Cooperation

Just as the alien races had discussed, while becoming Zerg was hardly an ideal prospect, their methods were not quite so brutal. Between a lethal poison and a frog slowly boiling in warm water, the choice did not seem all that difficult.

Especially with certain interested parties fanning the flames and pushing things along, the alien races openly and secretly began choosing the Zerg camp. Yet they soon faced another problem.

The Zerg had always been an extremely insular race. When the moment came, the alien races realized that none of them had any way to contact the Zerg remotely.

"I don't think this is much of a problem. Zerg bases are everywhere now. If we approach them with friendliness and humility, I believe they will accept cooperation with us," one alien suggested, uncertainty lingering in his tone.

Putting this idea into practice was not difficult, however. Just as that alien had said, Zerg were no longer uncommon within the Star Sea Alliance's territory.

"With a bit of luck," one might dig a hole in their own yard and uncover a Zerg base.

Thus, the results of their trial came back quickly. The Zerg showed great interest in cooperating with the alien races. Not only did they readily provide contact methods, they also sent dedicated liaisons.

Moreover, they answered the questions that concerned the alien races. The Zerg explained that their bases scattered throughout the region existed only to curb the Epoch Clan's expansion. They had no intention of encroaching upon the living space of other races. The Zerg consumed very few resources; most of what they needed could be converted on their own simply by absorbing stellar energy.

At first, the alien races cautiously expressed doubt toward this explanation, but they could find no evidence with which to challenge