The StarCraft Prequel is part of the StarCraft storyline -- the history of the in the fictional universe of StarCraft. StarCraft is a real-time strategy computer game released by Blizzard Entertainment in 1998.

The StarCraft science fiction universe features three races: the renegade human Terrans, the noble cybernetic warrior Protoss, and the horrific bug-like Zerg. The storyline covers the fortunes of these three races and their leaders, fighting for dominance in a remote region of the galaxy.

StarCraft Episode I starts in early December, 2499. The StarCraft Prequel covers events just before that time.

Events before the beginning of StarCraft

Sons of Korhal

In an attempt to silence all opposition, the Terran Confederacy has used nuclear weapons to eliminate all colonists on Korhal IV. Instead, resistance began anew, as Arcturus Mengsk gathered the small number of rebels around him at Umoja and created a new anti-Confederate organization which he called the Sons of Korhal.

Despite his small forces, he was determined to strike a huge blow against the Terran Confederacy. Despite his group's efforts, the Confederates had officially ignored them, even censoring their attacks from the news media or passing them off as isolated incidents.

StarCraft: Uprising reveals that the Confederates locked up Zerg in a secret facility on the planet Vyctor 5 in a complex called the Fujita Facility, surrounded by a complex weather formation known as the Fujita Pinnacle.

The weather complex did not raise any suspicions from the local population, and infiltrating it was nearly impossible due to the hazardous weather and the powerful defenses within. As a result, no one before had ever gotten inside. Nonetheless, Arcturus Mengsk did penetrate inside the facility, shortly after the devastating Confederate attack on Korhal (an attack which had left the rebel organization Sons of Korhal with fewer than a hundred members). Mengsk had used a powerful new addition to his arsenal, a formerly Confederate vessel he had renamed the Hyperion. Mengsk was unaware of the Zerg's presence inside the facility. He had gone hunting for a Ghost operative, Sarah Kerrigan, for reasons unknown to even his allies. He was quite surprised to find her as part of an experiment involving these xenomorphs. Not knowing what to make of them, his soldiers killed the few Zerg specimens and took the scientists with them. Shortly thereafter, Mengsk led an attack on the primary Ghost Academy on Tarsonis itself. Most of the Sons of Korhal assault group were killed in this mission, but Kerrigan survived.

The coming of the Zerg and Protoss

StarCraft: Loomings, a Blizzard Entertanment StarCraft Map of the Month, further establishes that, years later, Mengsk's Sons of Korhal, perhaps interested in these Zerg (now that Kerrigan was one of his top officers) or seeking to undermine Confederate authority in outlying planets, raided Chau Sara, on November 8th, 2499. The operation was perilous, as Chau Sara would quickly become the temporary headquarters of Alpha Squadron, generally acknowledged as the best of the Confederate Squadrons. Chau Sara's Colonial Magistrate Collins had called them in.

The Colonial Forces fended off the Sons of Korhal with help from Alpha Squadron, but shortly afterwards they made hostile contact with the Zerg (which at the time were still known to them only as "xenomorphs"). This minor attack was repelled by the Confederates. Immediately after the encounter with the Zerg, an obscure group identifying itself as the Cerberus Recon Squad appeared. They were using advanced technology and claimed to have extensive knowledge of the xenomorphs, but were very disrespectful of Magistrate Collins. Nonetheless, they assisted in the destruction of the local Sons of Korhal base. Magistrate Collins confirmed to Alpha Squadron that he had known about these xenomorphs for quite some time. They were being studied in the Flannum Installation but contact to the facility had been lost. Now the installation was surrounded by xenomorphs, which had somehow created large, semi-organic structures, some of which were capable of defending themselves. Cerberus Recon Squad and Alpha Squadron cooperated in clearing a path to the installation.

Cerberus said they knew the code for the installation (something only Magistrate Collins should have known), which enabled them to use the bio-scanners and confirm the presence of the scientists. However, they were unable to detect the xenomorphs, which had burrowed themselves in the installation floors. During the rescue of the scientists, the xenomorphs displayed some intelligence, utilizing Terran computers to set traps and even staging a counter-assault to prevent the rescue from outside the installation. However, Cerberus was an elite force, and with the support of security guards found hiding within the facility they overcame the xenopmorph infestation.

The xenomorphs attacked the city of Los Andares shortly after the rescue of the scientists, and so Alpha Squadron and Cerberus had to rescue the city. General Edmund Duke, the commander of Alpha Squadron, personally assisted in the defense of the Los Andares, fighting from his siege tank. Afterwards, Collins wanted to set up a tight defense against the xenomorphs but the Cerberus commander overruled him, actually taking command of the colony. Cerberus felt now was a good time to attack the primary Hive Clusters of the xenomorphs. Alpha Squadron and General Duke had to go along with this plan. Those xenomorphs were defeated on November 12th, and then Cerberus left with a warning:

"By edict of Confederate High Command, all matters regarding these xenomorphs are under Class 7 Seal. Do not speak of the existence of the xenomorphs or in any way relay the events surrounding their appearance on Chau Sara. Failure to comply with these orders will result in immediate termination. This conversation never took place. We were never here."

However, within two months, open and public first contact with two alien species would be made.

First Contact

Tassadar, Protoss Executor of his famed Expeditionary Fleet, encountered a deep space probe by chance. The strange creature was brought and examined by scientists. However, the Protoss were mystified by what they had discovered. Eventually Tassadar ordered the creature be examined with a Khaydarin Crystal. He was horrified by what he discovered - not only did they naturally react to the crystals (revealing their Xel'Naga origin) but he could read their vague thoughts - Find Humanity ... Assimilate ... Learn ... Evolve.

This was reported to the Protoss Conclave on Aiur, who ordered him to remove the xenomorphic threat immediately.

Tassadar approached Chau Sara, a Terran colony planet, on December 8th, 2499. The Zerg had completely covered the planet in Creep, an organic carpet, killing or infesting all of its inhabitants. He reluctantly brought his lumbering vessels into low orbit and attacked, killing virtually all life on the surface.

The Terran Confederacy feared that the nearby colony, Mar Sara, was next and scrambled their defenses. At the same time, an insectoid alien race known as the Zerg slowly began to spread across the surface of Mar Sara.

Next: StarCraft Episode I

References

• StarCraft homepage at Blizzard Entertainment
• Battle.net StarCraft Compendium
• StarCraft: Loomings campaign