The Beginning Of The End
Feb. 10th, 2002 01:31 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
jackofallgeeksThe Overmind Is Beaten. The Swarm Is Broken.
But Who Has Really Won?
The Alliance knew the moment to strike was at hand. A commando squad of Fenix's finest Protoss Warriors, along with the Dark Templar, Zertaul, had made a surgical strike at the Zerg - destroying two more Cerebrates beyond the point of Reincarnation. With even more of the Overmind's network of control down, and their own forces short on supplies, Tassadar declared that this would be their finest hour.
Stuck light years from home and surrounded by hostile Aliens, Sheriff James Raynor and his crew joined the fight.
It ended up as an awkward set up. Raynor and Tassadar had planned on surrounding the Beast, but inadvertently split their forces - the terrans to the north-west, and the Protoss to the south-east. With the Zerg in the center - a crater miles wide where the Overmind had imbedded it's physical incarnation. Early on, the Zerg became aware of the Terran forces, though, despite the massive amounts of psi-waves they generated, the Protoss were mostly ignored. A stray Zergling or Mutalisk my run into the camp, but they were made short work by Zeratul and his fellow Dark Templar.
Taking this oversight as an advantage, Tassadar left the Protoss War Engine in the hands of Zeratul, instructing his comrade to warp in Arbiters as soon as possible, so as to unite the fronts. Then, piloting the Gantrithor, he sailed in a wide arc around the Zerg Blister in order to aide Raynor on the other side.
Raynor was having a hard time on his side of the crater. Though resourceful, the Terrans lacked the Forcefield technology of the protoss, and were generally 'squishier' than the Zerg. Digging in with a some-what solid line of bunkers, the Marines did their best to hold off the onslaught. Battle-weariness took almost as many men as Zergling fangs. Long periods of quiet would stretch on while the Overmind collected his forces just out of view. Then, a wave of Hyralisks, or Mutalisks, or Ultralisks would crash upon the rag-tag band. The Terrans were trapped in a pocket, Zerg coming in from almost every side, until the arrival of the Gantrithor added weight to their defenses, and allowed for easier patrolling. Narrowing the front down, the bunkers worked better, and with Raynor and Tassadar patrolling the skies, all went smoothly - for a war.
Around the broken landscape, Zeratul had successfully assembled the pieces needed to warp in the crucial Arbiters. Sending one around the Blister, the two camps were united through space-time distortions. Though the Terrans took advantage of the Protoss technologies, the Protoss were still mostly unbothered by the Overmind. Could it be It had darker things in mind for them? With most of the fighting on there Terran front, Zeratul was left with a ghost-army consisting of his bother Dark Templar, a Carrier to patrol the skies, and a compliment of Dragoons. But as resources on both sides dwindled, the Three decided that a move must be made - a stalemate meant victory for the Overmind.
Sending an Arbiter down into an all-but abandoned Mineral field, Protoss Drones and Terran SCVs were transported down to mine, supported by another Cruiser. With the renewed flow of minerals, the Alliance began a campaign to amass a large army to make a direct assault on the Overmind. All their efforts thus far had been defensive, and they were sure the Overmind would be well prepared for them. Scouting reports from Observers proved this to be true - the Overmind was in the center of the creep-filled mass, surrounded by cancerous structures and the insect-like Zerg. However, reports were made that, on the southern rim, a geothermal anomaly had apparently stunted Zerg activity - the Overmind's defenses had a soft underbelly. Infact, further reports confirmed a narrow 'highway' that led nearly directly into the Overmind's lap. It was a sign - the Alliance would have to act, before the opportunity was missed. Collecting together the amassed strike force - a squad of Wraiths, a squad of Scouts, a number of Protoss Carriers and Terran Battle cruisers led by Tassadar and Raynor themselves, and a unit of Archons for heavy ground support - they carefully planned their attack. Gathering the forces below the Overmind left everywhere else utterly undefended - this was one-shot. If they failed, the end would soon come. Even as they prepared to move in, Reports flew in to Raynor that the Overmind was attacking the Terran Basecamp. Nothing could be done, save to move ahead as planned. With any luck, the attack on the camp would divert the Zerg's attention.
Guided in carefully with an Arbiter so as not to lose the advantage of surprise, the massive attack force moved it. Suddenly, the whole place erupted into chaos - Zerg Overlords and Spore Colonies rendering the Protoss Cloaking systems useless. Scourges and Interceptors flew in all directions, dog-fighting an intricate dance. The Arbiter was the first to go down - the Overmind didn't want support coming in. Little did it know - there was no support TO come in.
The Archons' unleashed the unimaginable power they held barely in check, and soon scattered, taking out Zerg Colonies in their wake. Little stood long against the beings of pure energy, and the war in the sky raged. On Raynor's command, the Terran Battle cruisers fired their main cannons at the Overmind, fracturing it's shell. Another command, and all the alliance forces broke off from their offensive to concentrate on the Overmind itself.
But..in the end.... ... ...in the end, it was a bitter-sweet victory. Most of the Protoss population had been wiped out in the Zerg invasion, including the Conclave, that ages-old body which governed the Protoss. Their homeworld, Aiur, first despoiled by the Zerg, now left a smoldering ruin by the War. And...and....
Far across the galaxy, on the distant planet of Char, the Queen of Blades senses the demise of the Overmind, and her time of Ascension has come at last.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(Slow, steady, singular clapping)
Orchestrated like a master, Kerrigan. Orchestrated like a master.
But Who Has Really Won?
The Alliance knew the moment to strike was at hand. A commando squad of Fenix's finest Protoss Warriors, along with the Dark Templar, Zertaul, had made a surgical strike at the Zerg - destroying two more Cerebrates beyond the point of Reincarnation. With even more of the Overmind's network of control down, and their own forces short on supplies, Tassadar declared that this would be their finest hour.
Stuck light years from home and surrounded by hostile Aliens, Sheriff James Raynor and his crew joined the fight.
It ended up as an awkward set up. Raynor and Tassadar had planned on surrounding the Beast, but inadvertently split their forces - the terrans to the north-west, and the Protoss to the south-east. With the Zerg in the center - a crater miles wide where the Overmind had imbedded it's physical incarnation. Early on, the Zerg became aware of the Terran forces, though, despite the massive amounts of psi-waves they generated, the Protoss were mostly ignored. A stray Zergling or Mutalisk my run into the camp, but they were made short work by Zeratul and his fellow Dark Templar.
Taking this oversight as an advantage, Tassadar left the Protoss War Engine in the hands of Zeratul, instructing his comrade to warp in Arbiters as soon as possible, so as to unite the fronts. Then, piloting the Gantrithor, he sailed in a wide arc around the Zerg Blister in order to aide Raynor on the other side.
Raynor was having a hard time on his side of the crater. Though resourceful, the Terrans lacked the Forcefield technology of the protoss, and were generally 'squishier' than the Zerg. Digging in with a some-what solid line of bunkers, the Marines did their best to hold off the onslaught. Battle-weariness took almost as many men as Zergling fangs. Long periods of quiet would stretch on while the Overmind collected his forces just out of view. Then, a wave of Hyralisks, or Mutalisks, or Ultralisks would crash upon the rag-tag band. The Terrans were trapped in a pocket, Zerg coming in from almost every side, until the arrival of the Gantrithor added weight to their defenses, and allowed for easier patrolling. Narrowing the front down, the bunkers worked better, and with Raynor and Tassadar patrolling the skies, all went smoothly - for a war.
Around the broken landscape, Zeratul had successfully assembled the pieces needed to warp in the crucial Arbiters. Sending one around the Blister, the two camps were united through space-time distortions. Though the Terrans took advantage of the Protoss technologies, the Protoss were still mostly unbothered by the Overmind. Could it be It had darker things in mind for them? With most of the fighting on there Terran front, Zeratul was left with a ghost-army consisting of his bother Dark Templar, a Carrier to patrol the skies, and a compliment of Dragoons. But as resources on both sides dwindled, the Three decided that a move must be made - a stalemate meant victory for the Overmind.
Sending an Arbiter down into an all-but abandoned Mineral field, Protoss Drones and Terran SCVs were transported down to mine, supported by another Cruiser. With the renewed flow of minerals, the Alliance began a campaign to amass a large army to make a direct assault on the Overmind. All their efforts thus far had been defensive, and they were sure the Overmind would be well prepared for them. Scouting reports from Observers proved this to be true - the Overmind was in the center of the creep-filled mass, surrounded by cancerous structures and the insect-like Zerg. However, reports were made that, on the southern rim, a geothermal anomaly had apparently stunted Zerg activity - the Overmind's defenses had a soft underbelly. Infact, further reports confirmed a narrow 'highway' that led nearly directly into the Overmind's lap. It was a sign - the Alliance would have to act, before the opportunity was missed. Collecting together the amassed strike force - a squad of Wraiths, a squad of Scouts, a number of Protoss Carriers and Terran Battle cruisers led by Tassadar and Raynor themselves, and a unit of Archons for heavy ground support - they carefully planned their attack. Gathering the forces below the Overmind left everywhere else utterly undefended - this was one-shot. If they failed, the end would soon come. Even as they prepared to move in, Reports flew in to Raynor that the Overmind was attacking the Terran Basecamp. Nothing could be done, save to move ahead as planned. With any luck, the attack on the camp would divert the Zerg's attention.
Guided in carefully with an Arbiter so as not to lose the advantage of surprise, the massive attack force moved it. Suddenly, the whole place erupted into chaos - Zerg Overlords and Spore Colonies rendering the Protoss Cloaking systems useless. Scourges and Interceptors flew in all directions, dog-fighting an intricate dance. The Arbiter was the first to go down - the Overmind didn't want support coming in. Little did it know - there was no support TO come in.
The Archons' unleashed the unimaginable power they held barely in check, and soon scattered, taking out Zerg Colonies in their wake. Little stood long against the beings of pure energy, and the war in the sky raged. On Raynor's command, the Terran Battle cruisers fired their main cannons at the Overmind, fracturing it's shell. Another command, and all the alliance forces broke off from their offensive to concentrate on the Overmind itself.
But..in the end.... ... ...in the end, it was a bitter-sweet victory. Most of the Protoss population had been wiped out in the Zerg invasion, including the Conclave, that ages-old body which governed the Protoss. Their homeworld, Aiur, first despoiled by the Zerg, now left a smoldering ruin by the War. And...and....
Far across the galaxy, on the distant planet of Char, the Queen of Blades senses the demise of the Overmind, and her time of Ascension has come at last.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(Slow, steady, singular clapping)
Orchestrated like a master, Kerrigan. Orchestrated like a master.
