Warfield: Sailing Towards Deep Space

Confederacy Frontier, Urthos System(Urthos)

Steel Justice, cruising in the direction of Artisia. A. D.2489.05.22, ship time 8:54.

". Release the nuclear bomb and turn Korhal IV into scorched earth!"

The bar on the ship was filled with Marines in brown uniforms and Fleets soldiers in black space combat uniforms who had heard the news. The Marines were all from 33rd Ground Assault Division, to which Augustus originally belonged.

The already small bar could not accommodate so many people, so a soldier jumped on the table. The scene was chaotic, and the people who were squeezed into the corner rubbed off the Marine Corps Shooting Competition poster on the wall, and the chandelier hanging from the ceiling seemed to be shaking due to the chaos.

This battlecruiser is within the scope of the thirteen main star worlds of Confederacy, so they are one of the first Fleets to receive the news.

A noncommissioned officer from Korhal IV was covering his face and crying. This man who did not shed a single tear even after losing a piece of his skull in the Sigma planet landing battle is now on the verge of collapse. A soldier shouted the names of his wife and daughter, tears streaming down his face, thinking that Korhal had been destroyed.

"That's his home, his family is still there." His comrades explained to other soldiers, "He can't save them."

At this time, more soldiers were walking towards the upper deck cabin where the bar was located. As the number of people increased, those who came after them could only stand in the aisle at the door.

People everywhere are asking what happened, what happened to Korhal IV.

But after learning the truth of the matter, the soldiers just stared blankly at the TV screen on the bar, at a loss.

"Is this a ridiculous April Fool's Day joke or has UNN's terminal network been hacked?" The soldiers just felt baffled and couldn't believe that UNN would report military secrets that would never be made public even if they were true.

"This can't be true. Parliament would have to be crazy to shoot its own people."

Since several soldiers in the bar first heard the news six hours ago, the TV in the ship's bar has been playing it on a loop.

"Sorry, we encountered some technical failures, and technicians are re-debugging the faulty equipment." In the news being played, immediately after Speaker Confederate Congress's shocking speech, the emergency signal was cut off.

The person who came to the rescue was a daytime host. He had just been dragged out of bed by member Confederate Marine Corps who kicked in the door. He was obviously still a little shaken, but he still didn't stutter when he spoke.

"The following is Confederate Marine Corps's recruitment advertisement: Actively respond to the government's call and actively sign up to join the army. It is the sacred responsibility of every Confederacy citizen to defend the home and country and resist Kel-Morian Combine's invasion." He adjusted his tie uneasily.

"Welcome to the official website of UNN Universe News Network to read the latest news reports - we have the most complete and authoritative exclusive news and exclusive reports. UNN's motto is to discover the truth at all costs."

But obviously, these few words could not calm the soldiers' confusion.

"Go back to your posts. No one is allowed to stand in the passage!" At this time, the voice of Lieutenant Colonel Horace Warfield suddenly came from the communication device. Before the military police on the ship arrived, the soldiers quickly dispersed.

Only a few soldiers from Korhal IV were unwilling to leave. They stood in the bar and stared at the TV screen above their heads, hoping to get more news about Korhal from it.

A few minutes later, Horace Warfield, commander of the 2nd 33rd Ground Assault Division brigade in a lieutenant colonel uniform, walked into the bar and glanced at four or five Korhal soldiers. "Why don't you obey the order?"

"We are from Korhal, sir." a private replied.

"Go back and rest." Warfield said to the soldiers gently after a moment of silence, "Get some sleep and everything will be fine."

"Things have not reached the point of no return."

The private shook his head and said sadly but firmly, "Sir, we will not leave until we find out what happened."

Warfield nodded and did not force them to obey the order.

Warfield walked to the TV screen, and in another cycle, the solemn and majestic Hall of Reason appeared in front of him again. The respected speaker McMaster's resolute and vocal image when he spoke for the people in the past overlapped with his cold and routine appearance at the moment. It was so ironic.

"Switch back to live broadcast channel." He had seen it more than once and didn't want to watch it again.

Where Steel Justice is located, the news channel is delayed for nearly half an hour. At this time, the TV is still playing underwear advertisements for fashion brands, and Warfield rarely becomes irritable.

Even now, Warfield cannot believe that the government he is fighting for would actually do something that is no different from genocide, the most cruel and inhumane ethnic cleansing plan in human history.

However, even if this is the case, it cannot be concluded that this is definitely true, because it is so sensational that people can't help but doubt the accuracy of this matter.

When Warfield felt upset about this fact, the TV in the bar finally stopped playing advertisements. A man in a black suit and blue tie appeared in the center of the screen with his hands on the new network press conference table, and under the podium were reporters holding microphones high.

"Confederate Security Forces spokesperson held an emergency press conference at 8 a. m. Tarsonis time. Here is UNN's Tarsonis City reporter Lorraine's on-site report for you."

There were as many as twenty reporters from various news newspapers at the press conference. Almost at the same time as a large number of armed airships took off, these reporters who were awakened in various ways smelled the big news.

"The purpose of my coming here is just to answer a few questions." The spokesman said extremely seriously as he tightened his tie.

"There is a sacred and inviolable Confederacy law to respond to groundless accusations and false slander."

"Witnesses from citizens claimed that a group of terrorists broke into the UNN headquarters building and controlled it for at least an hour. Is this true?" a reporter from Taradorn Union News asked loudly.

"It is true that terrorists entered the UNN headquarters building and caused some riots. Confederate Security Forces is currently fully investigating this matter. We have sufficient reasons and evidence to confirm that Angus·Mengsk, the "mad dog of Korhal", planned this terrorist act, and he and his rebel party should be responsible for this."

"May I ask what role Tarsonis Police Force played in this vicious incident? Our viewers want to know whether the police officers who neglected their duties deserve taxpayers' money?" Antiga Broadcasting Company's reporter said.

"Actually, our police are very good." The spokesman shook his head and said, "If you read our government report, you will find that no hostage was injured or injured. This just shows that the police's rescue operation was very successful."

"I want to know how you respond to the accusations that Confederate Congress decided to use a thousand Apocalypse-class Nuclear Missile to destroy Korhal IV." said a UNN reporter.

"I have nothing to say about this. All groundless accusations against the government are treasonous and false and malicious. I want to warn those who spread rumors that it is illegal."

"Do you want to deny the authenticity of that unknown video, because those were forged by the rebel party and were virtual images created using artificial synthesis technology." Another reporter apparently even thought of the reasons for the spokesperson, "In fact, the resolution on bombing Korhal is all fake."

"I don't know," the spokesman said. "Next question."

"Has the parliament revoked or abandoned the resolution to use Apocalypse-class Nuclear Missile to destroy Korhal IV?" In the words of Lossa Global News Broadcasting Television's reporter, he seemed to have assumed that the parliament had indeed passed this proposal.

"I don't know." the spokesman replied.

"How will the government respond to the riots and protests that broke out in Confederacy's main star worlds and Edge World after this news was broadcast?" Hermes News Group's reporter asked loudly.

"It stands to reason that those who flout the law are committing crimes," the spokesman said.

"Our reporter based in Korhal IV captured the chaos that erupted on this planet due to nationwide panic. The shuttles taken by the rich were shot down as soon as they took off. People began to flee the city frantically and dug deep underground air-raid shelters."

"Korhal IV must pay the price for their betrayal. The Confederacy government has given them many opportunities."

"."

"Damn, he doesn't want to admit it, because it's true." In the Steel Justice ship's bar, a soldier of Korhal origin said. His brown eyes were filled with tears and his shoulders were shaking. Every Korhal man recalled their beautiful home and their relatives with great sadness.

"They do want to do that, they do want to drop nuclear bombs. If the government of Confederacy heard the voice of the people, then they would not make such a decision, and we would not even have to resist." The Korhal man, who was nearly seven feet tall, wailed and told his lieutenant colonel.

"Sir, we have to go back," he said.

"Back to Korhal."

"But you have to stay on the ship now. There is nowhere else to go. Even if I put you on the nearest colonial planet, it is more than one million astronomical units away from Steel Justice."

Warfield said in his most firm and unquestionable tone at the moment.

"Kid, stay here. When you are homeless, 33rd Ground Assault Division is your home."

Captain's room, A. D.2489.05.25, ship time 9:24.

Lieutenant Colonel Warfield saw nearly one-third of Steel Justice's noncommissioned officers, sergeants, lieutenants and school officers in the captain's cabin. More than eighty people were standing in the cabin, which was not very spacious. Due to the large number of people, some people had to stand in the aisle.

These people are all Warfield's old subordinates or have been promoted by him. They have been carefully screened based on their background and political leanings, and they have been identified as the most trustworthy people.

"Hell, if that congressman stands in front of me, I will beat him to pieces." In the crowded captain's room, Major Charles·Chuck·Matt Horner said angrily.

Charles is one of the old subordinates of Arcturus·Mengsk, who was the division commander of 33rd Ground Assault Division. When Arcturus was still a lieutenant, Charles was his subordinate unit A member of Imperial Squad. He is a strong man with broad shoulders and a square roof. He comes from a distant Edge World where electricity is a problem. The basic industrial system in that Edge World has not been established even after two generations.

The people in Charles's hometown live an almost primitive life. Outside the central town built with colonial ship materials, people make a living by grazing and planting. There are only about 15,000 people on the entire planet. Due to the long distance and no money to be made, businessmen only come here within a cycle of five years or more. Only Scavengers will frequently visit Charles's hometown.

Like many people who are regarded as country boys by people in the main star world, Charles is also a rude and arrogant person. He is full of swear words and always makes the other party think that he is talking nonsense when talking to "civilized people".

"I still can't believe this is true." Even though he had seen it more than once, Warfield still said in an unbelievable tone, "Even if Korhal IV has a large-scale rebel army, can it be bigger than Kel-Morian Combine, which has a population of more than 6 billion people? I originally thought it was just an ordinary planet landing battle."

"It's like you were walking on beautiful grass and accidentally stepped on a piece of dog poop, but that's the truth." Charles said in his magical way of metaphor.

"If hackers hadn't invaded the network of UNN Universe News Network, then in early June, we would have received the information that Korhal IV had been destroyed." Warfield said.

"Arcturus will definitely go crazy, he loves Korhal deeply." Charles said, "If you have seen the tenderness he showed when he wrote to his mother and sister, then you should know how much he loves them."

"And I think that as a human being, we should complain and take revenge."

"How could they treat Korhal like this? Even when they slaughter the same number of cattle and sheep, they should have a little compassion." Warfield looked at the officers who were surrounding him and said, "Our identification with the concept of human beings is the reason why we break away from the category of animals and create civilization."

"It has nothing to do with the rebellion. If one day your hometown suffers the same fate as Korhal due to other reasons, then what choice should we make?"

"We cannot go on like this, my friends. I am increasingly doubting whether such a government is worth fighting for." Warfield said.

"What do you mean by waiting? What are we going to do?" said a captain.

"Seize control of this battlecruiser by force." Warfield said, "Then shut down all military network communications and completely disconnect from the Fleets command center and Tarsonis."

"We will no longer fight for Confederacy. We will enter deep space and escape into darkness."

"Give the order, Lieutenant Colonel." the officers said in unison.

Warfield's subordinates were extremely angry at Confederate Congress's decision. They were disgusted by the fact that they had been loyal to such a government, and were determined to follow their commanders and leave the army.

"Confederate Congress will pay the price sooner or later." Charles said, "They like dirty bombs very much."

"But my hunting teacher always said that whoever uses the sword will die by the sword."