Innocence

Waking

Hyperion - Med bay

02:00 – Shipboard Time

It was like waking up from a dream; a dream that was full of confusing emotions and urges. She had before the dream had begun, experienced vivid if bewildering dreams caused by the combination of waking minds and dreaming soldiers around her, but the dream she had been utterly torn from was different.

It hadn't been a dream.

To some innocent part of her, it had been. She hadn't done it, not that smidge of humanity that had survived the process, the one that continuously stopped her waking mind from killing Jim; that fuelled her desire for revenge on Duke and Mengsk, and that part of her that always felt a pinch of pain when her old friends fell before her eyes.

She had murdered billions of people, and while scientists and philosophers could argue semantics with her, she had made that decision. She alone had used her immensepsisonicabilities to push the swarm along, to make the Zerg the dominant force in the galaxy, hell in the damn universe.

Sarah Kerrigan wasn't happy.

She stared up at the bleak, oddly tinted blue ceiling of the cold, calculating med bay and found herself immensely depressed. The doctor had assured her, it was normal. Dealing with what the Queen of Blades had done wouldn't go away for a while, and her brain needed a way of dealing with it. So depression was something everyone had accepted.

Was she really here?

Not that she didn't like the idea of being on the Hyperion, carried here by James Raynor, who had gone from Confederate Marshall to heroic-terrorist. It was just strange; some part of her, a part of her that remained Zerg, and thus had Zerg tendencies, didn't feel right. It was cold here, perhaps because everything was so god damn plain and simple, but another reason could be she didn't have her armour carapace she had grown. It had trapped the heat in, keeping her core warm and comfortable.

Also, and very good point: she been dwelling on Char. Char was not known to be a particular cold planet.

Now it was empty.

Or a good section of it.

She wondered, briefly, if her cerebrate had died in the blast caused by the Xel'Naga artifact. She had given it the order to go to Tarsonis, to personally deal with some damn Dominion forces that were being problematic and nuke-happy. But she wasn't exactly sure if it had at all made it there before the artifact had let a massive energy wave through the primary hive cluster.

If it had died, there was no one to control the Zerg. Not that a cerebrate could keep control of a swarm that big for long, but hell, some control was probably better than none. Without control, yes, the Zerg might turn on each other, but she had evolved them somewhat differently. The Queens and Overseers were a good deal more intelligent and independent than before, if they could keep control through sheer will, they would focus their efforts on...

On what exactly?

On surviving, probably. If Kerrigan didn't give them an outstanding order of 'go kill somebody', they would be happy to dwell wherever they were and try to stick it out until the next order came in. There was still clusters of hatcheries and what-not on Mara Sara after all, hidden deep under the surface. They had swarmed when she began her search for the (damned) artifact that had literally arrived on her doorstep later, but once she recalled a lot of those forces to Char to defend her (which they had, she noted, definitely failed at), the hatcheries once again went quiet and were happy just being there.

Of course she wasn't fully human, so maybe, the Zerg would keep somepsisonic link to her and just be calm.

Doubtful.

She shifted a little, bringing her hand up and flexing it. Her eyes were critical as she stared at it, she had fingernails again, and her skin was soft, smooth and...

Her human mind went: normal, and her Zerg mind went: weak.

Then came the issue of clothing.

She hadn't really worn clothing for four years; she had lost her suit a year or two after her infestation. So even wearing the standard military issue jumpsuit was weird. Undergarments were strange as well, and she tugged at the sleeve of her jacket, wanting to tear off the sleeves so try and expose more skin.

Kerrigan knew how that would end though, she would end up tearing off more clothing then allowed. And though Jim would probably want another chance to see her naked (pig), she didn't want that. Not right now, and she didn't want to embarrass herself on a ship full of people who weren't sure if they should hate her, or greet her. She held back a sigh, knowing that the second chance at a human life wasn't going to be easy.

Not that I deserve it. She frowned, reaching up tentatively; she ran her fingers over her hair.

Or what... Could pass at hair, she supposed. Some strange scientist had commented on how her hair was somewhat like strands when they were viewed under a microscope. Thick, and almost alien (how appropriate). Hers had that definite Zerg-like appearance about them, spider-like in a sense, and oddly sensitive.

Were they like that before?

Of course, to be fair, her idea of pain hadn't been the same when she was infested. She had marched down to Raynor's base camp a couple of times, and had felt the full blown fury of a Yatamo cannon. She had shrugged it off, it was only after ten shells from a artillerizedsiege tank and a couple of backlash rockets from a banshee had the second Yatamo cannon stung.

Not really hurt, but stung.

Her hair also had a red tinge to it now, attempting to return to her roots. She stiffly chuckled at the possibilities of ever being Sarah again. She was stuck as the proverbial 'Kerrigan'; a name that had been around both before Tarsonis, and then after as the Queen of Blades.

Jim had given her quarters, and had stationed two of his best men outside of it. He had said it was just a precaution (throwing 'darlin' on the end of the insurance), and while she understood the measure, it had kind of hurt. She wondered, if she eventually proved herself as loyal and in control of herself, that they would vanish.

They had promptly escorted her down here, to the med bay, when she had begun screaming and having something of a psisonic fit.

While the doctor had little knowledge on Zerg physiology and health problems (to which she had sort of defensively responded the Zerg had no such faults), the scientist who looked like he really needed to get out more, had gone on a rant about how the Xel'Naga artifact had temporarily disabled her psisonic abilities to that of a normal human, but upon escaping the effected zone and having time to recover, they had come back.

And without her psisonic dampener, or any measure of discipline, she had promptly picked up every single thought in the entire fleet orbiting Char.

Not. Fun.

So, she had a dampener placed in her skull again, and had been given leave to go back to her quarters.

Feeling drained, she had opted to just... Stay there.

It had been insulting when Stetmann had claimed she had no discipline, but on that note she had remembered her control had been over, although high, human-level psisonics. After becoming the Queen of Blades (or daughter of the Overmind), her power had jumped, and after she overcame such dampeners and other such things the Confederacy had implanted in her mind, her psisonic power had... Just kept rowing in power.

So when Raynor, who had appeared suddenly after hearing Kerrigan was screaming and having a, lack of better term, shit-fit, asked why she hadn't gone insane or killed herself with her power that would probably deteriorate her mind at an outstanding rate, Stetmann had replied with something Jim hadn't wanted to hear.

Sarah Kerrigan, wasn't completely human. She was 13% Zerg, and all that mutation was situated in her brain, or most of it anyways. Her heart was Zerg, and her genetic coding was still modified a tad, she had glands that, when triggered by adrenaline, would make her stronger then a human, and regeneration would kick in (or so he assumed).

She had heard Jim's thoughts, and he had been so conflicted about whether to be happy or angry about the news he had to tell himself to shut up mentally.

That had amused her somewhat, but the outstanding issue of still Zerg had overwhelmed even herself.

After that, Jim had ordered the others out and stayed with her, talking with her kindly, if a little cautiously. He had asked if she knew about the prophecy and she admitted to knowing tidbits, she had only pieced it together herself, seeing as Zeratul had stolen the Xel'Naga clues and had subsequently destroyed them. Piecing everything together had proven difficult for herself and her trusted cerebrate. A cerebrate that had gone on to earn the name Sekhmet after it had attacked a Dominion outpost and gained access to a digital library of everything in human history.

Sekhmet...

It had taken a great liking to Earth, and though it held no love for the humans that dwelled there, it had been fascinated by ancient Earth and the gods that ruled it.

Raynor had told her what Zeratul had shown him: that she was key in the survival of the Protoss, and the Terrans, hell even the Zerg would fall to this hybrid threat. Raynor had also mentioned Duran, to which Kerrigan had felt herself grow annoyed at the idea he had used her. Whether he was millions of centuries old or not, if... No, when she found him, she would end him.

Then, her hero had gone on to state that the dampener weakened the very abilities they needed to help control the Zerg and keep them from the enemy.

Joy oh bliss, either wear the dampener and die in the fires of the very swarm that spared you last time, or go insane and kill everyone as your mind can't comprehend the power the Overmind gave you.

So, reluctantly he had told her:

"I'm contacting Zeratul in the mornin', see if he can help us."

She hadn't experienced fear in four years.

Feeling it again, had made her Zerg mind squirm and want to run and hide. Of course, being on a bloody ship meant there wasn't any where to burrow, or rocks to hide behind. So she had just kept lying on the bed, accidentally projecting her fear onto Jim.

"It'll be alright."

"The only thing keeping him from killing me is the fact he needs me." Kerrigan had retorted, burying her fear.

"He has reason." Jim admitted, not sparing Kerrigan his bluntness. "He's torn himself apart over what happened to their Matriarch."

I told her not to do it. She whispered to herself, feeling some semblance of comfort she had tried to stop the nefarious Queen.

So all that had come to pass and Kerrigan was reduced to lying here. Waiting for the inevitable meeting with the Protoss she had spared on Ulaan because...

Why had the Queen spared Zeratul? She had claimed their petty squabbles didn't matter anymore, that the dark taint eating away at the back of her mind, the same taint that had driven the Overmind almost mad, would overtake everything. She hadn't tried to save Zeratul, she feared him. She feared what the Queen had done, but didn't want to die at his hands. Not to mention the Protoss had always intimidated her.

So why had the Queen spared him?

She had pondered this for an hour or so, and it drove her mad. The Queen knew she existed, had she hid that part of her plot from her? So Sarah couldn't interfere?

Nervousness wrapped itself around Kerrigan's heart. If the Queen reared her head again, Jim wouldn't spare her a second time.

Only time will tell.

"Miss."

She looked over. Matt Horner, Jim's right-hand man. He was young, and yet such a capable captain. Kerrigan just stared at him, and he didn't seem to appreciate being under her naturally critical, peridot gaze.

"You're oddly polite." She stated, raising a brow at him. She sat up quickly, and she watched him instinctively flinch and move back. Hand dropping to the firearm slung around his waist. "Polite, but jumpy." She didn't need to read his mind to figure this out. "Jim sent you, didn't here?"

"He insisted I try and get to know you." Horner replied coldly, his eyes burning into hers.

"You can leave if you'd like," She didn't break the stare. Breaking it meant weakness, something in her, probably Zerg, didn't want to show weakness.

"Well he'd like you to meet Prince Mengsk."

Kerrigan narrowed her eyes. "What?"

"Mengsk's son, he helped free you from your infestation." Horner paused, hand now firmly resting on the hilt of the gun. "Well, most of it. Either way, he believes it's fair for you to meet Valerian."

She stood up, not really convinced. "And what's stopping the Prince from killing me?"

"Besides Jim?" The man smirked, motioning for her to lead the way. "I doubt he could kill you, to be honest. He might shoot you, but I'd imagine you'd just recover from that."

Like how I've recovered from my psisonic migraine?

"I'd rather not find out."

The two, massive armoured body guards joined them, their footsteps making the bare-footed Kerrigan careful where she stepped. She didn't want to get her foot stomped on, and mentally noted how she should probably be wearing shoes for this formal meeting. However, as clothes baffled her and maybe annoyed her, socks and shoes, as they had found out, drove her mad. She had actually snarled at the boots went she tried to put them on and decided it was a bad idea until she learnt to control the Zerg part of her mind.

They led her down a lengthy hallway, to where they stepped onto a lift that lowered them down several floors. They weren't going to the bridge, another precaution, and something she definitely saw coming. There was no way they'd like a partially infested human onto the bridge when she hadn't proved herself yet. Eventually she'd be allowed up there, but for now, it was the Hyperion's recently dusted off briefing room.

She entered, and found herself staring a couple of familiar faces, and a few she didn't recognize.

Jim was nearest to the door, and instinctive, she hurried over to him. Partially hiding behind him as that fear made her squirm again and want to hide. She imagined this was what it was like for a Zergling to see a far superior Ultralisk. It would move out of the way and/or hide. It didn't dare oppose superiors. From the safety of behind Jim, she watched Horner move to the other side of the table.

From Horner her eyes travelled to a ghost, a younger woman then herself, with blond hair and a suit that was familiar to the one she used to have. She was special, like Kerrigan had been; Sarah wouldn't be surprised if she had earned that get-up. Past that, she had similarities to the former-ghost, her hair was bound back in a tight pony-tail, bangs, though longer then Kerrigan's, framed her face, and her headset was a little newer then most spec ops.

The woman returned her stare, and she could hear the woman's thoughts so clearly.

'Nova.'

She nodded, and she went to the next person. A man, with dark skin and a moustache, he was mixing his arm. Her mind did something odd, recalling memories that weren't entirely hers, but of a lesser Zerg. A Hydralisk had attacked him, spraying him with spikes coated in venom. That could explain why his arm was missing, and thus one sleeve was tucked neatly away. He had a very dominate persona about him, standing perfectly straight, with a stern, disciplined expression.

"General Warfield," she spoke, recalling his name. He gave her something of a smirk and nodded.

"Ma'am."

Then there was another woman, dressed in somewhat casual wear except for the lab coat she donned. She had brown hair tied back in a bun, with glasses sitting nicely on her nose. Her expression was cold, and loathing. She glared daggers at Kerrigan, who narrowed her eyes a little in return.

"Dr. Hanson," she paused, letting her name settle. "From Agria."

Oh. Kerrigan's own glare lightened a tad, but not much. She had realized she was no longer hiding behind Jim, Zerg don't back down from any challenge.

Next was someone she hadn't expected to see, not on a human ship. A lot had changed apparently in her human absence. She had been aware of Raynor's friendship with the Protoss, but she hadn't expected one to be here, not so soon.

It was the first female Protoss the Sarah part of her mind had ever seen. Standing tall, she was dressed in slim, golden armour and had bright glowing blue eyes. She was regal and proud, something that was admirable about the Protoss. Something told the woman that the alien she set her eyes on now was from the fallen Khala of Aiur.

Fantastic...

"We will reclaim Aiur from your brood's tainted grasp soon enough." She spat psisonically, making Dr. Hanson and Horner both slightly flinch from the venom dripping from the words.

That Zerg roared up into her, and she gritted her teeth as she bit back a snarl. "Have it then, a dead world depleted of all useful resources. Typical Firstborn world."

Before the female Protoss had a chance to leap across the room and sever Kerrigan's head, Jim shot a look at the offending woman before stepping between the two. "Sarah Kerrigan, meet Executor Selendis." He sighed. "Try and play nice."

She wasn't sure who he was referring to, but the two women seemed to back down from either's challenge.

The final person in the room was the Prince himself. He stood proud, like Selendis, but didn't have as powerful of an aura as the Protoss. And his straight stand wasn't as disciplined as Warfield's, in fact everything about the prince roared spoiled to her, but she supposed there was probably some story there others would find worth noting.

Just not her.

"Prince Valerian," He bowed his head. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Queen."

Kerrigan raised an eyebrow. "I'm not the Queen of Blades."

"Tch," Selendis added. "Changing your hide's colour does not change your loyalties. You are the Queen of Blades."

"Are you dead?" Kerrigan shot back, irritated. She could see the uncertainty on everyone's expression except Nova and Jim. "No? Then I'm not the Queen of Blades."

"Kerrigan then," Valerian's posture suggested he was apologetic. "Forgive me, your former titled has been enforced on me by my father for years."

Kerrigan didn't say the words that came to her mind.

Nova snorted, and the two ghosts smirked a little.

"Well now that introductions are over," Jim moved closer to the table, pressing a small button on the side. It summoned an image of Aiur, Selendis seemed a little surprise by the display; she hadn't expected the home world to be on the top of the priority list. "We have a problem," Jim looked over to the Protoss woman. "Care to explain?"

"The Zerg infestation on Aiur, was thrown into brief disarray when the Queen of Blades was defeated," She began, "Numerous observers were able to slip past their overseers that float in high altitudes. Their chaos was a blessing, numerous Protoss that have managed to survive on the planet's surface retaliated and have reclaimed the province of Nurak."

"That's good then," the doctor questioned, a little confused. "Isn't it?"

Selendis nodded. "The problem lies not with the reclamation of Nurak, but the chaos was short lived. While other broods in Terran space still roam uncontrolled, those on Aiur had regained their composure."

"Could the essence of the Overmind be controlling them?" Horner asked, crossing his arms. All eyes inevitably fell on Kerrigan.

"What say you, former-Queen?" Selendis questioned, narrowing her eyes.

"The Overmind is dead." Kerrigan stated, "It didn't have the capabilities to resurrect itself from its rotting corpse, Sekhmet made sure of that."

"Sorry," Valerian interrupted. "The goddess Sekhmet?"

"No, the cerebrate." Sarah replied. "It's the name it chose. I personally sent her there to make sure the Overmind couldn't re-emerge."

"Because it would threaten your control." Warfield added.

"So, could these hybrids and this dark voice Zeratul spoke of be the cause of this?" Selendis now moved on, excepting Kerrigan's answer. Cerebrates didn't waver from their Overmind's control very often, in fact she only knew of one who had ever done so, and it wasn't by its own will.

"The voice was a whisper," Kerrigan countered, shifting a little. "It wasn't powerful enough to take over any Zerg."

"One of those nasty Hybrids took control of a tribe of Protoss," Jim spoke, as he looked back at his friend. "Could one of those do it?"

"I doubt it."

"Are you saying the Zerg possess stronger psi then the Protoss?" Selendis growled, her hands flexing.

"No." Kerrigan bit back another insult. "I'm saying the whisper I heard wasn't nearly strong enough to attempt direct control yet. And if we go on Zeratul's evidence, a hybrid presence would have to be on Aiur to assume control. Did your observers detect any hybrids?"

Not wanting to admit defeat, the Protoss moved on. "Then we can assume it's another Zerg taking control, could it be this Sekhmet?"

"I sent Sekhmet to Tarsonis, Aiur is a little out of the way." Kerrigan retorted. "I began evolving the Zerg differently than the Overmind, it's possible another powerful strain has noticed my absence and taken control."

"Can they control the swarm with precision?" Warfield question cautiously.

"No, at best they could unite them so they won't tear each other apart, and make things run smoothly for a time. There would be little organization if the brood assaulted anyone, however, the closer you get to the controlling Zerg-"

"The more organized the critters get." Raynor sighed, rubbing his temples. "Just our luck."

"Eventually," Kerrigan continued, "The controlling Zerg might evolve, and their control will grow more defined."

"Then we strike quickly." Selendis beamed at the chance of striking a crippling blow to the Zerg on her beloved home world. "And they should be once again thrown into chaos."

The former-ghost nodded. "From there you'll have to act quickly to stop any others from assuming control."

"Aiur will be purified."

"This purification," Dr. Hanson scowled, eyes darting to the proud alien. "Wouldn't be similar to the act you attempted to perform on Haven, would it?"

"Tch," The Executor scoffed, turning her head away. "You're people were infested, and they needed to be cleansed..." Selendis looked back at her, half-curious, half-antagonistic. "How is that cure coming along?"

"It's coming." Dr. Hanson lost a little ground, looking sheepish.

"As I thought, the infestation cannot be cured with medical procedures." Her blue gaze fell on Kerrigan. "Not even the Xel'Naga's might could cleanse the taint from the former-Queen."

You're just jealous I have hair.

Selendis looked surprised by the counter, and Nova looked amused.

"Anyway, that's our main objective." Jim interrupted the mental bickering he was sure was taking place. "Prince Valerian will return to Dominion space, specifically Korhal, and ensure the public he's alright and what's he done." He paused, eyeing his most hated-enemy's son. "Don't go to mentioning Kerrigan's alive though."

"I'll inform my father the Queen of Blades is dead." He stated. "He should accept this, of course, you realize this means he'll focus his attention on you."

"What happened to reforming the feared terrorist?" Jim countered.

"I can tell him you were an asset, but past dealings may have robbed you of any pardon."

"Nova's a Dominion ghost," Dr. Hanson pointed out, eyeing the unfamiliar woman. "Why is she even in this briefing?"

"Nova's proven her worth when dealing with Tosh," Raynor assured the doctor. "Don't worry Ariel, she's alright."

Ariel?

"That's her name, Doctor Ariel Hanson, Raynor saved her on Agria and helped her again when your infestation appeared on Haven."

Sarah glanced at Nova briefly. They aren't...?

"He's quite attached to you."

A small smile, that went unnoticed by the group, broke onto her lips. Nova just looked at her, that taunting smirk on her lips.

Oh shut up.

"Didn't say a word."

"Warfield, you'll take your forces-"

"What's left of them..." He grumbled somewhat, shooting a look at his former enemy.

Kerrigan let out an irritated sigh. It was no wonder that the Queen got irritated with politics so quickly.

"-And clear out the infestation on Agria." Jim finished, holding in a frustrated growl. "From there keep clearing things out, but leave Tarsonis alone. Dr. Hanson will accompany ya, she knows that planet like the back of her hand."

"And me?" Nova questioned, she already knew Jim's forces along with Kerrigan were going to Aiur with Selendis. Zeratul had agreed to meet them there.

"Go to Dead Man's Rock," He ordered. "I got a feelin' that someone there might know about the final spectres, and we can't have time bombs runnin' around. After that, join up with Warfield, we'll message him once we secure Aiur's stability."

"It's decided then," Valerian smiled coolly, "If that's all there is, I should take my leave. My father will be anxious to see if I survived."

As he left, a couple of guards escorted him. No doubt that there were specific instructions not to let him see any part of the ship that was deemed vital. At least she wasn't the only one who was mistrusted in the group, she hadn't sensed any deceit from the Prince, but that definite Mengsk flare had been present.

"Nova, go wait on my ship." Warfield ordered. She nodded, and quietly moved out, a ghost Kerrigan had even realized was in the hallway appearing and following her, weapon ready. "Alright Cowboy, anything you didn't want Valerian or Mengsk's lackey to hear?"

"Right now, we're focusing on controlling the rampaging Zerg and Aiur's unified infestation." Jim assured the man, who was moving for the door. "If anything changes, we'll tell you."

"You better, I don't like being left in the dark."

General Warfield was the first to leave and not be escorted by someone. Kerrigan found that somewhat interesting, before she turned her attention back on the group.

"Arcturus will get what's coming to 'im," Raynor assured the rest. "But Zeratul warned us about this impending doom, so I owe him." He looked at Selendis. "He wanted Aiur restored, and that's what we'll do. Give the Protoss a strong foothold and maybe even kill a baby Overmind in the process." The Executor seemed to enjoy the thought of that. "After that, we focus our attention back on Mengsk."

Jim turned to Kerrigan, giving her a comforting look. "I don't want to put you so close to the Zerg again so soon, but Zeratul thought Aiur was as good a place as any to talk to you."

"It's fine." She lied, thankful that Nova was gone. "Just don't expect me to be there when you kill this controlling Zerg..."

"You'll be safe in Nurak." Jim smiled.

"Safe..." She mentally noted the Protoss's hate for her. Oh yeah, being surrounded by aliens who want me dead, I feel safer already.

"Shall we get under way?" Selendis spoke up, ignoring Kerrigan's thoughts. "I'm anxious to see the home world again, in particular the brave warriors who liberated Nurak from the Zerg."

"Sure," Jim nodded, issuing Horner to get going. The man nodded and quickly left, quietly telling Ariel to follow, so she could join the General on his ship. When they were gone, the rebel commander turned his attention to his ally. "Don't go to mentionin' she was the Queen of Blades."

"I will keep this secret," She nodded slowly, and began to graceful step for the door. "Only because some of the others may not be able to control their hate for the wretched Queen."

"That's all I'm askin'."

So...

I wrote all this, and decided that I would go read some SC fics. Much to my dismay I discovered another fellow here on decided that Aiur was indeed, the way to go. I'm telling all you readers this because I don't want it to appear I was copying. I did no such thing, I made the mistake of reading other fics after I had wrote this beginning. Usually I read a bit before hand, so I can avoid this sort of scenarios, all I can say is... Damn.

And I apologize for the similarities, rest assured the stories will differ much otherwise. As even the reason the group of heroes is returning to Aiur, differs quickly. So again, I'm very sorry for this inconvenience, if any was caused. I hope you enjoyed the chapter.

Also, I cannot say how often I will update this. Breathe takes priority, but the fancy to write something that isn't Final Fantasy related hit me hard, and since one of my other major game loves is StarCraft, I decided it was worth a shot.

I hope you enjoyed the first chapter Innocence.