Chapter 330 – Pressure Rising

December 13th, 2499

07:40 SCT

Wasteland Evacuation Zone

 Aqua starred at Sarah, the pair of them speaking through their thoughts faster than their lips could move.

{Aqua. I don't understand? How? When? I thought... I thought he was just a fantasy?!? How isn't he knocked out? Why is he so fast? And the power of his grip? And this glow?}

It's a long story and one-

{Hold that thought; we don't have the time right now. Have you felt it? The pressure?}

Pressure? I've felt lots of pressure recently; which are you referring to?

{Psionic pressure! Like a blanket covering the planet, pressing down on you.}

Is that why I'm feeling so nervous?

{Probably. It's sending shivers right up my spine. Listen, we are in danger. I don't have all the details yet, but our operatives stole something called a Psi-emitter from the Confederates on Chau Sara and brought it here to await transport out of the system. Somehow, the Confederates discovered it here and took it back. Supposedly, in the chaos, someone accidentally activated it again.}

That doesn't tell me a whole lot.

{Remember when they were using us to test if they could use our psionics to control those monsters they called the Zerg?}

How could I forget?

{Well, it seems like that's what they were trying to do on Chau Sara with that device. But instead of just stirring up the local population on the planet, it acted like a beacon, calling in Zerg from outside the solar system. Char Sara wasn't destroyed by the Protoss, but by the Zerg. The Protoss appear to be here just to burn out the infestation before it can spread further.}

And now that this Psi-emitter is activated on Mar Sara...This planet is next.

{Exactly. I don't know what that bastard Duke is planning, but right now he is evacuating all Confederate personnel off the planet. Alpha Squadron has been skirmishing with the Zerg in orbit, but it hasn't impeded their landings. The bulk of the Zerg swarms engaged the Protoss, but they have since retreated. It's only a matter of time now before the planet is overrun.}

And Duke doesn't look like he is intending to evacuate us?

{Can't say for certain, but no, it doesn't look like it.}

"Ahem, sorry to interrupt whatever is going on here, but do you mind taking that rifle out of my face?" John asked, interrupting her and Kerrigan.

"You first, Cowboy," Kerrigan replied, glancing down at John's cock, which was still hard and pointing right at the woman, a small amount of cum dangling off its tip.

"Apologies, but I wasn't expecting to be butt-stroked. I'm still seeing stars." He said, quickly shoving his cock back in his pants. Aqua took the opportunity to grab her coveralls and start getting dressed as well. 

"That is my fault. I snuck in here to talk to Aqua, and I thought she was being raped. Now, while I still have no clue how this came about, I realize I went a bit overboard. Sorry." She replied, standing up and stepping back from him. 

"No, Ma'am. I assure you, if I saw something like that, I would have done something even more extreme. Now, were you two using telepathy or something?" 

"Something like that. Now, I need to go."

{Listen, I sent another message to Mengsk, but haven't heard back from him yet. Stay here and fortify this position for now, play the good Magistrate for the Confederates, and we will see how he wants to play this. If worst comes to worst, I have a small shuttle we can use nearby to escape.}

Wait? You're leaving already?

{I need to raid one of those covert Confederate research facilities before this planet falls. But when I get back, you and I need to talk. Something is fishy here, and I don't mean that smell.}

I DON'T SMELL LIKE FISH!

Sarah chuckled, then tapped the side of the headgear she was wearing, turning invisible. The office door opened a moment later, and a shimmer exited the room.

"So... just what in the heck was that about?" John asked her.

"I don't smell like fish, do I?" She said, then smacked herself for saying something so stupid right now. "Ahh, forget it. So, I'm not the actual Magistrate, but an undercover agent for the Sons of Korhal. I was supposed to be helping foment a rebellion here, but as you can see, that didn't happen. Sarah was supposed to be helping me from the shadows, but when we landed on the planet, the situation had already changed. Now, I'm just winging it until our boss gives us new orders." She sighed, then rested her head on his chest. "I know you needed to face your nightmares, but I could really use your help right about now. I'm not a leader; I never wanted to be in charge of other people's lives. Not like this anyway."

"Hey, don't be so hard on yourself. I think you're doing a great job." He said, his thick fingers running through her hair as he embraced her. "Just look outside, you had this camp built and a good part of the population evacuated here already. For someone just flying by the seat of her pants, I think you're doing just fine."

"It wasn't me. I just took the advice of the people around me. They did all the work; I just told them to do what they advised, took a few calls, and helped build some of those shelters outside."

"So you listened to their advice, delegated the tasks, and kept yourself busy with other work while others completed those tasks. That is half of the job of being a leader right there." He replied. He pressed his lips to her forehead and gave her a soft kiss. "Now, what is this weird power you seem to have? They gave me a hoverbike and a pistol when I came to this world, but that almost looks like magic."

"Ahh, it's called Psionics, a type of mind power. Hey... how do you deal with the memories?"

"The memories? Well, it was rough at first, but now... now I just compartmentalize them from my actual ones. This guy... he is me, but I also know that he isn't. The first time it happened, well, the first time I got a lot of memories, it really screwed with my sense of reality for a bit. Like...when I was a kid, I had a horse. I raised it since it was just a foal, spending more time than a prince probably should have to take care of it. Years later, it was badly injured during a riding accident, and I ended up having to put it down with my sword." He said, and she felt something warm and wet drip on her scalp. "Those are not my memories; I never had that horse, but the pain from that moment is real. This body... has even worse pain, but I had learned from my previous experiences how to accept it and move on. It's just going to take some time, darlin'."

"It's horrible... I was a child soldier... implanted with devices that forced my power to expand, to harness it, to kill with it. I've killed people, and it hurts. And the worst part...it filled all those holes in my memories...I'm not quite sure where I end, and this woman begins."

"Hey, I'm here now. We'll work through this together, okay?" He said, brushing a tear from her cheek she hadn't realized was there. They embraced again, spending a few wordless moments together before the world needed their attention again. Sadly, that moment came sooner than either expected. 

Red lights flashed as a klaxon sounded in the main room, followed quickly by an announcement across a PA.

"Priority Alert! Distress beacon activation detected at 0746 SCT. Reports indicate convoy from Backwater station is under attack from unknown alien organisms. Repeat. Priority Alert! Distress beacon activation detected at 0746 SCT. Reports indicate the convoy from Backwater station is under attack from unknown alien organisms." The Adjutant's voice blared throughout the command centre.

She sighed, pushing back from John and shaking off the moment of vulnerability they had shared. "So it begins."

"You ready for whatever this is, Darlin'?"

"Yes... Yes, I think I am."

"Magistrate, we already received the distress beacon, and we'll take care of it. You just sit tight. You'll be notified if there is anything you need to know." Colonel Edmund Duke's hologram said, addressing Aqua directly but glancing around at the rest of the people assembled in the CAC. 

John frowned, wishing he could use Scouter on the man through the transmission, but neither that nor Card worked in that manner. At Aqua's insistence, he rushed back to the barracks to put on his power armour and grab his bike; she was intent on assembling a militia group to rush to their aid. When he returned to confirm their location, he walked into the middle of the conversation.

"Colonel, those are our people. We are closer and can be there in under an hour. Surely you have more pressing concerns up in orbit right now?" 

"Now how do you know about that? Listen, Magistrate, you report to me right now, not some dandy sitting in an air-conditioned office on Tarsonis. I said we will handle it, and we'll handle it. I already overlooked your error in moving the entire population out to the wastelands; don't think I'll be so forgiving this time. Colonel Duke, out!" 

"What is he thinking?"

"Damn Confederates. Wait? What is happening in orbit right now?"

"Is it the Protoss? Are they fighting them right now?"

"Magistrate, is there something you're not telling us?"

A chorus of voices echoed throughout the room, all vying for Aqua's attention. John was stuck in the back of the room, unable to move to her side without pushing bodies out of the way. He was about to speak up and tell them to give her room when she turned around and spoke.

"I have it on good authority that they are engaged with a different group of aliens, ones called the Zerg. The recent wildlife attacks were actually these aliens, and it's about to get worse. I also suspect the Confederates won't be coming to help us. Rodrigo! Get your engineers focused on building more bunkers around the perimeter! Tim, Paul. Start looking for volunteers in the militia to use those old firebat suits. We have the vespene to fill their tanks; now we just need people crazy enough to wear them. Diaz, Sheela, Helena. I need you to put teams together to talk with all the colonists, find out who knows how to use CMC suits and firearms. We might not have suits for everyone, but a shotgun in their hands is better than a stick. John! Save those people and get them behind our lines."

"Yes, Ma'am." He said, smiling at her before flicking his visor closed. She nodded to him, their eyes locking for a moment before she turned back to the people in front of her. He left the CNC, feeling oddly proud of the once-goddess who used to beg him to carry her around.

You might be short, darling, but with time, you're going to cast a long shadow. 

December 13th, 2499

08:03 SCT

Backwater Station Convoy

*CRREEEEEEE!!!*

*BANG, BANG, BANG*

Michael nearly broke his glasses as he was tossed back behind the truck, Emily throwing him one-handed while shooting one of the zerglings with the oversized pistol she was carrying around. It dropped in front of her, and she slammed her boot into its head, crushing its skull. She jumped back from it as it lashed out in its death throes, its spiked arms still powerful enough to pierce through an armoured soldier if they weren't careful. 

"Damn part-timers. HEY! Close that firing line! Shoulder to shoulder and concentrate your shots! Don't let them through!" She shouted, belting out orders to the nearby power-armoured guards. She then turned and looked down at him and offered him a hand, an eerily happy smile on her blood-splattered face. "Sorry about that, but I needed to get you out of the way. I know you're trying to be the good journalist, but right now I need you to stay behind me. I'm regretting not bringing my armour now, but who could have guessed we were going to get attacked by dozens of these critters."

"I'll... try to be more aware. It isn't the first time I've been embedded with the military." He said, taking the offered assistance.

"Yeah, but I know you weren't walking around in a business suit the last time either. This is now a warzone, and we soft targets are liabilities in a fight like this. So stay close to me, and let the men do their work. Okay?" She said, then started to drag him behind her as she moved to another part of their defences, belting out orders to the militia as she went. 

Michael wasn't sure what in the heck happened; one minute he was driving along behind the convoy, the next moment they were in the middle of a battle against these Zerg. They had caught them by surprise, and dozens of people had been killed before the militia was even able to respond. The only reason he survived the initial assault was that his murderess minder had grabbed him by the collar and pulled him out of the passenger side of their truck as the driver's door was ripped off by those raptor-like claws. 

He watched as people were torn apart by the vicious monsters, tearing through the CMC suits like they were little more than wet paper towels. Then the Angel of Death started shouting orders, rallying the troops and organizing their defences on the fly. He wasn't a military man, but he was pretty sure if she hadn't been here, the thousand people in this convoy would have already been killed.

He looked at Emily again, the blonde* woman happily moving to the next group of soldiers unperturbed by the gunfire and screams around them. She looked calm and collected, like she was about to start dancing across a field of flowers on a warm summer's day.  

Resoc or not, she's a military officer. She would have served in a line unit before becoming an MP, working her way up the ranks. This is hell for almost everyone here; for her, it's Thursday.

He shuddered again. 

* - So, there was no actual description of Emily in the book she was in (Wings of Liberty), other than she was beautiful and looked like a woman who would have been used on a recruitment poster you would use to show the parents to help alleviate their concerns about their children joining the military. So, my head cannon is she looks like Hunter Cha Hae-In from Solo Leveling (Blonde S-Rank hunter who ends up with the MC after the end of the mangas). She would have been dead by now, but some minor changes prevented her death. Probably not going to be a love interest, but she is a bit of a badass to have around, and having a Resoc in the narrative could be fun.