Augustus Mengsk

"Thanks for the milk, I hope I don't get transported into a plane in the Koprulu Sector, thanks brother!"

This was the last sentence He Shuhan heard before his vision went black. When he opened his eyes again, the computer desk, chair, and all other furniture in his room had vanished.

In their place stood a mahogany round table carved with scenes of pastoral landscapes and horseback hunting. The table was laden with gold and silver goblets, the light from two golden candelabras dancing with the glow of a crystal chandelier.

He Shuhan sat in an intricately crafted chair. Before him lay a folded white napkin, a glass of sparkling rose red wine, and mushroom risotto. On a beautifully decorated plate sat a sliced, sauce-drenched charcoal grilled steak and a small fowl cooked to a glistening, oily sheen.

The furniture was luxurious, the decor opulent. The floor was covered in colorful rugs of various sizes, every piece exquisite and finely made. Velvet, brocade, and silk hung from the four walls, adorned with several ancestor portraits framed in gold trim.

Korhal Guardian, Imperial Wolves, the Mengsk Family.

"Augustus, you know how much heart your mother put into this dinner. Do not ruin it."

A stern male voice pulled He Shuhan back from his daze. He looked up to the other side of the table to see a middle-aged man with dark gray hair and white-flecked sideburns and beard.

The man's temples were gray, and he spoke with a quaint accent, yet it did not feel awkward. He Shuhan realized quickly that this was not Chinese, but English; yet, suddenly, English felt as familiar to him as his mother tongue.

He Shuhan took one look and immediately lowered his head, picking up his knife and fork to tackle the food on his plate naturally. Clearly, in the eyes of others, he must have been staring blankly for quite some time.

Savoring the fragrance on his palate, He Shuhan knew that if all this were real, then thanks to a certain Old Immortal's "poisonous milk," he had truly transmigrated into the Koprulu Sector. For now, at least, it appeared to be a decent middle-class family.

As he ate, He Shuhan remained elegant and composed, his handling of the cutlery practiced and flawless. He did not use his peripheral vision to look at the other family members at the table, instead trying his best to recall the memories of this body. Fortunately, although incomplete, he managed to unearth some buried memories in a short time and gained a basic understanding of his current identity.

Augustus Mengsk.

A member of the Mengsk Family, an elder family on Korhal IV, one of the thirteen core worlds within the Terran Confederacy. It was an ancient and illustrious lineage; the founder and ancestors had led the initial colonists through thorns and thistles over hundreds of years to build a home on this beautiful world. Augustus was the second son, named after his grandfather.

Augustus's father, Angus Mengsk, was the current owner of the Mengsk Family's various industries. He was also a councilman in the Korhal Council, enjoying immense prestige in politics and millions of staunch followers among the populace.

His mother was a strong and beautiful Korhal woman. Like the wives of other nobles and upper-class figures on Korhal IV, Katherine Mengsk was adept at managing the household, enjoyed cooking and studying recipes, and was a major benefactor for several charitable causes.

Augustus also had an older brother, Arcturus Mengsk, a colonel commanding the 33rd Ground Assault Division of the Federal Marine Corps, and a sixteen-year-old sister, Dorothy Mengsk. He himself had just graduated from Sterling Academy in the capital city of Korhal IV, having just turned eighteen.

The age of youthful recklessness.

Compared to his outstanding brother and adorable sister, Augustus had caused his parents endless worry. His record at Sterling Academy was riddled with misconduct.

Skipping classes, teasing the rigid Grade Director, beating up the corrupt Principal, holding magnetic levitation motorcycle races on campus, illegally modifying the IAA advertising robot at the school gate, and holding a group barbecue at the graduation ceremony. This young and flamboyant noble young master exuded a total disregard for worldly rules and authority.

"Augustus. The war with the Kel-Morian Combine has been going on for two years, and the situation remains unclear. The federal government on Tarsonis has lowered the minimum age for conscription several times. The UNN and Global News Network, controlled by those corrupt Terran Founding Families, are vague about the casualty figures while loudly preaching honor and sacrifice."

His father Angus's voice pulled Augustus from his memories once more. He seemed to be struggling to create topics of conversation with his rebellious son.

The atmosphere of today's family dinner was vastly different from the formal yet warm and harmonious meals in Augustus's memories. In the past, Angus would never bring politics or business to the table, as little Dorothy always had endless stories to tell.

Whenever that happened, even the restless Augustus would patiently listen to her talk about her friends at school and the imaginative fairy tales she wove.

Augustus sensed something amiss. As he looked up into his father's eyes, pretending to listen, he noticed that his mother and sister were also dejected.

In Augustus's memories, he had almost never seen his mother cry; that usually happened only during the parting of loved ones. Augustus immediately searched his mind for information regarding the war his father mentioned. He keenly sensed that this matter must have something to do with him.

This was a total war between the Terran Confederacy and the Kel-Morian Combine, a human regime of the same origin in the Koprulu Sector. Both sides were fighting fiercely over precious crystal mine resources and colonies. So far, the war had affected over a hundred million people across a dozen outer colonies, with millions of soldiers, miners, and civilians dead.

There was no sign of the total war ending. Both the Terran Confederacy and the Kel-Morian Combine claimed to be in a position of absolute advantage.

Only high-ranking federal officials like Angus knew that both sides were trading blows, effectively a stalemate. The war had evolved from initial local skirmishes into fleet-to-fleet bombardments, with even nuclear weapons being deployed. To win, the federal government was sending unsuspecting young people into a meat grinder battlefield.

As a politician, Angus only showed sharp anger when criticizing corruption or fighting for the interests of potential voters. The reason for his emotional instability today was that his second son was desperately trying to join the Federal Marine Corps like his brother, and tomorrow was the day Augustus was set to depart for boot camp.

The Mengsk Family had always strived for Korhal to break free from the rule of the Terran Confederacy, achieving independence as an autonomous dominion rather than a colony. Thus, the Mengsk Family had irreconcilable conflicts with the federal government. Augustus's move to join the federal military was undoubtedly a betrayal of his father's cause.

The boot camp was on a remote colony several light-years away from Korhal, a distant world reachable only by ships equipped with warp drives capable of long-range jumps. Angus's second son was also leaving him. It wasn't just about potentially losing his heir; he loved every one of his children deeply.

"This is the last time I will tell you how cruel war is. It is not one of those childish games you have played. Have pity on your family; when you made such a cold and heartless decision, your mother nearly fainted from grief!" Angus continued just as Augustus recalled all of this.

"Beyond the walls we have built for you lies a cruel world, and the battlefield is a hell within that cruel world. It is all because you have lived an affluent life, acting willfully and without restraint. God, how I wish you could show even a shred of remorse!"

Augustus was stunned. Are you crazy? Living an affluent, unbridled life as a noble young master, just how desperate are you to go and become a "fifty-buck" cannon fodder?

This is a fan fiction set in the StarCraft universe.

(The StarCraft universe is a synthesis of background stories from the game, official books, merchandise, interviews, and Q&A. I do not seek to write with the rigor of historical fiction, only to do my best to restore a glimpse of this StarCraft world I love.)