The Man Behind Augustus
Within the territory of the Umojan Republic.
A year and a half has passed since the Korhal catastrophe, which brought deep wounds to the people of Korhal IV. During this time, more than 23 million Korhal living in Umojan have irrigated their barren and mountainous land with tears and sweat, reclaiming wasteland and building cities.
This generation of Korhal people gradually took root in a foreign land far from their homeland. When the new generation of children was born, they could only recall the mercury city and the lush primeval forest of Korhal IV through their parents' recollections of the past and beautiful songs.
The main city of New Sterling, nestled among mountains, still retains some of the splendor of the former capital of Korhal. The city center is densely packed with buildings. The height of the silver-white buildings decreases from the central city government tower, the Korhal Council rotunda, and the Dominion Supreme Court to the residential and industrial buildings on the outskirts of the city, just like concentric ripples created by a drop of water falling into a river.
Unlike cities like Korhal IV that arose from colonial-era settlements, New Sterling lacks the inner city walls and intricate urban transportation network that bear the marks of its past.
The urban layout of New Sterling follows a strict and detailed plan, with landmarks, roads, residential buildings, and every brick planned before they are laid. The entire transportation network of New Sterling City resembles a grid of sharp angles and overlapping lines, making it a well-ordered and symmetrical city, but somewhat lacking in dynamism.
Due to the changeable climate of Umojan, extreme weather such as Hurricane and storms makes stable and suitable areas extremely precious. This makes land resources quite scarce even on Umojan, a planet with many plains. Humans have to rack their brains to make use of the precious land, so high-rise residential buildings have replaced the residential communities and livestock cooperatives that the Korhal people were used to, becoming their means of residence and daily life.
It was early morning local time, and the rising sun created a magnificent spectacle. Long-wavelength rays refracted in the atmosphere left streaks of reddish-orange like the veins of a citrus fruit in the bright orange sky of Umojan, resembling the cross-section of a blood orange. Occasionally, meteor showers would streak across the sky, flashing by like flickering fireworks.
Against a beautiful backdrop, the silvery-white skyscrapers reflect a bright orange-red light, resembling a transparent crystal city, with their spires forming a jagged horizon.
At the edge of the city are crystal processing plants, gas refineries, and heavy factories made of square glass and steel buildings. Using Umojan anti-gravity technology, they float above the city, connecting interstellar routes from the planetary surface to space orbit. The thousands of feet long towing barges also look like black dots on the distant horizon.
The vibrant city and the orange sky appear to be still, as beautiful as a painting by an Impressionist artist.
Augustus stood in the center of a huge circular square paved with square stone bricks, with the Revolutionary Army soldiers with flowing ribbons standing beside him. This square was located in the very heart of New Sterling City, between the city's three landmark buildings, and was surrounded by tall red city walls.
The central square, which covers one-fifth of the city center, retains the name Sterling City Square, named after Augustus's grandfather. The square is not empty; it features the restored Senate building of Korhal and the original burial grounds of Mengsk and nobles, now used to bury millions of fallen Revolutionary Army soldiers.
At the very center of the square stands a bronze statue of Augustus's grandfather, a stern-faced, short-haired man in a long robe, with two wide-eyed Sterling Wolf lying at his feet. Beyond the statue, one can see tens of thousands of black tombstones with crosses engraved on top, each with a bouquet of flowers in front of it.
A tall monument bears an inscription from hundreds of years ago: Your names are unknown, but your deeds will live on forever.
This cemetery is the final resting place of warriors who died in the Battle of Korhal, the Battle of Dylarian, the Battle of Tarsonis, and at Mar- Sara. Some of their remains were never recovered; buried here are their wills, personal belongings, or a sealed gun.
The youngest victim was only sixteen years old, and the oldest was fifty-five. Many of them had never imagined that they would one day pick up a gun before joining the Revolutionary Army; some had never even seen a gun or a mangled corpse.
They had many identities: father, son, husband, wife; patriot, patriotic soldier with a spirit of selfless dedication, or simply social outcasts caught up in the atmosphere and opportunists looking to turn their lives around. But now, they all had only one identity.
Augustus, wearing the dark gray cloak that had accompanied him in Korhal, Deadman's Port, and Mar- Sara, looked up at the sky and city beyond the square's walls.
New Sterling is known as the silver city in the mountains, the pure crystal city, the sanctuary of the Korhal people, and the last pure place.
After Augustus led the Revolutionary Army Fleets into deep space without hesitation, Angus and his staff diligently rebuilt a sanctuary to shelter their people from the storm.
The skilled artisans, the most advanced scholars in various industries, and the very foundation of a nation—the most ordinary people—were spared from destruction along with their home planet. They quickly used their hands and wisdom to rebuild the dignity of the Korhal Korhal. Industry and the real economy recovered in just over a year, and the shame and hatred spurred even those Korhal people who had little hope of revenge to work hard.
The Korhal people of Umojan adhere to their almost fanatical belief: to reclaim everything that rightfully belongs to them from the Terran Confederacy.
A gentle breeze swept across the square with its blue bricks and red walls, carrying with it the unique and peculiar fragrance of Umojan. This refreshing aroma has a calming effect, which is why the Umojan people are far less short-tempered than the Kel-Morian people. The people here are neither arrogant nor indifferent; they always greet others with a smile.
Far away, there was a train track suspended in mid-air, and a train traveling at over 300 miles per hour sped past.
Augustus knew that the train was full of the Revolutionary Army Fleets soldiers rushing home to their families. For these soldiers who had followed Augustus through so many battles and voyages in space, they must be returning to their families with the joy of surviving a catastrophe.
The unchanging training and oppressive atmosphere on the Fleets caused psychological problems and various diseases caused by the alien environment to constantly plague these brave warriors. The long, dark, time-space voyages that lasted for months or even a year were a test of everyone's will.
Now, under the arrangement of Augustus and Warfield, the Korhal soldiers in the Revolutionary Army can land in batches to reunite with their families in Umojan. Even the soldiers in Deadman's Port, Mar- Sara, and even those Resocialized Soldier are given their own leave.
Compared to the soldiers buried in August Square, the Revolutionary Army soldiers on the train could return to their families with the glory they had achieved. When they disembarked, they were greeted by enthusiastic officers of the Umojan Protectorate and beautiful girls holding bouquets of flowers, and each of them received a kiss from a young girl.
Augustus his gaze away from the passing maglev train and finally settled on Rick Kydd, who was standing in front of the tombstone. He had recently buried his adjutant who died in Bhekar and the soldiers who had protected him.
Londerstein stood silently before the graves of his two uncles, four nephews, and his father. Harnack was embracing Kurt Josephine's tombstone and weeping bitterly, probably reminiscing about their past struggle for food at the Turaxis II recruit training camp.
Besides them, a Heaven's Devils Henry Ryan is also buried here. Like all members of the Heaven's Devils Platoon, Henry quickly became a high-ranking officer in the Revolutionary Army, leading an elite paratrooper unit.
Augustus course, still remembered the Heaven's Devils who had once saved him.
Henry's death had nothing to do with courage or cowardice; it was simply because his battlecruiser was unfortunately destroyed by the Confederacy Navy during the Battle of Tarsonis.
Thousands of soldiers died like sand in an hourglass, most instantly melting in the scorching plasma powerful enough to melt the steel plates of battlecruisers. Because the destroyed ships were caught in the middle of a fierce battle, no rescue was possible. The surviving soldiers continued fighting until, several hours later, the last one succumbed to the long and agonizing death from lack of oxygen and hypothermia.
For a long time, Augustus stood upright, like a statue. Kerrigan and the other guards beside Augustus remained silent, until a man with dark gray hair and eyes just like Augustus slowly walked from the other end of the square.
"Someone told me that you've been staying here these past few days, personally burying the dead soldiers, and you're exhausted but still unwilling to stop."
Augustus looked in the direction of the voice and saw Arcturus's well-groomed beard and thick eyebrows. Arcturus Mengsk looked at his brother with such sincerity that no one could doubt his deep love for his brother.
Even though he is not a politician or a soldier, Arcturus, as a mine owner, pays great attention to his image.
He was wearing a black coat and matching trousers, with an electromagnetic pistol and a sword at his waist. The finely crafted spindle-shaped buttons and the Mengsk Family crest on the coat complemented his attire, while the bright red whip-ring insignia of the Sons of Korhal added to his cold and aloof demeanor.
Regardless of any display of noble status, Arcturus exudes dignified majesty and power simply by wearing a black coat rather than a solemn cloak.
Every member of the Mengsk Family is a born leader, possessing an air of composure and equanimity. If the Augustus the eagles and wolves of Korhal, then the Arcturus are undoubtedly the lions of the plains.
Arcturus, meaning the brightest star in the constellation Boötes, is one of the brightest stars in the entire sky, and the person named after it was the most dazzling star.
Augustus's name comes from the title of Octavian Caesar, while Valerian was the name of an ancient Roman emperor.
"We are all heartbroken," Augustus said, looking at his brother. "We have experienced too much Parting of Loved Ones, and we will experience more in the future."
"No matter what, it's so good to see you again."
"I don't need to tell you again that wallowing in grief is pointless, Augustus. We have too much to do; there's no time for sorrow." Arcturus strode toward Augustus, accompanied only by agents of the Sons of Korhal.
The Sons of Korhal's emblem is derived from the Revolutionary Army badge designed by Augustus himself, with the addition of blood-stained serrations to the whip. This organization, which strikes fear into the hearts of Tarsonis nobles and high-ranking officials of the Confederacy, never hides the fact that it is a populist terrorist organization. Their clear and sole objective is to seek revenge against the Old Families and politicians who signed the decrees and edicts that destroyed Korhal IV.
The organization's creators transformed it into the darkest and most ruthless terrorist group in the eyes of the Terran Confederacy in just one year. Arcturus Mengsk is fully capable of leading an army or a larger organization, but for now, he is only focused on opening new mines and finding a new home in Korhal.
After all, Arcturus was not alone. Strictly speaking, the development of New Sterling and the Revolutionary Army both depended on his achievements in the mining industry.
In the past, Arcturus learned about mining purely out of interest; now, he bears another responsibility that he feels he cannot shirk—protecting his people.
Augustus led the army, while Arcturus almost single-handedly rebuilt Korhal's already collapsed economy. Arcturus's ambitions went far beyond that; he forged ahead, determined to build an unparalleled Fleets for Augustus and revive Korhal.
"I know," Augustus agreed with his brother.
Arcturus placed his hand on Augustus's shoulder. "I've heard of your victories. If it weren't for the mines and New Sterling, I might have led the army to the front lines myself."
"You don't need to worry about our people becoming refugees. Everything is fine in New Sterling," Arcturus told his brother. "Go and do what you must do. One day we will overthrow the tyrant's rule and uphold justice."
"And the Tagore Family of Tarsonis will soon pay the price. Andrea Tagore destroyed Korhal, so I will ensure her lineage ends. Over the long term, more than thirty members of the Old Families have died at the hands of Sons of Korhal."
"That's not enough," Augustus.
"...Oh..." Arcturus laughed, "Of course not enough, far from enough."
"I have received reliable information, and after repeated confirmation from the Sons of Korhal, the August National Security Committee, and the Umojan agents, we can confirm that the Old Families of Tarsonis are transferring their Heir and younger family members to Tyrador IX in preparation for the Sons of Korhal's assassination attempt—" he said.
"Since the establishment of the Taradorn settlement, that undeveloped tourist planet has been the backyard of the Old Families, where they own many businesses and properties."
"They were scared."