New Antioch, Shakuras, The Evening Hours
The air resounded with the noise of Protoss aircraft slicing through the air, their cannons aimed and firing. The Zerg screamed back a twisted echo, answering ammunition with poison and sharp spines that cleaved the sky in two. They had been fighting for three full hours, and the Protoss's tactics seemed to get bleaker by the minute as more Corsair spacecraft hurtled hard towards the ground below. Three hours, and the once-peaceful Dark Templar homeworld was now spotted with craters, debris, and blood.
Below, three Dark Protoss waited. They were patient. All they needed was a gap, a hole, a space to move. A single gap between the detection spires that stood tall before them, surrounding the Zerg Cerebrates inside.
A spire died. Then, another. And finally, the Cerebrates' telepathic screams cut through his mind like his blade through their flesh, as they bled, and tore and, finally, fell silent.
The Zergling in front of Zeratul's feet stared up at him with blank eyes, devoid of a will now that his Cerebrate had perished. Zeratul kicked it away, and reached for his transponder. His Matriarch, Raszagal, and the Light Templar leader Aldaris had to learn of the success of their mission-- but his motion stopped.
There was someone here, and it was not one of the empty vessels that had once been Zerg. Behind him. He turned. Its step was purposeful. And it spoke.
"Well done, mighty Protoss," its-- her-- warped voice rang, with obvious admiration. "I'm glad to see you are all as violent as ever." She smiled.
He had never forgotten that smile.
"Kerrigan," he snapped. "What mockery is this?"
Kerrigan's eyes flicked towards his compatriots once. She did not seem bothered. Of course not. "Relax, warriors," she said, "Despite what you might think, I haven't come here to fight you."
She sounded earnest. Zeratul did not trust her. His transmitter bleeped, though-- had not paid attention to that, but clearly, the others had been listening.
"This is laughable!" Aldaris. He had his own experiences with the wayward Zerg. His voice punched harshly through the transmitter on Zeratul's arm. "Do you truly expect us to believe that your intentions here are honorable? That these Zerg here are not under your sway?"
And again, Kerrigan's eyes flicked away. Down to the source of that voice. "Look," she said, conversationally, as if they had met for a quick drink and a friendly debate. "The Cerebrates you killed were my enemies as well. If you'll let me explain, I'm sure you'll understand that--"
Zeratul did not trust her. And the tone bothered him deep within his soul. "You are the enemy of all who live, Kerrigan." It was not simply an accusation. It was a statement, one he knew to be true. "What makes you think we would have anything to do with you?"
"Because, Zeratul, I bring news of an event that threatens us all. If you'd be so good as to escort me back to your citadel, I'll tell you everything I know."
And still, she was not bothered. He prepared to speak again, to rebuff her ridiculous pleas, her treacherous ways. But his Matriarch beat him to it, as the Terrans would say-- and her voice was markably more sure in its timbre than Aldaris's.
"Very well, Kerrigan. We shall hear what you have to say." What? Zeratul did not understand this: why they were even giving her a chance, when it was so clear that Zerg would be Zerg, unchanging, all-devouring. "But be warned. We will not suffer your treachery here."
He retreated slowly backwards. His Matriarch had spoken, and he would obey, and yet--
"I think," Kerrigan replied, smiling that horrid smile again, entirely too earnest for that disfigured face, "That that's only fair, Matriarch. I wouldn't trust me, either."
[ dialogue taken from StarCraft Brood War mission 03, Legacy of the Xel'Naga, OOC-welcome, and so forth ]
Below, three Dark Protoss waited. They were patient. All they needed was a gap, a hole, a space to move. A single gap between the detection spires that stood tall before them, surrounding the Zerg Cerebrates inside.
A spire died. Then, another. And finally, the Cerebrates' telepathic screams cut through his mind like his blade through their flesh, as they bled, and tore and, finally, fell silent.
The Zergling in front of Zeratul's feet stared up at him with blank eyes, devoid of a will now that his Cerebrate had perished. Zeratul kicked it away, and reached for his transponder. His Matriarch, Raszagal, and the Light Templar leader Aldaris had to learn of the success of their mission-- but his motion stopped.
There was someone here, and it was not one of the empty vessels that had once been Zerg. Behind him. He turned. Its step was purposeful. And it spoke.
"Well done, mighty Protoss," its-- her-- warped voice rang, with obvious admiration. "I'm glad to see you are all as violent as ever." She smiled.
He had never forgotten that smile.
"Kerrigan," he snapped. "What mockery is this?"
Kerrigan's eyes flicked towards his compatriots once. She did not seem bothered. Of course not. "Relax, warriors," she said, "Despite what you might think, I haven't come here to fight you."
She sounded earnest. Zeratul did not trust her. His transmitter bleeped, though-- had not paid attention to that, but clearly, the others had been listening.
"This is laughable!" Aldaris. He had his own experiences with the wayward Zerg. His voice punched harshly through the transmitter on Zeratul's arm. "Do you truly expect us to believe that your intentions here are honorable? That these Zerg here are not under your sway?"
And again, Kerrigan's eyes flicked away. Down to the source of that voice. "Look," she said, conversationally, as if they had met for a quick drink and a friendly debate. "The Cerebrates you killed were my enemies as well. If you'll let me explain, I'm sure you'll understand that--"
Zeratul did not trust her. And the tone bothered him deep within his soul. "You are the enemy of all who live, Kerrigan." It was not simply an accusation. It was a statement, one he knew to be true. "What makes you think we would have anything to do with you?"
"Because, Zeratul, I bring news of an event that threatens us all. If you'd be so good as to escort me back to your citadel, I'll tell you everything I know."
And still, she was not bothered. He prepared to speak again, to rebuff her ridiculous pleas, her treacherous ways. But his Matriarch beat him to it, as the Terrans would say-- and her voice was markably more sure in its timbre than Aldaris's.
"Very well, Kerrigan. We shall hear what you have to say." What? Zeratul did not understand this: why they were even giving her a chance, when it was so clear that Zerg would be Zerg, unchanging, all-devouring. "But be warned. We will not suffer your treachery here."
He retreated slowly backwards. His Matriarch had spoken, and he would obey, and yet--
"I think," Kerrigan replied, smiling that horrid smile again, entirely too earnest for that disfigured face, "That that's only fair, Matriarch. I wouldn't trust me, either."
[ dialogue taken from StarCraft Brood War mission 03, Legacy of the Xel'Naga, OOC-welcome, and so forth ]