StarCraft: Shadow of the Xel'Naga

Starcraft #2: Shadow of the Xel'Naga is the second StarCraft novel, written by author Gabriel Mesta, a pseudonym for Kevin J. Anderson and his wife, Rebecca Moesta Anderson. The action revolves around a colony planet called Bhekar Ro, where one of the frequent and very violent storms uncovers an ancient Xel'Naga artifact. This Temple calls both, the Zerg and the Protoss, while the colonists call the Terran Dominion for help. All these events cause a great confrontation on the normally placid world.

In the Beginning...
The reader is introduced to the planet of Bhekar Ro and its single township of Free Haven along with the Terrans Lars and Octavia Bren. Over the last few weeks a number of tremors have been detected. Arriving home, they find that the seismographs have detected the largest tremor yet, with readings off the scale. Considering that the energy spike originated fifteen klicks away and that one of the planet's frequent storms is currently raging, the siblings resolve to check it out tomorrow.

On the planet Char however, procrastination is something that the Queen of Blades refuses to indulge in. The destruction of the Overmind on Aiur has left a power vacuum for the Zerg, one which the Queen of Blades intends to take advantage of. To this end, she's begun setting up hive clusters of her own on the barren planet.

The Morning After
The colonists of Free Haven emerge to inspect the damage. They find that four of the colony’s best scientists have been killed by the storm. Octavia and Lars set out to check the source of the tectonic readings, finding that a bowl shaped valley has formed, with a giant alien structure in the center of it.

The Brens check out the structure, finding a number of crystalline protrusions coming out of it. While Lars is caught up in excitement, Octavia is more cautious, feeling uneasy in the structure’s presence. Lars enters the structure and Octavia reluctantly follows. Entering the structure, they find it to be a mix of organic and artificial architecture. They inadvertently activate it however, and Lars is sucked into an electric matrix. Simultaneously, a beam of white light shoots off into space. Octavia flees back to Free Haven to warn the other colonists.

Arriving in Free Haven, Octavia informs the colonists on what’s transpired. After some debate, they agree to send a transmission to the Confederacy or whatever government is in charge. They patch a transmission through to the Terran Dominion. After much thought, Arcturus Mengsk, who's currently consolidating his power by ordering the termination of his political rivals, decides to send Alpha Squadron to investigate, which is currently stocking up on vespene gas in an asteroid near the system. To General Duke, it's a welcome reprieve.

The activation of the temple has not gone unnoticed however. One such group is a Protoss expeditionary force under the command of Executor Koronis, with Judicator Amdor as his political superior. Dispatched to search for any Xel'naga artifacts and to apprehend any Dark Templar, the expedition has hardly had any success, a fact made all the more bitter by the fact that Aiur has been devastated by the Zerg in their absence. Just as Koronis begins giving orders to return to their homeworld, they detect the energy signature emitted by the Xel'naga temple. Tracing the signal to its point of origin, the Protoss dispatch an Observer to survay the planet while the rest of the fleet follows.

The energy of the temple is so great that it even reaches the Zerg on Char, sending Kerrigan's swarm into disaray (albeit temporarily). Aware of the Xel'naga's link to the Zerg and that such an artefact might aid her mission, Kerrigan dispatches the newly formed Kukulkan Brood to secure the artefact for the Zerg cause.

First Contact
Of the outside parties, the Observer is the first to reach the planet, mapping out the Xel'naga artifact and surrounding area, sending the images back to Koronis and Amdor. However, it strays too close to Free Haven and is destroyed by the town's Missile Turret. The next day, Mayor Jacob "Nik" Nikolai calls a meeting concerning the incident. The colonists begin discussing methods as to how they can defend themselves, suspecting correctly that the Observer is not of Terran origin.

Such preparations are well founded, considering that Amdor is enraged at the fact that the Observer was destroyed. Although Koronis suggests caution in light of the human presence, Amdor wants to arrive at the planet ASAP. Koronis concedes and the fleet heads for Bhekar Ro at top speed.

The next day, the colonists begin preparing for a possible assault. Octavia can’t shake the sense of forboding that’s growing in the back of her mind. Unable to take the feelings of unease any more, Octavia takes the robo harvester to the artefact and tries to destroy it with the harvester’s rocket launcher. The blasts are simply absorbed by the artefact which in turn lets out a stream of lightning, destroying the harvester, frying the harvester’s electrical systems. Octavia is unscarred however. In frustration, she walks back to Free Haven.

Unknown to the colonists,the Kukulkan Brood has arrived, the massive Behemoths hanging over the planet.The bulk of the brood's warriors are dispatched to the surface and set up their hives near the artefact while the rest of the brood remains in orbit. Those on the surface descend on Rastin’s vespene refinery, killing the colonist and infesting his dog; Old Blue.

Invasion
As night falls, Octavia catches sight of Rastin's refinery and heads towards it, hoping to get a ride back to Free Haven. However, the colonist is nowhere to be seen and after finding the soil covered in Creep and finding an infested Old Blue, she realizes why.

Octavia evades Old Blue and flees into the refinery, blasting the infested dog with superheated vespene gas. Sizing the opportunity, the runs to Rastin’s field crawler, finding it unlocked. However, Old Blue limps after her as she struggles to start it and an infested Ratsin bursts out of his shed. Octavia manages to get the vehicle started and roars off, just as Old Blue lets the unstable chemicals get to him, detonating in an acidic explosion. Hydralisks crawl out of the ground and unleash a barrage of needle spines, but Octavia is able to escape and speeds back to Free Haven.

Meanwhile, the Protoss fleet arrives at the planet. Koronis and Amdor descend to the surface with a sizeable force, while the rest of the fleet remains in orbit. They land at the temple, but receive a transmission from the carrier Qel’Ha that a Zerg fleet is moving to engage them. Koronis orders the fleet to engage the enemy.

It doesn't remain a two-way fight for long as Alpha Squadron finally arrives, consisting of a fleet of fifteen battlecruisers. They see the Zerg and Protoss engaged in a pitched space battle. The Protoss are initially able to gain the upper hand, the carriers wrecking havoc on the Zerg Overlords and Guardians. In response, a flight of Scourges takes out one of their carriers. Although satisfied at the mutual alien destruction, Duke doesn’t want to be left out, so, against the advice of Lieutenant Scott (his second-in-command), Alpha Squadron plunges into the fray.

Alpha Squadron bites deep into both the Zerg and Protoss, the battlecruisers’ Yamato Cannons taking out numerous overlords and a protoss carrier in the first barrage. With the alien forces reeling at the unexpected assault, numerous Wraith squadrons are dispatched. As they wreck havoc on protoss Scouts, the Norad III and Napoleon use their Yamato Cannons together to take out another Protoss carrier.

Although Duke is certain that victory is theirs, the protoss think otherwise; an Arbiter casts a stasis field on the Napoleon and Bismarck, allowing Scouts and carriers to take out a Wraith squadron. Once the field wears off, the carriers turn their attention back to the battlecruisers.

Duke tries to move the rest of Alpha Squadron in to aid them but the Zerg then attack the fleet’s flank. Mutalisks engage Wraiths in aerial combat while the Bismarck is crippled by protoss Interceptors and the Napoleon is unable to disengage. A Queen ensnares the Wraiths in sticky goo, making them easy targets for the Mutalisks, along with numerous Scourges.

Duke orders Alpha Squadron to fall back, science vessels launching EMP warheads at the Protoss ships and casting defensive matrixes over the battlecrusiers to cover their retreat. Duke knows that he may have got himself into a tougher fight than he counted on.

The Battle of Free Haven
Just after midnight, Octavia reaches Free Haven and imidiatly alerts Mayor Nikolai to the danger. He gets on the comms system to alert outlying farmers while Octavia runs through the town, waking up colonists. Over the next few hours, supplies and weapons are stockpiled and the town’s perimeter fortified. As dawn breaks, just as the town has finished preperations, a Zerg army is spotted bearing down on them.

The first wave consists of Zerglings. The colonists open fire, but it isn’t long before they run out of ammunition and the Zerglings reach the perimeter fence, forcing the colonists to rely on scythes and other implements to fight in close quarters combat. Seeing that they’re fighting a losing battle, Nikolai flees to contact the fleet that’s supposedly coming to help them.

The colonists are forced to fall back and Octavia remembers the missile turret. She operates it manually, its remaining missiles into the Zerg horde. While the Zerg initially reel from the heavy firepower, they have hundreds to spare, along with Infested Terrans (courtesy of the outlying farmsteads), which detonate along the outer perimeter, taking out entire sections of fence and those guarding them. Although some Zerglings are killed in the detonations, they’re able to afford such losses.

In desperation, Octavia and some other colonists board some harvesters, just as the second wave, made up of Hydralisks join the fray. With blades used for cultivating wheat, the harvesters are surprisingly effective and the Hydralisks are gutted while the Zerglings are run over. The boulder throwers are also used, scattering the Zerg. Stunned at the sudden counterattack, the Zerg seemingly retreat. However, they begin to loop around the town, heading for the fuel depot. Reacting quickly, Octavia uses the harvester’s flamethrower on the depot as the zerg move in, the flame causing the vespene gas to detonate, taking out the bulk of the Zerg and forcing the rest to fall back.

There’s initially great relief, especially when Nikolai announces that he’s managed to contact the fleet in orbit. However, the colonists then see a third wave of Zerg descending upon them, made up of Ultralisks and Mutalisks in addition to Hydralisks and Zerglings. Octavia knows that they have no chance of surviving this wave.

The space battle continues above the planet, with both the Zerg and Protoss hammering away at Alpha Squadron. The Bismarck has been destroyed and the Napoleon is still trying to escape from the Protoss carriers. Despite the dire straits, Duke decides to act on Nikolai’s plea for help, taking the bulk of Alpha Squadron planet-side to aid in Free Haven’s defence.

Simultaneously, the Mutalisks on the surface head for orbit, supposedly in an attempt to deal with the Protoss. This ensures that, when Alpha Squadron arrives above Free Haven, the Zerg are denied air support. Battlecruisers and Wraiths easily decimate the Zerg forces while Siege Tanks, Goliaths, Marines and Firebats unleash death upon the ground. Although Free Haven takes heavy collateral damage, the town has been saved.

Battlefield
The Zerg establish a hive at Rastin’s homestead, a Queen assimilating Old Blue’s DNA into the zerg gene pool. Simultaneously, the zerg send a force against the Protoss forces stationed at the temple. Meanwhile, Koronis and Amdor study the artifact sending a force of Dragoons into it. However, alerts come from outside of the Zerg attacking, their initial assault driving the Protoss forces back. Taking command, Koronis is able to co-ordinate a defense but still requests that some carriers descend to the surface, given that the Zerg outnumber them many times over.

As the Zerg attack the Protoss, Duke fortifies Free Haven, taking it under the wing of Alpha Squadron, despite the colonists’ protests. Duke questions Octavia as to the nature of the artifact. Afterwards, he hears the distant sounds of battle and resolves to move quickly to seize the artifact before the Protoss or Zerg capture it.

As the battle between the Zerg and Protoss rages at the artifact, Lieutenant Scott leads a commando team into the artifact itself. Although they meet with Protoss resistance, they’re able to steadily progress. Meanwhile, numerous Zerg break through the protoss lines and enter the artifact, soon encountering Scott and his team. Although they take heavy casualties, even losing both their Goliaths, the team manages to press onward. Meanwhile, while helping the wounded, Octavia senses something tugging at the back of her mind; similar to what the artifact gave out yet different and closer. As night falls, she sets out to the foothills, eventually coming across the Dark Templar Xerana, who was also drawn to the planet by the activation of the artefact. She tells Octavia that the artifact is only a threat to the Zerg and Protoss, as it was created by the Xel’Naga. While Lars was sucked into its matrix, that was a mistake, as the artifact has only use for Zerg and Protoss DNA. Xerana tells Octavia to convince Duke to back down while she tries to warn her brethren.

The next day, Duke sends Alpha Squadron’s ground forces against the Protoss and Zerg fighting at the artifact. Forming a phalanx, marines and firebats press forward while Siege Tanks provide support. They drive a wedge through the protoss and zerg forces. However, the troops press forward too quickly and the Siege Tanks aren’t able to keep up.

As a result, the Protoss descend upon the soldiers, cutting them off from support. Duke sends a Wraith squadron to help them out along with some battlecrusiers, but High Templar psionic storms drive them back, only to be destroyed by Zerg forces. Simultaneously other Zerg, including Roverlisks (formed from Old Blue’s DNA) attack Alpha Squadrons’ flank. To top it off, Protoss Reavers and carriers descend upon Alpha Squadron, wiping them out.

As Koronis continues to issue orders, Xerana reveals herself to Amdor, trying to warn him about the artifact. Amdor moves to apprehend her but Koronis intervenes, willing to hear her out. Xerana warns that the artefact is a danger to both the Protoss and Zerg, and they must withdraw before it’s too late. Amdor refuses to listen though.

Simultaneously, Scott and his team reach the heart of the artifact, along with Protoss and zerg. They find the artefact’s ‘heart’; an electric blazing ‘sun’ that seems alive, surrounded by a biopolymer exoskeleton. Suddenly, tentacles of light shoot out, drawing all those present into the chamber. Although the being does not need the humans, it successfully draws the Protoss and Zerg into its DNA matrix. It begins to make preparations for its emergence.

Endgame
Back at Free Haven, Octavia tries to warn Duke about the artifact but the general isn’t listening. Knowing that he doesn’t have enough firepower to capture the artifact, he calls in MacGregor Golding-his best Ghost. Golding enters and senses Octavia’s psychic potential, enough to warrant entry into the Ghost Program. Duke skims it over (much to Octavia’s relief) and orders Golding to initiate ‘Plan B’, namely making a nuclear strike on the artifact.

Back at the artifact, Xerana continues to protest, but Amdor still refuses to listen. Seeing that it’s a lost cause, Xerana uses her powers to interrupt the psychic links of the Khala, sending the Protoss present into disarray. Using the distraction to her advantage, Xerana manages to escape.

Golding is dropped by the artefact and ‘paints’ the target, guiding the nukes in. With confirmation of their launch, he proceeds to escape the GPIP (Guaranteed Permenant Incapitation of Personal) radius. Meanwhile, Amdor leads an entourage into the temple while Koronis stays behind to continue directing the artefact’s defense. Upon entering the artifact’s interior, Amdor and those present are drawn into the DNA matrix, completing the required genetic repertoire for the creature to fully awaken.

Golding makes it to shelter just before the nukes drop. Upon detonation however, the nuclear energy is drawn into the artefact, feeding the creature, although the sonic boom sends both the Protoss and Zerg sprawling. Shedding its exoskeleton, the creature ‘hatches’ from the artifact; a prototype organism developed by the Xel’Naga. Koronis watches as it reveals itself, its form reminiscent of a combination of a butterfly, jellyfish and sea anemone.

The creature's energy sweeps over the entire valley, drawing all the Protoss and Zerg into its DNA matrix. Now bearing resemblance to a mythical phoenix, it shoots off to the stars. Battlecrusiers open fire on it with their Yamato Cannons, but it simply absorbs the energy, destroys the battlecruisers, draws in the remaining Protoss and Zerg forces and shoots off into space.

Octavia links up with Xerana on the hill of their first encounter and watch the creature’s ascension in awe. For some reason, the valley starts to bloom with small plants, courtesy of the creature shedding some of its biological energy. As they near the valley, they see Lars, Scott and the remaining Marines emerging from the artifact, having been rejected from the creature’s DNA matrix. As Lars and Octavia embrace, Xerana departs for the ship, intent on following the creature or perhaps find other similar embryos.

Aftermath
The humans make their way back to Free Haven where they’re greeted with general celebration, along with the fact that the valley has become a fertile Eden, promising them with a bountiful harvest. Duke and the remnants of Alpha Squadron however, have been left without transport. Not really caring, the colonists head off to begin cultivation.

On Char, Kerrigan seethes at the destruction of the Kukulkan Brood. However, considering it nothing more than a setback, she continues to make plans for the coming Brood War...

Major Characters

 * Octavia Bren, the main protagonist of the story, a human colonist (and untrained psychic) from Bhekar Ro, who allies herself with the Dark Templar scholar Xerana in an attempt to warn the warring forces of the dangers of the "artifact".
 * General Edmund Duke, the overconfident commander of Alpha Squadron, who leads the Terran Forces into battle with the Protoss and the Zerg on Bhekar Ro in an attempt to lay claim to the Xel'Naga "Artifact".
 * Executor Koronis, the commander of the Protoss force that was sent by the Conclave to search for any sign of the Dark Templar and to search for any remnants of the ancient progenitor race, the Xel'Naga.
 * Xerana, a Dark Templar scholar who uncovers the real meaning of the warning that was sent by the Xel'Naga "Artifact" and tries to warn her Protoss brethren about the impending danger of the slumbering creature about to awaken.

Minor Characters
Bhekar Ro.
 * Judicator Amdor, Koronis' advisor and political superior.
 * Lars Bren, Octavia's brother and the first human to discover the Ancient Xel'Naga Artifact.
 * MacGregor Golding, a Ghost sent by General Duke to call down an abortive nuclear strike on the Xel'Naga "Artifact".
 * Infested Kerrigan, the self-styled Queen of Blades, who sends her Kukulkan Brood to retrieve the supposed "Artifact".
 * Cyn McCarthy, a widow and colonist in Free Haven.
 * Jacob "Nik" Nikolai, mayor of the settler town of Free Haven.
 * Rastin, a reclusive Vespene refiner, and later the first human to be infested by the Zerg upon their arrival on
 * Lieutenant Scott, a member of Alpha Squadron, crew member of the Norad III, and leader of a Terran commando squad sent into the "artifact" itself.

Accuracy and Canon
Shadow of the Xel'Naga generally adheres to canon and doesn't contradict it in any major way. However, there are a few possible discrepencies;


 * Duke reflects how the Zerg and Protoss invasions of Chau Sara and Mar Sara cost the lives of millions of colonists. However, Chau Sara only had a population of 400,000 and it's doubtful whether Mar Sara had a population large enough to place casulties in the "millions" range.


 * Kerrigan reflects at the end of the novel that she has control over the Tiamat, Fenris, Baelrog, Surtur and Jormungand Broods. Considering that Daggoth would still be alive at the time and began forming a new Overmind, it would be extremely unlikely that she could gain control over the Tiamat Brood. The others are also described as possessing cerebrates-the Baelrog Brood had lost its cerebrate by this point.