“Greetings to you two as well. Aren, the UED has arrived. Captain DuGalle is eager to speak with you again.”
“Excellent. The second player has arrived
COMMAND SHIP NOVA FIRE, HIGH ORBIT, PLANET ANTAER
“Isn’t he dead?” Jim asked Major Powell.
“Who?”
“DuGalle.”
“Yes.”
“You just said he was coming here.”
“No I didn’t. I said Captain DuGalle was coming here.”
“What’s the difference?”
“The DuGalle you speak of was an Admiral.”
“Oh. The who were you talking about?”
“His niece.”
“I see.”
“Enough!” Aren held up his hands to keep the two from speaking any further. “You two are giving me a headache. Commander Raynor...”
“Jim.”
“Jim, Admiral Gerard DuGalle died of explosive decompression when the bridge of the Aleksander was exposed to space. His niece, Captain Elizabeth DuGalle, commanded a small fleet of ships that was assigned to guard the Dylar Shipyards.”
“I don’t mean to sound rude or anything, but why didn’t she die with the rest of the UED fleet?”
“For two reasons. One, Admiral DuGalle was a smart man. He knew that Kerrigan would probably defeat his forces, so he kept part of it in reserve under the command of his niece. When the call to evacuate went out, she took her command and went to the rendezvous point. This is where the second reason why she still lives comes into play. When she arrived, Kerrigan’s forces had already decimated the fleet.”
“Not only that, but the attack had been rather sloppy. Three Battlecruisers, the Aleksander among them, were left in working condition, as were a dozen Valkyries and two Wraith Carriers. The carriers had a full complement of fighters within their bays” Major Powell added.
“After adding these resources to her fleet, and repairing the Aleksander so that it could be her flagship, she went back to Dylar IV and began turning into a UED Ubiqtorate base. That was six months ago. She found out about us through a group of smugglers and contacted us. Although we refused to help her fighter her war, we did agree to give her and her people supplies.”
“Why do you think she is here now Major?” The former Colonial Magistrate asked, sipping from he coffee cup in his hands.
“She probably got herself into some trouble and has come here to ask for help.”
“Will you refuse to help this time like you did the last time?”
“That all depends. We’ve been here for two years now, and my people are itching for a fight. However, I will not have them risk their lives without good cause. Michael, where did Ensign Thon direct her to take her shuttle?”
“Main assault bay, the flight deck is full.”
“As usual. Commander Raynor, I would like you to stay here, so that you may meet Captain DuGalle. Also, I would ask that you send your XO back to the Hyperion, just in case some trigger-happy gunner tries to take potshots at the Aleksander.”
“That’s actually a good idea. Some of my people don’t really like the UED. Nate, go back to the ship. Remind them that if we shoot at another guest of the Major’s, he is liable to forget his manners and destroy his.” The captain laughed slightly, still unsure about Major Hale.
“Which he could do easily. I don’t really like leaving you here alone, but I know better than to ask you to come with me.” He walked toward one of the exits, then stopped. “Um...how do I get back to the dropship?”
“Hold on.” Aren pressed a button on his desk and spoke into a small monitor. “Thon, come in here for a second.” He released the button and looked up. “Be forewarned, the Krekh’Chor can be very intimidating when you first see them.” As he said this, the doors to his ready room slid open again, this time to admit a tall figure. Over two meters tall, the figure look like a cross between a wolf and a bear, with brindle colored fur and large, white teeth. His small black eyes looked from person to person, then stared at Captain Calhoun. The captain had taken a step back when the ensign had entered. “Ah, Ensign Thon. Please take Captain Calhoun down to the flight deck where his dropship is waiting.”
“Yes sir.” came the semi-growled response. “This way Captain.” Jim chuckled after they had left and turned back to Major Hale.
“You did that on purpose.”
“Of course. Now, if you will excuse me, I am going to meet Captain DuGalle and bring her to the conference room. Michael, please take the Commander there.” With that he was gone, through a different set of doors.
***
Major Powell escorted Jim to the conference lounge. Both of them sat down in the comfortable chairs. Michael stared out the view ports to see the stars, while Jim looked around the lounge. He saw at the head of the table a large circular symbol. In the center was the silhouette of a winged creature, covered by what looked like an exploding star. Outside the circle, on the upper half the words ‘Nova Fleet’ appeared in white. Below that, in a language he did not know, were words written in a brilliant silver color.
“Major Powell, what does that say?”
“You don’t speak Latin here?”
“I don’t, but others do. I never really had the inclination to learn it.”
“It says ‘Sic Semper Tyranus’, ‘Death to All Tyrants’. It is the Chorasian Fleets motto, and something we take very seriously. Although they add to the balance between good and evil, order and chaos, tyrants really have no place in the universe. There is no reason for their existence, yet they do exist. Tyrants, in my opinion, are just another example of the universe’s sense of humor.”
“Tell me something. Why does Major Hale act the way he does? I know he is Human, but a person who has lived for over a thousand years should be more...I don’t know...serious.”
“You mean why does he act like an ego-driven teenager?”
“Yes.”
“Simple. It’s a defense mechanism. He has seen far too much death for someone so young.”
“Young? Compared to whom?”
“Me. My brother Elim. Duncan and Solaran, Sovereign Protectors of the Dorna’Kee Empire. We were alive when the Earth was still a molten ball of rock. To become a Sovereign Protector is to dedicate your life to an eternity of guarding those who need protection. He had the unfortunate honor of becoming one of us when our universe was on the verge of total chaos. The Nemesis War, the Predecessors War, and the other wars and skirmishes and battles that defined the latter years of our universe all led up to the bloodiest conflict in recorded history, the Jihad. Here, where you live, the forces of good and evil are not present as they are where we come from. The Jihad was a true holy war, when good and evil strove for supremacy. Trillions of people died in that war, most of them innocent bystanders.” He let out a sigh, and Jim thought he saw tears in his eyes. “The Human mind is a fragile thing. The slightest trauma can effect a person for a lifetime. Aren was never the same after the Jihad. Before the war he had been the loosest, the most laid back Sovereign Protector. After...well, he wasn’t. He puts on a good show, but he tries too hard and his facade turns into what you see here. If ever he become serious, it would be wise of you worry.”
“I’ll take that under advisement.”
The UED shuttle slid into the assault bay. Smaller and sleeker than the lumbering dropships, the shuttle was dwarfed by the massive airship that serves as the Nova Fire’s assault vessel. Mechanics and technicians crowd the bay, working on the M.A.L.P. class assault shuttles and the airship, called the Cloudrider, that take up most of the bay. Aren Hale waits near the shuttle, waiting for the UED captain to exit. The egress hatch opened and a black haired woman with bright green eyes emerged. She walked toward Major Hale with a purpose.
“What, no Jimmy?”
“I gave him the day off Captain. A hard working man such as him needs one sometimes.”
“Of course. Major, I come here to ask-”
“Wait. In case you didn’t notice, there is another Battlecruiser parked outside. It would be rude of me to discuss business with you without its commander’s presence.”
“Yes, I did notice the Hyperion. Raynor’s probably here to ask for your help. Are you going to give him the assistance that you denied us?”
“You wound me Captain. I would never do such a thing.”
“Very well, I will not say why I have come, yet. If you refuse to help my people this time, maybe I can convince Raynor to help.”
“We shall see, Captain. We shall see.”
The few minutes it took to ride the turbolifts up to the command deck were done in complete silence. Instead of opening on the bridge, the turbolift changed its course and went directly toward the conference lounge. A surprised Jim Raynor stared at what he had thought was a normal wall. Major Powell just looked on.
“I’m guessing that, since you took the express lift, there is a matter to discuss?”
“I’m assuming so Michael. However, out of respect for our other guest here, I asked her not to talk about it until we arrived here.”
“Good idea. I’ll leave you three alone. I probably don’t want to be involved in this discussion.”
“It’s not exactly the conference at Yalta, Michael. Oh never mind, just get out of here.” Major Powell exited the lounge and the three leaders were left alone. Aren turned to Captain DuGalle. “Well Captain, go ahead.”
“Alright. Two hours ago, my base at Dylar IV came under attack.”
“Two hours ago?” Aren asked. “The Dylar system is a ten-hour trip from here.”
“I was en route already when I received word.”
“Why were you coming here?”
“To thank you for your help and to ask you once more for help.”
“So, who’s attacking your base?” Raynor asked.
“The Protoss.”
Aren raised his eyebrows and gave her a hard stare. “If you think that I’m going to help you fight the Protoss, you have another thing coming.”
“I know better than to ask you that, because I know you have a close relationship with them. However, these are not normal Protoss. I’m assuming you’ve both heard of the renegade named Ulrezaj?” Both men stiffened at the mention of that name. It has been less than two months since the crazed Dark Templar had lead his forces to wrest control of the Protoss people from the Conclave. Jim lowered his head into his hands. Aren shook his head, a frown forming on his face.
“The most powerful Dark Templar in history, even compared to Zeratul. He has the ability to change into a Dark Archon at will and he can control the minds of his enemies in either form. This does not bode well.”
“Right now his forces are attacking my shipyards. Once he is through with them, my base will be his next target.”
“He won’t destroy your shipyards. Ulrezaj will probably use them to reinforce his fleet with your technology.”
“How many ships did he attack with?”
Captain DuGalle looked at Jim Raynor, the source of the question. He had a look of fear on his face, as if realizing what could happen if Ulrezaj turned his attention towards Raynor’s people. “The report I received indicated that he sent eight Carriers, forty-eight Scouts, six Corsairs, and four Shuttles. Only three Battlecruisers, one Wraith carrier, and six Valkyries were on station. The rest of my fleet is out finding new resource planets for us to use. Now, Major, will you help us?” Major Hale stood up and walked to the large viewports at the back of the lounge. He stared out for a moment, then turned to face them.
“I am a Sovereign Protector. It is my duty to protect those that cannot help themselves. And, as Commander Raynor found out while I was meeting you down in the bay, my fleet’s whole purpose is to stop tyrants. If Ulrezaj doesn’t fit the profile of a tyrant, then I don’t know what does. We will help you.” He walked back to the desk and pressed the white call button on the console. “Michael, contact the Arrowhead. Tell Siege Commander Valis to join us in the assault bay on the Nova Fire. Then meet us down there. Captain, Commander, if you’ll follow me?” The wall slid back to reveal the hidden turbolift once again, and the three of them entered it. Once they arrived at the assault bay, they were surprised to see two people waiting for them. One was Major Powell. The other was a tall Humanoid, with long blue-streaked black hair and blue skin. He was wearing gray clothing that more closely resembled body armor. “That was rather quick Valis. I didn’t expect you to get here so quickly.”
“I transported directly here, as did Michael. You wouldn’t have summoned me here if it were not important.”
“Right. Jim, Captain DuGalle, allow me to introduce Siege Commander Valis of the Al-Corian Empire. He is one of the highest-ranking generals within his military, which entitles him to have the rank of Siege Commander. The Al-Corians are members of the Imperium.”
“So why are they on your ships?”
“Well, before we ended up here, my ships were involved in a massive campaign to take back an enemy controlled planet. Ships from the Imperium were there as well. As we were evac-ing, we took on troops from across the Imperium. My five ships normally carry a total complement of forty-one thousand troops. I’m down to twenty thousand, plus the eight hundred surviving members of my Cerberus Special Forces. We rescued a total of fifteen hundred troops, twelve hundred from the Al-Corian Empire. The rest of the troops are Keerian Hunters, Zythradi Paladins, M’naran Zythradi warriors, and even some from the Protectorate, an organization run by the Sovereign Protectors. Valis, we’ll be going to Dylar IV to reinforce the UED forces there. I want one thousand soldiers ready to go within the hour.”
“Which ones do you recommend?”
“Does it really matter? Pick a number of soldiers from each of the groups, except the Protectorate Primarchs. I’ll be taking eight of them with me.”
“And where will you be going?”
“I’m taking the Challenger in myself. Michael, you’ll be taking the Nova Fire, the Excalibur, and the Manticore to reinforce the UED space forces.”
“Do you really think three cruisers will make the Protoss back off?” Captain DuGalle asked.
“Yes, especially if Ulrezaj has been doing his homework. Besides, the three cruisers can yield fourteen gunships and two hundred sixteen fighters between them.”
“And if that doesn’t work, we can call in the Arrowhead and the Allegiance, bringing their guns and another eight gunships and two hundred eighty-eight fighters to the battle.” Both native captains shuddered when the two majors told them for the first time how much firepower they really have under their command. “Well, I should get back to the bridge and contact Commanders Vargan and Triosh. They’ll want to know ahead of time what we’ll be doing.” Michael left the bay, using an different turbolift.
“And I should begin gathering our forces.” the Al-Corian general said. “Should I have them brought back here Aren?”
“Yeah. The Cloudrider and the six assault shuttles here should be enough. I’ll have the deck officer transfer the Deleter’s, Armadillo’s and Charger’s up to the secondary assault bay. I’m keeping the Chariot’s on board, so our people won’t be without some sort of support.”
“A sound idea Aren. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ll get too work on getting those forces together. Commander Raynor, Captain DuGalle, it was a pleasure meeting you.” He walked away, shouting orders to the mechanics and technicians.
***
Less than an hour later, all was ready. Jim stood within the hangar where he had arrived. However, unlike before, it was now empty, the fighters than had taken up the hangar were now out in space, drifting beside their mothership in tight formations. All that was left on the flight deck was the blue-gray transport that ‘Jimmy’ had been working on. A figure walked down the exit ramp in the front of the ship, but it was not Major Hale. From the records he had hastily studied over the past hour, he noted by the insignia on his collar that the man was a lieutenant
“You must be Jim Raynor. I’m Lieutenant David Aaronson. I’ll be serving as Major Hale’s co-pilot during the trip.”
“Where is the Major anyway?”
“Onboard already, along with that UED captain and the Primarchs. Come on, I’ll take you to the cockpit.” He led him up the ramp. Jim tried to look at other portions of the ship, but blast doors sealed them all. From what he could see through the small windows, the lower two decks were both a metallic gray with smooth walls. The third and final deck, however, was much different. It had a more homelike feel to it. At the back of the deck was a lounge. Along the sides of the ship were four rooms. Two were sealed by blast doors. The other two appeared to be a kitchen and a washroom respectively. They walked through the door leading to the cockpit, which was actually large enough to be more of a bridge. It has enough room to seat nine people. One chair, the pilots seat, was in a recessed area at the front. The other four were along the side, parallel to long rows of computer terminals and interfaces. Major Hale sat in the pilots seat. Captain DuGalle was sitting in the second seat along the ride side, with her feet up on the third seat behind it. Lieutenant Aaronson walked to his station, the first seat behind the Major on the right. Jim sat across from him.
“Nice ship you have here Major. At least from what I can see of it. So, when do we see those Primarchs you were talking about?”
“You won’t, not unless they want you to.”
“What are they, like the Dark Templar?”
“Not exactly, but they have enough control over their psionic powers that they can make you forget they even exist. If you must know, they’ve locked themselves on the first deck, near the cargo bay. Now sit down and buckle in. We’ve wasted enough time waiting for you Jim. Challenger to the bridge, requesting permission to launch.”
“Permission granted Challenger. May Devros be with you.”
“He always is, Michael, he always is. Challenger out. Status?” David Aaronson checked the panel in front of him and looked up.
“Engines are green. Weapons are charged and ready. Jump drive online and functioning normally.”
“Good. Let’s get going.” Toggling switches and pulling back on the controls in front of him, Major Hale piloted the ship through the magnetic field holding the atmosphere within the bay and out into space. After reaching a safe distance, Aren brought the ship up to full speed and did a barrel roll just to make his passengers jerk from side to side. Then, pulling one of the levers in front of him, the Challenger rocketed forward into lightspeed.
On the bridge of the Nova Fire, Michael Powell watched the ship leave. Looking around the bridge, he noticed that his crew was ready. Toggling the comlink switch, he called out to the six fighter squadrons and one gunship group surrounding his ship.
“Cronus Wing, report in”
...Rogue Squadron, standing by. ...
...Wraith Squadron, standing by. ...
...Saber Squadron, ready to go. ...
...Rapier Squadron, online. ...
...Shuriken Squadron, good to go. ...
...Stiletto Squadron, reporting in....
“Maverick Group, report in.”
...Maverick Group locked and loaded sir. ...
“Lieutenant Shlee, report from the other ships?” Lieutenant Aaronson’s replacement looked up from the tactical station. Like the rest of the Novalden race, Lieutenant Shlee was tall, wiry, pale skinned, and bald. His large pink eyes blinked as two sets of eyelids opened and closed.
“The Excalibur and the Manticore report the same. They and their two wings and gunship flights have taken up position on our port and starboard sides respectively.”
“And the troop ships?”
“The Arrowhead has loaded them and has left to drop them off on the outskirts of the Dylar system. They will jump in system from there, as per the plan.”
“Good. Open a fleetwide channel so I can address them.”
“Done sir.”
“All ships, this is Major Powell. Since the time we arrived here, we have been hiding ourselves. We have not been involved in the various wars that have erupted here. We have followed the Alliances mandate of non-intervention to the letter. However, before he left, Major Hale told me that this would no longer be the case. The Alliance does not exist here. No longer will we sit idly by as millions of people die at the hands of despots. They think themselves above the laws of Great Antiquity, which has decreed that life is sacred and must not be harmed. They, like the thousands before them, will learn that no one is above the law of the universe. May the wisdom of the Spirit guide us and the might of the Dragon protect us.” He signaled for the transmission to be cut. He then looked at the brown haired woman sitting at the helm. “Bekka, set course for Dylar IV. Activate jump drive and open a conduit. Set speed so that we arrive two minutes after Aren.”
“Righty-o Michael.” The fleet began to move. In front of them, space began to bend and warp. The trans-hyperjump conduit used by many vessels from their home universe opened. A manmade wormhole, glowing with energy and light as massive amounts of power were used to keep it from collapsing. The fleet entered the blazing maw of the wormhole and disappeared. The conduit’s entrance closed and the space above the planet Antaer was quiet once again.
