Shadows from the Badlands

As he slept, Michael's dreams were plagued by visions of zerg, in innumerable numbers, pouring over the surrounding hill. He watched helplessly as the marine that he had killed yesterday warped and twisted into one of the large spider like creatures, his clawed arms ripping into his flesh, and into the flesh of Dash'r. His own weapon was no where to be found in this dream world that he could not escape. He watched over and over as the marine ripped into a variety of people he had known through his life.

He woke with a start, to find Dash'r standing over him, gently shaking his shoulder. That sadness apparent in the glowing eyes made Michael flush, sure that the weakness of his dreams had been seen.

He looked away, trying to avoid thinking of the close proximity of the being who had been featuring prominently in both his fantasies and nightmare. "Whats up? Zerg?"

Dash'r shook his head hesitantly, having still been growing accustomed to human mannerisms, "No, yet we must make haste, the anomaly I detected in orbit is only a few hours away, I feel that time is of the essence."

"Right, let me grab my stuff and take a leak and we can be on our way."

Dash'r looked confused momentarily, caught up in trying to figure out the slang terminology. Michael thought he felt a mental caress on his mind, digging gently for the information. "Of course, I will be outside when you are ready."

He quickly gathered up the small amount of equipment and food that had been strewn across the room, and started navigating his way outside, having finally figured out the basics of the ships layout. He gestured a "wait a minute" to Dash'r, before rushing behind a pile of debris, the smell of the zerg carcases thankfully masked by the helmet he wore and the air filters built in to it. As he returned to the ships exit, he caught Dash'r once again fading into sight from the shadows, and he idly wondered where he had gone off to, as the large alien only seemed comfortable being visible while stationary.

He gestured to the horizon, and said "Alright Dash'r, where to?"

Dash'r turned, and began walking, "This way, Michael." In the distance mountains were rising. Michael estimated the distance, and figured, that since it was only a few hours away according to his companion, that whatever they were looking for was likely just at the base of the foothills that surrounded it.

They had been walking for an hour in silence when the boredom finally got to Michael. He needed some conversation, regardless of how pointless it would be. He decided on getting some information about the situation they had both found themselves in. "So, uh, your people have fought the zerg before right? You said they were acting differently hear? What way?"

The alien did not turn to answer, but still considered the question, and replied, "On every other planet they have infested, they consumed or corrupted all native plant and animal life. The only living thing is the various species of zerg. They and their hives go on for miles, billions upon billions of them." He paused, thinking the rest of his answer through, "They act with a single unified purpose, yet here, several small hives could have attacked yesterday, yet only one did. For which we are very lucky."

"Any idea where they came from? They seam like a bio weapon gone berserk? I don't want to imagine a planet that could evolve these naturally." Michael shuddered, visions of worlds teeming with zerg, infesting and eating everything like a swarm of locusts.

"Indeed they are not natural. My people are the Protoss, the first born of the Xel'Naga, and alien race that guided our evolution for thousands of years. When it became apparent to them that we were failures at achieving the perfection they sought, they guided the evolution of the zerg, until they lost control of their creations, and were slaughtered."

Michael snorted softly, the Protoss were imperfect in the eyes of the gods, so they created something as ugly as the zerg? "Talk about irony," he thought to himself.

Dash'r seemed to pick up on his thoughts, and managed to convey the wry smiles through his mental voice, "Indeed, the trauma from being abandoned by our gods still resounds through our society, i don't believe many have reached the understanding that in order to have pleased our gods, we should emulate the zerg."

Michael laughed out loud, images of the calm, proud warrior rampaging through muck not wanting to mesh in his mind.

"OK next question," Michael said, he was beginning to feel more relaxed as he talked more and more with Dash'r, "How much of my thoughts are comin' through. Are you hearin everything I think or what, because that would be embarrassing."

"There is no need, if I were to focus on you, your thoughts would come through clearly, or if you yourself were a telepath, as it stands I am simply getting feelings and impressions unless you specifically try to communicate with me." Dash'r paused, "If I may, I would like to ask you something."

Michael waved his hand, and said "Sure, ask away," Not realizing the opening he had given the alien.

"Your arousal spikes when your around me, why?" The curiosity and puzzlement were clear, "Not only am I not of your species, but the little I had learned of humans from my brethren indicated attraction occurred along opposing genders."

Michael stumbled, caught completely off guard by the question and cursing himself for not realizing that the question Dash'r would ask would also involve telepathy. He settled on answering as honestly as he could, doubting he could bullshit his way out of the question as he usually did. "500 years of genetic and psychological study and still no one know why men still like to fuck men. As for you, the characteristics I find attractive in a man apparently don't just apply to human men, as in your taller then me, strong, self confident, et cetera." He did not add that not only was Dash'r physically attractive, but he also melded with the list of datable in his mind, being smart, skilled, and generally nice."

Michael felt something in the mental presence that he was getting used to. It didn't translate into words, more a non committal noise, a mental, "hmm."

"That's not like, offensive or something is it?" He asked, worry tinging his voice. He knew in a fight that the alien could easily kill him, and that he was far more dependent on Dash'r for survival then vise versa. Dash'r could if he wanted simply vanish into thin air and have a good chance of disappearing entirely from Michael's sensors if nothing else.

He could feel the equivalent of a mental smile, understanding and soothing, when Dash'r responded, "No, not offensive, it is simply curious."

"That's good, 'cause I've tried not to, honest, but it doesn't work, trying not to think of something is usually the best way of getting it right to the front of the line, so to speak." Michael cut himself off. His tendency to babble around people he liked had not manifested in years, since he was still in school, and to started again now was simply mortifying to his mind, as he had been the reassured and calm one, the one who initiated the dance of flirting back and forth. To find himself in the role of the shy bashful guy trying to catch the eye of another was something he had definitely grown unaccustomed to.

He settled on changing the subject, hoping that the tactic was not obvious, "So, you've mentioned meeting humans before, or at least others of your kind have, and the military slipped that they know what zerg are. How long has that been going on? Up until two days ago, humans were the only intelligent life out there."

Dash'r gave a mental snort, his reply was short and to the point, "Your government lies, less then two years ago they waged war with us, the zerg, and other humans, exiles from earth."

Feeling the ground drop out from under him with the revelation that none of this had come to light, that his government had covered up something as massive as a war. He suddenly had the feeling that covering up a little destroyer going missing in the badlands would be childish. "Who won?" He asked, the thought that he did not want the answer to be his people filling him.

"If any can be considered winners, it would be the zerg."