Two miniaturized particle disruptors replaced Delta’s two arms. She had no intention of fighting her way out, but she needed to show some strength and determination.

“I am not here for a fight, templar.” She warned before returning to Artanis. She was well aware Selendis wasn’t the reasonable type, and if she wanted to get out of this room in one piece, she should appeal to the hierarch instead of the executor.

“Selendis!” Artanis warned. He has barely woken up from Delta’s warning. The idea of the sacred Khala, the very foundation for the protoss society for millions of years, to be corrupted shocked him beyond the explanation of words. A part of him wanted to allow Selendis and the zealots to dissect Delta and just forget about this, but it was his responsibility as the hierarch of the Daelaam to consider all the possibilities and figure out what was best for his people.

Selendis and the zealots stepped back, but the look on their face still told Delta if she made one wrong move, they wouldn’t hesitate to cut her apart.

“What is your proof?” The hierarch pushed.

Delta held her right arm out and tapped a key, and a hologram projection popped up. Inside the hologram, a Tal’darim ascendant was confessing.

“The dark god promised us the Daelaam protoss will be on our side in the oncoming war.”

“The Daelaam aren’t allies of the Tal’darim, nor do they serve your god.” Inside the video, a mechanical Purifier demanded.

“Amon said he has control over the Khala psionic network of the Aiur protoss. At a single command from him, all the Khala protoss will become his puppets.” The first Khala referred to the network while the second referred to the Aiur protoss faction.

Artanis frowned at the image. He didn't believe for a second that a Tal’darim and a Purifier would work together to put up an act, which meant this video was likely true, but...it was just too hard to believe.

The Khala had a special position in the heart of the Khala protoss. Countless years ago, the Khala ended the bloody protoss civil war and pushed the protoss civilization to a new height. Under the light of the Khala, the protoss reached its Golden Age. Even though the glory of the Protoss Empire no longer shines, the Khala kept the protoss together during this struggling age. Without the Khala, most of the protoss believed they would fall apart. That was why they were so determined to persecute the Nerazim protoss who refused the Khala.

Selendis shared this view.

“The Tal’darim are murderers with no code of honor, and the Purifiers are hostile machines. Both factions have claimed countless protoss lives. They cannot be trusted!”

“I have placed the evidence right under your eyes. Only the arrogant can’t see it.” Delta’s eyes were still trained on Artanis. “You must severe your nerve cords!”

A wave of groans of anger came from the zealots.

Artanis sighed. “Your warning is heard, noble templar, yet we need more time. But I assure you, I will take actions.”

Sometimes it was more than a matter of doing the right thing. Even if Artanis believed the Purifier was telling the truth and the Khala was indeed hacked, he couldn’t just order everyone to cut off their nerve cords. The resentment from the common people would be too great, and without an obvious danger or overwhelming evidence, if Artanis tried to carry out that order with force, he might even be replaced. The Daelaam protoss might be united, but disagreement still exists.

Delta nodded. She has said and done all she could. She turned around and walked out of the chamber. The lines of zealots glanced at her angrily, but there was nothing they could do but let her pass.

Meanwhile, Jean found herself back on Umoja in no time. Moving from the mothership to a Warden ship took a while, but it was quite convenient nonetheless. The zerg nature in her body meant she could act with little need to rest. As soon as she got back, she started working.

The factories were producing like crazy. To Jean’s satisfaction, another three hundred F-1 fighters were produced, and that count was constantly growing.

Even more to her satisfaction, the Umojan scientists have successfully modified new types of Warden striders. Types. Plural. Unlike with the F-1 fighters, the Umojan scientists found it necessary to come up with multiple versions of striders to fit the battlefield. This made the development process longer than that of the fighters.

As always, Jean took the easy way and named the striders the S-series.

S-1 striders were slightly smaller than SCVs at around 3 meters. Armed with twin autocannons, enough rounds for a small battle, and cheap mechanical legs, these S-1 striders were basically effective cannon fodders. It took a couple hours to put together an S-1 strider, and the amount of resource needed was relatively insignificant. All of these made the S-1 striders expendable. They were like marines, except their programming allowed them to do the maximum damage output before destruction. They were powered by cheaper reactors which allowed the reactors to self destruct when the AI controlling the striders decided they could help the situation with a loud bang.

Compared to Warden marines, which required Jean to find normal marine armors and make modification, the S-1 striders were much easier to produce. The marine armors were also designed to put on human beings, and their designs weren’t ideal for machines. Sure, Jean could make modifications, but what’s the point?

Jean planned on gradually replacing the Warden marines with these S-1 striders.

S-2 striders were more advanced and more expensive. They were the size of stalkers, which were around 4 meters high. They were equipped with thicker armor in the front, a pair of missiles on the side, and a pair of large caliber anti-armor guns in the front. Some of the missiles were designed to explode into a thousand shrapnels while others were made to penetrate armor. The guns could take care of armored targets, but they could reduce zerglings into pieces of flesh and bone as well.

S-2 striders were given AIs that were much smarter than those of S-1s. While S-1 AIs simply identified and located hostile targets and opened fire, S-2 AIs were capable of identifying the type of enemies they were facing and develop countermeasures. For example, if they were facing zerglings, they would use shrapnel missile rounds to do most of the damage and use their guns to pick of individual zerglings. If they were facing ultralisks, they would focus on the beasts’ legs. Aim for the head and they might miss the brain, but take out the legs, and maimed ultralisks were basically meat shields.

If S-1s were the marines, with their power in the numbers, the S-2s would be the marauders and goliaths. Their guns composed of a large portion of the damage output on the battlefield.

S-3 striders were more like walking fortresses than striders, but Jean called them striders anyways. Over 20 meters tall, they were even larger than thors. Normally, on the battlefield, something this large were only targets where the enemies could focus their firepower on. To keep the S-3 striders longer, Umojan engineers installed plating used on battlecruisers on all sides of these striders. Casual zealot blades or marauder grenades were useless against them, nevermind marine rifles and zergling claws.

The size of the S-3s allowed the engineers to pile on as much firepower as possible. The exact armaments could be adjusted based on the exact situation, but the available choices include crucio shock cannons, usually placed on siege tanks, 250mm cannons, punisher cannons, and javelin missile launchers. All three were formerly placed on thors, and now they made up the S-3s’ major damage output. Adding to the mix were flamethrowers capable of melting through armor and flesh alike. If the S-3s were surrounded by a swarm of hydralisks or zerglings, they could easily get out of the mess by setting everything around them on fire.

These three types of striders were already mass produced. Jean planned on replacing all the Warden marines and marauders and reapers with these striders. The striders were superior, and a uniform set of units was better for the supply line.

The age for modified Warden units has passed. With her own industrial and engineering system, Jean has reached a point where she could create her own types of units rather than just duplicate those of other factions.

Setting aside the report from the newly created Umojan Science Corps and ordering the factories to cut all Warden modifications and focus on the striders, Jean heard a knock on the door.

“Come in.”

“Sir,” An Umojan officer walked in and saluted. “Prince Valerian is here to see you.”

“Show him in.”

“Yes sir.”

Former Dominion Crown Prince Valerian Mengsk walked in. Ever since the battle of Char, Valerian has been taken under Jean’s wings. After the death of Raynor, Valerian has been gaining forces. He has wisely moved some of his wealth to a secret source that survived after Arcturus Mengsk decided to wipe the table. This move made sure Valerian had the money to hire mercenaries and build up a fleet. A few days ago, Valerian even made contact with Mira’s Marauders and convinced its leader to stand by him against the Dominion.

Mira Han wasn’t too happy with losing Matt Horner to the Dominion raid, and a strong woman like her was willing to use force to get her vengeance.

“Prince Valerian.” Jean stood up and smiled warmly. Valerian Mengsk was a key piece in her plan to unite the sector behind her. He was crucial to taking over the Dominion. Defeating the Dominion wasn’t easy. Turning the Dominion to her side was even harder. She needed to play nice for now.

“Commander Cassidy.” Valerian returned the politeness with equal gratitude. On one hand, he was grateful toward Jean for harboring him. On the other hand, with Raynor gone, he needed a fleet to take back the Dominion, and from his experience with the Umojans, he could tell Jean had quite the influence here. He didn't know if she was just trusted by the Umojan Ruling Council or what, and he had no intention to find out.

Both needed each other, which was why the interaction was the very example of politeness.

The two exchanged a few words before getting to the real topic of the day.

“My people inside the Dominion has been contacting me. My father’s dictatorship and his refusal to act against the Swarm has turned many of his former followers to my side. Already, three admirals and four governors have contacted me. They will turn to my side when I return.”

Although the Dominion military frequently gets a bad rap, the fact is a large portion of the fleet and the commanding structure is still covered by competent people who only wanted the best for humanity. Before, they found no way to resist their emperor and had no choice but to comply, but now, given a new leader who was much wiser and suitable, they were willing to switch their allegiance.

But a few turncoats weren’t enough to change the war. That was why Valerian was here. “I need the Umojan fleet to back me up against my father’s loyal supporters.”

Jean sighed. “Your father has committed a lot of crimes, but the Dominion Fleet is still one of the strongest armadas in the sector. According to our intel, it outnumbers the Umojan Fleet by over four to one. Even if we can somehow breach the fleet, your father has made Korhal into an impenetrable stronghold. Taking the planet will require resources we don’t have.”

“We need allies.”

Valerian started thinking. “My father has a lot of enemies, but most of them are too weak to help us.”

“Most of them.” Jean emphasized on that part. “Not all.”

Valerian rose his eyebrows.

“What do you know about the Queen of Blades?”

Valerian Mengsk immediately understood. He has done his homework before he went to Raynor, and he was well aware of the relationship between Arcturus Mengsk, Sarah Kerrigan, and James Raynor. Even before Raynor’s death, Kerrigan wanted Mengsk’s head. Now…

“I have made contact with Kerrigan. She made it out of the Hyperion and has returned to zerg space to build up her forces against your father. She can be a powerful ally. With the Swarm on our back, our chances with the Dominion is much greater.”

Jean forgot to mention the part that she encouraged Kerrigan to go back to the zerg. Why?

“But the Swarm,” Valerian was hesitant. Meddling with the zerg wasn’t something any leader wanted to be associated with. He was willing to throw his own reputation into the mud for the greater good, but if the Swarm launched war on a terran world as populated as Korhal...people are going to die. Lots of people.

Jean thought about that. She knew what type of person Valerian Mengsk was. If it was his father, she would simply state the lives of the common people didn't matter, but with the prince, she tried a different approach.

“Kerrigan has changed. According to my intel, on planets with civilian populations, she terminated the local Dominion forces but let those civilians go. She also accepted surrenders. Her underlings didn't harm a single prisoner or civilian.”

This was true. If Jean wanted to incorporate the Swarm into her alliance, she would need to make sure the Umojans and the Dominion soldiers wouldn’t shoot the zerg before the battle against Amon even begins. She strictly told Kerrigan to make her forces follow a rather noble code of behavior. After she listed out the benefits to the Queen of Blades, the latter obeyed. A bit inconvenience was nothing compared to the support of Jean and other terran factions against Mengsk.

Valerian nodded.

“However, there is a problem.” Jean continued. “After the battle of Char, General Warfield was tasked with exterminating the rest of the Swarm. Apparently, Emperor Mengsk no longer needed the threat of the Swarm to justify his totalitarian rule. Warfield located Kerrigan and continued to pursue her after she returned. Warfield has half the Dominion Fleet and Kerrigan’s forces were scattered. We need to deal with Warfield if we hope to bring the Swarm into the fold.”

“We are not killing General Warfield. He is a good soldier and a noble person.”

“Indeed.” Even if Jean could take down Warfield and his fleet with minimal losses, the action itself was costly. If Valerian took the throne, then the entire Dominion Fleet would be part of Jean’s armada. Destroying the Dominion ships right now would be like destroying her own ships in the future. “We need to talk to him. Actually, let me rephrase this. You need to talk to him. If you can’t turn him to our side, convince him to stay neutral and let Kerrigan pass.”

Valerian nodded.