//------------------------------//
// Chapter 021: If Needs Be 
// Story: Starcraft: Queen and Country 
// by Wanderer D 
//------------------------------//


Starcraft: Queen and Country
By Wanderer D
Chapter 021: If Needs Be


2504, Koprulu Sector, Agria's Moon█





"It's been fortuitous that between my and Suzie's heightened Zerg empathy, we have been able to keep most of the Zerg on the planet under control in the urban areas, and elsewhere Sweetie's presence is still felt enough for the other Zerg to not go feral," Ariel said, "but if she dies…"

Selendis straightened. "That will not happen under my watch. We have an alliance and I will not betray the Khala or my honor by doing any less than the impossible to save Queen Sweetie Belle."

Ariel looked pained. "Please do… or we might see this experiment of peace and harmony perish before it has taken its first real steps. I'll forward my own scans and theories to your team."

Selendis nodded as the transmission ended. It was interesting that the human thought herself as Zerg now, but had lost none of the empathy, or individuality that made her who she was. Truly, Queen Sweetie Belle had started something different.

Currently, Selendis was in the same lab as the scientist she had assigned to save Sweetie's life, while Gallus sat, watching the tank where Sweetie Belle floated. The griffon had rested and his talk with Raynor had appeared to calm him somewhat.

The fact that the Queen of Blades had been defeated was a tremendous event, and she had informed the Hierarchy of it as soon as it had been confirmed. There were claims of another queen out there, attacking some unpopulated worlds, but without Kerrigan…

She shook her head, coming back to the moment. Lasarra and her team had arrived just in time, thank the Khala, and her trust in the headstrong Khalai had paid dividends, as far as she was concerned.

Already the rest of Lasarra's team was working on a joint project with Ariel, so that when the Queen was at full health, she would authorize it. It was both a reward to Lasarra, who had submitted the original request for their previous project, and an opportunity for these scientists to help the universe with a deeper understanding of the Zerg, who she was beginning to… tolerate. 

In specific cases.

Under very particular circumstances.

And in an extremely limited quantity. In fact, the ability of the Xel'naga artifact to cleanse Sweetie and Kerrigan to an extent was eye-opening, and ever since, whenever she had delved into the consequences and implications… that perhaps, if it weren't for an… additional corruption her own world wouldn't have…

Shedding those thoughts abruptly, she turned to face the scientist, who was currently quickly scanning the transmission from Agria. "How fares the Queen, Lasarra?" she asked, noticing Gallus perk up to look at them.

"Stable, for now," the scientist responded with some reluctance. "I wish I could do more… my understanding of these nerve endings is increasing, Executor, but they are as complicated if not more so than our own nerve cords."

Selendis nodded, having already come to that conclusion herself. "But unlike ours, which helps us connect to the Khala as well…"

"Hers are specialized in molding energy from the Void," Lasarra concluded, showing some surprise at Selendis' insight with a very slight widening of the eyes. "We must reconnect the coils, synchronize them with her own bio-energy, balance the output with the input from the void… this is…" She shook her head. "Executor, we—I don't have the knowhow to fully heal this Queen."

"What are you saying?" Gallus asked, jumping to his paws. "If she's not healed—you heard what Ariel said about Agria! And… when we go home, I can't jus—"

"At ease, Griffon Gallus," Selendis interrupted, making him blink in her direction. Perhaps that was not the way his species identified themselves, she mused, but that was inconsequential at this time. "I sense that Lasarra was going somewhere with this."

They both turned to face the scientist in question, who almost flinched before straightening up and, taking a deep breath, stepped forth.

The moment she did that, Selendis knew she wasn't going to like hearing what the Khalai had to say.

"Executor… while we don't have the knowhow at this time, I have heard… whispers that there is one who has mastered the kind of phase-smithing that we require."

Selendis gazed at the other Protoss in silence for a moment, considering her words. "There is no biological way of restoring the Queen?"

Lasarra shook her head. "Even with the Queen's Zerg-enhanced healing, this damage essentially scarred her. That will not heal. The damage to her nerves is extreme… in fact fixing… healing with this technology as I propose will undoubtedly be very, very painful. Potentially deadly if not performed by a master of this art." She raised her head. "I am proud of what I have accomplished, Executor, but I cannot attempt this knowing that my chances of failure are so high, when there are others we could ask for assistance."

Selendis nodded. "I see." She turned away from the scientist and the griffon, walking to stand in front of the tank. The creature inside floated peacefully, twitching occasionally as if dreaming. She could see her own reflection on the glass overlapping the helpless creature she had grown to respect in so little time to the point of arguing with the Hierarchy on the viability of something she would have scorned not two months ago. 

She turned again to face Lasarra. "Why do I know I am not going to like your suggestion?"

To her credit, the Khalai only flinched once. "The ones who have developed this technology…  are Nerazim."

Selendis almost took a step back and clenched her fists. She checked her words, biting back enunciating them, while in her mind the word traitors echoed with almost malevolence, but she forced herself to calm down as she noticed the other two conscious beings in the room had taken a step back from her.

That loss of self-control was not appropriate. Not in front of a lesser caste, and not in front of a guest.

"The… Nerazim, you say?" She forced her hands to unclench. "I suppose if any would…" She trailed off, reminding herself of the greater purpose of this. Oh, she could almost sense Artanis' amusement already. When the Hierarch heard about this… but what was more important, her ego or the mission? Her ego or her honor? She raised her head. "It will take some time to convince them."

"What?" Gallus asked, even as Lasarra nodded. "Why?"

Selendis calmed herself, reminded that the alien was not privy to their internal conflicts. "In order to get their help, we would need to contact their Matriarch or someone of equal importance," she explained, "in doing so, we will need to explain the necessity of this, and, as the Nerazim are not… allied with us under the Hierarchy, it will inevitably fall into politics."

"Oh." Gallus looked down, then he looked up again. "Well, I know a Nerazim. He's kind of important."





Artanis would definitely be amused.

It was all Selendis could do to remind herself that the Nerazim on the screen was not in front of her now to cut down, nor was she in a position to challenge him, seeing as they really needed him more than he needed them.

"Friend Gallus," Zeratul acknowledged, nodding his head at the young griffon. "It is good to see you doing well, although you are keeping different company since I saw you last."

"Prelate." Selendis deigned to nod in his direction.

"Selendis," Zeratul replied, and she was glad that there was no derision coming from him. She had almost expected the traitor to mock her. Instead he nodded at Lasarra, who shifted uncomfortably and nodded back. 

Selendis shook her head. The Khalai's youth was showing in her uncertainty. She would have to train her to be more assertive with her body language.

"Hey," Gallus began, a start so informal it almost made Selendis herself shift, despite her earlier thoughts. "So, I'm not sure if you heard, but Sweetie Belle became a Zerg Queen."

Zeratul knew Sweetie Belle. Of course he did. Selendis' mind went back to that first conversation with the young Queen, and how she had spoken about a Protoss friend, and then finished by wishing honor upon Adun. Of course.

"I had heard, young Gallus, and I am sorry we could not save her from such a horrific fate."

Gallus cleared his throat. "Yes, well, um… how do I explain?" He glanced behind him, then motioned with his wing at Lasarra. "You already know Selendis, well, this is Lasarra and she has a request."

Gallus stepped back, muttering something under his breath. Selendis took note of it, unfamiliar with the expression 'hot potato' and its meaning under the circumstances.

Lasarra for her part was doing her best not to be intimidated, but even if she was doing fairly well for a Khalai, it was painfully obvious she had not been prepared to be thrust into the spotlight in front of such an infamous Dark Prelate.

"At ease, friend Lasarra," Zeratul spoke. "We are not enemies. Speak your mind."

With a slight nod, the scientist braced herself and spoke, "Queen Sweetie Belle is currently under my supervision. She was badly damaged by a Xel'naga artifact which had come to the possession of the Terrans. In order to restore her, we need to… recreate in a way her horn. This goes beyond my skills in bio-engineering, and our overall ability to heal her."

"Heal a Zerg Queen?" Zeratul asked, turning to stare at Selendis.

"Queen Sweetie Belle and I made a mutual defense agreement before she went to Char," Selendis explained, hating the need to share information with who was almost a sworn enemy. "I believe it is in our interests to see this alliance blossom."

"Indeed," Zeratul said, again the lack of mockery almost throwing Selendis off. "Repairing nerves…" he turned to face Lasarra again. "You seek one of our phase-smiths."

"Ah, yes, Prelate," Lasarra said, gaining a little more confidence. "I have heard word that some of your compatriots have been working on technology that allows this."

Zeratul looked at each of them for a few moments. "Nerazim use this technology… and I owe Sweetie Belle—" Selendis and Lasarra exchanged glances" —both as a friend and as a warrior." He paused, as if considering, before nodding. "I will arrange for this to happen, although my mission takes precedence and I cannot be there myself."

He turned to Selendis and bowed. "Will you allow one of my own into your ship, Executor?"

Selendis rolled her shoulders back, presenting the image worthy of her title. "They will be under my protection."

"Very well," Zeratul nodded once more. "I will speak with Nerath and convey the importance of this matter. Once she agrees to help, she will contact you herself."

"Once?" Selendis asked, unable to help herself, "not 'if'?"

Zeratul allowed a mild amount of amusement to come through. "Executor, would Lasarra have ignored the potential of studying a Zerg Queen as she has?" He shook his head. "Neither would a phase-smith of Nerath's abilities allow the opportunity to discover what she can in the ways of the Void and our—and the Zerg—connection to it through our nerve clusters. This is what her family has dedicated itself to do since the Exile."