The Nuclear Peace Conference

Naglfar Council Hall, Tarsonis City, May 16, 2489.

Constantine Terra, the patriarch of the Tarsonis Old Families Terra Family, the undisputed leader of the oligarchic Terra Group, the owner of Terra City, the seventh largest city on the planet, and Nova Terra's father, was dressed in an elaborate formal suit and a gold-red cloak as he entered the magnificent domed hall known in this era as the "Hall of Reason."

This magnificent building, with its white marble columns and large square bronze-colored glass panels, is the pride of Tarsonis City. Its Roman temple-like domes, columns, arches, and niches possess a three-dimensional beauty. Viewed from all directions, each side is a square curving inwards, with subtle arcs forming a gradually changing surface, symbolizing the vast and boundless universe and the infinitely extending human mind.

Around the end of the last century, people began to believe that the architect of the Naglfar Council Hall named the hall where Confederate Congress Federal Parliament was held "Hall of Reason" with a sense of irony, because some of his surviving notes hinted at his disbelief in the idea that humans possess rationality. Later, more people began to believe that this was a satire of the obese and bloated members of the Confederate Congress.

While the Naglfar Council Hall is a landmark building in Tarsonis City, many people, while admiring its grandeur and glory, often overlook the fact that beneath its ground floor lies the largest slum in the entire Terran Confederacy.

Following the Guild Wars, the Terran Confederacy's powerful hegemonic rule extended throughout the Koprulu Sector. The capital of monopolistic enterprises expanded dramatically, while the people remained hungry and cold. Technology significantly extended the lifespan of the rulers, but the average lifespan in the harsh environment of the peripheral star sectors never exceeded forty-five years.

Seated in the Hall of Reason were several people dressed like Constantine; they were members of the Tarsonis Council, leaders of the Old Families, and council agents responsible for maintaining security.

After greeting the founders of the Old Families he knew, Constantine began talking to Eero Bennett, the patriarch of the Bennett Family. At first, they talked about trivial matters, complaining about business difficulties or discussing policies for purchasing land.

After Eva Holt, the matriarch of the Holt Family, came over, the conversation between them gradually became serious.

"We all know what Andrea Tagore's purpose was in urging her offspring and the council's opportunists to convene this meeting." Eva Holt was an elegant woman with long, straight black hair, the ends of which were laser-cut at a 45-degree angle, and a teardrop-shaped, ghostly gold pendant swayed gently as she spoke.

"Andrea has only one goal: to completely and permanently resolve the issue of Korhal IV and their allied planets, cleanly and decisively, regardless of the process or the means. Ideally, a report of the permanent resolution of this problem should be read to her by her servant the morning after she wakes up."

"That's just how Andrea does things," Bennett said with absolute calm and utterly emotionless words. "More than a hundred years ago, she used the same method to eliminate all her rivals within her family, and then ruled the Tagore Family and Tarsonis with iron fist and autocracy."

"The assassination attempt on Angus failed." He seemed to know more details. "The Ghost operative, touted as human superhumans and absolutely foolproof, have failed. The Ghost Program will never get a single penny from me again."

"I've seen those Psionics. Psionics can even move objects with their minds and control other people's hands, making them suffocate themselves. Now I suspect it's all fake, just a way to scam money from me."

"The failure of the assassination attempt is what made Andrea so eager to convene this meeting."

"My men have received some information," Constantine Terra said, frowning. "Andrea is prepared to resort to force rather than resolve the conflict through peaceful negotiations."

"After declaring Korhal's independence, Angus Mengsk sent an ambassador claiming he wanted to negotiate with the Tarsonis Parliament. He stated that Korhal would not secede from the Confederacy as long as Tarsonis recognized Korhal's autonomous dominion status and granted it the power to formulate its own constitution and foreign policy."

"The same old tricks," Eero Bennett scoffed. "Andrea must be furious. I heard she ordered the ambassador's eyes gouged out, and his ears and nose cut off."

"Korhal IV is finished. Angus is a madman, that's not the point. The real issue is that tens of millions of people have gone mad with him."

"And that Angus's son, Augustus, a mere Marine Corps lieutenant who dares to call himself a marshal. What an arrogant brat! He even tried to see me when he was in Tarsonis, but don't think I don't know what he's up to," he said haughtily.

"I immediately sent someone to tell him to get lost! The son of a madman is, of course, a madman himself. No matter how fancy his clothes are, in my eyes he's nothing more than a homeless person on the street."

"But I think Augustus Mengsk was a rather outstanding young man; he was handsome, charismatic, and well-versed in art and literature," Eva Holt said. "I think even a young Frederick the Great from Earth's time would have looked like him."

"Augustus left a deep impression on me." Constantine recalled his eldest daughter's unusual infatuation with Augustus, and a surge of anger rose in his heart, leaving him unable to think of any good words to describe him.

"That's all there is to it."

"Just wait, that Mengsk kid will suffer the same fate as his father. The matter of Korhal is definitely not something that can be resolved by a few deaths. The council will definitely send troops, and those rioters will get their comeuppance sooner or later." Ero didn't want to get entangled in this issue, because even if he won the argument, it wouldn't do him any good.

"Then the nouveau riche of Korhal IV and those peasants of the Edge World will realize the price of rebellion. They've been completely out of their minds. The losses I suffered because of the Korhal rebellion are enough to make me jump off the Sky Tower."

"Is it really that difficult to work hard, pay taxes on time, fulfill one's duties, and be loyal to the Confederacy that raised them? People always yearn for things that don't belong to them. Our ancestors established the system more than two hundred years ago, defining the rights and obligations of each individual."

"We must never compromise with Korhal. If those mobs get even a taste of success, they'll become increasingly greedy. If greedy people are never satisfied and always want more, there will never be peace. Only by adhering to this system can the Terran Confederacy enjoy lasting stability."

"This is a rapidly evolving era, Mr. Bennett. Perhaps we should make some changes and concessions, after all, this era is vastly different from that of two hundred years ago," Eva Holt said.

"I'm not against making some concessions." Constantine nodded. "We are fully capable of improving the lives of ordinary people, and if I can build more factories and create more jobs, won't more people be able to survive?"

"In Charitable Causes, I've donated almost as much as any superstar," Bennett, his expression still icy. "And what about the Holt and Terra Family?"

"You need to understand this: all our power comes from this ancient system," Bennett said.

Constantine didn't want to argue with Bennett anymore. Compared to other Old Families groups, Terra Group had the most comprehensive and best salary, benefits, and vacation system. He also preferred to hire more poor people and provide housing and recreational facilities for the group's employees.

In fact, Constantine disliked Angus and his revolutionary party at all, and he also disliked politics; he preferred to remain neutral.

As for Eva Holt, she clearly wanted to say more good things about the common people and Korhal, but she also knew that she could never persuade Bennett, that stubborn man.

The Bennett Family doesn't have a very good reputation; dirty deals and scandals involving the Old Families circulate in some low-brow magazines and among gossipy housewives.

The recent disappearance of Eero Bennett's eldest son, Yaco, has sparked much controversy. Some claim that his sister, Tara, killed her brother in order to inherit the family fortune. A more common version is that kidnappers demanded a huge ransom for Yaco Bennett, but the stingy Eero refused to pay the money for his son.

A few minutes later, the current Speaker of the Confederate Congress, Vistion McMaster, stepped onto the podium. This vigorous old man possessed a convincing dignity and bearing. Even though the dignitaries and nobles present owned 90% of the assets in all of Tarsonis, they still looked at him with respect when he spoke loudly.

"The next item to be read is the proposal to use Apocalypse-class Nuclear Missile to destroy Korhal IV —this is the only proposal that needs to be voted on today," said the respected Speaker McMaster calmly.

No one exclaimed in surprise, as if they hadn't yet reacted.

"My God!" Eva Holt gasped, covering her mouth. "What is Andrea planning? She's going to unleash a galaxy-destroying demon!"

"Whether her goals are justifiable or not, this inhuman and horrific atrocity will one day be brought to light by those who come after her, and the Tagore Family, no, the Confederate Congress and all the Old Families will bear the infamy!" Constantine said.

"More than forty million people!"

"Surprising." Bennett frowned, annoyed that no one had told him beforehand. "Losing Korhal means we'll lose a major source of commodity purchases. The mining guilds in Kel-Morian are more than capable of making up for the loss. But the real headache lies in how to distribute it equitably."

Immediately afterward, as Speaker McMaster reiterated the principles and requirements of the issue, the proposal, printed in black and white, was quickly handed over to Constantine and others.

"Korhal IV and its inhabitants have betrayed the oath of their ancestors to Tarsonis. We spared no effort in helping Angus Mengsk's ancestors establish a new, self-sufficient homeland and accepting them as part of the thirteen prime planetary worlds, allowing them to trade in the Confederacy's trade network using native products and industrial goods from local technologies to obtain the necessities for development." The Speaker read from his prepared statement, occasionally glancing up at the audience below.

"Since Korhal IV tore up the agreement and betrayed the Confederate Congress, our most public and rational judgment is to permanently destroy this openly rebellious planet and permanently eradicate the possibility of rebellion!"

"If all that remains of Korhal are opponents and traitors, then the Terran Confederacy would rather abandon that land and its people. Launch a nuclear missile! Turn Korhal IV into scorched earth!"

Constantine sighed at some of the horrific descriptions as he read: In short, the bill rejected all possibilities of reclaiming Korhal through peaceful negotiations or force, and did not want to rebuild a world ravaged by war. The Fleets would carry over a thousand Apocalypse and release nuclear bombs into high orbit, reducing Korhal to flames.

"This is inhumane."

Eva Holt angrily threw down the bill, saying, "This proposal is impossible to pass; it's utterly insane! No one with a conscience should vote in favor of it!"

The members of parliament and those invited remained expressionless as usual, some even wearing polite smiles. They exchanged their views on the bill in hushed, cautious voices. This was a significant decision, and no one was going to treat it lightly.

"I absolutely will not agree to that," Constantine stated his position. "Nobody thinks that should be done. We clearly have a better solution. The Marines have already defeated the Kel-Morian; surely they can take down a Korhal?"

When the bill was put to a vote, Eva Holt was full of confidence, but the silence of the crowd during the vote made her realize that something was wrong.

In fact, even Constantine believed the bill would not pass before the parliamentary vote. However, the results quickly proved him wrong.

The vote was in favor of the vote against the vote, with a majority against a very small minority, and a dozen or so people abstained.

The first vote passed, the second was unsurprising, and by the third, half the people were ready to leave.

Everyone knew that Korhal IV was completely finished, but this was a top-secret meeting. People on other planets would only learn of the destruction of Korhal as news of its destruction gradually spread throughout the Confederacy's territory.

Eva Holt slumped into her chair, Constantine could only shake his head repeatedly, while Eero Bennett remained expressionless, just like the others.

The Old Families has become too indifferent, and the councilors only want to consolidate their rule in the Terran Confederacy.

"How could this be?" Eva Holt was incredulous at the callousness of her compatriots.

"The timeline is set." Constantine remained calm as Ero Bennett left expressionlessly. "Negotiations with the Kel-Morian Combine will conclude before June, after which the Fleets will immediately proceed to Korhal IV."

Because the assassination plot against Angus failed, the decision to carry out nuclear pacification was brought forward by a year.

"Wait, daughter of Robin Hood Holt," Constantine said. "Korhal IV still has time to escape his doom."

After speaking, Constantine left the Hall of Reason and returned to his private yacht. As the yacht sailed away from the Nafag Council Chamber, Constantine, sitting in his spacious private room, took a button from a heavily wrapped pocket.

This button was a listening device used by Agent Umojan. When Constantine pressed his finger on it, a recording began to play:

"Launch a nuclear missile! Turn the Korhal IV into scorched earth!"