//------------------------------// // Swarm: Nuclear Winter // Story: Starcraft: Warriors of Purity // by Xarmar13 //------------------------------// Kerrigan and Sweetie returned to the Leviathan to prepare themselves for the operation that will liberate Char from the Dominion. Kerrigan talked to Izsha and Zagara, the latter of whom was made to go see Abathur again when she still did not understand the concept of vision. Out of what respect she had for the old soldier, Sweetie decided to have one last talk with Warfield before they began. Kerrigan questioned Sweetie about why she would bother with one of Mengsk’s Generals. To which she replied, “Our war is with Mengsk. His Generals only serve him out of some unfortunate sense of duty. While I have no intention of pulling my punches, he at least deserves one last chance to withdraw with his life. I gave Duke the same courtesy.” Kerrigan scoffed, “Yeah, and you left me with a huge headache as a result.” “I wouldn’t worry about that this time. I have a plan to make taking the fortress nearly effortless.” “Oh? And what would that plan be?” “You’ll see.” Sweetie gave a slight grin with a hint of sadness. Sweetie reached for her communicator to get into contact with Warfield. “Come in, Warfield. This is Sweetie Drops.” <”What do you want? I believe that we have already said what we wanted to say in the Bone Trench.”> “I want to offer you one last chance to leave Char to the Zerg.” <”Tell me you have something more important to say than your pointless offer. I said it before, I will never let Kerrigan take back Char.”> Sweetie sighed, “Very well. We will give you three hours to evacuate all non-combat personnel and the sick or injured. Any who remain once the attack begins will be blood on your hands and your soul if you Terrans believe in that stuff.” Warfield was silent for a minute before responding, <”My thanks for the offer. I will order a full evacuation of all NCP immediately.“> The transmission ended. “You’re giving him three hours to prepare for our attack? Do you even realize how much harder you just made this?” Kerrigan asked irritably. “Don’t worry about it. All we have to do is provoke him to use his nuclear arsenal and victory will be ours.” “You better know what you’re doing…” Kerrigan went to her chamber to unlock her new abilities while Sweetie had a talk with Abathur. When the creature came out of his hole, Sweetie was curious about how Abathur manipulated genes. “Tell me about your work,” Sweetie said. “Look at flesh, see only potential. Strands, sequences, twisting, separating, joining. See how it could be better. At flesh, splinter bone. Inside me, can touch it. Weave it. Spin it. Make it great.” “But not perfect?” “Never perfect. Perfection goal that changes. Never stops moving. Can chase, cannot catch.” “And what potential do you see in me?” “Unknown. Sample required for proper opinion. However, can see immense potential locked away.” “So I guess the Terrazine wasn’t enough to unlock my full potential.” “Psionic potential at zenith due to Terrazine. Limitations of current form prevent use of untapped power. Can be made better through genetic alterations.” “We’ll see how that goes when we get to Zerus.” Everyone was being forced to wait for the three hours that Sweetie allowed to Warfield. During this time everyone was becoming irritated in their own way. A good portion of that irritation was directed at Sweetie for making that deal. Sweetie was not about to defend herself on that matter since it would only make the others more angry. Zagara’s anxiety was clearly showing as she began aimlessly moving around the command chamber of the Leviathan. Even the slightest sound would make her jerk her head in the direction the sound came from. Izsha appeared calm but Sweetie began to think that the advisor was incapable of feeling anxiety or at least expressing it. Kerrigan went to her personal chamber a few times to make sure she was fully prepared to fight Warfield. The three hours were torture for everyone. When the time finally came to an end, the Swarm rallied at a hive cluster near Warfield’s fortress. Once a large number of Zerg were morphed from a hive cluster in the Bone Trench, Kerrigan ordered the siege of Warfield’s fortress to begin.. “We’ve reached the Terran fortress. They’re dug-in and ready for us,” Kerrigan said. “There is no room for subtlety here. We will go after them wherever they are, and overwhelm them.” Warfield ordered his nuclear arsenal to be activated. He felt sure that his arsenal would keep the Zerg away from the fortress. Kerrigan ordered Zagara to build a hive cluster near the gates of the fortress while she took the standing forces to wreak as much havoc as she could before the nuclear arsenal was activated. While Kerrigan was preparing to break open the gate, Sweetie began working on her plan for Warfield. She pulled out her rifle and activated a certain device. Kerrigan wondered why Sweetie was staying behind but decided not to question it. Meanwhile on Equus… A certain pink party planner Pony was gathering the necessary party supplies for Carrot Top’s birthday party next week. While she was bouncing along from shop to shop, a powerful sensation overtook her body. She was sweating from intense heat while shivering from a frigid chill at the same time. Her joints were excessively aching, her entire body was itchy and she felt compelled to stare at the sky before she started convulsing and dropped her party supplies all around her. Rainbow Dash landed right next to Pinkie to ask about her issue, “Hey Pinkie, what’s gotten into you? Are you sick or is it your Pinkie Sense?” When she recovered, Pinkie looked at Dashie, “It was my Pinkie Sense. But I never felt a doozy like the one I just felt. Of course, I don’t think it’s going to happen on this planet.” Dash tilted her head. “Is this something we need to worry about?” “Nope!” Pinkie chirped before, picked up the party supplies she dropped while having her episode and bounced away. Dash stared at her for a few moments before shrugging and flying away. Kerrigan drove her forces through the main gate and tore into the frontal defenses. Zagara continued sending Zerglings and Banelings into the fortress to reinforce Kerrigan. Kerrigan decided to push into the left side of the fortress to gain access to some rich mineral crystals for later. Kerrigan’s initial attack was short because after a few minutes, Warfield’s nuclear arsenal came online. <”Time for the nuclear option! Kill them all!”> “You’re right, it is time for the nuclear option.” Sweetie said before telepathically talking to Kerrigan. “Kerrigan, get back to the hive cluster, now!” Kerrigan decided not to question it and used her Deep Tunnel ability to get back to the hive cluster before Sweetie activated the T.N.O.D. Warfield was sitting in his command chair observing the battle. He had ordered the launch of a few of his Nuclear Missiles. He had a huge stockpile of them anyway. He had enough to last him for a long time. One of his analysts, who refused to leave the planet as ordered, suddenly went deathly pale as he discovered something, “General, we have an emergency!” “Of course we do, but not for much longer once they taste radiation.” “That’s just it, sir. Our nuclear launch systems are being hacked remotely. I’m locked out of the system! The targeting systems are painting every inch of our own fortress and the entire nuclear stockpile is being made to launch!” “What?! Impossible!” Warfield looked at the screen and just like the analyst said, the entire fortress was being targeted by his nuclear arsenal. Remembering what Sweetie did on Korhal when they were broadcasting Mengsk’s crimes to the public, he went pale as well. “What kind of hell-borne device did Sweetie Drops get her hands on to do this?!” he asked rhetorically out of terror. As he said that, the fortress’ nuclear silo launched countless nuclear missiles that were aimed at everything inside the fortress walls. Realizing that there was nothing left to do but wait for the end, Horace Warfield sat back in his chair and sighed, “Well played, Sweetie Drops, well played.” Kerrigan stood next to Sweetie as the two observed the fortress. Ten seconds later, the sky above Warfield’s fortress weeped as a shower of Nuclear Missiles rained armageddon upon the man-made compound. Explosions roared for at least ten minutes and a cacophony of screaming Terrans could be heard for a few seconds longer than that. Not even the main stronghold could withstand such a cataclysmic assault as the entire fortress was flattened under the crushing power of a Nuclear Storm. Some time after the explosions ended, Kerrigan sent a few Zerglings into the compound to check for Warfield. After extensive searching and a few Zerglings succumbing to radiation poisoning, they saw the charred white CMC suit that belonged to Horace Warfield. The visor was shattered and the inside contained a smoldering skull. Kerrigan saw the remains through the eyes of the Zerglings and knew that the old General didn’t survive. Kerrigan looked at Sweetie, “Has anyone ever told you that you’re scary sometimes? Where the hell did you get a device like that?” she asked. “Remember that time we raided Moria for minerals?” Sweetie sighed sadly, “I gave Warfield two chances to leave the planet. Honestly, I didn’t want to do that to him, but he wasn’t giving me much choice.” Kerrigan put a hand on Sweetie’s shoulder. “Well, we can think about it another time. For now, let’s return to the Leviathan and consider our next course of action.” Sweetie nodded while Kerrigan ordered Zagara and her Brood back to the Leviathan. Unknown to everyone, the temperature in the area began to drop slightly.