StarCraft Chronicle Episode 13: Flag of the Earth Expeditionary Fleet

This is a fan narrative rewritten based on the events of the original work. Character emotions, dialogue, and scene atmospheres have been reconstructed, and it includes major spoilers.

The Shadow of Earth Over Koprulu

The bridge of the Aleksander was filled with a cold, sterile light. Admiral Gerard DuGalle silently stared at the unfamiliar starlight of the Koprulu Sector stretching endlessly beyond the massive transparent window. This frontier of space, tens of thousands of light-years away from Earth, seemed tranquil, but terrible chaos lurked beneath its surface. He had arrived here leading the expeditionary fleet of the United Earth Directorate, or UED, charged with the monumental mission of eliminating all threats to the survival of humanity.

Vice Admiral Alexei Stukov approached with heavy steps and stood beside DuGalle. Flipping through the data pad in his hand, he reported the chaotic state of the sector in a dry voice. The Terran Confederacy had already collapsed, and Arcturus Mengsk's Terran Dominion, which had taken its place, was shaking precariously in the face of alien threats. Stukov pointed out the stubborn resilience of the Terran survivors who had endured in this barren space, warning that they must never be underestimated.

DuGalle scoffed even as he listened to Stukov's warning. In the Admiral's eyes, the Terrans of Koprulu were nothing more than foolish lost children who had played with fire and lost control. They had abandoned the purity of humanity and were the very ones who had invited the catastrophes of the Zerg and the Protoss. DuGalle firmly believed that only the overwhelming discipline and power of the UED could bring true order to this corrupt sector. That was the will of Earth and his own conviction.

Stukov reminded him that the UED intelligence reports on the Zerg and Protoss were accurate. The monstrous alien lifeforms were lethal enough to threaten the very existence of humanity. It was precisely to control and suppress these horrific alien forces that Earth's leadership had assembled and dispatched this massive expeditionary fleet. Both officers deeply understood that the enemies they faced were not mere rebels, but humanity's primal terrors.

Turning his gaze out the window, DuGalle felt a surge of pride as he watched the thousands of UED vessels sailing in escort of the Aleksander. The battleships cutting through the darkness in flawless formation were the pinnacle of Earth's overwhelming military might and technological prowess. Before this invincible fleet, the Dominion's crude defensive lines and the alien races' savage claws would surely be rendered meaningless. Not a single shred of doubt about victory existed in the Admiral's heart.

DuGalle finally parted his firmly set lips to order the initiation of the first phase of the operation. The expeditionary fleet's first target was Braxis, an icy planet that was once territory of the Terran Confederacy but was now under Dominion rule. The immediate priority was to strike its capital, Boralis, seize the enemy's communications network, and secure tactical data for the entire Koprulu Sector. The Admiral's resolute command spread rapidly to the entire fleet through the bridge's communication network.

Stukov immediately reorganized the fleet's formation into an attack posture and prepared the drop forces for deployment. Armed with cold rationality, the Vice Admiral updated the tactical map, calculating the optimal path to breach Braxis's orbital defense grid. The eyes of DuGalle and Stukov—two commanders who had shared life and death for decades in perfect harmony—met in the air. In their silence lay an unwavering resolve to conquer Koprulu and plant the flag of Earth.

Massive capital cannons began charging in unison, emitting blue flashes, as the colossal hull of the Aleksander turned heavily toward Braxis. It was the moment when the blade of judgment, forged in the cradle of humanity, finally bared its cold edge to this frontier of space. DuGalle stood tall with his hands behind his back, staring straight ahead, while Stukov quickly returned to his command console to begin operational control. The massive war machine of the United Earth Directorate finally began to move with a thunderous roar.

The Ice of Braxis and the Traitor's Smile

UED dropships descended fiercely through the frozen atmosphere of Braxis. Although a raging blizzard and biting winds battered the hulls, the drop forces landed precisely at their target coordinates under the thorough escort of Valkyrie frigates. UED Marines clad in white power armor advanced swiftly across the snow-covered plains toward the Dominion capital of Boralis. Stukov, watching the real-time tactical feed from the orbital command post, smiled with satisfaction at the orderly movements of his troops.

The Dominion garrison, caught off guard by the sudden UED offensive, failed to mount a proper counterattack. Huddled in their trenches, they attempted sporadic resistance, but they fell like autumn leaves before the overwhelming firepower of the elite forces from Earth. However, as they neared the heart of Boralis, the Dominion's defensive lines grew thicker, and the firmly shut walls of the fortress seemed impenetrable. Stukov weighed the timing for deploying Siege Tank divisions, pondering the next phase of the operation.

Just then, an unidentified signal breached the UED's encrypted communications network. When a wary Stukov established the connection, the face of a man introducing himself as Samir Duran appeared on the screen. He identified himself as the leader of a resistance group of former Confederate soldiers fighting against the Dominion, stating he was deeply impressed by the overwhelming majesty of the UED fleet. Duran's voice was calm and polite, but a cunning, inscrutable glint lurked in his eyes.

Duran offered to provide hidden pathways to bypass the Boralis fortress's defenses, along with backdoor access codes to the Dominion's data network. He requested that in exchange for him and his men serving as guides for the UED, they be liberated from Mengsk's tyranny. Admiral DuGalle observed Duran through the communication screen with an intrigued gaze. To the Admiral, this stranger's proposal presented itself as an attractive opportunity to minimize casualties and swiftly achieve their objective.

Stukov immediately approached DuGalle and voiced his opposition in a low voice. He warned that the words of a man who betrays the master he served just yesterday could never be trusted. The Vice Admiral's long-standing military intuition sensed an ominous aura lingering around Duran. Stukov strongly argued that this could be a trap set by Duran, and that even if they breached the defenses through a direct assault, their own forces were more than sufficient to secure victory.

But DuGalle lightly dismissed Stukov's cautious advice. The Admiral asserted that a traitor was merely a useful tool to be used and discarded once their purpose was served. In DuGalle's judgment, utilizing a collaborator familiar with the local terrain was an eminently rational tactical choice. Leaving Stukov's disgruntled gaze behind, he officially accepted Duran's offer and ordered him to be integrated into the operation.

Duran's guidance was astonishingly accurate and efficient. His resistance forces slipped into the blind spots of the Dominion's defenses and threw open a secret gate leading inside the fortress. Thanks to Duran's efforts, the UED drop forces avoided lethal engagements and easily entered the heart of Boralis. While Stukov acknowledged Duran's capability, the sheer excess of competence shown by the man only deepened his suspicions.

Ultimately, the UED successfully seized complete control of Braxis's communications center and accessed the Dominion's tactical data network. They acquired invaluable information, including the locations of Mengsk's military installations and troop deployments scattered across the entire Koprulu Sector. While DuGalle celebrated the operation's success and commended Duran's contribution, Stukov stood in a corner of the control room, staring coldly at Duran's back. In the chilly winds of Braxis, the seeds of distrust were quietly beginning to sprout.

The Seizure of the Dailarian Shipyards

The Dominion data secured on Braxis immediately pointed to the UED's next target. The Dailarian Shipyards—the heart of Arcturus Mengsk's prized invincible fleet and a key military facility where massive Battlecruisers were constructed and docked. Admiral DuGalle determined that capturing this colossal orbital station and seizing the Dominion's capital ships would exponentially boost the UED's military power. He immediately assembled an elite strike force and ordered a surprise drop on the Dailarian Shipyards.

UED transports approached the orbit of the Dailarian Shipyards covertly, hiding among the debris of the asteroid belt. Before the station's defense turrets could detect the intruders and open fire, UED Marines and Medics breached the docking bay airlocks and poured inside. The soldiers in white armor seized the corridors without a moment's hesitation, dealing lethal blows to the Dominion garrison. Inside the station, red emergency lights began to flash alongside blaring sirens.

From the bridge of the Aleksander, Vice Admiral Stukov watched the combat footage transmitted from the strike force's helmet cameras with a hawk's eye. The Dominion soldiers scrambled in utter confusion at the sudden ambush, but the UED forces advanced with mechanical precision and ruthlessness. Stukov analyzed the capture rate of each sector and the intensity of enemy resistance in real-time, directing the strike leader along the optimal path of advancement. Under his cold, calculated command, the UED dismantled the station's primary control rooms one by one.

The true objective of this operation was not mere destruction, but intact capture. Having seized the control rooms, UED technicians immediately began hacking the security systems of the docked Behemoth-class Battlecruisers. Control of the battleships, which resembled massive steel fortresses, transferred to Earth's military one after another. DuGalle smiled with satisfaction as the number of captured vessels displayed on the screen grew, confident in the operation's success.

In just a few hours, the thunderous roar of massive engines echoed from dozens of Battlecruisers docked at the Dailarian Shipyards. Before the Dominion's red paint could even dry, these powerful warships rose into orbit, forming squadrons under UED control. Despite handling these vessels for the first time, the UED pilots demonstrated flawless flight skills as they assembled around the Aleksander. Mengsk's most potent weapon had instantly turned into a blade aimed at his own throat.

Having realized the situation too late, the Dominion's General Edmund Duke warped into the Dailarian system leading a relief fleet. However, what welcomed him was the merciless bombardment from the very Battlecruisers they had built. General Duke bellowed in rage over the communications channel, but he could not overcome the overwhelming disparity in firepower. Having gained the perfect opportunity to test the might of their newly captured warships, the UED fleet unleashed a fierce barrage upon the Dominion relief fleet.

Watching the miserable sight of the Dominion fleet being ruthlessly crushed by their own ships, DuGalle let out a cold sneer. The sandcastle built by Koprulu's clumsy dictator crumbled so futilely before the true power of Earth. DuGalle savored the sweetness of victory as he watched General Edmund Duke's flagship retreat, engulfed in flames. The crushing victory at the Dailarian Shipyards was a signal flare announcing the majesty of the UED expeditionary fleet to the entire universe.

Stukov also breathed a sigh of relief as he confirmed the complete disappearance of enemy signals from the tactical screen. They had dealt a fatal blow to the heart of the Dominion with minimal casualties and secured immense military power. Yet, in Stukov's mind, a slight sense of emptiness regarding enemies that collapsed so easily mingled with wariness toward the true foes who had not yet shown themselves. Behind the brilliant victory, an inexplicable anxiety wavered like a dark shadow.

Pride and Responsibility Looking Down at the Stars

Standing on the massive observation deck of the Aleksander, DuGalle and Stukov looked down at the wreckage of the Dailarian Shipyards and the vast expanse of space stretching beneath their feet. The orbit, which had been a fierce battlefield just moments ago, was now reclaiming a strange tranquility under the control of the UED fleet. Stukov poured two glasses of premium vodka brought from Earth and handed one to DuGalle. The two clinked their heavy glasses, celebrating the flawless and overwhelming victories achieved at Braxis and Dailarian.

As the strong liquor burned down his throat, DuGalle let out a deep sigh and spoke of Earth's heavy responsibility. He criticized the Terrans of the Koprulu Sector for squandering humanity's heritage and degenerating into a nuisance of the cosmos. Descendants of criminals and mutineers, they had forgotten their origins and were repeating meaningless civil wars to grasp shallow power. DuGalle firmly believed that only the UED possessed the right to redeem these fallen brethren and rebuild the true glory of humanity.

The Admiral's voice carried a deep pity for the Terrans of Koprulu, but at the same time, a heavy contempt. He asserted that he could no longer stand by and watch the farce of clumsy dictators like Mengsk ruling over space. To DuGalle, this expedition was not a mere war of conquest, but a sacred punishment and discipline to guide lost sheep back to the right path. He vowed to break their arrogance with overwhelming military force and engrave Earth's great law and order upon them.

Stukov nodded at DuGalle's words, yet an indelible caution still lingered in his eyes. The Vice Admiral pointed out that the battles so far had been far too smooth, warning that they must not become intoxicated by the Dominion's weakness. The targets they truly needed to be wary of were not human weapons, but the Zerg, who had achieved biological evolution beyond imagination, and the Protoss, who wielded mysterious psionic energy. Stukov emphasized that the threat of the alien races must never be underestimated.

But DuGalle brushed off Stukov's concerns with a confident smile. The Admiral dismissed any alien monsters as mere prey before the UED's highly advanced military technology and meticulous tactics. He possessed blind faith in his own command capabilities and the fleet's firepower, built over decades of defending Earth's peace. In DuGalle's eyes, the Koprulu Sector was already a conquered giant chessboard, and he was the sole chess master pulling the strings.

In the silence flowing across the observation deck, the conversation between the two commanders revealed their deep-seated arrogance without filter. They were filled with the conviction that the United Earth Directorate was the most superior entity in the universe and that their actions were absolutely righteous. They deluded themselves into believing they could control even the unknown terrors of the alien void that they had never experienced. The conceit of standing at the pinnacle of civilization was like the most dangerous blindfold obscuring their vision.

Stukov downed the rest of his vodka in one gulp and looked out at the captured Battlecruisers filling the window. They had certainly grasped overwhelming power, and the goddess of victory seemed to be smiling upon the UED. Yet, in a corner of the Vice Admiral's heart, a chilling intuition that the abyss of this strange and savage universe was staring back at them would not fade. He desperately suppressed the anxiety that DuGalle's blind confidence might one day drag the entire fleet into the depths of ruin.

The two officers once again stared into the star-filled cosmos in silence. The toast of victory was sweet, but the weight of responsibility they carried and the premonition of the bloody war ahead were by no means light. Their march would not stop until the flag of Earth was planted on every planet in Koprulu. Yet, at this moment, neither of them knew exactly what awaited them at the end of that arrogant march.

The Legacy of Tarsonis, the Psi Disrupter

While decrypting the Dominion database seized on Braxis, UED Intelligence discovered a shocking fact. Vice Admiral Stukov immediately summoned Admiral DuGalle and the operational staff to the briefing room. A hologram projector flickered to life in the center of the darkened room, projecting a map of Tarsonis—the former capital of the Terran Confederacy, now reduced to ruins. A point on the map blinked red, beginning to project a three-dimensional blueprint of a massive and complex machine.

In an excited voice, Stukov explained that this device was a secret weapon called the Psi Disrupter. Developed in utmost secrecy by Confederate scientists, the device emitted psionic energy at a specific frequency to disrupt the neural networks of the Zerg Swarm. Reading through the technical specifications, the Vice Admiral emphasized that the waves emitted by this device could completely sever the mental link between individual Zerg strains and their commanding entities.

Admiral DuGalle's eyes flashed with surprise and excitement. If they could neutralize the Zerg's greatest strength—their swarm-wide coordination—it would be a miracle capable of turning the tide of the war in an instant. The Admiral could not help but marvel that the fallen Confederacy had hidden such wondrous technology. If they could secure the Psi Disrupter, the UED could slaughter the Zerg unilaterally, or even tame and weaponize them.

Stukov argued that this device was the master key that would perfectly realize the UED expeditionary fleet's ultimate goal: the suppression and control of the alien races. He asserted that while simple firepower warfare made it difficult to withstand the endlessly surging numbers of the Zerg, utilizing the Disrupter would yield maximum results with minimal sacrifice. The Vice Admiral's meticulous tactical analysis had the staff officers nodding in agreement, and the air in the briefing room grew hot with the certainty of victory.

This discovery was significant enough to fundamentally alter the UED's strategy. If their plans had previously focused on blind destruction and conquest, a blueprint was now being drawn to control the Zerg Swarm and become the absolute rulers of the Koprulu Sector. DuGalle stared intently at the holographic form of the Disrupter, losing himself in the thrilling imagination of Zerg monsters submitting beneath the flag of Earth. It was the perfect scenario to fuel the Admiral's ambition.

Stukov raised his voice, arguing that immediately dispatching elite forces to Tarsonis to secure the Psi Disrupter must be their highest priority. He emphasized that they had to preempt Arcturus Mengsk before he noticed the device's existence, and retrieve it intact regardless of the cost. To the Vice Admiral, this machine was more than just a weapon; it was the sole lifeline that could save the lives of hundreds of thousands of soldiers in the expeditionary fleet.

The officers gathered in the briefing room enthusiastically agreed with Stukov's opinion and began drafting operational plans. A heated discussion ensued on how to break through the Zerg remnants and Dominion defense forces lurking in the ruins of Tarsonis. DuGalle also smiled with satisfaction, praising the Vice Admiral's swift intelligence gathering and insight. The emergence of the strategic asset that was the Psi Disrupter was regarded as a guarantee of flawless victory for the UED fleet.

While everyone was excited, painting a hopeful future, the expression of only one man watching silently from a corner of the briefing room remained coldly frozen. Lieutenant Samir Duran listened intently to the conversation between Stukov and DuGalle from the shadows untouched by the holographic light, his gaze full of hidden meaning. In his mind, the gears were turning as he calculated the ripples this powerful device would bring, rapidly adjusting his own covert and lethal plans.

The Cunning Tongue Whispering Destruction

When the heat in the briefing room reached its peak, Lieutenant Duran, who had been standing in the shadows, slowly stepped forward. At his sudden emergence, the officers' gazes turned to him in unison, and Stukov frowned, making no effort to hide his displeasure. After offering a polite salute, Duran began to directly refute Vice Admiral Stukov's opinion in a calm but firm voice. He warned that the plan to secure the Psi Disrupter intact would plunge the fleet into irreversible danger.

Duran reminded them that Emperor Mengsk had been a key figure in the old Confederacy, arguing that there was no way he was unaware of the Psi Disrupter's existence. If the Dominion knew the value of this device, it was certain that Mengsk's elite forces had already established layers of defense on Tarsonis. Duran subtly undermined Stukov's tactics, pointing out that engaging in a war of attrition with the Dominion to claim the Disrupter was a foolish waste of the UED's precious troops and resources.

Furthermore, Duran emphasized that if by some chance Mengsk secured the Disrupter first or if the device was seized during battle, it would be a horrific catastrophe for the UED. If the Dominion gained the power to control the Zerg, it was obvious they would unleash those monsters upon the UED fleet. The terrible scenarios flowing from Duran's mouth were enough to instill a chilling dread in the officers in the briefing room. His words were logical, and a strange persuasiveness lay hidden beneath them.

Duran proposed a radical alternative: completely scrap Stukov's plan and blow the Psi Disrupter to pieces right where it stood. He argued that rather than relying on an uncertain weapon that risked falling into enemy hands, it was wiser to eliminate that variable entirely. Duran added flattering praise, stating that with the UED fleet's overwhelming firepower and the Admiral's superb leadership, they could annihilate both the Zerg and the Dominion without needing to borrow the power of an alien race.

Admiral DuGalle listened to Duran's argument with a serious expression, resting his chin in his hand. Deep down, the Admiral naturally preferred pure human military might and intuitive firepower over complex machinery or alien forces. Duran's words subtly stroked DuGalle's soldierly nature and pride. Deciding that Duran's warning about the device being captured made sense, DuGalle found his mind leaning more and more toward his proposal.

Stukov noticed the change in DuGalle's expression and tried to urgently raise an objection, but the Admiral raised a hand to silence the Vice Admiral. As if having made his decision, DuGalle broke the heavy silence and spoke. He declared that he highly valued Lieutenant Duran's insight into the local situation and his cautious attitude toward preemptively neutralizing risks. Expressing a firm resolve not to hand Mengsk even a single advantageous card, the Admiral concluded that destroying the Disrupter was the safest and most certain choice.

Ultimately, ignoring Stukov's shocked gaze, DuGalle temporarily delegated command of the Tarsonis drop forces to Duran. The Admiral provided Duran with high-grade explosives and issued an official order to infiltrate the ruins of Tarsonis and blow the Psi Disrupter to smithereens. Duran swore to carry out the Admiral's command, hiding the sinister smile brushing his lips. The air in the briefing room instantly froze, and Stukov's fists turned white with rage.

Watching his most trusted, lifelong friend being manipulated by the silver tongue of a newly arrived traitor, Stukov felt a profound despair and sense of betrayal. This fatal decision, born of DuGalle's arrogance and Duran's cunning, cast a dark cloud over the future of the UED fleet. Stukov stormed out of the briefing room, breathing heavily. Duran's calm voice directing the operation behind him echoed in the Vice Admiral's ears like a devil's whisper.

A Lifelong Friendship Shattered

As soon as the briefing ended, Stukov stormed into DuGalle's private office with rough strides. With the sound of the firmly shut door swinging open, the Vice Admiral's suppressed anger erupted like a volcano. Losing his usual composure, Stukov slammed both hands onto the Admiral's desk, demanding to know how such a terrible misjudgment could have been made. His eyes were bloodshot, and his voice was thick with resentment and disappointment toward his friend of several decades.

Stukov argued once more, as if spitting blood, that the Psi Disrupter was not a mere weapon, but the only shield that could protect the UED fleet in this hellish universe. Destroying the only means to hold off the Zerg's endless onslaught with their own hands was nothing short of suicide. He bluntly spat out that abandoning humanity's greatest strategic asset out of fear of Mengsk was merely a cowardly excuse that tarnished the dignity of the United Earth Directorate.

DuGalle frowned at Stukov's violent protest and stood up. The Admiral also raised his voice, refusing to back down as he defended his decision. He countered that as commander, he had to prioritize the safety of the fleet above all else, and that it was correct to preemptively eliminate uncertain variables that risked being captured by the enemy. DuGalle excused himself, saying he had accepted Duran's advice not because of his background, but because he trusted his accurate analysis of the local battlefield.

At those words, Stukov let out a hollow laugh. He vented his frustration, asking how DuGalle could so easily trust someone who had been Mengsk's dog just yesterday. He warned that Duran was a cunning snake who would bite his master at any moment for his own safety, and that there was surely another agenda hidden behind his tongue. Stukov was deeply hurt by DuGalle's attitude, which placed more trust in the flattery of a newly arrived traitor than in his own intuition, forged through decades of loyal service by the Admiral's side.

DuGalle's face flushed red with anger. Feeling that Stukov was directly challenging his authority, he sought to assert his dignity as Admiral. In a cold voice, DuGalle painfully reminded him that he was the supreme commander of this expeditionary fleet, and the final decision-making power lay solely with him. He sternly warned the Vice Admiral not to be swayed by emotion and to absolutely obey his superior's orders as a soldier. It was the cracking sound of their lifelong friendship fracturing.

A suffocating silence filled the office. Between the two old veterans who had once roamed battlefields watching each other's backs, there now flowed an uncrossable river of distrust. In DuGalle's stubborn eyes, Stukov could no longer find the wise friend he once knew. The Admiral's eyes were blinded by pride and blind faith, unable to see the truth. Stukov realized with bitter clarity that no matter how much he shouted, he could not open that firmly shut heart.

Stukov slowly took his hands off the desk and stepped back. The anger that had clouded his face had transformed into cold resignation and firm resolve. Without a word, he offered DuGalle a perfect, dry military salute. DuGalle also returned the salute with a stiff expression, watching the Vice Admiral's departure. The moment Stukov turned and left the office, both men were seized by an ominous premonition that this conflict would by no means end here.

Walking out into the corridor, Stukov calmed his coldly chilled heart. He could never stand by and watch DuGalle lead the fleet to ruin. If his friend was blind, he had to carry the cross himself to lead him down the right path. That was his final duty as a comrade who had shared decades of friendship, and as the Vice Admiral responsible for the survival of humanity. In Stukov's mind, a highly perilous plan under the name of treason was already taking concrete shape.

Distrust Blooming in the Dark

Returning to his tactical command post, Stukov locked the firmly shut door and paced in front of the holographic command table. The red-blinking coordinates of Tarsonis and Duran's sinister smile would not leave his mind. The Vice Admiral's intuition constantly warned him that Duran's purpose in destroying the Disrupter was by no means for the safety of the fleet. If they lost the only means to control the Zerg, the UED fleet would ultimately degenerate into lost children in this unfamiliar universe, becoming prey for the monsters.

Stukov buried his face in his hands, filled with agony. Disobeying the Admiral's orders was a grave act of treason, punishable by summary execution under military law. To a man who had dedicated his entire life to military discipline and honor, the word 'treason' was an incredibly heavy and horrific yoke. Yet, at this critical moment where the survival of the fleet and the future of humanity hung in the balance, he convinced himself that blind obedience was an even greater sin. Ultimately, he resolved to save his friend by betraying him.

Having made his decision, Stukov opened an encrypted channel on his command console to covertly summon the commander of his personal guard participating in the Tarsonis expedition. These were elite troops who pledged absolute loyalty only to the Vice Admiral, prioritizing Stukov's private orders even within the UED's strict discipline. When the commander's solemn face appeared on the screen, Stukov lowered his voice and began delivering top-secret instructions.

Stukov ordered his guard to seize the site immediately after the battle of Tarsonis, before Duran's demolition squad could lay hands on the Psi Disrupter. The plan was to politely turn Duran's squad away under the guise of executing the Admiral's official orders, and instead of destroying the Disrupter, completely dismantle it and transport it to a safe location he designated. This was a clear act of insubordination directly violating the Admiral's orders, but the guard commander understood the Vice Admiral's deep intentions and accepted the mission without hesitation.

As Ghost agents activated their cloaking devices and vanished into the darkness, a heavy silence descended upon the command post once more. Stukov swallowed hard as he overlaid Duran's troop movement paths with the projected trajectories of his own Ghost agents on the holographic map. The die was cast, and the irreversible gears of fate had begun to turn. If the operation were discovered, he would be branded a traitor and executed, and his friendship with DuGalle would be shattered forever.

Yet, Stukov feared the ruin awaiting the UED fleet far more than the infamy he would bear. Looking out at the majestic hull of the Aleksander, he felt that this massive steel fortress was slowly rotting from within. The Earth expeditionary fleet, which had seemed poised to instantly subjugate Koprulu with overwhelming military might, was digging its own grave, swayed by foolish pride and the discord sown by an inscrutable traitor.

The seeds of distrust sown within the supreme command of the United Earth Directorate were now growing into an uncontrollable, poisonous weed. Under the flag of the UED, which boasted flawless discipline, the commander and vice commander found themselves in a tragic situation, pointing blades at each other for different purposes. No one yet knew how the covert race to be held in the dark ruins of Tarsonis would alter the fate of the fleet. Sensing the approaching storm, Stukov quietly released the safety of his pistol.

Earth's ambitious plan to swallow the Koprulu Sector was fatally misaligned from the very first step. Entangled with Gerard DuGalle's blind confidence, Samir Duran's cunning smile, and Alexei Stukov's lonely resolve, the expeditionary fleet was charging fiercely toward its predestined tragedy. Though the UED fleet boasted invincibility on the outside, the second hand of a time bomb ticking toward destruction had already begun to click in their very heart.

Verified Sources

Blizzard Official StarCraft Chronicle

StarCraft: Brood War Official Game Introduction

Official Story Direction and Reference Images of the Remaster

StarCraft: Brood War Official Download and Remaster Purchase