Starcraft: Warriors of Purity

by Xarmar13

Interbellum: Life of a Mercenary

While Raynor understood the need for Credits to help the Raiders buy what they need for future missions, Raynor still had reservations about Sweetie joining a mercenary corps. He also noticed that Matt was unusually adamant about leaving Deadman’s Port as fast as possible. He would ask him about that later.

With no other business left, the Hyperion left the port, leaving Sweetie behind with Mira Han, or Mira Horner whenever she needed an alias.

“So…” Mira began. “...Let’s start the interview, this will determine what jobs we will have available to you in the future. You can meet your coworkers after this. First of all, which Ghost academy did you come from?”

“I never trained at a Ghost academy,” Sweetie responded. “So far the training I received from my home planet had been adequate for what I’ve done so far.”

“I see...Matthew said that you are Raynor’s right hand. You must be quite impressive to get someone like James to acknowledge your skills. What all have you done to earn your position.”

“Honestly, I’ve only had my psychic powers for about a year now. I met Jim last year on Mar Sara, got into a bar fight, buried a few people in walls, and he made me his deputy because of it.

“Since then, I’ve had to deal with Zerg almost every day, the idiotic regulations of the Confederacy when I found out they were weaponizing them, and joined the Sons of Korhal for a time before I officially became a Ghost.

Perhaps what really clinched my position was when I infiltrated Tarsonis’ ion cannon, planted a Trojan and turned the cannon against the Sons of Korhal when we decided to defect after Tarsonis.”

“Wait, you were there for the fall of Tarsonis?” Mira interrupted. “You must tell me more later, I know a few sources that would pay good money for information from an eyewitness. Just how much did you see?”

“Everything, including Mengsk’s actions that caused the Zerg to flood to Tarsonis, as well as how the Queen of Blades came to be.” Sweetie stated.

Mira wore an uncomfortably wicked grin, “You are going to be a very rich Pony before our contract is over.” Mira reined in her expression. “Tell me something you have done before that no other Ghost has done.”

“Well, I am pretty much the Queen of Blades’ arch nemesis at this point. Makes sense after I blew one of her wings off one time, shot off one of her arms another time, tipped off the Dominion when she was trying to pull off a sneak attack against them, and humiliated her a couple of times.”

Mira smirked, “You talk a big game for you to anger one of the most dangerous people in the sector. I would think that you’d want to lay low after all of that. The fact that you are still active is a testament to your boldness.”

“I also learned a few things from a Protoss High Templar.”

“Okay, okay, stop! Stop before you become too valuable for me to afford. You’re in.”

Sweetie giggled. “So, when do I start.”

---

Sweetie was taken to Mira’s hideout where she was introduced to a number of mercenaries that displayed varying levels of shadiness. Some of them thought that Mira was joking when she brought a Pony into the group. Some thought Sweetie was some sort of mascot Mira brought in for comic relief. Others still waived it off as one of Mira’s crazy whims.

The mockery came to an end when one of the mercenaries got a little too close to Sweetie’s personal space which resulted in him getting an uppercut to his jaw and rocketed him to the ceiling. Once he came down, everyone noticed the damage. The man was bleeding from the top of his head while also bleeding from his mouth as a result of several missing teeth.

The unfortunate man was taken to the medical room for examination. After that, the other mercenaries backed away from her, impressed by her strength.

Noticing a bar nearby, Sweetie decides to see if the mercenaries at least had decent selection.

---

Over the next few months, Sweetie had been doing a number of missions from various clients that range from data retrieval and information gathering to assassinations and sabotage. A lot of these missions were similar to the kind of work that she did as an agent, even if she had no idea that some of her work involved killing or finding blackmail against some of Blueblood’s political opponents.

Some of her earnings went to fund Mira’s organization which was used to upgrade equipment such as their medical facilities. Sweetie also ended up learning Mira’s honor code which she kept in mind in the event that she would need Mira’s services for something important.

Thanks to Sweetie’s work, she also became the highest contributing mercenary among Mira’s Marauders. Because of this, Mira granted Sweetie one favor to use in the future. Sweetie would hold on to the favor until she really needed it.

As her mercenary career gained fame, Sweetie was allowed a name for herself to sell to clients. Mira suggested ‘Thestral’ due to an old legend that those who saw one had experienced death. To make sure the name stuck, the other mercenaries spread the legend among the colonies to make sure that everyone knew what a thestral was.

A number of Sweetie’s missions had her dealing with the Dominion, one way or another. Sometimes she would be assisting Dominion Ghosts on a mission or she would be stealing Dominion weapon designs and blowing up facilities.

Other missions had to do with Zerg cleanup. She was amused when she took control of a few Ultralisks as they tore through hive clusters. With her thirty underling limit Sweetie was able to take control of five Ultralisks at best. She would make the most of her ability.

Over time, Sweetie was actually happy to relive her old days. After S.M.I.L.E was destroyed, she had resigned herself to the fate that her days of excitement were behind her too soon.

During one of her sabotage missions, Sweetie received a signal from the device that she attached to her rifle, the T.N.O.D. The device was pointing to a Dominion Nuclear Silo. When she activated the device, it allowed her to remotely hack into the Silo. With a mischievous smirk, Sweetie activated her laser targeting device and pointed it at a spot where she could do the most damage. Just like she figured, the hacked Nuclear Silo launched its payload and the missile landed a few seconds later annihilating a good chunk of the Dominion base. She realized then what the acronym T.N.O.D stood for: Tactical Nuclear Override Device. The device would allow her to hack into any nuclear silo in an area and steal control of the Nuclear Missile within.

Over her three year long mercenary career, Sweetie had racked up a small fortune in Credits from her jobs. Mira’s Marauders also became one of the most popular mercenary groups in the Koprulu sector. Sweetie made sure Mira kept her true identity a secret from Mengsk, though she had a feeling that the Emperor already knew because of that fact that Mengsk was as intelligent as was insane, especially since the name ‘Thestral’ was a dead giveaway.

The reason that Sweetie wanted to have the contract last three years was because she wanted to explore the Koprulu sector a little before she returned to Raynor for the war that Discord mentioned.

The year 2504 came quickly and Sweetie was given one last job before the contract expired. Sweetie was unwilling to have it extended for any reason due to her agenda.

Her last mission with them was to investigate some pirates that, rumors had said, were seeking special substances called Jorium and Terrazine. Sweetie, obviously, had heard of Jorium since it was what gave her her psychic powers in the first place. Terrazine was mentioned by Lyra about being some sort of psychic enhancement substance that enhanced her magic and left her with mental clarity when the initial effects wore off.

As she considers the implications of Terrazine, she begins to wonder if the substance was the catalyst that she was looking for. She decided to ask the Overmind, “What do you know about Terrazine? Would I be able to use it to enhance my ability to control Zerg?”

~”You should know that answer to that. The testimony of Lyra Heartstrings should be proof enough of the effects if you believe in her as much as you say. As for what Terrazine is, it allows those who inhale it to witness visions created by the void itself. The Protoss claim that they can commune with Amon while exposed to the substance.

~”There is a faction of Protoss who are blindly loyal to Amon, calling themselves the Tal’darim or The Forged. Unlike the Khalai and Nerazim tribes, the Tal’darim channel their power directly from the void. The difference between the Nerazim and the Tal’darim in this regard is that the Nerazim are more restrained when channeling the void whereas the Tal’darim give themselves completely to the void. One world where Terrazine is most plentiful is Slayn, the homeworld of the Tal’darim.”~

“How come the Swarm hasn’t gone after them yet?”

~”Amon still has a use for them up until the Khalai and the Nerazim are wiped out. They are not aware of their own impending betrayal.”~

“Great...more shortsighted Protoss. I just hope Lyra doesn’t come across those guys.”

Sweetie accepted her last mission as a mercenary and boarded a small ship for Avernus Station where the pirates were last seen.

Comments

[Black--Soul]

“Okay, okay, stop! Stop before you become too valuable for me to afford. You’re in.”

Easy to win that job

Sweety is Chuck Norris female version

Batpony legend go

Shouldnt Overlords boost her ability to have more minions?

Nuke McGuffin for the win
Keep you elements of harmony, i take the nuke override

[Black--Soul]

This is still one of my most favorit chapters ♡

[Black--Soul]

One hell of a Journey.
Sweety kinda stay in routine in making a lot of money...
Sooo... Mengsk probably didn't try kill Sweety to use her Mercenary side for his benefit and collect dirt on her?

[Black--Soul]

Has the Overlord not established that overlords are the Zerg supply deposits equivalent for them?
Than again it's probably less than with Kerrigan.

[Black--Soul]

Why would Sweetydrops challange Murphy?

Have fun Lyra...