Rebel: Backwater Station
Sweetie looked around in the wasteland site Command Center, trying to admire the facility. The place, at least, appeaed like the necessary functions are still working, such as the SCV manufacturing wing, a sort of internal supply depot that holds supplies for at most ten troops or SCVs, a reactor room that, apparently, was made to power the thrusters that lift the entire building into the air if necessary, the mineral storage facility, and another storage facility for another resource that was unknown to her at the time.
Raynor later explained the need for a gaseous resource that is used to fuel vehicles and other functions called vespene which is first processed from a Refinery that is built on top of a geyser for efficient collection and processing before SCVs transported it by the barrel to the Command Center.
The Magistrate arrived at the Command Center with a briefcase in hand, saying that he managed to obtain some schematics for important militia functions before the city was fully locked down. The schematics were for a refinery to process vespene gas and an engineering bay. The researchers came up with an idea to improve militia weapons and armor and needed the proper facilities to begin researching improvements.
Unfortunately, he was unable to obtain the Academy schematics before his escape from the city and that building had the facilities necessary for certain research subjects and, more importantly, the equipment needed to manufacture the specialized suits that are worn by the militia Firebats, close range soldiers with fuel tanks strapped to their backs which are needed for their built in flamethrowers.
They didn’t have time to lament about the loss of that tech as Raynor walked into the Command Center. He walked up to the Magistrate and shook his hand. “Hey, what’s up man?” Raynor started. “Got your refugees tucked in nice and tight. Provided you can sidestep any more surprises from our Confederate friends...” saying the last part with some sarcasm “...and we can keep them away from those critters, they should have an easy time.”
Suddenly, the Magistrate’s adjutant received an alert of a distress beacon that was activated from the nearby Backwater Station, stating that the unidentified creatures are attacking the station. The adjutant automatically sent an alert to Confederate HQ.
The Confederate reply came in the form of a transmission from General Duke. He ordered that no action was to be taken by the militia and that his forces will handle it.
Duke’s order did not sit right with Sweetie. The militia at least had enough firepower to protect some outlying station and they were close to it. Why were they ordered to ignore the distress beacon? She felt that there had to be some sort of connection between the Confederacy, Backwater Station and the unknown alien organisms. Unfortunately, she did not have enough information to make the connections just yet.
Apparently, Raynor had the same feeling about the order. He decided to go against standing orders and convinced the Magistrate to send in some militia troops to see if they could salvage the situation.
Raynor headed out of the command center with Sweetie right behind him. The two quickly got on the vulture bike and rode off in the direction of Backwater Station.
Raynor and Sweetie arrived near the station and waited for any colonial reinforcements. It wasn’t long before they were met with a few Marines and SCVs. The Magistrate even sent a Command Center and Barracks flying toward their location. While waiting for the mobile buildings to set themselves up, the SCVs set up a modest supply depot.
While the base was setting up, Raynor and the troops found a small group of the creatures dangerously close to the base. One opened its mouth long enough for Raynor to launch a frag grenade into it. The rest of the group was gunned down by Sweetie and the Marines.
Once the area was secure, Sweetie took Raynor to a private area to talk to him about her concerns for the situation.
“What’s up?” Raynor asked.
Sweetie closed her eyes for a moment to gather her thoughts then opened them again. “There is something about these creatures that the Confederacy does not want us to know about. Something tells me there’s more to these aliens than we know and the Confederacy is keeping tight-lipped about it. I suspect that there might be a connection between the two and if I’m right, there is something more sinister at play.”
Raynor blinked, trying to process what Sweetie said.
“Our operation here may likely be met with a Confederate force to arrest us,” she continued.
Raynor sighed and put a hand on Sweetie’s shoulder. “If they do, I’ll distract them while you escape. I’m sure you’ll find some way to bust my ass outta prison. I’d rather it’s me that gets captured since I’m sure they would send you to somewhere to get experimented on,” he said as he remembered a similar sacrifice an old friend of his once made for him.
Sweetie knew that Raynor was right. She still needed to get off world somehow and start looking for Lyra and being sent to some secret experimental facility was the last thing she needed. It still bothered her to leave a friend to be unjustly arrested though.
<”Raynor, come in. Over.”> One of the militia leaders spoke over the comms.
Raynor held a finger to his communicator. “What’s up?” he said to the person.
<”We have a squad of Marines geared up and ready to go, sir.”>
“Alright, I’m headin’ there now.” Raynor took his finger off the transmitter and looked at Sweetie. “Don’t worry about what might happen darlin’. Just focus on the here and now and we will deal with what comes after when it happens.” With that, Raynor walked away into the main area of the base. Sweetie followed shortly after.
The duo boarded Raynor’s bike and drove it over to the awaiting Marine squadron.
These Marines appeared different from the ones they saw earlier. Their armor and weapons looked improved over the ones before. Apparently, the colonial scientists really came through on their improvements.
Moving slow enough for the Marines following to keep up, the duo made their way to the base of a small slope in the cliffs.
When the duo made it to the top of the slope, they saw something truly horrifying. The land in front of them was covered in some dark purple substance. The substance appeared to be writhing, almost or possibly may be alive. Wandering around in that substance were more of those alien creatures. They moved around in the substance as if they were right at home.
In the center of the writhing mass, Sweetie noticed another living creature; a massive creature that although appeared living, also appeared to be rooted into the ground.
They needed to get through the substance to get to the station. Thankfully, Sweetie was on a hoverbike because she really did not want to know what might happen to her if she walked into that stuff bare hooved.
The group engaged and quickly dispatched the creatures that were running around, then started firing at the living structure. To everyone’s surprise, the large creature offered no resistance and was quickly reduced to a bloody pulp.
As the group advanced, Sweetie noticed that the substance was starting to dry out and turn into dust in the wind. “Was that house-sized creature somehow connected to the creepy substance?” she thought.
The group entered the Backwater Station perimeter. It was a small base that had some Bunkers that offered some protection from enemies while allowing them to attack from small holes in the structure. The camp even had a fully functional Academy like the plans for one that the Magistrate wanted to get but didn’t have the time to obtain.
The building also contained a stockpile of special depleted uranium rounds that can be fired for slightly longer distances than regular rounds. There was also a storeroom that was stocked with powerful, but life-threatening stimulant drugs and Firebat suits. Why a building like this was needed when there must have been more efficient means of getting different types of suits to a Barracks was beyond Sweetie’s understanding.
The station’s residents, who were hiding in the bunkers, emerged and thanked their rescuers for coming to their aid. A couple of things were said by their new charges that were of interest to Sweetie. The fact that they have been hiding for days being the first. If the station had been under attack for that long, why had the Confederates not come to their aid sooner? Did they not even care about them? The second thing they called these creatures the Zerg. While not as important as the first point, at least she now had a name for these creatures.
Among those stationed in the bunker were a couple of SCVs and a few Firebats. “How do SCVs fit in a bunker anyway?” Sweetie thought. The firebats were integrated into the attacking group while the SCVs resumed harvesting from a nearby mineral field for whenever they needed to fund replacements for dead troops.
The group moved forward and encountered another area with that creepy substance. This area was more heavily defended but the Zerg were soon met with the flamethrowers of the Firebats. Sweetie watched with grim fascination as the creatures were roasted alive from within their own shells. After that, the group unleashed their firepower on the helpless structure. Once again, Sweetie noticed that the writhing ground was slowly dying. She was reasonably sure at this point that the structures were creating the living ground.
The path led to a small slope down the cliff into a small valley. What she saw was a new type of Zerg. This Zerg had a head that appeared at least a meter long, maybe two. There were two sets of jaws: an inner one and an outer set that opens down the middle. It had segmented arms that ended in scythe-like bony claws and had a serpentine lower body. It also appeared to be of a slightly tougher build than the smaller creatures that Sweetie was used to seeing.
When the group engaged the Zerg, the larger ones began shooting something at the group. Acting on instinct, Sweetie jumped behind the troops. The projectiles that were shot at them were razor sharp spines that were coated in poison. The spines were able to puncture through the armor of the soldiers. Without proper armor, Sweetie doubted that she would be walking away with just a flesh wound.
The concentrated firepower of the Marines, Firebats, Raynor’s grenades and Sweetie’s explosive shots made quick work of the Zerg as they cleared their way to another slope up another cliff. The group was quickly met with moderate resistance from the small and large Zerg. A few militia ended up succumbing to their wounds, but the Zerg were soon wiped out along with the remaining substance generating structures in the area.
What they found next made Sweetie shudder. An abandoned Command Center awaited them. This one appeared to have a mass of organic growth running all around the structure. Sweetie saw enough of the markings in the structure to know that the building was property of the Confederacy.
“What the hell did they do that Command Center?!” one of the Firebats said.
“Whatever it is, it ain’t natural.” Raynor responded. “Burn it boys.”
While the Marines started shooting holes in the structure and the Firebats worked on burning the organic growth, a transponder signal detected Confederate forces en route. Sweetie and Raynor knew that being caught busting up their stuff was going to lead to trouble.
“Think you can drive this old girl Sweetie?” Raynor asked, looking at her.
Sweetie realized that this was how Raynor was going to help her escape. As much as she really wanted to help Raynor get out of this jam, she couldn’t afford to get caught. Thankfully, she had closely watched Raynor enough to know the basics of driving a Vulture. She sighed and nodded.
“Hand me your communicator, there’s a transponder in it that would allow them to track you.”
Sweetie handed her communicator to Raynor, who had gotten off the bike. He walked up to the besieged command center and tossed it into the burning mess.
“I’ll take the heat for this. Go find the Magistrate he should be able to find some way to get you off world.”
Sweetie hesitated for a moment before revving the bike and taking off toward the Magistrate’s base.
Over the radio, Sweetie overheard an open broadcast from General Duke: “Marshal Raynor, by destroying a vital Confederate installation, you and your men have violated standing colonial law. As of right now, you’re all under arrest. I suggest you throw down them weapons and some peaceably.”
“Haven’t you been paying attention!?” Raynor snapped. “That damn factory was infested and these damn creatures are everywhere! How ‘bout instead of worryin’ ‘bout your precious installation, you help us out with these things.”
“Be that as it may,” Duke responded. “You are ordered to stand down and surrender.”
The sound of weapons dropping was heard over the radio with Raynor muttering something about Duke and Confederates being assholes.
“Where is your deputy Raynor?” Duke asked. “Ah know she was with you during your rebellious act.”
“Last I saw, she ran into that wreck of a building lookin’ for survivors” Raynor lied. “Don’t believe me? Her transponder signal is comin’ from in there.”
Duke was not stupid enough to believe Raynor’s lie, but he also had no way of tracking her at the moment. “No matter. Perhaps some interrogation might get you to talkin’.”
Sweetie stopped her bike for a moment and cursed at her own inability to help her friend. She intended to get back at the Confederates for this injustice.
With her new vow, she drove off in the direction of the Magistrate’s camp.
Stats
Page generated in 0.028 seconds
Total duration
676 users online
941,238 hits today, 2,814,898 yesterday
FIMFiction
My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic Fanfiction
Designed and coded by knighty & Xaquseg - © 2011-2024
Follow & Support Us
Support us
SubStar
Chat!
Discord
Follow us
Twitter
MLP: Friendship is Magic® - © 2024 Hasbro Inc.®
Fimfiction is in no way affiliated with or endorsed by Hasbro Inc.®
Better question, why put them in there? Yes it is very defensible, but a better idea would be to try and send them running away undetected.
I think. Then again, I don't know exactly how fast the SC1 era Zergling (I would assume) strain was.
9741689
Depends on if they have the Metabolic Boost upgrade or not.
Great chapter
Hope everything going smoothly.
Time will tell... Or i just read the next chapter
Great story man
O shit xenomorph flashbacks
Go get em marines!
9741689
The Zerg of Sc2 will be a lot supperior
9741790
And that...
Before the Sc2 option for ressurection Zergling were really pityful ¯\_(-.-)_/¯
10673881
I had no idea how great
---
Logic ¯\_
_/¯
Confederation and Conclave are both full of idiots...
Really looking forward for Duke getting his due.
Raynor... Don't drop the Soap...
Every faction is corrupt be it Terran, Protoss or Zerg.
At least the Zerg are not self influenced...