The Imperium of Man Makes Its Name Known

Inside the sealed chamber of the Emperor-class Battleship, cold blue light spilled from the vaulted ceiling, illuminating the metallic outlines of rows upon rows of Stasis Chambers.

Fine energy patterns flowed across the chamber surfaces, flickering like breaths.

Within the chamber, the Protoss children who had once been corrupted by Chaos now floated inside pale golden Stasis Fields. Their delicate nerve tendrils drifted faintly, like the tentacles of sleeping jellyfish.

Their faces were peaceful, as though they had merely fallen into a dreamless slumber. Only a few lingering scorched marks on the chamber walls silently spoke of the danger that had just passed.

Dorn stood before the floor-to-ceiling sealed window, his heavy custom armor reflecting a cold, hard metallic sheen beneath the chamber lights.

His arms were crossed over his chest, his knuckles lightly tapping against his vambrace and producing dull metallic echoes.

His hawk-sharp eyes stared through the observation window at the children within the Stasis Chambers, his gaze as deep as an abyss.

At his side, the elderly Protoss consul's nerve tendrils trembled faintly, and scorched marks from the battle still remained on his silver-blue armor.

The consul gripped his staff tightly, his knuckles glowing with pale Psychic Power from the strain. His voice was low and hoarse:

"We... failed to notice Chaos's corruption. Or rather, we know far too little about the so-called Warp."

As he spoke, the consul's gaze passed over every Stasis Chamber before finally stopping on one child—

A nearly imperceptible dark pattern still lingered at the tip of the child's nerve tendrils, like ash left behind after burning.

"Without your intervention, Sahunel's last sparks would likely have already become puppets of darkness."

"."

Dorn did not answer at once.

The only sounds in the chamber were the faint hum of the Stasis Fields