//------------------------------// // Swarm: Communication Blackout // Story: Starcraft: Warriors of Purity // by Xarmar13 //------------------------------// Raynor’s ship safely arrived in the Zerg-controlled portion of the Koprulu sector. Kerrigan began flying the ship around the zone to find some Zerg or better yet, a place to set up a command position. During this time, Kerrigan decided that she wanted an answer to a question that had been plaguing her for years. “Can you tell me how you have been able to override my control of Zerg? I have tried to peer into your mind at times but was never able to find the answer.” Since Kerrigan’s mind was no longer twisted, Sweetie had no reservations against answering her question. She explained the Overmind parasite that infected her during the Overmind’s death throes. She also explained the command structure of the Zerg always put the Overmind at the top of the Zerg chain of command. Sweetie had taken advantage of that trait to steal control of Zerg from her. She also explained that the Overmind had taught her everything she knew about the Zerg and was taught how to control Zerg using her psionic power through its command signature. “I see…” Kerrigan said. “Did it also help you to predict my actions during the Brood War?” “Nope. That was all me.” Kerrigan blinked for a moment then laughed. “You really are a dangerous foe, Sweetie.” After an hour of travelling through the vastness of space, the ship came across a lone Leviathan. Kerrigan saw an opportunity to claim a place to command the Swarm from and flew the ship into one of the orifices of the gargantuan creature. As the ship was landing, a number of Zerglings fled the landing zone to avoid getting squished by the landing gear. Kerrigan and Sweetie emerged from the ship, the adjutant aboard the ship needlessly warning of Zerg organisms. “That’s why I’m here. They’ll either accept me as their Queen, or I’ll start killing them one-by-one until they do,” Kerrigan responded. The Zerglings around her were apprehensive before Kerrigan asserted her authority on them. A sphincter opened up behind the Zerglings before an unusual creature emerged from the ceiling. The creature appeared to be attached to the inner workings of the Leviathan. By shape, the creature appeared feminine. Her body was layered in chitin. While she appeared to have arms that she always kept at her midsection, any movement of extremities came from the thick, armored tendrils that grew from the top of her head. Each tendril had one long claw at the end. “What are you?” Kerrigan asked. “I am Izsha. Your Majesty used to store all her ideas, thoughts and plans within me. Do you not remember?” “Yes...I do remember you. More importantly, you remember me.” Kerrigan used her psionic power to assert her position upon Izsha. “You are the Queen of Blades. I obey.” Kerrigan ordered Izsha to summon the Swarm to move against Korhal, but the Swarm would not obey. Out of their own self-preservation, the Broodmothers disbanded from the Swarm to create their own Swarm under their direction. Kerrigan had her work cut out for her if she planned to unite the Swarm against Korhal. “My Queen, who are these two who follow you?” Izsha asked, pointing a tentacle at Sweetie and Hanson. “The Pony is Sweetie Drops. Any respect you have toward me is given to her as well. The infested one is Sweetie’s servant, Ariel Hanson. You will refer to her in whatever manner that Sweetie says.” “Just call her Ariel,” Sweetie says. “As you wish, my Queens.” Izsha’s address made Sweetie’s muscles tense a little. She was uncomfortable with being referred to as a Queen, though she had a feeling that she may have to get used to it if she was going to be walking among the Zerg. Hanson was looking all around her in awe as she was standing inside a Zerg organism designed for mass transport. She suspected that the Leviathan was the Zerg version of a capital ship. Just the inside of the creature alone would be worth years of study. Izsha told everyone that Broodmother Nafash was assigned to the nearby moon of Kaldir to find essence that would help the Zerg survive extreme cold. With the Swarm dividing, Nafash intended to create a Brood that specialized in cold environments like the arctic moon of Kaldir. Kerrigan had the Leviathan set course for the nearby ice moon. Izsha sent scouts to check the status of Nafash and found her hive cluster had been abandoned. Kerrigan suspected that Nafash hid herself in some ice valleys where she noticed a Protoss encampment. Suddenly, Sweetie received a psychic transmission from somewhere in the Protoss camp. “I can sense your presence, friend Sweetie Drops. I am Lasarra, an expedition scientist. My people need your help! The Tal’darim have invaded our expedition and are planning on executing everyone. Please, save us!” Kerrigan didn’t pick up on the transmission but recognized the behavior of one who was receiving a psychic transmission and asked, “What did you find out?” “The situation on Kaldir just got complicated. The Tal’darim are attacking the Protoss expedition here. We need Nafash’s Brood back into the fold and the Tal’darim have likely picked up on our presence at this point. Lyra told me about them and their infamous Death Fleet. We’re in trouble if they show up.” Kerrigan considered her options. If they left now, they would get away before the Death Fleet arrived. But they would also be left without a Brood. If they went to the moon’s surface to reclaim Nafash’s Brood, they would need to make sure word of their actions never make it to Slayn. In the end, Kerrigan decided to take the risk. Sweetie looked at Kerrigan with concern, “Are you sure we’re equipped to handle the extreme cold of Kaldir?” Kerrigan looked at her as if she had grown another head. “Did no one tell you about how the Hostile Environment Suits work? They have built in temperature regulators. They were built for Volcanic locations like Char and Arctic locations like Kaldir. You’ve been wearing it the whole time and you didn’t notice how the environment barely affected you?” Sweetie blushed, “I...forgot that part. Been so focused on missions that I never paid attention.” Izsha interrupted the two to inform them of something, “My Queens before you go, perhaps you may wish to visit the evolution pit to evolve and upgrade your Swarm. The creature, Abathur can help you.” Kerrigan decided to take Izsha up on her suggestion and went to the evolution pit to see this Abathur. Sweetie followed. Once inside the pit, Kerrigan and Sweetie were greeted by an odd creature that was mainly dark grey in color and had many thin limbs: some had three-clawed hands, some ended in green-glowing, bulbous sacs, smaller ones had a single claw, larger ones ended in a scythe-like claw. The creature had an enormous head adorned in green pustules, had four eyes and a maw that Sweetie was unable to tell if it was a mouth or something to assist its functions. Kerrigan asked Abathur what it was. “Abathur. Evolve Swarm, spin strands and sequences. Served Overmind, then served Queen of Blades. Now serve you two.” While Kerrigan claimed that she was the Queen of Blades, Abathur countered that she and the Queen of Blades were very different by stating the Queen of Blades was more efficient and had ancient Zerg qualities with as little Terran influence as possible. Her current form was highly inefficient with poorly designed grasper limbs. Abathur looked at Sweetie. “Examining strands of Sweetie Drops. Mix of Terran and species unfounded by Swarm. Abnormality detected, energy source within, cannot identify. Never encountered. Detected essence of original Overmind. Closer examination necessary.” Abathur reached toward Sweetie to examine her further but Kerrigan stopped him by mentally forcing him back. Abathur returned to explaining his duties, “Only focus is evolving the Swarm. Seek perfection in all things. Work in evolution pit. Can review my work here. Start with Zergling.” Abathur gave Kerrigan a choice of three mutations for the Zergling: a hardened carapace, overloaded adrenal glands, or a boost to metabolism for improved movement. Kerrigan chose the adrenal glands. On the frozen surface of Kaldir a lone sac crashed. Kerrigan, Sweetie and a few Zerglings emerged from the remains. Izsha warned the two about flash freeze storms that would cause everything without the proper adaptations to instantly freeze. Once the storm passed, thermal energy from Zerg bodies and Hostile Environment Suits would be able to thaw the ice quickly. Kerrigan sensed indigenous creatures nearby that appeared resistant to the cold. The group moved onward in pursuit of the Ursadon Matriarch that would have the necessary essence to help them. An Ursadon jumped the group. Sweetie acted quickly and shot it a few times into its thick skull. A frozen Roach was recovered by Kerrigan. When it thawed, it buried itself to recover, then it resurfaced to continue. The odd thing was that the Roach was feral. When another feral Roach was found, Kerrigan suspected something may have happened to Nafash. Izsha warned of an imminent freeze storm. Moments later, Sweetie found herself trapped in ice as the frigid winds dropped her body temperature to near nothing. She watched helplessly from her icy prison as a trio of Ursadon bashed through a wall of ice. One was larger than the others which told her that the big one was the Matriarch they were seeking. Conveniently, the flash freeze storm subsided and she felt her body heat up again, giving Sweetie the strength to break free. She shivered for a moment before she felt well enough to fight again. Sweetie hit the Matriarch with a Psionic Lash while Kerrigan hit it with a Kinetic Blast. The combined power caused the beast to explode. The underlings were easy prey for the Zerg. The Zerglings quickly feasted on the remains of the Ursadon Matriarch which gave Abathur access to the essence. He quickly used the essence to create a resistance to the freezing effects of the weather for the Zerg. While Sweetie knew that the Zerg would resist the storms now, she was more concerned about how she and Kerrigan would survive. ~The ability to use essence has not been taken from Kerrigan. And as long as my essence remains within you, you will endure the cold as well as Kerrigan shall.”~ Sweetie was relieved that she wouldn’t end up a frozen treat for the Ursadon anytime soon. The way was clear to Nafash’s frozen hive cluster. Once they arrived, Kerrigan awakened the hive cluster and gave them access to the Ursadon essence. The Tal’darim sensed the awakening and addressed the interlopers. “The Queen of Blades and the concubine of First Ascendant Lyra. Neither of you appear strong. In fact, I can sense that the Queen of Blades’ powers have greatly diminished. You will be easy prey. Just in case, We will make use of this expedition’s Psi-Link Spires and contact Slayn. The Death Fleet will be your end!” “Izsha, tell me the Protoss are out of range of Slayn,” Kerrigan inquired. “They are, my Queen. However, their communications will be amplified by the Psi-Link Spires,” “Then we destroy the Spires before the Protoss can activate them.” Abathur alerted Kerrigan and Sweetie to additional Ursadon Matriarchs nearby that bear essence that could further improve their resistance to the cold. While the Zerg set up their defenses, the Tal’darim decided to send a force of Zealots to hit them early. Luckily, a flash freeze storm hit at the right time and froze the black-armored Protoss solid. Sweetie fired an EM round that disabled their shields while Zerglings and Roaches assaulted their vulnerable forms. Capitalizing on the weather, Kerrigan, Sweetie and the Zerg forces attacked the nearest Protoss camp. Sweetie felt bad destroying buildings that belonged to the expedition, but with the Tal’darim using them, she couldn’t afford to hold back. They focused on the frozen troops first then demolished the buildings so the Tal’darim couldn’t use them. The nearby Spire was the last target in the immediate area. The powerful assault soon toppled the first Spire. After getting a Hatchery built near some Minerals, More Roaches, Zerglings and Swarm Queens were morphed to bolster the attack force. More Ursadon were sensed in the nearby canyon. The large group moved into the canyon to engage the Ursadon and their Matriarch. Once again, Kerrigan and Sweetie caused the creature to explode with their psionic power. Zerg minions proceeded to eat the corpse and gain her essence. Abathur was able to increase everyone’s visibility during a flash freeze. The Zerg once again took advantage of the weather to eliminate a nearby gathering of Tal’darim. It was there that Kerrigan and Sweetie discovered the eviscerated corpse of a Broodmother: Nafash. Kerrigan decided that she would avenge the fallen Broodmother by wiping out the Tal’darim. The Zerg pushed into a moderately defended base during a storm and eliminated the invading Protoss before tearing the base down after the storm ended. With the Spire defenseless, with the exception of troops being warped in to defend it, the Zerg quickly killed the defenders and leveled the second Spire. Sweetie had time to think about something, For how long it was taking to destroy the Spires, she thought the Tal’darim would have contacted Slayn by now. The fact that they had not showed that the technology was less efficient than she thought or the storms were undoing the progress of their efforts. Of course, the issue could also be that they didn’t know how to operate the Spires and were slowly figuring it out. The Swarm detoured into another canyon and killed the last Ursadon Matriarch in the area. The essence she provided allowed everyone to become immune to the cold weather; a feature she felt tempted to test in the frozen wastelands north of Equestria one day. With a massive force gathered, the Zerg pushed into the final, heavily defended base that was guarding the last Psi-Link Spire. The base was guarded by Scouts, and what appeared to be Immortals, Colossi and other Tal’darim infantry. Using the weather, the dangers of the base were easily dealt with before they thawed. The Zerg toppled the last of the Spires and forced the Tal’darim to retreat for the time being.