Terran Ingenuity (Starcraft x Mass Effect)
- Thread starter Xeno Major
- Start date
-
- Tags
- mass effect starcraft
Arthur Hansen
Author of no Authority.
- Location
- Utah, behind the Zion Curtain.
Heroic Age seemed like it was trying too hard to showcase how fragile planets were to the different races. (And the fact that only humans cared about their home world.)
harouki
Getting over it
- Location
- California
Reki said:
Jupiter seems to get a lot of flak huh...LordsFire said:
pheonix89
Wants to be Seven Of Nine
- Location
- North American Plaguelands
- Pronouns
- She/Her
HOW? Bellcross could trivially solo the Reapers, what with his power of being COMPLETELY unkillable.LordsFire said:
Arthur Hansen
Author of no Authority.
- Location
- Utah, behind the Zion Curtain.
I think that was Gunbuster 2... which was much, much more silly.
Xeno Major
Sensei Rower
Next snippet done, just waiting for Tabi to get back to me about the quality.
Xeno Major
Sensei Rower
Wait and see, grasshopper.
Either one will be interesting. Though I can't wait till the Council facepalms at the stupidity done by the Turians.Karuadin said:
19
Xeno Major
Sensei Rower
Chapter 4 (Snip 1)
Impatiently, and with a soft thump, Jim Raynor lightly punched to the dull red stud embedded in the wall.
Waiting, Raynor watched as the bulkhead split down the middle, the sections smoothly sliding apart as Raynor strode through the opening.
"Ah, sir!" blurted out a fresh-faced man in a labcoat. "You would not believe what I found while inspecting-"
"Now hold on, Stetmann," Raynor replied, holding up a hand to forestall the scientist's inevitable lecture. "I'd love to hear about what you've discovered in a minute, but right now I need to talk with Artanis. Just… give a minute, okay?"
The scientist grimaced, before nodding resignedly.
"Alright, sir. He's still over by the Protoss crystal – hasn't moved since the medics put him there."
"Tell me again, why is that thing still onboard? I thought you said you couldn't learn anything more it."
Vaguely, Raynor also remembered a Zerg specimen that had been in the containment pod next to the Protoss sample. At least Stetmann had had the sense to space that thing before it tried to infest the ship.
"Truthfully, sir, while I might not be able to learn anything from the crystal, that doesn't mean that others can't," Stetmann responded, nodding excitably. "I had to leave the Tyrador labs before I could learn everything, and it's possible that some of the Dominion refugees we brought with us know more than I do – the scientists among them, at least."
Raynor nodded once with a slight smile, as he raised his hand to pause Stetmann.
"Okay, Stetmann, you convinced me." Raynor said.
"Please sir, just let me – wait, you're okay with it?" Stetmann replied, visibly relaxing as he let out a tense breath. "Thanks, Commander. I'll give you some privacy.
Exiting quickly, the young scientist kept muttering under his breath about 'energy matrices', while Raynor gently shook his head, amused.
Stepping forward, Raynor turned his eyes back to the extra-large containment tank that Artanis was sitting before, cross-legged. The Protoss had been almost comatose when the medics finally got to him, and had barely managed to whisper his instructions to take him to the crystal in Lab 01.
Pausing, he looked closely at Artanis, but the Protoss was motionless, and Raynor had no idea if he was back to normal or not.
"Artanis?" Raynor called out softly, sensibly refraining from touching the troubled Protoss. "Are you alright man? C'mon, talk to me buddy."
"Greetings again, friend Raynor," Artanis rumbled, his 'voice' weak. "I am indeed fine – though Nova Terra's actions were unexpected, it appears that they were not dangerous."
"Everythin' I saw in pointed more towards Celda's actions, not Nova's." Raynor replied, confused. "What'd Nova do that messed you up so much?"
"Psionics have been studied by my culture for many millennia, Raynor, and yet I have no understanding of what took place when Celda T'Vanse and Gabriel Tosh melded. I am unsure if the Asari can hide their powers, but it was only after Nova used her own powers that I was incapacitated." Artanis mused.
"Little bit after you were knocked out, we managed to wake Celda up," Raynor informed the Protoss, crossing his arms as he leaned against the empty containment pod. "She didn't seem to know anything about psionics, so you might be right. What's more, she said somethin' about 'merging nervous systems' or something like that – as far as she knew, the process had nothing to do with the mind."
"Each psionic species develops along their own path," Artanis said. "While Terran psionics can read the thoughts of others, they lack the ability to communicate that the Khala gives the Protoss. It is possible that their gift merely developed along a different path."
"Artanis, I'm convinced by this point that the Asari don't have any psionic ability." Raynor remarked calmly. "Both Tosh and Nova agreed: they didn't sense a single shred of power from the Asari. Now, I know that it's hard to accept any alternate possibility, but we've got to think about this whole thing logically. I think Celda's telling the truth."
Slowly, the Protoss traced a slender finger across the face of the containment tank. When Artanis spoke again, it was hesitant, as if concerned.
"Even if she is, friend Raynor, do you want to trust her?"
"We don't have a choice, Artanis. Either we play ball with this 'Council', or we fight another war – and none of my people want that."
"Indeed." Artanis replied, nodding his long head.
"Kuril's come around since I got a chance to talk to 'im, though, and he seemed to think that the best way to prevent a war would be to go straight to the Council, cut out the middleman."
"Can you trust the General, friend Raynor? He attacked your world without hesitation; it would be unwise to think that he has 'turned over a new leaf', as you Terrans say."
"You've got a good point, but either way this works out. The way I see it, either we negotiate a truce and get some reparations, or we take out their leadership in a single stroke. With your carriers fightin' alongside, we'll have the advantage – 'course, that depends if cutting the head off this snake works as well as it did on Mengsk. They might not collapse if their leader gets killed."
"Unfortunately, I cannot assist you with this task, Raynor." Artanis said, his tone slightly sorrowful. "My presence is required back on Shakuras."
Raynor stared at his friend, taken aback.
"If you could get away to help us out, then why can't ya stay to help wrap this whole affair up?" Raynor questioned, puzzled. "The situation on Shakuras isn't that bad, is it?"
"The Protoss are not like the Terrans, friend Raynor. The Khala is the guiding light of our civilization, the bond holding the tribes of Aiur together. Without it, our civilization is failing."
"Whoa, there – what do you mean the Khala is failing?" Raynor demanded, his eyes widening. "And why is this the first time I'm hearin' about it?"
Artanis sighed, his skin vibrating as he did.
"The Khala is intact, but that will not hold. Tell me, Raynor, what do you truly know about the Protoss – about the Khala?"
"Well… I had quite a few talks with Tassadar, back on Char," Raynor murmured, slowly sinking to the floor with his back pressed against the containment tube. "That takes me back… must be seven years now. You remember; your boys found us stuck there, surrounded by Zerg."
"Indeed…" Artanis nodded. "Judicator Aldaris was not pleased by your presence, if I recall correctly."
Raynor chuckled, as he brought out his flask and took a small drink.
"No, he wasn't. What you might not know is that we'd been stuck on that rock for about a month when you showed up. Me 'n my boys had been hiding on Char for a while, and when… Kerrigan woke up, the Hyperion had to leave. Tassadar was in the same boat, and after some tracking, we managed to link up – just as a Zerg wave found his Templars."
The Terrans eyes grew wistful as he gazed up at the ceiling, remembering that hellish planet.
"You should have seen him, Artanis. I'd had enough experience with the Protoss to know that the Templars were fragile, the kind of people who didn't like fightin' up close. But when I first saw him, he was blasting a Hydralisk with this blazing light – burned it to a damn crisp. I told the Raiders not to shoot at the Protoss, 'cause I knew we couldn't hold up against both them and the Zerg.
"After we'd finished off the last of the Zerg, we just stood there, starin' at each other across a field of dead Zerg. I remember seeing Tassadar standing there, just watching us. Then, he walked right over to me without a word, and he just nodded, like there was nothing to say.
"We spent a month with his men, taking watches, sharing foxholes, and killin' Zerg… like they were just another group of Terrans. Every couple a' hours the Zerg'd attack, and we'd kill 'em all."
"I remember thinking that it was surprising that none of my boys had a problem with working alongside the Protoss, and vice versa, but after a while, I realized that everybody there knew that we had to work together, or the Zerg would wipe us out. We simply didn't have the luxury of arguing with each other."
Artanis turned his head, tilting it on an angle as he regarded his old friend.
"The Dark Templar under Zeratul joined us sometimes, slipping in and out of our defensive lines like ghosts. Sometimes they'd point us at a supply cache that Duke's Alpha Squadron left behind, and we'd sent out a raiding party to restock our ammo and ordinance.
"We didn't have anything better to do, so we talked. Between the constant fighting and lack of anythin' recognizable as night, it was all we did. We ate what we could, slept when we had to, fought when the Zerg showed up, and talked in the mean time.
"Tassadar told me that the Khala was a communal bond, and that by meditating, he and his men were in constant communication, sharing their thoughts and memories. He also said that the reason the Dark Templar were disliked by most Protoss was because they couldn't join the bond, because they'd cut off their nerve tendrils."
"Correct, James Raynor." Artanis acknowledged. "Though removing our nerve tendrils does not fully remove our psionic abilities, it renders a Protoss incapable of communicating through the Khala. To lose that ability is not dissimilar to being mute – it diminishes a Khalai, to be unable to converse with his kin."
"So what does this have to do with you returning to Shakuras?" Raynor questioned. "I know that the Khalai don't get along well with the Dark Templar, but is it really that bad?"
"The Nerazim are but a small portion of the problem, sadly." Artanis revealed, his tone turning sorrowful again. "You see, friend Raynor, the Khala has one disadvantage: it cannot extend over the entirety of the Koprulu Sector.
"The communal bond of the Khala extends across a large area, as far as the edge of Protoss space, but any Khalai beyond that point cannot join the Khala while he meditates. He is beyond the reach of the Khala, and is alone."
"Huh…" Raynor mused, rubbing his chin. "I suppose that makes sense… otherwise Tassadar would'a known that Aldaris had come to arrest him before your fleet had left Aiur."
"Indeed. But that limitation would not be a problem to the Terrans – only to the Protoss."
"What'd you mean by that?"
"When your species developed, you lacked something that Protoss had always possessed: the ability to communicate psionically, and thus the ability to discern the truth.
"Psionics have shaped the Protoss in many ways, friend Raynor, and the largest of those ways concerns how the Khalai bond together. The Protoss have never had a stable government until Khas formed the Khala out of the Aeon of Strife.
"We existed as tribes, feuding amongst each other. Our psionics were weak, and the communal bonds only existed between members of the tribes. Khas used the khaydarin crystals to amplify our psionic abilities, much as I am using your crystal, and soon the communal bond of the Khala spread across the Protoss.
"No longer did we fight our neighbors, for we were our neighbors. It was enlightenment, Raynor, and it saved us from the madness of the Aeon of Strife.
"But the primary source of the Khala was on Aiur, in a giant khaydarin crystal hidden deep under the ground, and with the Fall of Aiur, that crystal is lost to us. Although the Khalai are still capable of the Khala, we are no longer capable of uniting our worlds in its embrace.
"Slowly, my people are splitting, James Raynor. We cannot bond with our neighbors, and the distance between us grows. Tribes have begun to remerge, and I fear that before long, the Khalai shall fight between themselves again."
Raynor let out a low breath, his hand pressing close against his forehead as he closed his eyes.
"You can't communicate with Shakuras… you're past the bond's reach right now, aren't you?" Raynor asked quietly.
"That is correct, friend Raynor."
"If they need you so badly, then why'd you come?" Raynor questioned, looking back at the sitting Protoss next to him. "Why risk your species going mad by leaving – all just for a group of refugees?"
"Because you are James Raynor." Artanis replied, looking directly at him.
His brows furrowed in confusion, Raynor gazed back at the Protoss, not understanding.
"When Aiur burned, our people were scattered. We had barely enough forces to attack the Overmind, but in Aiur's final hours, James Raynor and his men fought alongside us. Without you, friend Raynor, the Protoss would not be alive today."
Raynor didn't respond.
"Though I must return to Shakuras, the Protoss will not abandon you. My second in command, Executor Selendis, will join you in your negotiations, accompanied by her carrier, the Antioch."
"…I appreciate that, Artanis." Raynor answered slowly. "You've always been a good friend to my people. Anything you need, just ask, and we'll help you get it."
"You are generous, James Raynor," Artanis acknowledged. "Let it not be said that the Protoss were unkind to their friends – consider that pledge to be mutual."
Raynor smiled softly as he sluggishly climbed to his feet.
"Looks like our next step is pretty obvious," Raynor remarked, as the looming figure of Artanis stood up next to him, towering above him by at least two feet.
"I wish you well on your journey, friend Raynor," Artanis rumbled, all sign of weakness gone from his resonant voice. "When you meet with the Council of the Citadel, remember that the Protoss will always support you."
Then, Artanis bowed, lowering his head respectfully to the comparatively small Terran.
"Oh, you don't need to do that," Raynor chuckled, as the pair walked towards the bulkhead. "You know I'm not big on formalities."
"Indeed." Artanis boomed. "Let us pray that the Council is similarly informal; I remember well your reaction to those who cloak themselves in formality."
"Admit it, you hated Aldaris just as much as I did." Raynor chided as they left the lab.
"It is possible." Artanis conceded.
Raynor's chuckling laughter echoed down the dull neo-steel corridor as the two friends strode onwards.
Impatiently, and with a soft thump, Jim Raynor lightly punched to the dull red stud embedded in the wall.
Waiting, Raynor watched as the bulkhead split down the middle, the sections smoothly sliding apart as Raynor strode through the opening.
"Ah, sir!" blurted out a fresh-faced man in a labcoat. "You would not believe what I found while inspecting-"
"Now hold on, Stetmann," Raynor replied, holding up a hand to forestall the scientist's inevitable lecture. "I'd love to hear about what you've discovered in a minute, but right now I need to talk with Artanis. Just… give a minute, okay?"
The scientist grimaced, before nodding resignedly.
"Alright, sir. He's still over by the Protoss crystal – hasn't moved since the medics put him there."
"Tell me again, why is that thing still onboard? I thought you said you couldn't learn anything more it."
Vaguely, Raynor also remembered a Zerg specimen that had been in the containment pod next to the Protoss sample. At least Stetmann had had the sense to space that thing before it tried to infest the ship.
"Truthfully, sir, while I might not be able to learn anything from the crystal, that doesn't mean that others can't," Stetmann responded, nodding excitably. "I had to leave the Tyrador labs before I could learn everything, and it's possible that some of the Dominion refugees we brought with us know more than I do – the scientists among them, at least."
Raynor nodded once with a slight smile, as he raised his hand to pause Stetmann.
"Okay, Stetmann, you convinced me." Raynor said.
"Please sir, just let me – wait, you're okay with it?" Stetmann replied, visibly relaxing as he let out a tense breath. "Thanks, Commander. I'll give you some privacy.
Exiting quickly, the young scientist kept muttering under his breath about 'energy matrices', while Raynor gently shook his head, amused.
Stepping forward, Raynor turned his eyes back to the extra-large containment tank that Artanis was sitting before, cross-legged. The Protoss had been almost comatose when the medics finally got to him, and had barely managed to whisper his instructions to take him to the crystal in Lab 01.
Pausing, he looked closely at Artanis, but the Protoss was motionless, and Raynor had no idea if he was back to normal or not.
"Artanis?" Raynor called out softly, sensibly refraining from touching the troubled Protoss. "Are you alright man? C'mon, talk to me buddy."
"Greetings again, friend Raynor," Artanis rumbled, his 'voice' weak. "I am indeed fine – though Nova Terra's actions were unexpected, it appears that they were not dangerous."
"Everythin' I saw in pointed more towards Celda's actions, not Nova's." Raynor replied, confused. "What'd Nova do that messed you up so much?"
"Psionics have been studied by my culture for many millennia, Raynor, and yet I have no understanding of what took place when Celda T'Vanse and Gabriel Tosh melded. I am unsure if the Asari can hide their powers, but it was only after Nova used her own powers that I was incapacitated." Artanis mused.
"Little bit after you were knocked out, we managed to wake Celda up," Raynor informed the Protoss, crossing his arms as he leaned against the empty containment pod. "She didn't seem to know anything about psionics, so you might be right. What's more, she said somethin' about 'merging nervous systems' or something like that – as far as she knew, the process had nothing to do with the mind."
"Each psionic species develops along their own path," Artanis said. "While Terran psionics can read the thoughts of others, they lack the ability to communicate that the Khala gives the Protoss. It is possible that their gift merely developed along a different path."
"Artanis, I'm convinced by this point that the Asari don't have any psionic ability." Raynor remarked calmly. "Both Tosh and Nova agreed: they didn't sense a single shred of power from the Asari. Now, I know that it's hard to accept any alternate possibility, but we've got to think about this whole thing logically. I think Celda's telling the truth."
Slowly, the Protoss traced a slender finger across the face of the containment tank. When Artanis spoke again, it was hesitant, as if concerned.
"Even if she is, friend Raynor, do you want to trust her?"
"We don't have a choice, Artanis. Either we play ball with this 'Council', or we fight another war – and none of my people want that."
"Indeed." Artanis replied, nodding his long head.
"Kuril's come around since I got a chance to talk to 'im, though, and he seemed to think that the best way to prevent a war would be to go straight to the Council, cut out the middleman."
"Can you trust the General, friend Raynor? He attacked your world without hesitation; it would be unwise to think that he has 'turned over a new leaf', as you Terrans say."
"You've got a good point, but either way this works out. The way I see it, either we negotiate a truce and get some reparations, or we take out their leadership in a single stroke. With your carriers fightin' alongside, we'll have the advantage – 'course, that depends if cutting the head off this snake works as well as it did on Mengsk. They might not collapse if their leader gets killed."
"Unfortunately, I cannot assist you with this task, Raynor." Artanis said, his tone slightly sorrowful. "My presence is required back on Shakuras."
Raynor stared at his friend, taken aback.
"If you could get away to help us out, then why can't ya stay to help wrap this whole affair up?" Raynor questioned, puzzled. "The situation on Shakuras isn't that bad, is it?"
"The Protoss are not like the Terrans, friend Raynor. The Khala is the guiding light of our civilization, the bond holding the tribes of Aiur together. Without it, our civilization is failing."
"Whoa, there – what do you mean the Khala is failing?" Raynor demanded, his eyes widening. "And why is this the first time I'm hearin' about it?"
Artanis sighed, his skin vibrating as he did.
"The Khala is intact, but that will not hold. Tell me, Raynor, what do you truly know about the Protoss – about the Khala?"
"Well… I had quite a few talks with Tassadar, back on Char," Raynor murmured, slowly sinking to the floor with his back pressed against the containment tube. "That takes me back… must be seven years now. You remember; your boys found us stuck there, surrounded by Zerg."
"Indeed…" Artanis nodded. "Judicator Aldaris was not pleased by your presence, if I recall correctly."
Raynor chuckled, as he brought out his flask and took a small drink.
"No, he wasn't. What you might not know is that we'd been stuck on that rock for about a month when you showed up. Me 'n my boys had been hiding on Char for a while, and when… Kerrigan woke up, the Hyperion had to leave. Tassadar was in the same boat, and after some tracking, we managed to link up – just as a Zerg wave found his Templars."
The Terrans eyes grew wistful as he gazed up at the ceiling, remembering that hellish planet.
"You should have seen him, Artanis. I'd had enough experience with the Protoss to know that the Templars were fragile, the kind of people who didn't like fightin' up close. But when I first saw him, he was blasting a Hydralisk with this blazing light – burned it to a damn crisp. I told the Raiders not to shoot at the Protoss, 'cause I knew we couldn't hold up against both them and the Zerg.
"After we'd finished off the last of the Zerg, we just stood there, starin' at each other across a field of dead Zerg. I remember seeing Tassadar standing there, just watching us. Then, he walked right over to me without a word, and he just nodded, like there was nothing to say.
"We spent a month with his men, taking watches, sharing foxholes, and killin' Zerg… like they were just another group of Terrans. Every couple a' hours the Zerg'd attack, and we'd kill 'em all."
"I remember thinking that it was surprising that none of my boys had a problem with working alongside the Protoss, and vice versa, but after a while, I realized that everybody there knew that we had to work together, or the Zerg would wipe us out. We simply didn't have the luxury of arguing with each other."
Artanis turned his head, tilting it on an angle as he regarded his old friend.
"The Dark Templar under Zeratul joined us sometimes, slipping in and out of our defensive lines like ghosts. Sometimes they'd point us at a supply cache that Duke's Alpha Squadron left behind, and we'd sent out a raiding party to restock our ammo and ordinance.
"We didn't have anything better to do, so we talked. Between the constant fighting and lack of anythin' recognizable as night, it was all we did. We ate what we could, slept when we had to, fought when the Zerg showed up, and talked in the mean time.
"Tassadar told me that the Khala was a communal bond, and that by meditating, he and his men were in constant communication, sharing their thoughts and memories. He also said that the reason the Dark Templar were disliked by most Protoss was because they couldn't join the bond, because they'd cut off their nerve tendrils."
"Correct, James Raynor." Artanis acknowledged. "Though removing our nerve tendrils does not fully remove our psionic abilities, it renders a Protoss incapable of communicating through the Khala. To lose that ability is not dissimilar to being mute – it diminishes a Khalai, to be unable to converse with his kin."
"So what does this have to do with you returning to Shakuras?" Raynor questioned. "I know that the Khalai don't get along well with the Dark Templar, but is it really that bad?"
"The Nerazim are but a small portion of the problem, sadly." Artanis revealed, his tone turning sorrowful again. "You see, friend Raynor, the Khala has one disadvantage: it cannot extend over the entirety of the Koprulu Sector.
"The communal bond of the Khala extends across a large area, as far as the edge of Protoss space, but any Khalai beyond that point cannot join the Khala while he meditates. He is beyond the reach of the Khala, and is alone."
"Huh…" Raynor mused, rubbing his chin. "I suppose that makes sense… otherwise Tassadar would'a known that Aldaris had come to arrest him before your fleet had left Aiur."
"Indeed. But that limitation would not be a problem to the Terrans – only to the Protoss."
"What'd you mean by that?"
"When your species developed, you lacked something that Protoss had always possessed: the ability to communicate psionically, and thus the ability to discern the truth.
"Psionics have shaped the Protoss in many ways, friend Raynor, and the largest of those ways concerns how the Khalai bond together. The Protoss have never had a stable government until Khas formed the Khala out of the Aeon of Strife.
"We existed as tribes, feuding amongst each other. Our psionics were weak, and the communal bonds only existed between members of the tribes. Khas used the khaydarin crystals to amplify our psionic abilities, much as I am using your crystal, and soon the communal bond of the Khala spread across the Protoss.
"No longer did we fight our neighbors, for we were our neighbors. It was enlightenment, Raynor, and it saved us from the madness of the Aeon of Strife.
"But the primary source of the Khala was on Aiur, in a giant khaydarin crystal hidden deep under the ground, and with the Fall of Aiur, that crystal is lost to us. Although the Khalai are still capable of the Khala, we are no longer capable of uniting our worlds in its embrace.
"Slowly, my people are splitting, James Raynor. We cannot bond with our neighbors, and the distance between us grows. Tribes have begun to remerge, and I fear that before long, the Khalai shall fight between themselves again."
Raynor let out a low breath, his hand pressing close against his forehead as he closed his eyes.
"You can't communicate with Shakuras… you're past the bond's reach right now, aren't you?" Raynor asked quietly.
"That is correct, friend Raynor."
"If they need you so badly, then why'd you come?" Raynor questioned, looking back at the sitting Protoss next to him. "Why risk your species going mad by leaving – all just for a group of refugees?"
"Because you are James Raynor." Artanis replied, looking directly at him.
His brows furrowed in confusion, Raynor gazed back at the Protoss, not understanding.
"When Aiur burned, our people were scattered. We had barely enough forces to attack the Overmind, but in Aiur's final hours, James Raynor and his men fought alongside us. Without you, friend Raynor, the Protoss would not be alive today."
Raynor didn't respond.
"Though I must return to Shakuras, the Protoss will not abandon you. My second in command, Executor Selendis, will join you in your negotiations, accompanied by her carrier, the Antioch."
"…I appreciate that, Artanis." Raynor answered slowly. "You've always been a good friend to my people. Anything you need, just ask, and we'll help you get it."
"You are generous, James Raynor," Artanis acknowledged. "Let it not be said that the Protoss were unkind to their friends – consider that pledge to be mutual."
Raynor smiled softly as he sluggishly climbed to his feet.
"Looks like our next step is pretty obvious," Raynor remarked, as the looming figure of Artanis stood up next to him, towering above him by at least two feet.
"I wish you well on your journey, friend Raynor," Artanis rumbled, all sign of weakness gone from his resonant voice. "When you meet with the Council of the Citadel, remember that the Protoss will always support you."
Then, Artanis bowed, lowering his head respectfully to the comparatively small Terran.
"Oh, you don't need to do that," Raynor chuckled, as the pair walked towards the bulkhead. "You know I'm not big on formalities."
"Indeed." Artanis boomed. "Let us pray that the Council is similarly informal; I remember well your reaction to those who cloak themselves in formality."
"Admit it, you hated Aldaris just as much as I did." Raynor chided as they left the lab.
"It is possible." Artanis conceded.
Raynor's chuckling laughter echoed down the dull neo-steel corridor as the two friends strode onwards.
SneakyWalrus
Is the Water Free?
I did.harouki said:
Anyway, question Xeno.
Did the Protoss know about the planned attack on Char and the plan to use the Xel'Naga artifact to deinfest Kerrigan?
And if they did know, why didn't they plan to strike at Aiur when it occurred, as Kerrigan must have called back her broods/been too occupied defending herself to stop them from assaulting Aiur and reclaiming the crystal?
Thats cause he's drunk. Whats that? He's not drunk? Bah details, details.Carrnage said:
She did. They arrived too late.SneakyWalrus said:
Well, I believe that what has been hinted for the Protoss expansion.Sidewaysvision said:
SneakyWalrus
Is the Water Free?
Then why didn't the Protoss try and reclaim the crystal on Aiur when it happened? The entirety of the Zerg would have been thrown into disarray following her de-infestation. Why not attack and try and reclaim the crystals required for the Empire to sustain itself?HolySeraph said:
I dunno.SneakyWalrus said:
The Protoss expansion isn't out yet. Maybe the Zerg broke it. Or maybe its a mission objective of the expansion.
Pretty much, so the Protoss will have to take Aiur back, but they don't have the strength to cleanse the world entirely.Questiondeca said:
- Location
- Ekaterinburg, Russia
Problem is NOT that Aiur is not under Protoss control. Problem is that even WITH Aiur under Protoss control, even when Aiur's Khaydarin Motherlode shines again with the light of Khala... It is STILL not enough to encompass the entirety of Protoss.
I find it interesting to note, that Protoss are limited in their existence - in the very same way their technology is. They use Khaydarin crystals with some machinery as their Pylons, as fluff says. And their civilization is limited outside of the range of the Pylons. And, unless they manage to fabricate another crystal of same magnitude, they will always be limited territorrially. For all their technological advantage, Protoss... are doomed to either stagnation, or strife of separation. Biological tribalism and consequent distrust of outside elements will make a lot of universal development stunted. However without said universal development and racial efforts, it's unlikely they will be able to overcome this biological tribalism.
On a side note, now having some weird ideas about somehow harnessing Archons to serve as Khala relays if they are stabilizable. The union itself was enormously powerful, with the unfortunate low stability and degradation of self. If stability issues are solvable, perhaps the links to Greater Khala can be established as a distributed node network.
I find it interesting to note, that Protoss are limited in their existence - in the very same way their technology is. They use Khaydarin crystals with some machinery as their Pylons, as fluff says. And their civilization is limited outside of the range of the Pylons. And, unless they manage to fabricate another crystal of same magnitude, they will always be limited territorrially. For all their technological advantage, Protoss... are doomed to either stagnation, or strife of separation. Biological tribalism and consequent distrust of outside elements will make a lot of universal development stunted. However without said universal development and racial efforts, it's unlikely they will be able to overcome this biological tribalism.
On a side note, now having some weird ideas about somehow harnessing Archons to serve as Khala relays if they are stabilizable. The union itself was enormously powerful, with the unfortunate low stability and degradation of self. If stability issues are solvable, perhaps the links to Greater Khala can be established as a distributed node network.
...Faraway-R said:
Am I the one that need to be the one to say it?
Ok, fine.
YOU MUST CONSTRUCT ADDITIONAL PYLONS!
Xeno Major
Sensei Rower
Here's something to help you guys out a little with the visualization of the crystals:
That's Artanis, and all the blue things are khaydarin crystals.
I am disappointed that nobody found my message.
That's Artanis, and all the blue things are khaydarin crystals.
Good idea, but it's too little, too late.Hiver said:
I am disappointed that nobody found my message.
jwolfe_beta
Semi Genre-Savvy Overlord
- Location
- Canada
About the khaydarin crystals. Are they a purely finite resource or is it possible to 'grow' more? Their wiki description states that they are artifacts left behind by the xel'naga so they may be artificial in origin.
It's known that psionically active crystals can be 'constructed' or 'grown' in some manner, that's how Stetmann's sample grows from a fragment into something roughly human sized. It's also made clear that in Terran Ingenuity atleast that such crystals can form a network between individuals and most likely between themselves.
So, what if instead of requiring some large 'hub' crystal like there was on Aiur and the Overmind is now most likely squatting/rotting on, the Protoss managed to create a more decentralised psionic network that supports the Khala? It's worth offering as a potential resolution to their current problems, even if it won't have quite as strongly a unifying effect as a humongous central hub Khaydarin crystal had.
So, what if instead of requiring some large 'hub' crystal like there was on Aiur and the Overmind is now most likely squatting/rotting on, the Protoss managed to create a more decentralised psionic network that supports the Khala? It's worth offering as a potential resolution to their current problems, even if it won't have quite as strongly a unifying effect as a humongous central hub Khaydarin crystal had.
Khaydarin isn't poisonous and there is no evidence it can grow on or convert biological structures into more of itself. It's also not prone to causing massive climate shifts or powerful storms by itself. Infact, without some degree of psionic input it's just a pretty rock, entirely unlike the active malevolance of tiberium.
DragoLord19D
I ate a TARDIS but I'm still hungry!
- Location
- Ma Treasure Hoard (I ain't tellin' where it's at!)
Yeah, you might summon the Scrin!namar13766 said:
You talk like the scrin would be a threat...DragoLord19D said: