As Nyon was chipping down Nuroka’s forces to strengthen that of his own, Jean was facing a completely different problem.

It has been over a day since the Tal’darim were defeated. The SCVs have returned to their ships with patches after patches of minerals. Tosh’s SCVs have brought back all the terrazine the man needed.

The Death Fleet the terran commanders were so afraid of didn’t show up. Instead, they encountered something they didn’t expect to see.

“Tosh, we need to talk.”

Raynor was not as satisfied as someone who has just completed a mission and has just earned thousands of units of minerals should be. Jean noticed that she, Raynor, and Tosh were in a three way communication channel.

“What do you mean, Mr. Raynor?” Tosh was obviously taken by surprise as well. After two successful missions working together, he did not expect Raynor to talk to him like he was some sort of criminal or enemy.

“We have received information about your plan.” Horner backed Raynor up. “New Folsom. You are planning on assaulting New Folsom Prison and rescue the spectres held there by the Dominion as prisoners.”

Tosh frowned. How did they know that. “That is true. I didn’t tell you because I felt like the time wasn’t right. I apologize if you feel offended...but where did you get this information.”

“That doesn’t matter.” Raynor changed the topic. “Listen to me, Tosh. Your spectres are brilliant soldiers, but they are dangerous. This terrazine they are taking is turning them into murderers. If they are set free, there’s no telling what they will do.”

“Murderers? We are all murderers. I have killed. You have killed. I bet even she has killed.” Tosh pointed at Jean, who was being a quiet audience. The girl shrugged. “Don’t tell me you don’t have blood on your hand, Raynor.”

“I have taken lives. I don’t deny it, but these spectres are different. They are psychopaths. Not only so, they are psychopaths with great power. If you free them, there will be no limits on what they can do. You will be unleashing monsters on the innocent people of this sector.”

“Perhaps, but that is a worthy price to pay. These spectres can easily overpower Dominion ghosts. With them on our side, we will be unstoppable. Mengsk will fall at our feet.” Tosh realized where this was going, and he didn’t like it. “Don’t let your sympathy destroy our best hope against the Dominion. Mengsk locked up the spectres because he was afraid of their power, and today we are going to use this power against him.”

“Hope or not, I will not allow the innocent to suffer for my own gain. If we do that, we will be no different from Mengsk.”

Tosh went silent for a second before finally speaking.

“It takes a monster to defeat a monster.”

Suddenly, Jean, who has been quiet the entire time, spoke up.

“Sir, who gave you the information on the spectres?”

Raynor bit his lips.

All of a sudden, a third screen appeared on the computer screens, and the woman on it certainly wasn’t invited.

Nova Terra.

“Wow, your security network is stronger than I anticipated.” The ghost smiled and glanced at another screen. “Even I can barely hack the communication channel.”

When Jean was with the Raiders she reinforced the Raider security network. As someone who was used to infiltrating and hacking, she knew how dangerous a crack in the armor could be, and she tried her best to fix it. Nonetheless, Nova had the best of the Dominion behind her back. If it was fighting Jean head on it might be stopped, but a system the girl encrypted was slightly more vulnerable.

“Nova.” Tosh hissed. He knew this woman all too well. After all, they have worked together for years.

Jean sat back. She was on team Tosh. Helping Nova couldn’t get her anything. There was no way the ghost would join her, and the wellbeing of the innocent wasn’t part of her calculations. Even if Nova gave her tips on training ghosts, she wouldn’t have the psionically gifted individuals. If she help Tosh, on the other hand, she could get the support of his spectres as well as his fleet. It was an easy choice.

There was no doubt Raynor was on Nova’s side. The man was as sentiment as always, and Tosh’s brutal yet efficient way of doing things just wasn’t fit for him. Jean, however, appreciated that characteristic.

She decided to help Tosh. That was why she exposed Nova’s presence.

“I will not let you take down New Folsom, Tosh, whatever it takes. The Dominion doesn’t care about the innocent. If we do the same thing, then what is the point of this revolution?” Raynor gave down a last warning. “Back off now, or I will stop you.”

No one considered the idea Tosh would give up his mission just because Raynor said so.

Just like everyone expected, Tosh smirked. “Big mistake, brother.” He snapped his finger, and the next second the four mercenary battlecruisers that survived started charging up its batteries.

If Raynor insisted on going against him, then he was no longer an asset. He was an obstacle, and obstacles must be removed. Tosh entered this conversation prepared. He told his crew members to be aware of any signals he make. As soon as they see his signal, they were to make a move on the Raiders.

“Matt, get us out of here!”

Just like Tosh sensed something might go wrong, Raynor and Horner made some precautions as well. Before the laser batteries could reach the ship, the vessel was already gone.

Jean tapped a few keys and shut Nova out of the comms. When that was done, she turned to the only one left.

“Tosh.” Jean said calmly.

“Jean Turner. I have heard a lot about you. What you did to Colonel Orlan is...efficient, for lack of a better term. That is why I want to make you the same deal your friend refused.”

Why did everyone she met know what she did in Deadman’s Port?

“I’m listening.”

“If you help me seize New Folsom, my spectres and mercenaries will become your allies. You do me a favor, and I will not hesitate to return it. You have seen how good my spectres are.” In the battle between the combined terran forces and the Tal’darim, the strength of the spectres was fully demonstrated, whether as scouts, fire support, or assassins.

“I am intrigued.” Jean leaned forward. “But I don’t believe we have the ships. Somewhere as important as New Folsom must be heavily guarded.”

“1 Gorgon and 14 Minotaur in the air. An army with siege tanks, goliaths, and ghosts support on the ground. Missile turrets and orbital cannons all around the place. Reinforcements from the Dominion Fleet will arrive on a very short notice. I have been preparing for this for a long time.”

“We can’t take down 15 battlecruisers with 5, especially not 15 Dominion battlecruisers.”

“I assure you we have much more than 5 battlecruisers. We both know you remotely control, what is it, Isaac’s mercenaries? How many battlecruisers is in that?”

“30, but they are mainly Behemoth battlecruisers from the Confederacy days. Minotaurs are the best ships present, and even they will be slaughtered by the Dominion Gorgon.”

“I can persuade a few more mercenary leaders to join me.” Tosh said slowly as if it was nothing worth noting.

Mercenaries wouldn’t join him for no reason. The only way they would help him would be if they were paid or if they had no other choice. Jean felt like it was the latter. Tosh didn’t seem like the type of guy that would play by the rules.

“Even so, this will still be a difficult fight. Dominion Gorgons will be impregnable.”

“Then we take them out of the equation. Remind me, how did you take down Orlan with just a couple man?”

The man really knows a lot about her. “Covert ops. I went above the enemy platform posing as one of them. When I went inside, I hacked into their security network and gave down false orders to their fleets and security forces. After I cleared out most of the guards, I made a move for the throne. But this can hardly work against the Dominion.”

“Why not?”

“For one thing, the Dominion security network is much more secure than the mercenary ones. Their human elements are also more secure. If I go down there with a made up order, the officers might just check in with their commanding officers and know I am lying.”

“Even that is not the biggest problem. If I want to disable the Gorgons, I will need to get inside them first. If possible, I even need to take down the bridge. Otherwise the crew members can simply override the control. We both know that is almost impossible. A single Gorgon battlecruiser holds around three thousand Dominion personnel aboard. Even if only a portion of them are security forces, it is an army.”

“However, if I can forge an order directly from Mengsk, likely the Dominion forces will not only question it but welcome me into the bridge…this might work.”

“I can see the clocks ticking, sister. Do what you must. Notify me when you are ready.”

“Sir, Jean’s ship did not come with us. She is back there with Tosh. I’m afraid she has left us.”

Raynor looked down on the ground. “Anything else?”

“Yes sir, Nova is on the comm. She is waiting for you.”

The rebel commander turned around and faced the Dominion agent.

“What do you want us to do?” While they have established a similar understanding that Tosh must be stopped, they were still enemies. Raynor failed to see how them working together could be good for any of them.

“I will lead my forces to reinforce New Folsom. Tosh will undoubtedly make a move with or without your help. He can’t afford to wait. As soon as the attack begins and the Dominion Fleet is in contact with Tosh’s ships, I want you to attack his base of operation on Avernus Station. It will be defenseless, and I want you to burn it to the ground.”

“I don’t take orders from you.” Raynor frowned at the orders Nova was giving him. It made him feel like a pawn.

“Need I remind you Tosh’s downfall is what we both want? We must work together.” Nova replied quietly.

“I’m curious, what will Mengsk think if he finds out you are working with his greatest enemy?”

“That is none of your concern.” Nova remembered something. “By the way, I noticed your other ship didn’t come with you. Care to explain?”

“It will not be a problem.” Raynor denied. “I will take care of Avernus, but keep in mind, I am not your pet. Just because I am taking down Tosh doesn’t mean I am working for the Dominion.” He shut off the comm and turned to Horner. “We really need to enforce our security network.”

“That will have to wait, especially since...” Horner trailed off, but both men understood what he was saying..”…are we really taking down Tosh?”

Ranor frowned at the question. “Is there a problem, Matt?”

“I understand your decision, sir, but keep in mind Tosh, just like us, is a rebel against the Dominion. If we not only refuse to help him but even go as far as practically siding with the Dominion to bring him down, there will be doubts spoken to our intention.”

“Doubts? What kind of doubts?” Raynor pushed on. “Do you think someone will suspect I am actually a Dominion agent?”

“All I am saying is it is unwise, sir.”

“Unwise?” Raynor sighed. “If I want to be wise, I would have never parted with Jean. I would have never became a rebel. Hell I would have never went against Mengsk. I would probably be a Dominion general already.”

Horner finally nodded. He really shouldn’t be saying this. After all, Raynor’s relentless pursuit for freedom and justice was exactly why Horner himself joined Raynor’s Raiders.

“Yes sir.”