few seconds. It was like an arm wrestling match, with the sheer effort evident on the faces of the participants. And so it was now. Finally, Raynor couldn't take it anymore and lost his concentration. His expression was one of exhaustion and self-dissatisfaction. He lay down on the floor and caught his breath.

At that moment, Zeratul rushed into the room. He was in a hurry, which was obvious from his entrance. He said to the Terran,

"Hello. Am I late for something?

" "Just a display of my weakness. What happened? Why couldn't I use my psi?" Jim asked, disappointed

. "Hmm. Maybe your energy is simply drained. Sometimes it happens. You need to rest to regenerate.

" "Maybe you're right." The Terran struggled to his feet and thanked the Protoss, then left the room, leaving the Dark Templar alone.

"Sigh," Zeratul sighed, grimly. After a few seconds, he too left.

Raynor retired to his quarters and decided to take a nap, as

the Dark Templar had advised. He lay down on his bed and thought about what had happened today. Throughout his training, there had never been a moment when he couldn't do something. He always managed to lift the stone, even though he didn't really know it was happening. He did what the Protoss told him—quiet his mind and think about what he wanted to do. He didn't particularly feel his psi energy drained. Perhaps it was still early in his training, and since he wasn't a Protoss, he might not yet be fully aware of his abilities. Either way, something was wrong. He'd try to talk to Zeratul about it tomorrow.

Jim pondered this for a moment longer, then fell asleep. He dreamed nothing, his consciousness free of all unnecessary thoughts. The sudden swerve of the ship woke him. It was much smaller than the previous one, but still noticeable. Jim sat down on his bed and tried to recover from his nap. The silence in the room was broken by another swerve and the sounds of combat. Now this was no joke! Raynor jumped to his feet and ran straight to the bridge. There he found Zeratul coordinating offensive operations.

"Shoot the one on the starboard!" shouted the Dark Templar

. "What's going on here? I heard sounds of combat!" Raynor said, slightly frightened.

"Not now, Jim. If I don't coordinate my actions properly, we'll crash!

" "WHAT!?

" "We're in the asteroid field surrounding Aiur. During the Aeon... now the one in the middle!... the Aeon of Wrath, a great battle took place here, the remnants of which are these ship fragments.

" "I understand. When you can, come to the training hall." "

Good... now the one on the right, are you blind?!" Zeratul shouted.

"Sorry, Bright One!" the Starfighter pilots shouted into the Protoss's mind.

Zeratul hurriedly entered the training room. He looked

around, but didn't see Jim, as he stood right by the door and was invisible to anyone entering. He was holding a book in his hand, one of the training items. He was reading it, though he didn't know the Protossian language. He was probably just looking at the pictures. He closed it and said to Zeratul, who still had his back to him and was looking around the room.

"Well, you finally came," he said, approaching his friend, who turned to face him.

"I couldn't have done it sooner. We went through the asteroid field and will be on the planet in a few hours," the Dark Templar announced.

"I'd like to talk about my training. I have to compliment you, Zeratul." You were giving me such nonsense, and I'm only just now realizing what it was.

"I don't know what you're talking about...

" "Don't bullshit! You know perfectly well that Terrans can't use psi. Not even me!" Jim said, pointing a finger at his friend and slowly circling him. "Admit it! You were the one who lifted that stone.

" "No...

" "Don't lie!" Zeratul started to back away, terrified by the Terran's attitude.

"Okay. I admit it. I wanted to help you with your training. I had no ill intentions." The two friends looked deeply into each other's eyes. Jim softened slightly, and the Protoss spoke in a voice weak for his race. "I knew you wouldn't achieve even the same results as the weakest Templar. That's impossible for a Terran. But I didn't want you to break down..."

"Then why didn't you just tell me it was impossible!" Aggression welled up inside him again. He glanced at the stone lying next to the blue pillows in a reflex of hatred, refusing to look at the Protoss anymore. "FUCK!"

Some powerful force had shattered the stone from within. Fragments flew in all

directions, even striking the two figures standing next to each other without causing any significant harm. Jim fell to his knees and couldn't believe his eyes. The aggression and hatred vanished. Only disbelief and a feeling of accomplishment remained.

"And yet," Zeratul said in surprise. "Don't look at me, it's not me!

" "So me?" the Terran asked himself. "That's impossible...

" "But I was wrong about you. You can use psi energy not for construction, but for destruction. It's not a path for someone with a weak personality. If I look at you like that, I can see you're definitely not like that," the Dark Templar explained. "From now on, you have to be careful with your abilities." Learn to control them and don't use them for evil purposes," the Protoss warned

. "Okay," Raynor said shakily.

After a brief moment of silence, Zeratul spoke:

"Come. I'll tell you what we'll do to free Tassadar."

"I'm sorry, Zeratul. I'm sorry I attacked you like that. Will you forgive me?" The Dark Templar approached him and offered a hand to help him up.

"Friends forgive," he smiled.

"Thanks. "

"Come with me."

Zeratul and Jim entered the bridge. Everyone inside was minding

their own business. They approached a round table with a strange object in the center, on the right side of the room. The Dark Templar nodded to the approaching Protoss, who had activated the strange circular object with protruding metal "hands." Suddenly, a hologram of the buildings where Tassadar was planned to be killed appeared above the table. Everything was painted in shades of blue and blue.

"This is a prison cell," Zeratul pointed to a building shaped like a small dome topped with some metal bars. "Inside is our Templar in Zurha shackles, which block his psi energy.

" "Hmm. How do we get him out? This picture shows there are quite a few guards," Jim said.

"That's no problem. We've swiped a relay from the planet Mar Sara that emits psi energy, which in turn attracts Zerg. Once activated, Arbiter command will locate it and order its destruction. Forces will likely be dispatched from the sector where Tassadar is located for this purpose.

" "Clever!" Raynor praised.

"But that's not all. At least half the Zealots and Dragons will remain on site to guard the prisoner. We'll launch an attack from this direction"—he gestured south, or so it seemed to the Terran—"and create an escape corridor to Ikarius." Zeratul now looked at Jim. "You'll be assigned one of our Scouts. Since you can use psi for destruction, you'll certainly be able to pilot a fighter.

" "Okay, but—"

"The first rule of the Khal: Don't ask unnecessary questions," the Dark Templar interrupted

. "What are those buildings?" Jim asked, pointing to structures almost invisible to an observer on the ground, similar to nuclear silos built into the ground. They were located several hundred meters from the prison, and there were about a dozen of them.

"Ugh... Those are Photon Cannons. They have a similar firepower to Dragons. Watch out for them and don't get too close. You'll be sent as an escort for Ikarius." First, our pilots will destroy any potential threat to the entire operation, and then... then we'll figure it out." Zeratul smiled.

"Yeah. The optimistic version of that plan." Jim smiled back, and the projection was switched off.

"In a few hours, we'll reach the Mind Boundary at a much slower speed.

" "To what?" the Terran asked

. "This boundary is a barrier protecting Aiur from hostile ships and creatures, and sometimes even meteors from the nearby belt. We'll fly through it if we subconsciously contact ground control. Then they'll let us through." Zeratul added, seeing Raynor's doubt.

"Okay.

The Mind Boundary couldn't be seen or felt. However, if the liaison aboard

the Ikarius hadn't requested an opening, they likely would have crashed into the edge of the barrier." After a few hours, the Dark Templar arrived at Jim's temporary quarters and announced,

"We've passed the Mind Boundary and will be on the planet in a few minutes."

"Zeratul, what are our chances of success in this operation?" the worried Terran asked.

"Don't worry, I'm sure it will be alright." Raynor had heard it somewhere before. Mengsk had said it when he and Duke left to destroy the Cerebrate. Unfortunately, he never returned. The thought of his former friend's death filled him with sadness, and he wanted to punish the culprit as severely as possible, and since it was the Zerg tribes, he had to contain his anger towards the enemy. First, they had to free Tassadar, who would surely devise a way to defeat these beasts.

But he couldn't stop the memories that pained him so much. The Zerg

They had killed every human who had been his friend. He had no desire to repeat this again with the Dark Templar and other Protoss. Anger welled up within him and took over. He glared at the toaster-like device, which then flew with a crash into the opposite wall and shattered. Zeratul looked at his friend for a moment, a look of surprise on his face. He didn't know why he was so angry, but if he was, it was best not to provoke him further, for he surely had his reasons for being angry.

Jim went to the training room to practice his skills before using them in the operation. He wanted to ask the Dark Templar what the book that always lay by his pillow was for, but in the end, he dismissed the thought. He had come alone to see if he could only use psi for destruction or creation. The great art is not to destroy, but to create, he repeated to himself. Sitting on the cushion, he thought about the floating book. At first, calmly and deliberately, but when that didn't work, he began to focus his thoughts on it more and more intensely. At one point, he gave up, as he began to lose consciousness, and his mind stopped functioning normally. All the thoughts that came to his mind were related to that damned book. When he opened his eyes, which had been squeezed shut for several minutes, guess what he saw? That damn book! Unable to contain his anger, he grabbed it and tore it into tiny pieces.

Zeratul entered the room and smiled at the Terran lying on the ground, covered in small clippings from his training book.

"I see you're making good use of your new skills," the Protoss laughed.

"Yeah, very funny," Jim replied.

"Come on. We've landed. Time to put our plan to work." The Dark Templar extended a hand to help his friend up, and they headed for the bridge together.

They approached one of the Protoss in the hall. It resembled the Phoenix he had feasted with several years ago. However, it was slightly shorter, though broader in the shoulders. Muscled like all his race, it seemed a very formidable opponent.

"This is Eloral. He will be your companion in this attack. He will take the gunner's position, and you will be the pilot. Do you agree?" He placed both hands on the Protoss's shoulder and looked at the Terran.

"Of course!" Jim said, glad to finally be out of this ship and enjoying some adrenaline.

"We'll begin in a few hours, until the emitter is in place. We'll have about 15 minutes to free Tassadar. The area is densely forested, so it will provide us with ample cover from an artillery attack from the nearest city. Remember! You're only flying as support; I don't want to risk your life. Understood?"

"Yes, sir." Raynor felt the same way he had during the time of Mengsk and his orders, which had always crushed him. Now he was the Commander, and nothing limited him. He would show those Protoss who was the real deal!

They passed through one of those strange doors and found themselves outside. With Raynor were

Zeratul, Eloral, and dozens of other Protoss. The landscape around Ikarius was incredible. Trees several meters tall covered the immediate area. The whole landscape was composed of peaceful greenery. Here and there, the path was covered with stone flags, and elsewhere, an ancient structure, built in the style of Egyptian pyramids, was visible. It was an incredible experience for a Terran, as no one of his race had ever set foot on the Protoss homeworld of Aiur. Raynor was not only the first to do so, but he was also tasked with striking a blow against this beautiful creation of nature and the minds of other beings. Now I know why they meditate so much, Jim thought.

Around the flagship, Scout-class ships stood at the ready. It was difficult to count them, as the massive trees obscured the view. At a glance, the Terran could tell he could see about 30 machines. Zeratul spoke in a loud, challenging tone to rally his pilots:

"The day of testing has arrived. Today we will see who has fully embraced the teachings of the Khal's path. We will see who is worthy of the name Protoss! I wish you luck, and remember, do not act hastily, but trust your inner instincts; they will never abandon you! In the name of the KHALA!

" "KHALA! KHALA!" all the pilots roared. Raynor stood to the side, observing the entire situation, which was similar to one he had experienced before. Then everyone gathered to their craft and slowly took off.

"This Scout will be yours," Zeratul pointed a finger at one of the fighters parked next to the Ikarius to its left. "We will maintain radio contact at all times."

"Okay.

" "Good luck.

" "You too." Raynor smiled and entered the fighter's cockpit with his companion.

The interior wasn't cramped like Terran fighters, but there wasn't much room to

stretch out his legs either. Jim had flown a similar machine before, but this one had a completely different setup. On either side of the pilot's seat, at knee height, were metal half-spheres with hand-shaped designs on them, so he could rest his hand on them. A Protoss hand, of course. The Terran had never imagined that this race had six fingers, not five. What else could surprise him?

"Put your hands on the controllers and imagine you're taking off, but remember, one negative thought and we could have trouble controlling it," Eloral warned

, entering. "Don't worry, I'll manage." The Protoss seemed nicer than the one he'd once had the opportunity to talk to.

As instructed, Jim leaned back in his seat and placed his hands on the two

Controllers. He felt a rush of cold from the metal, but the feeling quickly faded. He was left with the calm and composure of the best pilots.

"Here we go," Jim said, and lifted the craft into the air, ignoring Eloral, who was still preparing himself. He had to do it quickly or he would lose his balance and fall to the floor.

Through the large front windows, Raynor watched his actions as the pilot

of a Protossian starfighter. The scout lifted off, kicking up clouds of dust that flew directly at the other pilots. They had to shield their eyes with their hands, or they would have been in pain throughout the entire operation.

Jim ignored their shouts and protests, for a feeling of confidence and a desire to demonstrate Terran superiority over Protoss overcame him. As he rose above the tall trees, he heard Zeratul's voice echoing through the speakers inside the starfighter:

"How are you, friend?" His tone was pleasant and slightly amused.

"Oh, okay, the wind's a bit off to the left," Raynor smiled, "but that'll change.

" "Haha. Don't think you're a god. Your ship is just like any other. Don't charge!" The last words were laced with a note of apprehension.

"Okay."

The speakers fell silent, and the Terran saw the Icarius take off and head

east (or so it seemed to Jim). The entire Scout squadron followed, so Raynor did the same. The vicinity of the flagship was congested and there was a danger of a collision between two starfighters, so the Terran was flying on the outskirts. In the distance, the outlines of a protossian city were visible. As they approached the attack site, the buildings where Tassadar was imprisoned began to emerge from the pervasive fog. Zeratul spoke again over the speakers:

"The emitter has been activated. Do you see the troops moving?" His voice was hoarse as usual. "When we pass over the target, Ikarius will attack the main defense lines. Stay close, and if you lose cover, flee into space. I don't want to risk your death.

" "Fine."

Indeed, as they approached the target, Jim noticed a dozen Dragons and

Zealots marching in the direction they had come from. A few seconds later, he heard the voice of a Protoss over the speakers. He uttered only a few words, "Ikarius, this is ground control, why...", and then Zeratul broke contact. The time had come. Their time. Now or never. Tassadar! We're going!" Raynor thought.

A few minutes later, they were over the target. A large dome stood in the center of a vast square. On either side of it stood several buildings, the purpose of which the Dark Templar had not revealed.

As they flew in, they encountered the first line of defense for the Photon Cannons. A dozen or so small fighters, piloted from the Ikarius, flew out from the flagship and began devastating the buildings. A squadron of Scouts also launched an attack, including Jim. All nearby defense buildings succumbed to the firepower and, destroyed, exploded, but left no debris behind. They simply dematerialized. Raynor was surprised by this, but he didn't worry for long, as Dragon forces and, unexpectedly, several Scout-class fighters advanced from the east.

The battle began in earnest, encompassing the entire area. The unexpected arrival of additional air forces somewhat confused Zeratul's plans. He had to break away from the evacuation and help repel the attacking enemy forces. Meanwhile, Jim was disoriented and unsure what to do. Plasma bullets and missiles fired from other ships whizzed around his ship. Beside him, Eloral continued to fire from all its guns simultaneously. It was amazing how he could divide his attention between air and ground targets, the Terran thought.

Within minutes, Raynor and his companion had already claimed several enemy fighters, and considerable damage had been done to the surrounding buildings. Both realized with alarm that the Carrier had strayed too far from its intended target. They needed to contact it as quickly as possible and remind him why they were here.

"Zeratul! Can you hear me? ZERATUL?!" Jim shouted into the microphone near the main ship's instruments. "Damn antenna! They've destroyed our only source of communication!

" "There's another method," Eloral suddenly spoke up, continuing his attack. "You can connect with it mentally. But that requires calm..." but Jim was no longer listening. He concentrated with all his might, making sure the Dark Templar heard his call. He couldn't hold it for long, though, for a ship without psi contact was like one without a pilot. The Protoss's cries jolted him back to reality.

"I can't establish contact..." but he didn't finish as something struck the starfighter with great force.

The protective shield absorbed all the force, but this drained its energy. The ship was exposed to any attack, posing a danger to the crew. Jim tried to see what had caused the shock. Simultaneously, a red light on the control panel near his right hand lit up and began to blink maliciously, reminding him that the shields had failed.

Another jolt. Raynor almost fell out of his seat. Another light illuminated,

announcing that the ship had been damaged. The sound of an engine shutting down reached the Terran's ears. He thought, "Great!" Fortunately, a spare engine had been activated to replace the damaged one.

"Okay, I'm bringing us down!" Jim shouted to the Protoss.

He directed the plane in the direction they had come from, wanting to get as far away

from the battlefield as possible. However, he didn't have time to put his plan into action when a third missile struck the fighter. It struck the main engine, which was irreversibly destroyed, and slightly damaged the spare engine. From that moment on, the plane began to nosedive. Raynor tried to level out, but to no avail. At the last moment, he managed to regain some control of the fighter, and instead of hitting the ground, Jim lifted his nose and, after a few rolls, slammed into the wall of one of the buildings.

Under the force of the impact, the solid wall collapsed, crushing the front of the Recon. Clouds of dust rose over the battlefield, hampering enemy fighters' air attacks. Jim climbed out of the wreckage of his plane and tried to survey the situation, hampered by his meter-wide visibility. However, he didn't have to strain his eyes to see that his companion had lost his life in the incident.

"Oh no! Why is this happening to me?!" the Terran shouted, echoing with the sounds of collapsing buildings and exploding fighters. With great difficulty, he dragged the Protoss's body outside, leaving it against the wall of the building.

The building seemed strangely familiar to him. Although he'd never been there before,

he remembered those protruding bars from the large dome... of course, he thought. This was where Tassadar was being held!

Without a second thought, he stepped through the hole in the wall into the structure. The room he entered was painted gray, devoid of any furniture or paintings, not even windows (this didn't surprise the Terran, though). The room was small, with only one passageway leading to it. Jim stepped through it and felt a chill run through his entire body, for it was one of those "special" Protossian doors.

The room he entered was very large, perhaps even the largest in the building. At a great height were windows (oh yeah), casting pale light onto the stone floor. This room was as empty as the previous one. To the right stood a figure chained to the wall. He likely hadn't noticed the Terran enter. Beside him, metal tubes were embedded in the floor and at the ends of the shackles. They emitted a blue glow, creating a sort of protective shield that prevented the prisoner from escaping. Jim stepped closer. The Protoss glared at him with its red eyes.

"Jim!" the figure shouted.

"Tassadar!" Raynor shouted back.

"Don't come any closer!" the Templar warned, seeing Jim approach. "If you touch the field, he'll rip your arm off!

" "I have no intention of parting with my arm!" the Terran smiled. "We have to get you out of here."

"You must block the psi flow from these nozzles. You only need to destroy one, and the rest will deactivate.

" "Easier said than done." Raynor looked around, searching for some switch or tool to destroy the "cage" the Protoss was in.

Suddenly, at the other end of the room, he noticed a figure who looked as if it were searching for something. Their eyes met in a single, dramatic split second, and Jim realized this person wasn't friendly, and despite the considerable distance separating them, the Terran felt fear and panic, for in a threat, he could only rely on himself. The Protoss stepped closer, allowing Tassadar to recognize his specialization. He was a Zealot warrior. He stopped and ignited his psi blades, which shot from the lightweight, carbide psi sources strapped to his forearm, glowing with a pale blue light.

"Traitor! What are you doing here? You are not worthy to walk on this sacred ground!" No one of your race is worthy of such honors!" he said in a metallic, hoarse voice, like his entire race.

"What's his point?" Jim asked Tassadar, who stood behind him.

"He's a Fanatic. A loyal servant of the Conclave. He always follows their orders and hates strangers around him. He'd gladly kill everyone on sight.

" "Then we have a problem," the Terran said ironically.

"You'll die worse than him!" the Protoss shouted, then began running, blades raised, towards Raynor, who was unprepared to repel the attack.

The Zealot's weapon filled Jim with fear, but at the same time he had to remember that Zeratul

didn't know what was happening below, as if he'd forgotten why they were here. He was the only chance to save the Templar. He couldn't surrender! Honor demanded it!

The Protoss was getting closer, and his piercing blue eyes disturbed the Terran's apparent calm. He bent his legs slightly and prepared to defend himself. The Zealot suddenly withdrew his weapon and then thrust the blade with tremendous force towards Raynor. Raynor had to fall to the floor to avoid being hit, and fortunately, at that very moment, the warrior tripped over his leg and lost his balance, falling into the force field. At the last moment, he shielded himself with his right arm, avoiding a direct hit from the rippling psi energy. The armor held together enough to allow him to bounce off the shell and stand on his own.

Jim also stood and studied his opponent. He tried to reactivate the blade, which had extinguished during the confrontation. Unfortunately, the only result was sparks flying from the weapon. Resigned, the Protoss unfastened the clasp holding the right sleeve of his weapon and dropped it to the floor. Then, with a hint of amusement and fury, he looked at his opponent.

"Okay. Let's do this your way," he said, then stepped closer and swung his left hand at the disoriented Terran. However, the Terran realized the situation in time and jumped aside.

The Zealot, however, didn't have time to stop the deactivated weapon, which struck

the floor with a thud, creating a small indentation. Raynor was terrified by the force of the impact, so he decided not to engage in further combat. The Protoss rose again, increasingly angry at himself for not being able to kill just anyone. Looking directly into his eyes, one could tell the rage was building within him, and the anger was beginning to take over his body.

Jim's back touched the wall and he felt trapped. The enemy quickly moved, running from a direction that ruled out any escape. The only solution was confrontation, or... Seeing the enemy approaching, the Terran was filled with incredible self-confidence and great courage. After the incident, he had no idea why. Either way, the Protoss was getting closer. He swung his left arm and struck Jim's chest with all his might. Jim, however, managed to avoid the blow by ducking to the right and holding onto the wall to keep from falling back to the floor. The Zealot's hand dug into the obstacle so hard he couldn't pull it out on

his own. Raynor stood up and, with all his might, punched his opponent in the face with his right hand. The man didn't even feel the blow, or at least didn't show it, as a sinister smile spread across his face. Jim didn't give up. With quick movements, he kicked the Protoss in the stomach and around the area where Terrans have ribs. His expression changed slightly. He no longer looked amused, but like an angry bull. With his free hand, he tried to reach Raynor, who was beating him, but to no avail. The Protoss received several more blows to the face, including an elbow and a roundhouse kick.

As the Zealot was receiving blows, his arm loosened slightly from the wall, so he strained to pull it free. Raynor's final, jumping blow helped him. The battered Protoss fell to the floor, but quickly rose and wiped his face with his left hand, then noticed he was bleeding. Jim had never seen such blood. It was blue and glistened in the pale sunlight.

The Zealot charged at the now-weary Terran again, knocking him to the floor, right next to Tassadar's "cell." The weight of his armor pinned Raynor to the ground, causing him to gasp for breath. He aimed his weapon at Jim, but activated it too late, and the Terran managed to push him away. They struggled for a few seconds, but in the end, the strength of the Protoss race proved their greatest asset. Slowly, the blade moved toward the head of Raynor, who was struggling with his last remaining strength. He had almost lost hope of surviving this fight, while Zealot loosened his grip a bit, looking around what to do with his victim.

But the Terran didn't want to wait and watch as the enemy impaled him on that blade. In one swift movement, he pushed the weapon away from himself, toward the base of the force field. When the two psi sources collided, a chain reaction set off, causing an explosion weak enough not to kill anyone in the building, but powerful enough to send the Zealot flying several meters away from the blast, sending Raynor sprawling in the opposite direction.

The shield was deactivated, and the only thing restricting Tassadar's freedom were Zurh's shackles, which were attached to the wall. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the Zealot slowly getting to his feet. He turned his head and saw a large hole in his armor, leaving his bleeding flesh exposed. He panicked, as Jim lay on the other side of the room, but he was clearly badly injured, as he wore no armor. The Templar decided to act. Near the end of his "cell" lay the weapon that the fighting Protoss had abandoned. He tried to pull it closer to him with his foot, as far as his shackles would allow. The sight of a Zealot slowly walking toward the Terran spurred him to action.

Finally, Tassadar managed to grab it. The next problem was that the weapon was damaged from the earlier fight. Without a second thought, he opened the hatch containing all the cables connecting the crystal to the blade's focus. The crystal was the source of the psi energy in this weapon and was very rare, so the ingenious Protoss clan devised a way to create artificial counterparts. While weaker than the real thing, they were suitable for use in such devices. He touched the white diamond at the back of the weapon and felt the energy flowing. It wasn't too late! The crystal wasn't depleted yet!

Without a second thought, he pulled out the cable that transmitted energy to the blade and split it in two, which wasn't easy when he was constantly visualizing his dead friend. After a few agonizing seconds, he succeeded. He attached one end to the crystal and the other back to the blade. This caused a short circuit and sparks to fly, but nothing more.

"Damn it! Go!" he whispered desperately, slamming his foot against the weapon.

Thousands of sparks flew from the blade's muzzle, and a sound emanating from within,

like halogen lights igniting in Terran headquarters, began to emanate. After a split second, psi energy flowed through the cables and formed an indestructible blade. However, it was only half as powerful as the fully functional weapon. It was enough to cut through the Templar's shackles. They broke with incredible ease, restoring the Protoss's power. He felt a surge of courage, and he immediately leaped forward, rushing to the Terran's aid.

Meanwhile, the Zealot was already standing over his victim, about to deliver the final blow. Tassadar stopped ten feet away and extended his hand, fingers slightly spread, toward him. The Templar, with intermittent movements, turned his head toward the Templar, then slowly lowered it down his chest, regarding Jim with an expression of great suffering and hatred. He remained in this state for two seconds, then straightened his head and shouted something incomprehensible in a deep voice. At that moment, his skull exploded, shattering into small pieces, adorning the room with blue colors. The limp body fell with a crash that reverberated throughout the room.

Chapter 6

"Jim, are you alive?!" Tassadar nudged the Terran, and when he saw he showed no signs of life, he scooped him up and headed for the exit.

Raynor wasn't in the best of shape. Most of his body was burned and

severely injured. His uniform was almost completely destroyed. When the Templar lifted him from the ground, he saw a bloodstain on the floor. He knew he had little time and his friend's life was now in his hands.

As quickly as he could, he exited the building, following the same route as Jim. He saw that a battle for his survival was raging above them, except that... no one was eager to send a transport for him. He hadn't expected this from his allies. Well, I'll have to think of something, Tassadar thought.

His gaze caught the Recon, slammed into the wall of the prison building he was just leaving. He wasn't in good shape, but considering Zeratul had forgotten the priority of this operation, he had to do everything he could to escape. So he put the unconscious Terran inside and positioned him so he wouldn't suffer further damage during the flight. He sat in the pilot's seat and tried to ignite the aircraft. The cockpit was tighter than usual, as debris falling from the building struck the hull and crushed him.

Tassadar placed his hands on the seats on either side of his seat and focused his attention on the struggling engine. Of course, when the main engine made no sound, the Protoss tried to start the spare engine. It was already making sounds like metal scraping against metal, but it wouldn't start. The impatient Templar renewed his efforts. This time, he was met with the sputtering of the engine and another silence.

Oh no! This was too much! A Zealot warrior ran from behind the prison building. At first, he didn't notice the fugitives, but eventually, his sharp eyes landed on Tassadar. Before he could do anything more, perfect copies appeared on either side of him, attacking him harmlessly. These illusions would hold him for a while, the amused Templar thought, then began to restart the nasty engine.

Indeed, the warriors' fakes had worked enough to distract the Zealot from the fighter, while the Templar inside raced against time. Finally, he heard a shrill screech, followed by the calm sounds of an engine revving. Finally!

Meanwhile, the Zealot had already killed one of his clones, but seeing the Scout slowly begin to take off, he pushed the other aside and, activating his psi blades, jumped onto the front of the fighter. He plunged his weapon into the ship's hull to avoid falling under Tassadar's acrobatic abilities.

"Oh, we have shields," he said to himself, glancing at the control panel and seeing the green light illuminate. "Time to learn to fly."

At the Templar's thought, the antimatter (anti-aircraft) cannon swung

toward the Zealot, who was already hanging on the edge. He said in a low voice,

"This isn't how I imagined it." The cannon fired, striking the warrior with a projectile capable of destroying a solid concrete wall. The explosion occurred at the bow, ripping his body into microscopic fragments that flew in all directions in a strange blue drizzle.

"So much for the stowaways," Tassadar laughed, though he still had the image of Jim lying in the seat next to him, needing immediate assistance.

He immediately flew out into the open air where the battle was taking place. In the distance,

he spotted Zeratul's Carrier under attack. He steered his craft in that direction, hoping not to be shot down. He established telepathic contact with the Dark Templar, who, preoccupied with his actions, had failed to notice his summons.

"Zeratul!" Tassadar shouted. The Dark Templar, dazed, tore his gaze from the battlefield and answered the call.

"Tassadar! You're alive! It's good to hear you again...

" "Now is not the time. I'm free, but at the cost of Jim's health. We have to get out of here as quickly as possible!

" "We've been caught in the crossfire." We can't make it! We're escaping into space! – Zeratul shouted.

– NO! The ship I'm flying is unsuitable for space travel. It's badly damaged and won't make it.

– Good. Then fly towards the forest. We'll join you later – suggested the Dark Templar.

– Are you crazy!? If we go unescorted, any Dragon could shoot us down. I have a better idea…

Tassadar's scout was getting closer to Ikarius, but at that moment the pilot noticed

An antimatter projectile hurtling toward him. Dodging proved more difficult than he expected. In the few seconds remaining, he tried to veer to the right, unsuccessfully, as the rudder to change direction jammed mid-flight. "Am I to die like this? Oh no!" the Templar thought. He reached out toward the projectile and focused all his psi powers on creating a flat shield on the left side of the ship, capable of deflecting the projectile. No one in the history of his clan had ever managed to do this, and few had, in fact, attempted it, as using psi energy is associated with considerable exhaustion, and there were cases where toying with their power had cost several Protoss lives. But what did Tassadar have to lose? If he failed, his remains would be gathered from the ground within a radius of several hundred meters. His mind was practically clenched with the effort, and the front of his head ached terribly, but he knew he couldn't give up. The life of a dying Terran rested in his hands.

Zeratul's words, trying to reestablish contact with the Templar, echoed through his subconscious. The missile was getting closer. "So, time to die?" Tassadar thought. "Forgive me, Jim."

Everything had happened so suddenly. The scout who had begun escorting the Protoss noticed the missile approaching. A second later, everything changed. Shards of the escorting fighter could be seen flying around the flying wreckage. The surviving starfighter was caught in turbulence, being thrown around in all directions. The Templar inside slumped in his seat, losing control of the machine. He felt as if the last of his strength had been drained from him. He couldn't move a muscle. The ship began to fall limply to the ground.

The Protoss was constantly aware of what was happening around him, but he couldn't believe he was still alive. So he had succeeded! He had deflected the missile! He felt very happy that his efforts had not been in vain. Zeratul kept hammering at his mind, trying to figure out what had happened.

"Tassadar! WHAT'S HAPPENING OUT THERE?" he shouted.

"I'm falling...

" "WHAT?

" "Damn..." Tassadar, despite his exhaustion, managed to raise his hand high enough to place it on the controller. At that moment, he gained control of the falling ship, which leveled off in seconds, a few dozen meters above the ground.

"What are you doing there?!" Zeratul continued to scream into his mind. "

Zeratul... I'm about to crash... into your... ship," he muttered in a silent whisper. "Remove the shield... from the rear.

" "But why?

" "Do what... I tell you.

" "Fine."

After a few seconds, the Dark Templar spoke again:

"The shield is down. Whatever you want to do, do it quickly, because without the shield, we won't last long." Tassadar felt a surge of hope, a spark that had been smoldering within him since they'd captured him.

Now, however, his plan had a chance of success. The gap between

the Carrier's upper and lower hulls was narrow and long. It led to the hangars of each of the capital ship's small fighters. If only he could get there.

A haze filled Tassadar's vision. It was becoming increasingly difficult to see the information flashing on the monitor panel. He was only dozens of meters away from the target. Just before impact, Tassadar lost consciousness, but not before, with a final, desperate cry, he relayed the message to Zeratul: "Shield!" The scout spun slightly to the left, the force of the impact ripping off the fighter's wings and denting the hull in several places.

Fragments of the ship bounced against the exhaust tunnels, and sparks flew from the walls, scraped against the metal. Finally, the wreckage struck the wall and sank into the opening for the Interceptor-class fighter.

Zeratul lost his balance and fell from the force of the information transmitted to him. From the floor, he yelled at one of his subordinates,

"Raise the shield! Now!" His voice echoed across the bridge. "Send the medics to the hangar too! We're out of here!"

Ikarius heaved his mangled body and headed into space. The decimated squadrons of Scouts followed

. The Dark Templar had already risen and was now considering their remaining options. A massive mental barrier lay before them, and behind them, fervent followers of the Conclave cult, who would pursue them to the very ends of the universe. There was no other option.

"Prepare to breach the barrier!" Zeratul shouted, loud enough for everyone to hear. "Bring the Khaydarian crystals.

" "Seven minutes left until impact," one of the Protoss said.

"Hmm," the Dark Templar mused. "How do we get them the right distance from the ship in seven minutes? It's impossible! Although... yes!" That's the thought!

He immediately ran to the room where the Protoss responsible for each of the small fighters were

. When he reached his destination, he noticed that only three Protoss remained at their stations. He said to two of them,

"Sacred crystals will be attached to the fighters. You must fly them as far away from the ship as possible on either side, so that they won't cause any harm when they connect. We're crossing a mental barrier."

Everyone knew what was happening. They immediately reconnected with the fighters and

awaited a message from the Dark Templar. He returned to the bridge and gave the engineers instructions on what to do with the crystals. After a long moment, he heard,

"Two minutes to impact!"

"Hurry, damn it!" thought Zeratul, and immediately received a message in his mind that the crystals had been attached. Immediately afterward, he shouted at the fighter "pilots" to take off.

He looked through the vast windows on the bridge and saw two Interceptor-class ships receding

from each other with every second, flying straight towards an invisible barrier. The greater the distance, the more the Protoss piloting the interceptor had to exert himself to maintain contact with his protégé, which was why such maneuvers were never attempted, as they exhausted the pilot.

When the Dark Templar decided the moment was right, he crouched down and concentrated on the energy emanating from the crystals. They were the source of his race's extraordinary abilities. Legends say that the Ancients, to imbue their creations with psi powers, placed them in tight, isolated locations along with the crystals. The energy emanating from them saturated the bodies of young warriors, who later became ruthless Zealots.

He found himself in a clearing in the middle of the forest. It was approaching dusk, and the last rays of the orange sun touched the warm earth, which was preparing for sleep. Zeratul stood to the side, observing the majesty of nature, when suddenly a strange structure appeared in the center of his attention. It was a large Khaydarian crystal, meticulously cut, as if crafted by a god himself. It was at least 5 meters tall. It hung within a metal structure that held it upright, though the gem itself seemed to float above the ground.

He approached and saw its reflection on the smooth surface. It was undistorted and seemed an exact replica of Zeratul himself. Suddenly, to the Dark Templar's surprise, it came to life. It began making strange gestures with its hands and speaking a language he didn't recognize. After a moment, the specter spoke in the same voice as Zeratul's:

"The path leading home can be winding and dangerous," the spirit spoke slowly, drawing a circle in the air. "What if the path is destroyed? The forest will become a trap, and only the voice of a friend will be able to help." The Dark Templar listened intently to every word, trying to decipher its meaning. He knew that without the key, he would have to solve this absurd puzzle to activate the gem. He rarely attempted to activate the crystal, as he usually had keywords for it that made the task much easier. "A friend needs you, Zeratul!" These words surprised the Dark Templar. Wraiths never addressed their interlocutors directly unless it was related to some important event. After these words, the wraith vanished, leaving Zeratul's silent expression on the crystal's surface.

He didn't know what to do. Even though time had stopped for him, he could have spent so many moments here.

As much as he wanted, he felt an involuntary sense of unease, and his mind raced as if on some incredibly complex mission. All his senses were heightened, and he felt every muscle twitch. The spirit spoke of a friend's voice. Could it be Raynor? Perhaps Tassadar? My head hurts, Zeratul thought, I'm too old for this. After all, living 475 years is no young age for a Dark Templar. Sigh.

He reached out with both hands and slowly touched the crystal. It was cold and incredibly smooth. He looked at his reflection and said in a low voice,

"Help me, old man," he said, more to himself.

"As you wish," the reflection spoke again. This time, Zeratul had to be careful not to recoil in fear. He managed to suppress the reflex just as the crystal glowed with an incredibly bright light. It practically blinded the Protoss, who closed his eyes and allowed the power to flow through him, out of this dimension and into reality.

He awoke from his trance with a scream that terrified the entire Carrier crew. He was somewhat

exhausted from reentering his body, but he could see the two retreating fighters glowing white against the bright stars. Then, a kind of luminous bridge formed between the two ships, connecting the two Interceptors. At the contact of the two energy sources, a small flash occurred, and a powerful wave of luminous power erupted from it and struck the mind barrier, piercing it completely and creating a regular circle several kilometers in diameter, which slowly began to close. Blue discharges could be seen at each end, accompanying the barrier's disruption.

"Quickly! Through the hole!" shouted Zeratul, who immediately rose from the floor and watched the entire phenomenon.

Ikarius slowly flew through the closing hole. The remnants

of the Scout squadron that had survived the battle followed. The last remaining ones, who hadn't yet flown through the passage, noticed it closing faster than they expected.

"Damn it, we can't do it!" Zeratul heard the voice of one of the pilots in his mind. At that same moment, one of the Protoss on the bridge announced that the barrier had been completely closed. The Dark Templar glanced at the screen, which showed the space behind the Carrier, and noticed the massive explosion of a fighter as it engaged the incoming enemy ships. After a moment of silence, Zeratul's gravelly voice spoke up.

"Too many Protoss lives have been lost today," he spoke. "Let's not let another die. To the hangar!"