StarCraft Episode VI

StarCraft Episode VI: The Queen of Blades covered Infested Kerrigan's attempts to defeat the United Earth Directorate's Psi Disrupter and take control of the Zerg. In this campaign, the player took the role of a Cerebrate forced to work for Kerrigan.

Vile Disruption
At the beginning of Episode VI, Infested Kerrigan was hiding out on Tarsonis, former (and empty) capital of the Terran Confederacy with her minion, Infested Duran, and a very small Swarm. She had taken control of at a Cerebrate, a necessary link in the Zerg chain of command. Her forces were weak because the United Earth Directorate had activated the Psi Disrupter, interfering with her control of the Zerg.

Duran interrupted her ruminations, telling her that visitors had arrived. Jim Raynor and Fenix were there to see her. Kerrigan had contacted the two of them on Aiur in Episode V, and had alerted them to the United Earth Directorate's plans - to take control of the Zerg Overmind. Raynor and Fenix didn't trust her, but were nonetheless willing to work with her to defeat the UED. She convinced Raynor that, if the Directorate succeeded in their plans, they would not be above manipulating the Overmind to enslave Kerrigan once more, much the way the United Powers League ruled Earth with an iron fist. Kerrigan, having already gained freedom from the first Overmind when it was slain by the Protoss hero, Tassadar, was not about to relinquish her free will once more to the Terrans.

Duran interrupted the conversation, saying the Psi Disrupter had caused many of Kerrigan's Zerg to leave her control over the past few hours and run amok. Raynor mocked her on this point, while Kerrigan and Duran got to work.

The new Cerebrate took control of Kerrigan's few remaining Zerg minions and, with the use of superior tactics, slowly defeated the rebel Zerg, recovering Hives as it did so. Unfortunately, the Hives failed to respond to the Cerebrate's orders, and so the associated larvae were unable to be transformed into new Zerg minions.

Kerrigan's Zerg moved from Hive to Hive, relieving them from the rebels' control. Each time, some of the renegade Zerg joined Kerrigan's side. Kerrigan recruited a number of Hunter Killers this way; using her now formidable forces in tandem with the mighty Hunter Killers, the Queen of Blades managed to put down the rebels and claimed victory.

Reign of Fire
Kerrigan held another conference with Raynor, Fenix ... and Terran Dominion Emperor Arcturus Mengsk (who had been kept in cold sleep until then). Mengsk was very unhappy about his treatment, which only made Kerrigan and Raynor happy. Both of them had had reasons to hate the former commander of the Sons of Korhal, due to his actions at the end of Episode I, and the two made these reasons well known to Mengsk.

Kerrigan unfroze him because she needed the use of his psi-emitters. Mengsk had been frozen for quite some time, and was unaware that the UED had found and activated the Psi Disrupter. With his emitters, Kerrigan would have the means to gather enough Zerg to destroy the Psi Disrupter and confront the UED. In return for Mengsk's cooperation, she offered to help him retake Korhal, his throne world, which at that point was under UED occupation.

Mengsk wanted to know how he could trust her, and she responded that if he didn't cooperate, he could remain Emperor of an eight by eight cell for the rest of his life. Mengsk was "persuaded" to join Kerrigan's alliance by this kind of talk.

Jim Raynor and his Raynor's Raiders descended upon Braxis, home of the Psi Disrupter and a number of UED troops. Raynor's forces, including Terran Ghosts and Siege Tanks, destroyed the poorly defended fusion reactors powering the Psi Disrupter.

The Psi Disrupter sat on a well-defended hilltop, but was inactive at that moment. As Raynor's forces retreated, Mengsk sent down an SCV carrying a psi-emitter to the surface of Braxis. The SCV pilot quickly found a small number of uncontrolled Zerg which the UED allowed to roam the world. The psi-emitter attracted the Zerg, enabling Kerrigan to take control of them. The SCV pilot roped in Zerg Drones (capable of constructing a Hive Cluster), Zerglings, Hydralisks, and even special Zerg breeds (the Devouring One, a powerful Zergling, the Hunter Killer, a powerful Hydralisk, and the Torrasque, a powerful Ultralisk), tangling with UED outposts along the way. When these Zerg had all been added to Kerrigan's Swarm, the SCV requested and gratefully received transport away from the Zerg.

Kerrigan quickly built up a strong force and sent an aerial attack force to the UED base built around the Psi Disrupter. Despite the well-designed UED defenses, the Zerg Swarm defeated them and destroyed the Psi Disrupter.

The Kel-Morian Combine
As the Hyperion, Raynor's command cruiser, hovered in orbit over Moria, Fenix, Jim Raynor and Arcturus Mengsk discussed Infested Kerrigan some more ... Fenix feared that Kerrigan would turn on them since the Psi Disrupter had been destroyed. However, Raynor was sure she was serious about defeating the UED, and vowed to work with her towards that end. Raynor's fear was that, once the UED was destroyed, Kerrigan would have no use for her "allies:, and would dispose of them.  Mengsk agreed that she was completely untrustworthy, but as long as Kerrigan helped him retake Korhal back from the UED, he would cooperate with her.  Raynor, recalling that Mengsk was the reason Kerrigan had turned into the monstrosity she was currently, thought Mengsk was in no position to judge who was untrustworthy.

Kerrigan arrived soon after Raynor's expression of hatred towards the ex-Emperor. After admonishing Raynor and Mengsk to be nice to each other, she discussed their next moves. Kerrigan wasn't prepared to lay siege to Korhal at that moment, due to a lack of resources. However, she recalled that Moria was one of the richest planets in terms of resources in the Koprulu Sector; if her minions raided the planet's supply of resources, Kerrigan would be able to build the Swarm to such an extent that the attack on Korhal would become possible. Unfortunately for Kerrigan, Moria was defended by the Kel-Morian Combine, which had been part of the Terran Dominion until the Dominion was defeated by the UED. Fenix, surprised that the UED hadn't fought with the Combine yet, figured the Combine was bribing the UED to leave them alone. Kerrigan's Swarm had to evade these defenses to succeed.

Fenix was such an enthusiastic supporter of the attack on Moria that he offered to lead the attack himself. In private, Kerrigan discusses the situation with Samir Duran. She believed her temporary allies were too smart to believe her, but they didn't realize the extents of what would be lost by allying with her.

Fenix and the Zerg coordinated an attack on a mining center, where a Zerg Hive Cluster was set up. Kerrigan ordered her forces to advance on the Morian mines, defended by the Kel-Morian Combine, and to infest as many Terrans as possible to create Infested Terrans as soldiers.

The Liberation of Korhal
After acquiring enough resources, Kerrigan moved on to the main event on Korhal, taking any Infested Command Centers with her.

Once they reached Korhal, Mengsk impatiently plotted the attack on Augustgrad, capital city of Korhal. Kerrigan was to take on the center of the city, while her allies assaulted the city's outskirts.

Shortly after establishing herself just outside Augustgrad, the UED sent their own Zerg to attack Kerrigan. Kerrigan defeated them easily, but noted that the Directorate had only sent a small Zerg force. She believed that the UED was having trouble controlling the Zerg Overmind.

Despite the Zerg and UED defenders, Kerrigan and her allies retook Korhal, dealing a heavy defeat to the UED. Kerrigan told Mengsk that he was free to take possession of the planet with her "blessings," to which Mengsk replied she shouldn't be snide as this was part of their deal. Kerrigan told him she hopes he "makes the most of his reign".

True Colors
Kerrigan discussed her next steps with Samir Duran. With the UED's power broken on this world, only their forces on Char posed a threat to her. She believed the time to eliminate her allies has come. She ordered an immediate attack. Duran replied that the Protoss and Terrans will be able to respond to an attack in "about six minutes" and so Kerrigan ordered her minions to immediately strike against Mengsk and Fenix's forces. As they recovered, Kerrigan built up her forces and hurled them against her enemies. As she destroyed their bases, Terran Dominion General Edmund Duke and Praetor Fenix make personal appearances on the battlefield. Duke told her she has a lot to answer for, and Fenix admitted he was a fool to trust her.

Kerrigan's forces killed Duke; she said she wanted him dead for a long time, and she felt excited about it. Mengsk called her a murderer, and pointed out they had a deal. Kerrigan asked how he could expect her to keep his word when he practically fed her to the Zerg, and he was "directly responsible for the hell I've been through!". Kerrigan said she would leave him among the ashes of his Dominion, letting him see her rise to power. He would remember that he turned her loose in the first place.

Kerrigan's forces also killed Fenix. Raynor was, of course, angered at the murder of his friend. Raynor asked her how many people needed to die before she saw what she has become. When Kerrigan said he didn't know what he's talking about, Raynor promised to kill her for what she did to Fenix and everyone else caught between her and her quest for power. Maybe not tomorrow, and maybe not with an army at his back, but he swore he would kill her.

After defeating her former allies, Kerrigan ordered her Cerebrate to return to Tarsonis to rest, as for the first time since her transfiguration she was weary of slaughter.

Fury of the Swarm
Kerrigan's peace on Tarsonis was short-lived, however, as a huge wave of Zerg appeared in orbit over Tarsonis and hundreds of Zerg landed on the planet and began to attack her outposts. Duran offered to rally the troops.

Kerrigan lost four of her five primary Hive Clusters - only the center one survived, and it was nearly surrounded by the UED-controlled Zerg. As Kerrigan slowly fought back, Duran noticed a UED Science Corps outpost at the rear of the landing zone. There were a number of scientists and genetic engineers (medics) there, along with a number of Zerg locked up in pens. Kerrigan commented that the UED's control of the Overmind was tenuous and it could not directly control the Zerg on Tarsonis. These "scientists" were needed to coordinate the attack.

Duran ordered the Cerebrate to attack the scientists instead of wiping out the attacking Zerg. The UED outpost had inadequate air defenses, and Kerrigan's Swarm slowly fought its way past the UED's Zerg and killed the scientists. At this point, the imprisoned Zerg fled from their pens...

The aftermath of this battle was not shown.

Drawing of the Web
Infested Kerrigan, having recovered from the attack on Tarsonis, moved forward with her plan. She took Samir Duran and a Zerg Brood to Shakuras, informing Duran that she needed to recover Matriarch Raszagal to advance her plan.

Raszagal was located in the Dark Templar capital, Talematros, which was built on a tall hill with five heavily-defended ramps to get inside. A large number of Protoss from Aiur had also moved into the city, augmenting its defenses with troops and technology. One of the light Protoss upgrades was a defense system consisting of Khaydarin Crystal-based Pylons, which generated a powerful electro-magnetic field, capable of preventing Zerg from maneuvering through the air nearby. As a result, Kerrigan could only send ground-based minions, except Overlords and Queens, anywhere near the capital.

She needed a distraction to retrieve the Matriarch, and her servant Samir Duran provided one. He knew quite a bit about Protoss technology, enough to spot a vulnerability in the city's defenses. If he could plant explosives on the five special Pylon clusters and detonate them simultaneously, he could overload the Pylons, creating a huge distraction. Of course, he still had to lead the Zerg up the city's five ramps, which were defended by both light and dark Protoss.

Duran was successful in planting the explosives and setting them off. The entire city exploded, as all of its structures were connected to the Khaydarin Crystal-based power grid. In the confusion, Kerrigan was able to spirit away the Matriarch and escape.

The Xel'Naga Temple was not activated during the battle.

To Slay the Beast
Kerrigan traveled to Char with the Matriarch as her prize, with the purpose of finally defeating the United Earth Directorate and slaying the second Zerg Overmind with her secret weapon. Duran reminded her that the Overmind could only be killed by Dark Templar attacks, but Kerrigan said her "secret weapon" would arrive on time. Duran said he still did not understand, when he received a transmission from an unidentified Protoss carrier. (At this point, an electronic-sounding beep is heard.)

"That's what I love about the Protoss...they're so punctual." said Kerrigan.

Zeratul was commanding the Carrier, and demanded to know why Kerrigan had stolen the Matriarch. Kerrigan was actually more interested in Zeratul. She needed him and his brethren to slay the Overmind for her. In return, she would allow the Matriarch to return to her people. Zeratul, needless to say, is suspicious, but Matriarch Raszagal appears, telling him that the Overmind is their common enemy, and he must destroy it on behalf of their people. Zeratul reluctantly agreed.

Other Protoss had also arrived at Char, including Artanis, but they were not seen until Omega.

Kerrigan's initial forces on Char were accompanied by a small number of Dark Templar and Gateways to summon them. A huge battle erupted, as the United Earth Directorate defended itself with the aid of its captive Zerg. So close to the enslaved Overmind, the UED was having no trouble controlling their own Zerg minions.

Eventually, Kerrigan's forces and the Dark Templar cleared away the Overmind's defense forces, and Zeratul personally slew it. Zeratul then demanded the return of the Matriarch. Kerrigan asked the Matriarch if she wanted to return to Shakuras, but the Matriarch said no.

Zeratul was astounded. Matriarch Raszagal was clearly not herself. Kerrigan admitted that she had enslaved the Matriarch on Shakuras long before she met Zeratul there. The Matriarch had underestimated Kerrigan's psionic powers and fell under her control. She bragged that, by enslaving the Matriarch, she had been able manipulate the Protoss into doing her bidding.

Zeratul said "we shall see" and was transported away by an Arbiter. However, Raszagal was taken away by the recall rift as well.

The Reckoning
Six hours later, Samir Duran gave Kerrigan a report. With the Overmind and its Cerebrates destroyed, virtually all the Zerg in the Sector now fell under Kerrigan's control. The UED fleet had fled the planet, and he did not know how many ships they had left. Kerrigan's primary Hive Clusters were moved to an orbital platform over Char.

Zeratul had somehow bypassed the Zerg defenses and spirited the Matriarch away. He and his brethren had collected with a group of Protoss survivors and clustered on the surface of Char. They had imprisoned Matriach Raszagal in a Stasis Cell, and would be able to initiate dimensional recall to Shakuras in only half an hour.

Kerrigan then ordered all of her Broods to descend to the surface of Char and capture the Matriarch and Zeratul. The rest of the Protoss could die.

Believing the Protoss intended to take Raszagal back to Shakuras, Kerrigan said it was a pity that Raszagal could not be redeemed.

The Zerg had to quickly concentrate their forces and move them against the Protoss. The remnants of the United Earth Directorate stood in their way, but these were quickly defeated. Eventually the Zerg reached the small Protoss base, killing all the Protoss and destroying all the structures except for the Stasis Cell.

Zeratul wasn't there for the attack, but he quickly made an appearance. Cursing Kerrigan, he destroyed the Stasis Cell and stabbed his own Matriarch with his warp blade.

As Raszagal lay dying, she told Zeratul that he had freed her from Kerrigan's control, and that he must watch over her tribe. "Into your hands I give the future." Then she died.

Kerrigan could scarcely believe what she had just seen. Zeratul said it was better that he killed her, rather than let her live as Kerrigan's slave. Kerrigan, impressed, allowed him to leave without attacking him. Besides, she had "taken his honor" and believed he would never be able to forgive himself.

True to her word, Kerrigan allowed Zeratul and a few of his brethren to escape from Char. These battered Protoss set their course for Shakuras, hoping to find Artanis and any other survivors of Kerrigan's attacks.

Dark Origin

 * Main article: Dark Origin

If the Reckoning is beaten in less than 25 minutes, the player can then play the secret bonus map, Dark Origin. In this mission, Zeratul discovers a chilling secret...

Omega
In Infested Kerrigan's base of operations on an infested space platform over Char, Kerrigan detected three separate fleets approaching. This came at a very bad time for Kerrigan as Samir Duran has somehow vanished and most of her Broods were still on the surface of Char. In fact, she only had one Cerebrate ... and one Brood, in a position to defend her.

Arcturus Mengsk contacts Kerrigan from one of the fleets, mainly to gloat about his upcoming attack. When Kerrigan asked how he had so quickly gathered a fleet after his defeat in True Colors, he replied: "I called in a few favors. Made a few concessions. You'd be surprised to see how many special interest groups in this sector want to see you dead." Mengsk's new fleet was rag-tag, befitting its nature, and mainly composed by siege tanks and nuclear weapons.

Kerrigan said that his three fleets didn't frighten her. Mengsk pretended that he had not noticed the other fleets.

Artanis then contacts Kerrigan from 'his' fleet. He is there to take revenge for the deaths of Fenix, Matriarch Raszagal, and all other Protoss who had been killed by her Zerg. Mengsk, tuning in to the conversation, laughed at Kerrigan, and asking if she could guess which faction directed the third fleet. Kerrigan replied using a human expression: "When it rains, it pours."

Kerrigan guessed it was Admiral DuGalle and the United Earth Directorate fleet, and DuGalle replied that she was correct. He gave her one last chance to surrender to the UED, but Kerrigan said she would rather massacre his troops now and watch DuGalle die in agony. DuGalle gallantly replied that she vastly underestimated him, but Kerrigan's reply was ... impolite.

One Brood stood on the space platform against the three fleets. Mengsk's forces used mainly Siege Tanks and nuclear missiles, Artanis' forces used the typical Protoss psionic attacks, and DuGalle's forces used mainly spacecraft. However, all three forces had suffered heavy defeats in the past and were only a shadow of their former power. Kerrigan's Zerg achieved victory against each of the fleets.

When she defeated Mengsk, he said that he would be waiting for her to slip up, but did not specify what he intended to do if and when that happened.

When she defeated Artanis, he told her the Protoss would never forget her treachery.

When she defeated DuGalle, who had caused her particularly grave trouble after arriving in the Koprulu Sector, DuGalle asked for surrender. Kerrigan said that she didn't take prisoners, and that he should flee towards Earth. She said that it would be interesting sport to see how far away they got before they died.

The Ascension
The UED had no hope of defeating the Zerg at this point. Admiral DuGalle wrote a letter to his wife, Helena. He stated that news of the defeat of the UED would have reached Earth by the time she received his letter. He also said that the UED couldn't defeat the Koprulu Sector Terrans, and that the Zerg could not be tamed. Finally, he admitted that Vice Admiral Stukov had not been killed in the manner the victory report indicated; DuGalle's pride had killed him.

As DuGalle said this, images of his previous actions show in the background, including the attack on a Terran colony from the Brood War introduction movie.

DuGalle drew an ancient pistol (a Luger) from a box, puts it against his head, and killed himself.

Shortly after the defeat of the UED, the Zerg Swarm fell upon the UED fleet and destroyed it. No ships made it back to Earth.

Epilogue
Kerrigan declared victory, but noted that the recent battles had seriously weakened the Zerg. She said she gave her "unlikely allies" (Raynor, Mengsk and the Protoss) a reprieve, but planned to attack them in the future.

Mengsk fled back to Korhal after his rag-tag fleet had been heavily defeated, where he began rebuilding the Terran Dominion.

Artanis and the survivors of his fleet made it back to Shakuras, where they began rebuilding their once-glorious civilization.

Jim Raynor and Zeratul went their separate ways and have not been seen since.

And Kerrigan stood on her space platform, staring into the void of space. She felt some kind of threat was approaching...