Build-times lorewise.

[l33telboi]

Those bunkers were already there; Scenic's official name was Bunker Complex 3847. He repaired it quickly though.

He built new ones too:

Tinker had been using the SCVs to construct several new bunkers around the Command Center. This would be the defensive core inside the outer perimeter. They would start their defense on the outer ring, taking ranged shots on the approaches to the base. When the Zerg threatened to overrun the outer position, then the plan was to fall back to the inner ring of linked bunkers for the final defense. After that, they would hold on as long as they could . . . and hope that it was long enough.

Shadow of the Xel'Naga ought not to exist. Nothing should be taken as realistic at all in the book. It's like the author was writing about a game of Brood War he watched once, and thought up a story to go along with it.

Trust me when I say that I hate that novel just as much as you, if not more. He not only got all the characters wrong, but the plot was terrible and the combat sounded like someone commenting on a three player FFA.

But... It also seems to be canon, given that some of SC2's story has elements from it.

[Norfindel]

Shadow of the Xel'Naga ought not to exist. Nothing should be taken as realistic at all in the book. It's like the author was writing about a game of Brood War he watched once, and thought up a story to go along with it.

Well, except because (!! SPOILERS - BOOK ENDING !!):

Hidden Content:

A single energy being completely destroys all Zerg and Protoss forces in and around the damn planet. Seriously WTF??? Thanks for introducing all the Protoss characters, just to have them anihilated at the end of the book! Suckiest book ever!!

But... It also seems to be canon, given that some of SC2's story has elements from it.

What elements? What happended at the end of the book didn't happend ever again, right?

[Zero]

What elements? What happended at the end of the book didn't happend ever again, right?

Umm, the energy being, the temple it came from... those were all key points within the Dark Templar trilogy. The last we see of Zeratul in Twilight is him going through a wormhole created by a number of the energy beings, which is likely what takes him to the temple where we we've seen him in the cinematic from the 08 BlizzCon, fighting the hydralisks and facing Kerrigan.

[Norfindel]

Umm, the energy being, the temple it came from... those were all key points within the Dark Templar trilogy. The last we see of Zeratul in Twilight is him going through a wormhole created by a number of the energy beings, which is likely what takes him to the temple where we we've seen him in the cinematic from the 08 BlizzCon, fighting the hydralisks and facing Kerrigan.

But (STILL MORE SPOILERS)

Hidden Content:

they don't consume all Protoss and Zerg lifeforms anymore, right?

[Pandonetho]

IIRC that depends in how far along in its maturation it is... or something like that.

[Kimera757]

The one seen in Twilight was newborn too. Seems only some do that; probably it's a dropped plot point.

[Pandonetho]

Seems only some do that; probably it's a dropped plot point.

Didn't Zeratul make a point about himself being so awe struck that he wouldn't care if he was suddenly absorbed by the creature?

Or am I just suffering from memory deficiency?

[Kimera757]

That's what Zeratul said. Sometimes book writing is overblown though. It squares with what was said in Shadow of the Xel'Naga, when Amdor believed the creature (when it was still within the temple, so he didn't know anything about it) was more powerful than the entire protoss race.

Given the creatures have seemingly all vanished, it doesn't matter how powerful they are, now does it?

[Shadow Archon]

That's what Zeratul said. Sometimes book writing is overblown though. It squares with what was said in Shadow of the Xel'Naga, when Amdor believed the creature (when it was still within the temple, so he didn't know anything about it) was more powerful than the entire protoss race.

Given the creatures have seemingly all vanished, it doesn't matter how powerful they are, now does it?

I beleive the creatures were used to absorb Zerg and Protoss DNA and specimens so the Xel'naga could use them for study. Where else did the Zerg and Protoss specimens come from in the SC:BW secret level?(Yes it is reasonable to assume Duran caught them, but still, this makes sense as well.)

[Kimera757]

Not only did Duran catch them, you can actually rescue the captured protoss. No energy creature was present; those things emit far too much psionic energy to hide. Zeratul would have said if he noticed one there.

The creature that Zeratul saw never had any zerg to absorb, and the only nearby protoss was Zeratul (which it didn't absorb).