The Hyperion and Phobos aided in evacuations of Korhal's Augustgrad in the face of the Zerg Swarm as Matt spoke. "The northeast sector is clear."

"We're behind the eastern corridor." The plans for the people soon faced challenge as Kerrigan, having rallied her forces and coming to terms with what was to come, contacted the Hyperion as the final act draws close.

"It's time, Valerian."

"The evacuation is still under way." Valerian pleaded for time, but Kerrigan didn't want Mengsk to curl up in protection if she could help it.

"I can't afford to hold back any longer."

"Promise me, you'll avoid the civilian center."

"I can't do that. Arcturus would see that pattern in my movements and use it against me." Valerian planted that at Kerrigan's feet as the result of her actions if she went through with it.

"Then millions will die." Jim had been watching and waited for Kerrigan's answer, but she looked pained before she gave in to Valerian in what could be done.

"Alright, just stay out of my way, and I'll do what I can." The transmission cut and the Captain and prince turned to meet Jim's eye as he resolved himself, coming to terms that the old had indeed passed and the new would be making an effort to help out in this battle...


Kerrigan moved into position before the before palace itself, the force in front of her and the Swarm being those trained and readied as Arcturus Mengsk's personal guard, his Dominion troops, his wall of protection as he spoke over the palace loudspeakers. "Kerrigan, the die is cast. This is the last day your Swarm darkens the sky of any planet. Korhal will endure, as will I."

"Nice quote, I'll engrave it on your tombstone." Kerrigan voiced as the hive behind her grew and developed for the siege and the war to come before she reached out to those that served her. "Izsha, Zagara, Stukov, Dehaka. All my broodmothers, all my queens, hear me. The time for planning and deliberation is past. Now we tear them down. Attack, and do not stop until they are all dead." The battle readied with tension, it hummed with both the machines of war and the beast of dustruction as Mengsk voiced to force Kerrigan back.

"You never should have gone back to Korhal. You are surrounded by the Dominion's elite."

"And yet they still won't be enough to save you. How many bodies will you hide behind?"

"I've had enough of your tongue. Men, wipe them out!" The forces clashed, small as the Hive was, they had Kerrigan who tore through the lines of attacks that came for them as she also ripped through the minor defenses of an expansion out as she mused.

"Your defenses could use some work, Arcturus."

"You'll pay for that." Kerrigan smirked as her Zerglings and Hydralisks rallied for war with Roaches and Aberrations backing up before she paused with another feeling.

"I sense... No, it can't be." Izsha had a different answer as a Terran Battlecruiser warpped in to the other side of the current forces, but it blasted the defenses of a heavily armed base to fragments.

"My queen, a Terran Battlecruiser is inbound on your location." Kerrigan tried to figure out who would come to help.

"There's something familiar about this - Jim?" The base wasted and the ship landed before a voice spoke back to make her heart bloom in awe.

"Let's finish the job."

"I didn't think you would come back..."

"We're both tied up in whatever happen here today. We do it together." SCVs moved out from the Hyperion and started to construct Barracks and Factories for the assault as Kerrigan thanked him.

"Jim. Thank you."

"Thank me later. It's time you put your war face on." Kerrigan sent some Roaches and Hydralisks to protect Jim while getting the other base up and running for battle before she questioned with some wit.

"Jim, weren't you supposed to evacuating civilians?"

"Valerian and Horner got that handled. I had other things to do." Kerrigan nodded as she spoke.

"Alright, keep that left flank clear while I go put a hurt on Mengsk." She had some troops ready to protect him still as she wouldn't let the Dominion destroy the Hyperion if she could help it as Zagara spoke.

"Your Swarm is assaulting Terran forces in three entrenched positions. If you can attack these positions from behind and destroy them, we will join the slaughter!" Kerrigan nodded before Mengsk made the intruding Raiders the focus of an assault.

"Sky Fury Squadron! Destroy the Hyperion!" Jim grimaced to the large-scale fleet rolling in.

"Pretty big fleet coming this way. Could use some help taking these guys down." Luckily, Kerrigan had mobilizied a force with her Hydralisks and some supporting Mutas and Corruptors to take care of those flyers fast as Banshees were easy to attack form the air, but the Viking had to decide between fighting the air or shooting form the ground as the force was ripped to pieces as the Corruptors mutated into Guardians and started barraging the forces on the ground as she made for the location where Stukov, using a rapid-gestation Zerg gene from the Infestors, assaulted the left flank with infested personnel before Mengsk shouted for the Hyperion's death.

"Alpha Squadron! Destroy that damnable ship!" Both were familiar with WHAT often filled the ranks of Alpha and they didn't like it.

"Battlecruisers inbound! Might need your help on this one, Sarah." Try as she may, the force was torn apart and she grimaced to not making anymore Corruptors for that fight before another voice spoke.

"Raynor! Don't just run off being a outlaw cowboy, you have the Raiders to lead, after all!" A wing of Vikings soared in and took on the remaining Battlecruisers with a flurry of missiles and firepower as Jim breathed in relief.

"Alex, you son of a Ultralisk! The hell are you doing here!"

"Providing air coverage, what do you think!" The Vikings wheeled above and landed near the Hyperion as the lead pilot spoke. "The Phobos is coming in soon to drop something off, but I wouldn't want to miss wrecking Mengsk's day a bit more."

"Thanks for the back up, keep the skies clear and I'll bring the guns..."

"...And I'll bring the claws." Kerrigan mused as she struck right side and managed to get to the gate and unleashed Zagara's force into the Palace sector. "The way is clear, Zagara. Move your troops into the sector."

"With pleasure, my queen." Zerglings, Banelings, and Hydralisks surged out to fight and aided the dustrctuion of the Dominion along the way and left them to get to the center and extended out the bridge to cut down on the arrival of more Zerg before Mengsk pulled out the final card he had in heavy armaments.

"Remember this, Raynor? It was nice of your criminal partner to leave it here for me." Jim grimaced as Mengsk threw the ultimate siege walker against him and the engines on the Hyperion would not be able to get him out of there and Alex would be a losing battle against the titan.

"Ah, crap. I'd recognize that signature anywhere. He sent out the Odin!" He commed Sarah to continue the fight without him. "Sarah, keep going! You've got to finish this! Go on without me!"

"Like hel I will! Hold on, Jim, I'm coming!" Kerrigan knew that her Ultralisk could take a beating and could revive themselves if nothing destroyed the cocoons, but based on what she heard of the Odin, that was a vain hope as Ultralisk moved to intercept, but the Odin's cannons blasted them before they could get too much damage in before moving toward the Hyperion, all was lost for the ship, but then Alex smiled.

"Convict, you want to say hi?"

"Don't mind if I do! Thought you'd never ask!" The Phobos warped in before opening up a hanger on the bottom and fired a industrial cargo pod to the planet before warping away, the Odin sluggish in looking up before the pod slammed into the ground hard enough to fissure the ground and it opened up to a grander Thor model, matching the Odin in size, but its guns were tri-barreled, its barrage cannons replaced with two models of a Yamato Cannon, and had the decal of a Norse wolf on the front before its operator smirked with a cigar in his mouth. "Make room for the big dog!" That angered Mengsk GREATLY.

"Tychus Findlay!? You were suppose to be dead!?"

"Yeah, well, this Devil had an extra life, it just took some crazy voodoo to get it."

"Odin pilot, destroy them both and put them down for good!" What occurred was legend as the Fenrir proved to be the Odin's superior in speed and firepower, tanking the cannons like a champions before Tychus showed what heavy firepower looked like on the ground.

"Ragnarok and roll!" The cannons charged before twin bursts of Yamatos slammed into the Odin and staggered it quite heavily as Tychus spoke up. "Hey, Kerrigan, get some heavy critters in here, let's make it a rumble!"

"Jim..." Kerrigan voiced as she blinked before she addressed the Raider Commander while sending some Ultralisks the Odin's way. "...You failed to mention the guest appearance..."

"I can't control what Alex does, he does some crazy things if left alone!" Raynor yelped as Alex chuckled to the misfortune of them both before Kerrigan resumed her attack.

"Mengsk is losing the Odin and losing this battle completely."

"I will not let you destroy humanity's only chance of salvation!" It was too little, too late as the Odin was blasted and crushed to pieces as Raynor breathed in relief.

"We did it! The Odin's down for the count."

"How are you holding up?" Kerrigan inquired for certainty as Jim replied back.

"Don't you worry about us. We're still in this." Kerrigan nodded as Tychus and Alex cleared out the left flank for Stukov.

"Stukov, your path is clear."

"Understood. Let's finish this."

"I got to say it, I STILL don't care about infested Marines, up in here." Tychus voiced as a surge of Infested Civilians, Infested Marines, and Aberrations rolled on through as Alex spoke.

"I would ask, but I am more content on ruining Mengsk."

"True that, Spectre Commander." With that, they moved with the force to hit Mengsk much more while Kerrigan cleared out the last of the entranched locations for Dehaka and Skorch to swarm through.

"The avenue is clear of defenders. Dehaka, send your pack into the city."

"Yes. We will feast upon their essence!" That was answered with a surge of Primal Zerglings, Hydralisks, Ultralisks, and Guardians through as they attacked the main plaza of the palace as Mengsk spoke in defiance of what was to come.

"The Dominion of Man is stronger than you. We will see your ashes spread to the wind. Men, stop the Queen of Blades. For humanity!" The sky rained with drop pods loaded with the Dominion's elite Marines, but even then it was not enough as the palace gates fell and a way was opened to Kerrigan as she spoke.

"Zagara, take command. I have an appointment with the emperor."

"Long live the queen." With that, she headed in as Jim gave the command.

"Return back to the Hyperion and get ready to leave on my command." He headed out as Alex spoke.

"What are you doing now?"

"Keeping Sarah company, I am going in." He rushed off as Alexander Wrench hummed before he spoke as well.

"Phobos, circle back around and pick up the Squadron and my Viking." He voiced as he jumped out and primed his AGR-14 rifle. "I am keeping the Commander company in following the Queen of Blades." He bolted off with a cloak covering him as Tychus just chuckled on how screwed Mengsk was...


Kerrigan tore through the Dominion guarding Mengsk as he waited, waited for her to come as the cameras died to her psionic outbursts or hurled troops before she reached his room, wrenching the door open with her wings and strode in as Mengsk turned in his seat in greeting. "Hello Kerrigan. I've been waiting for you." Kerrigan huffed as she inquired.

"I'm surprised you haven't tried to escape."

"Escape?" Mengsk chuckled and set off alarms in Kerrigan's mind as he spoke. "My dear, I'm afraid you've got it all wrong." He flicked the cap off the lighter, revealing it to be a switch instead as the floor opened up and the Xel'naga artifact arose from the opening and Kerrigan could barely step away before Mengsk activated it and it lashed out at her with lightning and bringing her down as she groaned to the pain, it feeling like it was ripping her apart faster than her body could repair, as Mengsk monologued. "Really? Did you think I'd keep an animal like you close to me without some kind of insurance policy?" He activated it again and she struggled on the floor before it shut off and left her in pain as Mengsk made his point clear. "Clearly, you are my greatest failure." He stepped to the entrance as he spoke. "Now, at long last... You will die..." Before he couldn't as a powered hand gripped and crushed his hand and he was turned to face the Death's Head of a black Marine suit and lifted with the right hand as Mengsk struggled as the helmet opened to Jim Raynor as he voiced otherwise.

"Change of plans." He hurled Mengsk across the floor as Alex joined with a sight on Mengsk and checking Kerrigan as Jim whiped his revolver out to kill, but stopped as Kerrigan arose and focused her glare upon Mengsk, his device destroyed on the floor as Alex rolled behind Jim and both his regular and black-out visor dropped as Kerrigan lashed, wings impaling Mengsk to the screens as he groaned in pain as she made her point.

"You can never suffer enough for all the lives you've ruined, Arcturus." Mengsk gave up as he scowled.

"I made you into a monster, Kerrigan." Kerrigan straightened before her eyes glowed and she reached out with a hand.

"You made us all into monsters." She gripped his face and forced energy into him, he barely having time before it all came surging through and the sanctum erupted into flames and explosions, but the relief was real as the smoke cleared and Kerrigan watched as the Swarm, having done the part it had on Korhal, headed back to the void of space as she watched, Raynor joining her in watching with Alexander flanking the other side before she spoke, her triumph real thanks to them.

"Thank you, Jim..." She turned to look at the helmetless Raynor in joyful thank. "...for everything." She start to take flight as Jim smiled back as he voiced it.

"My pleasure, darlin'." She floated further away and headed for the great creature in the sky as he continued. "Always was." With that, the Swarm had a new target to find and destroy, the fallen one, Amon...


Further away, among the stars and worlds, a voice echoed of what was to come next as Kerrigan set out to find the monster who made it happen to the Swarm, not knowing that the other half was also priming for war. "The true enemy is now being seen. While Kerrigan believes that herself and the Swarm at her call that the threat will be destroyed, she partly believes that she must renounce everything to fight him."

"Raynor stays to heal the wounds to the Dominion at the side of the new emperor." Both outlaw marshal and crowned Emperor share a nod with Warfield rejoining to guide Valerian with the remains of the Dominion and the Raiders coming together to remake the Dominion for what is to come.

"But this fight, this war, it cannot be won alone. The day will come when all are required to fight the dark one." Zeratul journeyed on his way to find the main Protoss force, before glancing down to a ancient stone device in hand that glowed with life with a armada of likewise stone Protoss awakening to the thrum of the device in the far distant corners of the Koprulu Sector, perhaps even beyond.

"It is time for my people... To unite." Eyes now fall on an adorned protoss as he turned to look among his people, their forces marshalled and readied for the grand undertaking of home that all sought to gain back...