Seeing Artanis was done, Selendis walked up to him.

Amon’s corruption made the corrupted absolutely loyal to the dark god. Apart from that, the corrupted individuals still had their own thoughts and emotions. Corrupted or not, Artanis and Selendis still had their former personalities.

“Hierarch,” Selendis started with the empty voice symbolizing corruption. Amon had given Artanis the Golden Armada to command. He knew a corrupted Artanis would be loyal to him and would be the best commander of the fleet. These two reasons made him not hesitant in giving Artanis the command of the strongest fleet in the sector.

“Where shall we march? I suggest we go after Jean. She will be a threat to our master’s plan.”

“I have been allowed a glimpse of our master’s setting. Jean is not a threat.” Artanis explained. “Our master has controlled the feral zerg that were scattered after the death of the Overmind. Jean destroyed one of the hybrid facilities, but it merely makes the production of hybrids less efficient. Even so hundreds of hybrids were being produced. The Golden Armada is the sworn blade of Amon. Jean’s is merely a pest. We have someone else to go after.”

Selendis frowned. Some crystals of the Nerazim fleet caught a glimpse of the combined fleet and was sent to the Daelaam high command to see. Jean had a fleet of hundreds of ships. She had the Dominion, the tal’darim, and the ancient purifiers behind her. Who could possibly be more important? “Who is it?”

“Kerrigan. Our master needs a body. The essence of the queen of blades can add to our master’s new body.” Artanis reasoned. “We go for the swarm.”

“But Jean…”

“Our master will deal with Jean.” Artanis declared, and Selendis obeyed.

The few Nerazim on the The Golden Armada were terminated on site. Now completely red, the armada warped away from the battered Shakuras.

The combined fleet was pretty cheerful.

They had just completed the second phase of the three phase plan to defeat the Golden Armada. Now all they had to do was wait patiently and occasionally engage the Golden Armada to keep their engines running, and sooner or later the Golden Armada, without any backup at all, would be weakened enough to be defeated by the combined fleet. Victory is assured, or is it?

The commanders of the fleet were at the bridge. It was worth mentioning that all of them bough a number of security.

Dominion fleet. General Warfield. Ghost agent Stone. Twenty Sons of Korhal waited outside.

Tal’darim Death Fleet. Highlord Nyon. Ascendant Alarak. Ascendant Ji’nara. Several zealots and supplicants waited outside.

Purifier fleet, Nova. She didn’t bring any guards.

Warden fleet, Jean. It was her ship. The ship was full with warden units. She had another three garrisons of purifiers and two garrisons of Warden units in her watch.

Jean had no problem with the caution her allies had shown. Given her past of murdering her way through trouble, only a fool would come onto her ship without any protection. Of course if Jean really wanted to murder the commanders the guards couldn’t stop her, but they would buy some time for escape or retaliation.

What really made her smile was the amount of trust Nova showed her. The agent, at the very start, was forced to side with Jean(during the execution of general Carolina Davis), but everything they’ve went through together Nova was already Jean’s girl.

“By now the Golden Armada should be back to Shakuras. I wonder what’s the look on their face when they see what we’ve left for them.” Nyon said cruelly. The thought of the glorious templar falling apart satisfied him.

Beside the Highlord, Warfield glanced at Nyon with despise. The old soldier was very different from the tal’darim leader. Warfield was willing to destroy a planet, but he did it because he had to, not because he took pleasure in other’s suffering.

Alarak saw that despising glance. “You have questions?”

Warfield wasn’t afraid of being provoked. He wanted to say something, but Jean stopped this small dispute before it could get worse. Getting into the middle of the two, she held her arms out. “Now, now, we all want the same thing. We all want the destruction of the Golden Armada and then the fall of Amon. There is no need to fight with each other.”

Both sides backed off. Jean smiled sweetly. “Now, Nyon, I will need you to send scouts to Shakuras. According to algorithms written based on Daelaam mentalities, the Golden Armada should stay around the planet…” She never finished the sentence.

The bridge was suddenly consumed by a surge of red energy. Those inside the bridge glanced around, confused.

Jean looked at Nyon. The tal’darim were experts with void energy. She was surprised to find Nyon looking somewhat afraid.

“I recognize this energy.” Nyon said slowly.

“It’s Amon.”

“Impossible. Amon needs a body to truly come into this world.” Jean said decisively.

“Guards!” Warfield yelled for help. The guards outside the bridge tried to enter, but they couldn’t open the door. It seemed like Amon had sealed off the bridge for the time being. Body or not, Amon could do that.

Holding her hand up, Jean stopped Warfield’s pointless cry for aid. “Even if it’s Amon he is not strong enough to kill us. I think he just wants to talk.”

Amon was certainly a fan of words. For some reason even on the edge of defeat he wouldn’t forget throwing a few threats at his enemies. Even when Kerrigan was at his throat he wouldn’t stop talking. It was reasonable to infer that he wanted to have a chat with his top enemy.

A dark, echoing voice confirmed Jean’s theory.

Jean Turner.

“Amon.” Jean didn’t falter.

I am curious. Who are you.

Jean flickered her fingernails to show how casual she was. As the leader of the combined fleet she needed to appear in control. If she panicked then Warfield and Nyon would lose their calmness as well.

You had been targeting my underlings. You prompted the Terran Dominion to attack the Moebius Foundation and destroy my hybrid facility. You worked with this puppet of yours, Amon was referring to Nyon. to overthrow my loyal follower Ma’lash. You targeted the Golden Armada because somehow you knew I will control them. How?

“Does it matter?” Jean asked. “The hybrids are gone. The Moebius mercenaries are gone. The tal’darim are on my side. Your last card, the Golden Armada, is going to perish very soon.” Normally Jean wasn’t a fan of talking. She preferred action over words, but now she needed words to tie her allies closer. She needed to erase the sudden shock and doubt Amon’s presence brought.

Fool. Amon whispered. You’re a fool to think you have outmaneuvered me. I am a Xel’naga. I created the zerg. I forged the protoss. I have more power than you can ever imagine. Do you really think you can take me down?

Terran。 He spoke to Warfield. A fleet of zerg under my command is cutting its way through the Dominion world toward your capital as we speak. If you pull your forces back to defend you might save your people. If you insist on taking part in a lost cause...the terran Dominion will be gone. Ahhh, a transmission from Korhal. I suggest you take it.

Jean was aware Amon was starting to cut off her allies, but she didn’t say or do anything. She knew Warfield was lost. Just as she imagined, Warfield closed his helmet and opened it a few seconds later with a look of worry.

“I’m sorry.” He walked to Jean and whispered. “The entire Dominion is defenseless to the zerg. Scouts reported at least fifteen leviathans. Planets are being wiped out. Civilians slaughtered. I have already ordered my fleet to prepare for jump.”

Nova’s expression changed. “This is not a part of the deal.” The Dominion fleet made up the majority of the combined fleet. If they left the stopping power of the combined fleet would be cut by half.

Warfield paused for a second, but then continued to walk out of the bridge. Nova extended her arm and a psi blade appeared. Agent Stone raised his rifle. The situation was tense.

Amon was silent as he observed the allies turning on each other.

At the last second Jean pushed Nova’s arms down. “Let them go.” She said quietly. “Just keep in mind, Warfield, if you leave, we will be picked off by Amon one by one.”

Warfield didn’t turn around. Amon might kill all lifeform in the sector, but that was what Jean said, and Jean could be lying. On the other hand, if he stayed the Dominion would surely perish. That was a certain fact. It was a hard decision, but not an impossible one.

Jean secretly frowned. If taking out Warfield could get her the Dominion fleet then she would do it, but it wouldn't. Intercepting Warfield would only add the Dominion to her already long enemy list.