StarCraft 1. Chapter 1

Rare it is that I think them through thoroughly, but they usually revolve around the US degenerating into a state of civil war, after I invent and field the Gauss magnetic machine gun and the Advanced Powered Armor system, reinventing land warfare. The troops are called back to enforce the peace, and with their superior weapons and armor systems, this isn't supposed to get complicated. Naturally, the states are plagued with clever rebels, who find ways to subvert the armors weakness, and use hit-and-run tactics to keep away from the new weapons. Naturally, at the epicenter of rebel activity, I am assigned to assess the rebels tactics and find ways to immunize the troops.

It would be a quiet night on the base. Another invention of mine allowed for rapid fielding of tactical buildings to supplement troop activity, basically letting commanders create cheap bases fast, anywhere they were needed. It would be rare that _I_ wear the armor I invented, as I wouldn't have any role in combat. That's not my job. I would be nocturnal by choice, and it would be a restless night, I wouldn't be able to stay cooped up. So I hit the perimeter, maybe there's something interesting out there. There are deployable motion sensors at the perimeter, anyone trying to get past would instantly be detected and riddled with holes. Correction - older powder based weapons would produce holes. The weapons I invented would violently rip anything to shreds in a hail of hypersonic steel. Yet, I would feel no guilt for having created such things. It's for our own good, as a people.

I head to a lonely part of the perimeter and light up a cigarette. I invented the sensors, if anything out there moved or was hotter than 90 degrees, the data would be forwarded to a single-lensed pair of sunglasses with a display in the one lense covering my right eye. I turn to head back to the base, and a familiar feeling surges through my heart, paralyzing me. I fight back mentally, and struggle to turn around, and as soon as I do, everything goes black.

---

I wake up in a bright room strapped to a metal chair. The walls and ceiling are white concrete and the floor is black and white checkered tile. There is a door in front of me and old fashioned video security camaras at every corner. Suddenly a loud metallicy voice blares from behind me, "Hello, Justin Todd..." I strain my neck to look behind me and see an extremely old looking intercom speaker that looks like it belongs in a school. "We've been watching you for a long time..." Says the voice. Keeping a cool head, I shout, "Who are you? Who do you work for? What is this place? Where the hell am I?" "So many questions... You'll get your answers soon enough... But first you must answer a few of mine..." Suddenly another voice blares from the intercom, "WAIT! Let me talk to him! Please, I know him!" This new voice nearly makes my heart stop. It couldn't be... her. It just couldn't. The silence that follows is agonizing. Is she really here? Or am I dreaming? Or maybe it's some kind of rebel trick? I hear the loud clank of a lock and turn my head in time to watch the door open.

My eyes go wide and I stop breathing. There standing in front of me is my angel, the light I thought I had lost, my Allie... My heart stops beating, and then surges faster. That familiar feeling shoots through my body like electricity, numbing my body. The door closes and locks behind her, leaving us both alone. We just stare for what seemed like an eternety. She has a hand gently pressed to her lips as she fights back tears. The white dress she's wearing compliments her slender frame and makes her look even more angelic. A word escapes my stunned lips. Just one word, "Allie......." Suddenly she rushes to me and crumples into my lap sobbing quietly. My cheeks feel warm and I discover that I had also been fighting back tears. She drapes her arms accross my shoulders and whispers, "Oh God, Justin... Justin... I've missed you so much..."

At frist I can't speak. My mind is screaming, _'SAY SOMETHING, YOU STUPID JACKASS!!!'_ But my mouth won't move. Finally I get up the courage to speak, "Allie... Please don't cry... I'm here now..." I want so badly to hold her, to dry her tears, but my hands are bound. She calms down somewhat but she still has tears gently sliding down her face. I kiss away a tear and tell her, "Untie me, I won't do anything." She nods and unties my bindings. I wrap my arms around her tightly and kiss her passionately, one hand behind her head and one arm holding her body close to mine. We stay like that for a little while and then she pulls back and gives me a serious look.

"Justin listen. You were brought here because our leader wants you to build weapons and armor for his forces. He'll keep you safe as long as you do this. If you don't he'll kill you. I have some influence here, but not enough to keep you alive for more than a few days and you being let go is obviously out of the question. Please, I don't want to see you die....." She stares into my eyes with a pleading look. I stare back with mixed feelings. The love of my life is my enemy? Hurt and anger fill my heart. She sees this and gets off my lap and turns away guiltyly. "... I didn't have a choice, y'know." She says, "He's taken so many small towns. It was either join him or die. Death scares the shit out of me. I'm too much of a coward to face it." I take another look at her form. There's no way she could be a soldier for the rebel army. She looks more like a dancer than a fighter. "What part do you play in all of this?" I ask. She turns back to me, smiling but still looking sad, "I am one of the top assasins at this base. And also... our leaders favorite toy..."

I stare at her in disbelief. She continues to smile but her eyes get sadder. Suddenly a thought crosses my mind. "He doesn't hurt you... does he?" In response she turns around again and pulls down one of the sleeves on her dress, revealing a large, fist-shaped bruise. She looks back at me with that same mask-like look, "He likes to play rough..." I feel anger and hatred flood through me. How dare he lay a hand on my Allie!! I wanna kill him and I haven't even met the guy yet! I look down so I don't scare her as I clench my jaw and ball up my fists in anger. Suddenly I spring up, grab her and pull her close to me. I hold her as tight as I can without crushing her. The anger coursing through me is so strong I begin shaking. She wraps her arms around my waist and holds me just as tight. "Allie I'm so sorry..." I start but she interrupts me. "Don't be. It's not your fault." "I'm gonna kill that bastard..." I say through gritted teeth. "You can try, but he has guns, and you don't." She reasons.

After a while I calm down enough to loosen my grip a bit and take a better look around the room. the wall behind the chair has a white table and a white chair and a cot with a thin pad on it."We don't have anywhere else to put you." She says. I look back at her and another idea crosses my mind. I smile and pick her up bridal style. She looks at me with a cute surprised look and asks, "Justin, what are you doing?" "You'll see..." Is my only reply as I take her to the cot. I sit down with her in my lap and kiss her passionately. We make out for a few minutes then I lean my body sideways and fall on top of her...


	2. Chapter 2

I wake around midnight, and decide to walk the halls. My anger and indignancy drown my fear of anyone harming me as I take the time to examine my surroundings. Clearly I am underground, I can't get my GPS position from my display, and the levels of radiation tell me I must be at least a mile underground. I see a sign over a heavy steel door saying "Arms Room", and I remember why I'm here. My head clears enough to stand and stare at the sign, the questions keep flooding back. How did she get past my sensors? Even if she managed to bypass the motion sensor, and thermal, how did she get past the brainwave dectector? I really went all out on those dang sensors...

The door to the arms room has an electronic lock, all to familiar in design; I built it, too. I had constructed a failsafe into this model, my DNA would override the lock. I pry off the surface plate on the lock, and cut my thumb on the sharp edge, pressing it to the override sensor. The door opens pleasently, and for the first time, I see what weapons these rebels have to work with. I am dissappointed at first.

The sensor in my display indicates that this room is larger than it appears. I puzzle for a moment as to how that can be, especially since the only thing it this room is a few rusty AK-47s and boxes of ammo. I disable my eyepiece and close my eyes - sometimes my own senses are better. After a moment I open them, and put my hand straight through the wall on my left. A hologram? How the...I never invented that. I pass the illusory wall, and my heart stops for what seems to be hours. They have powered armor. Lots of it.

I panic and scramble to turn my eyepiece back on, and the sensor indicates that these armors are if not old, inferior to the military's. When I get up close, I instantly know why. Crappy Russian imitations. So Russia is funding the rebels? Interesting. I feel my indignancy rise again and almost on cue, it is silenced by panic. There are rifles against the back wall. Big ones. Ones that I designed, but never built. Canister Rifles, the next cutting line in high-powered snipers. Allie's words ring in my ears, "I'm one of the top assassins at this base."...But where did they get the blue prints? I put it out of my mind. I touch one of the rifles and on a hunch, I whirl around and true to form, there she is, but not as she was. Allie was dressed for war. "I wondered where you went. I mean, I knew where you went, but I wanted to know why. I mean, I knew why, but I -" I cut her off. "-What do you mean, you knew where I went?" "I'm a telepath, Justin." And then my world came crashing down. I knew instantly how she bypassed my sensors. I never designed the brainwave sensor to work on telepaths. "You're a teep? When were you planning on telling me this?" I asked. "Well, I came for my rifle. You designed it, you know what I plan to do with it." "And this answers my question how?" "Because you're coming with me. This is a low-risk mission, and _he_ decided you need to see what we're fighting for. You were going to see my powers in action. You're going to tell me not to use a Canister Rifle, because they're still experimental. Yes, I can read your mind. Rest easy, your design doesn't work with military snipers, because they're not teeps." This was starting to irk me. "And just what does - "She cut me off, this time. " - does being a teep have to do with being able to aim an unaimable weapon? I'm also a telekinetic." "A teep/teek?" I said, shocked "Those are only theoretical, there's no way!" "You'll just have to see for yourself, you're coming with me on this mission, like it or not."

What choice do I have? I go with her.

---

She leads me to this room in another part of the complex. Before she opens the door, she turns to me and says, "We have to get you ready before we go." She opens the door and goes in. I follow her in and look around. It looks like a normal bedroom. "Yes, this is my room. Don't touch anything." She says as she dissapears into her closet. A few seconds later she appears again holding an article of clothing which she proptly throws at me. "Put this on." I hold it up. It's a stealth suit that's half my size. "Don't worry. It'll fit." I'm not completely convinced but what choice do I have? I quickly strip and pull the suit on, the fabric expands to fit my form comfortably. I hear a wolf-whistle from behind me and turn around to see Allie smirking at me holding a large kevlar vest and a belt. "Hey there, sexy..." She purrs. She hands me the vest and the belt saying, "The Russians aren't THAT cheap. Anyway, this is the best I can do for you protection wise, but if all goes well you won't even need it. This is a cloaking device. Just press the button on the buckle to activate it. Don't try anything though. I'll still know where you are." She taps her head for emphasis. I put on the vest and belt and we head out the door.

As we walk down a corridor i take the chance to examine her battle costume. She's wearing a set of APA custom fit to her form and a form-fitting stealth suit underneath. Very sexy but still a cheap Russian knock-off. I could make something much better for her. I follow her out to this room with a small group of well armed men waiting for us (wearing the cheap Russian knock-offs). Two of the guys walk up to me, one carrying a blindfold and a pair of handcuffs. I tense up automaticly, but Allie puts a hand on my shoulder to calm me down, "Sorry, Justin. It's only till we get to the carrier. For securety reasons, y'know?" She looks at me with large appologetic eyes as she says this and I can't help but comply. Damn her cuteness. I sigh and get into position. They put the blindfold and handcuffs on me (rather roughly I might add) and lead me out of the room.

I count the steps as we go through what seems to be another corridor. As we turn I note the direction of the turn and the number of steps it takes to get there. Every once in a while I hear Allie giggle softly. Probably at my efforts. Suddenly I hear her voice echo in my head, _'Y'know I could just make you black out like before. I'm being merciful. It's a wonder you didn't wake up with a massive headache last time. Some of the guys wanted me to do it. thought it would be easier. But I pointed out that they'd have to carry you out. They shut up after that. Anyway, go ahead and count all you want, I'm just gonna erase your memory anyways. And that WILL cause a headache.'_ Damn... Of course she can do that. I stop counting and curse her powers (which results in yet another giggle from her). But I can't help smiling at her words.

After some time the footsteps change from concrete to metal as we enter the carrier. They sit me down and buckle me in. Then I hear the pneumatic door close and the engine roar to life. We start moving and a few minutes later the blindfold is taken off. I look around and again I'm dissapointed at the outdated equipment. The vehicle is an old fashioned army carrier that looks severly worn down. "In this business, you get what you can steal." Allie says out of nowhere. I turn to see her sitting next to me with a serious look on her face. I look closer and see a hint of sadness in her eyes. On cue she turns her head away from me. "I can't tell you where we're going, but I can tell you what the mission entails." She looks back at me, that mask again on her face, "Basicly it's a raid, but I have a seperate assignment. These guys will be doing a little "shopping" and provide a distraction while I take care of my own nasty business. There's a few officials I need to say hello to plus I need to gather some data. You'll be coming with me since A: my part is less dangerous and B: I'll be more able to keep a hold on you in case you get any ideas."

The rest of the trip is made in silence. Finally, the carrier stops and final orders are given out. Allie gets up and unlocks the handcuffs. I wring my wrists and start to get up but Allie pushes me down and traps me in my seat. She looks at me sternly and says, "Now you listen to me, Justin Todd, cuz I'm only gonna say this once. Stay close and do everything I say without question. This is a covert opperation and I WILL NOT have you screw this up. This is for your own safety as well as mine. Do we have an understanding?!" God she's so cute when she's angry. I can't help myself. I give her a mocking salute and, smiling, I shout, "MA'AM, YES MA'AM!" This earns me a sound thwak on the back of my head and a warning look. She turns and walks to the other end of the carrier to open the door as I try hard to stifle a laugh. She's so cute when she's like this. I shake my head to clear it and stand up. I watch as Allie stands by the button and gently places a hand on it. She bows her head and mutters something too low for me to hear. Then she raises her head and her face takes on a wild, farrel look, "LETS KICK SOME ASS, BOYS!!!" She shouts and slams the button down. Shouts and yells resound everywhere as the team charges out. Allie disappears from view for a moment and appears next to me, a Canister Rifle strapped to her back. She grabs me around the waist and I hear _'Run'_ in my head. We bolt accross the carrier almost too fast for my legs to keep up and fly out the door.


	3. Contest

While I'm working on the next chapter I'd like you, my readers, to help me with something. I need help re-writing the first paragraph of chapter 1. The contest will run until December 31st. The winner will get their paragraph put up and credit for it. I'd prefer it if your entries had something to do with the original paragraph to stay true to the story. Other than that, be creative! Good luck!


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StarCraft, Romance, Sci-Fi