I don't own Ranma, Starcraft, or X-Com.  Get use to it.

Enjoy!

Chapter 15: Full Potential

        Kasumi struggled with the Overlords for control.  Straining
against their mental influence, she fought Daggoth tooth and nail,
trying to break its connection with its minions.  The Brood before her
writhed in agony from the battle, caught between conflicting commands.
Kill Kasumi/reject Daggoth!  The commands raced through their puny
brains, each trying to gain dominance over the other.
        Suddenly, something seemed to give.  Kasumi's aura blazed a
brilliant red, and, with a cry of anger, Kasumi ripped apart the psychic
connection between the Overlords and Cerebrate and pulled their minds
into her own.  Kasumi screamed in horror and fell to her knees, trying
to protect herself from the flood of alien memories that swept through
her.  Without warning, Kasumi's aura lit up like a small star, casting a
red glow over the land.  Then it vanished, like someone had thrown a
switch.
        When the glare cleared, Kasumi lay on the ground, unconscious, a
small sea of Zerg approaching her.  One Zergling stepped forward and
nudged her.  There was no response.  He tried again.  This time Kasumi
stirred.  Sitting up, she smiled at the Zerg.  Her Brood.  Her family.

        After the clip was over, lights from above quickly illuminated
the plush conference room.  Muted whispers and mutterings filled the
room as the six Generals began to talk about what they had just seen.
Standing in the front of the room, Executor Treyvis stood off to one
side, watching the proceedings.
"My God," whispered General Raynor.  "It's Sarah all over again."
        "But she's on our side," said General Moroto.
        "Is she?" asked General Alfred Brown, who was the Regional
Commander of X-Com's Europe division.
        "Sarah was on our side once," remarked Raynor.  Moroto felt a
chill at the look in the man's eyes.
        "All right, everyone, that's enough!"  General Thomas
Charleston, Regional Commander of North America, rapped his gavel on the
table, bringing the meeting back to order.  "Executor, please continue."
        Treyvis stepped forward.  [Thank you,] he said pausing for a
moment to collect his thoughts.  [As you can see, we have been presented
with a unique opportunity.  For the first time in the history of all our
races, Human, Protoss, and Zerg, an outside force has the ability to
control the Zerg.  Before this, forces hostile to us always controlled
these creatures.  First, there were the Xel'Naga, then the Overmind, and
finally, the Queen of Blades.  Always before has the Swarm been a force
of destruction.  Its only goal: the consumption of life.  It seemed that
the Overmind had reached its goal when it overran our homeworld of Aiur.
For if we had fallen, there would have been no race in the galaxy
capable of fighting the Zerg.  Not even the Jurian Empire, which is
nearly as old as ours.  But, with the help of our dark brethren, we
destroyed the Overmind, severing the head of the snake.  Unfortunately,
a new threat, the Queen of Blades, arose, and took the reigns of power
from her unholy father.  We did not know the source of this new threat.
For a time we thought one of the Jurian Royal Family had been taken, but
when the Queen of Blades came here, we knew that this planet was her
home.]
        Treyvis's shining blue eyes met each of his listeners as he
continued.  [Her Cerebrates hold the borders of Zerg space while her
attention is focused here.  Why?  Why does the mighty Queen of Blades
bother with a tiny backwater planet such as this?  Your kind has barely
achieved space-flight technology.  Your weapons are pitifully primitive.
Only our intervention prevented the complete and utter destruction of
your race.  We gave you the time to gather what remnants of your
population you could and barricade yourselves in your underground
fortresses.  Only through our effort, luck, and perhaps the will of
Adun, did you survive.  Why would Kerrigan go through such extremes to
eradicate your kind?]
        His eyes blazed.  [It is because she knows that there are other
humans on this world capable of doing what she has done!  The most
dangerous competitor for a species is its own kind!  She knows that if
she could become what she is, so could others.  She knows what a threat
someone like Kasumi could be to her, so she seeks to destroy people like
Kasumi before they attain their full potential.]
        [And the potential is great.  Kasumi already has approximately
one hundred Zerg, mostly warrior strains, under her control, and the
Cerebrate in Japan has so far been unsuccessful in reclaiming them.  We
believe that with further training, she may be able to face it down and
destroy it.  We foresee the possibility of Kasumi even being able to
kill Kerrigan herself.]  The assembled Generals, with the exception of
Moroto, gaped at Treyvis.  [But for this we need time,] continued
Treyvis.  [It will be weeks, perhaps even months before she would have
even the possibility of defeating a Cerebrate.]
        "So how do we get that time?" asked General Brown.
        [I have petitioned the Great Conclave to allocate more resources
to this war.  They have seen and heard what I am telling you now.  The
Swarm is in disarray.  Kerrigan doesn't know how to fight this new
threat.  Always has the Swarm overwhelmed its opponents by sheer force
of numbers.  But now they have an enemy who defies them.  Any force
launched against Kasumi could be turned against them.  Kerrigan must
think of a new way to fight Kasumi.  We cannot give her the
opportunity.]
        Treyvis paused for effect.  [I want to launch a worldwide
assault against the Zerg.  Our combined forces will be used to distract
Kerrigan and gain us the time needed to train Kasumi.  Kerrigan cannot
be everywhere at once, but such is her desire for power that she will
try to oversee everything herself.  Her pride and arrogance will be her
downfall.  Once Kasumi is ready, we will take her to Kerrigan.  Kerrigan
will be destroyed, and Kasumi will then control the Swarm.]
        "And then what?" asked Reynor.
        [We do not know,] admitted Treyvis.  [The galaxy has lived under
the threat of the Zerg for so long that it is difficult to conceive the
idea of a peaceful Swarm.  It is even harder to think of what use such a
force could be.  It could not be worse than now.]
        "This is crazy," said General Ming Tao, who ran the Asian
Division.  "Kerrigan's the source of our problem, and you're proposing
we make another one?"
        "Don't be so blind," retorted Moroto.  "The Zerg aren't evil,
just the leaders.  Like the Executor said, cut off the head of the
snake..."
        "And put a new head in it's place," finished Tundi Zimbara,
commander of Africa.  "A snake that strikes on command."
        "We hope," said General Charleston.  "Hikaru, how do we know
Kasumi can handle this?  She took over a hundred Zerg, and it looked
like it almost drove her crazy.  For all we know, it did."
        "Even if she is sane," continued General Tao, "how do we know
she will continue to be friendly to our cause?  Look at what happened to
Kerrigan, and she was working for us at the time as well."
        Treyvis quickly interrupted before the argument could escalate.
[First of all, Kasumi is quite sane.  Second, the training Kasumi will
receive will strengthen her powers and enable her to better control the
Zerg.  Even now, what had once been a burden to her is now becoming
second nature.  As for Kasumi remaining on our side, you must first
understand what caused Kerrigan's turning.  The Overmind corrupted her
with complex psionic conditioning, even more complex than anything we
could produce.  When combined with the pollution of her DNA with the
Overmind's own essence, the Queen of Blades was created.  Kasumi will
have no conditioning, and definitely no additions to her DNA.  Her
loyalties will remain with us.]
        "And you're certain of this?" asked General Tao belligerently.
"The last thing this war needs is another Queen."
        One of Treyvis's eye ridges rose.  [Are you certain the sun will
rise next week?]
        "Of course," replied General Tao uncertainly, waiting for the
curveball.
        [And what if I told you my people could introduce a device into
your sun that would cause it to go nova?]  A stunned silence followed
the comment.  [My point, gentlemen, is that there are no certainties.
Only possibilities.  I believe that Kasumi is the best possibility of
not only winning the war on this planet, but around the galaxy.]
        General Charleston spoke.  "Executor, a worldwide assault would
be a last ditch effort on our part.  We would either have to win, or our
race would perish.  We cannot agree on such a measure without-"  He
stopped at the sound of a gentle rapping on the door.  "Come."  A Zealot
entered, stopped just inside the door and saluted smartly to the
Executor.
        [A message for the Executor.]  Charleston nodded.  The Zealot
went to Treyvis, gave him a small data crystal, and then departed.
Treyvis fitted the crystal into a slot in his Templar armour, and then
closed his eyes as the message was played out in his mind.  He opened
them a few moments later.
        [I bear tidings from the Conclave, both good and bad.  They have
approved of my plan, and are willing to increase production in order to
supply me with additional troops.  However, they are unwilling to do
this alone.  They will commit if you will.]  He looked around at the
assembled Generals.  [I will withdraw so you may confer.]  Exiting the
room, there was dead silence left in his wake.

        Moroto was the first to speak.  "Before anyone says anything, I
just want to ask a question.  Do we have any choice?  We've lost two X-
Com bases this year already, one in Japan, and one in China.  Our
recruitment is falling behind our losses in several areas, and our Ghost
program can't train new recruits fast enough.  And now, we've got these
new elite Zerg, the Hunter Killers, to face.  We're being worn down.  If
we hold back, if we refuse to commit, and we lose Kasumi, our race won't
survive."
        "I have to agree," concurred General Zimbara.  "Africa was
neither heavily populated nor very technological when this war started.
We don't have the resources to continue.  We're barely holding what we
have.  Of course," he said, a little more sarcastically than he
intended, "my colleagues from North America, and Europe might disagree.
You have the technology to deal with the Zerg, and may not feel that
help from the Protoss is necessary."
        "Assuming he's telling the truth," replied General Tao.
        General Charleston nodded once, seemingly to himself, then
addressed the assembled Generals.  "He was.  Our telepaths intercepted
the transmission.  Assuming the Conclave is not lying to Treyvis, they
are willing to help us."
        "What if they try to turn Kasumi against us?" asked Tao.
        "Haven't you been listening?" exclaimed Raynor.  He looked up at
the ceiling.  "Bring up Tac-Map South America 3."  Someone in an
adjacent room activated the view-screen that displayed a tactical map of
the South American continent.  There were two spots of green, one where
the nation of Panama used to be, and a second on the eastern coast of
Brazil.  They represented an X-Com presence.  Four blue spots showed the
approximate location of the Protoss bases, all along the Chilean
coastline.  The rest of the map was red.  "Take a good long look Ming.
Even if we destroy all the Zerg on the Earth except here, it would take
us generations to muster enough force to dislodge them.  And what's to
stop them from coming back?  Or getting re-enforcements from space?"
Raynor glared at the people around him.  "Hikaru's right.  We can't win.
The only thing we can do is lose.  It's just a matter of when.  We need
help."

        Nabiki waited patiently.  Eventually someone would come along.
Fortunately, she did not have to wait long.  A High Templar approached.
Her skin tingled as he passed, his powerful astral presence making the
hairs on her arms stand up.  The door to the Archives hissed open and,
invisible, she leapt inside a step behind the Templar.  Not quite sure
where to go, she decided to follow him.  There was only one thing of
interest in here, and it was a safe bet that he was heading in that
direction.
        Her guess was not wrong.  He eventually led her down into an
underground chamber where she found what she was looking for.  Barely
managing to suppress a hiss of surprise, she immediately shielded
herself from the energies floating around the room.
        Kasumi stood in the centre of the large circular chamber.
Arrayed around her were four Templar, and the one she was following
added itself to the circle, making five.  Varnor stood off to one side,
overseeing the exercise.  Kasumi was looking slightly intimidated by the
Templar, but not overly frightened.
        [When I give the signal,] Varnor said to the Templar, [do what I
told you to do.]  To Kasumi he said, [Your only goal is to defend
yourself.]  Kasumi nodded.  Varnor took one last look around at the
group, and then nodded.
        Three of the Templar let loose with a wave of energy, bringing
it down on Kasumi like a vice, enclosing her it its grip.  Kasumi's
expression tightened and she erected a shield to protect herself.
Surrounded by a field of red-white energy, she withstood the continuous
assault from the three Templar.
        The other two waited a few moments, then began to strike
Kasumi's shield at weak points that appeared, forcing her to quickly re-
enforce her defences.  Nabiki watched her flinch with each whip-like
attack.  The standoff continued for several minutes, both sides showing
strain from the battle.
        [Very good, Kasumi,] said Varnor as the Templar continued to
push the limits of her endurance.  [Now, can you handle *this*?]  On
'this', Varnor let loose with the totality of his power, performing a
crushing attack directly against Kasumi's mind.  Kasumi cried out and
fell to her knees.  Grimacing, her eyes tightly closed, she strained
against the six-pronged attack.  Opening her eyes to slits, she
valiantly tried to fend off Varnor's assault while he gazed down at her,
his crimson aura swirling around him.
        Nabiki watched, a mixture of fear and wonder running through
her.  Staying alive, facing five High Templar and a Dark Archon?  How
powerful was she?  What else could she do?  At the same time, she feared
for her sister's safety.  Despite the label, this was not training.  A
mistake at this point could kill anyone.
        [Enough!] declared Varnor.  The six Protoss halted their attack.
Nabiki could see their auras, wan and pale, weakened by the prolonged
battle.  Kasumi fell to her knees, gasping for breath, perspiration
making a bright sheen on her skin.  [Thank you all, noble Templar.  En
Taro Tassadar.]  The Templar nodded at both Kasumi and Varnor, then
left.  Varnor turned to Kasumi.  [Excellent, Kasumi.  Your powers and
endurance grow daily.  Your Zerg have already ceased to become a burden
to you, and I believe you could control many more, were you given the
opportunity.  I hope that day comes quickly.  How go your efforts to
channel energy from the cold void?]
        Kasumi grimaced.  [It hurts.  I haven't been focusing a lot of
time on it.]
        [Kasumi, Cerebrates can only be killed by the energies of the
Dark Templar.  You cannot neglect this aspect of your training.]
        [I'm sorry.  I'll work harder on it.]
        [Good.  You may go now to your rooms and rest.  En Taro
Tassadar.]
        Kasumi waited in silence as Varnor turned and left.  She sat for
a few more moments, regaining her breath.  Nabiki began to wonder how
she was going to get out of the room without being noticed, when she
felt a tingle of thought brush against her mind.  [You can come out now,
Nabiki.]
        Grinning nervously, Nabiki ended her cloak, which was good,
because she was running low on energy herself.  "Not bad, sis.  You
could see me?"
        "Yes," Kasumi replied, struggling to her feet.  "It's not that
hard."
        "Gee, thanks," Nabiki responded sardonically.
        Kasumi gave her a smile in return.  "You're welcome."  Kasumi
closed her eyes, and her biosuit flowed up her neck and covered her
sweat soaked head.  A few seconds later, the suit flowed back down, and
Kasumi's face and hair were immaculately clean.
        "I wish I could do that," commented Nabiki as they made their
way to Kasumi's rooms in the upper levels of the Archives.
        "It doesn't feel as good as a hot bath, but it saves time."
There was a moment of awkward silence.  "How's Akane?"
        "Ka'Dalanis says she doing well.  It's been a month, and she
needs another week or two before she can be brought out.  It'll be even
longer before Akane's really in fighting form.  There's only so much
they can do in the Tank."
        Kasumi looked at her in surprise.  "It's been a month already?
The time seems to have just flown by."
        "When are they going to let you out of here, Kasumi?"
        "Varnor says I need isolation so I can focus on my training."
Kasumi giggled.  "You realize that this is my very first 'training
trip?'  I've never done something like this before, not even school."
Her expression became melancholy.  "Not even with Father.  We were all
so busy focusing on Akane."  She brushed tears out of her eyes.  "Oh,
Nabiki I miss him so much!"
        Nabiki put her arms around her older sister's shoulders.  "I do
too, sis."
        "At least you handle it better than I do."
        "Hey, he's been dead for me for five years.  I've gotten use to
it.  He's only been dead to you for a month.  And it's been a busy month
at that.  You haven't really had time to grieve."
        Kasumi fought back the tears.  "You've really grown, Nabiki."
        Nabiki shrugged.  "Yeah, well, I haven't had much choice.  None
of us have."
        They walked in silence until they reached Kasumi's rooms.
Entering, Nabiki stared, amazed at the size.  The apartment, as she
thought of it, had a large elliptical living area, with several pieces
of furniture, all human sized.  It also had a holo-screen, and small
dinning area.  A second room was a bedroom.
        "Nice digs, sis."
        "Thank you.  The Protoss built it for me."  Going to a window,
she opened it and looked down at the field beside the Archives.  Broken
up into smaller groups, her Zerg were being held in large pens.
Hovering above them were the Overlords, watching over them.  One
Overlord separated from the group and floated to where Kasumi was.
        [Greetings, my Queen.]
        [Hello.  How are they today?]
        [They are well.  They are no longer as restless as they were
before.  The games you suggest we use to occupy them were surprisingly
successful.  Fetch was particularly effective.]
        Nabiki began to laugh, imagining Zerglings chasing like mad
after a large stick, scrambling over each other, fighting for possession
of a piece of wood.  She quickly became aware of Kasumi staring at her.
She could also feel the Overlord focusing its attention on her.  She
stopped in mid laugh.  "What?" she asked.  Kasumi and the Overlord
continued to stare at her strangely for a moment, then continued their
communion.  As the two spoke, Nabiki tried to repress a shudder.  How
alien her sister looked at this moment!
        [So they're all behaving?]
        [Yes.  They did not even object when the Protoss came to take a
couple to examine them.]
        Kasumi's normal cheery face chilled down to a dangerous glare.
Nabiki could feel the Overlord mentally draw away in fear.  Nabiki
herself felt slightly nervous.  She had never seen such a look on her
sister's face.  Nabiki found herself holding her breath.
        [Just examine?]
        [Yes.  There have been no more experiments since that first
time.]
        Kasumi's cheery expression returned.  [Good.  You can go back
now.]  Nabiki let her breath out.  The first time the Protoss tried
experimenting on Kasumi's live Zerg, Kasumi had stormed in on the
researchers, paralysed them, released the Zerg, then gave them a painful
mental lashing.  It was several days before the effects of the
punishment faded.
        "Nabiki?" called Kasumi.
        Nabiki went to the window.  "What?"
        "What's going on over there?"
        Nabiki looked at where Kasumi pointed.  About a dozen Protoss
shuttles were launching.  Joining six massive carriers flying in a
holding pattered over the base, they turned east and began flying
towards the horizon.
        "Oh that.  They're transporting troops to their bases in China."
        "What for?"
        "To make up for troops they've lost attacking the Zerg."
        "Attacking the Zerg?  I though they were waiting for me to take
them over."
        "We're doing it to keep Kerrigan busy.  She doesn't know how to
fight you, and we can't give her the time to figure out a way.
Everyone's attacking the Zerg right now, trying to keep her off
balance."
        Kasumi stared at Nabiki in horror.  "Everyone?  The whole
planet?"
        "Yes.  Didn't they tell you?"
        "No!"
        "Oh.  I guess they didn't want to worry you..."  Nabiki paused,
trying to think of something to say.  "Sorry," she muttered finally.
        Kasumi stared out of the window, oblivious to her surroundings.
She thought about her training, all the people, Protoss and human, hurt
and dying, giving her the time to learn enough to defeat the Zerg.
About her attitude towards her training, the excuses she used to justify
shirking on different areas...
        "Nabiki, could I have some time alone?  I need to think."
        Nabiki gave her a long, worried look.  "Are you sure?"
        "Yes."  Looking at her face, Nabiki could see the strain on her
sister's face.  "Please?  Just for a little while."
        After an uncomfortably long moment, Nabiki nodded.  "Okay.  I'll
be back later."  Nabiki left, leaving Kasumi alone with her thoughts.

        [I think we've discovered that power flow problem, Praetor.]
        [Excellent.  How soon until it is repaired?]  Praetor Artanis
looked over the technician's report as he climbed out of his custom
modified Scout.
        [A couple of hours.]
        [Good, let me know when you're finished.]  Artanis left the
maintenance bay beside the Stargate and made his way towards the Nexus.
        "Praetor!"  Artanis looked behind him and saw Nabiki jogging
towards him.  He stopped and waited, then continued after she had caught
up.
        [En Taro Adun, Major,] he said amicably.
        "Please, call me Nabiki, Praetor."
        [As you wish.]  They continued in silence for several moments.
[Is there a purpose for you wanting to escort me to the Nexus?  Or
perhaps you wish to gain prestige by being seen with me?]
        Nabiki's expression cooled.  "Don't flatter yourself, Artanis."
        [Forgive me.  You're species is new to me and I am having
trouble understanding your ways.]
        "No problem."  Nabiki opened her mouth then closed it again.  A
moment later she spoke.  "So how are you settling in?  I hear you were
recently promoted to Praetor."
        [It is more work than I anticipated.  In the three weeks I have
been here, there has been much that I have had to learn that was not in
my training.]
        Nabiki laughed.  "I know what you mean.  The first time I killed
a Zerg, I almost peed my pants.  Killing something for real was a lot
different than 'killing' a target in practice."  Nabiki halted awkwardly
for a moment before continuing.  "So how's Kasumi coming along?  I
haven't seen her since you sequestered her in the Archives."
        [Her training proceeds,] he replied slowly.  [Her ability to
channel energies from the cold void is less than desirable, but Varnor
has spoken to her.  In another month, perhaps two-]  He was interrupted
as a dispatcher from the Nexus called him.
        [Praetor!  An Overlord is leaving the premises!  Do we have
permission to engage?]
        [What?  *An* Overlord?  As in one?  What about the rest?]
        [They remain docile.]
        [Where is the Overlord going?]
        [It is heading north on a direct heading to the Zerg base.]
        [Do not engage the Overlord.  Contact Kasumi and find out what
is going on.]
        There were several moments of tense waiting before the answer
came.  [I cannot find Kasumi on the internal sensors.  She is either
cloaked or not here.  It's reasonable to assume that Kasumi is aboard
the Overlord.]
        "Kasumi left?"  Colour drained from Nabiki's face.  "She's going
to confront Daggoth!  We've got to stop her!"
        [But why?  She had no reason to go now.  She knows she's not
ready.  Why now?]
        "Oh God-" whispered Nabiki.  "I...I told her about the attacks
against the Zerg.  She wants to stop the Zerg before anyone else dies!"
        [You told her?!  Why?  We avoided telling her for precisely this
reason!]
        "It was an accident!  I thought she knew!"
        [Wait.  You told her.  When did you talk to her?]
        "About fifteen minutes ago?" she replied weakly.  She saw
Artanis's face darken with anger and felt her own anger rise to meet
his.  "She's my sister, dammit!  I haven't spent an hour with her since
she woke up!  How did you expect me to react?"
        Artanis glared down at the young human for a long moment before
turning his attention back to the dispatcher.  [How many Scouts and
Corsairs do we have in the air?]
        [We have four Scouts and two Corsairs flying patrol.  Do you
want them to engage?]
        [No.  Have them escort the Overlord to its destination.  Destroy
any opposition.  Get them to try to convince Kasumi to turn around.
Inform General Moroto of what happened.  Finally, get a Scout ready for
me.]
        [As you command, Praetor.]  Artanis reversed his course and
stormed back towards the Stargate with Nabiki on his heels.
        "I'm coming with you.  Get me a shuttle."
        [There are none.  They're busy transporting troops to our bases
in China.]
        "Then I'll take a Scout."
        [You are not qualified to fly one.]
        "Then I'll ride along!"
        [It only seats the pilot!]
        "I've got to do something!"
        Artanis whirled and leaned down until his eyes, now blazing a
bright yellow, were on equal level with hers.  [YOU have done quite
enough!  Now it is our turn to try to salvage something from
this...this...disaster!]  Nabiki gaped at him, guilt and horror written
on her face.  She opened and closed her mouth several times, trying to
speak, but instead she burst into tears and fell to her knees.  Artanis
continued to glare at her for a moment longer before turning away.

        [Mistress, the Protoss are in pursuit.  They should be here
shortly.]  The Overlord tried to put on a bit more speed.  He still was
not sure about the Protoss, but if Kasumi trusted them...
        [Yes, I know.]  Kasumi could see the Scouts and Corsairs coming
up from behind them through the eyes of the Overlord.  Even within the
armoured belly of the Overlord, she felt vulnerable.  What would the
Protoss do?  [How long until we reach the Hive?]
        [A good hour or more.]
        Kasumi extended a tendril of thought out to the ships.  [Protoss
pilots, what are your intentions?]
        [Kasumi, Praetor Artanis demands that you turn around and return
to our fortress.  You are not ready to face the Cerebrate.]
        [I have to!  Hundreds around the world are injured and dying
because of me.  I have to end this!]
        [You are not ready!  All you will do is cause your own death or
capture.  That would be the same as dooming your entire world to
destruction!]
        [No!  I can do it!  I know I can!  I have to stop the deaths!
There won't be any more victims...]  Like Father, she thought to
herself.  Like Dr. Tofu...a tear trickled down her cheek.  [I won't turn
back.  Try to kill me if you want, but I won't turn back.]
        The ships reached the swiftly flying Overlord and arrayed
themselves around the creature in an escort formation.  [The Praetor has
given us orders to escort you to the Hive if we could not dissuade you
from your course.]
        [Thank you.]

        Forty-five minutes later, they encountered the first defensive
line surrounding the Hive, and the Zerg and Protoss engaged each other
with an almost vicious glee.  Three Mutalisks flew towards Kasumi and
she felt her gut twist with fear.  They were going to kill her!  The
full realization of what she was getting involved in hit her and she
froze, unable to think, unable act, unable to react to the events around
her.  The three Mutalisks flew past her, spitting globs of hardened
acid.  The Overlord shuttered as the acid struck it and burned into its
hide.  The armoured carapace protected Kasumi, but deep grooves were cut
in the creature's body.  Kasumi could feel its pain.
        [Mistress, I hurt!  Please, help me!] the Overlord pleaded.
        Kasumi focused her powers and poured psionic energy into the
creatures attacking them.  With screeches of agony, they disintegrated.
More Mutalisks rose to fight the intruders.
        [I can't fight them all!  What do I do?]
        [I beg you, Mistress, make them stop!]  The Overlord shuddered
as more acid pounded against it's armoured carapace.
        [Stop!] cried Kasumi to the other Zerg.  [I order you to stop!]
        [As you command,] they answered.  Kasumi could feel the Zerg's
amazement and chagrin.  The Hydralisks turned away from the Overlord and
focused on the Protoss.  Kasumi could see that their shields were
weakening and the balls of acid were beginning to take their toll on the
armoured ships.
        [Stop attacking the Protoss too,] she demanded.
        [We will not!] snarled an Overlord who watched over the battle
between the two forces.  [We will destroy our enemies!]
        [But you're suppose to attack me!  Why aren't you?]
        [We cannot.  Even though Daggoth demands it of us we cannot harm
you.]
        [Why?]
        [You are a Queen.  We could no more harm you than Kerrigan.]
        Kasumi turned her attention to her escort.  [Fall back!  They're
attacking you, not me!]
        [We will destroy these scum and-!]
        [I can keep them from attacking me but I can't protect you.  Get
out of here while you still have a chance!]
        One of the Protoss ships exploded, breaking up into hundreds of
crystals shards and metal scrap.  [As you command, Kasumi.  If you need
us, call, and we will come.]  The remaining ships regrouped and fled.
With the Protoss gone, the Zerg relaxed, and Kasumi continued on her
journey.
        Soon, they arrived at the borders of the Zerg colony.  For miles
the creep, an organic carpet that gave the living Zerg structures their
nourishment, covered the ground with purple ooze.  Around her were
hundreds of Zerg of all types, from the smallest Zerglings to the mighty
Ultralisks.  Kasumi stared at the landscape with a mixture of revulsion
and attraction.  Everything was so alien, so different from what she
knew; yet she could feel the strength of this place.  She could feel the
deep throbbing of the creep, the sparks of life of the Zerg, and it
was...beautiful.
        Without warning, the Overlord slowed to a stop.  [What?  What
happened?] she asked.
        [I...cannot go any further,] it replied.  [Daggoth does not wish
it.]
        [What?]  Kasumi gut gave another twist.  Was she loosing control
already?  She was still linked to it, but it followed Daggoth's
orders...[You're mine.  I order you to go.]
        [I...cannot.  Daggoth won't let me.]  She could feel the
conflict within it as it struggled to obey two opposing commands.
        [It's okay,] she replied.  [Just set me down.  Then you can go.]
        [Yes!  Thank you.]  It set down and released Kasumi from its
interior.  Turning around, it flew away, returning to its brethren far
to the south.
        Kasumi watched it leave, and then turned in the direction of the
Cerebrate.  She could feel its presence.  The Zerg watched her, neither
attacking nor fleeing.  She could not make the Zerg attack Daggoth, but
it could not make them attack her.  The fight would be between the two
of them alone.  Trying to ignore the staring aliens, she walked to where
Daggoth waited.

        She wanted to throw up.  The Cerebrate lay in a pool of slime,
obviously some sort of nutrient bath it used to feed itself.  All around
and over its huge worm-like body, small beetle creatures moved, grooming
and cleaning it, making sure Daggoth was well cared for.  It smelled
like rotten eggs and cow manure mixed together.  She approached the edge
of the pool.  The creature shuddered, small insects falling of its skin.
        [Begone foul creature!] cried Daggoth in her mind.
        Kasumi wrinkled her nose.  [You're calling me foul?]  Even its
mind felt slimy and disgusting.
        [Go!  Before my minions tear you limb from limb!]
        Kasumi looked around.  [They're not doing anything, Daggoth.  I,
however, can.]  Her suit flowed to life and a large bony spur extended
from her right forearm.
        [You cannot kill me!  I am made from the essence of the Overmind
itself!  The Queen of Blades will resurrect me, and I will return and
devour that second skin off your body myself before delighting in your
screams as my caretakers tear you apart!]
        [You misunderstand, Daggoth.  I can kill you.]  Kasumi focused,
and a misty tendril of dark blue energy surrounded the spur.
        [No,] whispered Daggoth in horror.  [How is this possible?]
Daggoth tried to shy away from Kasumi, but she jumped in the pool,
sinking up to her waist in the foul concoction.  Daggoth sent a
desperate cry.  [No!  Kerrigan!  Help me!  She will kill me!  I beg you,
please!]
        Nothing.
        [Even if you kill me,] raged Daggoth impotently, [Kerrigan will
come and take back what is rightfully hers!  She is the Overmind's heir,
and she will destroy you, upstart!]
        [I would have offered you a chance to join me,] said Kasumi,
[but your thoughts are plain to me.  You would not have joined.]  She
raised her hand, ready to bring it down and send Daggoth to oblivion.
And expression of sadness and regret fell over her features.  [I'm
sorry.]  She brought her arm down, stabbing the spur up to the hilt.
Like a cresting wave, the dark energy gathered and grew until she could
hold no more.  She released the power, pain blinding her as the energy
ran through her arm and out to the spur.  It entered Daggoth's bloated
body, turning the nearest tissue to ash instantly.
        Daggoth screamed.  Its death cries filled astral space, echoing
across the county, even reaching sensitives on Mainland China.  It tried
to thrash, to draw away, but the monster was paralysed by the energy
flooding its body.
        Kasumi averted her eyes, not wanting to watch the destruction of
this pitiful creature.  The pain grew, a burning sensation beginning at
her fingers.  She fell against Daggoth, the spur still buried in its
flesh as her body burned.  Her fingers!  Her hand!  Her arm!  They were
suffused with fiery agony.  She did not even know her physical screams
had joined Daggoth's mental ones until her raw throat refused to produce
any more sound.
        By some instinct, she eventually knew that Daggoth was dead.
She stopped and collapsed to the ground.  Her arm still burned.  The
ground around her was a broken crater.  The beetles had burst and
evaporated as the energy had suffused them.  Daggoth itself was a burned
husk.  Kasumi lay on the dry ground, oblivious to her surroundings.
        She could feel as the Zerg around her began linking to her mind.
The weight grew and grew, until she though her mind would break.  She
did not resist.  It was too much, there were too many.  The Zerg in
Japan would worship a mad goddess until either Kerrigan, the Protoss, or
her own people destroyed her.  And they would be right.  She was not
strong enough.  She had failed.
         Or had she?
        Kerrigan could control the Zerg, and she was human.  Or had
been.  Why could Kerrigan control the entire Swarm while she struggled
with one Brood?  What was missing?  What did she lack?  She remembered
what Daggoth had told her.
        [I am made from the essence of the Overmind itself!] he said.
That was what she was missing.
        She struggled to to her feet.  Extending her stump...stump?
Kasumi stared at what had been her right arm.  The hand itself was
burned to ash, and the forearm blackened.  Even as she watched, her suit
flowed up and over the stump, surrounding it, creating painkillers while
trying to regenerate the lost hand.  That's strange, she thought to
herself drunkenly.  I can still feel my hand.
        Turning away from her arm, she put her left hand on the corpse
of the Cerebrate.  Responding to her command, the suit flowed out onto
the body, devouring it, absorbing the genetic material.  She could
almost feel the Overmind's genes as they were absorbed and integrated
into the suit.
        Nothing happened.  There was no reaction.  The Overmind's DNA
from Daggoth was doing nothing.  Why?  What was wrong?  Then she
realized that the DNA was part of the suit, not her.  She needed the
DNA.  She would have to bind her suit to her body, making it and her
one.  And she knew how.
        She climbed out of the pit and walked to the remains of a
building.  It use to be human, she knew that by the hard concrete walls,
but it was covered by vine-like strands of organic material.  As she
stepped into the building, her sight darkened and she fell against the
doorway.  How long could she continue to support the Brood?  Would she
change in time?  Struggling to stay conscious, she went deep into the
bowels of the building.  In one room, there were a dozen cocoons that
were used to turn humans into infested servants of the Swarm.  She
staggered over to an unoccupied cocoon.  There was a container beside
it.  The suit melted off of her, flowing into the container until she
stood naked before the pulsating cocoon.  The container closed, and the
cocoon split open with a wet splashing sound.  Stepping inside, she
sealed herself within.  With her last conscious thoughts, she prayed to
whatever Gods existed that they would keep her family safe.

End Chapter 15

My website has changed to http://members.shaw.ca/a.brown10/

My email is now a.brown10@shaw.ca

Do I even need to ask for input? ^_^

Adam



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