Stone a.k.a Agent X74996R is a Terran Dominion ghost.
Biography
Stone's date and place of birth are kept classified, as is his real name ("Stone" is simply his codename). He graduated from the Ghost Academy in 2508, and successfully participated in Operation: Sudden Holiday, and Operation: Night Train in the same year. After the failure of Operation: Livewire, he was recalled to the Academy for additional training. Afterwards, he successfully participated in operations Flash Flood, Storm Chaser, Silent Runner, and Thunder Struck.[1]
Covert Ops
Years after the End War, his profile stated that he was sent to spy on a Defenders of Man installation.[1] In reality, Stone had been transferred with Nova Terra to help the Defenders of Man by orders of the Terran Dominion. The two participated in an operation on Antiga Prime, where they were to place anti-zerg devices on the surface. However, Stone and Nova discovered these devices were actually psi-emitters. Stone noted that the mission files had not been scrubbed, and they could use them to show the Dominion what the Defenders of Man were really doing. However, Stone and Nova were captured, and Nova was mind wiped.[2]
Later, after Nova, broke out of a Defenders of Man facility in Sharpsburg, Stone was the first of her squad to contact her, and told Nova that her memories had to have been wiped. He helped her retrieve her C-20A rifle and pulse grenades, and guided her rescue the rest of her team and escape the facility. The squad split up, with Nova and Stone escaping on the Sharpsburg freeway while being pursued by the Defenders of Man. The two fought off their outriders and a Warhawk, making it to the spaceport. Stone insisted he take the next ship, but Nova demanded answers. Stone insisted she leave before she was captured, and Nova escaped the planet, losing contact with Stone and the rest of her squad.[3]
Stone, Delta Emblock and Theodore Pierce did not report back to the Dominion after Nova's escape.[2]
Stone was later captured by the Defenders and had his memories modified in order to ensure loyalty to the Defenders of Man. He was given the memories that Nova had betrayed them, and that they were loyal to Davis. Nova encountered Stone when she infiltrated Carolina Davis's compound, and he stood guard before her room. The two fought, but Nova was reluctant to kill her former squadmate. Nova incapacitated Stone, and ordered Reigel to send an extraction team for him.[4]
Game Unit
Stone appears as a unit in "The Escape", but only serves to help Nova during the vulture escape section. His vulture can be destroyed, but he survives the encounter.
Stone then serves as a boss in the level "In the Enemy's Shadow". He will teleport around the room, using snipe on Nova if she is revealed, and EMP on her to reveal her if she is cloaked. The snipe can be blocked by running behind the statues in the room. Stone starts with a defensive matrix on him, capping all damage done to him at 10 until the shield is dropped. As such, it is best to not use abilities on him while the shield is activated.
When he begins to take damage, Stone summons sensor drones around the perimeter of the room, which will explode and reveal Nova as well as do moderate damage. Stone will occasionally cloak, but he can be seen through the ghost visor. A quick way to down Stone is with the monomolecular blade alongside stim infusion, as it can do high damage at a fast rate, heal Nova through his attacks, and will down him quickly when his shields are down. Once Stone has been brought to around 20% health, he will be downed and the fight will be over.[4]
Personality and Traits
Stone has a psi index of 7, and possesses aptitude in telepathy and thought shielding. He is skilled in tactical analysis and strategic thinking, and has demonstrated impressive ability in adapting to changing battlefield conditions. He once demonstrated tendencies to alter mission parameters in order to minimize collateral damage and civilian casualties, but these tendencies were minimized through "careful invervention." It was noted, however, that because of Stone's thought-shielding abilities, that his handlers might not have been completely successful in removing his previous behavioral patterns.[1]
Trivia
It's possible for Stone's vulture to get knocked out during the trip to Sharpsburg spaceport. If so, he would be unable to tell Nova to leave while he catches the next ship.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Ghost Profile: Stone. Ghost Profile: Stone, accessed on 2016-03-24
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Blizzard Entertainment. StarCraft II. (Activision Blizzard). PC. Mission: Nova Covert Ops, Flashpoint (in English). 2016-08-02.
- ↑ Blizzard Entertainment. StarCraft II. (Activision Blizzard). PC. Mission: Nova Covert Ops, The Escape (in English). 2016-03-29.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Blizzard Entertainment. StarCraft II. (Activision Blizzard). PC. Mission: Nova Covert Ops, In the Enemy's Shadow (in English). 2016-11-22.