//------------------------------// // Escape Attempt // Story: MLP: Kerrigan's Journey // by King Xeno //------------------------------// The Protoss began to power the Warp Conduits, for they would be their last chance of escape, they needed to get as far from the Swarm as possible. The Swarm had already set up a Hive Cluster with several Hydralisks and Roaches nearby, each one ready to tear the Protoss apart. With the Mane Six ready to follow their Queen's orders. They looked at the Conduits with shocked expressions, and Twilight was tempted to place her hoof inside the spinning machine, but Kerrigan placed her hand on Twilight's shoulder. "Don't. We have to focus on the Protoss. They'll try to escape through here. We need to destroy their shuttles, we cannot allow a single one to escape." Kerrigan said, and Twilight lowered her hoof before looking to see a Hydralisk approach her. She took a step back but the Zerg creature slithered forward and leaned towards her before licking her face with its thin and snake like tongue. She enjoyed that strangely, it was like letting your pet dog or cat lick your face, it means they care, but whether this was just to find out what she was or not, Twilight didn't care. Hydralisks suddenly began to move away from them, towards the open Warp Conduit and they stopped moving in front of it, knowing that the Protoss would send shuttles through here. They waited while the Protoss began to prepare. "I sense a Hive Cluster nearby... Frozen... We could use the resources that it can produce." Twilight said, to Kerrigan who nodded. "Fluttershy, take your Brood and control the Hive Cluster. You'll send troops to attack their base. Understood?" Kerrigan asked, while Fluttershy quickly began to run off and her Brood followed. They made their way to the Hive Cluster, just as Kerrigan had said it was frozen solid, with three Zealots guarding it. Fluttershy looked at the Roachflies and Flutterlings that soon nodded and quickly broke into a run. The Zealots were take by surprise and had no time to attack, and the ranged spine and bursts of acid hit them, breaking their shields and killing them. The Hive Cluster shook and the ice broke, allowing the frozen Drones to continue collecting Minerals and Vespene. "I suppose I should start making troops... Perhaps... Can I make some form of Hydralisk?" Fluttershy wondered, before she looked at the Hatchery's Larva who were wrapped in a green cocoon and eventually burst revealing a Hydralisk like creature. They Hydratrice had been born. It was a Hydralisk with e chicken comb on the top of its head, its arms were more wing like, and finally instead of a mouth it had a large beak filled with razor sharp teeth. Fluttershy sent out groups of Hydratrice and Roachflies, they moved on the Protoss base and found themselves getting slaughtered. "Oh... My... I may need more soldiers... Maybe more Hydratrice? They did have a lot of flying machines..." Fluttershy muttered, and she began to create more Zerg to assault the Protoss base, hopefully to destroy the Docking Bays and halt the Protoss from escaping. Fluttershy left a small amount of Zerg to protect the Hive Cluster and began to lead her Brood to fight the Protoss. Her ranged attack would allow her to help in attacking the air units that threatened her Flutterlings and Roachflies. Fluttershy felt something inside of her begin to move and felt a sudden change in her mind. Her eyes turned red. "Go my Brood! Destroy them in the name of the Swarm! Don't let a single Protoss remain standing!" Fluttershy shouted, surprising herself. "What was that!? I just felt something in me... Snap..." She said, now a small amount frightened, but her inner Brood Mother broke out once again. "Slaughter them! Destroy their docking bays! Leave no survivors!" She shouted, as they destroyed the first of three docking bays. She turned and began to return to her Hatchery in order to build up her forces and fight the Protoss once again. Twilight barely had time to avoid the attack of the Stalker, and quickly killed it. She let out a sigh as the Protoss attack dwindled down. "How many more Shuttles?" Twilight asked, but she received no response. She turned to see that she was alone, for the others had left do other things. Twilight turned around to see Rainbow Dash approaching. "I found something!" She shouted, before describing a large clear cylinder with a strange green substance inside. Knowing that this may be of some importance, Twilight left to investigate this tube and heard Abathur speak to them. "Protoss collected Biomass. Collect, can use." Abathur ordered, and they began to destroy the cylinders and collect the biomass contained within. The second docking bay fell, hindering the Protoss from launching more Shuttles, meaning that they had only a single Docking Bay left. Fluttershy was pleased with the work her Brood was doing, for none could defeat the Swarm. Fluttershy watched as her Brood marched forward killing Protoss as they passed, not once looking back and dying to protect the Queen. Finally the third and final Docking Bay was destroyed forcing the Protoss to leave, and preventing them from escaping. The Queen and her loyal subjects entered the Leviathan to see the Protoss still struggling to escape from her prison. However she was unable to wiggle her way free, and looked up to see them approaching. "Your people will never leave this miserable ball of ice." Kerrigan said, the Protoss narrowed her eyes, but said nothing, instead she began to struggle again, but was still unable to escape. The Protoss stopped and let out a sigh before, Kerrigan left to speak with Abathur about evolving the Swarm. Leaving the ponies and Spike standing with Zagara, who approached the Protoss. "I have always wished to feel Protoss bones snapping in my claws... May I?" Zagara asked, but Twilight shook her head. "Our Queen ordered to keep her alive." Twilight responded, which seemed to anger Zagara. "Surely you do not think to show mercy!" Zagara shouted, but Twilight took a step forward and began to shout back. "We were ordered to keep the Protoss alive, unless you want to anger the Queen, I'd recommend leaving the Protoss alone!" Twilight said, her eyes flashed purple, which startled the Brood Mother making her back away. "You are correct. I should obey the Queen's orders. My apologies." Zagara bowed to Twilight, which confused her, but she knew that it wouldn't really solve anything to argue with another Zerg. She broke off from the group to go and rest, after all she needed it.