On a planet at the edge of the Korpulu sector.

The once lifeless world was now fully crowded. Several establishment stood tall, expanding from several yellow nexus. Countless probes worked like ants as they gathered minerals and vespene gas to certain locations. At those locations, automated probes with yellow shading turned those resources into giant ships. As soon as they were completed, these capital ships would lift off into the air and join the giant fleet in space. The pilot was built inside the ships. A pile of resources were turned into a capital ship in a few days. There were dozens of ships in construction at the same time.

In one of the nexus, a certain figure was standing. She looked like a human being, but she wasn’t. She was a robot. A purifier.

“Report.” Nova said in a soft but decisive voice. Her metal heart was burning. The thought of her lover standing against a god all by herself was simply depressing.

“Executor.” A sentinel walked in and reported. “We have established mining bases on eighteen planets. Ten thousand probes are working on resource gathering and ship construction with no delay.”

“And our ship count?” Nova hurried. She didn’t care about controlling planets. She cared about her ship count. Jean told her to return when she had 500 ships, and no matter how worried she was she didn’t want to go against what Jean said.

“We have constructed 345 carriers. Our overall capital ship count has reached 482. According to estimation we can reach 500 ships in two days.” The response was swift.

Nova knew what the ship count was. In fact, she could receive the exact amount of ships built through the purifier data web, but she wanted to hear the numbers being told to her. It helped to ease her worries.

The female purifier commander nodded for the sentinel to leave. As soon as she was alone, she sat down and flickered her fingers.

She wasn’t exactly at the requirement, but even Jean wouldn’t get angry at her if she contacted her. Nova was going to do it anyways, so why not do it now?

Taking out a comm device, Nova tried to contact Jean.

Nothing. Nova frowned and tried a few more times. There was still no response.

Now Nova was truly worried, and she had a reason to. The comm was purifier technology, and, unlike terran tech, purifier tech are usually pretty reliable. Distance should have few limitations on the contact. Jean’s lack of response meant something was wrong.

“Sentinel! Mobilize the fleet and ready for warping!” Nova didn’t know what exactly happened, but she wouldn’t take the risk. The 500 ships deal was ignored.

“Destination?”

Nova thought about it and located someone that might tell her something about where Jean was at. “The Terran Dominion.” As the sentinel backed off, Nova summoned an executor.

“Stay here and continue mining and constructing more ships. Expand to other planets when you find it necessary to do so.” The executor obeyed, and Nova’s body disappeared in a light beam.

Stay safe, Jean. I’m coming.

Jean groaned as another hundred primal zerg were slaughtered before her. Sure, primal zerg were somewhat strong and had some organization based on packs, but they were made weak by the Golden Armada. The Golden Armada had lost more of its ships, but in comparison the primal had at most several primal guardians and primal mutalisks. They had neither the number nor the strength to take on the Golden Armada. The primal had powerful leaders, but even the most powerful of them all couldn’t take on a dozen carriers in orbit. When the purification beam dropped, everything in its path burned. This gave the Daelaam the chance to capture as many primal as they needed.

Ten streams of energy entered her body, further enhancing her strength. It was followed by four more dozens of void energy. The Daelaam wanted her to have those essence. They didn’t want her to use it.

It had been days since she was fed with these delicious treats. And yet Jean’s heart only sunk deeper and deeper as time passed. The more essence she collected, the more likely Amon would consume her.

Beside Jean were two blood hunters. Four blood hunters guarded her and they formed two rotations. Their void energy could easily disable her. Normally to Jean two blood hunters meant two seconds or two stabs, but now they represented two mountains that she couldn’t get pass.

Jean glanced at the watch on her right arm. She was searched to make sure she wasn’t hiding anything up her sleeves, but apparently none of the guards could see her watch. If only she could reach it, she could unleash a fleet...but she couldn’t. Her arms were spread apart and held still by chains. She was too weak to get by them.

But hopefully she could find a chance.

“Hey!” Jean yelled weakly at one of the blood hunters. She motioned for her arms and legs, which were still bleeding. “Hey I am dying over here!” Her face was white as a sheet.

One of the blood hunters found it funny, as if she was watching a bug she could crush with her bare hands beg for mercy. “Good.” She replied cruelly.

“Think about it.” Jean continued, coughing in the process. “Amon wants me alive. What happens if I die? Huh? All the essence within me will disappear, along with Amon’s chance to come into this world! He will not be happy!”

These two blood hunters were loyal to Amon, so they were slightly worried. They knew what Amon’s plan was and why he needed Jean, and they knew the girl was right. Like it or not, the blood hunters needed to keep Jean alive.

“You are absorbing essence from those primal. Your life is safe...for now.” The female blood hunter reasoned, even though she wasn’t sure herself either. She was an assassin, not a filthy phase smith.

“And you also gave me a hell lot of void energy!” Jean said drily. “I am telling you I am dying here. I physically cannot heal.”

The commotion apparently alerted the Daelaam around, because Selendis walked out. “What is it?” She asked the blood hunters. The female blood hunter told Selendis what was happening.

Selendis didn’t have a great answer either. “What do you suggest?” She asked Jean.

Jean pretended like she had already given up all hope.“Let me free for a while so I can mend with my zerg side.”

Selendis smirked. Did Jean think she was stupid? “Never.”

“Think about it!” Jean urged. “You have, what, two hundred ships in orbit? What can I do, huh? Just the several hundred zealots around is enough to kill me! What can I do all by myself? Just a few minutes to heal myself, that’s all.”

Selendis considered it. “And you expect me to believe you will not try anything else? You’re just going to give up and be emptied by our master?” She suspected foul play.

“I just hope it will be quick.” Jean said desperately. “No one lives forever, right?”

Selendis knew something was wrong. The girl was planning something. She knew it. But looking at Jean’s pale face and pained expression, as well as her bleeding limbs, Selendis knew the girl needed to heal. The Daelaam didn’t have healing mechanisms that work on terran. For a few seconds she wondered why Alarak needed to maim Jean. Jean couldn’t die, at least not now.

As long as she was careful enough while handling Jean, what could go wrong? Only a small number of fractions in this sector could save Jean from the Golden Armada. The Dominion had left. The tal’darim went to Amon’s side. The swarm was a threat, but there was no way for Jean to contact them.

“All right.” Selendis gave in.