Starcraft

Another one of my 'out of the blue' ideas. I thought I'd try something new. (Yes, mobius is from C&C. I couldn't think of any other name)


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Dissection of a Hydralisk
A Study by Dr. Mobius.

The first encounters with the Xenomorphs (now established as the 'Zerg') have been devastating to our forces on Chau Sara. It seems all defences were quickly overwhelmed. Now, the 'Zergling' has been the main assault troop used by the Zerg in these conflicts. However, this, relatively simple beast is of little consequence too me. I am far more fascinated by the 'Hydralisk' strain. Truly powerful beasts. They seem to be the powerful shock troops. Indeed, many field reposts I have read stated many men were reduced to a child-like state upon seeing what they were capable off. Naturally, these were the Light Personnel. The augmented Marines had no problem. Many, however, stated that they found the beast difficult to slay.

There are a number of ways to kill a Hydralisk. Heavier ordinance has some effect on them, but the general inaccuracy of the Arclite Cannon means they often only stun the creatures. Another method is concentrated Gauss Rifle fire. It seems piercing weapons are much more effective. Flamethrowers merely burn the Hydralisk a little, and their reinforced carapace does much to negate the effects of the fire anyway. Often, they simply slither through the flames and hack the poor soldier apart with their blades. A somewhat less common (but equally thorough) technique is for a single Marine to close in on the Hydralisk and place his rifle under the 'chin' of the beast. There seems to be a fleshy, vulnerable spot there where the trachea is located. Reports indicate the round pierces the brain, killing the Zerg instantaneously.

The Hydralisk itself has two primary methods of attack. It's most basic attack is to use its blade like claws to hack into men and batter them aside. However, its more versatile modus operandi is to open its chest cavity and fire what are known as 'Needle Spines.' Now, let me make an analogy with humans here. When a human sneezes, the muscle contractions in the nasal cavity are so violent that they expel air in speeds excess of 100 km/h. Depending on the human, this can be even faster. Now consider the relative mass of a Hydralisk's chest cavity compared to the size of the human nose, you can easily tell that the Hydralisk can fire these spines with almost the same amount of force as a Gauss rifle. Surely a triumph in genetic engineering. However, there have also been occasions where the Hydralisk has been seen hitting enemies with its serpentine tail or biting un-armoured civilians.

It seems the role of the Hydralisk in the swarm is that of a heavy trooper. It takes on a similar battlefield position to a marine, able to provide both anti-air and anti-infantry support but is more durable and perhaps more powerful in assaulting the enemy. However, it seems the Hydralisk is also 'trusted' by the chain of command. It is often said that the Zerg are fully mindless. This is probably true of the Zergling and the Broodling. However, the Hydralisk seems to have either retained or been imbued with a 'hunter's instinct.' The brain of the Hydralisk is almost as large as a human brain, indicating some level of intelligence. They have also been noted to show intelligence in solving puzzles and fighting on the battlefield. For example, in combat with deployed Siege Tanks, some have chosen to close in on the tank while others provide fire support. When it reached the tank, the vehicle is unable to fight off the creature and must attempt to redeploy, by which point it is highly likely it will be destroyed. They have also been seen stalking 'Critters' in a simlar way that the young of some creatures play hunting games with each other. Of course, the variety that the Hydralisk plays are somewhat more dangerous to the prey. Such attempts to refine their skills indicate the Zerg are willing to lend their most trusted minions some level of sentience. However, they still have the bonus of feeling no fear.

Upon first glance at the dissected beast the Hydralisk seems to be a simple animal. It has a digestive system, a nervous system. However, on closer inspection, it has been revealed that some of these have been twisted too. The digestive system can actually process minerals and vespene gas with no faecal by-products. The urinary system also has seemingly been replaced with a toxin gland, clearly the source of the toxins in which the 'Needle spines' are smothered. The pituitary gland also seems to be connected to this toxin sac, leading me to assume that it hormones now control the attack mechanism of the Hydralisk. The skeletal structure of the Hydralisk, however, is almost a piece of artwork. The original bones are intact, but interlaced with a brighter, stronger bone that forms a rigid support for the heavy, armoured carapace. Indeed, I would compare the skeletal structure to the internal structure of a Battlecrusier, except it is somewhat more pleasant to look at, in an eerie way. I must say, as foul as these things are, they are also a marvel of evolution. It leads me to believe that the Zerg did not incorporate such animals into the swarm ready evolved, but that one single mind forged the Zerg into a race of warriors, altering the DNA exactly to produce the perfect warrior for the role.

The idea that one entity has a mind that is malignant enough to do this is both disturbing but also thoroughly fascinating. I shall anticipate more specimens to dissect soon.

Dr. Mobius.