A StarCraft: Elizabeth Story

By Violetlight

Disclaimer: I don’t own StarCraft, although I really wish I did. But Treine, and Basilisk brood are my creations, so please don’t use them without my permission. Thanks.

Author’s Note: Just letting any anime fans out there know that I based my “Neo-Cerebrates” after the EVA’s from Neo-Genesis Evangelion. Treine looks like a black version of EVA 02, while Nargil is a green EVA 01, only they’re only about 10 feet tall, pretty short compared to an EVA. Btw…this story takes place in the same StarCraft universe as “Walk Without Rhythm” and my other StarCraft fics.

“If thou didst ever hold me in thy heart,

Absent thee from felicity a while,

And in this harsh world draw thy breath in pain,

To tell my story.” -- Hamlet. William Shakespeare

The Hive Cluster is under attack!

Even now, after all this time, even after his death, I can still here the Overmind’s voice echoing in my head. Warning me of impending danger. I just wish he could have warned me sooner...

Blam! Another Scarab hits, taking ten of my Zerglings with it. I feel their fear, their pain as they are blown apart. I land on top of a Dragoon, my long claws ripping into the bubble-like chamber and tearing what’s left of the crippled Protoss occupant apart. I look up as the Dragoon crumples under me, to see my Queens being chased by Scouts, my Mutalisks valiantly trying to defend them as they are picked out of the sky. I unfurl my energy wings and soar upwards, shooting my wrist spines at the Scouts. With my Mutalisks’ help, I manage to destroy two of them, but does it really matter? Four more have already appeared to take their place.

Why are the Protoss attacking us? We were just waiting here on this asteroid, minding our own business when they appeared out of nowhere! Schick, schick, I feel another burst of pain as Zealots overrun my last Ultralisk. I wish I still had my Torrsque! I feel so stupid. At one time, nothing could escape my notice. I am...was...the Overmind’s intelligence Cerebrate, the spy, the Eye of the Swarm. I should have seen them coming. I should have...

Ah Creep!

What I should have done was destroyed that damn Arbiter! Twelve Carriers have warped in. I can almost see the smug look the Protoss commanders must have on their faces. The eyes of the Zealots and Templar below are glowing red, red as blood. All around, I see bodies littering the Creep. Quite a few dead Protoss, but mostly my own Zerg, hundreds of them, lying with dark red blood staining their now lifeless black carapaces. Almost all of my small colony’s structures have been destroyed, only the Central Hive is left.

I cannot let them reach the Hive.

I regroup the remainder of my forces around the hive, my Zerglings, Hydralisks, and the two remaining Drones back up against the Hive’s base, my Mutalisks, Scourge and Queens hovering above them, but I know they won’t last for long, not against these Protoss. My brood...I can’t let them die. I just can’t.

All hope for victory is dead. I once swore as a Cerebrate that I would never do this, that I would fight until the end, but circumstances have changed. For the life of my brood, I must do this. I float down in front of my forces. The Zerglings and Hydralisks snarl in concern for me, but I order them back. I fold my wings and walk up, out towards the Protoss.

“I am Neo-Cerebrate Treine of Basilisk Brood,” I call out to the Protoss telepathically. “Allow my brood to live, and I will surrender myself to you.”

I see the surprised look on the Protoss’ faces. I am not a typical Cerebrate. Thanks to Nargil, I am no longer a helpless mass of grey matter quivering on the Creep. I now have form. Actually, my new body is not unlike those of the Protoss. I too have a thin and sinewy but very strong physique, and I lack a mouth. However I lack their nerve cords and my legs are more Terran like in construction. My black carapace is also more heavily armoured than their scaly skin, and my energy wings, now folded up under my back plates, is defiantly something Protoss do not have. I can feel their thoughts as I gaze out at them with my four green eyes. They don’t trust me. I guess I couldn’t have expected them to, after all, I am still Zerg, and no matter how different I am than Kerrigan and her slaves, that fact still does not redeem me or my brood in Protoss eyes. I slowly walk forward. I sense Zealots and Templar tensing up, readying themselves for an attack, but of course, none comes. About twenty claw-lengths from the leading Dark Templar, I kneel down, and lower my head in submission. “Leave my brood in peace, and I am yours to judge.”

The lead Dark Templar walks up to me, his warp blade ready to end my existence. “I am Dark Templar Trevaias. In the name of Adun, I find you, Zerg Cerebrate, guilty of the murder of millions of Protoss and of the genocide of thousands of races. Do you deny it?”

“No,” I answer him. “What you say is true.”

“By Adun, we will spare your brood. They are no more than animals without you anyway. But you will die for your crimes.” He coldly tells me. I sense the anger in his thoughts. He has lost many friends in this war, torn apart by Zerg claws. His own home planet, Aiur, is still being ravaged by rogue Zerg and their insane Cerebrates, and he sees us as no more than a plague upon the galaxy that must be destroyed at all costs. Despite his words, I know he has no intention of leaving my brood in peace. Once I’m dead, he plans on killing them all! I can’t allow this! There must be a way…

Trevaias raises his warp blade high above his head, and swings to bring it down on my neck…

You deceitful Zerg bitch! Where have you sent us? The furious Protoss looks around at the surrounding white nothingness. His mental image is unarmed, and that is making him nervous. I appear before him, my clawed hands raised in a gesture of peace.

Dark Templar Trevaias… I begin. You know of the evils my race has committed, but you do not know why. You do not know why we are what we are, and you have no intention of leaving my brood in peace. This, I can sense. They are like my children…

The Zerg have no children. Only slaves! He retorts.

There’s so much you don’t know…

I know you’ve murdered millions. That’s all I need to know.

I have a last request, Dark Templar.

He stiffens. He just wants to kill me, but he knows I won’t release him from my mind until he listens to my request, no matter how hard he struggles against my mental barriers. Fine, Zerg. Say what you have to say, then face your destiny.

Dark Templar Trevaias. I am Neo-Cerebrate Treine of Basilisk Brood. I am the first Daughter of the Overmind, and mate of Neo-Cerebrate Nargil of Fenris Brood. I am the Cerebrate of intelligence. The Eye of the Swarm. Know now, before you end my life, the truth of the Zerg Swarm and of my existence. Hear my story…