StarCraft

When they rush aboard Saffron, Narud immediately demands of Lilly that they take off. “Can’t. Imogen’s not back yet,” Lilly says, taking in the empty control room. “Why? Who’s Imogen? What, is she the pilot?” “I’m the pilot,” Lilly tells the scientist. “If you can fly, then let’s go! The zerg are coming!” Lilly’s voice … Read more

With all the other pieces in place, Imogen monitors Saffron’s sensors for the arrival of Neiman’s dropship. As she waits, she nervously replaits her braid. Finally, the cloaked vessel appears, fully visible to the science vessel’s advanced sensors, if not its optics. Imogen pays close attention to the readings when Neiman opens his ship and … Read more

Lilly has no problem navigating the underwater tunnels with the SCV suit, thanks to all the detail from Saffron’s sensor readings. The water is pretty murky, so she is quite glad to have advanced knowledge of where she is going. Once she reaches the cavern below the key room, she lets the air-filled SCV suit’s … Read more

Neiman sets his dropship down on the small island on Stryko II, guided by Narud’s expert advice on Xel’naga artifacts. When they disembark, he leaves it cloaked, as always; there is no reason to take unnecessary risks. For a similar reason, he has goggles on and his C-10 canister rifle ready, just in case any … Read more

“Narud’s gonna die in there,” Lilly says with a shake of her head as Imogen treats her injuries back on Saffron. If she, healthy as she is, could not safely make the dash through the laser room, no way is some old guy starved from years in a crappy prison. Imogen shrugs. “All we can … Read more

Lilly sees Imogen pick up a key from the middle of the stone altar. She must have a plan, Lilly thinks. She slings the detector and brings her own gun back up to bear, ready to point it at whatever door Imogen wants open. To her surprise, Imogen tells her to pick up the first … Read more

After a short hallway, the temple opens into a small room, also oval in shape. The long wall opposite the entrance contains seven doors, and in the center of the chamber, a raised stone platform—an altar, maybe—holds seven keys. Lilly walks right up to it and picks up the first key, intending to try it … Read more

Lilly and Imogen trek through the thicker vegetation on the leeward side of the island, looking for the Xel’naga ruins. They pass the occasional giant, but collapsed, column. While she operates the detector now mounted in her stun rifle’s body, Imogen reviews with Lilly their goals here. They need to get past traps and possibly … Read more

Lilly is only too happy to go fly. That is much less stressful than talking with people. She takes Saffron on a quick circle of the planet, looking for suitable islands at the same latitude as the original one and with similar plant life. She feels bad that these people are losing their home to … Read more

The terran settlement is a very small scale operation. A lot of work here is done by hand, and the farmer that Imogen and Lilly target is actively hoeing a small plot. No one they have observed has weapons, so they leave their own holstered and out of the way. Imogen takes a deep breath … Read more

As Saffron approaches the second planet from the star of the Stryko system, Lilly fires up the sensor suite. The world beneath them is mostly water, with islands scattered about. There are no landmasses large enough to call continents. On the dark side of the planet, no lights are visible, which is encouraging. Imogen hooks … Read more