Tassadar and His Accessory

"It was those Confederacy humans' Zerg experiments in the Sara System that attracted the Zerg." Tassadar issued the assembly order over the remaining warships' communication network.

"You could say that." Augustus certain that the Terran Confederacy's forbidden experiments were largely to blame for the massive Zerg invasion, akin to inviting wolves into the house.

In a flash of icy blue light and the bright wakes of their thrusters, dozens of imposing Carrier formed a tight attack formation around the flagship Star Shuttle.

These colossal creatures, exceeding three thousand feet (approximately one kilometer) in length, possess smooth, golden hulls and are elongated oval in shape. Unlike human battlecruisers, the Protoss carriers do not appear to be completely sealed by various airtight compartments and exit valves; their bows and islands are open structures, resembling split figs or flowers just about to bloom.

This reminded Augustus of golden, plump pea pods that, under the scorching sun, split open at the tip, resembling the Carrier. In comparison, the Scout hovering near the warships were like eagles folding their wings, ready to pounce.

Instead of the outer hulls and main deck, there were some kind of extremely hard transparent crystal and luminous curtains shaped by pure energy. Through these pure, water-like walls, one could see the warship's wide deck, dock, and a glimpse of the main gun matrix. Every Protoss ship, from the massive carriers to the tiny, barely detectable Observer, was surrounded by a layer of pale blue plasma shields, like a net made up of countless hexagons.

The Aiur Protoss love the sunlight, so their personal accessories and warship armor are all gold. If a human battlecruiser painted entirely in pure gold would only be seen as an extravagant nouveau riche, then the Protoss ' exquisite craftsmanship and the art attached to it make it completely different.

The design is exquisite and breathtakingly beautiful.

"Look at what those people have been doing all this time? Provoking the Zerg, standing idly by, or causing trouble behind the scenes." Tassadar had witnessed the Terran Confederacy's actions in the Sara System and on Antiga Prime. The Protoss Expeditionary Force was doing its best to help the Terrans put out fires under immense pressure, but the Terran Confederacy not only didn't help, it also added fuel to the fire from time to time.

"I will not easily intervene in the internal disputes of inferior civilizations; this is also part of the Dae'uhl Doctrine. The Kalath Arbitration Incident occurred precisely because we recklessly intervened and attempted to mediate the civil war among the Kalath people, which led to disastrous consequences," he ordered.

"But I will not tolerate their slaughter of my selfless and courageous human friends. Forward, stop those Confederacy humans!"

"Meeting you is one of the luckiest things that has ever happened to me, Executor." Augustus said with his hands behind his back, his expression serious, and the clenched fist of one hand indicated that his inner state was far from as calm and composed as his face suggested.

The Hyperion is a capital ship that has been modified several times by top engineers of the Umojan Revolutionary Army, including Rory Swann and Viktor Kaczynski. It is equipped with the most advanced large defensive shield generators and can rival two Behemoth-class Battlecruiser of the same class. However, it probably cannot hold out for long against enemy ships that outnumber it by several times.

With Tassadar's command, the remaining Protoss Fleets briefly teleported two astronomical units away in a flash, appearing about ten miles directly above the two Fleets. The bridge of the Star Shuttle could directly overlook the two human Fleets that were slowly closing in.

A beautiful, starlight-like light and shadow projected onto the Star Shuttle's star chart control console, combining to form a multi-dimensional stereoscopic screen. On it, the scene of the Nova Squadron's dozen or so battlecruisers firing their thousand laser cannons was displayed in perfect detail. The dazzling orange-yellow barrage resembled dense streams of orange-red fire.

"Human warship, this is Tassadar, the executive officer of the Protoss Expeditionary Force. Immediately cease firing upon your fellow human beings." The main screen in front of Tassadar and Augustus switched to a communication screen with static-like electromagnetic interference.

A few seconds later, a man wearing Confederacy blue eagle-studded cap appeared on the screen; he was Colonel Jack Haller, the commander of Nova Squadron.

"This is none of your business, Protoss. Mind your own business." Haller stood with one hand behind his back, his eyes sharp, exuding shrewdness and competence.

Colonel Haller was a lean man with small, dark eyes set deep in their sockets. He was probably not even thirty years old, but he looked young and charismatic, with a distinctive, pointed mustache on his upper lip.

"I advise you, Protoss, that you'd better not interfere in conflicts between humans. The Terran Confederacy is not to be trifled with." He straightened his hat brim, took out a cigarette, and lit it with his laser lighter.

After saying that, Colonel Haller cut off the communication. He wasn't there to communicate or negotiate with the Protoss, but only for a threatening warning and ultimatum.

People in the core world of the Terran Confederacy likely only hear the words "Protoss" and "Zerg" occasionally on radio programs and news channels, as well as snippets of information gleaned from official channels and other sources. Many Confederacy members also believe that there is a clear distinction between good and bad between the two races in the Koprulu Sector.

However, the Confederacy commanders on the front lines believed that there was no clear difference between the Protoss and the Zerg; they were equally evil and equally abhorrent. If the Zerg were swarms of carnivorous locusts constantly devouring Confederacy territory, then the Protoss were mysterious, powerful, and dangerous ancient aliens.

In Colonel Haller's mind, the Protoss who burned down the sister star of the Sara System were incomprehensible and brutal beings, and that humanity had no possibility of communicating with or coexisting peacefully with them.

Haller was clearly unaware of Augustus and Tassadar's collaboration in Char; his warships kept a safe distance from Char, not daring to approach Char Swarm.

There are indeed records of Protoss Fleets appearing and driving away Confederacy Fleets in the past, but Confederacy commanders believe that it was just a coincidence, and the Revolutionary Army ships that were saved by the appearance of the Protoss were just lucky.

The Protoss would never attack human warships or large transport ships full of personnel; at most, they would only warn any human vessels that entered their field of vision. Haller was unaware that Augustus and Tassadar had formed an alliance. He believed that as long as he boarded the Revolutionary Army's flagship Hyperion, before the Protoss could intervene, he could capture the renowned Revolutionary Army leader, Augustus Mengsk, alive.

"What's going on? Has that guy gone mad or is he mentally unstable?" Tychus placed his heavy machine gun upright on the ground. "You think the Protoss wouldn't dare fire?"

"As long as they've seen how the Protoss burned Sara and Ma Sara to ashes, even if they've only seen reports and footage, damn it, if Protoss main cannon capable of evaporating an entire ocean with a single shot were to land on a human warship, how could it be just a joke?"

"They don't know the pain yet. Let the Protoss teach these Confederacy bastards a lesson." Raynor was completely unaware that he was using the enemy's power as a shield.

Years ago, during the Guild Wars, Augustus and Raynor were called "Confederacy bastards" by the Kel-Morian they killed; now, they are the ones saying that.

Seemingly as proof of those harsh words, the Nova Squadron warships, which were chasing several Revolutionary Army warships in space, accelerated on the main screen of the Star Shuttle.

The Nova Squadron battlecruisers have always prided themselves on their swift speed and unpredictable timing of entry. While the performance of their engines may not surpass that of the Hyperion, which has undergone multiple upgrades and modifications by Umojan and Swann, they can still easily outclass the Son of Thunder and other Revolutionary Army warships.

If he could catch up with even one of the warships, given the Revolutionary Army marshal's character, he would never abandon the entire crew of the battlecruiser, especially when he still had a chance to save the others.

These Confederacy battlecruisers, painted in deep purple, looked like a school of fish struggling to swim to the surface on the screen. Just like the name of this Confederacy naval squadron, the emblem of the Nova Squadron is also a shining new star—a circle radiating symmetrical rays of light outward, a star that is about to explode.

"Lieutenant Colonel, report on the battle situation." Augustus then contacted the executive officer of the Hyperion again.

"Their missiles and space torpedoes are about to catch up with us," the deputy captain reported.

"Judging from the messages that Nova Squadron's flagship keeps sending us, they seem to believe that you are definitely on the Hyperion now," he continued. "Based on the few fragmented Nova Squadron encrypted communications intercepted, I suspect they may be planning a boarding operation against the Hyperion."

"They want to capture me alive?" Augustus thought for a moment and said, "Haller is right. A living Augustus Mengsk is far more valuable than Revolutionary Army marshal who may have perished in a shipwreck."

"I'm afraid. Yes, sir," the Revolutionary Army lieutenant colonel replied.

"They're closing in on the Thunder Child! They're firing on its port side." A report came from beside the lieutenant colonel.

"Retaliate! Activate all guns!" The lieutenant colonel issued a series of orders methodically. This Korhal native, a graduate of the Umojan Naval Officer Academy, was another highly capable and knowledgeable individual since the destruction of Korhal.

"We'll contact you later," Augustus said, then turned to Tassadar beside him.

"The Confederacy wants to capture me alive."

"Ah—he wants to take you back, you're so kind, Jack," Raynor remarked, standing next to Augustus.

"What will they do to you after they capture you?" Tassadar was actually aware of how humans treated rebels. After all, he had been observing the Terrans ancestors who had just arrived in the Koprulu Sector for the past few centuries, watching the flames of civilization gradually rise, and watching humans destroy their home environment for development and then reshape it.

"Put them in prison and then hold a public trial. The witnesses will be the opportunists of the revolution, the jury will consist of nobles, merchants, and those who have benefited from our military actions," Augustus.

"But that day will never come. I'll take them all out first."

"There's not a single good guy in the Confederacy Army," Tychus said, judging others by his own standards.

"Do you know how much Augustus Mengsk, who's second on the wanted list, is worth? The Confederacy would be willing to pay hundreds of millions. Haller is just eager to claim the reward."

"You're a fucking genius, Tychus," Augustus praised him. "You can take my head for the reward, and all the money can be used to build up the army and the colonies destroyed by the Zerg. I have no objection to that."

"If members of the Confederate Congress were standing right in front of me, I would only ask them how much my head is worth, and if the price is right, I would personally offer my head."

"At that point, it will be a question of who should offer their head," Raynor laughed heartily.

By this time, Tassadar's flagship Star Shuttle had closed the distance to Nova Squadron with two short jumps. Without the executive officer issuing further orders, all the crew members on the Star Shuttle were able to perform their duties with remarkable coordination.

On the bridge, Templar Knights pilots were tapping away at a dizzying speed on the light-sensitive screens and the jewel- and crystal-encrusted control consoles. Protoss script and symbols, incomprehensible to Augustus, were jumping across the holographic screens, displaying the human warship's speed, armor, and weapon system stats in full before the Protoss commander.

One after another, shrinking blue concentric circles appeared on the huge porthole in front of the Star Shuttle's bridge. These were the main guns of the Star Shuttle being focused and calibrated. The light shining down from the bridge dome illuminated the entire bridge in blue.

Unlike humans who use nuclear reactors and high-energy gas engines for power, all facilities on Protoss warships are directly powered by Kydarin Crystal, so they don't need to spend much time on resupply.

In the Star Shuttle's dock, thousands of carrier-based interceptors are automatically detaching from the power cables connecting them to the warship and taking off from the aircraft carrier's dock runway with the assistance of gravity catapult actuators.

Guided by the Khala Mind Network, Templar Knights and Khalai Engineers each fulfill their duties as if they were of one mind, existing as a unified whole. Honor and loyalty are deeply rooted in the heart of every Protoss, and each Protoss is empathetic to the thoughts and feelings of others; betrayal should be an absolutely impossible and unthinkable thing.

During combat, the entire bridge of the Star Shuttle is completely silent. There are no complicated orders, crew reports, or commanders' shouts mixed with slang. Only the pleasant resonance of the crystal matrix can be heard.

Augustus stepped out of the bridge window and witnessed a thousand butterfly-shaped carrier-based interceptors taking off from the Star Shuttle and hurtling past him. The other twenty-odd Carrier also released thousands of interceptors, like a swarm of bees provoked by someone.

"We've really stirred up a hornet's nest," Tychus exclaimed. "These little planes are much faster than ours."

"These wasps are almost as big as a Goliath," Augustus.

In the distance, the Nova Squadron warships, including its flagship, could be clearly seen firing at the Revolutionary Army's warship, Thunder Child. There were three of them, sandwiching the Revolutionary Army warship below and firing simultaneously with their broadside guns and land-attack guns.

However, just as Augustus realized that the Star Shuttle's main cannon had already aimed at and fired at the Nova Squadron's flagship, a blinding beam of light swept away a third of the Nova Squadron, as easily as slicing through butter with a hot knife.

Large streams of red particles, cables, metal fragments, and people were pouring out of the broken part of the Nova Squadron flagship, like metallic and orange blood flowing from a wound. The main gun beam of the Star Shuttle appeared to have merely grazed the stern of the Nova Squadron flagship, but the damage it caused was far more than just a scratch.

This was not a random shot; the main gun beam avoided the area with the fewest crew members in the design of human battlecruisers, minimizing casualties as much as possible.

"My goodness!" Tychus scoffed. "These bastards are in for it."

"What are you planning to do?" Tassadar, who had remained silent until now, asked Augustus.

"Capture their commander alive and force the remaining warships to surrender," Augustus.

"Lieutenant, prepare the warp platform and send out our boarding shuttles," Tassadar said. "Summon my loyal Templar Knights; this is the first battle between the Zealot Order and humanity."

"Come on, I can't wait to get started!" Tychus shouted, raising his heavy machine gun.

I'm going to get a booster shot tomorrow, hopefully I'll be able to start writing again. The editor said I need to save up some manuscripts to get on the big recommendation list, so I'll do everything I can to try.