Chapter 791: Raynor's Decision
"Alright," Raynor said in a heavy voice. When the word left his mouth, it carried a complex mixture of relief from shedding part of a burden and fresh, heightened vigilance. "Miss Valerie, contact your company immediately. We... need this emergency technical support."
He paused, fixing Valerie with a sharp gaze. He was not laying down conditions so much as stating unavoidable concerns.
"You know our situation, and you know how razor-thin the patience of that Protoss fleet overhead is. Any external personnel and gear must pass through the strictest quarantine—not just for us, but the Protoss will undoubtedly insist on it as well. This isn't a demand; it's a prerequisite for survival."
He glanced around the spartan camp and the uneasy crowd in the distance.
"This is my outfit and the civilians we've taken in. Operations and decisions must prioritize their safety above all else. Your technical experts can work in designated zones; we will provide the necessary assistance and protection. But the overall response plan and final decisions must be made by us based on the actual situation."
His tone softened slightly, yet remained unyielding.
"And of course, all research data and findings must be fully shared. This is a matter of life and death for all of us; there is no room for information barriers."
Finally, he looked into Valerie's eyes.
"Right now, our sole focus is resolving the infection crisis on Haven. Anything else can wait until we've all survived these three days."
His final words were clear and precise, firmly drawing the boundaries of their cooperation.
Valerie listened attentively, then nodded to signal complete understanding.
"Understood, Commander Raynor. What you have stated are the very concerns and principles any responsible leadership would maintain under these circumstances—entirely reasonable. I will report these points faithfully."
"If corporate assesses the situation and agrees to provide support, our personnel and equipment will strictly adhere to the quarantine and security protocols you specified, operating entirely within your framework."
"Shared data is the foundation of cooperation. As for the rest—as you said, resolving the immediate crisis comes first."
She paused briefly and added, "If all goes smoothly, support can arrive within twenty-four hours at the earliest."
"Get to it then," Raynor waved a hand, looking exhausted yet decisive. Agreeing to bring in an unknown external force was a gamble, but caught between Selendis's main gun and a latent Swarm infection, he had to grasp at any force that might tip the scales.
"We initiate our contingency plans simultaneously: Matt, organize scouting teams to conduct covert reconnaissance on the anomalous scan sectors. Gather samples if possible, but don't kick up a hornets' nest."
"Dr. Hanson, continue your research and prepare to coordinate with the incoming external technical team."
"Tychus, have the Raiders prepare for internal screenings and emergency containment. Let's hope... we won't need to resort to the final measure."
The group took their orders and dispersed. Before leaving, Dr. Hanson cast a complex glance at Raynor—filled with gratitude, but also lingering apprehension.
Valerie headed straight back to her communications alcove, preparing to transmit the distress signal that could bring either a turning point or an entirely new variable.
Inside the briefing room, only Raynor remained.
He stared at the holographic projection of Haven, where the blinking red dots resembled the sores of civilization. He had bought three days, and now he had placed part of his hopes on a mysterious outside faction.
It was risky, but it seemed to be the only path where a faint glimmer of light could be seen amidst despair.
He pressed his aching temples.
The burden of command had never felt so heavy.
Not only did he have to navigate between the Swarm and the Protoss, but now he also had to cautiously evaluate an incoming "ally" whose true depths were entirely unknown.
The bridge of the Eternal Seeker was submerged in an almost absolute silence, broken only by the low, rhythmic hum of the cogitator banks and the faint clicking of data streams scrolling across the displays.
The massive influx of data from the Mar Sara virus bomb tests was still undergoing deep analysis in the background, but an ultra-high-priority encrypted communication had already seized the primary processing threads of Ryo's logic core.
Valerie's projection flickered before him over the secured channel, framed by the slightly cluttered backdrop of the Hyperion's comms cubicle.
Her report was, as always, dispassionate and methodically structured, yet its contents pointed toward an imminent crossroads laden with both extreme risk and significant opportunity.
"...In summary, nearly a quarter of the seventy-two-hour deadline granted by High Executor Selendis has elapsed. The friction between Raynor and Dr. Hanson stems from fundamentally divergent doctrines."
"Raynor, prioritizing the immediate threat and limited timeframe, leans toward locating and 'purging' the infection vectors and latent carriers; Dr. Hanson firmly believes her research will yield a cure and refuses to surrender any lives."
"Both parties remain deadlocked, burning through emotional reserves and irreplaceable time."
Valerie paused slightly, selecting the most persuasive phrasing.
"I proposed introducing our technical assets as a variable. Raynor agreed, though his suspicions run deep. He took it as a given that the Protoss will enforce strict quarantine, and he stressed the absolute necessity of operational primacy and open data sharing."
"In essence, it is a cautious, reluctant appeal for assistance."
Ryo's crimson optical lenses remained fixed on Valerie's projection, his synthesized voice devoid of inflection: "Evaluate your proposal. Continue."
"This is not an ordinary contact mission," Valerie's tone grew more deliberate. "The crisis on Haven presents an ideal point of insertion. First, the target value is exceptionally high."
"The early-stage infection samples verified by the Protoss carry research value far surpassing any battlefield wreckage or secondary variants we have previously acquired. They are crucial to understanding the Swarm's latent propagation and infiltration mechanics."
"Second, the cost of intervention is minimal, with immense potential returns. We do not need to mobilize a fleet, nor do we even need an organized military unit."
"We require only an individual—a premier, authoritative technical specialist carrying a few key apparatuses, entering under the guise of an advanced scientific relief initiative."
She placed deliberate emphasis on the word "individual."
"This person will step directly into the inner circle of Raynor's command. In resolving their greatest crisis, they will observe firsthand Raynor's decision-making paradigms, Dr. Hanson's research capabilities, the volatility of the Tychus variable, and the collective resilience of the Raiders."
"What we gain will be raw, untainted first-hand intelligence. More crucially," Valerie's gaze seemed to pierce through the hologram, "if the technology we provide—even if it merely pinpoints the threat with absolute accuracy, or suppresses the infection's progression—buys them breathing room beneath the barrels of the Protoss fleet..."
"...then 'Far Star United' will no longer be viewed as a shadowy commercial outfit to be guarded against, but as an indispensable partner owed a massive debt of gratitude. And when future affairs involve those specific 'ancient relics,' the leverage of that favor will be beyond calculation."