Alexander sighed as he watched the planet below him in his command deck. It was not extravagant. Just a cup holder installed to his command throne. And decent leather cushion.
"Tarsonis..." He muttered as he ponder the next course of action. This would be the end of the Starcraft 1 and broodwar is coming soon...
The first wave of Droppods and Valkyries already landed upon the planet and begun engaging the enemy. It had the massive casualties as the enemies focused on defending the planet with their lives. The moment even one squad activated the teleporter beacon, countless soldiers and vehicles would be immediately teleported into the ground, bypassing the orbital defenses.
""++This is Alpha squad of the 31st, we have activated the beacon, and we are pinned here!++"
"Confirmed, sending a Warhound Titan at your vicinity, just hold on for two minutes."
"++Understood control!++"
He watched from the distance...
"Any reports on the ground?" He spoke to the officer manning the tactica simulacrum.
A giant Holoboard that show the planet operations below.
The tide of Las guns and tanks taking each district, brick by brick and casualty count is rising. And each teleporter beacons that landed with the first wave, more and more titans are landing into the ground and razing the defenses.
The planetary defenses is slowly being ripped apart as their guns that aimed at the skies slowly became silent.
It was not to say that his soldiers are invincible. As they could still die before they could be shifted out of the battlefield. A poor unlucky tank that ran out of shields before pummeled with artillery.
Those that had severe injuries were teleported away from the battle lines. Those that had minor or less were just transported the old fashioned way.
"It won't be long till we reached the administration district, High Lord. What are your orders?"
"Evacuate the civilians, have Cadian regiment 25th and Mordian guard 62th to secure the residential districts and begin the process of evacuation and the 35th refugee flee ready to pick them up. We have our grievances with the government, not the people."
"Understood sir, sending transmission now."
He watched as the orders are sent.
He knows what would Mengsk would do.
A hound that is already beyond his control.
And his decision here... Would make this alliance on a crossroads.
"++The last generator have been destroyed! Anti-air defenses is confirmed inoperable!++"
"Received, we have achieved air superiority. Sending Thunderbolt squadron and Valkyries Gunship to provide air support"
A scream was heard.
A psychic wave spread across the planet, akin to a scream of a million souls.
"++Zerg Forms detected, Classification: 6 Leviathan lifeform sighted.++"
"++Protoss signature detected++"
"Incoming transmission from the Hyperion."
Mengsk face appeared on the scree , he looked smug as he rattle his script.
"Friend Alexander, seemed that someone in the confederacy have dragged the Zerg into the mix, and there is Protoss cleansing the planet, i would like you to assist Kerrigan to delay the Protoss, by sending your men till the battlefield is complete."
"Alright, I will head there myself there."
Alexander cut off the transmission.
He didn't need to protest.
Mengsk already made his choice.
Alexander stood up and gave instructions before he leave.
"Have my shuttle ready, I will be on the ground and continue the operations without my input. We must evacuate the civilians!"
The crew nodded as they returned to their duty.
Meanwhile on the Hyperion, Mengsk smiled as this was the opportune time for his actions...
He already sent Duke ahead to implant the Psy Emitter to dragged the Zerg and Protoss into the mix.
In fact this was the best time to make everyone bleed to death.
So that his ambition would rise up.
Along the walkways to the ship, James held Kerrigan hand.
"Sarah... Please don't go." He pleaded with her. Something in his gut warned him that he would not see her again.
She simply swept it aside and gave a smile as her hand touched his cheek.
"James... I know I can survive, I just had a obligation with Mengsk." She smiled bitterly.
"Besides, I am not going to die... I am the best ghost there is..." She leaned forward and gave him a kiss by his cheek as she ventured towards the hangar.
Raynor wanted to held out his hands and stopped her...
But now he is stuck by two people.
One is his benefactor that is currently in Tarsonis, and the other filled his head with ideals... He was surprised that Alexander simply allowed him to join Mengsk.
He was told to assist with Alexander battlelines.
As he manned the power suit, he thought of Tychus. Where in hell did he gone off to?
The fight on the ground is horrible to say the least.
Crater and ruined cityscape littered the area.
Derelict vehicles and corpses scattered across the space.. scarce tracer fire lingered in the air.
To the citizens of Tarsonis that remained, it was hell.
Monsters sprawling in every streets that is not contain by the imperium or the fracturing confederacy.
Alien warships blasting in everything they came across. Glassing the planet with extreme prejudice.
Some prayed to gods, others just gave up on life. Some went mad and gone insane.
What little life they had under the regime is over.
"Is there a god?" A man thought to himself as he stared blankly as the horde of Zerglings is rushing towards the survivor group that he was in..
It wasn't meant to be this way...
He was just a accountant and on to work, when the Rebel army landed...
He followed the protocols and headed to the bunker, but one such bunker door was trampled by a Titan making his group unable to hide in safety.
He wanted to blame the imperium for ruining his life.
But seeing monsters that devoured those that he was aquatinted with. He fled, running as he unable to tell whos is in control.
The explosion and screams is all he heard.
"Captain, there's a survivor over here!"
The man peer before him at a group of olive green soldiers gesturing him to their location. He rushed to the line as one of the soldiers managed to grabbed him before his waist was pierced by a Zergling.
"Who... Are you guys?" He muttered.
"We are the Imperial Guard and you get your ass to the evacuation! Confederate bunkers are no longer safe!" The leader pointed to a vehicle that many was guided to enter.
He had mixed emotions, they ruined his life and now they saved him.
The growl and screeches of the monsters behind him made his weary legs to the vehicles and exited the battlefield.
Alexander landed with the next wave of troopers to reinforce the battle lines.
He ignored the confederacy held territory that was being consumed. Those that remains were the fanatics to the old regime, and he already gave the call of surrender, let the Zerg decide their fate.
He took the first transport to the lines that held the Protoss and the fighting was severe.
The Protoss zealots was as fast as a space marine. And each of them held a shield that deflected the bullets and lasers.
And upon mortally wounding them, they are immediately teleported from the battlefield.
Alexander joined in the battle, rushing towards the horde that slice the air with their psy blades and killing his men.
After sending several of the Protoss into the distance with a power bat.
"Hmm.... so you must be... Alexander Solair?" A voice was heard in his head and he turned towards the figure that spoke.
"You must be..." Alexander raised his power bat, still cackling with electricity.
"Ah, Forgive me, I am Executor Tassadar of the Conclave and I have heard so much about you from Ataldrul. The one that have the psionic no different from a sun." The Protoss before him was cordial.
"Can you call off the attack? I prefer that we handle things by burning the planet by our own way. Your warriors is needed against the true enemy ahead."
"Indeed, I heard that you spoke of the Dark Templar... What are your opinions about them?"
"They are free, they may not be bound by the Khala, they faced solitude and been a outcast, they would never hate Aiur...
"You speak of Aiur, but not the Conclave?" Tassadar was surprised.
"Their arrogance blinded the true reality before them..." Alexander smiled warmly.
"I see... Are you sure that you can destroyed this infestation?"
"Of course... We will scoured the land with toxins that would not make them survive..."
Kerrigan watched from her sniper scope in a different part of the district as the alien forces slowly retreated as they teleported away.
Kerrigan sighed as the mission was completed in a absurd way. But she heard thousands of roars surrounded her location
"This is Kerrigan. We've neutralized the Protoss, but there's a wave of Zerg advancing on this position. We need immediate evac." She spoke as she felt uncertain as there was no way she would fight against a entire brood descending upon her.
But what she heard made her skin crawl.
"Belay that order. We're moving out." Mengsk coldness etched in the comms.
"What? You're not just gonna leave them?" James paled of the fact that he was willing to ditch Kerrigan in the first place.
"All ships prepare to move away from Tarsonis on my mark." It was the final words of the man that betrayed all of them
"Uh, boys? How about that evac?" She nervously chuckle as she shot at a hydralisk that wanted to kill her.
"Damn you, Arcturus! Don't do this." Raynor gritted his teeth.
"It's done. Helmsman, signal the fleet, and take us out of orbit. Now!" They could hear the spittle of the man that is drenched in treachery.
"Commander? Jim? What the hell's going on up there?" Kerrigan was confused. She followed him to a letter and she was betrayed.
Nuclear bombs is dropped around them.
Killing everyone in the vicinity.
The imperium soldiers were forced to teleported away, and those that remained was turned into charcoal.
Kerrigan was not even safe from the explosion as the radiation have fried the stealth capabilities of her suit.
She watched helplessly as she watched the swarm began to close in around her.
Her sniper rifle had ran out of ammunition.
She closed her eyes as the swarm closed in around her....
Alexander listen to Raynor complains as he smashed a Zerg as walked and gathered survivors.
"I can't believe he actually left her down there! I'm gone, and High lord better come with me. There's no tellin' who Arcturus'll screw over next. You... Knew?"
"Calm down, Raynor, you are under my care remember? And yes, I wanted you to know the man that you wanted to follow..."
"What happened to Tychus?" Alexander asked.
"He's not even with me..."
"++High Lord Incoming transmission from Mengsk++"
Alexander sat upon a mountain of Zerg corpses that piled up. He near the nuclear Armageddon that Mengsk set upon him.
"Patch it through..."
"Gentlemen, you've done very well, but remember that we've still got a job to do. The seeds of a new Empire have been sown, and if we hope to reap-" Mengsk spoke with pride as his deeds was apparent.
Until Raynor yelled in the comms
"Aw, to hell with you!"
"You're making a terrible mistake. Don't even think to cross me. I've sacrificed too much to let this fall apart."
"You mean like you sacrificed Kerrigan?" Raynor spoke.
"Wait... You sacrifice Kerrigan?" Alexander queried. He smiled as there was a recording of this interaction, if he didn't found the Adjutant that intercepted the comms in the wreck of Tarsonis, this would be a better blackmail.
Arcturus growled "You'll regret that. You don't seem to realize my situation here. I will not be stopped. Not by you, or the Confederates, or the Imperium or the Protoss, or anyone! I will rule this sector or see it burnt to ashes around me. If you try to get in my way- *cut off*
Alexander cut the man off, he already made his choice...
"++The fleet is prepped and ready, High Lord. Awaiting orders.++"
Jim Raynor tired of losing everything spoke to Alexander, "To hell with him. We're gone."
"Adjutant, confirm the situation ahead" Alexander spoke. The Adjutant that was in his temporary command ship spoke different options.
"++It appears that General Duke has successfully activated Tarsonis' primary defensive weapon, the Ion Cannon. The Cannon must be shut down if any escape attempt is to be made. Recommendation:
Take a specialized squad to not interfere the Clean up crew of the Sons of Korhal. Or just kill everyone on the way.. both options are beneficial.++"
Jim Raynor laugh hollowly. "Well, Commander, it looks like we're on our own. It's funny... It seems like yesterday Arcturus was the idealistic rebel crusader. Now he's the law, and we're the criminals. It kills me to know that we helped him achieve his goals of conquest.
Damn it! I shouldn't have let her go alone."
"We will find her... Did you got the Hyperion?"
"Seemed like old Mengsk took the newest ship back to Korhal..seemed like he ditched for the new thing."
"Inform the crew to get behind my fleet and prep for jump. You take a squad and head to where Kerrigan last seen and join with me if you are unable to find her."
Raynor nodded as he left in the distance.
Alexander looked at the battlefield.
"I am just glad that my ships outnumbered the Mengsk fleet... Even if the Ion Cannon is operational, I prefer all my people to escape the standoff." Alexander chuckle as he glanced at the orbit of the planet.
Mengsk Battlecruiser squadrons aiming at remaining Luna Class fleet, that is aiming at them broadside as they would fight to the death, the crew of the Battlecruiser know how fast the ship and the brutal armor that Alexander commanded. And that innate fear of being the first to die, etch in the captains that followed Mengsk.
They only prayed that the hunter teams on the surface below would capture the duo.
Alexander and Raynor managed to wreck havoc in a already destroyed planet.
In a distance from where they are, was a Giant gun that the confederacy once been the pride and joy to fight against the orbital fleet. It was one of the first strategic target that was to be controlled.
Due to a hasty retreat, the Imperial is forced to teleport their forces away from the gun and Duke took the gun emplacement and beginning to power the gun with the remaining power sources he could salvage.
Duke watched as the makeshift gun is now powering up as it aimed at the closest ship.
He felt a gun poked at his power armor back...
"You... Filthy Traitor!" He growl at the figure behind him.
Tychus followed Mengsk for a short time.
Making him think that he thrown his lot with him.
Now after hearing the message that was intercepted, he already made his choice.
"Ain't that right... Duke." Tychus grinned as his men that was inserted with the garrison that defended the Ion Cannon rebelled and killed them off.
"You dare turn down his offer! Heh, even Alexander wouldn't even dare welcome you back!"
"You already thrown the lot in the first place. Huh Tychus?" Alexander walked in as if he already anticipated the betrayal.
"You know me better... Boss. Already set the charges and waiting for your orders."
"I... Thought you left us behind... Tychus." James spoke.
"Lil' Jimmy... I ain't leavin ya behind, besides, I get paid well by following Boss anyway. Ol' Mengsk is like a Damm snake that I thought he is...left ya lil pretty ghost to fend against them Zerg..." Tychus gritted his cigar.
"Alexander do you know the moment you destroyed the Gun, you betrayed Acturus!"
"The moment he killed off the people of Tarsonis and let the Zerg into this planet is the moment he is breached my tolerance." Alexander bashed Duke Power Armor helmet causing him to have a concussion, knocking him out.
And reached to a safe distance.
Tychus handed the trigger to Alexander.
"I heard ya like Big boom."
"Yes... Let's us go. I going to enjoy your artistry." Alexander laughed as he pressed the trigger.
The gun was exploded into several pieces. Marking their escape.
Several transports arrived in the vicinity and loaded the survivors.
With the destruction of the Ion Cannon.
Alexander and the remaining survivors reached orbit and the battle above the now tomb world is concluded.
There was several damage etched on the ships that he owns... But before them, was Mengsk ships turned debris... The Yamato Cannon was steaming from the blast as their husk of a hull drifted in space.
"After what we done... We are now the rebels..." James spoke as he watched the planet slowly disappearing in the distance.
He search the sector that Kerrigan last transmission and all he managed he got was her rifle that was left abandoned.
"Damn, we are on the run again?" Tychus smiled.
"But better start than before..." Alexander watched as the Protoss fleet met up with them.
"Them lil' ol greyskins are our allies now?"
"Yes, I made a alliance with them, albeit this leader of this expedition force, we would be heading to Char... There is a report from the protoss that a certain someone is calling for you... Raynor."
"Sarah?" Raynor eyes glowed.
"I don't know if the Protoss is bullshiting us.. but that's our best bet to get her back."
Tychus laughed as he wore a pirate hat above his power helmet and a comical saber to boot.
"Well then, time to save the lady in distress like the pirates we arrgh, Time to sail the season of stars! Got any Ale boss?"
"Already did, you got 5 barrels of the best ale that is sent to the Hyperion."
"Are ya a fortune tell? Seemed like ya always get my noggin a quick reading."
"That's just on your mind. Now would you two head back to the Hyperion? We would head there first."
They went to Hyperion as Alexander will reach to char in advance via Warp travel.
The duo aside from Alexander never knew ....
The moment they reached char.
They would meet their nightmare.
While they banter... The Adjutant of Alexander ship came to life.
"++Psionic message received...++"
"++Decrypting....Complete++"
"++Jim....save me...++"