Starcraft 2 Fanfiction: Angels of War ** My name is Gabriel Conley. I am a Marine, just a regular Marine in Raynor’s Raiders. All I have of importance is my rifle, the C-141a Impalers and my armour, the CMC-300. I was a simply guy previously in my life. Caucasian skin, blue eyes with supple thin body make me what I am. I wanted to be an engineer or scientist. I wanted to build new things, things that are good for humanity. Not those things that let us destroy ourselves like those Apocalypse nuclear warheads that desolated Korhal or the Battlecruisers which decimated whole towns and cities. However, I lost my chance in such a life.
My family was murdered. Not out of an assassination plot or anything. It was simple slave labour acts by the Terran Dominion on the planet Paralta. My parents resisted and they were punished with death for it. I was just a young man then. I was naïve to life. I didn’t want to die but I didn’t want to be a slave either. That was when I was saved by the one man I didn’t expect to save me. Jim Raynor. He was branded a villain, a terrorist by the media constantly over and over.
I even believed it until that very day. He was my angel of metal. He and a small band of men had attacked and killed the murderers of my parents. He had saved me and several others from what would be my plight for years. It was a year then after the Brood Wars. I was just eighteen, an eighteen year old freshman with no family and a goal that is shattered. I saw only one destiny for me, to give payback at Arcturus Mengsk. Jim Raynor was the man to that destiny and I signed up on the fly.
Now, it’s been three years since I enrolled into Raynor’s Raiders. I’ve worked hard and smart, putting down long hours of training. From weapons to physical training to use of electronics, I’ve learned to prepare for what I must be. Now I’ve become stronger, tough, confident, enduring and like a Marine, always ready for a fight.
I felt an empty can of metal struck me in the back. I pulled out of the zone. “Son of a bitch! Herminio! Do you want to die?!” I was alone in the armory of the Hyperion until now.
Herminio Sal stepped into the armory. He is pale, six feet tall, equally fit like me soldier. His fitness wasn’t visible from the black armour he wore. He’s a squad mate whether I like it or not. He said casually in his Spanish accent. “Come on, you know it isn’t going to hurt.” That’s true since I’m already in my armour. He has a way of joking around the squad. In my opinion, it is annoying. Still, Herminio is a marine that is essential to the squad.
What is that squad I keep mentioning about? I may be a Marine but we are a special squad. No, we’re not those Black Ops type like Ghosts. Man, those spooks are just creepy sometimes. They can read your thoughts and kill you using psychic powers. If that wasn’t enough, they’ve been trained to kill with all kinds of weapons. They can slice your neck with a knife. They could poison you or blow your head off with a sniper rifle several kilometers away. They could even kill you somehow with a spoon. Wait a second, a spoon? Damn, they must be messing with my mind.
Nevertheless, the Ghosts get the dangerous solo missions which would be suicide for Marines like me. Better them than me. Still, their efforts help us greatly so I maintain somewhat respect for the Ghosts in Raynor’s Raiders. What about the other ghosts? They can eat my bullets. So the Ghost gets the lethal dangerous jobs. My team of five has another job, still very dangerous. We are the First Pathfinder Unit, a team dedicated in guiding primarily orbital drop pods for any operation the Boss Raynor would get us into. There is only one unit of pathfinders, us. Hence, our squad is called Angels by the others aboard the Hyperion. Sure, it sounds girlish but it wasn’t an insult. It was an appreciation for what we do.
Newcomers to Raynor’s Raiders despite how few they may be would always ask this question. “Why is there only one Pathfinder unit?” The answer is just grim.
As my captain, Chad Lewis once said. “The others are dead.” Raynor’s Raiders once had four Pathfinder units. Three teams are dead, killed over time. We’re all that’s left. Pathfinders are extremely vulnerable, isolated and usually outgunned, outnumbered throughout most of an operation. It takes skill, experience, good judgment and hell a lot of luck to pull through.
“Less talking, more work.” Speaking of my captain, here he is. From an African descent, full of muscles, six feet four tall. He is one lean mean kickass squad leader. He’s one reason why we’re alive and kicking while the others are dead. Sad to say but they just didn’t have such a talent of leadership. He was my first squad leader since my induction into Raynor’s Raiders. I personally am glad to have him as my squad leader throughout the past three years. Herminio gave a casual but respecting salute and went back to arming himself for our upcoming mission.
I asked as I grabbed another magazine for storage. “Permission to throw Herminio out an airlock?”
“Denied.” Damn, that’s the sixty seventh time so far.
Our mission is to again secure a landing zone and guide the ground troops that’ll be coming down by both orbital drop pods and medivacs. Normally it would be a normal operation scratch for two things. First, the Terran Dominion is working with us in this operation. When I first heard of it, it pissed me right off. The little hunt for artifacts turned out to be for Arcturus Mengsk’s son, Valerian. A lot of the crew was disgruntled when Jim agreed to help out the Dominion, the very enemy we were against. Fights popped out but like a boss, Jim put a stop to it. I have to say the man has some balls when he fought Tychus Findlay apparently his old combat buddy without the use of a suit. That put a nail down on the issue. Now we’re back together and ready to get back to fighting the Dominion after this operation.
That was one issue. The next issue is that we’re dropping into Char. The planet is literally a planet of volcanoes. Lava and dust is plentiful. It’s like a real life version of Hell. With our armour and high resistant systems, the planet is survivable at least for some time. The problem in Char is the Zerg, fucking swarms of Zerg. Char is the freaking home world of the Zerg. From the gathered reports, a lot of Zerg are out on some other god be damned planets but there’s still bound to have a shit load of them. If my Boss wasn’t Jim Raynor, I would literally hand him my gun and ask him to shoot me in the face. It would be faster and a lot less painful. Zerg are beatable but not on their own fucking home planet! I did hear the artifacts we’ve been collecting would be the key for this entire assault. I doubt those stuff would be that useful but its Jim’s call. I trust him.
I slapped a magazine into my rifle. My ammunition is stored within the non motor sections of the armour. I have like forty magazines of fifty rounds each. It is normally enough to fight against any Terran or Protoss fanatics if it came to be. The Zerg is a different case. They have the numbers and forty magazines is a piecemeal to what I will require. My armour is just maxed out on space so I will have to make do with it. It was then when we heard the ship intercom come alive. It is the Captain of the Hyperion, Matt Horner. “Zerg attack waves incoming! Man your stations!” That also included us and our stations are at the drop pods. We never said a word as we moved; there was no need for one.
A minute later, we arrived at the drop pods as the ship shook slightly from the attacks from and onto the Hyperion. The other half of the team was already ready inside the pod. Damn those early birds. Our regular technician, Kachinsky waved as he yelled amidst the thunderclaps of metal boots, roars of engines and mechanoids. “You’re clear for drop! Schedule’s a bit tight!”
Chad yelled back, barely hearing each other. “How much time?!”
“Ten minutes!” The three of us entered the pod and it closed shut immediately. It isn’t very spacious inside but enough to fit at least six fully armored marines. We were launched
just seconds after we sat down in our bulky armour and affixed the pod restraints aka seat belts. They were certainly in a rush. Our drop pod has no windows for cost efficiency and structural integrity, so it is dark inside. The only light we have is via the small screen at the side of the pod. The screen displayed the world beyond our tiny pod through a small camera installed to the outside under thermal and stress protection.
Outside, the battle rages heavily. Mutalisks, Scourge and Corruptors attack the Battlecruiser Viking fleet of the Terran Dominion. A few outdated wraiths were also present in the fight. Thousands of Zerg fliers blanketed the skies and space of Char. Our British like heavy weapons specialist Shaw Wymond said in both deep fear and awe. “Dear lord.” The Battlecruisers and Vikings unleashed a heavy barrage of weaponry at the huge ball of Zerg. There’s literally no way to miss. The Battlecruisers have the advantage of range, firepower and toughness. Quantity though can be a deciding factor, the trademark of the Zerg. Zerg are killed but the tide never ceased.
Thank God Jim Raynor is smart. The Hyperion had stationed itself towards the far rear end of the fleet. Jim had deployed our pod towards the west from our position. The Zerg air concentrations are at the eastern approach of the fleet. This way, we’ll get onto the planet untouched if it goes according to the supposed plans.
As Spore cannons from the surface fired their green acid at the Battlecruisers, our team had a gathering of faith. Chad said to all of us. “Remember the usual and let us pray.”
“St. Michael, the Archangel, defend us in battle.” “Be our defence against the wickedness and snares of the devil.” “May God rebuke him, we humbly pray” “Do thou…” “O Prince of the heavenly host” “By the power of God” “Thrust into hell Satan and the other evil spirits who prowl about the world for the ruin of Souls.” “Amen”
We completed our words of faith as the computer warned. “Touchdown in thirty seconds.” We are breaching the atmospheres of Char now. The pod started to heat up from the reentry. We’re becoming a little meteorite for those down on the ground to see. My heart
starts to beat anxiously. We’ve all done this before. Still… the unknowing risk of anything going wrong or even being shot down can be terrifying even for us hardened soldiers.
“Touchdown in twenty seconds.”
I barely noticed a blob of acid coming extremely near us. I swore as the spore cannon round struck the side of the pod. The pod shook and veered slightly. Seconds of adrenaline went by as we waited for the moment of life and death. The pod was silent as seconds went by one by one. After what was a good five seconds, we felt relief. The pod held up against that close call.
“It must have been a graze.” Shaw explained. That made sense.
“If it is, then it is fucking close.” The reverse thrusters engaged. Its role is to slow down the flying coffin of death.
“Touchdown in ten seconds.”
Our mighty Captain yelled. “Lock and load! Clock’s ticking!” The drop pod hit the Earth hard. The door burst open automatically from explosive bolts. I was the first one out of the pod, keeping an eye out for Zerg. The air is dusty, making my nose twitchy. It smells warm and burning, its effects lingering in my lungs. The air filters need a fix or is it just too much stuff for them? Damn it.
The ashes were on the ground and in the air. They are plentiful like sand. Ashes of the dead it probably is. I recalled hearing stories where entire armies of Protoss and good old fashion humans were completely wiped out by the Zerg here on Char. That gave me a shiver that tingles along my skin. The air was silent except the wind flowing through the crevices and rivers of lava. The ground felt soft but it will definitely hold against our heavy weight. My eyes scanned for targets. My ears strained for noise. My touch felt for tremors. There wasn’t anything yet but it won’t be in a very short while. The landing zone is empty, giving us time to set up.
Chad pointed at a rocky high ground position several hundred metres away to my left. “We’ll set up the beacon there.” We high tailed it way to the better terrain. It had large chunks of rocks at the top. The beacon that will be guiding the drop pods needs a good spot for transmitting. Second, we need the place to be defensible for its going to attract a lot of
attention. High vision, plentiful of cover will be essential which resonated in my thoughts and certainly in my squad mates.
“Make it quick!” Our technical man / marine Aleck Dodge placed the drum sized beacon onto the ground. He’s the one who handles the device, so it’s our job to pull guard duty. The Asian skinned guy worked his magic by inputting several codes and instructions into the radar dish like device. The beacon flickered to life, broadcasting infra red signals for the landing ships to follow. I gripped my rifle tightly. The Zerg are already on the way. I could hear Chad behind me “Shaw! Set up the gun!” I could hear a loud clank of metal as Shaw set up a Commando class sniper rifle on a rock. Being right at the tip of an offensive, we got the rifle to fight against the larger sized Zergs such as Roaches and Ultralisks. The Mark 12 Penetrator round is just a beauty and a beast. I like.
I could feel the tremors of movement. It was growing stronger constantly like a flood of water. There is no other explanation. “Here they come!” I yelled. Zerglings are coming by the dozens. I opened fire with my rifle at them. My gun thundered in the full automatic tempo of war. When we see Zerg in any of our ops, we don’t need to ask for orders. It’s permanently set on our minds to shoot on sight.
The hills we’re on have several rocky areas. This limited their path of approach down to three directions of north, southwest and southeast. I had the southeast path in my control. My bullets struck out far towards the oncoming Zerg. It hit some in many places. C14 ammunition can kill Zerglings with one shot if you strike the right spot, the head. Zerglings die in trios and quadruples as Herminio and I laid down a heavy barrage of hot metal projectiles.
Behind me, I can hear the guns of my squad mates. The thunder of my gun is muffled by the armour I wore. I felt every bit of recoil from every bullet I fire. In what was like two seconds, I felt the gun go empty and instantly reloaded a new magazine without leaving my eyes on the Zerg. I could see far behind those that I’ve killed are a lot more Zerg, particularly the more dangerous strains like the Roach and Hydralisks. I fired at the Zerglings, Shaw will deal with those Roaches and Hydralisks.
BOOM!
The Commando Rifle fired, creating an open swath of space in the Zerg lines. I could barely see the piles of bullet casings we are creating at the edge of my vision. I never cared, I just shoot somemore.
Aleck said, firing his own rifle in the process. “We have about two minutes!” Two minutes of Hell left. We just need to hold out until then. Despite my barrage of fire, the Zerglings are advancing closer and quickly. I could clearly tell we would be overrun if we cannot kill them fast enough.
“Grenades!” All of us tossed our shredder grenades into the nearest zergling packs. It’s the latest money can buy grenade in the market. Our businessman / revolutionist Jim took it up with the earnings from the artifacts. It is not effective. It is fucking effective.
BOOM!
Another wave of zerglings was wiped out. Another dozen was already on the climb up the hill. Chad ordered. “Stim packs!” It was in these cases when we use our last resort. I triggered my armour to let it inject me with the neural drug Stim. It will improve our neural response and speed, giving us the ability to do things faster accurately at the cost of deep thinking. It isn’t healthy for the human body, hence a double edged sword. I rather die later of the drug abuse than now being shredded to pieces of meat so the point is moot
I felt the world slowing down around me. I maintain my fire to the point it’s almost constant with a second delay. In my dull thoughts of mind, I saw the Zerglings die even faster. Their bodies went tumbling down the hill, being obstacles for those behind. Their advance is slowing. It is slowing but it won’t stop! I felt my supply of ammunition diminishing rapidly. By the count of reloads I’ve made, I’m certain I have six magazines left. I yelled to the particular man behind me. “Bernie! I need some ammo!”
Bernie Havelock in his larger marauder armour could be heard turning around from the noisier servomotors. “Here’s another bandolier!” He tossed me a long belt of magazines attached. Bernie is our strongest man with Shaw being the close second. In situations like this where bullets quickly run scarce, he is our lifesaver. Instead of using concussion grenades like a standard Marauder, Bernie uses a standard C14 rifle. The extra space freed is used for storing a lot of ammo for us.
I caught it single handed in midair. “Thanks!” Another fast reloads and my gun has no worries of running empty at least for a few minutes. I hear the others yelling for more ammo. Bernie is certainly being Santa Claus today, extra generous while still shooting his rifle single handed. I know he won’t let his rifle stop shooting as it counts. I barely notice movement of something flying towards me. I ducked as the sounds of a hiss near my ears. The projectile went past and another two spears of spine struck the rocks I hid behind. Seizing the chance,
I stood up from my rocky cover to shoot a Hydralisk that entered firing range. Its carapace took a good amount of bullet but it isn’t enough especially in a concentrated spread.
A grenade went off to my left at the north choke point. The Hydralisks are getting in range and Zerglings up front. We need to inflict terrible damage before we’re overrun and then the subsequent landing troops. I tossed my last shredder grenade at the swarm. I’m getting close to empty as well. Damn!
I heard more hisses of spines flying up the hill. I hear a ding of metal followed by Bernie’s swearing. “Fuck you piece of shit!” I turned around to see him still standing, a large dent on his curved shoulder plate. The spine didn’t penetrate into him. Bernie fired back as the spine landed beside me. I did not lose focus on my targets. I am their killer and they will not kill me.
“One minute!” One minute to go! Sixty seconds and less now! My heart is raging from the mix of blood, adrenaline and Stim. I yelled that anxiety and rage along with bullets. “I WILL SURVIVE THIS HELL AND YOU FUCKING ZERG WILL NOT FUCKING GET ME!”
I could hear far in the distance the sounds of manmade propulsion. The drop pods are incoming! They must be within the twenty second timeframe. The Zerg are all around us, the Zerglings already reaching the peak of the hill where we are holding. I felt my gun stop empty and reached for a fresh magazine. A Zergling entered from the left. My thoughts yelled me a warning.
TOO CLOSE
A magazine will not be fast enough. I switched to my rifle’s bayonet attachment and stabbed the large critter in the eye. Using its momentum, I swung and threw it to the side. Another Zergling was closing in but I have enough time to refer to my C-150 pistol at my side. I fired the pistol once, twice, thrice and it made sure the Zergling stayed dead. A feral cry got my attention.
I turned to see a Zergling already in mid lunge at me. My mouth started to form foul language when the Zergling had a trajectory change to the left. Herminio said cockily at my right. “Watch your fucking sides’ man!” I wanted to give the finger when I noticed a Hydralisk towering above him. I raised my pistol as I started to warn him. However, someone beaten me to it.
A Mark 12 Penetrator Round went through the Hydralisk’s neck, decapitating it. We both looked left like idiots. We saw a newcomer in black CMC-400 armour holding a Commando Rifle. His orange visor had a painted skull. I instantly knew who it was. Jim Raynor ordered as marines climbed up the north choke. “Thanks for holding this place Angels. Secure this LZ and set up a defensive perimeter!” Several aircraft flew in a nosedive through the clouds towards us.
A woman spoke on the radio. “Air cavalry has arrived.” A trio of Banshees delivered their shockwave missiles payload at the Southwest chokepoint. They completed their strafe run and flew away from us. “A couple of pods are off course, heading to assist.” Marines took defensive positions beside me, firing a larger barrage of ammunition. I took the luxury to reload all my weapons. I heard the whine of Medivacs flying above. They made a quick landing at an open spot down the northern side of the hill where the drop pods landed. Out came one of my favourite things, siege tanks.
I cheered as several tanks rolled out the medivacs before activating their fearsome siege mode. Crucio shock cannons roared as the Zerg waves reduced in numbers. I opened my visor and wiped the sweat off my brows. I didn’t even realize I had sweated so much. More drop pods entered their way into the atmosphere as the battle in space ensues. Marines started setting up sandbags and machine gun emplacements as several Vikings flew past. Damn I love being alive. Shaw said as he took a drink of water from his canteen. “We live for another day.”
I grabbed my own canteen from a small compartment in my armour. It is always on the bring list for any soldier. I took a long pull from it. God blessed water flowed down my throat, refreshing it with life. I gave a sigh of satisfaction. It’s good to be alive. While we took a breather, apparently Jim Raynor had been cooking up a plan. He ordered his troops. “We have incoming drop pods that are off course! We will need to rally everyone and regroup if we are to survive this!” Far out in the skies were tiny flares falling out of the skies. “Time’s short, so let’s move it boys!” We cheered as we moved out.
Chad yelled as he ran up front. “Angels leading the way!” We just gave a war cry and took point. We’ve brought most of everyone down into Hell and now we’re going to get the job done.
