With a burst of energy, the emptiness of space came to life with activity. The fabric of space tore; opening a great vortex to places unknown. Out of this vortex appeared five vessels, spinning, as if thrown by a god. The smallest of the ships, the Nova Fire, was spinning stern over bow. On the bridge, the crew tried desperately to save their ship.
“Major, hull stress is now eighty percent above normal and rising.” The ship commander, Major Aren Hale, looked up from his console.
“Fire all maneuvering thrusters to help stabilize us. Relocate energy from shields and weapons to the structural integrity field.” Outside the ship, the two largest vessels in the fleet, the 2-kilometer long Arrowhead class Assault Cruisers, regained stability. One of the cruisers locked a tractor beam onto the Nova Fire to slow its uncontrolled spin.
“Sir, the Allegiance has used a tractor beam to control us. Hull integrity is returning to normal. Stress in now twenty percent above normal and falling.”
“Lieutenant Aaronson, contact the Allegiance and give Commander Trant my thanks.” Major Hale looked down at his XO. Major Michael Powell had been standing at one of the science stations when the fleet had been hit by the shockwave of an exploding star. “Michael, are you done napping?”
“Actually, I thought about lying here for the next few weeks. The floor and I aren’t as acquainted as I’d like to be.” He reached up with his hand and Aren grabbed it, pulling his second in command off the deck.
“Would someone please tell me what the hell just happened?” Lieutenant Bekka Chase stood up from her station at the helm to stretch her muscles.
“Don’t look at me, I just pilot this crate.”
“Well, aren’t pilots supposed to keep their ships flying in one direction?” Michael asked jokingly.
“Only the lazy ones. Besides, you’re the one who was at the science-station. You tell us what happened.”
“She has a point Michael.” Aren said. Lieutenant David Aaronson, still working at his post, also agreed.
“You’re all against me. Ah, well, the truth is, I don’t know what happened. One minute, we were on our way to Choras for repairs. The next minute, we were here.”
“Okay. Ensign Thon, find out where we are. Michael, get over to that station and go over the readings. Bekka, sit down and get us moving. David, scan the area for anything that might be classified as hostile. And someone locate Captain Andrenov.” Ten minutes later, Captain Andrenov walked onto the bridge, just as Michael left the science station with some news. “How nice of you to join us, Sergey. Where have you been?”
“Unconscious on deck fifteen. I had an unfortunate run in with an irate bulkhead. So, what hit us?” Major Powell answered immediately.
“As we were transiting to realspace, someone, or something, changed our jump coordinates. They were changed early enough in the transition that the ship opened two wormholes, one leading here, the other leading to where we were supposed to be. We were literally in two places at once.”
“And because of that, we ended up here, while the other half of the fleet exited at the proper coordinates.” Major Hale said, finishing his XO’s explanation. “Damn. Ensign Thon, any idea where we are now?”
“Yes sir, telemetry is coming in now. Milky Way Galaxy, Gamma Quadrant, Sector 314. Uh oh.”
“Uh oh?”
“I hate it when people say uh oh.”
“Alright everybody, calm down. What’s the problem ensign?”
“When we entered realspace, the computer automatically sent out recognition signals. Our IFF was picked up by Tuatha and Chedrezak beacons.”
“So what’s wrong with that?”
“The beacons marked this Milky Way as galaxy 73-401.”
“We’re in an alternate Milky Way Galaxy? Perfect.”
“Major!” David Aaronson called from the back of the bridge. “I may have found something that can be identified as hostile.”
“Like what?”
“A distress signal. It’s pretty weak, I had to put it through some audio buffers to fix the fragmentation.”
“Let’s hear it David.” Over the com, a loud screeching noise could be heard. After a few seconds, the screeching was replaced by the voice of a human male.
“This is the Chau Sara Colonial Magistrate. We are being attacked by unknown alien forces. If any Confederate vessels in within range of our colony, please respond. I repeat, this is the-” The transmission ended is static.
“Sorry sir, the transmission source has been destroyed.”
“Did you get the location of that transmission?”
“Yes. It’s a planet two light-years away.”
“Send those coordinates to the rest of the fleet. Tell them to charge weapons and raise shields. We’re going in.” Michael looked questioning at his old friend.
“Aren, we don’t even know what’s going on here. We can’t just go barging in on this.”
“Michael, we’re Sovereign Protectors. Our job is to protect the innocent.”
“And if these people aren’t innocent?”
“Did I say we were going in firing? We’re going in to check things out only. I just want the fleet to be ready for a fight.”
“Well, since you put it that way, you may want to tell them to ready fighters and gunships too.”
“Good idea. David, relay the new orders to the fleet. Bekka set course for Chau Sara, best speed.” The eight warp engines on the Nova Fire came to life, propelling the ship at speeds faster than light. The four other ships quickly followed suit.
“You have done well, Tassadar. I was beginning to fear that you had lost your faith in the Conclave.”
“Really Aldaris? My faith in the Conclave has not changed since you came on board.” The sarcasm in the Protoss commander’s voice was lost on the Judicator. “However, I still believe we could have found a better way to deal with these creatures. Annihilating these Terrans to wipe out the Zerg infestation is without honor.”
“These Terrans would have been killed anyway. Think of it as a benevolent execution. I shall return to my Arbiter to meditate. Carry out your mission faithfully Executor, and you will return as a hero.” The Judicator turned and left the bridge. Tassadar thought to himself for a few moments. If Aldaris has his way, I shall have to wipe out the entire Terran civilization. I did not rise through the ranks to become a murderer. His thoughts were interrupted by a Khalai science officer.
“Executor, five vessels have just transitioned from hyperspace. They do not match any of the Terran ships we have encountered so far. Scans show that their weapons systems are fully charged.”
“Have they taken any aggressive actions?”
“Not as yet Executor. They are, however, signaling us.”
“Let us hear what they have to say.” A holographic representation of the newly arrived fleet’s commander appeared in front of him. To Tassadar, he seemed like any other Terran, yet he felt that there was something strange about him. “Greetings. I am Tassadar, Executor of the Protoss Expeditionary Force. To whom am I speaking?”
“I am Major Aren Hale of the Draconis Alliance. We received a distress call from the colony that you are attacking. I would like to know your reasons for this attack.”
“I will tell you them, but you must come over to my ship first. Your vessels do not match anything these Terrans have; yet you are Terran. I would like to know more.” The Terran commander was silent for a few moments, then he answered.
“Very well. I will come to your ship. Do I have your word I will not be harmed?”
“I am Templar. Attacking someone on a diplomatic mission would be dishonorable.”
“I accept your pledge. I will take a shuttle over immediately.” The hologram faded.
“Send for Aldaris. I should think he would want to hear this.” A zealot bowed.
“Yes, Executor.”
“Tassadar, why have you invited that Human here? You are jeopardizing your career and this mission. With one call, I can-”
“Tell me, Aldaris, when you speak with you fellow Judicators over a communications system, can you feel their psionic imprint?”
“No, of course not. That would be impossible.”
“Apparently not, given that, while I spoke with Major Hale, I could feel his power.”
“Preposterous.”
“He speaks the truth.” The Protoss turned to see who had interrupted their conversation. Behind them stood Major Hale and one other. “Greetings Executor. This is my second in command, Major Michael Powell.” Major Powell bowed.
“Greetings, this is Judicator Aldaris. He is the advisor to this expedition.”
“A politician?” Major Powell asked.
“I serve as liaison between Tassadar and the Conclave.”
“Which is bureaucratese for ‘I am a politician’.” Major Hale gave his XO a reproaching look
“Michael, you needn’t be so rude. Not yet anyway.”
“Why have you come here, foolish Human?”
“Well Judicator, we received a distress call from this planet. We came to investigate, and found you here blasting it back to the Stone Age. All we want to know is why.”
“Our reasons are our own, Human. We need not tell you them.”
“Judicator, you are overstepping your bounds. This is a military matter, and you have no authority in that. Major Hale; there is a force coming, a force great malevolence. It has sent out its spores to this world and others like it. This force, called the Zerg, is unlike anything we have ever seen. It spreads its infestation at an alarming rate. It is on a mission to eradicate these Terrans. The world below us was covered in a toxic substance and these Zerg feed off of. What Terrans are left either infested or dying. Our only recourse, no matter how sorrowful, was to raze the planet.” After Tassadar stopped speaking, Aldaris stood up and started to pace. When he spoke, his voice was low and hard.
“We have learned that the Zerg have infested other colony worlds of the Terrans. We are going to these worlds to destroy the Zerg.” Tassadar looked at the Judicator. He had not heard of these orders.
“What?! What of Humanity?”
“The Zerg threat must end, even if it means the complete annihilation of the Human race.” Major Hale glared at Aldaris. His fury barely contained.
“What you are suggesting is wholesale slaughter! This is akin to dropping a fusion bomb into the center of a densely populated city, just to kill a single person.”
“It does not matter what you think, Human. The Protoss do not answer to inferior beings.” Major Hale was beginning to lose control of his anger.
“You fool. You foolish, pathetic little creature. You consider your race to be superior and noble Aldaris? What you are considering is genocide. How noble is that? What if your plan does not work Judicator? What if these Zerg discover your people? How superior will you be when your race is nearly extinct because of them?”
“Do not begin to threaten us, Human. These Zerg are no match for our people. You have no right to question the will of a race that has existed longer than-”
“Silence Judicator!” The explosion of psionic energy coming from Major Hale slammed Aldaris into a bulkhead. The Judicator looked up from his position on the deck, and saw Major Hale in a different light. Aren Hale’s eyes had turned completely black. They were rimmed with a corona of glowing red energy. He had a blue aura surrounding him. His voiced had changed as well. It was now deeper, more authoritative, much like that of the Protoss themselves. The Judicators eyes closed as he slipped into the blissfulness of unconsciousness. Major Hale’s eyes returned to normal, and the aura faded. He slumped back down into his chair, feeling completely drained. “Michael, remind me never to do that again.”
“Aren, you know you can’t use that much power at once when we’re in our own universe.”
“I know, but he really got on my nerves.” He looked at Tassadar, who was still stunned. A chagrined smile crossed his face “Oh, sorry Tassadar.”
“What...what are you?”
“Something far beyond the comprehension of even the Protoss. Not to worry though. My full power cannot be displayed here, it would be against the laws of nature. Now, about this plan of the Conclaves. I know you see it as wrong, so why not just ignore them?”
“I cannot. I am Templar, my duty is to my people.”
“Your duty, Executor, is that of all holy warriors. Protect those that need protecting. Destroying Terran Colonies to wipe out the Zerg will not do your people any good. Do not follow orders you feel are wrong.”
“I will think about what you have said.” He looked over at the prone form of Aldaris. “When he awakens, he will contact the Conclave and tell them about you.”
“No, he won’t.” Michael said. “Neither he nor any of the crew will ever remember seeing or meeting us. Only you will, because we wish it to be that way. Now, since it appears we will be here for an extended period of time, I was wondering if you could tell us of a world that we could call home.”
Aren Hale and Michael Powell returned to the Nova Fire. The fleet under their command turned about and went into hyperspace. On the Protoss ships, all memory of their presence was removed from the Protoss’ minds. All except one. As Tassadar looked on Chau Sara through the Gantrithor’s view ports, he thought to himself. He thought about Major Hale’s words. As the Protoss fleet left orbit to head towards the colony of Mar Sara, he was still in deep thought.
