Starcraft: Queen and Country

by Wanderer D

Chapter 020: A True Mission

2504, Koprulu Sector, Agria's Moon█

"Executor, what do you mean our mission has changed?" Lasarra asked. It was a little late to ask, admittedly, given that they were already set towards their new destination, but if her life project was going to be tossed to the side thanks to politics, she felt she deserved at least an answer.

Executor Xos, head of the research team heading to the distant world of Kaldir, shook his head, glancing at the feisty Khalai scientist. "Sometimes I forget that you are not a warrior as some your brethren have started to become."

He turned around slowly to face her and the other scientists fully, his stance proud and rigid. "We have received our orders. Even if this was commissioned by the Khalai Caste, we all answer to the Hierarchy. And the Hierarchy has decided to send us to join Executor Selendis in the orbit of planet Agria."

"Selendis?" Lasarra gasped. "But she—Executor, her calling is the exact opposite of ours!"

"Enough, Lasarra." The Executor placed a hand on her shoulder, reminding her not only of their size difference, but also—coincidentally—just how distant their ranks were and would always be no matter what she did, discovered or created. 

Xos wasn't forceful, but he didn't have to be. As kind as he was, he was not Khalai, after all. He was Templar, and their places were not equal now or ever. He was high-ranking enough to be assigned leadership of this dangerous mission, and named Executor as befitted a Templar who would command such a number of Protoss. And even he answered to one such as Selendis. 

After all, there were Executors, and then there were Executors.

Lasarra bit back a retort. This battle was lost, and as bitter as this realization was, it was in a way to be expected. Protoss didn't see Zerg as anything but a plague to be destroyed, and Selendis was more than eager to lead that extermination.

"Executor," one of the pilots spoke up, "we are arriving at the second moon of Agria… we have detected Zerg in the planet itself, and even some patrolling the space around it."

"Are we to be support for the troops?" Xos asked aloud, turning away to stride forth to see the displays properly.  "This makes no sense. We are not a warrior vessel. Are they so desperate for troops?"

"Is that a Zerg Leviathan flying within range of our base's weapons?" Lasarra asked with an almost hushed tone.

"There does not appear to be any signs of battle, Executor." A beat. "Receiving transmission."

A holographic image of Executor Selendis formed on the bridge and everyone stood at attention until she nodded. "Executor Xos, I am glad to see your vessel has made good time coming to us."

"Indeed," Xos replied, bowing. "It was a surprise… our mission was one of exploration and science. We did not expect to suddenly be called to battle."

"You are not here for war," Selendis replied, making Lasarra glance at her curiously. "A situation has evolved with the Zerg Queen in charge of planet Agria. A situation that presents… unique challenges."

"I… am afraid I do not understand, Executor," Xos said.

"As I have stated, it is a complicated situation. You will be briefed soon. Approach the base and meet me at the command center. Do not engage the Leviathan. It will not attack you."

"As you wish, Executor."

The communication cut and the crew was awash with nervous energy, although none of them betrayed it. They were not as undisciplined as a terran crew, so instead of the sideway glances and surprise they would have shown were that the case, the crew simply stared forward.

Well. Most of them.

"That is…" Lasarra stepped close to the window, staring at the zerg Leviathan as it drifted slightly away as it continued its apparent patrol. "Incredible. I never expected—we never dreamed to be able to see, much less approach such a vessel."

"You let your eagerness show, young one."

Lasarra caught herself and turned to look at the Executor, who had walked to her side to stare at the Leviathan. 

"Never forget that those creatures, as… intriguing as you find them, have an inherent hatred of all we represent. Do not forget what they did to our people. What they took from us."

Lasarra stood straighter. "Of course not, Executor. How could I? None of us can. None of us will."

Her answer was the right one. Xos nodded briskly, while the other Templars on the bridge exuded agreement. To them, the Leviathan floating outside was an aberration and an enemy that would attack at the slightest provocation. To her, it was a thing of… well. Not beauty in the traditional sense, but of sorts. Dangerous, and unpredictable, but beautiful in its own way… not that the others would ever understand where she was coming from.

Even her fellow scientists looked at all things Zerg as mistakes of the cosmos.

'But still…' she thought, her outward appearance as calm and collected as any Templar could expect of a Khalai scientist. 'What if war wasn't the only choice?'

She shook herself as she felt the ship slow down. Even though the ship didn't shake as it docked, and deceleration was something no one could perceive inside the ship, there was still a sense of loss of momentum that defied rational explanation in the realm of physics.

Dampeners, artificial gravity, shielding, environment control, power control, everything was perfectly designed to not create any such sense, and yet, she (and indeed many others she had spoken to) still felt something when docking a once-moving ship. Some would argue that it was a psychological reaction to the knowledge of their arrival, but if so, why did she still feel it when not knowing they had arrived at a port?

Lasarra focused, clearing her mind. Questions had defined her infancy, and her younger years, and still defined her today. Questions had opened her to the universe, to searching for understanding of a variety of topics, but now was not the time to question her perceptions of movement.

Already Xos was giving orders to coordinate with the base to establish their science center. Again, the bitterness of crushed dreams danced in Lasarra's mind. 'One step at a time. We'll finish this and head over to study the Zerg properly. Whatever Executor Selendis wants us for can't be—'

"Executor Xos!" one of the Templars called out, his tone urgent, "Executor Selendis requires immediate assistance from the science team."

Xos didn't even hesitate. "Lasarra, your and your team will be transported now." She hadn't even bothered to nod, instead rushing over to join the others, who had been alerted to the bridge. As soon as she was next to them, Xos' voice reached them. "Templar. Initiate transportation."

Lasarra didn't exactly sigh in relief, but she did sag a little once the zerg queen in her custody stabilized. All readings had remained consistent for several minutes now, and the zerg was fully unconscious, pain free, and ready to operate on.

Operating on a live zerg had been one of the several challenges she had anticipated undertaking when she and her team had been originally scheduled to head to Kaldir among other less invasive investigations. Social structures, environmental consequences when not engaged in battle, etc.

When her whole team had been re-routed to Agria by the order of Executor Selendis no less, she had been understandably upset. She was part of a very small group of scientists that understood there was much more to these creatures than most other Protoss even dared to consider.

Zerg were bestial, powerful, relentless, unending, overwhelming… but also excruciatingly adaptable, and yet specialized. They were not all mindless, their intelligence estimated to range from that of an insect-like drone level of understanding of the world, to the incredibly complicated Overlords, and beyond into the realm of the Overmind or a Queen like Kerrigan herself.

It had been a purely academic endeavor, with studies that would generate understanding of these creatures on several levels previously left unexamined, and now it had been turned from that into the service of the military, where their knowledge would be used to make even more weapons.

Or so she had thought.

Her team hadn't been briefed at all about the current situation until they had been presented in front of the Executor herself. Rushing in to find two previously unknown species of aliens in the command center had been startling, but one of them was screaming in pain and she had precious little time to hesitate.

In an instant she had slid down to her knees next to the squirming alien, and although there were some familiar signs, it hadn't truly registered that this was another type of Zerg… a Zerg Queen no less, who Selendis of all Protoss had apparently befriended, (or at least found common ground with).

Now, Queen Sweetie Belle was under her supervision. Anesthetized, the zerg still whimpered and muttered occasionally, but it was in no pain. The damage to her horn had been extensive… it could prove to be irreparable, and had Lasarra not applied immediate anesthesia, her thrashing around might have exacerbated the damage to the point of complete loss.

This Queen's body was… different. Hard chitin didn't cover every inch of it as a mostly solid armor, in fact, she had what seemed like soft fur of some sort, while her 'hair' was a bicolored tentacle of sorts, more akin to chitin-like material that waved and behaved almost like the legs of a spider would.

A microscopic analysis of her fur had also revealed that, as thin and soft as they were, the follicles were truly just miniature versions of its 'mane'.

The analysis of the nervous system was inconclusive. It was exceedingly advanced around the horn area even before signs of the initial Zerg mutation, and even now defied even their understanding of psionic capabilities.

Lasarra leaned back from her reports and stared at the Zerg for a moment. Her future really depended on what she could do here, and that was precious little. There wasn't any technology that could heal that kind of burnout and damage, and even the self-regeneration of the Zerg was stunted by the effects of the Xel'Naga artifact that had purged… some amount of Zerg influence, but clearly not all of it, which was curious enough.

Apparently Queen Kerrigan had been nearer the Xel'Naga's explosion and had been unable to escape. If this had been the result here… what could the result there be?

Lasarra stretched after checking no one was around. It was unseemly to do such a thing when in company, after all, then summoned several documents. She had work to do. And a Zerg Queen to save… for science.

"Gallus! You're alive!"

The griffon sagged, sitting back as he studied Raynor's face on the screen. "Does it surprise you?"

Raynor chuckled. "Kid, you've surprised me a lot of times. What the hell happened to you? Where are you? The communication seems to be coming from a Protoss ship?"

"It's… well, it's not a long story," Gallus said, leaning forward. "Sweetie used her powers to open a portal and try to escape. I tackled her, and ended up inside a Protoss base with her."

Raynor's eyes widened. "I'm even more surprised you're alive then. I don't think the Protoss would be very understanding of a Zerg and an unknown species appearing there suddenly."

"We go lucky," Gallus replied, smirking slightly. "We arrived at Selendis' command center."

"Holy—" Raynor shook his head. "I never thought I'd hear someone say that a Zerg got lucky by appearing in front of Selendis. Was she nearby? Why there?"

"Ah well…" Gallus cleared his throat. "Not… exactly close. We're in a base on a moon orbiting Agria. Sweetie teleported us all the way here."

Raynor stared at him for a full minute. "I'm—what?"

Gallus nodded. "I recognized some of what's happening from some of my classes back home… she used the energy coming at her to open a portal… we had just talked about how she made a deal with Selendis so I'm sure she was thinking about her when she opened it."

"I see."

"The Xel'Naga artifact… it almost killed her."

Raynor winced. "How is she?"

"She's being treated by the Protoss," Gallus said, looking down. He glanced up. "What about you?"

"We have Sarah in a safe place… I can't say more," Raynor said, straightening and growing serious.

"I understand," Gallus said. "I'll… stay here for now. I want to keep Sweetie company."

Raynor smirked. "Of course. Take care kid. Let me know if you need anything."

"Same." Gallus said, saluting.

The fingers tapped on the desk.

"Ah well…" Gallus cleared his throat. "Not… exactly close. We're in a base on a moon orbiting Agria. Sweetie teleported us all the way here."

The fingers stopped.

"Get me Agent X41822N."