Short Story - In the Dark

[Hawki]

http://us.battle.net/sc2/en/game/lor.../in-the-dark/1

Alright you 'orrible little maggots! You want protoss stories? You got protoss stories!

...yeah, okay, talking like a terran doesn't really work in this context, and since I was clamouring for protoss stories too back in the day, I can't really complain. Basically, new protoss short story, this time focusing on the Dark Templar. Maybe we'll get a third time lucky - that it's written by David Gerrold shows some promise.

Edit: So, having read the thing (which took awhile given its length), IMO, not only is it the best HotS protoss short story so far, but one of the stronger short stories overall. Sharing some thoughts:

-I know some protoss lovers might flame me for this, but part of the story's strength IMO is how we're not from a protoss's POV the entire time. Similar to the DTS, the alienness of the protoss is easier to convey when we're seeing them from a human perspective. That said protoss is Lassatar is an added bonus (nice to see he hasn't forgotten about Tiffy...maybe he'll visit her again someday), and he does get some POV, but much of his nature is seen through Jake's eyes (two Jakes seeing protoss up close? It's a small sector after all), and that adds to his weight overall.

-I think the level of detail in the story was good, how the planet and the island/volcano were fleshed out. Lots of info, but not to reach the level of being an info-dump. I will say that Lassatar's reflections on humans really comes out of the blue though, and lasts far longer than it should have. Yes, we get it, we humans are unto ameoeba compared to protoss, and while it's nice to see the events of Fear the Reaper gave Lassatar food for thought, even then we didn't need that much info. I have to wonder about the whole uplift thing though - humanity gets consideration for uplift, but what about other species? Does the zerg presence dictate a defiance of the Dae'Uhl and prompt uplift? Or are the protoss still dicks to the kalathi and tagal?

-Interesting suggestion into psionics, that empathy is inherantly psionic in a sense, that in a way, psionic potential is the distinction between sentience and sapience in the setting. Oh, and lol at the mention of the cooldown after Lassatar's psionic blast.

-Nice touch with the zerg also, the idea of them becoming individuals...and despite that, still acting like predatory animals. See, see?! The primal zerg aren't alone! Course they're wiped out, but hey, take what you can get.

-One has to wonder about the likelihood that Jake and Lassatar would just happen to land on the same island of the same planet in a similar timeframe, but hey, it's a common sci-fi trope.

All in all, solid story.

[Visions of Khas]

I'll finish reading it tomorrow, but this struck me as familiar:

"There are old soldiers and there are bold soldiers, but there are no old bold soldiers."

I read something very similar either in one of the Song of Ice and Fire books, or one of the Drizzt Do'Urden books. For all I know, it's a common line in books and stories these days.