"Protoss "crystal" sample recovered by Raynor's Raiders, 10.7.2504.

I placed the crystal in saline solution for storage. Its density has increased 533% in the last twelve hours. Where does it get energy or raw materials for that? I have a terrible suspicion that it's... connecting to the ship somehow. If Swann suspects, he'll drop it out the airlock, and that would be a tragedy. This sample could lead to huge breakthroughs for the Raiders.

I Just have to be careful, and if there's any sign that it will harm the Hyperion, I'll destroy the crystal myself.^[1] "

"The crystal is growing, and it appears to have something--some sort of... anti-matter? Gravitational anomaly? Non-standard phenomenon?--hovering over it. I'm now convinced that the crystal is drawing power from the ship, but in ways so subtle as to be undetectable.

It is non-organic but has a molecular structure as diverse and complex as any organism's. It's developed an intricate matrix that makes it tough and surprisingly flexible. An alloy based on this crystal would have impressive damage mitigation. The structure of this matrix also suggests some sort of energy-storage system. There might be something to this.

The protoss are so far beyond us. We must seem amoeboid to them.^[1] "

"The protoss crystal continues to grow. I no longer think it is drawing power from the ship. It's getting pure energy from that sphere above it, which presents a new worry. What's it doing with all of that power? Is it going to release it explosively? I have to keep Swann away from that sample; he will definitely shoot it out the airlock. With me strapped to it.

I tried scraping smaller samples, but all my tools broke. Luckily, I found some cast-off chips floating in the tank. Wonder how they came off? In any case, the chips revealed more of the matrix. It's keeping the energy in a vortex. How does it move energy so fast? It may be the fabled protoss warp technology. For all its complexity, the matrix is as solid as the strongest structure. Hm, I wonder if I could apply these dynamics to our own structures? Make a note.

I'm learning so much from this crystal, but I can't help feeling as if it's learning from me, if that makes sense. Late. Tired. Sleep now.^[1] "

"I've been staring at that anomalous sphere above the crystal. It's obviously an energy emitter, but it has such strong containment that the crystal can slowly draw power from it via some method I don't understand. That gives me an idea: using our own containment technology, I could modify our SCV manufacturing process to double capacity with no increased risk. I think.

Breakthrough! The energy in this crystal is not kept in a vortex pattern. It was warping the energy around so fast that I couldn't detect it. In an odd coincidence, the warping slowed just enough for my sensors to pick it up. Not sure how or why. Everytime I reach my wits' end with this sample, something happens by... chance... and I get a breakthrough.

Is it helping me? Clearly I've been working too many hours. I'm going to go lose some more credits on Lost Viking.^[1] "

"Okay, I may be exceeding the boundaries of good science, but I am now sure this crystal has some sort of... if not sentience, at least... direction. I put a broken nano-fabricator in the tank last night, and today it's fixed. And it can accomplish things it shouldn't. If I can reverse engineer this fabricator, I could do amazing things with automated repair, or even near-instant manufacturing of advanced AI weaponry. Possibilities are limitless. On the less upbeat end of things, the level of energy stored in the crystal's matrix has not increased at all, despite the fact that the crystal continues to grow. So it must be emitting that energy somehow, some... where.^[1] "

"All of the containment and reinforced structural integrity theorems I've developed from studying this crystal are starting to... well... crystallize. I think we might be able to contain energies that once required huge machines. Or even manufacture structures capable of hot landings from orbital origins with acceptable stresses.

I'm a sham. I haven't truly learned anything from this crystal. I've just observed the smallest details from it and somehow wrangled a few tidbits when the crystal... helped me. I don't understand how the protoss can possess technology of this magnitude and not rule the known universe. Perhaps they simply don't want to?

Last entry on this sample. I figured out where it is putting all that excess energy. It's feeding the Hyperion. Subtly helping to power the ship, balancing out some of the more ragged systems. It's giving of itself, and has been since it got here. Swann is excited that the ship is running so well, but he has no idea why. And I'm not going to tell him.^[1] "

"Zerg sample recovered by Raynor's Raiders, 6.10.2504.

Sample appeared dead when brought in, including tissue necrosis. However, tests now reveal frantic cellular activity, and it is moving.

This defies everything I understand about biology. I'm tracking massive generational changes in each cell. In the last hour, this thing has evolved more than humans did in 100,000 years.

If I can harness this, it could lead to huge military innovations for the Raiders.^[2]"

"The recovered zerg sample is still growing. I introduced a protein solution. Might have been a mistake. At cellular level, the sample shown strains of every known zerg creatures - and many other strains that I do not recognize. It will take a while to map it all, but I've already begun extracting data from an ultralisk cell, and I found a spore crawler cell that may yield data on its instinctive threat-recognition routines.^[2]"

"Recovered zerg sample continues to evolve. Clearly has motor function despite the lack of anything like a neural cortex. It's giving off more heat than it could possibly be absorbing in that tank.

I'm learning how some zerg burrow as well. It's extremely sophisticated. They have billions of tiny muscles that vibrate at a low frequency, effectively loosening soil, crumbling rock, and snapping vegetation. They can "swim" through the ground. It's not quite as fast as running, but it's close.

I can see a way to put this knowledge to good use.^[2]"

"The zerg sample has developed an ocular organ. Will limbs be next? There is a basic dichotomy to zerg cell reproduction. Type A cells throw off seemingly random mutations. Type B cells hunt down these mutations and destroy them. It's survival of the fittest on the cellular level. Successful mutations thrive.

I used microscopic scrapings from the sample to test an electrical discharge field I'd been tinkering with for some time. The results were gratifying. As an interesting side effect, the zerg matter developed into a very dense but flexible material. This material could be used to reinforce the superstructure of those old Hercules-class cargo ships that Swann's always trying to find a use for.

I wish there were time to both pursue the discharge field and iterate on the hardened matter. I doubt there will be.^[2]"

"The zerg sample has developed a large neural cortex. I've noticed it reacting to external stimuli, but in a very disturbing way. When it detects my presence, it stops moving. Is it trying to "play dead"? Can it react at that level?

I noticed earlier that zerg alpha amino acids have unique R groups. I've run a full regimen on some. Results are stunning. Zerg aminos are able to combine dead cell matter with normal proteins to biosynthesize new cells. They don't suffer generational cell degradation. Simply put, a zerg will never die of old age. They can constantly renew themselves, albeit with radically changing cell structure.

We could never harness this for biological use with terrans: the results would be foregone and horrifying. But I wonder if I could alloy zerg tissue with some of our metals to make buildings that heal? The renewal process also throws off immense energy as a byproduct. Something there. I should see about harnessing that energy.^[2]"

"The sample is trying to escape. I've detected several new acids in the nutrient solution. Over time, they will crack the tank. I wonder if Commander Raynor can post some marines down here? No; he'll want to destroy it. I haven't learned everything I can from this yet.

Breakthrough. I dosed some tissue with concentrated sigma radiation, and it slowed growth and movement severely. It would take a lot of work to safely deploy that much radiation on the battlefield, but it might be worth it.

Another breakthrough, and this one scares me. I mapped my way through the DNA of some brain tissue, peering back thousands of years, and I isolated the strain from which the zerg Overmind was derived. Not enough to clone the Overmind, but I could follow this strand to gain insight into how it controlled the zerg.^[2]"