Though the zerg swarms fragmented with the death of the Overmind, they still covered Aiur. The embattled Aiur protoss retreated to shadow-covered Shakuras, home planet of the Dark Templar, and attempted to integrate their two societies – painfully. Matriarch Raszagal, spiritual leader of the Dark Templar on Shakuras, welcomed the nascent alliance to her planet, but offered them little comfort. The zerg had not only dominated Aiur; a brood allied with the cerebrate Daggoth had also invaded Shakuras.
Working together, the allied protoss tried to dispatch the zerg on Shakuras, but they were outnumbered. Their efforts invited truly unexpected support from – of all people – Kerrigan, the Queen of Blades, who arrived at Raszagal’s citadel on Shakuras and vowed that she was free of the Overmind’s control. Kerrigan asked the protoss for aid slaying a new Overmind that had begun to grow on Char – in exchange, she offered to help them cleanse Shakuras of Daggoth’s brood by recovering a pair of khaydarin crystals, artifacts that would unlock the power stored within a temple dedicated to the Xel’naga – an ancient race that the protoss revered as creators.
Though Zeratul, Fenix and Artanis were apprehensive about the Queen of Blades, Raszagal vouched for Kerrigan’s plan, and the tenuous allies departed in search of the two crystals. The combined armies of protoss and Kerrigan’s zerg recovered a crystal from Dominion researchers, and the other from feral zerg broods surrounding the growing Overmind on Char. Yet, while they were away, the protoss Judicator Aldaris, who opposed protoss cooperation with both zerg and Dark Templar, became suspicious of Matriarch Raszagal, and led a legion of fellow protoss against her. The protoss vanguard smashed Aldaris’ revolt and took him captive…but, as he began to confess his suspicions about Raszagal, Kerrigan executed him.
The furious protoss expelled the Queen of Blades from their planet, and activated the khaydarin crystals in the heart of the Xel’Naga temple. The shockwave emitted by the temple swept throughout Shakuras, cleansing it entirely of zerg.
