Two Eyes: Part I


There are only two things worse than fighting a pitched battle with a Protoss encampment. One is fighting a pitched battle with a Zerg horde. The other is latrine duty. My name is Private Sven Clarence and that is exactly what I was doing the day everything went to hell. I was stationed on the planet Mau Clara about three years ago. Then I thought it merely as a way point in my career, I would soon be moving up in rank and going on to bigger and better things. That dream lasted about two and a half years.

Anyway, here I was, knee deep in shit, when a blank faced special forces officer ran by. Otherwise known as Ghosts, these special forces guys were pretty hardcore. I once saw one of them take on four marines in hand-to-hand combat. We all had to pull extra guard duty for a month to make up for their shifts. Whatever was mean enough to make this guy run like he was, I didn’t want to know about it. Because most likely I would be one of the ones being thrown in front of it.

Deciding I had just about had it with the shit pile I was in, I jumped out and picked up my Gauss rifle. My buddy Jack Smits, also a private, followed me. "Let’s check out what’s going on." I said.

Smits nodded and started jogging towards HQ. I followed in standard Confederate formation. After about five minutes of running HQ came into view. It was nothing spectacular. Merely a hastily erected duracrete facility with a satellite for interstellar communication. For added protection a duracrete wall with a missile turret at each corner surrounded the facility. The two bunkers at the main entrance were manned by four men at all times. There were numerous opening in the wall where the huge cannons of several siege tanks stuck out, aiming at the open plain. Still not enough. We were nothing but a small outpost. An early warning defense system. If we die, the Confederacy knows it had better get its ass in gear. Not a particularly warm thought.

Smits and I passed through the main entrance checkpoint with no difficulty and booked over to our squad, the Beta 45th, barracks. Captain Thomas was in an intense conversation with another private so I waited to address him. Once he was done I walked up and saluted smartly. "Private Clarence reporting, sir!"

"What do you want, soldier?"

"I saw a Ghost coming in a few minutes ago, sir. I wanted to know if there was something the troops should be made aware of, sir."

"You’re not the morale officer, Private. Nor are you the information officer. That information is classified and none of your business. However, since we’re moving out soon I’ll have you inform the rest of the squad what the nature of our new mission is.

"We’ll be moving out with the 44th and 67th squadrons. We’ll have air support from Zeta Squadron’s wraiths. Additionally, Major Thomas’ tank battalion will offer support from a distance should we need to retreat and resupply."

"Sir, that’s over 300 marines, 20 wraiths, and 50 tanks! May I ask the objective?"

"A Protoss encampment a few miles from here. Apparently they warped in undetected. They’re within our security screen. We have orders from the General to eliminate the facility without prejudice. Now inform the squad. We move out at 1400."

The captain turned sharply and marched off into the barracks. I stared hopelessly at Smits. He merely raised his eyebrows and mouthed the word, ‘shit’. I shook my head. "We’re fucked."

Elsewhere...


"En taro Adun."

"Adun. You’re sure the Terran saw the base?"

I distinctly remember my face being more mournful than usual. I had failed Aiur. By allowing the Terran to escape I had jeopardized the Protoss base on this planet. It was as my father had said. I was never made for the Templar caste. I should have become a Judicator, like him. But I was too young, 236 human years, and my heart yearned for adventure. That’s how I was on Mau Chara the day the sun died.

"Quite sure, Executor. Razeal and I were on patrol over on the southern slope when we stumbled on to him. He spotted us quickly. We were unable to lay hands on him as space seemed to fold around him, cloaking his appearance. Even his thoughts were barred from my mind. It was most unusual."

"Thank you for your report, Templar Velerii. Return to your rooms and meditate before the coming battle. They will probably attack soon."

"Yes, Executor."

It occurred to me then, as I walked under the huge triangle structured Gateway, that I had forgotten to give my prayers at the Citadel of Adun. I rushed back but stopped when I heard the executor’s voice, "We will not attack their position, Xelar."

"Executor, we still have a fighting chance if we choose the battle ground. We cannot allow them to foul our base. If they come here they will have the advantage of the hills."

"Not if our Templar can hold them back."

"Executor, we do not have the men and our energy is running low. We can barely afford to warp in additional Zealots. The crystals here are gone and the gas has long dried up. We must attack now!"

"I will not attack them! Tassadar placed us here to observe the Terrans, not destroy them! He specifically said that they should not be touched unless in self defense."

"Tassadar is not here, Executor. We are. Surely you must see the foolishness in this."

I heard the distinct sound of psi blades being constructed and then the Executor’s voice like I had never heard it before, low and menacing. "Never call Tassadar’s commands foolish. And never question my decisions. I..."

I never heard the rest. The mighty roar of Arclite fire drowned out everything else. The huge pylon next to the Gateway seem to explode with energy but it’s shield was still intact once the fire cleared. Instantly the Executor’s thoughts filled my mind, along with the rest of our force. "We are under attack by Terran forces. Forces 1 and 3 are to immediately go around the eastern slope and flank their reserves. The rest of you charge the tank emplacements. My high templar will take care of the infantry. Go."

In the hills...


I could barely here Smits over the tank fire. "I thiand weid wingings."

"What?" I screamed.

"I think we’re winning!"

"Yeah, me too!"

Over the portable loud speaker I heard Captain Thomas yell, "Squad 45 forward!"

"That’s us, let’s go!" I said.

The hundred marines of Squad 45 rushed from our hidden position behind a stalactite formation and charged down the hill towards a behemoth structure which I recognized too late as a photon cannon. "Everyone down!"

Too late. A huge ball of photonic energy struck the center of our formation. I was thrown clear of the blast. Luckily my armor enabled me to weather the blast, my blast shield down absorbed the fierce rays that normally would have blinded me. Unfortunately, my rifle was flung away from me when I hit the ground. Hard. I got up groggily and took stock of the situation. Most of the company was okay. But I couldn’t find Smits. Then I looked down and saw his arm. The rest of his body had been vaporized. Giving myself no time to think, I grabbed the Gauss rifle out of his dead fingers and took off after my squad.

Two huge cannon roars eliminated the photon cannon as a threat and we rushed into the center of the Protoss encampment. Just as I was thinking about the lack of resistance this move was followed by I heard a huge crack. I look up and saw the sky rip in on itself. Blue lightning cascaded all around me. Before it could strike me, I dove under the nearest piece of damaged photon cannon I could find. The rest of my squad was not so lucky. Around 2/3 of my remaining comrades had been ripped to shreds by the storm. The 44th Squad moved to reinforce but were also struck by two additional storms which literally vaporized them. I felt a small trickle of blood run down my face as a lone Protoss warrior stepped in front of me with two soft blue blades ignited out of his gauntlets. We stared at each other.

A few moments before...


I was not willing to leave my executor alone with the enemy. Let the other warriors flank the Terran support force. I jogged towards the oncoming Terrans and watched while they walked slowly down the North hill. Suddenly, two Terran materialized next to me. One lifted a small projectile weapon and fired directly into my midsection. I flew nearly fifteen feet and struck the shield around the Stargate. Spitting a small gush of blood out of my mouth, I ignited my psi blades and moved towards the Terran infidels.

They both raised their guns and began to fire but I was too quick for them. One died when I rammed my psi blade into his larynx. The other received a kick to the head. Both were dead before they hit the ground. An explosion knocked me off my feet again. When I was able to get back on my feet I noticed that our only Photon Cannons was gone but so was most of the Terran infantry. Obviously, the Executor and his high templar had managed to take out most of the Terrans with psi storm.

Blue blasts in the distance told of the destruction of the encroaching Terran tanks in the distance. We’d won. It was then that I saw a small Terran staring at me. I moved slowly toward him, psi blades raised. However, something about him gave me pause. His strange blue eyes stared me down and I was loath to strike against him. Likewise, he did not raise his weapon. Something...there was something there!

The fates continue...


This strange warrior looked at me with those huge black eyes. There was large crack in the center of his orange, full body armor. Quite suddenly, it looked passed me into the distance. I turned too and my mouth fell open. The last squad of marines had managed to break into the encampment and had killed two Protoss before they could wreak havoc with that strange blue lightning of theirs. However, two Protoss still stood and as I watched a huge ball of blue energy exploded between them.

The merge...


Only the merging of two High Templar could have made me look away from this strange being. The Executor and one of his High Templar joined in one psionic blast. When the dust settled there was only a huge Archon. Lightning cracked around him as he screamed into the wind, "Power overwhelming!"

Terrans flew everywhere as the Archon unleashed his dark fury. Psi energy was everywhere. The ground erupted beneath the Terrans feet and threw them to their dooms. Those who touched the Archon screamed as blue light cascaded out of their eyes and down their faces. I looked back down to the Terran at my feet who was slowly raising his weapon to his face. My arm went out to stop him when suddenly my feet were no longer touching the earth...

Perspective change...


My heart broke at the sight of a hundred of my comrades being destroyed by the blue behemoth before me. Rage clouded my vision and muddled my senses. I began raising my rifle. I was going to kill it even if it meant my own undoing. Unfortunately, I never got the chance. Earth erupted all around me and tossed me away. The distinctive whoosh of wraith engines streaked overhead.

The Protoss who had been near me a few moment ago was no where to be found. I found it odd that I should care if he was dead or not. My eyes followed the progress of the wraiths. Just as they were about to commence a second run they suddenly swerved away from the Protoss base. At that moment I heard the loud speaker blare, "Retreat. Full retreat! Back to HQ...ssssssssssssssss."

I swung my Gauss rifle into my shoulder holster and took off like the devil himself was behind me. Just as I made it back onto the North hill I was thrown down by an invisible force. The huge, blue Protoss creature stared down at me. Energy crackled around it and struck out randomly at the ground every few seconds. We stared at each other for a few minutes before it finally spoke, "Go. Or else...destruction."

Stumbling, I got up and ran for my life.

The rubble...


When I regained consciousness, there was rubble everywhere. The Archon sat near our central Pylon, obviously deep in thought. The remaining Protoss brethren surrouned him. Some were still bleeding. As I surveyed the battlefield, I noticed Dragoon carcasses littered the field along with limp Templar bodies. I knew even more probably graced the ground where the tanks had been ambushed.

The hundreds of Terran bodies still lay on the ground as well, covered in dirt and blood. Some bodies had no limbs, others had no head. This one scene convinced me that this would never be over. Either the Terrans would die or we would. No compromise. I wasn’t surprised when two tears traced my cheeks. I watched unmoving as they struck the ground. First blood. More to come.