The Odd Couple

[Jim Raynor]

Swann emptied the mug in one tilt. The cold ale soothed his dry and sand-scratched throat. "Oh man. Nothin' like trudgin' through a desert and gettin' swallowed by a giant worm to work up a thirst."
 
Jim chuckled. "Can't say I've been eaten before, but I sure know the hot kiss of the desert." He took a sip of his beer and sighed. "And the cool one of a cold one."
 
Karax stood with folded arms behind Swann and Jim. The deputy sheriff's squad surrounded a table in the bar with the two heroes at the head, including the normally reclusive Hammer still ensconced within her firebat suit. They had listened with rapture while Swann unfurled the journey while Karax spoke up when he misremembered something. Jim mentioned his adventure chasing the dark chips, wondering if anyone in the squad had seen something but no one had. Talk eventually returned to the end of Swann and Karax's story.
 
"So did you wonder about how it came to be that the protoss gear got swallowed up?" Roy Salvatore asked, rubbing at his goatee.
 
<Of course,> Karax said. <The abundance of khaydarin crystals suggest there is at least one other protoss around. Perhaps they are a phase-smith as well, if they built the teleportation device.>
 
"Are you sure it's a protoss?" Sandra Davis asked, her ankles crossed on the table. "There could be someone else that has a teleporter or knows how to work protoss technology."
 
<Unlikely. It was definitely a device crafted by a protoss artisan. Also while it is possible to activate that particular teleporter without psionic energy, it beggars belief that someone not of my kind could discover how to operate it without prior experience or knowledge.>
 
"Not to mention those kay deer crystals. They sound pretty protoss-y," Adam Carlton said, resting his elbows on the table. "I'm guessing they're some sort of glowing battery?"
 
<Khaydarin. And yes. They are required to energise the teleporter.>
 
"And you think it was used by someone?" Lewis Baxter said, his beer still full. "Indicating that another protoss, at least, is nearby?"
 
<Correct, Lewis Baxter. The khaydarin crystals, while not empty, had been sapped. The most correct interpretation is that the teleporter was activated and the crystals were the power supply.>
 
"So more of your kind, huh?" Jim said, draining the foam from the bottom of his glass before gesturing to the barkeeper. "What are you gonna do?"
 
The squad looked to the protoss as his eyebrows rose and fell.
 
"He's gonna go chasin' 'em," Swann said. "He's too good for his own good. If there's one of his people out there, come hell or high water he'll find 'em."
 
Karax crinkled his brow. <Rory Swann is almost correct. I would like to find my compatriot or compatriots, as I'm convinced at least one more protoss is here somewhere. However, I have no place to begin my search. The teleporter did not record the destination of the previous portal. Not to mention that the human that stole my distress beacon in the first place is still at large and I have no idea why he robbed me of it or what he planned to use it for.>
 
"Well, you're welcome to stay with us as long as you want while you work out how you're gonna do that," Jim said, standing as the barkeeper delivered his next drink and clasping Karax on the shoulder. "We might even be able to help you somehow."
 
<Thank you, Jim Raynor. Your hospitality is appreciated.>
 
"Anytime, bud." Jim dropped back into his seat. "So Swann, meant to tell ya. Project Hellfire was a success."
 
Swann's eyes lit up. He brushed the beer away that drenched the whiskers around his lip with the back of his oil-stained glove. "Really? No foolin'? Nothin' went wrong with it?"
 
"Not a thing," Jim said. "Might wanna take off that password system though. Can't say I'm a fan of it."
 
"Heh, will do cowboy." Swann looked to Karax. "You hear that? Sounds like protoss-terran tech can fuse together better than we thought."
 
<It was merely a portable one-use teleporter attached to a missile pod launcher,> Karax said. <Nothing to be excited about.>
 
"Yeah but I was certain that warp field business would fry the circuits or the launch system. If it didn't, that means we got a lot more experimentin' to do. If we can work out the kinks, there's all sorts of weapons and gizmos we can build! The best of both worlds. Literally."
 
Karax nodded. <Indeed. It would be an interesting project.>
 
"Great! Then we'll get to work tomorrow," Swann said. "For tonight, let's take it easy and celebrate the fact we didn't melt into worm food."
 
Jim smirked. "Heh. Think we can all drink to that."