The Great Evacuation
Mar- Sara surface, Mar- Sara city, the colonial capital.
Augustus last visited Mar- Sara, a planet with crimson lands, more than a year ago. When he stepped onto this desolate yet magnificently beautiful expanse again, he felt as if he had been transported to another world. It seemed that Raynor's son, John, had already been born for more than three months.
The capital region of Ma Sara, which was ravaged by war a year ago, has now had its main roads and buildings destroyed by artillery fire rebuilt and repaired, and has been largely restored to its pre-war state.
At that time, several main divisions of the Revolutionary Army surrounded the main urban area, while Governor Mar- Sara's Planetary Defense Force attempted to use the residential areas as a barrier and strategic buffer zone for the governor's mansion.
Today, the grid-like streets of Mar- Sara City present a desolate scene. The solar-powered telephone booths, satellite base stations, restaurants, shops, and the Ardien Crystal Trading Post are all deserted. This once large metropolis with a population of over one million has become a silent ghost town, with only a single flag of the Terran Confederacy still fluttering in the wind on a distant flagpole.
A barbershop flyer fluttered across Augustus's studded brown military boots, whistling through the air. Augustus tightened the collar of his thick cloak, his bushy gray eyebrows furrowed inward.
In the capital region at this time of year, rainfall is scarce and the air is dry. Frequent strong winds blow up the red soil outside the city, bringing with them a light, drizzling dust.
Not long ago, the oases and green spaces outside the capital region could protect the city from sandstorms, but now the green plants in this area have withered. A thick Creep Zerg fungus has spread to within a few miles of the main urban area, covering farmland and streams with a sticky, oily Creep.
"Spore infection. Look at these houses, they're practically sprouting mushrooms." Tychus Finley, clad in his custom-made crimson Power Armor marked with the number 625, and carrying a Whisperer heavy machine gun, said, "Omega Squadron ships are in the sky, and worms are still digging holes on the ground. The situation is dire. This is truly bizarre, the entire Sara System."
"We're the only ones thinking about saving people."
As Tychus said, the Jormungand Brood had already begun to infect the city, with deep purple Creep buds appearing in the sewers and around the manhole covers.
Behind Augustus, Tychus, and the others, a fully armed Revolutionary Army 1st Division Mobile Battalion marched past them in perfect unison. Behind the Revolutionary Army soldiers, whose Power Armor was emblazoned with white whip rings and the 1st Division's black double-headed eagle insignia, followed by massive red Goliath Combat Robot. A large number of Moria vehicles and medium tanks were driving along another, wider road.
Revolutionary Army Avenger and Wraith jets, along with transport ships carrying paratroopers, flew overhead intermittently.
These troops are all heading in the same direction and towards the same goal: the largest airport in all of Sara, Sara Airport.
They were ordered to seize the airport, which was under the control of Omega Squadron, within two hours in order to use the launch port to launch transport ships carrying refugees. A dozen hours earlier, a Marine company from Duke's Alpha Squadron had attempted to take the airport but was repelled by the defending Omega Squadron.
Left with no other option, the lieutenant of the Alpha Squadron commanding the company could only request support from the main force via radio.
Before the Revolutionary Army arrived in Mar- Sara, the city had been continuously transporting weapons and equipment from the Mar- Sara military base and crystal mines from government warehouses out of the Sara System via hundreds of APOD transport planes. The spaceport launched ships day and night, with the schedule always full, but the transport ships only carried valuables, weapons, and files, not refugees in urgent need of evacuation.
It is said that the previous Magistrate Mar- Sara used large transport ships to carry the wealth he amassed during his year-long term, and only the wealthy and their associates were able to board the government and military transport ships. Even the magistrate's dogs and cats were able to get seats to escape Mar- Sara, while refugees, no matter how much they cried and begged, could not get a place to escape the planet.
"Stop complaining, Tychus. I heard you're an expert on dealing with Zerg. So, what's your plan to do with these bugs?" Jim Raynor, dressed in Heaven's Devils's Grey paint, was wiping his beloved Colt military revolver, occasionally gesturing as if he wanted to use the pistol to blow open Zerg's head.
Not only is an elite Omega Squadron stationed in the main city of Mar- Sara, but several squeaking Zergling may also emerge at any moment from its dark and narrow streets. These small and agile creatures can even traverse Mar- Sara's sewer network, waiting for an opportunity to drag passing humans underground.
Before the Revolutionary Army entered the city, the residents often heard the sound of a large group of creatures suddenly rushing past their feet, the thud of their horny feet stomping on broken metal.
The increasing number of missing persons reports, the discovery of corpses that had been completely devoured, and the presence of giant scorpion-like creatures failed to elicit any response from the city government or the governor's office, as if they simply didn't care.
Today, millions of Zerg likely roam beneath this city, hollowing out its sewer network and diligently building their underground kingdom. Given the right opportunity, or if the leader of the Jormungand Brood decides to attack, the Swarm could destroy the entire city like a Zerg boat capsizing in the ocean.
"Burn them all up," Tychus said. "The Protoss have already told us what to do: burn all the bugs, whether they're Zergling, Hydralisk, or even the eggs they lay. Burn them all."
"The only thing you'll need to do then is add black pepper and cumin to the roasted bug carcasses. There's only one way to deal with bugs: burn the entire surface of the planet, then inject lava into their damned burrows and seal the entrances with cement. The Protoss have already shown us."
"Yes, you should try the Mutalisk Roasted Wings, Jimmy, the New Sydney Roasted Chicken Wings," Harnack Hank said. "I find roasting bugs much more fun than roasting people, but those monsters don't have any fat, so they can't be used as oil lamps."
Some time after the destruction of Sara, Tychus, along with other high-ranking officers in the Revolutionary Army, watched a documentary of the Protoss Expeditionary Force Fleets's destruction of Sara. This left a very deep impression on Tychus, who had previously looked down on the Protoss, and overnight he became a champion of superior firepower and Zerg barbecue expert.
This also gave Tychus more in common with Harnack Hank, the commander of the Firebat unit in the Revolutionary Army.
"Incinerate the entire planet. If we could do that, we would have done it already," Augustus said at this point. "Currently, our forces can only contend with the Zerg in small-scale battles in localized areas. In the event of a Total War, we can only barely retaliate with fusion weapons."
"Men, let's think about roasting the insects after we rescue Ma Sara's people."
At that moment, a few sporadic gunshots rang out ahead of the Revolutionary Army's marching column, clearly indicating that Rick Kydd's vanguard had engaged the enemy. However, the gunfire quickly subsided, and Augustus soon received a report that the Omega Squadron had already retreated.
"Augustus, many residents stranded in the city have gathered outside the Mar- Sara airport. They've set up tents outside the airport, hoping that the Confederacy Army will have a change of heart and give them a ride when they escape," Rick's voice came through Augustus's communicator.
"When the Jormungand Brood first invaded Sara, the wealthy who could afford tickets for interstellar travel had already left. What remains are the middle class and ordinary civilians."
"How many of them are there? Let's set up an isolation area first. We need to confirm whether these people are infected," Augustus said immediately.
"There could be tens of thousands," Rick replied. "I'm afraid we'll have to send more transport ships to this area."
Currently, the Revolutionary Army has gathered approximately two million Ma Sara refugees and is transporting them through Ma Sara's airport.
The work of gathering refugees and organizing relief efforts went unexpectedly smoothly.
This was partly due to the efficient work of the Revolutionary Army officers with firm beliefs and the support of the people of Sara for the Revolutionary Army, but most importantly, the Confederacy had already completed the work of gathering refugees ahead of schedule.
Prior to this, Omega Squadron soldiers had forcibly driven the city's residents into refugee camps enclosed by makeshift tents and wooden fences, and then stationed troops to guard them like prisoners.
When the Zerg invaded Mar- Sara, the Confederacy was not entirely inactive.
The colonial Confederacy first imposed strict military control in the name of protecting all Confederacy citizens—which was a reasonable measure—but the act of forcibly relocating residents of cities and towns to refugee camps in the wilderness was quite incomprehensible.
Augustus's Revolutionary Army knew perfectly well that the Confederacy didn't have enough transport ships to get everyone out, and they might not even have a plan to rescue the Mar- Sara people.
The Confederacy's decision to evict people from cities and relocate them to centralized settlements is even more incomprehensible, because if they were not prepared to evacuate refugees, cities would undoubtedly be safer and easier to defend than open wilderness.
A few days after the Revolutionary Army landed on Mar- Sara, the Omega Squadron soldiers stationed on the planet's surface also withdrew from Mar- Sara without hesitation, leaving behind millions of desperate Mar- Sara people.
It's as if the Confederacy wants their people to die even faster.
Fortunately, the Revolutionary Army arrived just in time. Just as Augustus had promised when he left Mara Sara in the past, they would one day return, and when they did, they would surely bring salvation.
"The evacuation is now in your hands." Augustus spoke to Rick, everyone could feel the sky suddenly darken. The sky, which was filled with misty red dust, seemed to be covered with dark clouds in an instant, and the distant sun became faintly visible.
"This is the Fleets monitoring station. We have detected a swarm of nearly five million Jormungand Brood gathering towards Sara. Fleets Command is dispatching air support to the ground." Ground commanders, including Augustus, heard the Fleets's warning at the same time.
"This is not good news, it's about to 'rain'—a rain of bugs," Tychus said, clicking his tongue.
"It's your turn to perform," Augustus. "Pest control expert."
"There are Zerg heading straight here." Suddenly, Sarah Kerrigan had been silent beside Augustus, raised her sniper rifle.
Kerrigan was wearing a well-fitting dark gray military overcoat and a long-brimmed military cap to protect her from the wind and sand. Her long, fiery red hair, reaching her waist, fluttered in the wind like a trembling flame.
"They're only about 700 yards away from us in the expanded underground sewer network," Kerrigan added.
I could sense their chaotic, bloodthirsty thoughts—they were elite assassins of the Swarm, acting on the orders of the Cerebrate Yack of the Jormungand Brood Swarm, who wanted to devour the leader of the Revolutionary Army."
Kerrigan was also able to read the Zerg's mind, because the Zerg's thoughts were not complex; they didn't even have a complete logical thinking ability. She could also clearly perceive the will imposed on these creatures, and based on the Zerg's name for that will, she uttered an unfamiliar word.
Cerebrate Yack.
The leader of the Jormungand Brood.
"It seems the Zerg also understand the principle of capturing the leader first," Augustus said calmly.
Augustus was surrounded by several generals and dozens of elite guards, with two main battalions advancing in front and behind him. Almost at the same time Kerrigan spoke, Faraday led the fully armed Marshal's Elite Guard soldiers to form several layers of human walls around Augustus.
Apart from Augustus, everyone present was hearing the term "Cerebrate" for the first time, but they didn't have time to worry about it right now.
"Keep a close eye on all the sewer exits, watch your step!" Tychus, who had fought against Swarm, shouted.
"Red Devil Unit lads, open the valves on the storage tanks, get ready for a barbecue." Harnack's voice, clad in Firebat Power Armor, held no fear, only a trembling excitement.
"What?" Raynor suddenly realized something else. "How did the insects know that Augustus here?"
"The Zerg can acquire their memories by eating or infecting their enemies," Kerrigan explained. "This is a new discovery by Dr. Francos."
"Who was the highest-ranking commander among those recently killed in action?" Augustus asked.
"It must be Lieutenant Colonel Alfred. He died protecting local refugees during the battle against the Zerg at Battle Rhine Mar- Sara 14. He had just been at the Marshal's headquarters before he died," Kerrigan said. "His men failed to retrieve his body."
"These bastards," Raynor cursed under his breath.
Seven hundred yards is just a few dozen seconds for the Zerg elite assassin squad moving at high speed. With a tooth-grinding metallic twisting sound, the first Zergling leaps out from under the sewer cover, brandishing its sharp, crackling forelegs.
This is a much larger and stronger Zerg than a normal Zergling, with colorful skin, a crest of spines, and a huge, ferocious mouth.
However, this newly emerged elite Zergling rammed head-on into a burst of scorching plasma and immediately burst into flames amidst distorted blue fire.
Thank you for voting, thank you for the donation, thank you for your support!