Chau Sara is a planet in the Sara system.
It's the smaller, outlying counterpart of its sister planet Mar Sara. Although featuring wastelands typical of many terran colonies, the planet featured some lush jungles[2] and green rolling plains.[3] Expensive sunwood was sold there.[4] Its capital was Los Andares.[5]
History[]
Early History[]
Chau Sara was initially catalogued by freelance prospectors and colonized by an expedition from Tarsonis several years later. Chau Sara was more prosperous than Mar Sara.[6]
It had been settled as a Confederate penal colony, subject to the occasional riot (one occurred between 2478 and 2480)[4] and many of its population of 400,000[3] were still serving hard time in late 2499.[2] These prisoners were frequently "harvested" for neural resocialization.[4]
An important Confederate colony, partly due to its potential for mineral exploitation[2] it served as the base of Alpha Squadron.[7]
Zerg Invasion[]
The planet was discovered by the zerg, and was one of the first terran worlds to be attacked. The Overmind subtly infested the soil with hive spores before the bulk of the zerg openly infested the planet.[7]
Precursor[]
- Main article: StarCraft: Precursor
Alpha Squadron had been recalled to Chau Sara to deal with a Sons of Korhal insurrection, as the Colonial Magistrate Collins did not believe the local militia could adequately deal with them. During the mission, Alpha Squadron also encountered a xenomorph outbreak and Cerberus Recon Squad, a Confederate black ops squadron. Cerberus assisted in the attack on the Sons of Korhal, who were defeated.[8]
Collins admitted that the xenomorphs were being studied in the Flannum Installation, but had recently taken it over and surrounded it.[9]
Cerberus Recon Squad and Alpha Squadron cooperated in clearing a path to the installation. During the rescue of the scientists by Cerberus, 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[10]
The xenomorphs attacked the city of Los Andares shortly after the rescue of the scientists. Edmund Duke, the commander of Alpha Squadron, personally assisted in the defense of the Los Andares, fighting from his siege tank.[5] Afterwards, Collins wanted to set up a tight defense against the xenomorphs but the Cerberus Commander overruled him, actually taking command of the colony by stating: "By order of the Colonial Crisis Act under sub-section 1602, I hereby supersede your authority in this matter." Collins and Duke had little recourse but to obey.
The Cerberus Commander 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. Cerberus Recon Squad classified all these events under a class 7 seal.
In the weeks following the operation, the Confederacy instituted a planet-wide lock down which restricted all travel and communication to and from Chau Sara, hoping to contain the knowledge of the zerg's existence. A barrage of propaganda ensured that the operation would only be remembered as a triumphant operation against the Sons of Korhal.[11]
Enter the Protoss[]
- Alpha Squadron commander Edmund Duke(src)
Despite these successes, the terrans had merely delayed the inevitable. The zerg enslaved the terran population that founded the colony and changed the surface of the world to better support their hive clusters.[12]
On December 8, the protoss fleet under the command of Executor Tassadar incinerated Chau Sara from orbit without warning.[7][13][14] Chau Sara became a lifeless world hanging in the void.[12]
Legacy[]
"How sweet of them to offer a quick death by fire. What kind souls."
- Jacob Ramsey and Talen Ayers on Chau Sara's fate(src)
Although sterilized, Chau Sara wasn't completely forgotten. The world was later visited by terran "Reconstructionists," who wished to rebuild the major towns. However, they ran into zerg "Pillagers" who wished to remove the world's treasures. The two sides came into conflict.[12]
The Kel-Morian Combine staked a claim to mining and salvage rights over Chau Sara shortly after its prospectors found that minerals on Mar Sara had acquired unique properties due to the protoss bombardment. In 2502, independent and indentured contractors began strip-mining Chau Sara of its resources.[6]
Chau Sara remained infamous in the terran cultural mindset over a decade after it was glassed, per it being the planet where first contact was made with the protoss. That the protoss had killed so many humans in their attack on the world remained a source of tension.[15]
By 2511, some life had returned to Chau Sara, but only in base moss and lichens.[16]
Known Locations[]
Installations[]
Settlements[]
- "Ghost Town"
- Los Andares (former capital)
Notes[]
- "Chau Sara" is Latin American Spanish for "Goodbye Sarah" or "Fare well Sarah", akin to Castilian Spanish "Chao Sara" and Italian "Ciao Sara".
- According to StarCraft: Revelations, Chau Sara had a population of around 400,000 terrans at the time of its destruction.[3] According to a promotional post for StarCraft: Evolution however, the planet's population numbered in the millions.[15]
References[]
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