StarCraft: Speed of Darkness
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Starcraft: Speed of Darkness is the third StarCraft novel, written by author Tracy Hickman. The action revolves around a small group of Terran Marines on Mar Sara during StarCraft Episode I. They must battle the Zerg and come to terms with the Sons of Korhal ... and even their masters, the Confederacy of Man.
The novel's protagonist, Ardo Melnikov, a new recruit in the Confederacy's marine forces, is devastated over his memories of the destruction of his homeworld, Bountiful, and the loss of his childhood sweetheart Melani. As part of a platoon under Lieutenant Breanne and Sergeant Littlefield, Private Melnikov is assigned to the Terran border colony of Mar Sara. The platoon, consisting of Marines, Firebats and Vulture hover cycles, is sent on a "reconnaissance-in-force" into an abandoned backwater town, where they encounter the xenomorphs known as the Zerg. During an intense firefight, they recover their objective, a mysterious "box", and an unconscious woman. The remnants of the platoon retreat towards their base, but before they get far, a tactical nuke drops behind them, obliterating the town. When they reach their base, it too is found deserted save for a lone SCV operator.
In the command center, the woman from the town awakens and Melnikov (still traumatized by his past) briefly mistakes her for Melani. She reveals that she has psionic powers, and tries to help Ardo come to terms with his loss. In so doing, Ardo finds that his memories may be fake, a fabrication of the neural resocialization process used to train Confederate Marines. His flashbacks reveal that he was, in fact, abducted from his home town, but Ardo still does not know which memories are real.
Soon, the platoon, trapped in their base, realize that the Confederate forces are abandoning Mar Sara and that civilians attempting to escape will shortly be under attack by the Zerg. The mysterious woman reveals that she is actually a member of the Sons of Korhal and was sent to plant the "box". In reality, it is a Psi Emitter designed to lure the Zerg to Mar Sara. The platoon had been sent to find the emitter, secure it, and then die under the tactical nuclear strike, a fact previously unknown even to Lieutenant Breanne.
An effort to evacuate the platoon from the base ends disastrously: a flight of Mutalisks notices the base and attacks, and Littlefield is killed defending the command center. Breanne decides to reactivate the Psi Emitter to distract the Zerg from the civilians attempting to flee Mar Sara in transports provided by the Sons of Korhal. The platoon sets about fortifying the base in preparation for the impending attack.
After a drawn-out and destructive battle, the platoon is eventually reduced to Melnikov, the psionic woman, Breanne, a Firebat, a Marine and the SCV operator. Holding out in a single bunker, they fight to the death, and the civilian transports escape to orbit.
| StarCraft by Blizzard Entertainment | |
|---|---|
| StarCraft Universe | Gameplay of StarCraft • StarCraft storyline • Psionic technology |
| Species | Terran • Protoss • Zerg • Xel'Naga • Hybrid |
| Factions and Organizations | Judicator Caste • Kel-Morian Combine • Khalai Caste • Protoss Conclave • Pirate Militias • Raynor's Raiders • Sons of Korhal • Templar Caste • Terran Confederacy • Umojan Protectorate • United Earth Directorate • Zerg Brood |
| Locations | Aiur • Antiga Prime • Braxis • Char • Chau Sara • Korhal • Mar Sara • Moria • Shakuras • Talematros • Tarsonis • Umoja • Zerus |
| Characters | Aldaris • Artanis • Gerard DuGalle • Edmund Duke • Samir Duran • Fenix • Sarah Kerrigan • Arcturus Mengsk • Nova • Raszagal • Jim Raynor • Alexei Stukov • Tassadar • Zeratul • Zerg Overmind • Minor Characters |
