Char.

This was a planet filled with lava and clouds of ash. The toxic in the air could poison any terran that decided to stick their head out for too long. If someone was unlucky enough to fall into the burning lava, well, that would be quite tragic.

And yet this planet was almost perfect for the swarm. The hazard environment was of no concern at all to the adaptive zerg. Upon taking power Kerrigan forged Char into a fortress. Spore cannons, not the smaller version that had trouble dealing with light fighters but instead large ones that could hit enemies in orbit, were posted across the planet. Creep covered ninety nine percent of the ground. Countless high speed zerglings ran across the creep, patrolling. Their enhanced muscles and the creep below made them faster than any terran vehicle. Any enemy that tried to land would be ripped to pieces. If the zerglings couldn’t deal with the intruders, the countless higher tier zerg units underground could make any enemy regret their decision and curse the scouts. And if they couldn’t hold the nydus worms could transport an army to anywhere they were needed.

In high orbit fleets of corruptors and leviathans rested. Overlords carried minerals and vespene gas onto these capital ships to feed them the energy they needed.

Again, this place was a fortress. There was a reason why Kerrigan came back here after losing half her fleet to the Golden Armada. Even if the Golden Armada chased her, which she doubted would be the case, she could hold for a while.

But this fortress would be challenged.

And no, I am not talking about the modified wraith that is charging toward the planet.

The queen in charge of the zerg fleet in the air acted quickly. Whether or not a single fighter could do any damage was one thing. Whether or not the fighter could get pass a fleet of zerg and get onto the zerg capital planet was another. Her queen wouldn’t be pleased if she allowed something as insignificant as a fighter to disturb her rest.

A horde of mutalisks leaped off the leviathan and flew toward the wraith. The queen didn’t find it necessary to send an entire army after a single fighter.

Jean carefully maintained her course. The mutalisks were slightly faster than normal wraith, but her wraith was modified for increased speed. The mutalisks had to trail behind Jean. Their glave worms weren’t in range of their foe.

As Jean got closer and closer to Char, the queen was worried. More mutalisks were sent out, but they were too late.

Still, being targeted by the zerg was pretty annoying. Jean closed her eyes and sent out a psionic emission. She knew Kerrigan would sense it.

She did.

The mutalisks behind Jean turned and returned to the leviathan. The spore cannons on the ground that took aim turned back.

Jean felt a giant ball of psi energy in a part of the planet. This could only mean one thing. She moved toward that direction and parked her fighter on an open ground before the giant hatchery. Stepping out of the ship and feeling the soft creep under her feet, she met the one she came here for.

“Ahhh. Jean.” Kerrigan didn’t know what to think of Jean. Jean was a threat and she resisted Kerrigan, but only when Kerrigan wanted to kill her. Jean was a loose cannon, but her usefulness in combat almost exceeded her danger. The last time she gave out ideas the swarm almost defeated the Golden Armada.

“Your majesty.” Jean bowed. “I suppose a hug is too much to ask for.” She joked, but Kerrigan wasn’t in the mood.

“Give me one reason why my pets shouldn’t feed on your essence right now?” Kerrigan scanned Jean from top to bottom. Zerglings and hydralisks converged beside the two infested female. Their formidable armor and sharp claws, both of the best essence in the swarm, showed their strength.

“I can give you something better than reasons. I can give you facts.” Jean wasn’t intimitated. “And here are a few facts: Amon has the Golden Armada. He wants to destroy the sector. The swarm is powerful. You are the only thing stopping Amon from controlling the swarm. Do I need to go on?”

“So Amon is coming for me.” Kerrigan wasn’t frightened. “Have you looked around you? I am in the heart of the swarm. The entire Golden Armada can sacrifice all their ships and not be able to break through the defenses. Broodmothers scattered all over the sector will come to my aid with a moment’s notice. I am safe from the Golden Armada.”

“Just the Golden Armada, perhaps you are. But how about the hybrids?” Jean took out a video recorder device and played a video of the clash between her Warden forces and the one hybrid in the Dominion lab. The hybrid withstood massive amounts of punishment before going down, and that was just a hybrid reaver, the lowest and cheapest hybrid.

Kerrigan’s eyebrows tightened as the hybrid reaver ravaged through the Warden units. Its physical strength, armor, and hit point was impressive. A single hybrid reaver could take out a small zerg army.

“And that’s just the weakest hybrid. As far as I know there are hybrid behemoths that can take several Yamato shots and then still fight after absorbing DNA from fallen foes to regenerate. There are hybrid dominators whose psi strength surpasses most of the protoss. Imagine a high templar and the multiply everything about him by ten. Hybrid weavers can take down any air units. Never seen it in combat before but don’t underestimate it. In fact, I doubt even you can take down a single hybrid reaver all by yourself with ease. How long can your swarm hold on against an army of queen of blades and the Golden Armada at the same time? ” Jean added gasolin to the fire.

“You will be amazed by the strength of the swarm.” Kerrigan protested, but inside she was getting worried. If what Jean said was true…”Plus, even if you’re telling the truth, how can you help?”

“With all due respect, your majesty, your tactics aren’t exactly the best. You are more of a fighter than a commander.” Jean suggested. Kerrigan was an a-mover while Jean could actually micro. “But I can supplement that, as long as you trust me.” She was referring to the time Kerrigan tried to kill her.

Kerrigan thought about this for a while. Zerg units all around quieted down their growls as their leader made decisions that could potentially decide the fate of the sector. “What do you need?”

“Complete psionic control of the swarm.”

“Impossible.” Kerrigan denied without a second thought.

“We both know if I do something stupid you can override my psi link instantly.” Jean reasoned. It was true. Even mutated Jean’s psi level was lower than that of Kerrigan.

The last time Jean was about to control a single mutalisk because Kerrigan wasn’t paying attention. It took a tiny, almost insignificant, amount of psi energy to control a single unit, but control millions of units took practice and strength, both of which Jean didn’t possess.

“Fine, but if I find out you’re doing something you shouldn’t be doing, I will end you.” Kerrigan threw out a threat before turning around and walking into her cave.

Jean shrugged and followed.