Blizzard Entertainment has released two secret missions for the computer game, StarCraft: Brood War. Both of them require special pre-requisites to play, and are not accessible via cheats.

Dark Origin

This mission is located near the end of StarCraft Episode VI. To find it, you must defeat Zerg mission 9, entitled The Reckoning, in less than 25 minutes. A message indicates that a bonus mission has been activated.

The Flight

In the aftermath of Zeratul's last battle with Infested Kerrigan, Matriarch Raszagal lays dead, and the Protoss forces Zeratul brought with him to Char are in disarray.

Zeratul himself, with only a small force, has been forced to flee from Char. Because of the confusion, he has been unable to locate Artanis, Praetor of the Protoss forces, whom he brought with him to Char.

During his flight, one of Zeratul's allies, a High Templar, detects Protoss energy signatures on a nearby uncharted moon. Records do not indicate that any Protoss settlements have ever been founded on that moon.

Zeratul believes it may be Artanis or other Protoss survivors, and directs his course towards the "dark moon".

The Dark Moon

Zeratul can only afford to take a small force with him: two Protoss Dragoons and four Dark Archons . They are transported to the surface of the icy moon via Arbiter. The High Templar warns Zeratul that a Terran compound has been detected nearby.

As a Dark Templar, Zeratul is capable of cloaking, but the rest of his forces are not so fortunate. However, his Dark Archons have the ability to Mind Control enemy forces, such as the Terrans, to augment his own. Using the ability is very risky, as it weakens the Dark Archon's defenses.

Theft of Technology

After fighting his way past the hostile clandestine mercenaries, Zeratul encounters a Stasis Cell, surrounded by Khaydarin Crystal-based Pylons.

Test Subject Twenty-Three

Zeratul taps into the computer, and notices a Protoss within the cell. The computer announces that "test subject twenty-three" is suffering from psychic feedback. The Pylons approach critical and the Stasis Cell will melt down. This kills the Protoss within.

As Zeratul and his band continue their exploration, they encounter a row of Protoss Photon Cannons, powered by more Pylons. The cannons fire at them. As Zeratul fights back, a Terran battlecruiser attacks as well, but it is defeated.

Test Subject Twenty-Five

As Zeratul and his band cautiously move through the Terran base, they encounter another Stasis Cell surrounded by Pylons. As Zeratul accesses the computer, it informs him that "test subject twenty-five" is in perfect cryohibernation, with minimal psionic emanations. The computer is compiling it's DNA. Zeratul is outraged.

"The audacity of these Terrans confounds me! If they seek to know more about Protoss warriors, I will give them a first hand lesson!"

Zeratul proceeds to cut open the Stasis Cell, revealing a Protoss High Templar within. The High Templar is glad to have been released.

Strange Prisoners

Further in the base, he encounters a barracks and a Stasis Cell, which has no Pylons or computer system. Upon destroying the barracks, the Stasis Cell explodes, releasing an Infested Terran. Zeratul destroys it with one slice of his warp blades, but he doesn't know why the Terrans still insist on studying Zerg in this manner.

On a raised block of land to his north, Zeratul discovers a science facility and another Stasis Cell. This one has Pylons, but no computer system. Breaking open the Cell, he is shocked to discover the glowing form of a Protoss Archon . The nearby scientists are mind-controlled, and Zeratul discovers that their area of expertise is genetic engineering.

Test Subject Twenty-Seven

Creeping westwards, Zeratul encounters a well-defended Stasis Cell with a computer and Pylons. Clearing and mind-controlling the defending forces, he is able to approach. He notices a Zergling within the cell. The computer informs him that "test subject twenty-seven" is in perfect cryo-hibernation" and it's DNA has been compiled. Furthermore, gene splicing between test subjects twenty-five and twenty-seven has been completed, and Experiment 2273 is progressing. Zeratul breaks open the Stasis Cell, discovering three Zerglings and a High Templar inside. His forces quickly dispatch these Zerg, but Zeratul cannot believe this is happening.

Test Subject Twenty-Nine

To the south, there is a large, heavily-defended Terran base. Zeratul leads his forces (now augmented through the use of Mind Control) against the Terrans. A difficult battle ensues, but Zeratul wins the day. At the heart of the base is a Stasis Cell, surrounded by Pylons, and equipped with a computer.

Zeratul peers inside, and exclaims that he has never seen a creature like this before.

The computer announces that "test subject twenty-nine" is a Protoss/Zerg Hybrid in perfect cryo-hibernation. It's psionic emanations are currently minimal.

As this sinks in, Samir Duran appears on the computer screen. Duran brags that the creature is magnificent.

Zeratul senses something different about Duran, and asks who he is. Duran replies that he has had many names over the millenia. He also calls Zeratul, a Protoss of over 600 years of age, a "young prodigal".

Zeratul asks if this is part of Kerrigan's schemes, but Duran says this is not the case. Her rebirth into the Swarm sped up his progress, explains Duran, but this Grand Experiment is beyond her understanding.

It is clear to Zeratul that, somehow, Duran is not under Kerrigan's power. He wants to know, if Duran isn't Kerrigan's pawn, then what is he?

Duran explains that he is a servant of a "far greater power" that has slept for countless ages, and is reflected within that cell.

Zeratul asks if Duran is aware of what this Hybrid is capable of.

Duran responds" "Of course I do. This creature is the completion of a cycle. It's role in the cosmic order was preordained when the stars were young. Behold the culmination of your history."

Zeratul is not impressed. As he prepares to attack the Stasis Cell, Duran admonishes him for his "typical" violence, and lets him know that he has seeded the Hybrid on many worlds, so it does not matter if Zeratul destroys all the specimens here. He will never find them all before they awaken, and when they do, his universe will have changed ... forever.

On that note, the mission ends. It is assumed that Zeratul destroyed the creature off-screen.

Zeratul returned to his ship, leaving the dark moon behind. He was unable to explain his discovery to his companions, and could only sit and fear for the future of the universe...

Secrets

There are three Ursadons, creatures native to Braxis, roaming the map. If you kill all three of them, the last contains a Broodling in it's stomach. This may have been part of an experiment by Terrans to breed Zerg with a simple life-cycle that can be easily controlled.

Broodlings normally die after about two minutes of life, but this Broodling sticks around. It tries to attack Zeratul's warband, but Zeratul's Dark Archons can Mind Control it.

When Zeratul reaches Test Subject Twenty-Three, he is amazed that the Terrans were able to craft Pylons or construct a makeshift Stasis Cell. He believes no normal Terran mind could comprehend the energies running through a Pylon. These comments are contained in a disabled transmission in the game map, and may have been removed for a valid reason. They could refer to Duran not being a normal human.

Some fans believe that Duran's voice has changed from it's "infested" sound to yet another strange sound.

Many fans take Duran's pronouncements to be a reference to the Xel'Naga.

Deceptions

Deceptions is a Blizzard Map of the Month, a series of free maps released by Blizzard Entertainment for StarCraft. However, it leads up to the secret mission Ressurection IV.

The mission starts onboard the Kimeran Juggernaut. Captain Buzan of the Kimeran Pirates discusses the upcoming mission with three space pirates (represented by Terran Ghosts).

The three pirates are to be sent on an information hunt into a Terran Confederacy remnant science facility. They will be teleported into the installation's cargo bay and will roam the facility, downloading information from their computer terminals.

The Kimeran Pirate scientist, Velichek, has performed work on their Moebius reactors, allowing them to cloak for a longer period of time.

Buzan cautions them not to kill the people there, as that draws attention and brings no profit for them.

Two of the pirates have their call names revealed: Manic and Twitch.

Inside the Facility

The pirates open the first door out of the cargo bay into the interior by hacking into the computer system. The next room has automated traps, which fire at them. The pirates wonder if someone knew they were coming.

Some of the computers they hack into have interesting information, such as files on reconstructing injured humans using Dragoon technology, Zerg/human genome manipulation, a case study on Dark Templar cloaking fields, and how to transfer brain data into terabyte holodrives.

As the pirates roam the facility, hacking into various computers, they find three prison cells in the main laboratory. One contains Zerg, another contains Protoss, and the last imprisons a single mutate named Morik . Morik tells them that he's a prisoner here, and they have been performing terrible experiments on him. He directs them to the computer terminal which will free him. When the Ghosts do so, all the prisoners are released.

The pirates find their way blocked by a locked door with no computer terminal. Unable to find a way through, they wonder if they could ask a prisoner for assistance. Morik quickly arrives, shouting "Kill!" repeatedly as he destroys the door, then hurries through.

Through the door, a computer yields up a data file entitled: "Maintaining Discipline In Rampant AI."

Shortly thereafter, as the pirates find themselves at the edge of a huge pit, the computer announces that the Protoss and Zerg prisoners have escaped.

Inside the pit, Protoss and Zerg are fighting each other. They are also hostile to the pirates.

The pirates wonder if releasing Morik was a good idea, as he moves so quickly they can't keep up with him. By now, he's long gone.

The Teleport Pad

The pirates sneak by, hack into more computers, and find a teleport pad. Unfortunately the pad is guarded by elite opponents, such as well-trained Ghosts. The computer there has a data file: "Biological Energy Weapon Limb Replacement Technology."

Up to this point, the player of the mission has had little choice about where to go. Now they can attempt to find a hidden teleport (Top Secret #1), or take the obvious one.

Using the obvious transporter sends the three pirates to a medical bay, where the friendly medic treats some of their injuries. Unfortunately, she quickly runs out of medical supplies.

The first three computers in the room have some interesting information on them, such as data files entitled "Saving Human Mental Faculties In Zerg/Human Hybridization Experiments" and files on combat training and "The Origin of the Species." (The species is undetermined.) The fourth computer lets them out.

The player now has more choice about where to go. One of the computers they locate have startling data files on them: "Reanimation Using Zerg Infestation Techniques." Another has information on the Skullder Unit 001 Goliath design.

The Shadow Pirate

Believing they have run into extreme opposition, the pirates can enter the telecommunications system room and request backup from Captain Buzan. Buzan will send a medic to help them via transporter, along with a Shadow Pirate (a Dark Templar).

The Arena

Heading westwards, the Kimeran Pirates find Zerg and Protoss fighting in an arena. Station security guards are firing indiscriminately at the former prisoners. Further to the west is Top Secret #2.

Hot Zone

As the Kimerans move further along, they find an energy recharging station, which they can use to power up their reactors. However, the station begins to shake, and the pirates suspect Morik of this act.

In another pit, near the evacuation zone, Buzan informs the pirates taht something knocked out the transponders in the installation, and he can't transport them out. They should head to the docking bay in the southwest corner.

In order to get there, the pirates have to pass through a series of low tunnels, where they find yet more Zerg and Protoss prisoners fighting each other.

Along the way, they (barely) see cloaked Wraiths enter the station from the outside and fire upon it's security guards.

The pirates, frightened, leave the area and find two more energy recharge stations. They request Buzan to transport them again, but sine the transponders have been knocked out, he can't honor their request.

The pirates believe someone saw them come in, but Buzan says that is impossible; he believes no one can track the Kimeran Juggernaut.

In another series of low tunnels, they evade more Protoss and Zerg prisoners, and find some corpses of security guards. They wonder what killed them when explosions rock the area. The explosions continue, and the pirates have to carefully make their way through the area in order to escape alive. They crawl into a tunnel, hoping to find a safe way to the docking bay.

Finally they find themselves at the engineering section. Unfortunately, it's full of plasma explosions, and the pirates can't stop the chaos from there.

The Docking Bay

Carefully easing their way out of the engineering section, the pirates find themselves in the docking bay. Morik is pacing around nervously. When asked, Morik denies setting the station's power core to overload.

When Buzan moves in to pick up his crew, he notices Morik there as well. The pirates explain that Morik was a normal human whom the scientists imprisoned and injected with Zerg genetic material, turning him into an Infested Terran.

As the Kimerans leave, the installation explodes. The pirates wonder if they're being followed by cloaked Wraiths...

At the end of the mission, the player receives points based on how many secrets he uncovered (including the two special secrets) and on how stealthy he was. (Killing many opponents warrants an "Ultralisk" rating while killing few warrants a "ninja" rating instead.)

Miscellaneous Data Files

You can find two more interesting data files among the computers: "Polarity Shifting Energy Shields Using Battlecruiser Technology" and "Manipulating Tau Particles Into Stable Orbits."

Top Secret #1

If they take the hidden teleport, they find themselves in a room with a solitary computer. By hacking into it, they find some startling information: a data file titled "Offspring of Infested Humans."

Top Secret #2

Near the arena, the pirates see a Terran dropship land, and from it emerges a familiar figure ... Alexi Stukov, who is obviously infested. He doesn't see the Kimerans, and moves off into the distance.

The reference to Zerg reanimation is expanded in the map Ressurection IV.

Many fans believe Stukov, who may have been working with the Confederates, set the explosions himself.

When the Wraiths attack, there is a trigger entitled "Wraiths firing on their own", suggesting the pilots of the Wraiths work for the Confederates (and/or Stukov) as well.

Mercenaries II

Mercenaries II is a Blizzard Map of the Month, a series of free maps released by Blizzard Entertainment for StarCraft. However, it leads up to the secret mission Ressurection IV.

Similar to the previous Mercenaries Map, you can play this one with one to three human players. You are introduced to an infested Alexi Stukov, who is paying you well to remove some of his enemies which have gathered on the dark planet below.

Stukov provides you with your choice of mercenaries. Depending on the head mercenary that you choose, you can play with the StarCraft race of your choice. If you choose Terrans, you can gain access to the Skullder Unit 004, a similar unit to the Skullder Unit 001 found in the map Deceptions.

Top Secret

If you play the three player version of the map, the white Terrans in the southwest have a surprise. Click on their battlecruisers, and you'll notice one of them is the Kimeran Juggernaut.

The white Terrans are, presumably, the same Kimeran Pirates from Deceptions, and Stukov has managed to track them down. Now he wants them eliminated. In order to achieve victory, you must destroy them.

Ressurection IV

Ressurection IV is a secret mission only available in the Nintendo 64 version of StarCraft. To date, it has never been made available for personal computers. To reach it, the player must beat all the levels, including Dark Origins, without using any cheats.

Jim Raynor has received a transmission from Artanis, and Artanis is pleased that Raynor has arrived so quickly.

He tells Raynor that Alexi Stukov has returned to finish his original plan, which is a great danger to Terrans and Protoss alike.

Jim Raynor has heard the rumors of Stukov's reappearance.

Artanis continues - Stukov has been infested by Zerg Cerebrate Kaloth, who regenerated Stukov's cells, bringing him to life. Now he lords over his own secret Brood.

Raynor finds this hard to take, but he remembers what infestation did to Sarah Kerrigan.

However, he isn't being summoned to kill Stukov, but to save him. Artanis' scientists have developed a nanotech serum which can reverse the infestation process. The Protoss have tracked Stukov to Braxis.

Raynor is hoping Zeratul can give him backup, but instead, he will receive assistance from the old Protoss warrior, Praetor Taldarin . He and Raynor have worked together in the past.

On Braxis

On the surface of Braxis, Raynor asks Taldarin his story. Taldarin is so old he remembers Adun personally, and Raynor is impressed. Taldarin is alive today because he is the one of the first ever Protoss Dragoons, but he had to spend a very long time in a Stasis Cell before the Dragoon was invented.

Along with a small number of Raynor's Raiders, consisting of a medic who carries the serum, a marine and some Ghosts, Taldarin is accompanied by other Dragoons, a Dark Templar, and a Dark Archon .

The Protoss have detected Stukov northeast of the insertion point. While Stukov himself cannot be seen, there is a Zerg beacon, Zerg defensive colonies and a huge Cocoon there.

A New Recruit

After killing some Terran opponents, Raynor and Taldarin encounter a human. His marine nearly kills him, but the human replies that he knows how to operate a Siege Tank, and knows where to find one.

The New Swarm

Further into Stukov's base, Raynor and Taldarin encounter a burning Terran base, apparently attacked because it rebelled against Stukov. It is infested, and an Infested Terran attacks. It is quickly killed, however.

Taldarin said that Stukov is not up to full strength, so his minions are weak. Taldarin and Raynor encounter more Zerg, but these are also quickly killed.

The "new recruit" finds the Siege Tank and an SCV, which can be used to repair it.

Prisoners and Rebels

Eventually, after fighting their way past more Terrans and Zerg, Taldarin encounters a small and burning Protoss base. Here they rescue a Protoss Archon and a few other Protoss.

Fighting their way past more Terrans, Raynor and Taldarin encounter another rebelling Terran base. They rescue a soldier piloting a Skullder Unit 001 Goliath (the same type found in Deceptions and which is superior to the Skuller Unit 004 from Mercenaries II). The soldier was trying to take on Stukov's forces by himself. He knew the assault was impossible, but with Raynor as backup, he believes he can do it. Raynor, however, is somewhat skeptical ... as far as he's concerned, he's in charge. Taldarin is amused by this display.

Further on, Raynor encounters more rebels in Goliaths. They used to work for Stukov, but they say he's gone crazy.

Finally, Raynor and Taldarin approach an outpost, but it is heavily fortified. Using a back way to sneak in, they destroy their opposition. Inside they discover a Protoss Stasis Cell. Raynor and Taldarin free two Dark Templar from it. The Dark Templar pledge loyalty to Taldarin until the end of their days.

The Transport Pad

They also discover a transport pad, which can take them further into the base.

Taldarin suggests using only stealthy soldiers to accomplish the next assault, as the next area is filled with artillery. Moving cautiously, Raynor's Ghost and the Dark Templar go through the teleporter and move towards a computer terminal, which controls the security system (including dtectors). The Dark Templar then destroy the main entrance to Stukov's base.

As they move ahead, however, the leading soldier is incinerated by a secondary security system. There is a computer terminal which controls this one, however. The fire is slow, so a very fast soldier can rush through and deactivate the plasma field. At this point, Raynor, Taldarin and the other soldiers have used the transporter pad.

Now Raynor and Taldarin can advance with more confidence. More firefights ensure, but Raynor's Raiders and the Protoss win many victories.

Unexpected Allies

They encounter a derelict battlecruiser surrounded by a base with armed soldiers, which they besiege. By this point, the Dark Archon will have Mind Controlled large numbers of enemy forces.

Beyond, they discover a Stasis Cell. Within are several prisoners, including Bud Morris, an old friend of Raynor's, and a Protoss Archon. The Archon says that he has been unworthy since his capture, and that he should have died in battle. Taldarin agrees, and says the Archon can make amends.

The Final Battle

Another security checkpoint awaits, so Raynor's forces have to carefully approach the computer system to deactivate it. Several battles later they finally approach Stukov. To the left is a starport, and to the right Stukov is defended by Terran and Zerg defenses, along with Nydus Canals. He is surrounded by four Cocoons.

As Raynor and Taldarin fight, the Cocoons burst open, releasing four Torrasques , which attack. Stukov, obviously infested, shouts: "Now you will taste the vengeance of the New Swarm. Destroy them!!!!"

During the battle, Raynor's medic tackles Stukov and injects him with the serum, which reconstructs his cells. The process is very quick. Stukov is not happy about this, even after the process is finished. Meanwhile, Raynor and Taldarin are defeating the Zerg.

Stukov tells Raynor he will never understand the clarity he has lost. However, he is willing to flee to the starport with Raynor and Taldarin, as the Zerg are turning against him. A flood of Zerg emerges from the Nydus canals, chasing Raynor, Taldarin, Morris, Stukov and the soldier piloting the Skullder Unit 001 to a Dropship next to the starport. The rest of Raynor and Taldarin's forces are pulled down by the Zerg.

Purification

As the heroes escape, Praetor Artanis prepares to "purify" Braxis. Apparently Stukov's Swarm has coopted or infested all of the Terrans on Braxis.

A giant beam emerges from a Protoss Carrier, burning the entire little planet. Explosions rock the entire place.

The beam firing from the Carrier bears no resemblance to the method the Protoss used to destroy Chau Sara in . Perhaps because Braxis was a small, icy moon, this other method was the preferred one.

References

• StarCraft homepage at Blizzard Entertainment
• Battle.net StarCraft Compendium
• Deceptions
• Mercenaries II