Jean stepped into the bridge of the mothership. She was in a ghost hostile environment suit. The Umojan uniform she wore was dissolved in the pool.
It has been two hours since Jean came out of that egg. When she was out, Delta picked her up and brought her into the mothership. The Purifier fleet wasted no time to recall all units and buildings and return to high orbit.
From that time until now, Jean did her best to find out what she gained, or lost, during the transformation. Fortunately, she was still the Jean Turner that Viper stabbed in the heart. She could still feel her watch and she still couldn’t feel any emotion.
So the changes were more normal.
Jean attempted to channel her inner psionic power and didn't feel anything. Not disappointed, she did a full body examination, which came out clean as well.
She was about to think all the essence did was revive her when she realized something. In one of the experiments, she punched a sandbag with all her strength. Before, the bag would just bounce back, but this time, the bag literally exploded.
The explosive energy in Jean’s punch ripped the entire sandbag apart. It didn't even have time to be knocked back before being completely obliterated.
Super strength. Checked.
Jean took out a small dagger and tapped it on the tip of her index finger. The steel broke through the skin and drew some blood. Jean pulled the dagger back and watched her wound.
Just like she imagined, the wound closed in ten seconds. Granted, it was barely a papercut, but it healed dozens of times faster nonetheless. She tried some more drastic examinations, and all of them approved her hypothesis.
Rapid healing. Checked.
Jean started to understand what was going on. She did a series of other experiments, which proved her right.
The essence she received, after bringing her back to life, worked on her body. Not only so, whatever measure the research Ais came up with made sure all the essence that remained from the resurrection went into Jean’s physical body and were burnt up enhancing the already present structure. In other words, the energy that used to be spent on generating carapace and spines were used to make Jean’s muscle stronger and her skin tougher.
This gave Jean a list of powers, including rapid healing, super strength, astonishing reflex, and a nearly impenetrable skin.
Also, Jean realized her eyes could see further, her ears could hear further, and all her senses were enhanced. All of these came together and gave Jean almost total control over anything within a ten meter radius. She tried to close her eyes while walking down the hallway, and all her senses made sure she knew everything in her way.
She briefly looked into the mirror and realized her eyes turned purple as well.
“Jean,” As soon as Jean walked in, Viper walked over. Her eyes were slightly red. “I’m sorry.” She said concisely.
Jean smiled warmly. The two have already nudged a bit when she first got onto the ship before she went to do the self examination, but a couple minutes weren’t enough to free Viper from the burden of killing Jean. In response to the spectre’s apologies, Jean acted like she didn't care, and that wasn’t exactly false.
Jean didn't care because Viper was a valuable asset and she needed the female spectre. If anything, guilt, mixed with love, could be a good source of loyalty.
“It’s fine.” She replied sweetly. “You had no way of knowing it was me.”
Thankfully, Delta stepped in to break the moment. In the avatar of a mechanical protoss, she had no need to play nice.
“What should we do next?”
When Jean was away, Delta has provided some background information to Viper, who now knew the basic situation about the Umojans and the Raiders and the Dominion and Kerrigan. Basically, Delta told Viper every piece of information that was available to the outside world.
“Kerrigan and the Keystone. We need to secure both.” Taking the Keystone meant delaying Amon’s resurrection and securing Kerrigan meant bringing the Swarm to the side against Amon. Both were important. “Where are the Raiders now?”
“Unknown. They have covered all their trails, likely to keep Kerrigan safe from the Dominion.”
Raynor was smart. He knew while Mengsk needed the Swarm as an enemy, he wasn’t willing to let a powerless Kerrigan go just so the Dominion could have a target to fight. The threat of the Swarm could be replaced by the threat of the protoss or of the Umojans, and the Dominion emperor wouldn’t hesitate to tie up loose ends. After getting out of Char, Raynor brought the Hyperion to an undisclosed location and shut off most of the communication with the outside world. He didn't know how long it would go on, but he did know he would do everything he could to keep Kerrigan safe.
He just got her back. He wouldn’t lose her again.
“But if the Dominion can’t find the Raiders, neither can we.” Viper noticed the problem.
“Actually…”
Jean walked to a computer.
She was in the Raiders for months. Thinking she didn't leave a backdoor for herself was nothing but insulting.
Undisclosed location.
Tychus Findlay slammed his armored fist on his plate and shattered it to a million pieces.
“How the hell am I supposed to fill my stomach with this much food?“
He complained. The food he was given was not just military typed cans but also small in numbers. It only made him half full.
A staff member threw his hands up at the complaint.
“We don’t know how long it will be until resupply. Captain Horner just issued all food and water to be rationed.”
Tychus growled. It had been days since he was in this middle of nowhere, and life was getting boring. To someone as large and restless as him, it was torture. He talked to Raynor for several times, but the man had his hands full with Kerrigan. Hell, he spent twenty hours a day with her.
The situation even got to a point where Raynor ignored Tychus and the rest of the Raiders. Matthew Horner did his best to keep the ship together, but sooner or later they had to do something. Even the common soldiers were growing in discontent. Some wondered if they should just put down the Queen of Blades while others demanded more action against the Dominion. Some of the mercenaries were pissed for not having enough liquor. The credit supply was running short as well. The cells were crowded with grumpy mercenaries who decided to unload their anger on each other.
The man in the blue armor felt like the Hyperion was a sinking ship. Fortunately, he had a ticket out. Unfortunately, he wasn’t willing to use that ticket until he absolutely had to.
That time might be soon.
Tychus shoved the broken pieces of the plate onto the ground before standing up, crushing the pieces even more with his armored feet. He walked out of the cantine, down the halls, and toward the lab.
He was blocked by four Warden marines and a Warden Command Unit. Their blue plating signified their loyalty to Raynor.
“You do not have access.” The Command Unit announced.
“Step aside, clanker. I want to see Jimmy.” Tychus stepped forward, but the Warden marines weren’t messing around. All five Warden units took a step back, raised their combat shields, and placed their rifles on top of the shields.
“You do not have access. Approach, and you will be disabled.”
Tychus held his fist tight. Just when the situation was about to turn ugly, Raynor’s voice came from inside the room.
“Let him through.”
“Affirmative.” The Warden units stepped to the side. Tychus smirked and walked by, bumping into one of the marines on purpose. The marine’s AI immediately moved to stable the shell.
Inside the room, Kerrigan, now in a ghost suit, sat on a bed. Her hair was tied into a ponytail, but the snakelike feature made the ponytail longer and more menacing. Raynor sat in front of her with care in his eyes. He barely took his eyes off Kerrigan when Tychus entered.
“Jimmy.”
“Tychus. What is it?”
Tychus glanced at Kerrigan and suddenly felt a surge of rage from the bottom of his heart.
“What is it? We have been trapped here for three damn days! We are running out of food and water. We don’t have credits because we haven’t taken a job for weeks. The merc boys are getting pissed off. Hold off for a few more days and they might try to start a mutiny and take over the ship.” He suddenly realized that meant he could shoot some people, but he quickly put the satisfying thought down.
Raynor sighed.
“We both know if we go out, even to the New Deadman’s Port, we will get hunted down by both the Dominion and the mercenaries.”
New Deadman’s Port was a series of space platforms that were set up by mercenaries after the initial Deadman’s Port was destroyed by the Dominion Alpha and Omega fleet. The mercenaries inside the port smirked upon Dominion law and influence, and they would usually welcome Raynor and his rebel ship, but this time it was different. Raynor was harboring the Queen of Blades, and Kerrigan and the Swarm has caused the death of billions of terran. Almost all of the mercenaries have fought against or have lost someone to the zerg. They wouldn’t hesitate to make Kerrigan pay.
But Tychus wasn’t into logic. Plus, the mercenaries had a good point.
Kerrigan did kill billions, and she should pay for it.
“So we are just going to sit around until either the mercenaries put a bullet into us or we starve to death? Is that it? Is that what you want for us?” He pushed on. When Raynor didn't answer, he slammed his fist on a table. The loud bang caught Kerrigan by surprise and made her flinch, and Raynor was obviously pissed off.
“Stay back, Tychus.” He demanded slowly but threateningly. “You don’t want to do this.”
But Tychus didn't stay back.
“What happened to you?” He pushed even further. “We were brothers, Jimmy! We would take bullets for each other. And now you’re willing to throw away the lives of me and all the boys that followed you? For what? For a bitch who killed a fraction of all the terran in the sector?”
“That is enough!” Raynor stood up. “Warden, escort Mr. Findlay out.”
The Warden marines walked in. Two stepped in between Raynor and Tychus and two stood guard with their weapons trained on Tychus in case the large man tried to do something.
Tychus didn't do anything. He merely gave Raynor one last look before turning and walking out of the room.
The Warden units followed him. As the room became private again, Kerrigan sighed.
This was one of the first times she spoke since she was turned back to human.
“You should kill me.”
“What?”
“You should kill me and take the Hyperion back to Deadman’s Port. Show my body to the sector and announce you have delivered the kill, and you will get support from all sides. Even Mengsk will hesitate to kill someone who took down the infamous Queen of Blades.” Kerrigan’s words were ice cold. “This will open up an opportunity.”
“Opportunity? For what?”
“To take down Mengsk.” Kerrigan suddenly opened her eyes and stared at Raynor. Hatred was in her eyes. “Make that man scream and die.”
Kerrigan was in a terrible position. Sure, she used to be a ghost who would do anything necessary to get the job done, but killing a single target and his guards was different from killing billions of people, most of them innocent civilians. The guilt of what she did as the Queen of Blades constantly hang over her head. While Jean could commit genocide and not lose a single night of sleep, Kerrigan couldn’t.
She hasn’t slept since being brought back onto the Hyperion. Everytime she closed her eyes, she could hear billions of screams echoing through her ears.
At this point, the only thing keeping her alive was her hatred for Mengsk and her love for Raynor. If she sacrificed herself, she could save Raynor from this difficult situation and do her best to lead him to Mengsk’s destruction. There were surely other, more efficient ways, but she was too exhausted to try them.
Raynor shook his head. This was never going to happen. Even if he was willing to put a bullet through Kerrigan’s head and show her body around like a trophy, the prophecy he witnessed didn't allow him to do that.
At some point before the battle of Char, Raynor was visited by Dark Prelate Zeratul, an old friend who he has known since the Brood War. After the Brood War, Zeratul, who blamed himself for the destruction of Aiur, went on a quest for redemption.
Apparently he found it.
Zeratul showed Raynor a vision and told him darkness was coming. Amon. According to his prophecy, the only one who could stop Amon was Kerrigan.
Kerrigan lives, and the sector would live on. Kerrigan dies, and the sector would be doomed.
That was why Raynor was willing to put everything and everyone at risk for Kerrigan. Love was a part of the reason, but it wasn’t the only one. Unfortunately, he couldn’t exactly reveal this piece of top secret information to the entire Raynor’s Raiders. Knowing they were all going to die wasn’t good for the morale.
As much as it pained him, he had to keep everyone, including Tychus, in the dark.
