Night 2

Valerian stood in his battlecruiser peering down at Korhal. The ship was in high orbit over the planet. The computer beeped, and a message appeared on the screen.

// Incoming Transmission...
// Flagship Hyperion, Low Orbit Over Korhal...
// Jim Raynor, Notorious Criminal And Terrorist...

"Computer, let the message through," Valerian said.

The computer beeped again, and the message on the screen disappeared. It was replaced by Raynor's face on board the Hyperion.

"Mengsk, things are gettin' real sticky down there. I'm seein' a bunch of zerg colonies forming around the city. If you're gonna help us at all, you'd better do it fast," Raynor said.

"Don't worry, Commander," Valerian replied, "I assure you that I will do my part."

"Yeah, you'd better. I got enough of these bastards to deal with. The last thing I need is a whole damn colony to form right outside your daddy's city."

The screen went blank, and a new message appeared.

// Transmission Terminated...

Valerian walked up to the computer and pressed some buttons on the keyboard. After a few seconds, General Warfield's face appeared on the screen.

"General, it is time to move onto the second phase of my plan," Valerian said, "You know my father's leadership skills are... unsatisfactory, to say the least. I must prove to the people that I am ready to take his place."

"What do you need, Prince Valerian?" Warfield asked.

"The zerg are starting to become troublesome for our rebels friends. We need to give them time to cleanse the city of this infestation. Is the battalion that I chose ready for battle?"

"They're suited up and ready for action."

"Good. Send them in. They should keep the zerg preoccupied long enough for Raynor to do some damage."

The screen went blank. Back on the grounds of Korhal, a dropship was preparing to take off. Groups of marines, marauders, and ghosts were running into the loading dock of the ship. When they all got in, the ship flew off the ground and headed towards the outskirts of the city. As the dropship flew over the city, the pilots could see the damage that the zerg had so quickly done. Near the borders of Augustgrad, everything had been destroyed. Buildings were left in shambles, fires were ablaze, engulfing everything from huge trees to small flowers, and the disgusting slime of the zerg had made its way onto the paved streets.

"Damn..." one pilot said, "It's lookin' pretty bad out there. Thank God we ain't the ones fightin'."

The ship flew over one of the zerg colonies. It landed a couple hundred meters away from the target site. The ramp to the loading dock was lowered, and the men began to file out of the ship, one by one. They all lined up, facing the distant zerg encampment. The squad leader waved his arm, signaling his men to begin the ambush. Quietly, the battalion went towards the base. Clouds covered the moon; the sky was completely dark. That changed rapidly, however...

-----

Raynor walked out of an abandoned bar inside of the city. He had landed outside of the city an hour ago after talking to Valerian. He had just finished his third bottle of scotch and decided it was time to deal with the zerg. As soon as he opened the bar's doors, he was deafened by the sound of automatic guns and explosions going off in the distance. He turned to the south and saw the sky light up. Colors of orange, red, and yellow filled the sky. The sound of explosions increased. The sound of agonizing screams became louder, almost more apparent than the thunderous booms from the battle.

Raynor began running down the street.

"Valerian held up his part of the deal," he thought to himself, "The zerg are busy dealin' with the Dominion. It's time my boys and I do something."

As he reached an old, beaten building, he slowed down. He stopped at the door and knocked four times. The door opened, and a group of men walked out of the building. Raynor began to walk, and the men followed him. As they walked, they surveyed the empty streets for any sudden movements. One of the men stopped. He turned and looked into the window of a house. Everyone else walked a few extra steps before noticing the one man. He walked back to him and also turned towards the house.

"Whatdya see?" one man asked.

"I'm not sure... I coulda sworn I saw somethin' movin' around in there." the first man said.

Raynor began walking across the street.

"Let's check it out, boys," he said.

They walked up the house and stood against the wall. Raynor turned his head and looked through the window. The kitchen was clean, the chairs were pushed underneath the table, the pictures on the mantles were in place. Everything seemed normal. Raynor looked through the different rooms again, but this time, something caught his eyes. A red hand print was on the kitchen counter. One of the other men was also looking through the window. He spotted the print at the same time as Raynor.

"What is that... finger paint?" he asked.

"Damn it," Raynor said, "That's no paint! Move in, boys!"

The men reached for their guns and ran towards the front door. One man kicked it open, and they all cautiously walked through the house. Raynor walked up the steps. He looked through all the rooms. Nothing seemed out of place. He walked into the master bedroom and stopped. In front of him laid three bodies. They were all torn apart. He heard a scream echo throughout the house. He turned around and ran towards the source. He entered the bathroom and saw a creature ripping away at one of the men. Raynor took out his knife and ran towards the monster. He cut off its claw, and the monster let out a scream of pain. He swung his knife at the zerg again, this time stabbing it directly in the dead. Apos fell to the floor. The man who had been attacked pushed the dead body off of himself and got up.

"Damn," said the man who was attacked, "I forgot how feisty these critters can be."

-----

-- Five hours later --

The outskirts of the city were now a silent battlefield. The colony had been destroyed, but the Dominion had taken its toll as well. Hundreds of bodies laid on the ground. Some were human, some were zerg. The zerg were torn to shreds by the explosive shells and armor-piercing bullets. The soldiers' bodies were completely destroyed. Their faces were mutilated, half-eaten, almost. The sun began to rise. Its bright light illuminated the blood-stained field and revealed another hundred bodies off in the distance.

The screen went blank, and a new message appeared.

The screen went blank. Back on the grounds of Korhal, a dropship was preparing to take off. Groups of marines, marauders, and ghosts were running into the loading dock of the ship. When they all got in, the ship flew off the ground and headed towards the outskirts of the city. As the dropship flew over the city, the pilots could see the damage that the zerg had so quickly done. Near the borders of Augustgrad, everything had been destroyed. Buildings were left in shambles, fires were ablaze, engulfing everything from huge trees to small flowers, and the disgusting slime of the zerg had made its way onto the paved streets.

The squad leader waved his arm, signaling his men to begin the ambush.

As soon as he opened the bar's doors, he was deafened by the sound of automatic guns and explosions going off in the distance.

He turned to the south and saw the sky light up. Colors of orange, red, and yellow filled the sky. The sound of explosions increased. The sound of agonizing screams became louder, almost more apparent than the thunderous booms from the battle.

He stopped at the door and knocked four times.

A red hand print was on the kitchen counter.

"Damn it," Raynor said, "That's no paint! Move in, boys!"

The men reached for their guns and ran towards the front door.

He heard a scream echo throughout the house.

He swung his knife at the zerg again, this time stabbing it directly in the dead.

The zerg were torn to shreds by the explosive shells and armor-piercing bullets.

Their faces were mutilated, half-eaten, almost.