Go With Him

"I am Carolina, daughter of Mili Davis."

Davis straightened her torn silk skirt and reached out her right hand to gather the wet hair from her forehead. She was a typical Vardona noblewoman, well-versed in etiquette, and every movement seemed to carry an innate elegance. Her words were proper, neither servile nor arrogant.

"You should put on some clothes before you come in." The Ghost operative Sarah Kerrigan over her ample chest beneath her military uniform. Her icy, emerald-like eyes were fixed on Davis's smooth shoulders, and a soft hum escaped her nose.

"I am not naked." Davis looked at Kerrigan and noticed that she was also dressed in a neat gray military uniform. She had a well-proportioned figure and beautiful features, and she looked dashing in the uniform, like a red-haired Valkyrie.

"It's not too late to wear it now." Kerrigan was always cold and sarcastic, and she never had a good impression of the old Confederacy nobles. "Marshal Augustus Mengsk doesn't like women who dress provocatively."

"Don't always speak for me. I never said I don't like pretty girls who dress provocatively." Augustus coughed lightly, while nodding to Ghost operative N21482 of the Battlefield Porcupine Squad, who was standing at the door of the governor's office.

After Augustus's bodyguard Faraday closed the office door from the outside, only the marshal and the two rather unhappy women remained inside.

"Miss Carolina, thank you and your father for your assistance to the special forces in the arrest of the Governor of the Vardona Confederacy. If it weren't for that, we would have lost many more brave warriors." Augustus spoke highly of Davis.

"You saved the lives of hundreds of the Revolutionary Army and Confederacy soldiers. It's always the despicable rulers of the Confederacy who deserve to die, not them."

"Sarah, you should give Carolina enough respect." Augustus saw the shadow of his mother, Katherine, in Davis; that opinionated and strong woman always stubbornly pursed her lips, just like Carolina.

If he hadn't seen it with his own eyes, Augustus have believed that the woman in front of him was the same old woman who had been nagging him endlessly in StarCraft II's co-op mode, gesturing and chattering so much that it made one want to twist her head off.

"I will respect her as much as I respect you," Kerrigan snorted. There are many little bitches who idolize Augustus; they always shamelessly show off their legs and figures, wishing they could throw themselves into his arms.

Davis may not be a formidable rival to Augustus, but Kerrigan believes that she'll turn into a cat in heat if she looks at Augustus a few more times. In Kerrigan's eyes, no one can escape Augustus Mengsk's charm, but that's only because she herself is too deeply infatuated.

Kerrigan wasn't particularly possessive; she was just as aggressive as ever.

Most importantly, Davis wouldn't be a rival, because Augustus would never choose a woman older than himself as a partner. This means Kerrigan has a significant advantage.

With that, Kerrigan walked to the sofa next to her, took out a large military-style windbreaker from an M backpack she carried with her, and handed it to Davis was still wearing wet clothes. "Do you want me to help you put it on, or do I look like a maid?"

"This doesn't look like your clothes, it belongs to the Marshal?" Davis took the windbreaker and put it on.

"That's right, but don't sniff it too hard," Kerrigan said.

"No, that won't happen," Davis quickly denied.

"I know you won't." Kerrigan's emerald green eyes seemed to pierce through Davis's soul.

"Back to the main point." Augustus tapped the table. "It's 3:44 PM Standard Time. I probably have about another half hour on the ground."

"I heard you really want to see me—now, you can say whatever you want in front of me."

The Davis Family is one of the most powerful noble families in Vardona. Their wealth was accumulated entirely through the efforts of their ancestors and Mili Davis, and they are not puppets of the Tarsonis Confederacy. Augustus would not refuse the Davis Family's support, after all, he is not yet powerful enough to ignore them.

The Davis Family of Vardona resides in the core world and is also involved in shipbuilding, providing distant star system dry docks and orbital shipyards for the Revolutionary Army warships to dock in space.

"The Davis Family will be loyal to you." Davis spoke as freely as Augustus said, "Our ship parts manufacturing plants are located throughout Vardona and the moon, capable of producing everything from Screws and circuit coils to ship hulls and cannons, with hundreds of thousands of workers employed by the Davis Family."

"In addition, we also control a trade route to Tarsonis, Velitia, and the Brontes Prime, enabling us to transport supplies from the Core World to the Revolutionary Army."

"What are your demands?" Augustus believed this was feasible. In the past, the core world of the Confederacy had always been a forbidden zone that the Revolutionary Army could not enter, with only the Terra Family and Holt Family occasionally providing valuable supplies to the Revolutionary Army.

Even so, the Old Families of Tarsonis would not openly and fully support the Revolutionary Army, while local families like the Vardona Davis Family, once bound to the Revolutionary Army's banner, would have no choice but to give their all.

"We have no demands, we only hope that the Revolutionary Army will preserve the Davis Family after overthrowing the Confederacy," Davis said.

"This promise is worth a thousand pieces of gold." Augustus stared into Davis's eyes, and made his decision in an instant.

"Remember, before today, I would have preferred to destroy the Davis Family completely rather than preserve it. But now, I can even become the Preservers of the Davis Family." His voice was steady and resolute.

"Just as I have bestowed favors upon this family, I can also take them back without hesitation."

In just a few words, Augustus transformed from a gentle figure into someone powerful and unquestionable. He warned the Davis Family to behave themselves, or they would be destroyed immediately.

Marshal Augustus Mengsk never made promises lightly, but he always kept his word.

"Bring the head of the Davis Family to me." Then, Augustus turned to Kerrigan beside him. "Tell Jim to send someone to bring Mili Davis here."

"Hurry, we don't have much time left here. The Confederacy Fleets could arrive at any moment. A science ship has already detected the jump disturbance of the Epsilon Squadron entering the hyperspace passage from three light-years away."

"Are you leaving Vardona soon?" Davis asked.

"Of course, I bet the members of the Confederate Congress in Tarsonis were scratching their heads when they heard that the rebels had reached the core world of Vardona." Augustus had a few more words with Davis before Mili arrived at his office.

"Although it will take quite a while to get from Vardona to Tarsonis, the councilors and nobles probably think that the rebels and thugs who are about to cut off their heads are already standing at their doorstep."

"The entire Confederacy Fleets of the Koprulu Sector has been mobilized and is heading towards Vardona at all costs," Kerrigan said at this moment.

"Please take me with you," Davis Augustus, putting her family aside immediately.

"The Marshal doesn't need a blonde maid." Kerrigan realized in a flash.

"Oh—I don't mind." Augustus shrugged. "It sounds like you want to join the Revolutionary Army? But there's much more you can do in Vardona than as an ordinary soldier."

"Moreover, you have no experience serving as a professional soldier."

"I received a systematic military education," Davis said. "And I was ready to be a soldier long ago."

"If you graduate from a military academy, no matter where it is, you will have the opportunity to serve as an officer in the Revolutionary Army." Augustus stood up and walked to Davis, smelling the blood of the battlefield on her.

"Recruit Carolina Davis, after completing basic training, you will be assigned to a front-line combat unit," Augustus said with a smile.

"Our army has many female soldiers who are resilient and indomitable, proving that women are just as capable as men."

"Yes, sir," Davis replied.

"I thought you were going to give her special treatment, like you did with Mira Han," Kerrigan muttered. "Or assign her to a hospital? I think that's a good idea."

Before Davis could say anything, several Raynor's Raiders in blue Power Armor had already escorted Mili Davis to the front door of the Governor's office.

"The renowned Augustus Mengsk Korhal, Lord of the Wolves." From the moment he entered the governor's office, the disheveled Mili acted as if he had just closed a major deal.

In the past, when discussing the Revolutionary Army Marshal with the nobles of Tarsonis, Mili wouldn't say anything nice, but he would say whatever pleased the person he met, whether they were a commoner or a nobleman. Mili Davis was as cunning as a fox; he had lived long enough to be a master of his craft.

"Ah, the people of Vardona all say that the Terran Confederacy will surely regain its glory in the hands of that man, Angus Mengsk's son, who went back two centuries, was also the greatest revolutionary." Mili couldn't help but praise Augustus a few more times.

Upon meeting Augustus, Mili immediately realized that he was far superior to Confederacy bloated government officials and incompetent soldiers of the Confederacy. Augustus had captured Vardona in just a few hours; how could he not be a man capable of great things?

The social hierarchy in the Terran Confederacy is highly rigid. Apart from Tarsonis, other newly rich individuals in the constituent worlds of the Confederacy must obtain the approval of the Old Families to become nobles. Once the Confederate Congress and the Old Families cease to exist, their original positions will immediately become vacant.

Mili believed that Augustus wanted to take over the entire Territory of the Terran Confederacy, which would be even larger after the end of the Guild Wars, he would need the support of the old nobles. Given time, the Davis Family would be the Old Families of the new regime.

He wished the entire Tarsonis Old Families were dead.

"Thank you," Augustus said with a smile. "Carolina said that you and your Davis Family want to contribute to the revolutionary cause, and I don't object to that. Our revolution would be even more powerful if it had more people like you."

"The Davis Family will always be loyal to you, and all Davis will remember this," Davis swore. "We will be loyal to Augustus Mengsk and his rightful and wise successor."

"You do not need to pledge allegiance to me," Augustus. "You are sacrificing yourselves for the revolution."

"After the Marshal's command post evacuates from Vardona, you can contact us through an encrypted channel. A dedicated person will be responsible for liaison with Vardona. As the head of the Davis Family, you can also communicate directly with me."

"And the Davis Family will do everything they can to help the Revolutionary Army." Mili quickly accepted the fact that the Revolutionary Army would soon withdraw, but he believed they would return sooner or later.

"Vardona will surely belong to you."

Hearing Mili's words, Augustus simply nodded. He silently walked out of the governor's office, through the long corridors, and into the spacious ballroom of the governor's mansion. This was where the governor of Vardona indulged in luxury; although the decorations were magnificent, they were merely affectation.

In the past, this ballroom was filled only with scantily clad dancers and nobles holding fine wines, a scene so absurd it was unbelievable.

Meanwhile, the ballroom was holding Confederacy officials and staff from the governor's mansion. A huge red-brick fireplace faced a floor-to-ceiling window, outside of which lay the devastated municipal park. Everywhere were black car wrecks and broken-down Armored Vehicle, and Arclite Siege Tank were now a common sight.

The large open space in the city center park was filled with the Revolutionary Army soldiers in gold and red Power Armor. Their neat square formations stretched as far as the eye could see, their white bayonets gleaming.

Revolutionary Army flags were planted diagonally on both sides of the road and on buildings, the gloomy dark gray sky obscuring thousands of flags fluttering in the wind. Several transport planes slowly flew overhead, and a flag that had been dropped and was burning fiercely was so conspicuous.

This was a silent and solemn army, and it was the force that enabled Augustus to conquer the main city of Vardona.

"Did Governor Vardona confess?" Augustus asked Kerrigan had come with him, standing in front of the French windows.

"Before we even applied mind control, he hastily revealed everything he knew. Governor Vardona's confession will be broadcast live to all the Confederacy's core worlds via the Vardona UNN broadcast tower, along with the Confederacy's incriminating information we obtained from Ma Sara, Cha Sara, and Antiga Prime, and irrefutable evidence of their Zerg experiments."

"Very good." Augustus glanced at the mechanical watch on his wrist. Outside the window, the drizzle carrying ashes grew heavier, and blue lightning occasionally streaked across the sky.

"It's time, we should go."

At Augustus's command, Mili and Carolina, who had come to the ballroom together, saw the Revolutionary Army formation below turn in perfect unison. They could almost hear the thud of soldiers' footsteps on the stone floor and the click of rifle butts on their shoulders.