Chapter 75: Heart of the Swarm
Lucan looked at the larva. Through the transparent membrane, he could even see something squirming inside.
"My power is called the Heart of the Swarm!" Kerrigan said.
"Can these larvae hatch?"
"Of course!"
Then, Kerrigan closed her eyes. The life within the cocoon began to squirm rapidly, and in a short while, a Drone, its size comparable to a Marine, broke out from the cocoon.
The cocoon burst open, splattering fluid everywhere. The Drone approached Kerrigan and even affectionately nuzzled her. Kerrigan, in turn, stroked the Drone's head as if petting her own pet.
Everyone around, including Lucan, was momentarily at a loss for words. The Kerrigan before them was now the embodiment of the StarCraft Zerg in this universe.
She perfectly exemplified the phrase, "I, am the Swarm!"
Lucan knew he had struck treasure. He happily picked Kerrigan up directly and said to her, "Kerrigan, you must remember, never casually use this ability in front of others. You must first get my permission, understand?"
"Okay, I will listen to whatever Father says!"
Lucan satisfyingly patted Kerrigan's head, and Kerrigan seemed to greatly enjoy the feeling of having her head stroked.
"My Lord, what about this Drone?" Damon looked at the creature.
"Burn it. Agathos has no place for the Swarm to macro up right now!"
Damon nodded, and a Firebat then incinerated the Drone with plasma flames.
Tyranids, in Lucan's eyes, could perhaps be considered a species, but not a civilization. The singular Hive Mind was everything to the Tyranids; all synapse creatures were divisions and extensions of the Hive Mind.
It could arbitrarily retract these extensions back into the main body and control the actions and will of the node creatures. And the Tyranid Swarm had one and only one purpose: to plunder all biomass. Biomass was above all else. Any planet plundered by them would be left a barren wasteland with only inorganic matter remaining.
But the StarCraft Zerg were different. Though they also had a hive-mind-like psychic link, and the Overmind was the supreme will of the Swarm, some special units hatched by the StarCraft Swarm did indeed possess their own thoughts and will.
They were independent individuals. Even if they lost the Overmind, the Swarm could develop on its own.
Although they also had a desire for biomass, even on worlds full of inorganic matter, the StarCraft Zerg could still survive and grow strong.
If one were to say the Tyranids played a "raiding" style, then the StarCraft Zerg played a "macro" game.
Lucan, holding Kerrigan, prepared to leave the hive bottom. After all, there were still many Genestealers out there; the war was not yet completely over.
But at this moment, Kerrigan, perched on Lucan's shoulder, said to him:
"Father, I can still feel many other life forms nearby who are connected to me. They are very helpless right now. What should be done with these people?"
"Connected to you?! Does that mean you can control them?!"
"I can. I, am the Swarm, you know~ However, among these people, there are still some who are very resistant to my existence! They are using psychic power to fight against my will."
"Really?! Then quickly control them and make them stop resisting! Do you have a way to deal with those who are resisting you?"
It was known that the number of remaining Genestealers definitely exceeded a million. And wanting to clear out so many Genestealers within the complex hive bottom was no easy task. Moreover, if he could control this group of Genestealer cultists, they would be an invaluable labor force!
These people didn't want wages; they might even truly see a 996 work schedule as a blessing.
He recalled that within the Imperium, there were many "model planets" where the workers toiled without complaint, requiring only the basic subsistence materials to keep their bodies functioning.
But in reality, these people had long since been corrupted by Genestealers. These hardworking Genestealer cultists could even over-fulfill their tithe obligations. While the Imperium was still using military force to compel some planets to pay their tithes, these worlds could deliver on time, on demand, and with guaranteed quality and quantity. Such loyalty was astounding.
The Imperium would even form them into "guidance teams" to be sent to other planets for propaganda and to guide local production.
This caused the Genestealer corruption to spread rapidly.
"Of course I can! I'm very full right now; I have enough energy!" Kerrigan even patted her own belly.
Then, Kerrigan closed her eyes. Lucan could feel the psychic energy within her body beginning to stir again.
And this psychic power, following the usurped hive network, spread to every single Genestealer individual.
Large numbers of indoctrinated Genestealer cultists began to drop the weapons in their hands. They all obeyed Kerrigan's will, waiting in place.
And deep within the hive bottom, the Genestealer Magus, Vienna, was already on the verge of collapse. The Day of Ascension was no longer possible.
She felt the Genestealer Patriarch disappear, and the apex of the hive network was replaced by an entity that was not the Great Devourer. She didn't know what the other party was, but it was definitely not the one she was meant to follow. Her everything belonged only to the Great Devourer.
However, the vast numbers of Genestealers lacked the psychic power to resist this force.
And as one Genestealer after another began to obey Kerrigan, Kerrigan also drew out more and more power to begin dealing with those like Vienna who possessed psychic abilities.
Vienna just felt like her head was about to explode, literally about to explode.
The blood vessels on her head began to bulge massively. The influx of a huge amount of psychic energy had made her body completely unable to bear it.
In despair, the heads of Genestealer psykers exploded one by one in various parts of the hive bottom.
And the surrounding Genestealers, who had just been vowing to fight the Dynasty to the death, now stood motionless as if they hadn't seen a thing.
"Father! It's done!"
Kerrigan smiled, seeking praise from Lucan, but she herself had also become listless. Controlling so many Genestealers was no easy task for her either.
Lucan immediately opened his communicator.
"Verre! What's the battle situation now?!"
"My Lord! Those xenos have all given up resisting?! What in the world is going on?!" Verre had also received the report from his soldiers.
The previously fierce battle had suddenly stopped. The Genestealers, who had formerly thrown their lives away without a second thought, had all voluntarily dropped their weapons?!
The change was too abrupt.
"Have the soldiers all withdraw from the hive bottom! The battle is over; their patriarch has been eliminated by us!"
"Really?! But what should be done with these people who have given up resisting?!"
"Withdraw first and seal off the hive bottom. I already have a plan for these people!"
"As you command!"
Soon, the soldiers began to carry away the bodies of their fallen and started to withdraw in an orderly fashion.
And Lucan, with his squad, also began to leave, following the path they had come.
Verre was already waiting for Lucan at the exit. However, he noticed that Lucan was now holding a little girl in his arms whom he had never seen before.
"My Lord! She is?!"
"Her? She is a child I rescued from the hive bottom. From now on, she will be called Kerrigan Mongorte. She is now my daughter."
"Huh?! Your daughter?!"
Verre had never imagined that Lucan would go into the hive bottom once and come out with a daughter.
(End of Chapter)