Hawkins was walking down the corridor to his classroom when Mr. Wong came up to him.
“Good morning Leo.”
“You didn’t hear the news, did you Robert?”
“Apparently not, what’s happening?”
“There are Zerg in the system. The military is completely locking down all interplanetary travel, and ground troops are being deployed. We’re afraid they are going to lock down all ground transportation when the students are still here.”
“Good god. Has any Zerg creature made it into orbit?” Hawkins suddenly looked worried, a look to match Wong’s.
“Not yet. The School board is in an uproar. Some trustees want education to continue, while others fear for the safety of all of us. There are dangerous times ahead; both of us know that.”
“More than you could imagine. Will the school still be open, though?”
“Yes, but if the students want to stay home they can.”
“Right. I guess we will see what happens.” The two teachers made their separate ways to their respective classrooms.
***
The Hyperion sped towards the main defense platform orbiting Antiga Prime. It had left its Protoss escort behind so it would have a chance to communicate with the often-paranoid defenders of terran space. Artanis and Zeratul, along with a handful of their templar brethren, were still on board though.
“I hope we can reason with the defenders.” Zeratul thought aloud.
“If I know Terrans defending against the Zerg, they’ll think it’s a miracle when another friendly battle cruiser shows up.” Raynor responded, part afraid, and part angry. He wouldn’t let her get to the people, not after what they had done for him…and Acturus and Kerrigan. Memories flooded back to Jim, of how they had helped liberate this colony. How she and Acturus seemed to work so well together, before New Gettysburg. Now, he had learned to hate that name, for what it had done to him, and her. He swore, like he had done so many times, to bring down Mengsk. “After I’m done with her”, he thought. Raynor smiled coldly for a second, but then quickly focused on the task at hand.
“Open up a comm channel to the colonial Magistrate.” An officer pressed a few buttons on a nearby console.
“No reply. Comm channels going in and out are shutdown.” Raynor looked slightly disappointed, but regained his resolve.
“Take us in then. Open fire at any Zerg units in range. Hopefully that should convince them we’re here to help.”
“We must show them our allegiance. I suggest taking a course that borders one of the broods.” Artanis said, as eager to fight as ever. Zeratul quickly quelled his spirit, if only slightly.
“That would get their attention, but it would also be dangerous. A course near one of the broods should be enough. I pray these terrans have a long sensor range.”
“As do I” Artanis looked up at the planet in front of him. The sun was just peering over the surface, creating a bright corona. A new day was running its course.
***
Hawkins looked at the few students that had showed up, about a quarter of his regular Xeno-biology class. He sighed, and began.
“Well, it looks like many of your peers have taken full advantage of this opportunity.” A few students chuckled. “I’m throwing my lecture plan for today out the window, so you are free to work on anything you want. I will be doing a mini lesson on survival tips for facing the Zerg. I don’t think that any of you will have to use the information, even in light of recent events, but it does prove to be an interesting topic.” Five students came up to the front and took seats there. The remaining few worked silently at the back of the room.
“Now, I think I will start with certain-“ the intercom interrupted him.
“All teachers report to the staff room for a brief meeting, now.” Hawkins could tell Mrs. Soloman, who had made the announcement, was upset.
“Excuse me. There is a book on my desk which contains some of what I am going to teach.” Hawkins rushed out of the room, leaving the students somewhat confused. Except for Henry. He had been at the back, looking like he was doing some work, but nothing could have been farther from the truth. He knew why Mr. Hawkins had run out. He could sense two others like him as well. One was in the school, and one was much farther away. In space, he guessed. That one was also more powerful.
“She’s coming.” he whispered.
***
Robert was about the last one into the staff room, which by now, was quite crowded. He stood beside Mr. Wong, who was near the front. In the middle of it all was two marines, in full combat gear, standing to the sides of another man. He was wearing lighter armor and stealth equipment. He took off the night vision goggles that had been resting on his forehead.
“I know you are all wondering why I am here.” His opening remark was much more literal then anybody else had thought. “I am Lieutenant Carstagg, and I am indeed part of the colonial militia. I’m here to tell you that as soon as any Zerg get into orbit, we are initiating total lockdown of all transportation. If that means keeping the students here, then that will be done. If that happens, supplies will be distributed and evacuation is a possibility.”
“I can’t believe this! I don’t see how this is making it any safer for the students!” Margaret Soloman was in a rage, furious over just about everything the lieutenant had said.
“I don’t like this either, but… wait a minute.” His radio was beeping. “Yes, it’s me…uh huh…what?…for Christ’s sake I haven’t finished—Now?…what am I supposed to do?…I can’t…fine, I’ll see what I can do.” He put the radio away and looked up with a cold look on his face.
“What was that about?”
“The lockdown is already in effect. A supply truck will be around with food and blankets shortly. Do what you can and prepare for the long haul.” He walked out of the room without saying another word. The marines quickly followed suit. That just left the staff in awe and disbelief. The war was hitting home in more ways then any of them could have imagined.
***
The Hyperion was nearly at the platform, and not a single Zerg unit had been spotted, let alone fired upon. Raynor was worried. If he couldn’t show his allegiance, the Hyperion and could get destroyed, and him along with it.
“We’re coming up on the platform.” He barely let his ensign finish.
“Come in slowly, power down all weapons and shields. Hopefully they will take that as a sign of peace.” A laser blast shot by the bridge just as he finished his sentence. “ Or not. Shields up!” Raynor dashed to the captain’s chair and sat down when suddenly the bridge was rocked slightly by the impact of a missile. The Hyperion’s plasma shields were still holding, though. Raynor was glad he had had the Hyperion retro-fitted with Protoss technology a month before.
The battle cruiser had sped up slightly and made a U-turn beside the platform, in an attempt to show peace. The defenders answered with laser blasts and hellfire missiles.
“This isn’t right, cease fire.” The commander of defense for Antiga put down his binoculars and slid the tinted visor on his helmet down. “Hail them.” He walked back to the command center on the platform, hoping to know who was in command of this unidentified battle cruiser.
“They appear to have stopped.” Artanis all ways had a gift for over stating the obvious.
“Receiving a hail, commander.” Commander Raynor motioned for his lieutenant to put it on the main screen.
“Who the hell… Jim Raynor? Is that you?” Raynor smiled. Commander Mctagert was an old friend. The two had meet way back on Mar Sara, when Mctagert was the acting magistrate, and Raynor was a humble marshal. Raynor knew his old buddy didn’t know about his involvement with the Protoss yet, or of his other adventures for that matter. After Mctagert had helped him escape from Tarsonis, Raynor lost track of him. A funny place to wind up at again, he thought.
With the Hyperion on defensive patrol, Jim had time to talk with Mctagert at the platform’s main command center. He walked passed a few SCV’s at work on his way, building missile turrets to defend against the coming invasion. He finally walked up the ramp to the air lock. After it was pressurized, Raynor took off his helmet and space suit and found Mctagert’s office.
“We have a lot to catch up on, Jim, but I think that should wait. What exactly is coming for us?”
“Almost all the remaining Zerg in the sector, no less. I’ve detected at least three broods, and there is most likely five, or even more.”
“I don’t think we stand much of a chance honestly. At least with you, our chance is greater.”
“I have some allies as well. Would you believe there is a contingent of Protoss just outside your sensor range?”
“Really?” Mctagert got a response to his question, but it wasn’t from Raynor.
“Really. My brethren will aid you in defense of your planet.” Zeratul revealed himself. He was standing in one corner of the small office.
‘If you can do that, I’m sure you will be of great help against the Zerg!’ McTagert was overjoyed to have yet another ally.
***
From the bridge of the battle cruiser Hyperion II. Acturus looked out at the shimmering lights in front of him. He knew one of them was a planet, Antiga Prime to be exactly. He knew She would be there. He also knew that because of what the three of them had done on that planet so long ago, that Jim Raynor would also be there.
“It ends here, my friends. Only one of us is going to survive, and I damn well think it’s going to be me.” Mengsk said aloud. his ego as irrepressible as ever.
***
After several hours of discussing battle plans, and doing a bit of catching up, Raynor and Zeratul departed on a drop ship for the surface of Antiga. Raynor’s previous plan was scrapped due to the lockdown on transportation, as he soon found out. Hawkins couldn’t meet him at the Starport.
“We can go to him. He would be at his house…wait, when did Mctagert say the lockdown started?
“Eleven o’clock, I believe.” Zeratul responded dryly.
“That means school would have still been in. He must be at his school. I think he sent me directions.” Raynor dug through his pockets until he pulled out a small piece of paper. “Antiga High School number 23.”
“You might think the sight of a military dropship landing in a school yard might be unnerving for those at the school.”
“You might think that, Zeratul. But I know these people, and I think they can handle it.”
***
“There’s a what?” Leo Wong’s attempt to tell the news slowly to his superior, Principal Matt Jefferson, had failed miserably.
“There’s a military drop ship touching down outside my windows.”
“Why is there a military ship landing at our school?” He asked. Hawkins walked in with the answer.
“I think there is someone on that dropship who wants to speak to me.” Robert replied.
“Like that person behind you?” Jefferson said, pointing at a figure standing in the doorway.
“Who…James, is that you?” Robert had turned around to be met by a familiar face.
“Professor Hawkins? It’s been a while.” The already outraged Principal was flabbergasted.
“Reunions aside, what the hell is going on?” Jefferson asked in an angry tone.
“A war.” Zeratul appeared, standing beside the doorway.
“And who is that?” Jefferson said, on the verge of a nervous breakdown.
“That would be Zeratul, Praetor of the Dark Templar.” Raynor replied calmly.
“The what?” Jefferson demanded, very angrily at that. Raynor finally made an attempt to calm him down.
“Look, we all have a lot to talk about, so I suggest we get started.”
Back to Previous Chapter
a href=http://www.infoceptor.net/cgi-bin/newspro/comments/988279586,47499,.shtml>Back to Comments
