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标题: 《星际争霸前传》 [打印本页]

作者: castelu 时间: 2013-8-30 22:30
标题: 《星际争霸前传》
　　《StarCraft前传》

　　【Terran 发展史】

　　西方文明的衰退

　　虽然二十世纪的科技和文化进步神速，但是和后世科技和文明的跳跃式进步相比起来，也只能甘拜下风。在二十一世纪的末业，人类的文明经历了巨大而且难以想像的进步。崭新的科技以难以想像的速度窜起，即使是地球上最为落后的国家也开始拥有越来越先进的电脑和资料库。在东欧共产主义解体的同时，核子武器开始变得随手可得。原来国际势力的兴衰是以资产和军事强权来作为依据，第三世界的国家却利用这个机会猛然窜起，挑战这些强权，打破国际间局势的均衡。

　　当系统控工学、复制和基因工程变成人人皆可掌握的科技之后，激进人道主义者和狂热的宗教团体开始质疑私人公司以基因工程图利的正当性。大众开始纷纷装置由精密工学所研制出来的人工器官，其他人则开始显现出各种各样的基因突变性状，包括了较为隐性的器官变得敏锐，到明显的心灵感应。人类基因库中所产生的这些变化，让全球各地的人本主义者感到非常的恐慌。

　　科技继续进步及扩张，人口增加的速度也开始飙升。在二十世纪结束的时候，地球上有六十亿的人口。仅仅经过短短的三百年，人口暴增为两百三十亿。污染和自然资源、燃料的耗竭更是火上加油。各个国家莫不竭力寻找降低人口成长率的方法。在人口爆炸、基因突变横扫整个地球的同时，一般人都认为地球将因此而走向天灾地变的结局。

　　当整个世界开使用越来越狐疑的眼光打量人造器官和基因工程的结果时，全球许多重要的金融机体系因为承受不了本身的压力而纷纷崩溃。暴力行为和恐怖主义开始在日渐敌视的跨国公司和人道主义者之间蔓延，造成全球的警察都投入了控制暴乱的行列。不负责任的媒体以头条报导这些血腥的镇压行动，让许多大国的社会陷入了无秩序的混乱中。最后，原先互为抗衡的全球势力变成互相屠戮的地狱景象。

　　新秩序

　　在西元2229年11月22号，联合权力同盟（United Powers League）成立了。联权同盟是目前已经瘫痪的联合国的全球共治体系的继承者。这个新的权力结盟掌握了地球上将近百分之九十三的人口，只有少数几个反覆不定的南美国家没有加入这个同盟。这个同盟的基础是建立在“开明的社会主义”之下，但是却常常依靠严酷、残暴的警察体系来控制整个社会的秩序。在它统治的将近八十年历史中，联权同盟努力的推广他们的制度，导致日后人类不同文明间的独特性被彻底消除，融合为一。他们花了非常多的功夫去消灭种族分离主义的后裔，废教协定禁止了世界上许多最古老的宗教。英文被规定为全球通用的语文，替代了许多在本国也被严格禁止的母语。

　　虽然联权同盟公开的禁止宗教信仰，但是这个组织却坚决保有一个信念，那就是“人类的神圣性”。这个类似信仰的信条让联权同盟立刻采取一切可能的手段去终止、消灭任何污染人类纯粹基因的实验和工作。古板的联权同盟成员和学者们坚决的相信，人造器官、基因工程和精神药物的滥用将会导致人类的衰败。联权同盟的领导者拟定了一个计划，确保人类将会永续生存，而不受到那些腐败新科技的诱惑。

　　大净化

　　如同八百年前横扫全欧洲的血腥猎巫行动一样，联权同盟开始了一项人类有史以来最残暴的计划：基因净化。这个大屠杀式的圣战计划是政府面对人类基因变种的最后净化手段。

　　联权同盟的部队彻底的扫荡地球上的每个国家，逮捕了异议份子、接受人工器官移植的人、网路犯罪者、嗑药族、科技仿冒者以及各种各样的罪犯。这场全球都难以幸免的残暴行为导致了四亿人（400，000，000）丧失了性命。现在被联权同盟严格控制的媒体懦弱的压制了这场大屠杀的真相，让全球大多数的民众都不知道这场惨绝人寰的悲剧。忽略他们残暴的行为不论，联权同盟的确让许多关键性的科技拥有了长足的进展。许多早已终止的研究都在联权同盟的鼓励下重新开始。二十世纪中的时候，由于预算的削减及政治上的杯葛，美、苏两国都放弃的太空探险计划，在这个新的世代中成为人类探险的主要方向。冬眠科技和曲速引擎科技的结合让人类终于可以漫步于群星之间。在四十年的时间中，联权同盟在月球和许多其他太阳系的行星中都建立了殖民地。

　　在这个世代里，一位名叫多兰·茹斯的年轻科学家，开始拟定计划，预计让自己可以在联权同盟里面的势力逐渐扩张。由于没有受到大净化惨剧的干扰，茹斯得以狂热的投身于在太阳系外建立殖民地的梦想。在茹斯的计划中，太阳系外所发现的新矿产和替代用的燃料将会让他在地球上的声望大为增高。靠着他的政界关系和幸运，茹斯很快的就获得了联权同盟的授权，掌握了数以千万计的犯人来作为他实验的白老鼠。这些原先因为大净化而将要被处死的犯人被转送到了茹斯的私人实验所中。这位科学家计划要利用这些犯人在太阳系外建立殖民地，他让手下挑选了五万六千人来进行冬眠的准备。他同时也把这些人的基因突变和基因性状的变异钜细靡遗的建档，同时输入革命性的新超级电脑中。这套系统被称为“人工智慧情感逻辑分析系统”（Artificial Tele-empathic Logistics Analysis System），代号为擎天神。擎天神负责处理这些基因的资料，并且试图预测出哪些囚犯会在将来的严酷考验中生存。只有四万人能够在将来的环境中挣扎求生。

　　这四万人被送上了四艘巨大无匹的全自动、太空探勘超级航舰。当这些囚犯陷入冬眠的时候，四艘超级航舰载着足够的补给、粮食和软硬件，准备在他们抵达目的地的时候给予他们支援。导航系统中的目的地都瞄准了远方的沾翠四号行星。一切看起来似乎都完美无缺，即使是茹斯也没办法预料到这些犯人正航向银河系的悬臂边缘，准备面对即将到来的死亡。

　　流放和长眠

　　擎天神系统安装在超级航舰的第一艘，内加法（Nagglfar）号上。另外的三艘航舰——亚哥、萨伦哥、雷根——则被设定为跟随着内加法号航往沾翠四号行星。

　　在这段被后世称为“长眠”的漫长的旅程中，擎天神持续的观察那些躺在冬眠舱中的囚犯。在彻底评估了这些囚犯体内的基因突变和变化之后，擎天神在其中某些人的体内发现了一串强有力的基因株。虽然这个变异只有发生在不到百分之一的囚犯身上，但很明显的这个基因是和人类大脑中的心电感应性状有关系。擎天神推测，若是这些囚犯能够在新的环境中存活下来，在几个世代之后应该就能顺利的产生心电感应的能力。这个发现被记录起来，并且直接的传送回多兰·茹斯的资料库中。

　　这次在计划中只有一年的旅程，却遭遇到命运的捉弄。在旅程中的某个时间，连结到擎天神上的导航系统关闭了，这不但导致了目的地的座标被删除，连地球的座标都一并消失不见。这四艘船携带着无助的冬眠者，无声无息的在宇宙中以曲速航行了三十年。最后，其中一艘的航舰引擎融毁了。在经过二十八年的曲速旅行之后，这些巨大的船只重新出现在三度空间中，靠近一个可居住星系的外缘。这里距离地球六万光年之远，他们的曲速引擎全毁，生命维持的系统几乎已经耗竭。所有的船只只有进入紧急状况，准备迫降在最接近的可居住行星上。雷根和萨伦哥号迫降在被命名为Omega的行星上。萨伦哥号在穿越大气层的时候系统受到严重的损害，坠毁在地面上，全舰的八千多名乘客全部罹难。雷根号是最为幸运的，它毫发无伤的降落在地面上。

　　当航舰降落之后，这些冬眠者们慢慢的苏醒过来，试图要搞清楚自己所在的位置和到底经过了多久时间：却发现擎天神号已经将所有跟这旅程相关的记忆全部消去。亚哥号降落在后来被称为Moria的红色行星。它的乘客遭遇到跟雷根号乘客一样的命运，所有和他们目前状况有关的资料都已经被消去。只有内加法号的乘客可以进入电脑的资料库中，了解目前的困境。他们直接的进入了擎天神的资料库，在发现了事实之后，开始怀疑自己到底有没有再度回到地球的机会。虽然他们降落在温和的Tasonis行星上，但是内加法号所受到的损害已经无法修复。这些残存的流放者散布在三颗行星上，开始拆卸船只的残骸，试图在新的环境中挣扎求生。

　　联邦与新世界

　　每个行星的居民努力的试图在被称为“新世界”的星球上生存。他们并不知道还有其它的同类挣扎着在别的地方求生存，只能够努力的利用手边的资源活下去。由于失去了星际通讯的科技，难民们又将航舰所有可用的零件都拆卸下来，因此他们孤立生活了数十年。在相当短的时间内，这些难民们就在行星上建立了各不相关的殖民地。要等到六十年后，他们才会因为重新研究出太空旅行的科技而发现彼此的存在，在此之前，每个行星都独立发展成繁荣且自给自足的社会。

　　最大而且科技最先进的殖民地Tasonis很快的就发展出了第二代的次曲速引擎。这让他们的船只可以自由的探索四周荒凉的行星，最后终于发现了同为“长眠”之后的幸存者。在彼此之间恢复联络之后，三个殖民地彼此之间受到贸易及交流的互惠。虽然Tasonis持续的施压，要求Omega和Moria加入一个联合的政府，但是这两个殖民地坚决的拒绝。Tasonis的舰队持续的探勘这一块远离地球，后来被称为Korprulu星区的区域。Tasonis在这个区域建立了七个繁荣的殖民地之后，大为增加了他们的军事力量。一个新的联合政府，为了纪念地球而命名为地球联邦，由Tasonis底下的殖民地组成了。拥有附近区域最富饶矿产的Moria殖民地开始担心这个联邦会不会觊觎他们获利丰富的开矿事业。于是，Kel－Moria连合成立了，这个合作的组织将会对于受到联邦压迫的矿业公会提供武力上的支援。联邦和连合之间的紧张关系很快的开始升高，最后终于演变成史称地球公会战争的事件。公会战争持续了几乎四年，最后联邦终于和连合“协调”出了和约。虽然连合依旧保有自治权，但是几乎它辖下的所有公会都被割让给联邦。Omega殖民地在看到了联邦的滥权将会导致什么结果之后，成立了Omega护国军，这个由全国人民所组成的民兵誓言保护自己的殖民地不受联邦的暴政染指。最后，公会战争所带来的结果是联邦奠立了它在这个星区中的地位，变成第一强权。联邦的“探勘者”们不休止的往外扩张。随着联邦的执法者不断滥用权力，海盗和各地自组的民兵开始如雨后春笋般的出现。这其中最著名的一个例子就是公然抗争联邦政策的Korhal星。

　　Korhal的叛变

　　Korhal是联邦辖下的星球中最早被殖民的几个星球之一。Korhal不但生产力高，创造力也毫不匮乏，联邦的军事和科技的领先地位有一大部份是靠着他们而达成的。虽然Korhal持续的生产力一直对于联邦有莫大的贡献，但是殖民地中的人民一直很厌恶和那些腐败的联邦参议员共事。为了要取得自治权，殖民地的居民对当地的联邦民兵们掀起了一场又一场的暴乱。联邦毫不迟疑的予以回应，宣布了戒严。这个回应只不过对居民们造成了更大的刺激，让原先动荡不安的社会更加混乱。

　　联邦相信，如果这个他们最宝贵的殖民地都会起而叛乱，他们就很难阻止其他的殖民地不起而效尤。联邦的高层官员很快的就决定，Korhal的是件必须要用任何可能的手段来停止－Korhal要作为一个杀一儆百的范例。

　　Korhal星的一位名叫Angus Mengsk的活跃议员决定利用这个机会来鼓励他同胞们的一腔热血。当Mengsk对联邦宣战的时候，民众呼喊自由的热情的确是无法忽视的。藉着煽动Korhal星上所有的群众，Mengsk成功的让狂热的民众们占领了联邦在当地的所有前哨站。在公开宣布了自此以后联邦不再拥有Korhal星的任何主权之后，Mengsk成功的争取到其他许多同在挣扎的殖民地的尊重与敬佩。联邦政府为了要压制这个状况，反而将他们所有的部队从Korhal星撤走，舰队也离开了Korhal星的领空。

　　Mengsk和其他叛变的领袖们相信已经获得了胜利，开始庆祝他们脱离联邦的革命。联邦政府知道Korhal星的失陷可能会鼓动其他殖民地的叛变，计划用更为迂回的方式夺回Korhal。联邦政府派出了三名最强悍的杀手，代号为“幽灵”部队的菁英，去除掉在Korhal星上的Mengsk和他们的支持者。第二天，在Mengsk的高耸，如同要塞一般矗立的高塔中：尸体支离破碎的Mengsk被发现和他的妻子、女儿一起陈尸在自己的房间中。没有人知道Mengsk的脑袋到哪里去了。虽然刺客成功的重创了Korhal星的反抗势力，但是Mengsk的死也制造了联邦日后最大的敌人。

　　Arcturus Mengsk是一位著名的联邦探勘家和成功的商人，他不甘默默承受家人横遭杀害的厄运。在担任了许多年的联邦探勘家之后，他知道联邦会为了达到目标而运用各种卑劣的手段。他本来对星系间的政治丝毫不感兴趣，甚至对自己老爸的狂热感到十分尴尬。但是他万万没想到，联邦会为了证明自己观点的正确而杀光他全家。他的死激起了年轻的Arcturus心中的涟漪，他放弃了自己的未来，开始过着漫长、孤独的复仇生涯。在联合了当初和他父亲一起反抗联邦的激进团体之后，Arcturus成功的组成了一群数量惊人的叛军。Mengsk的部下勇敢的攻击了联邦的前哨战、各种设施，导致联邦损失了数十亿的人、装备和机器。

　　由于谣传Mengsk已经和Omega护国军秘密结盟，联邦政府毅然决然的使出最后手段，要一劳永逸的解决这个问题。从遥远的联邦政府首都Tasonis发射了一千枚的启示录级的核弹，对准Korhal星而去。在这场残酷的攻击中，四百万人尸骨无存。在一瞬间，原先繁荣的Korhal星变成一片焦黑的辐射荒漠。这场大灾难的消息很快的就传到了Mengsk座落在Omega护国军势力范围内的秘密基地。现在的Arcturus一无所有，只剩下复仇的意志，他和跟随他的人当天立下了毒咒，发誓要尽一切的可能推翻联邦。Arcturus和他的叛军们称呼自己“Korhal之子”，很快的就成为整个星区最恶名昭彰的要犯。Korhal之子迅速、寂静无声的突袭为他们对抗联邦的战争赢得了无数次的胜利。但是，他们每以大义之名赢得一次胜利，联邦控制底下的媒体就更加的把他描述成疯狂的恐怖份子。大多数的殖民地都不愿意收留这些臭名在外的恶徒。即使在受到众人唾弃、数目悬殊的状况下，Mengsk从来不放弃对抗联邦的战斗。直到今天为止，Korhal之子依旧继续对抗联邦的官员，将他们的理想散布到全星区。

　　大战前夕

　　不同殖民地的势力和海盗们持续的和联邦对抗。虽然有许多的团体彼此对抗，但是地球人在Korprulu星区的力量依旧是在稳定的扩张和成长中。而这些微不足道的争端，很快的就会在两股极大力量的压迫下被弃之一旁。

　　毫无预警的，由五十支船舰所构成的外星船队出现在联邦最外围的Chau Sara殖民地上空。这些巨大的船只对于不知情的殖民地毫不留情的轰击，有系统的消灭整个星球上的每个屯垦区。

　　这次突如其来的攻击让联邦手足无措，匆忙间将部队派往救援。虽然他们以前从来没遭遇过外星人，但是他们依旧飞快的赶往对抗这神秘的敌人。联邦对于这些航向第二个殖民地Mar Sara的舰队发动了一次笨拙的反攻。这个自称为Protoss的种族神秘的撤退，并且放过了那个星球。很快的，另一群恐怖的外星人出现在Mar Sara的边缘。这些新的，类似昆虫的入侵者与之前的攻击者Protoss有非常大的差别。没有地球人能够想像不只一种，而是两种外星人同时出现在他们的家园。每个派系都陷入了瘫痪的恐惧中，再加上他们原先彼此斗争的重担，让这些人类只能眼睁睁的看着一波波的外星入侵者朝着地球人的家园而来。

　　【Zerg发展史】

　　创始实验

　　被称做Xel’Naga（Xel Naga）的神秘种族被自己不断在生命创造式的渴望所驱动，来到了名为Aiur的边境星球。Aiur的巨大丛林中进化出了Xel’Naga所看过的最为先进的种族。Xel’Naga相信，他们可以藉着自己超群的生物科技，来将这些生物的进化导向物理上的完美极限。日后，Xel’Naga将会把这个种族命民为“Protoss”，这个种族快速的进化，并且到达了他们的创造者所称的“单纯、独特的个体”的境界。很不幸的，Xel’Naga太过急躁了，Protoss族的智慧和肉体进化的太快了，让他们和创造者之间开始有了难以跨越的距离。Xel’Naga认为他们所追求的纯净形体已经因为物质上的冲突而被玷污了，所以他们判定Protoss族事实上是他们失败的创造。最后，他们抛弃了自己的子民，航往深邃的宇宙。

　　Zerg诞生

　　Xel’Naga朝着银河系炎热的中心旅行了数千光年，最后他们来到了为灰烬所覆盖，所有事物变化极快的Zerus。Xel’Naga计划要在这里继续他们伟大的进化实验，只不过，记取了上次的教训：这次他们舍弃了在物理上追求完美的努力，转而追求单纯、物质上的纯净。Xel’Naga将他们庞大的船只停靠在Zerus 星的上空，再一次的，向造物主的命运挑战。Xel’Naga这次结果的成功，远远超过他们的想像。他们努力的加快Zerus星上最不起眼的一种小生物的进化，这种昆虫类的生物被他们称做Zerg。靠着Xel’Naga的基因操控所提供的竞争力，Zerg们在自己星球上的火焰暴风中存活了下来，开始繁衍进化。虽然他们的体型很小，如同蠕虫一般，而且没有操控周遭环境的能力，但是他们发展出了适应的方法。Zerg们在这种恶劣的环境中发展出了一种能力，那就是钻进当地生物的体内。藉着吸取这些宿主的脊髓液，Zerg们慢慢的学习以寄生的方式和这些生物融合在一起。当他们能够操纵和完全掌握该生物的循环系统之后，Zerg们开始利用这些新的躯壳来和周遭的环境互动。当Zerg们开始寄生、操纵越来越多的生物之后，他们也开始吸收、合并这些宿主们的基因链。Zerg们的化学分子开始随吸收的基因链而改变。不过，即使这些宿主的种属各异，但是他们依旧只吸收进化程度较高的基因链。Zerg本能的选择要吞食那个种属，以确保他们能够在每个进化的阶段中都稳稳的坐在进化的宝座上。任何异形遭遇到的其他种族，一旦被判别为不值得吞并，立刻被彻底的消灭，以保障其基因链的纯粹。Xel’Naga很快的就发现了一些惊人的事实。被Zerg吞并的种族在经过短短的几个世代之后就已经面目全非。Zerg藉着不明的方法来加快宿主的进化速度。这些受到Zerg加快循环、进化速度的宿主门很快的就突变出自然状况下不会拥有的特殊性状：能够穿透钢铁的触角、如剃刀般锋利的肢体、超致密的外壳。在很短的时间内，这么多不同的基因链已经开始变成了一个贪婪、却又极为团结的种族。

　　主宰

　　Xel’Naga以Protoss族的经验为教训，提醒自己如果在生物的智力上给予太大的压力会发生什么后果，于是，这次在创造Zerg的时候，他们采取的是完全不同的路径。为了要削减不同个体意识所会造成的困扰，Xel’Naga将Zerg们的意识统一、集合成一个称作“主宰＂的集体意识。主宰是所有Zerg们的最基本的生存意志和欲望的意识集合体。随着时间的流逝，主宰慢慢的发展出了自我意识和高超的智慧。虽然主宰可以掌控所有Zerg的行为，但是它必须要有传播的媒介才行。于是主宰制造出了一种独特的Zerg，专门为了帮助它传播讯息。脑虫（Cerebrate）是原先Zerg昆虫般形体放大之后的结果，他们专门负责执行主宰的独特命令。每个脑虫都拥有特别的任务，像是”保卫巢穴“、”搜寻可能的宿主“、”制造更多战士“、”消灭所有生物\"等等。经过漫长的时间之后，这些脑虫开始配合着自己所接受的独特命令而发展出了相对应的人格。不论如何进化，脑虫的基因依旧让他们绝对无法反抗或是违背主宰的命令。随着新的宿主的加入，Zerg的种族变得越来越庞大。脑虫开始也需要媒介来帮他们传达命令了。为了要加强生产和巢穴的护卫，有些脑虫变成后虫（Queen）以便更严密的控制底下的族群。后虫负责监视工蜂（Drone）运输和利用巢穴中资源的过程，并且严密的监控底下分支的殖民地。在战斗的时候，脑虫会呼唤来王虫（Overlord）来帮助它在战斗中传达作战的调配。王虫的任务不只是调配Zerg在战斗中的战略，同时还负责运送部队到战场。如同脑虫必须服从主宰的命令一样，王虫和后虫同样的也都不能违背脑虫的意识。这种严苛的命令体系让整个Zerg社会保持在最有效率的状态。随着族群势力的不断扩张和增强，主宰开始考虑种族的未来。它意识到，在短短的几个世纪中，它的同胞们已经同化了Zerus当地所有的生物。它知道，要让同胞们再度进化，就必须要离开Zerus。机会很快的就出现了。一种可以在阴冷、死寂的太空中生存的生物路过Zerus星系，主宰把握住机会对他们发出讯息。在被这讯息引诱到荒凉的Zerus星之后，他们很快的就被Zerg同化了。很快的，Zerg战士们就开始进化到具有在宇宙中生存的能力了。Xel’Naga看到了这个关键的一刻。虽然Zerg们身上有着非常严重的缺憾，但是他们不只成功的生存下来，更是保持了本体意识的纯粹性。Xel’Naga知道他们已经成功了。

　　Xel’Naga的毁灭

　　对自己创造物的骄傲成了Xel’Naga灭亡的原因。主宰慢慢的将自己的触角延伸入太空，发现了Xel’Naga所乘坐的巨大星船漂浮在Zerus的上空。Xel’Naga原先一直持续的保持对主宰的监控，此时却惊恐的发现它已经切断了和他们之间的心灵连结，有效的让他们无法侦测。

　　主宰将Zerg们同化的欲望激发到最高点，趁着Xel’Naga人慌乱的时候，对他们派出了新一代的太空Zerg。这个古老的种族尽全力阻挡这些蜂拥而上的义行，但最后他们依然失败。Zerg们一波接一波，毫无退意的撞击着Xel’Naga星船的强化外壳。在短短的几个小时之内，Zerg们就突破了他们造物主的防线，彻底摧毁了整个Xel’Naga的舰队。当Xel’Naga被Zerg种族体内的基因漩涡所吞食之后，主宰吸收了他们造物主的一切知识和力量，让它的力量成长到难以想像的境界。它发现了神圣的凯达林水晶（Khaydarin Crystal）的力量，并且开始将它的力量吸为己用。

　　借着Xel’Naga 脑中对于基因生物学、基因工程学的知识。主宰成功的提高了Zerg中较高等种属的智慧，却又依旧将他们紧紧的控制住。凭借吸收Xel’Naga所有的记忆，主宰意识到所有曾经受到这个古老种族所影响的生物极其之多。Xel’Naga详细记录了这些种族的每串基因链所代表的意义，让主宰彻底的了解这些种族的优点和缺点。更重要的，主宰发现了一个比Zerg远为强大的种族生活在银河的边缘，他们被称作Protoss。主宰意识到，Protoss和Zerg之间的毁灭性冲突是无可避免的。

　　决定性的要素

　　Zerg离开了自己高温、荒凉的Zerus行星，往Protoss族的母星而去，一路上他们摧毁了每个挡路的星球。当他们缓慢的在这漫无边际的黑暗中旅行的时候，他们只同化最强悍的种族。Zerg群们继续的前进，不管是在实力和数量上都不停的成长。主宰也不停的派出探测队，探询母群体前面的宇宙，寻找可以掠夺的行星。虽然一路上战无不胜，但是主宰依旧感到十分的困扰。主宰推测出来，Protoss族已经进化成了高度精神感应的种族，能够任意的改变和操控真实世界的定律。它不停的试着寻找抵抗这种力量的解答，但是在Zerg们所同化的无数基因中，并没有这样的答案。就在绝望的前一刻，主宰有了一个惊人的发现。它的探测队回报了详细的数据和资料，有一个种族居住在数十个无甚特色的行星上，刚好就在Protoss族的领域附近。这个被称为人类的新种族只差几个世代就可以演化出惊人的心灵能力。但是主宰也推测出，人类依旧是一个相当原始的种族，没有办法抵抗所向无敌的Zerg。虽然人类的寿命短，本体也非常的脆弱，但是主宰知道这个脆弱的种族将会是Zerg和Protoss族间决胜的关键。如果他可以吸收人类潜在的精神力，那么主宰将拥有对抗Protoss的能力了。因此。Zerg大军们缓缓的向着人类的世界前进。这个旅程花费了漫长的六十年，最后Zerg大军还是抵达了人类所在的Korprulu星区的边缘。主宰派出了一个专门侦察用的种属，确定人类是居住在这个星区中的数十颗行星上。主宰把Zerg的孢子撒布在Chau Sara行星的大气中，开始了奴役人类的计划。Zerg孢子慢慢的飘到地面，开始利用Zerg的强酸侵蚀Chau Sara行星的地面。在当地的居民知道自己星球的表土已经受到Zerg污染之前，这些生物已经开始降落在地面上，开始兴建Zerg们特殊的巢穴。

　　当渗透这个殖民地的工作已经成功的开始之后，主宰将它的子民们派遣到邻近的星球上。主宰的子民们一心一意的执行他们的任务，很快的就渗透了Chau Sara、Mar Sara、Brontes和戴乐四号星球，当地的居民对此一无所觉。但是，Protoss们的庞大舰队从邻近的空域中出现了，他们是来抵抗Zerg入侵的。由于主宰非常渴望得知Protoss族目前进化的状况，因此它决定任由Protoss干扰这初始的渗透计划。主宰手握大军不动，悄悄的看着Protoss净化被污染的Chau Sara殖民地。很明显的，Protoss族也已经知道了这个星球已经被Zerg孢子所污染，为了避免进一步的感染，他们彻底的焚烧了这颗星球。如此断然的行为让主宰感到十分满意，它同时也欣赏Protoss族能够这么优雅的执行彻底的毁灭。它知道接下来的战争将会是Zerg有史以来最大的挑战，于是它将部队撤回，准备静静的观看Protoss族和人类之间的互动。

　　【Protoss历史】

　　Xel’Naga和神的子民

　　虽然古代的Protoss只有留下断简残篇的历史，但是其中的确有记载着数千万年前，有一个全能的种族曾经一度统治过数千个星球。这个谜般的种族，通常被称作“Xel’Naga”或是“来自远方的漂泊客”，据说曾经在他们领域内的数千颗荒凉、孤寂的星球上播下了生命的种子。Protoss的传统中认为Xel’Naga是和平而且为其他种族谋求福利的生命，他们唯一的目标就是研究和繁衍宇宙中高等的智慧生命。

　　所有的人都只知道Xel’Naga执着于创造一种完美的形体，为此努力的数千年。虽然他们之前的实验创造出了无数的变种和性状，但是这些种族总是赶不上Xel’Naga的期待。Xel’Naga气馁之余，决定将所有的心力都放在他们期望最高的实验场地，银河系的边缘，拥有浓密森林的Aiur行星。这颗星球上已经有了一种非常先进的种族。这些种族能够适应艰困的难以置信的天候和状况。他们的能力远远超过Xel’Naga所知道的其他种族。这个种族甚至已经进化出了一种以集体狩猎和战士阶层为主的原始部落。不过，最最让人惊讶的还是这个种族彼此之间能够用复杂的方法进行心灵上的沟通，让他们能够快速有效的进行集体的狩猎。Xel’Naga对于这个种族的状况感到十分欣慰，因为他们是少数已经突破了低等生物形态演化上障壁的种族。为了要强调这个种族将来在宇宙中的特殊地位，Xel’Naga给予这个种族一个名字——“神之子民”，也叫做Protoss。古代的Protoss们祥和的居住在Aiur行星上，在数百个世代中都不知道Xel’Naga一直都在静静的观察他们。虽然他们已经是Xel’Naga的实验中最为成功的，但是Xel’Naga依旧对于他们缓慢的进化感到不耐烦，觉得应该给予更多外界的助力。Xel’Naga又花费了无数的时间导引他们的子民，终于让他们到达了智慧和意识都十分完整的阶段。这些神的子民不但具有极高的智慧，更拥有反省的能力，不但让整个种族发展出灿烂的文明，更让单一个体也拥有不遑多让的光辉。感动于他们的成功，Xel’Naga终于决定要让Protoss知道他们的存在，却完全没有料想过随后的混乱。

　　离开和纷乱的年代

　　Protoss的文化在数千年间就散布到了整个Aiur行星上，最后终于将彼此征战的部落统一在一个集权政体下。为了要测验这些生物进化的程度，Xel’Naga决定自天而降，让自己开始对Protoss的文化造成影响。起初Xel’Naga的抵达似乎让Protoss的部落为团结，惊喜的看着自己的造物者出现，从而感受到更大的领会和喜悦。Xel’Naga对于Protoss渴求解开宇宙之谜的好奇心感到十分的讶异。Protoss们为了满足自己不断渴求知识的天性，而发展出了复杂、进步快速的科学和心灵学。

　　当他们对自己的了解和自我意识逐渐茁壮之时，Protoss开始变得十分骄傲，努力追求自身的成就而不是团体的进步。越进步的部落就越快开始将自己和其他社会隔离，不但寻求自己在这个社会上的定位，更想要让自己的部落在宇宙中占有一席之地。当这些部落越来越分散的时候，Xel’Naga开始感到气馁：他们觉得也许是因为他们太过急躁地推动Protoss的进化，而导致了他们的纯粹性受到破坏。许多Xel’Naga开始认为Protoss们已经失去了他们最强之处，让自我压过了原先合作无间的群体。这些被自我实现所驱动的部落，甚至更变本加厉的恢复各个部落本身的特有仪式，和其他部落越离越远。一度对造物主所抱持的崇敬态度，现在已经开始被怀疑所取代。

　　随着时间的流逝，Protoss们开始躲避造物主，并且在各部落之间流传Xel’Naga的可能恶行。为了要切断自己和其他部落间的连结，Protoss们开始中断最原始的心灵链结。当Protoss失去了同情彼此的想法时，这心灵链结的最后一段也开始崩坏。心灵链结的中断，对于Xel’Naga来说，是Protoss们悲剧性的失落了纯粹性的铁证。Xel’Naga相信自己已经亲手摧毁了最具潜力的实验品，伤心地永远离开Aiur行星。当听到了造物主离开的消息后，原本就起了疑心的Protoss们开始毫不留情的攻击Xel’Naga。有数以百计的Xel’Naga被数十年前还视他们为神的Protoss们残酷的杀戮。Xel’Naga哀伤的阻挡住Protoss的攻势，幽幽的离开了Aiur行星。

　　Protoss的部落在这失落的混乱中，开始彼此征战了起来。接下来的日子是银河系历史上最为血腥的自相残杀、自暴自弃的内战：纷乱的年代。无数个世代的Protoss在纷乱的年代中彼此残杀，每个人心头都背负着忘恩负义的自责，以及被抛弃的伤悲。虽然Protoss们有关这个“失落的年代”的记载只有残留很少的一部份，但是很明显的，这些神的子民们变成了残暴的杀手数世纪以来，对于彼此的仇恨让许多世代的Protoss连过往的光荣和一度紧密的心灵链结都不及知道，就在自相残杀中战死。传说中甚至连Aiur行星的地表都因为这些疯狂的杀戮而遭到破坏。看起来，这原先兴盛无比的Protoss文化，似乎已经走到了绝灭的边缘。

　　Khala：升华之道

　　虽然混乱之年代的终止有许多原因，但是带来第二个年代的最重要原因只有一个。在这场古老的血腥争斗中，有一个Protoss意外的受到了启发。这个先知，虽然他的名字已经在历史中散逸了，但是史家们都将他称为“Khas”，或者是“带来秩序之人”。Khas在阅读了那些古老的、神秘的Xel’Naga资料之后，他找出了古老的强大物品－被称作凯达林水晶的物体。Xel’Naga所留下的水晶是为了加速他们的基因实验之用。Khas将它的力量导入自己身体，让他得以体会自己这个种族古老的、和谐的心灵链结。经过了数千年之后，Protoss的心灵链结又再度被开启了。Khas被每个Protoss的情感和思想所淹没，突然意识到，其实Protoss的心灵链结根本就没有中断，只是每个人都忘记了如何去使用它。

　　Khas为这毁灭自己种族的战争和仇恨所震慑，决定找出终止这场混乱的方法。Khas聚集了许多年轻的Protoss战士，成功的教导他们如何利用先前已经被遗忘的心灵链结。这些年轻人突然之间远离了身旁的纷乱和砍杀，意识到了自己种族的愚昧。他们相信Xel’Naga的想法没错，他们完美的本质的确已经被自我的出现而破坏了，他们的确是个失败的被创造物。他们也相信，由于他们的失败并不是由于自己所造成的，所以其实Protoss们内心的挣扎是毫无意义的。Khas发展出了一套先进的心灵进化系统，希望能够好好的训练这些年轻人，让他们不再重蹈过去所发生过的悲剧。他的理论被称为“Khala”或叫做“升华之道”，这个理论呼唤所有的Protoss放弃自身的挣扎，重新朝向统一的大我迈进。Khas最大的期望就是“Khala”能够将新的希望和活力注入Protoss全体的心中。慢慢的，许多Protoss舍弃了他们古老的怨恨，并且加入了越来越兴盛的Khala之徒。这就是混乱的年代中最重要的转捩点，也是第二个世代的开端。当部落停止了战争，开始重修旧好的时候，Khala正准备要开始改变Protoss们更为古老的习俗。

　　达乌：济弱扶倾

　　Khala除了订立了严格的行为规范之外，同时还试图将社会组织从部落改变成种性（Caste）制度。所有Protoss的部落都要分成三个阶层：裁判官、僧侣与圣堂武士。这个改变除了更加消弭过往的仇恨之外，也替Protoss族准备好了一个全新的开始。

　　裁判官是由Protoss中的长老和代议士所组成的，主要的目的是为了监督整个社会在Khala的规范下运作。评议会是在一群长老的治理下运作，被称作枢机会议。第二个阶层，被称为僧侣，是由Protoss族中的绝大部份所组成的。僧侣阶层代表的是工程师、科学家和劳工，他们在混乱的年代之后努力不休的重建被破坏的家园。第三个阶层叫做圣堂武士，是Aiur行星的神圣战士和保护者。

　　在枢机会议所治理的评议会监督，以及圣堂武士强大的武力下，Aiur行星很快的就变成银河系中的天堂。随着他们快速的发展，Protoss们很快的就重新发现了之前失落的知识，很快的找回了星际旅行的知识。在短短的数百年间，Protoss族征服了他们四周的几百颗行星，并且将他们的文化散播给无数的智慧生命。最后，Protoss们成功的重新得回了Xel’Naga原有星球数目的八分之一。除了依循Khala严格的规定之外，Protoss们更把达乌，或称作“济弱扶倾”的重担揽到自己身上。达乌依循着Xel’Naga的行为模式，要求Protoss们必须照顾和保护那些在他们底下生活的生命。与他们的祖先不同的是，Protoss们拒绝介入或是操控他们所保护生命的进化过程。Protoss们一直都对于外来的侵略非常的小心，持续的注意着那些毫无所觉的被保护者。不过Protoss们像过去的Xel’Naga一样，不现身在被保护者的面前。几百种智慧生命在他们的疆域中繁荣兴盛，根本不知道冥冥中还有一股力量在保护他们。

　　黑暗圣堂武士

　　虽然他们新的文明持续的兴盛发展，但是枢机会议依旧保有一个可耻的秘密，不敢给大众知道。有少数的部落拒绝相信Khala圣典的教诲，相信他们个体意识的消灭只是更为增加枢机会议的力量。这些叛逆的部落并不邪恶、也不是民兵、他们只是坚决的相信心灵链结将会是Protoss族的末日。因此，枢机会议尽一切可能隐藏这些叛逆部落的存在，因为他们惧怕这些部落会对目前祥和的世界造成影响，摧毁Khala所努力达成的目标。他们相信这些叛逆的部落将会是新秩序的一大威胁，因此，他们命令圣堂武士去将这些部落彻底铲除。

　　领导这支部队的是一名叫做Adun的年轻战士，他不忍心对自己迷途的同胞痛下杀手。相反的，天真的Adun试图把叛逆部落藏匿起来，不让枢机会议发现。Adun相信，只要教导他们运用自己的精神力量，就可以说服他们听从Khala之道的教诲。后来，虽然他们的力量变得和圣堂武士一样的强大，但是这些叛逆部落依旧放弃他们爱好自由的灵魂，加入Khala之道。由于缺少了升华之道的训练，这些Protoss们的力量失控，不受控制的在Aiur行星上造成了巨大的风暴。

　　枢机会议惊恐的发现圣堂武士没有消灭这些部落，开始慌乱的寻求解决之道。如果枢机会议公开的惩罚Adun和圣堂武士，那么他们将必须承认叛逆部落的存在。因此，枢机会议决定永远驱逐这些迷途的同胞。Adun辖下的圣堂武士发誓永远不对外公布此事，而这些叛逆的部落则被送上古老的的Xel’Naga巨船，飞向无垠的宇宙。从此以后，这些叛逆部落就会被称作“黑暗圣堂武士”。

　　随着时间的流逝，黑暗圣堂武士的传说开始在Aiur行星上散布，让年轻的Protoss们感到既神秘又刺激。为了要展示自己对于评议会和枢机会议的唾弃，他们切断了自己的神经束，有效的隔离了和其他Protoss间的心灵链结。很多人都相信，由于这些暗影猎人切断了自己和Protoss间的联系，所以他们被迫要从黑暗、深邃的太空中吸取心灵能源。这种传说变成了对这些叛逆战士的一种控诉。黑暗圣堂武士遭到自己同胞的厌恶和追杀，只得在自给自足的太空船上过着流放的生活。虽然不停的在漆黑、冰冷的太空中游荡，但是这些黑暗圣堂武士从来没有忘怀自己的家乡，他们会秘密的用任何的方法来保护它。

　　人类和Zerg的到来

　　Protoss们静静的看着人类意外的来到他们疆域的边缘。虽然Protoss们不确定这些流亡人类的来源，但是他们相信这些性格暴烈、短命的生物将会是很好的观察目标。Protoss们静静的观察人类的殖民超过两百年。这些人类成功在Protoss的疆域中建立了许多简陋的殖民地。虽然地球人的科技远逊于Protoss，但是他们依旧艰辛的适应了所有的环境，并且发展的十分兴盛。Protoss们对于地球人感到非常的有兴趣，因为他们发现地球人之间虽然不停的彼此斗争，却还是依旧扩张、科技依然进步。Protoss们警觉到地球人快速的耗竭自己星球上的资源，在Protoss眼中看来，这些人类不懂得维护自然界中微妙的平衡，在他们四处迁徙的过程中，只会在身后留下一个又一个荒废的星球。

　　由于受到“济弱扶倾”规范的严格限制，不管他们多么想要介入人类的社会中，他们依旧只能袖手旁观。两个种族之间就这么保持松散的关系许多年。但是，一次Protoss的侦察任务看到了这些无助地球人的末日。圣堂武士Tassadar率领着他著名的圣堂武士探险队，发现在Protoss的领空边缘漂浮着一些有机的建筑物。靠近调查之后发现，这些不起眼的生物组织其实是外星人的探测器。虽然Tassadar无法判断这些探测器的来源，但是他可以确定一点，这些探测器是朝着Korprulu星区的人类殖民地而去。Tassadar将这些活生生的探测器带回Aiur行星做研究。这些奇异的外星人组织和Protoss所知的其他生命完全不同。每个探测器的基因都是特别针对侦察和在太空中生存所调配出来的。为了要调查他们的来源，Protoss科学家尝试着将凯达林水晶的能量聚焦在这些小生物的意识上。Protoss们惊讶的发现这种外星生命竟然快速而且自然的做出反应。这种惊讶是有原因的，因为只有经过Xel’Naga特别改造过的生物才能够吸收这种水晶的能量。更惊人的是在这些生物的小脑袋中不停重复、一遍又一遍的思想：“找到人类”、“消灭”、“学习”、“进化”……Protoss族推断这个探测器的到来是一种可怕威胁的先驱。如果这些生物经过Xel’Naga基因工程技术的改造，那么他们将十分的先进而且强大。很明显的，这种生命对于所有的生物都是一种威胁。而且，不管这些生物的母群体在哪里，他们一定都还在不停的搜寻毫无所觉的地球人。Protoss族开始对着四周的宇宙派出大量的侦察船，观察是否有任何的入侵者。Tassadar声称，在“济弱扶倾”的纲领规范下，保护这些低下的种族是Protoss族应有的责任。枢机会议则不能认同这种看法，他们认为这些“低等”的地球人已经被某种新的威胁给感染了，必须要用烈火将他们消灭殆尽。在评议会和圣堂武士之间就应该如何介入人类事务开始了激烈的辩论。两个阶级唯一能够达成共识的是这个种族毫无疑问的是由Xel’Naga所改造出来的。如果他们确定是由这些造物主所创造的，Protoss们最好提高戒备。双方都同意，先派出Tassadar的舰队去观察人类的殖民地，试图判断这次危机的急迫性。因此，Tassadar率领着他的舰队甘翠锁号和一队强大的Protoss战舰前往人类的殖民地。

　　末日的开始

　　一抵达了人类的区域之后，Tassadar的斥候发现了这些神秘的外星人已经开始入侵人类的殖民地。在仔细的观察之后，Tassadar发现边境殖民地Chau Sara已经被外星人的有机体给感染了。整个行星的地表都被一种厚重、剧毒的物质所覆盖，持续的腐蚀这里的表土。更糟糕的是，Zerg们已经将这里所有的人类都消灭殆尽，或者是寄生在他们身上。Tassadar看见了这种恐怖的景象，开始怀疑为什么人类没有赶来救援这个已被摧毁的殖民地。枢机会议一得到了消息之后，立刻下命毁灭整个星球上的所有感染。Tassadar知道这样做将会杀死所有的生命，但也只能无奈的服从。

　　巨大的Protoss战舰从轨道上瞬间降下了天火，烧尽整个殖民地。虽然这里的Zerg被全部清除了，但是很明显的附近还有几颗行星也有受到感染的迹象。上级命令Tassadar摧毁所有可能受到感染的殖民地，宁可错杀，不可放过。Tassadar在前往Mar Sara殖民地的途中，开始质疑这项命令的合理性。人类战士被Protoss族对于Chau Sara的攻击打得措手不及，正准备派出大群舰队抵御这些入侵者，而Tassadar却正好下令他的舰队撤离。Tassadar没有办法说服自己摧毁原先前来保护的行星，他想要找到一个方法可以打败这些Zerg，却不需要将人类彻底消灭。因此，他拒绝服从上级给予他的无理命令。他带着庞大的间断藏匿到地球人的侦察范围之外，静静的观察Zerg接近人类的殖民地。

　　（全文完）

作者: castelu 时间: 2013-8-30 22:30
THE DECLINE OF WESTERN CIVILIZATION

Although technology and world culture progressed rapidly throughout the twentieth century, their advancements paled in comparison to the seemingly reckless leaps that would follow. By the end of the twenty-first century, mankind had seen bold and unprecedented changes within the world. Radical new technologies were surfacing at incredible rates, offering increased access to advanced computers and informational databases to even the most destitute nations of Earth. In the wake of the eradication of Communism from the Eastern Nations, nuclear weapons quickly became available in abundance. The international power structure, once defined primarily by the acquisition of capital and military superiority, was blasted apart as third-world nations rose to challenge the economic and military might of the world's super-powers.

As the manipulative sciences of cybernetics, cloning and gene-splicing rose steadily into the public forum, militant humanist and hard-line religious groups challenged the rights of private interest corporations who profited from genetic experimentation. Multitudes of people were being augmented with cybernetic implants while others began to manifest slight physical mutations ranging from heightened senses to advanced telepathy. These dramatic changes within the human gene pool caused widespread panic amongst many of the fundamental humanist factions.

Technology continued to evolve and spread, and population rates soared. Near the end of the twentieth century, there were six billion people upon the earth. Within three hundred years, the population had grown to an estimated twenty-three billion. Pollution and a lack of natural resources and affordable fuels added to the fire as world leaders sought ways to stem the growth of their nation's inhabitants. Popular sentiment held that the world was plummeting towards an inevitable catastrophe as overpopulation and genetic alteration swept across the globe.

Meanwhile, as tensions rose around the world regarding the use and capitalization of cybernetics and genetic mutations, many core international economic systems folded in upon themselves and shut down. Horrific acts of terrorism and violence erupted between the corporate sector and the humanist factions, resulting in forced police actions across the globe. Irresponsible media coverage of these atrocious police actions spurred the already rampant civil chaos in many of the larger countries. Ultimately, the precarious balance of world power exploded into international pandemonium.

THE NEW ORDER

On November 22, 2229, the United Powers League (UPL) was founded. The UPL was to become the ultimate incarnation of the vision of a unified humanity held by the now defunct United Nations. This new order encompassed and controlled close to ninety-three percent of the earths population, failing only to bring order to a few volatile South American states. The UPL was founded upon the basis of 'enlightened socialism', but often resorted to harsh, fascist police actions to maintain the public order. With its control lasting for nearly eighty years, the UPL began to devise a rigid agenda that would unify the various cultures of humanity for all time. Great lengths were taken to eradicate the last vestiges of racial separatism, and the Unitariate Commissions banned many of the world's oldest religions. English was designated as the common tongue of the planet, replacing many ancient languages that were subsequently banned in their native countries.

Although religions were officially banned by the UPL, the organization held an almost zealous belief in the supposed divinity of mankind'. This quasi-religious dogma called for the immediate eradication of any non-vital prosthetics or mutations amongst the pure-strain human gene pool. Hard-line UPL proponents and scholars argued that genetic alteration, cyber technology, and the use of psychoactive drugs all led to the eventual degeneration of the human species. The UPL leaders formulated a bold plan that would assure that humanity would persevere, unscathed by the tempting corruption of radical technologies.

THE GREAT PURIFICATION

Like the bloody Inquisitions that devastated Europe eight hundred years before, the UPL set in motion one of the harshest agendas ever conceived by humanity: Project Purification. This genocidal crusade was the Government's final solution to the matter of cleansing humanity of its more degenerate facets. UPL troops scoured every nation on earth, rounding up dissidents, hackers, synthetics, the cybernetically enhanced, tech-pirates, and criminals of every kind. This planet wide culling resulted in the eradication of nearly 400 Million people. The world-media, now under the strict control of the UPL, downplayed the horrific violence and kept the general populace of earth unaware of the scope of the atrocities being committed.

Despite their heinous acts, the UPL succeeded in advancing many core technologies. Fields of research that had lain dormant for decades were opened again under UPL control. The Space Exploration programs of the mid-twentieth century, abandoned by the American and Russian governments due to drastically reduced budgets and incessant political sabotage, became the basis for a new era of exploration for humanity. The coupling of cryogenic hibernation with warp-drive technology resulted in the ability to travel amongst the stars. Within the span of forty years the UPL founded colonies upon the moon and many other planets within the Terran solar system.

During this period, a brilliant young scientist named Doran Routhe made plans to consolidate his power within the UPL. Uninvolved with the vulgarities of Project Purification, Routhe was obsessed with founding colonies upon the world beyond the Terran Sector. Routhe was convinced that the discovery of new minerals and alternate fuel sources on the outlying worlds would make him one of the most influential men on earth. Through his political connections and personal fortune, Routhe was able to secure thousands of UPL prisoners to use as guinea pigs for his secret plans.

The prisoners, slated for mass execution under the edict of Project Purification, were transported to Routhe's private laboratories. Routhe, planning on sending the prisoners off to colonize the outlying worlds, had his science crews prep nearly 56,000 people for long-term cryogenic hibernation. Cataloguing the various mutations and cybernetic enhancements of the prisoners, Routhe input all of the data into a revolutionary supercomputer. This Artificial Tele-empathic Logistics Analysis System, known as ATLAS then processed this genetic information and was able to predict which of the prisoners should be able to survive the trial to come. Only 40,000 of the prisoners were deemed viable to survive the rigorous conditions. Those 40,000 were then loaded onto four gargantuan, automated deep-space supercarriers. As the prisoners were prepped for cryogenic 'cold-sleep', the ships were loaded with enough supplies, rations and hardware to aid them once they arrived at their scheduled destination. The navigation computer was then programmed with the co-ordinates of the outlying planet Gantris VI. All seemed in perfect preparation, but even Routhe could not have imagined that the prisoners would be launched to their almost certain deaths in the galactic rim.

THE EXILES AND THE LONG SLEEP

The ATLAS was installed into the first of the super carriers, the Nagglfar. Three other carriers - the Argo, the Sarengo, and the Reagan - were programmed to follow the Nagglfar as it was launched into the void of space towards Gantris VI. Over the course of this journey, which generations later would call 'The Long Sleep', ATLAS continued to monitor the humans kept in cryogenic stasis. Evaluating the numerous mutations and enhancements found within the prisoner's gene pool, ATLAS became aware of a powerful mutagenic strain that existed in some of their DNA. While this mutation was found to reside in less than one percent of the prisoners, it seemed to augment the latent psionic potential within the human brain. ATLAS calculated that, should the prisoners survive in their new environment many of them might benefit from this psionic mutation within only a few generations. These findings were recorded and relayed back to earth, straight into the logs of Doran Routhe.

Originally scheduled as a one-year trip, their voyage took a turn for the worse at some point during the journey the navigational systems linked to ATLAS shut down, erasing not only the co-ordinates of Gantris VI, but those of the earth as well. The four ships, carrying their hapless cargo in stasis, barreled blindly through space at warp speeds for nearly thirty years.

Eventually, the warp-drive engines of the four super carriers reached critical meltdown. After twenty-eight years of warp travel, the huge ships emerged into real space near the edge of a habitable star system. Some 60,000 light years from the earth, their engines destroyed and their life-support batteries nearly exhausted, the ships engaged their emergency protocols and plummeted towards the nearest habitable worlds in the system.

The Reagan and the Sarengo crash landed on the world that would be named Umoja. The Sarengo, which had suffered massive systems failures during its atmospheric descent, smashed into the planet killing all of its 8,000 passengers. The Reagan was more fortunate, making a controlled descent and landing safely. Once the ship had landed, the 'cold sleep' chambers were deactivated and the surviving passengers slowly awakened. The passengers, attempting to discern where they were and how long they had 'slept', found that the ATLAS system had somehow erased all knowledge of their journey from their computer banks.

The Argo landed upon the red world of Moria. Its passengers met with the same fate as those aboard the Reagan, as all information regarding their current status was erased. Only the passengers of the Nagglfar could access their ship's computer to discern their plight. They accessed ATLAS directly and confirmed their growing suspicions that they would never see the earth again, for although they had landed on the temperate planet of Tarsonis, the Nagglfar was damaged beyond repair. The surviving exiles, now spread across three worlds, began to salvage their wrecked ships in an attempt to find refuge in their new surroundings.

THE CONFEDERACY AND THE NEW WORLD

The inhabitants of each planet worked to survive in what they termed 'the New World'. Unaware that their fellows also thrived upon the other worlds in the system, the vagabond Terrans made do with whatever meager resources they could find. Having lost the means to communicate over interplanetary distances when their ships were stripped for essential materials, the Terrans lived in isolation for decades. In a relatively short amount of time, the three isolated groups of Terrans founded their sister colonies upon their respective worlds, and although it would be at least sixty years before the three colonies would be reunited by space travel, each of them grew into prosperous, self-contained communities. Tarsonis, the largest and most technologically advanced of the colonies soon developed second generation sub-warp engines. This allowed their ships to explore the myriad, barren planets of the surrounding star system and eventually led them to find the other survivors of the Long Sleep.

Once reunited, the three colonies benefited from mutual trade and commerce treaties. Although Tarsonis kept pushing Umoja and Moria to join in a conglomerated government, the two colonies steadfastly refused. The fleets of Tarsonis continued to explore the Terran patch of space that came to be known as the Koprulu Sector.

Founding prosperous colonies upon seven other worlds within the system enabled the military might of Tarsonis to grow by leaps and bounds. A new government, christened the Terran Confederacy, was founded by the Tarsonian colonies. The Morian colony, which had benefited from having the largest resource mining operations in the Sector, began to fear that this new Confederacy might attempt to move in and regulate their lucrative operations. Thus the Kel-Morian Combine was formed; a shady, corporate partnership that would supply military aid to any Mining Guild that was oppressed by Confederate policy. Tensions rose between the Confederacy and the Combine leading to the outbreak of the Terran Guild Wars.

The Guild Wars lasted for nearly four years, with the Confederacy eventually "negotiating" peace with the Combine. Although the Combine retained its autonomy, almost all of its supporting Mining Guilds were annexed into the holdings of the Confederacy. The Umojan colony, after seeing what blatant abuse the Confederacy was capable of, founded the Umojan Protectorate. This nationalized militia would work to keep its colony free from Confederate tyranny. In the final analysis, the Guild Wars assured the Confederacy its position as the dominating factor within the Terran power structure.

The might of the Confederacy continued to grow as its 'prospectors' claimed world after world with their reckless expansionism. Pirate groups and radical militia organizations began to spring up more frequently as Confederate enforcement agencies continued to abuse their citizenry. One of the greatest examples of revolt against Confederate policy was the Rebellion of Korhal.

THE REBELLION OF KORHAL

Korhal was one of the core Confederate worlds originally settled by Tarsonian colonists. A world of affluence and enlightenment, Korhal contributed greatly to the military and technological advancements of the Confederacy. Although the Confederacy benefited from Korhal's continued productivity, the citizens of the colony resented their forced affiliation with the often-corrupt Confederate Senators. Attempting to retain their independence, the citizenry of Korhal instigated numerous riots against the local Confederate militia. The Confederates responded in kind and declared martial law throughout the colony. This only seemed to agitate the populace even more, escalating the already rampant civil chaos. The Confederates believed that if their most treasured and pampered colony could turn against them, then all of their other colonies might revolt as well. It was decided that the crisis on Korhal would be ended by any means necessary. Korhal would serve as a chilling example to all of the colonies in the Confederacy.

A dynamic Korhalian Senator by the name of Angus Mengsk took it upon himself to formalize the sentiments of his fellow citizens. Their cry for freedom was undeniable when Mengsk actively declared war against the Confederates. Whipping the people of Korhal into a volatile, patriotic frenzy, the Senator succeeded in capturing all of the Confederate outposts on Korhal. Issuing statements declaring that the Confederacy no longer held any claim over the world of Korhal, Mengsk succeeded in garnering the respect and admiration of many other struggling colonies.

The Confederates, seeking to contain the situation, pulled their forces from Korhal and withdrew their fleet from its skies. Mengsk and the other leaders of the revolt, believing that they had won their independence, celebrated their victory over the Confederacy. The Confederates, knowing that a perceived loss to Korhal might instigate other colonies to revolt, planned to retake the planet through subtler means.

The Confederates sent three of their deadliest assassins, known only as Ghosts, to eliminate Mengsk and his supporters on Korhal. The Senators decapitated body, along with those of his wife and young daughter, were found the next morning on the private balcony of his towering, fortress-like headquarters. Mengsk's head was never found. While the assassination did much to weaken the revolt on Korhal, it also fuelled the fires that would eventually forge the greatest enemy the Confederacy would ever know...

Arcturus Mengsk, an accomplished Confederate Prospector and businessman, did not take the news of his family's death well. Having been a Prospector for years, Arcturus knew of the despicable lengths that the Confederacy would go to in an effort to reach its objectives. He was uninterested with greater Sector politics and was even alarmed and somewhat embarrassed by the actions of his estranged father on Korhal. He never dreamed, however, that his family would be killed merely to prove a point. Their deaths stirred something inside the young Arcturus, leading him to forsake his promising future and follow a lonely path of vengeance.

Rallying the various militant groups that had followed his father against the Confederates, Arcturus succeeded in fashioning an impressive, yet somewhat ragtag, army. Mengsk's followers struck boldly at various Confederate bases and installations, costing the Confederacy billions of credits in men, machines and equipment. With rumors spreading of a secret alliance between Mengsk's group and the Umojan Protectorate, the Confederate government quickly decided on a final solution to their problem. A salvo of one thousand Apocalypse-class nuclear missiles was fired at the planet of Korhal from the distant Confederate capital of Tarsonis. Over four million people were annihilated during the savage attack. In a single instant, the prosperous colony of Korhal was reduced to nothing more than a super-heated sphere of blackened glass and stirring phantoms.

The news of the holocaust reached Mengsk at a secret base located within the border of the Umojan protectorate. With nothing left save vengeance, Arcturus and those gathered with him on that sorrowful day pledged a sacred vow to bring down the Confederacy at all costs.

Calling themselves the Sons of Korhal, Arcturus and his renegade team of volunteers quickly made themselves as the most wanted fugitives in the Sector. Striking silently and swiftly, the Sons of Korhal won countless victories over the Confederacy. But with every battle won in the name of justice, Arcturus was portrayed as a madman and a terrorist by the Confederate-controlled media. Most colonies refused to house or provide services to anyone affiliated with the outlaw group. Yet, despite seemingly overwhelming odds and scandalous public opinion, Mengsk never gave up the fight against the Confederates. To this day, the Sons of Korhal continue to confound Confederate enforcement agencies as they work to bring about their mission of liberation for the Sector.

WAR

The various colonial powers and pirate militias continued to spar with the Confederate forces. Although many of the groups were constantly at odds with one another, the overall Terran presence within the Koprulu Sector continued to strengthen and expand. These petty squabbles would end soon enough as the Terran colonies found themselves in the midst of a struggle of epic proportions.

Without warning a fleet of fifty alien warships descended from the skies over the outlying Confederate colony Chau Sara. The massive ships opened fire upon the unsuspecting colony, continuing to decimate every inhabitant settlement on the planet. This unprecedented attack caught the Confederate forces by surprise, sending the shocked Terran fleets into disarray. Although they had never encountered alien species of any kind, they rushed quickly to defend themselves against this new, mysterious enemy.

The Confederacy launched a clumsy counter attack against the alien fleet as it made its way towards the second Terran planet of Mar Sara. The alien fleet, identifying itself as the Protoss, mysteriously withdrew its forces and spared the colony. Soon afterwards, a second, terrifying alien presence was discovered on the outskirts of Mar Sara. These new, insect-like invaders were very different from the Protoss that attacked the Colony just a short time before.

No Terran agency could account for the disturbing presence of not one, but two strange alien races within their colonies. Overcome by a collective, paranoid terror and encumbered by their own political infighting, the hapless Terran factions could only watch as an ever-increasing tide of alien invaders made their way towards the heart of the war torn Terran Sector.

..

THE GRAND EXPERIMENT

Driven to perfect their science of proto-genetic evolution, the ancient, enigmatic race known as the Xel'Naga traveled to the distant fringe-world of Aiur. The vast jungles of Aiur had produced the most advanced race that the Xel'Naga had ever seen. Believing that they could steer the race's evolution to the pinnacle of physical perfection, the Xel'Naga began to conduct their proto-genetic experiments. The race that the Xel'Naga would eventually name &#39

rotoss' advanced rapidly and gained what their creators termed 'a distinct purity of form'.

Unfortunately, the Xel'Naga pushed their experiment too far. The inherent essence and sentience of the Protoss developed far too rapidly, leading to bitter strife and division between them and their creators. The Xel'Naga deemed that the purity of form they sought to create had been sullied by a conflict of essence and thus decreed that the Protoss were, in fact, a failed creation. The Xel'Naga abandoned their children and launched themselves into the void.

THE BIRTH OF THE ZERG

Traveling thousands of light years into the burning core of the galaxy, the Xel'Naga eventually settled upon the volatile ash-world of Zerus. The Xel'Naga planned to continue their Grand Experiment of evolution, only this time they dismissed their tenets of physical and focused chiefly on the pursuit of a distinct purity of essence. Residing in their massive ships high above the fires of Zerus, the Xel'Naga began once again to challenge the wiles of fate.

The Xel'Naga were more successful with their second venture than they could have imagined. They laboured to advance the evolution of the most insignificant life form on Zerus, a race of miniature insectoids known as the Zerg. Through Xel'Naga proto-genetic manipulations, the Zerg survived the torrential firestorms of their world and thrived. Although extremely small, worm-like, and possessing no ability to manipulate their physical surroundings, the Zerg adapted to survive. They developed the ability to burrow into the flesh of the less vulnerable species indigenous to Zerus. Feeding off the nutrients contained within the spinal fluids of their hosts, the Zerg learned to parasitically merge with their host creatures. Once they became capable of controlling the metabolic and anatomical processes of their hosts, the Zerg used their new bodies to manipulate their surroundings.

As the Zerg incorporated more and more host creatures into their fold, they began to assimilate their various genetic strains and processes. Zerg chemistry began to mutate and adapt according to the volume of new genetic material being processed. However, as diverse as the range of host creatures became, there was always the undeviating drive to consume only the most evolutionarily advanced species encountered. The Zerg were innately selective as to which species they consumed, ensuring that at every stage of their development they were at the top of the proverbial food chain. Any race that the Zerg came across that was deemed unworthy of assimilation was eradicated to further purify the strains.

The Xel'Naga soon made an alarming discovery. The original races assimilated by the Zerg were hardly recognizable after only a few generations of their inception. Somehow the Zerg had developed the ability to supercharge and steer the latent evolutionary processes within their host creatures. The host creatures fell prey to the effects of gradual physical mutations that caused all of the various strains to grow armor piercing spines, razor-sharp limbs, and ultra dense carapaces. Over a surprisingly short amount of time, the strains grew to resemble a terrifyingly ravenous and unified race.

OVERMIND

The Xel'Naga, remembering all too well that their failure with the Protoss was a result of pushing the sentience of the fledgling species too quickly, decided to follow a different path with the burgeoning Zerg. Attempting to waylay the potential hazards of differing egos, the Xel'Naga structured the collective sentience of the Zerg into a unified, amalgamated 'Overmind'. The Overmind coalesced into a semi-sentient being that represented the primary drives and instincts of all of the Zerg strains. As time passed, the Overmind developed the rudiments of personality and advanced intellect.

Although the Overmind directed the actions of every creature within the swarm, it did so through the use of secondary agents. The Overmind created a new strain of Zerg that could facilitate the communication of its whims. These Cerebrates were massive versions of the original Zerg insectoids and were engineered to process and carry out the various objectives of the Overmind. Each Cerebrate had a unique objective, such as 'Defend The Hive', 'Scout For Potential Strains', &#39

roduce New Warriors', or 'Eradicate All Life Forms'. The Cerebrates were then empowered to build their own Hive clusters and carry out their intended agendas. Over time they developed personalities that corresponded to their primary drives. However, the Cerebrates were still genetically incapable of ignoring or overriding the commands of the Overmind.

The Zerg chain of command lengthened as new races were incorporated into the Swarm. Cerebrates began to use secondary agents to communicate their orders as well. For the defence and productivity of the immediate Hive, the Cerebrates created Queens to further extend their control over the swarms. The Queens oversaw Drone activity throughout the resource lines of the Hives and kept a vigilant watch over the budding spore colonies of the collective. In times of battle, Cerebrates called upon the Overlords to directly relay their commands to the myriad of warriors of the Swarm. Overlords not only transported Zerg warriors into the fray, but also directed their attacks against the enemies. Just as the Cerebrates followed the Overmind, the Queens and Overlords were incapable of disobeying the commands from their Cerebrates. This rigid system of command kept the swarms at peak, savage efficiency.

As the swarms continued to grow and strengthen, the Overmind turned its thoughts towards its own future. It realized that within a few short centuries its race had assimilated all of the indigenous life upon Zerus. It knew that to further evolve the swarm, the Zerg would need to leave Zerus. The Overmind began to reach out with its senses, looking for something - anything - which would provide them with transport from this world. That opportunity soon arrived. A race of gargantuan, space-faring life forms passed through the Zerus system, and the Overmind called to them. Drawn by this beacon, they were quickly assimilated by the swarm. The inclusion of super-dense hides and the ability to exist in a vacuum bolstered the genetic pool of the swarm. Soon the Zerg warriors were conditioned to survive the harshness of space.

This pivotal moment in the development of the Zerg was not lost to the Xel'Naga. The Zerg, despite having an extreme physical handicap, had succeeded in not only surviving, but in retaining the purity of their terrible overriding essence. The Xel'Naga knew that they had achieved their goal.

THE FALL OF THE XEL’NAGA

The pride in their achievements proved to be the fatal downfall of the Xel'Naga. The Overmind, while slowly expanding itself into the void of space, became aware of the mighty Xel'Naga world-ships hovering ominously above the skies of Zerus. The Xel'Naga, having kept a constant watch on the Overmind, were horrified to find that it had actually severed their psychic link, effectively hiding itself from their view. With its need to consume driving its minions into a lustful frenzy, the Overmind launched the now space-faring Zerg swarms at the unsuspecting Xel'Naga. The ancient race did what they could to stem the tide of the ever-advancing Zerg onslaught, but in the end their efforts were in vain. Wave after wave of Zerg swarms hammered the reinforced hulls of the Xel'Naga's ships with no signs of abatement. Within only a few hours the Zerg overran the defenses of their creators and laid waste to the Xel'Naga fleet.

As the greater whole of the Xel'Naga race was consumed by the raging, genetic whirlwind of the Zerg, the Overmind gained the knowledge and insights of its masters. The Overmind processed thousands of sentient beings into itself, causing it to grow far more powerful than it had ever imagined. It learned the secrets of the sacred Khaydarin Crystals, and began to incorporate the energies of these Crystals into its own. Through the intimate knowledge of evolution and proto-genetic physiology gained from the Xel'Naga, the Overmind was able to increase the level of sentience in many of the higher Zerg strains, while still keeping them fully under its control.

Through dissecting the memories of the Xel'Naga, the Overmind was made aware of the myriad races that had at one time or another been influenced by the ancient race. The Xel'Naga had kept a detailed genetic history of each race, giving the Overmind a clear understanding of their respective strengths and weaknesses. Most importantly, the Overmind learned of an exceedingly powerful race that lived near the galaxy's fringe known only as the Protoss. The Overmind knew then that the Protoss and the Zerg would be caught in an inevitable, apocalyptic conflict.

THE DETERMINANT

The Zerg left the lifeless, burning world of Zerus and laid waste to every planet they found along their path towards the Protoss Homeworld. As they progressed slowly through the trackless dark between the stars, the Zerg assimilated only the strongest of the races that they came across. The swarm continued to build steadily, ever-increasing in size and power. As they progressed, the Overmind sent out numerous deep-space probes that scouted ahead of the swarm, searching for new worlds to plunder.

Despite innumerable victories, the Overmind was greatly disturbed. The Overmind was aware that the Protoss had become a highly psionic race, able to bend and warp the very fabric of reality to their whims. It sought a way to counter the awesome might of the Protoss, but found no answers among the genetic strains it devoured.

On the verge of despair, the Overmind made an amazing discovery. One of its deep-space probes had relayed the location and vital statistics of a race that occupied a series of nondescript worlds right under the shadow of the Protoss.

The new race, called Humanity, was mere generations away from developing into a formidable psionic power. But the Overmind also knew that Humanity was still in its infant stages, hardly capable of defending itself against the ravenous Zerg. Although a short-lived and seemingly frail species, the Overmind knew that Humanity would be the final determinant in its victory over the Protoss. If it could assimilate the psionic potential of Humanity, the Overmind would have the ability to combat the Protoss on its own terms.

Thus, the Zerg swarms slowly made their way towards the burgeoning worlds of Humanity. The journey lasted for sixty years, but eventually the massive, extended Zerg Swarm reached the outskirts of the Terran sector of Koprulu. Sending in a scouting Brood, the Overmind soon discovered that the Humans dwelt on over a dozen different worlds within the Sector. Seeding the atmosphere of the planet called Chau Sara with rudimentary Hive-spores, the Overmind began to unfold its master plan to enslave Humanity. The Hive-spores gradually drifted down to the surface of Chau Sara and saturated the ground with their denuding, alien toxins. Although the Human colonists had no idea that the Zerg had subtly infested the topsoil of their world, Zerg minions began to descend to the planets surface and construct their bizarre structures and Hive clusters. Once the infestation of the colony was well underway, the Overmind sent its voracious children to the other nearby worlds. Insidious and elusive in their tasks, the agents of the Overmind soon infested the colonial worlds of Chau Sara, Mar Sara, Brontes and Dylar IV, unnoticed by the denizens of those colonies.

Yet, from out of the cold void of space, a mighty fleet of Protoss warships emerged to combat the Zerg invasionary forces. The Overmind, anxious to learn what it could about the enigmatic Protoss, decided to let them hamper the initial infestation process. Holding its ravenous warriors at bay, the Overmind watched as the Protoss razed the colony of Chau Sara. Apparently, the Protoss were aware that the Hive Spores had already despoiled the planet and seeking to prevent further infestation, incinerated the planet.

Such decisive action pleased the Overmind, who could only marvel at how the Protoss wrought absolute devastation with such grace and power. Knowing that the coming conflict would be the greatest challenge of its existence, the Overmind pulled its forces back to observe how the Protoss and Humanity, would react next.

..

THE XEL’NAGA AND THE FIRST BORN

Although only fragmented documentation remains, ancient Protoss texts speak of a highly advanced race that ruled over thousands of worlds in the galaxy, tens of millions of years ago. This enigmatic race, often called the Xel’Naga, or ‘wanderers from afar’, was rumored to have seeded and cultivated thousands of various species on the cold and barren worlds within their domain. Protoss traditions hold that the Xel’Naga were a peaceful and benevolent race, utterly consumed with the study and propagation of sentient evolution within the universe. Nothing is known of the origin of the Xel’Naga, save that they were not native to the galaxy over which they held sway. Obsessed with fashioning the perfect life-form, the Xel’Naga labored to create a creature that would be defined by a distinct purity of form. For thousands of years they carefully steered the delicate evolutionary processes of their budding species. Although their protracted experiments produced many intriguing deviants and mutations, the races that the Xel’Naga cultivated always fell short of their enormous expectations. Despairing at last, the Xel’Naga focused their frustrated efforts on the most promising of their engineered worlds. Aiur, a massive jungle-world on the galaxy’s fringe, had borne a race of highly advanced beings. These beings were incredibly adaptable to harsh natural conditions and climates. Their strength and speed were unparalleled amongst the other races known to the Xel’Naga. The race had even developed a rudimentary tribal society based upon group-hunting and warrior rule. However, their most distinct aspect was that they communicated with each other through a very complex method of instinctive telepathy, allowing them to operate communally with striking efficiency. The Xel’Naga were pleased with the progress of their latest creation and conceded that the new race was the first of all their experiments to evolve beyond the feral constraints of baser life-forms. To signify their ascension in the galactic order, the Xel’Naga gave the new race the name of Protoss, or ‘the First Born’. The early Protoss lived in harmony and seclusion upon the world of Aiur for hundreds of generations, never knowing of the Xel’Naga who watched over them from afar. Although the Protoss were the most advanced species to arise, the Xel’Naga were still unsatisfied with their slow progress and saw fit to drive the Protoss’ evolution even further. The Xel’Naga spent yet another millennium subtly guiding the steps of their children, eventually succeeding in leading the Protoss to the state of total sentience and awareness. The First Born gradually became highly intellectual and introspective, achieving great heights in not only their cultural advancements, but personal, individualistic advancements as well. Exhilarated by their seeming success, the Xel’Naga finally made themselves known to the Protoss, never suspecting the chaos that was to come.

THE DEPARTURE AND THE AEON OF STRIFE

The Protoss civilization spread across the face of Aiur within only a few thousand years, eventually culminating with the warring Tribes settling under a centralized rule. In an attempt to discern the full extent of their creation’s evolution, the Xel’Naga had come down from the heavens and integrated themselves into the Protoss culture. The arrival of the Xel’Naga seemed to bring the scattered Tribes even closer together as the overjoyed Protoss looking to their wizened creators for new truths and insights. The Xel’Naga marveled at how driven the Protoss were to plumb the mysteries of the universe around them. The Protoss harbored an insatiable lust for knowledge that led them to develop radical, progressive strains of scientific and meta-neural study. As their understanding and personal awareness grew, the Protoss became exceedingly proud and began to see more value in personal achievements than communal advancement. The more successful Tribes began to isolate themselves from one another, each seeking to define their own roles, not only within their immediate society, but within the greater universe as well. As the Tribes grew further and further apart, the Xel’Naga reeled in frustration. They speculated that perhaps they had pushed the evolution of the Protoss to far, marring the purity of their creation. Many Xel’Naga believed that the Protoss had lost their greatest strengths, as individual egos arose to overpower the once primary communal link. The Tribes, driven by individualistic pursuits, rekindled their own ancient principles and rites in order to set themselves even further apart from their brethren. Where once there was only awe and reverence for their creators, suspicions began to brew amongst the Tribes regarding the interests of the Xel’Naga in their affairs. As months passed on Aiur, the Protoss began to shy from their Xel’Naga teachers, and each Tribe cultivated wild and unsubstantiated rumors of their creator’s supposed treachery. Attempting to completely sever themselves from the rest of their race, the Tribes began to lose the connection to their primal psychic link. This breakdown in the inherent empathy of the Protoss for one another did the most to dissolve the last remnants of unity and brotherhood amongst them. The severing of the psychic link was also the greatest sign, to the Xel’Naga, that the Protoss had tragically lost the most fundamental element of their greatness. Believing that they had made a grave mistake in pushing their failed creation too fast, the Xel’Naga made to depart Aiur forever. The suspicious Protoss, at hearing of their creators’ departure, reacted with a rash, violent attack upon the Xel’Naga’s world-ships. Many hundreds of Xel’Naga were murdered by the raging Protoss, who only decades before had worshipped them as gods. The Xel’Naga fended off the Protoss’ reckless attack and sorrowfully launched the greater number of their massive ships into the trackless void beyond Aiur. The Protoss Tribes, left confused and abandoned in the wake of the Departure, turned on each other in despair. What followed has been recorded as the bloodiest, most violent civil war ever recorded in galactic history: The Aeon of Strife. The raging battles waged during the Aeon of Strife were fought by countless generations of Protoss, all bent on perpetuating the guilt and blame for their abandonment. Although few actual records remain from this ‘lost period’ of Protoss history, it is clear that the First Born devolved into frantic legions of merciless killers. Driven by centuries of unthinking hatred towards their brethren, entire generations of Protoss lived and died without ever knowing the legacies of their past or of the primal psychic bond that their forefathers had once shared. It is legend that even the greater land-masses of Aiur were devastated by the epic struggle between the maddened Tribes. It seemed that the whole of the once glorious Protoss culture was precariously poised upon the precipice of total annihilation.

KHALA: THE PATH OF ASCENSION

Although there were many different factors that led to the ending of the Aeon of Strife, one unprecedented discovery is cited with bringing about the radical changes of the Second Age. As the ancient, vicious blood feuds continued to take their toll upon yet another generation of Protoss warriors, one eccentric mystic stumbled upon a pivotal insight. The mystic, whose true name has been forgotten in the annals of history, was eventually named Khas or ‘he who brings order’. Khas, having studied the archaic, forbidden teachings of the Xel’Naga, unearthed ancient, monolithic artifacts known as the Khaydarin Crystals. The Crystals, left behind by the Xel’Naga, were fundamental in facilitating their proto-genetic experiments. Khas was able to channel the primal energies of the Crystals through himself, allowing him to access the primordial, psychic bond of his race. For the first time in thousands of years, the primal chord of the Protoss was tapped. Flooded by emotions emanating from every member of his race, Khas became aware that the Protoss had not lost their primal link, but had simply forgotten how to attune themselves to it. Horrified by the warring emotions that had been tearing his race apart for countless centuries, Khas began to search for a way to heal the searing pains of his people. Khas, gathering many young Protoss together, was able to teach the new generation of warriors how to access their latent psychic bond. These young ones, suddenly free to distance themselves from the horrendous strife around them, were able to see clearly that the conflict of their race was folly. They believed that the Xel’Naga had been right to abandon them and that because their racial essence had been corrupted by the rise of ego, they were indeed a failed creation. They maintained, however, that because their inherent failure was not of their own doing, the inner conflict of the Protoss and racial turmoil was baseless and hollow. Khas developed a radical system of psychic progression that he hoped would discipline the new generation and keep them from repeating the tragic mistakes of their ancestors. His theory, known as the Khala, or ‘Path of Ascension’, called all Protoss to forsake their own whims and strive to reunify their once might, communal race. The greatest hope of Khas was that the Khala would instill a new sense of essence and vitality within the Protoss race. Slowly, many Protoss gave up their ages-old feuds and rallied behind the ever-growing legions of the Khalai. This marked the true turning point in the Aeon of Strife and led to the rise of the Second Age. As the terrible wars subsided and the Tribes once more began to heal and bond, the premise of the Khala began to permeate even the deepest, most fundamental roots of Protoss society.

DAE’UHL: THE STEWARDSHIP

The Khala, primarily meant to define a rigid system of behavior, also called for a shift from Tribal society to a Caste system. All members of the Protoss Tribes were split into three new castes: the Judicators, the Khalai, and the Templar. This shift worked to remove the last remnants of the old hostilities between the Tribes and strengthen the resolve of the Protoss to embrace a new beginning. The Judicator caste was comprised of Protoss elders and statesmen, with its main responsibility being the governing of the Protoss under the dictates of the Khala’s Law. The Judicator Assembly was ruled over by a small group of Elders known as the Conclave. The second Caste, known as the Khalai, comprised the greater bulk of Protoss society. The Khalai caste represented the driving industrialists, scientists, and workers who continued to rebuild their homelands after the harsh conflicts of the Aeon of Strife. The third caste, called the Templar, were the holy warriors and defenders of Aiur, who followed the Khala’s disciplines to achieve ever-escalating pinnacles of psionic power. Under the new leadership of the Conclave and their Judicator Administrates, and armed with the zealous might of the Templar, the Protoss soon rebuilt their decimated world of Aiur into a bustling paradise. With their growing prosperity leading them to rediscover many of the sciences and studies they had lost, the Protoss learned to travel amongst the stars. Over the course of only a few hundred years, the Protoss conquered hundreds of worlds within their corner of the galaxy, and spread the fruits of their great civilization to many of the more advanced races that they encountered. All in all, the Protoss inadvertently succeeded in reclaiming an eighth of the worlds once presided over by the Xel’Naga. In keeping with the strict codes of the Khala, the Protoss took upon themselves the burden of the Dae’Uhl, or ‘Great Stewardship’. Following the ancient traditions of the Xel’Naga, the Dae’Uhl called for the Protoss to protect and safeguard the lesser races that lived under their shadow. Unlike their predecessors, however, the Protoss refused to manipulate or interfere in the evolutionary processes of the lesser races under their protection. Ever vigilant against xenomorphic threats, the Protoss kept a close watch over their unsuspecting wards. But, much like the Xel’Naga many millennia before, the Protoss kept their presence hidden from the lesser races in their care. Many hundreds of species grew and thrived on the various worlds within their space, never knowing that they were secretly guarded from on high.

THE DARK TEMPLAR

Although their new enlightened civilization grew and thrived, the Protoss Conclave kept a dark, shameful secret hidden from the masses. There were a few dissident Tribes who refused to embrace the Khala, believing that their individual identities would be erased to further promote the Judicator rule. The Rogue Tribes were not hostile or militant, but they believed that the Conclave’s communal agenda would be the eventual doom of their race. Thus, the knowledge of the Rogue Tribes was kept hidden, for the Conclave believed that their aberrant influence might spread throughout Protoss society and destroy all the Khas had accomplished. Convinced that the Rogue Tribes constituted a palpable threat to the new order, the Conclave ordered the Templar forces to eradicate the dissidents. The Templar, led by a young warrior named Adun, could not bring themselves to slaughter their wayward brethren. Instead, the idealistic Adun attempted to hide the Rogue Tribes away from the sight of the Conclave. Adun believed that he could convince the Rogues of the Khala’s truth by teaching them how to manipulate their own latent psionic powers. Although their powers equaled those of the mighty Templar, the Rogues still refused to submit their passionate, free spirits to the Khala. Without the discipline of the Path of Ascension, the powers of the Rogues spiraled out of control and unleashed horrible devastating storms across the fields of Aiur. The Conclave, shocked that the Templar had not destroyed the Rogue Tribes, attempted to salvage the desperate situation. If the Conclave punished Adun and the Templar for their insubordination, it would be forced to publicly admit the existence of the Rogues. Thus the Conclave decided to banish the wayward Tribes from Aiur forever. The Templar under Adun were sworn to silence as the Rogues were loaded onto an ancient, but functional Xel’Naga ship and launched into the void of space. Forever after the Rogue Tribes would be known as the Dark Templar. Over time, the legend of the Dark Templar spread across the face of Aiur, sparking the imaginations of many young Protoss. To show their disdain for the Conclave and their Judicator lackeys, the Dark Templar ceremoniously cut off their nerve-appendages, effectively severing themselves from the basic communal link that all Protoss share. It was widely rumored that since the shadow Hunters were cut off from the primal chord of their race, they were forced to draw their psionic energies from the dark, cold void of space. This tale, above all others, worked to incriminate the vagabond warriors for all time. Hunted and feared by their own brethren, the Dark Templar led a solitary existence within their space-faring vessels. Traveling throughout the cold void of space, they never abandoned their love for Aiur, and thus worked to safeguard their long lost Homeworld in any way they secretly could.

HUMANITY AND THE COMING OF THE ZERG

The Protoss bore silent witness to the portentous arrival of Humanity to their edge of space. Although the Protoss were uncertain of the vagabond origins of the Terrans, they knew that these volatile, short lived humans would prove to be interesting study. Two centuries passed as the Protoss watched over the budding Terran colonists. The Terrans had succeeded in building up rudimentary colonies on over a dozen worlds within the Protoss’ borders. Although the technology of the Terrans was inferior to that of the Protoss, they adapted to the worlds upon which they lived and thrived. The Protoss found the Terrans to be fascinating in that they constantly fought against one another, yet still flourished and advanced their technologies and industries by leaps and bounds.

The Protoss were alarmed at how quickly the Terrans were to access and drain the natural resources from their various worlds. It seemed to the Protoss that the Terrans had no respect for the delicate balance of nature, as they recklessly sped from one world to the next, leaving nothing but barren wastelands in their wake. Bidden by the strict dictates of the Dae’Uhl, the Protoss were forbidden to directly interfere with the reckless Terrans, no matter how much they wished to do so. This disjointed relationship lasted for many years between the two races. Yet a routine Protoss scouting mission found evidence that spelled certain doom for the hapless Terrans.

The High Templar Tassadar accompanied by his renowned Templar expeditionary force, found a number of small biological constructs floating near the borders of Protoss space. Upon close inspection, Tassadar deduced that the rather nondescript alien organisms were in fact deep space probes. Although Tassadar could not discern their point of origin, it was clear that they were heading towards the Koprulu sector of Terran colonies.

Tassadar brought the living probes back to Aiur for immediate study. The strange aliens were unlike anything that the Protoss had ever seen before. The respective phsiologies of the probes were apparently engineered for deep space travel and reconnaissance. In an attempt to discern their primary quarry, the Protoss focused the energies of the Khaydarin Crystals through the tiny minds of the probes. The Protoss were shocked to discover that the alien probes responded quickly and naturally to the powerful energies of the Crystals. Their shock was garnered from the fact that only creatures born of the Xel’Naga’s proto-genetics could properly process the energies of the great Crystals. More alarming was the vague thought stream that kept repeating, over and over, through the tiny brains of the probes; ‘Find Humanity’…’Eradicate’…’Learn’…’Evolve’…

The Protoss speculated that the probes were the harbingers of a bold new threat to their section of the galaxy. If the creatures were engineered with Xel’Naga technologies, they would be very advanced and extremely powerful. It seemed clear to the Protoss that this new race constituted a palpable danger to all living beings, and that wherever the greater bulk of the race was, it must still be searching for the unsuspecting colonists.

The Protoss began to send out advance scouts to scour the surrounding space-ways for any sign of the alien invaders. Tassadar claimed that under the dictates of the Dae’Uhl, it was the chosen responsibility of the Protoss to protect the races under their watch. The Conclave, however, argued that if the ‘worthless’ race of Terrans had already been infested by some new threat, they must be put to the flame and eradicated. A great debate began between the Judicators and the Templar as to how they should involve themselves in the Terrans’ imminent plight.

The one fact that both castes agreed upon was that the creatures were undeniably engineered through Xel’Naga sciences. And if they were indeed created by the Ancient Ones, the Protoss had best be on their guard. It was agreed to send Tassadar and his expeditionary force to monitor the Terran worlds and attempt to discern the severity of the impending danger. To this end, Tassadar led his command ship, the Gantrithor, and an escort of massive Protoss warships towards the Terran sector of Koprulu.

THE BEGINNING OF THE END

Upon arriving in the Terran Sector, Tassadar’s scouts found evidence that the mysterious alien threat had already begun to take its toll upon the Terran colonies. Upon closer inspection, Tassadar found that the fringe-colony of Chau Sara had indeed been infested by alien organisms. The entire surface of the colony had been covered with a thick, toxic substance that continued to erode the planet’s crust. To make matters worse, the aliens themselves had either infested or slaughtered most of the human colonists. Tassadar, horrified by the colony’s devastation, could only wonder why the Terrans had not already rushed to aid their besieged world.

The Conclave, hearing of the colony’s fate, immediately ordered Tassadar to burn the entire planet of its infestation. Knowing that the burning would eradicate all life on the planet, Tassadar sorrowfully obeyed his masters. The lumbering Protoss warships powered up their weapons and opened fire upon the unsuspecting colony, This costly ploy was successful in destroying the alien infestation, but there were still a few neighboring worlds that had no doubt been infested as well. Tassadar was ordered to burn those worlds and any other Terran settlement that had even the slightest possibility of infestation. While moving his fleet to the second infested colony of Mar Sara, Tassadar began to doubt the morality of his orders.

The Terran warriors, caught completely by surprise by the initial attack of the Protoss upon Chau Sara, launched a fleet of starships to intercept Tassadar’s fleet. The Terran fleet prepared to defend the colony from the Protoss, just as Tassadar commanded his ships to pull away and withdraw. Tassadar, struggling with his inner doubts, could not bring himself to destroy Mar Sara or the fleet that had come to protect it. He sought a way to defeat the aliens without arbitrarily wiping out humanity in the process. Thus engaged, Tassadar refused to follow the genocidal orders of his masters. Remaining with his fleet, far outside the range of Terran sensors, Tassadar waited and watched as the alien presence continued to encroach across the Terran wastelands.

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