My campaign on earth colonies was detected roughly after the third colonies went dark. For now, they believed that it was a nasty pirate fleet that deals in slaves and wanton destruction. I had to keep scout out in order to locate them, I only knew of it because a politician back on earth was boasting about this ¨Brilliant tactical maneuvers¨ that he himself was the sole solution for this problem and should be elected in the next election. The genius was broadcasting the location of the fleet twice a day, read the sarcasm.

But the officers, she was a surprise Alexis Stukov wife. I never expected that he had a wife, nor she was in the military. Sasha Stukov she was in her late 40, blonde hair in a military cut, greens eyes that whenever she was caught by that politician camera crew, would show clearly the disgust she had for the man.

But I wonder if she knew her husband fate in the koprulu sectors. Or should I bring her to him, infested or not. For her, I would make sure she had a proper, infestation, not the quick one that makes zombies-like infested. The other slow and with purpose one, who knows maybe I will get the pair as commander. And besides any in my swarm were indirectly influenced by the geas, Even those who swore to protect earth would find a reason to burn it soon afterward.

Should I lead them to a mary chasse across star or plan an ambush where no one could possibly help them. Maybe a mix of the two.

Back on earth with the Illuminati progress was slow and a lot of setbacks happened. First, my target aka worlds leaders was not surprisingly undefended. The security was no joke. Second, the possession process was painful and the victim had the habit to be vocal about it, the feedback I received from them, told me that the vocals cords received a large amount of damage and new infiltrators could not have conversations in the following days. Since all zerg are connected to the hive mind communication between agent was no problem, but it left a pattern in targeted locations. And people were starting to believe there was a virus out there.

With the scare going on, tourism halted and the only people near the resort were local and the hired staff. The most interesting convert was a tv pastor preaching in Hawaii for the third time this year. He had many followers dedicated to his work, a bit of a cult really. Well, I gave him the order to invest in a soundproof room, and instill a vow of silence for one week as a commitment to the faith.

That should get me a more official reason for the manner his devout followers acted.

I was wondering if there were ghost agent here on earth, lore-wise they should not have any psychic here in the Directorate. But I made a plan to cover my track in case they had mind reader, for them, it was probably the apocalypse but for regular people it was nothing. Psychic emanation of the totally of trillion of zerg thinking about a different thing, if you were psy sensitive well now everyday was living hell. I took once again from Warhammer for inspiration, I gave them a simplified version of the warp. As madness inducing as the memory of the infested, carefully edited, was transmitted to them.

This was the prototype of the weapon I plan to inflict on the Protoss or the Hybrid. A test drive was needed before large-scale deployment, the zerg would be rendered feral if I were to use on them as while they are used to having billion of thought in their own mind, it would bury its connection to the hive mind. As of right now, I was operating on the lowest possible setting to not interfere with the Illuminati plan, even then the whole sector was affected.

I could just have put the Hyper Evolutionary Virus in the world ocean. But I saw it as training, there will be planets in my future conquest where a cheap trick like that would never work.

Speaking of cheap trick the maw is growing up nicely. He had a giant sweet tooth and was constantly hungry but hey I am sure every parent must have heard that before.

For now, I put those matter behind me and decided to increase the pace if I wanted the earth to fall. I would need to split my force giving Broodmother a Leviathan and sending them against a target. My plan in the long term for the UED as a whole is to target the supplies chain that keeps the whole thing alive.

Just earth had something like twenty billion of people living on it, they imported massive amounts of food and resources. Like a hive world in 40k they were completely depending on their colony for their need. Realizing this piece of info I could tailor a food storage and cause a riot. It has been known that starving men and women were not the most logical of creatures. And if someone were to provide them food, is name could be Satan and there will still be people calling him a saint.

My reasoning complete, I Would bait and capture Sasha. Once infested I would alter her memory if need be, giving her the memory of people blaming her for Alexis apparent failure, and tarnished the leadership of the UED. They had chosen to pick her as scapegoat resulting a series of unfortunate event. That would be the best I could come up, I had to infest her and pick at her memory to know. Her original memory would not be saved in the archive I would rather not have to explain why there where conflicting memory.

---------------------------------------------------one week later--------------------------------------------------

On board the flagship of pirate hunter UED fleet.

Sasha wanted to kill that pig or Mister Pierre Ivan Gaven as he was named, she was supposed to guard, a bastard son of a ruling elite. Who wanted to get close to it father, had decided to go into politic The morbidly obese man had a gold digger as a mother, and she believed him to be her meal ticket for the rest of her life. he was pampered for his every wimp since early in is life and it showed every time something did do like he wanted. Right now he was screaming on the bridge. Demanding that the pirate show themselves and surrender to him right now.

Ever Since Alexis and the expeditionary fleet stopped answering back to high command. Her career took a nosedive, guarding this human-shaped pig was the most exciting thing she had done in four years. Some genius back at command had told everyone that DuGale and her husband had decided to carve they own kingdoms in the backwater sector. Ruling over criminal and peasant as ruling king. Her service and medal she received in the past no longer matter to the Directorate. She was only now the wife of a traitor and was put on guard duty in some forgotten base in the middle of nowhere for four years.

As for her position right now, the pig father wanted someone to get rid of inconvenient stuff in one go. so since she had still her grade was still the same she was put as second in command of this fleet. and as if right now the only military officers who had actual combat experience.

(PIG) Why it is taking so long I want to go back home now!!!!

(Sasha) Mister Gaven if you did not insist to broadcast our position and destination at least twice a day the pirate fleet would not know where we are.

(PIG) Shut up, you stupid woman.

(Sasha) Sir, I was answering your question.

(PIG) Shut up Shut up Shut up!My father told me you were somewhat competent so I demand that you find those filthy pirate.

Exasperated Sasha could only nod her head.

(PIG) Learn your place woman. Now I will head back to my quarter and relax.

The tub of lard left the bridge and moved in direction of the captain quarter that he took as his own.

As he left one of the crewman sighs.

(Crewman *1) Thank god he left.

(Crewman *2) Has he ever heard of soap ? he stink

(Sasha) cut the chatter.

(Crewman) Yes, Mam.

Most if not all of the crew manning the fleet was in some way related to the Expeditionary fleet, it reeked in a convenient way to dispose of them. Olds ships that should be scrapped, barely any functioning system mécanique working around the clock to maintain the ship. And the most damning evidence was the only official send by the UED was broadcasting they position and taunting any pirates to come get him.

The pig was inciting butcher to come into his barn, forgetting his place.

Sasha was sure that the pig father wanted to dispose of him. And she and the crews were collateral damage and a quick way to end an old problem.

she had entertained the idea of going rogue, take the fleet and go the koprulu sector like some bad romance novels. Her link to earth was gone since all four of her child had died in four years, all were accidents, they said and it looked like it was her turn. the DuGale family were dead too, she only remains alive because of some projects she had worked on with her husband.

As much as she wanted revenge, she neither have the connection nor the power to do so. Her plan was to find out who ordered it and give him a proper Russian revenge.

As her fleet exited the FTL, it was home to the last attacked colony, the sixth one had been lost. A private colony own by a farming corporation based in France. That colony was feeding around 10% of the capital world, that and with the other colony that was hit around 30 % of the food, importation had been stopped. if it reaches 40% human on earth would eat more than they could get.

Already back on earth, the price of food has been rising, the population were starting to complain and demanded the return of the regular price

It seems that someone knew where to hit a superior force. The supply chain, to have someone cutting the supply line was a commander nightmare, in that case, they were not pirates but rebel. The two generally different motivations and goals.

But who knows, she no longer cares that much for the UED.

As the fleet came closer to the dead colony strange reading were shown on the ship sensor. The planet was surrounded by a cloud of space dust, causing minor interference.

By following protocol Sasha order a quick scan of the cloud for any radioactive materials that could endanger the ship safety.

She had found none, scan told it was harmless, just a regular abnormality that was common in space.

The fleet approached the cloud slowly and carefully the scan told it was harmless but there no need to take unnecessary risk.

As the fleet enter orbit moving through the space dust. Sasha was gathering a ground team to investigate the colony.

Three dropships with a dozen marine each. The troops were equipped with ballistic armor. while the directorate was wealthy, the need for the powered armored suit was reserved only to a branch of the military that its mandate was to protect from external threats (the expedition in the koprulu sector were the form that branch). Since they believed this to be a pirate problem, they had to make it without them.

As Sasha made last minute check, the door opened and out of it came the politician. The man with an enraged look to his eye and came screaming.

(PIG) What are doing woman!

(Sasha) My job?

(PIG) Your job? the pirates are not here, it is useless to even be here.

(Sasha) Oh, so you know where there are at this moment, in that case, sir could you please tell us where could we find them?

(PIG) You bitch, you dare talk back to me my father will know of this.

The questionably sentient mass of fat believed and acted like he won this argument at the mere mention of his fathers.

Sasha had to hold her laughter to not to mock this pitiful threat, she had grown up with five older brothers in Mother Russia. Had a husband that did black op project for who knows how long, and worse that were they meet.

(Sasha) Is that’s so commander, but my still question stand, do you have a lead to where are the pirates?

(PIG) You!!!

(Sasha) Yes me, I do plan on going back to earth you know sometime this month.

(PIG) You whore, this place is dead they have no reason to come back here. but if you so desire go down there. I had it with this farce! I am taking my shuttle back to earth.

As mister Gaven make way for his shuttle Sasha raised her voice.

(Sasha) Your father had it recalled just before the start of the mission, you have to stay here till the end I believe.

(PIG) WHAT!!!!!!

(Sasha) And we received explicit order to not break the fleet formation under any circumstance, so no before you ask I will not lend you a ship.

(PIG) but-but-but why???

(Sasha) who knows maybe you piss him off.

He looked like his world had crumbled, pathetic.

She returned to her task and chose to be part of the ground team, fresh air sounded great.

Her examination of the remains of the colony was just like she feared, no survivors, no corpse, a lot of structural damage and anything that had a value missing.

As she was taking a moment to look around for maybe clue or a lead, her communicator was ringing. She then proceeded to open the channel to only hear white noise, while trying to fix the device one of the marines let a loud yell.

(Marine obvious) That not a moon.

Indeed it was not. But an armored planet size jellyfish that disgorged an untold number of creatures.