Nova had not woken up as I’d hoped for. It was described as an unconscious movement that some coma patients had been known to make. Green had expressed the concept as a positive thing. I took it in stride, though I was disappointed and depressed over the matter. I rubbed my eyes a bit and decided it was time to take a break from the paperwork I had to do.

It had been two days since the incident where I thought Nova was waking up. The days had gone by slow and without any significant problems. I’d taken the time to select the Units I would take into the mission tomorrow when I declined the Campaign reprieve of a month. I’d been making inquiries with both the annoying System and the Adjutant about the next task. “Revolution,’ was the name and I knew it was when Kerrigan made her appearance. I didn’t remember the entirety of the mission from the game, just that it showed the red-headed heroine that later became the single greatest threat to the universe for a time.

I was also informed by the Adjutant that I would be allowed to bring in air units now. It was limited to five, and I would need to make a selection based on what I could remember and the known achievements and hidden achievements I had unlocked.

Revolution

Main Objectives

Ensure Kerrigan Survives. Ensure Antigan Rebels lose no more than twenty units. Destroy Confederate forces stationed on Antigan.

Bonus Objectives

Personally ensure fifty Confederate Marines die. Infiltrate Confederate forces and stage a coup. Unknown Unknown

The unknowns were a bit odd, the prices for them to be ‘unlocked’ were exuberant. For the most part, the mission was pretty straightforward though. I had also learned that I could bring a Battlecruiser into a mission, but it would take twenty ground Unit slots and five air Unit slots. I could still make use of that idea, bringing the Chimera’s Rage into the Campaign but something inside of me felt it wouldn’t be a good idea. So far the System had scaled the difficulty based on my actual difficulty settings and how easily, or quickly, I completed specific objectives. I was worried that beating that mission with what amounted to a Nuclear Missile would fuck me over royally.

I’d stick to the Wraiths the Orion could make. I’d had Swann outfit three of them to run off of a portable battery of sorts that would allow them to fight without the Orion for about a day or two before it shorted out.

The men I would be taking were Granit and ten of his Marauders, about fifteen of my Leonine Cherubs, and the rest would be my Ursine Guard. I left the basic Marines with Fernando to continue their training and ensure that everything was protected. I was also bringing two Ghosts with me. Stone and one of the others named Axel. Pierce would stay behind and ensure that our ‘guest’, Natalie, as well as Nova, were under constant surveillance and protection respectively.

Andy was among the Cherubs joining us. Green was ordered, under threat of never being allowed to see Leo again, to remain behind and ensure Nova’s health.

That still left me with a headache though. The Pirates, I had been putting it off for a while now, and I did not doubt that eventually Hiko would lose his patience and attempt to remove that bomb I put on his sisters neck. The easiest solution was to just let them go, but I had a better idea. Something I had wanted to do in the actual game but could never be done.

This led to Fernando, myself, and Trenton being in the Command Centers conference room while we had multiple Marines escorting our two Pirates toward us. When they actually arrived Hiko had his regular smirk on. The kind of smirk you just wanted to punch. Hika looked more subdued though, she was always a paranoid creature based on all available intel we had where as the brother was confident, to an annoying degree, and singularly powerful.

“Mmm, such a sumptuous buffet, just for us? You really shouldn't have Boy-toy.” I fought the urge to get up and drop kick him, though it was hard.

“Please sit, it’s time for us to discuss your future.” Hika looked at me, her eyes darting around the room while a nervous tick had her shoulder jumping a bit. Hiko laid a single hand on his sisters shoulder and she calmed a bit while he smiled, whispering in a not-so-whispering tone to her. “Hush Sweetie, he won’t kill us. He wants us for something.”

“Your brother is correct, Hika, for now at least. Please, sit so we can begin.” They took a seat and I resisted the urge to yell at the little woman who was fidgeting with her hands constantly. Her brother was indeed a calming influence though and a light touch had her relax.

“Will you toy with us, Boy-toy, or get right to it?” Do. Not. Punch. The asset. Repeating that a few times while I took deep breaths and counted to ten in my head I got down to business.

“Right into it, Hiko. You both have unique connections and skills that I would rather have working for me, as opposed to against me. I know what you want, Hiko, freedom for you and your sister. I can only assume your sister wants security and to no longer be afraid. Correct me if I am wrong.” I paused, allowing them to correct me. Hiko just smirked while lazily crossing one leg over the other under the table and Hika gripped the hand he had on her leg.

“I will take the silence as your agreement to my statements. What I want is for you both to work for me. Entirely, I want your loyalty, and your trust. The issue with this is I trust you both about as far as I can throw you and I doubt either of you know of loyalty beyond your next check, or reward based upon the profession. For this to work, you would both need to maintain an explosive collar controlled by myself and Fernando who would be under orders to use it ONLY when it has been discovered you are actively working against us. They would be far more discreet than the current collar on Hika. In return for that, you would both be granted freedom to do as you wish within my requested parameters. Showing me that you do indeed work for me would result in the collars being removed. Before I continue, I need to know if you would accept that stipulation.”

This was the clincher, honestly. Hika might accept because she was a terrified little lamb, which i found odd because she led fucking pirates. I could only assume her brother played a big part in that. Hiko was the one that would cause an issue. I’d already made up my mind to kill them both if they didn’t agree. They were liabilities and I knew damn well my original deal with General Vex was no longer valid which made them a waste of resources as well.

“Say we agree, hypothetically, to your deal. What’s to keep you both from deciding we are useless and end us regardless?” Of course, he had to ask that question.

“My word is the best you’ll get. The same for Fernando.” I couldn’t give this sick little fuck an inch to negotiate with. If I did he’d take a fucking mile.

He hmmm’d a bit while tilting his head to the side. “I want something, a physical investment for my sister and I. Something you’d regret giving us and calm my terrified little heart. I want you to give us both what you gave your little comatose Ghost, and to grant us men from your own forces that will be placed near us, at all times.”

I could feel my eye start twitching. The little fucker knew he’d be killed if they didn’t agree now. He wasn’t a moron. He would accept regardless but he wanted to ensure I wouldn’t break my word. I clenched my teeth at the request. It was possible, fuck it was doable without any real cost thanks to that Follower Store, but I didn’t want to make either of them stronger than they were or waste that level of resource on them. The men would be fine.

“I’ll give you the men, twenty each, the item in question only after you both have proven yourselves to me.”

Hiko was smiling like a cheshire cat now. “I can live with that. I know how much you care for your soldiers. I want it in writing about the items in question though. Just to be safe.”

I got the paperwork in order and gained two new ‘Hero’ units, if you could even fucking call them that.

Hiko Morimoto

Assassin

Grade: Legendary Anti-Hero

Kill Count: Unknown

Level: 30 (cannot increase level until Command Level increases.)

Attack: 200

Defense: 50

Loyalty: -10

Interest: 35

Skills - Morph +5, Assassinate +5, Stealth +5, Hacking +5, Info Gathering +5

Hika Morimoto

Pirate Leader

Grade: Epic Anti-Hero

Kill Count: Unknown

Level: 5

Attack: 15

Defense: 15

Loyalty: -5

Interest: -15

Skills - Management +2, Raiding +2, Pilote +2.

Hika was a lack luster individual, though the whole ‘Anti-Hero’ tag was interesting. Hiko on the other hand was a fucking Monster. The man was beyond abnormal. A perfect Assassin and someone I was beginning to feel would give Fernando a run for his money in a straight up fight. Both of their loyalty stat was low, not surprising. I’d increase it over time.

“Good, moving on to what I want. I want you both to gather all of the Pirate Clans in the sector under your banner. Each and every single one of them. I don’t give a fuck how you do it, just get them. You will be running raids on Confederate supply lines under your banner, while funneling resources to Bastion and Mar’Sara. You may inform no one you work for me. The men I grant you will be under the same orders. You will be Pirates, nothing more, nothing less. At least you will be until the truce runs out, or they break it. After that, your entire fleet will come under my control. I will grant you a Battlecruiser and the men I give you will be skilled in piloting the ship on a skeleton crew.”

Hiko was laughing now, actually laughing, while Hika had wide eyes. I saw her Loyalty tick up by one, didn’t care. Hiko had his loyalty tick up by two. Apparently keeping my word and going a bit beyond that was enough. They were both fit for their new collars and Hika was led toward the ship. Hiko lagged behind and looked at me for a moment. In that moment I saw something beyond the flirtatious little fuck he showed the world and glimpsed eyes as cold as any barren desert. They held nothing, were nothing. It was gone a moment later and he said some random quip before fluncing away toward his sister. I was very glad he had a ‘boom’ collar on now.

“That man is dangerous, Sir. The collars should keep him in check, but I will ensure a few of the men placed with them are able to handle matters if needed.”

“Good, Fernando. Remember, we need them for now. If they prove themselves, they could become valuable beyond imagining.”

He paused a moment but nodded. “I agree that bringing the pirates in the sector under your flag through them is something we can use. They would be sacrificial troops in the war with the Confederacy, or the Zerg, but in the end, they are Pirates. They cannot be trusted.”

“Oh, I know. It’s why the ship will explode if a certain code is entered by any of the men I am sending. The explosion is one of Swanns ‘babies’ that we have heard coming from his shop the last few days. I hope it isn’t needed, but I am taking precautions.”

We both went our separate ways there and I headed toward my quarters. I wanted to go over the Follower Store and see about purchases I could make now that would help me on the missions to come. I knew what I wanted, an instant heal that would wake Nova up, but that was a frightening purchase that took roughly two thousand followers or billions of resources. I was capable of neither at this time. With luck, she would wake on her own without the need, but it was always in the back of my mind.

For now, it was time to open the Follower Store.