Char, Koprulu Sector, Sunday Evening

[on_her_korhal]

Raynor	It wasn't, by far, the first dropship to touch down on the sticky, organic spillover that was the Zerg Creep. It was, however, the stealthiest, as they found a position close enough to see the Hive up afar, but far enough away to avoid any Hydralisks come to blast it out of the sky. The belly of the dropship opened. Jim Raynor revved up his Vulture.
Roy	This was definitely a new kind of gross Roy decided as he glanced ahead towards the Zerg base. There was no time to stand around however and he moved up beside Raynor, eyeing the bike warily for a second. "Everyone's ready?"
Raynor	"We'll need to be flanking and fast," Raynor replied, because he just wasn't ready to let this one go completely to mister... swishing Sherrifpants, there. "Marines?" He got an answering call through the bike's speakers. "Don't forget to hold on, Mustang."
Roy	"I think you said that already," Roy had climbed on the back of the bike and it took a second before he figured out which part of Raynor's armour was safe to grip. "Ready."
Raynor	"And go," Raynor called. The Vultures moved as one, bare inches above the creep, at extremely high speeds-- from 0 to three hundred in no time flat-- and if he squinted just right-- "Got a Hive up ahead, Hydras bound to be inbound."
Roy	Roy could barely hear anything at all, simply gripping on to Raynor and maybe he should have agreed to that armour thing, but then he wouldn't be able to do alchemy. He didn't bother shouting in reply, just tapped Raynor's armour once to indicate that he'd heard.
Raynor	Hydras. More and more-- and Zerglings, too. Hell. They were swarming. The bike swung sideways in a desperately sudden move. "Open fire!" Raynor kicked the brakes. "This is where we take a stand, Mustang. Chop chop."
Roy	Roy was already off the bike, now for the first time he was able to look at the oncoming enemy and... there were more than a few of them. They seemed to be pretty ugly too, but he wasn't going to take the time to get a look up close to them. Beside him he could hear the marines firing at Raynor's instructions, but Roy held off for a moment longer, his eyes scanning for just the right spot to attack as the Hydras got closer. They were close enough now and Roy found the spot. The fingersnap wasn't even audible over the gunfire, but the fire spread from Roy's position, followed by an explosion and he blow up their frontline.
Raynor	As the flames and bullets rained down on the enemy, Raynor had his eyes set on something else. A chrysalis, up ahead-- had to be the Zerg's golden goose, or whatever the hell it was. That was going to be their key if they were going to find Kerrigan before it was-- He pulled his mind out of those kind of thoughts. "Make a hole!" he yelled, and the marines altered their fire accordingly. Maybe they wouldn't be able to take the whole damn army, but if Duke would be so kind as to distract them... He revved up the engine on the Vulture again.
Roy	Roy added his fire to that of the marines, trying to extend the explosion as far and wide as he could. It didn't have to stay open for long, just enough for them to pass through. Hearing the sound of the bike, he snapped his fingers once more before he jumped back on it. "Move." He'd already explained to Raynor earlier that he wouldn't be able to do a whole lot of alchemy on the bike, with the air around them constantly in motion.
Raynor	"Working on it," Raynor gritted, shoving the bike up to its maximum. "Dammit, they're closing up. Hold--" The bike swerved, bumping up against the head of a Hydralisk, then straightened out again. They were dying-- the Zerg-- but they were still coming, and at the speeds they were hitting there was no way in hell they'd make it through the last enclosure. "Sure you can't manage any of that alchemy stuff back there?!"
River	One advantage with having your own ship was that when someone told you to stay behind it was easier to disobey orders. The Acorn might not be the most advanced ship in the 'verse, but she was sturdy enough, and was now catching up with the bikes.
Lee	"You fly well," Lee said quietly, eyes on the view in front of them. "You'd do well in a Viper. Let me know if you need me to do anything."
River	She glanced at Lee. "Do the talking? Shoot if needed?"
Lee	"I've never been one not to talk," Lee said, winking and sliding closer to the controls in case he did need to shoot. "It's my specialty."
Roy	"Not at full speed," Roy released his grip with one hand. "Keep your men to our right."
Raynor	Raynor's lip curled up in annoyance again, but there was no time. "You heard the man!" He let go of the throttle; the bike slowed. And the claws came a hell of a lot closer. "I suggest you work fast!"
Roy	Easier said than done when you were trying to manipulate air that was moving this fast. Whatever he was doing, it was going to have to be big and for a second he wished for a philosopher's stone that would allow him to wipe the Zerg's ranks in the blink of an eye. There was no point in trying to aim, no time. Still gripping Raynor's armour, he used his free hand to create the spark. The tendrils moved in every direction, forward and back, extending towards the Zerg. The explosion that followed a matter of seconds later was huge, rocking the bike they were on. "That should buy us some time," Roy shouted.
Raynor	The bike shook and twisted and for a minute Raynor had absolutely no grip on the controls at all. "You think?!" he hollered pointlessly, ripping at the controls to-- steady. It knocked sideways again. "Try not to fry the controls next time," he snapped, then put the throttle on it. A lot of Zerg corpses. Much better. "Just gotta take out that line of Hydras down the path--" A tentacle spiked up from the ground, knocking the bike sideways more and putting a nice hole in the back. "--I hate the Zerg."
Roy	Roy was seriously starting to hate this whole bike thing. He tried not to lose his hold on Raynor as the bike swerved. If the Hydras hadn't come up, he would have told Raynor to quit whining, instead he stuck to his order, "Get us in close."
Lee	Even though Lee wasn't flying, he was shooting and he knew what the bad guys looked like. He might not know much but he knew that. He started laying down fire in their direction, not aiming for one in particular. Just everyone. Everything. He swept the guns back and forth, scattering fire and, for once, not talking.
River	River flew the Acorn as close as she found wise, wishing the ship had been better designed for this type of maneuvering. She didn't talk either. Not necessary.
Raynor	"What in the--? Oh, that's just what we needed!" Raynor could fix his attention on the Acorn for all of five seconds before it was drawn straight back to the wheel. "They don't ever obey orders, do they?" he gritted. On the plus side? Whatever the boy was doing, it was making the Hydras go down like that. Now the path was free, and he was gonna use it while he could. He hit full throttle, sending the bike straight at the hulking shape of-- something up ahead. The bike skidded violently sideways, grinding to a halt a few feet away from it. "Now what the hell are you?"
River	Something up ahead indeed. Strange structure, yet familiar. River didn't just see it, she sensed it. "Kerrigan," she whispered. It was truly her. The Acorn headed directly towards it, speed increasing.
Kerrigan	There was noise. So much-- noise. The edges of the chrysalis shivered. The creature inside stirred. Too soon. Her eyes opened.
Roy	Roy slid off the bike and cast a look over his shoulder to make sure they were still clear. "You're sure she'll be in here?" he asked Raynor as he approached the chrysalis. Something was inside, that was for sure, but he wondered what they'd be getting in to if this proved not to be Kerrigan.
Raynor	"I don't know anything for sure," he said, but he swore he could feel something. Carefully, his heavy boots lifted over the muck, one step, two step, three steps-- And then he stood before it. "But it's all I've been hearin' since yesterday..." He reached out with one hand-- and suddenly something snapped behind his eyes, pulling his attention back on the outside. He stumbled a few steps backwards, looking up fast. "...Those kids better not be heading for impact!"
Lee	When Lee felt the speed increasing, he stopped himself from firing at...whatever they were heading for and trusted River not to kamikaze them into whatever they were heading for. He kinda liked living.
Kerrigan	She was awake. Awake awake awake and oh god she couldn't breathe. One something lashed out. Twice. Thrice. Then bone-claw found open air, shivering slightly. Breathe.
River	As the Acorn landed next to the thing that was Kerrigan, River's mind reached out, searching. Meanwhile, her body was moving swiftly and without hesitation. She opened the doors.
Roy	He was going to have to shout at those kids. Roy avoided the debris that clattered down to the ground and then he clambered up, not sure what he would find inside. Everything he remembered from the dream, the strange sensations that surrounded this thing. It had to be, but there were claws and... He pulled at the barrier, opening it further.
Kerrigan	The thing (not a thing, she) inside recoiled a little back towards the wall, pulling her claws back in. Wrapped her arms around her, felt an instinct to lunge, to stab, to-- "Roy?"
Roy	He couldn't hide the surprise, the confusion that rushed through him. There was no time for the questions and he pulled at the side with all his might, broadening the opening and he was not going to think about what the hell this thing was made off. Even as the alchemist inside him was already analysing the composition of the walls. "Kerrigan. Sarah..." Wat the hell had they done to her? He reached out a hand.
River	Then River was there next to Roy, also pulling at the walls. She didn't call out in words, but her mind was, loudly.
Lee	Lee came up behind River, not sure if he should touch or not. Instead, he just looked around, careful to make sure no one else interrupted them and whispered a silent wish that this would be okay.
Raynor	"Darlin'?" Raynor's voice was-- tentative. Standing behind River and Roy, as soon as the gap was opened, he was stretching fingers, trying to get there despite himself. "You-- god. What'd they-- C'mon."
Kerrigan	And suddenly, she hurled herself forward into them, ripping away her constraints without a moment's thought. "Too loud," she snarled, "They're everywhere. Get me out. Out out out out..."
Roy	Roy had let go, half expecting her to attack them instead. His expression was grim and he braced his feet on the edge, using all of his weight to pull against the bone structure. If this didn't work, he might have to use alchemy. "Calm down, we're working on it," he told Kerrigan.
River	River tried to help Roy, as combining their efforts would be more efficient. Soon. A change, but still Kerrigan.
Kerrigan	With a bristle she didn't know she was capable of, Kerrigan tore the chrysalis wide open the rest of the way, bone wings outstretched and then she came tumbling out, all sharp portrusions and dense bone. "Out. Away. Now..."
Roy	There was no time, he repeated it so he wouldn't stare. "On the ship," he barked, it was an order and maybe he was forgetting he wasn't a General here.
Lee	Lee knew an order when he heard it and, despite not wanting to, despite staring and feeling terrified of what was happening, he backed up and disappeared into the ship.
Raynor	"Hang in there, d--" The comm at Raynor's side rumbled. Dammit. "What now?!" he snarled, "I'm kind of busy--" The rocked soared straight over his head. "...Right. Duke. Dammit." He snapped his head to face Roy, and barked his own order-- "Get her the hell to safety!" then ran for his bike.
River	Too many orders. River chose to pay no attention to them and act according to her own sense, but that too told her than getting to safety using the Acorn would be the best option. Leaving to Roy to help Kerrigan, she hurried back to the pilot's seat.
Kerrigan	Her body had never felt this heavy. Or this powerful. But there was this insistent buzzing she couldn't get rid of and make it stop make it stop still trying to change her. Kerrigan made a choked little desperate noise and she scrambled for anything to steady her, and it was Roy, Roy who had a goddamn shoulder.
Roy	"I got you," he said softly, his arm reaching around to steady. "Let's get you out of here," he added, louder now and he was already trying to guide her towards the ship.
Kerrigan	She nodded. It was desperate, too; but somehow, somehow they made it, and the door shut and now all that needed to happen was for the buzzing-- nrgh. "Go," she managed, at River. "Go go."
River	When the engines were running, River let the Acorn lift off the ground, then turned and set the course, hoping the engine would manage the speed.
Kerrigan	Kerrigan sank back against the bulkhead, shivering with every inch of skin. Further, further away, and her mind started to seep back into her, giving way to sane thought and something other than this feeling of mindless multitudes-- Something penetrated after an eternity. Her eyes flicked open. She hadn't realised she'd closed them. And she took a breath. "Adama," she rasped, "you stupid jackass, what the HELL do you think you're DOING HERE?!" It was cathartic.

[ and we are done! NFB & NFI due to distance, preplayed with the AWESOME stupid_toasters, moonbrain_tam and light_a_spark, OOC-okay, very very loosely based on the novel StarCraft: Queen of Blades (and less loosely based on the StarCraft mission said book is based on), thanks for dealing with us all week ]