•      •      •      •

I looked out the windows of my hijacked Command Center and finally breathed again as the dust settled. The whole Koprulu sector had become a madhouse, and I considered myself well shut of it. Of course, what I and my men had done was technically treason, but the Confederacy wasn’t going to be around long enough to prosecute us, by all indications. Mengsk’s bid for power could well succeed amid the confusion of the Zerg invasion.

Four men donned construction/miner suits and moved out of the CC towards the nearby mineral deposits while I ordered the construction of another SCV. We had set down on a large plateau overlooking the ruins of some gargantuan ancient structure. The spot had plenty of resources and a good tactical position, since only one ramp led up to the raised area. I hoped to build up a base here from which to expand across the planet. If and when the Confederacy’s successor found us, I was determined that we would be ready.

Everything went exactly according to plan. A barracks went up, eight battlesuits were built and bunkers were being constructed beside the ramp when one of my soldiers commed me.

"Sir! Something’s coming up the ramp . . . It’s a drone! A Zerg drone!!

"Kill it!" I barked, my mind reeling. The Zerg were here? If they wanted this planet as well, there could be a lot of fighting. The Zerg were not known for giving up.

My stance stiffened. No . . . I would let nothing interfere. I had had enough of being a captain in the Fleet, with nothing to call my own. This planet was MINE, and the if the Zerg thought to challenge that, I would wade through seas of blood to keep it.

                                                     •      •      •      •

The scout drone died, but the Cerebrate barely noticed. A drone was of no consequence, and it was busy pondering this new development. If a Terran base was being established, that must mean that a garrison fleet was not far behind. This planet was critical to the Swarm’s advance, as a stopoff before Earth. The planet must be totally under control by the time the fleet arrived. Time was therefore of the essence.

The Cerebrate’s thought translated to its minions, and a score of zerglings sped toward the earthling encampment with their master’s command to kill ringing through their minds.

                                                      •      •      •      •

Paul Slager stormed down the ramp alongside his squadmates. The ten marines of Squad 1 had been dispatched on a reconnaissance mission to find the Zerg base and do as much damage as possible before returning to base. The marines reached the bottom of the ramp and 20 zerglings charged into middle of the group before they could react, ripping and tearing.

"Holy crap!! Watch out!"

"Mayday, mayday, we need backup!"

"They’re everywhere!! They’re AAAARRRRGGgghh . . ."

A zergling leaped onto Paul’s helmet, scratching the transparisteel with it’s razor-sharp claws. Paul reversed his Impaler rifle and jammed down on the trigger. The armor-piercing slugs tore into the zergling’s back in a spray of blood, hurling the monster over Paul’s head. Commander Chesley was yelling to fall back, so he started to run for the ramp. Then the radio went silent.

The last survivor of Squad 1 almost made it back to the bunkers. Almost.

I stood in front of the main display, clenching my hands so hard they went white. I had underestimated my opponent, obviously. This Cerebrate was more effective then the norm. I would have to strike with greater force in order to cleanse this infestation.

The bunkers had killed the last zergling, and I ordered construction of a training academy. I would need medics and firebats for the next assault.

                                                     •      •      •      •

The zerglings had been generally less effective then anticipated, although they had obliterated a group of marines. The Cerebrate took that victory as promising, and enough zerglings could bring down the bunkers as well. The larvae bulged, shifted, and began to mutate within their eggs. This war would not, could not be lost.