Disputes Arise Again

Aiur surface, Xel'Naga Gateway.

The Gateway's hazy array of light and floating blue iridescence resembled a giant mirror hanging in the sky, its surface dark and deep, connecting to another mysterious and unknown world. It could be the core of an aging star, or it could be a paradise on earth filled with birdsong and fragrant flowers.

Extending from that magnificent surface structure tens of thousands of feet into the air, it was wide enough for Protoss Mothership and Fleets to enter.

The strata that once buried these Xel'Naga creations date back to the very beginning of the universe, when the stars were still young and life had not yet sprouted. Even then, the Xel'Naga had already created a magnificent civilization. To this day, their technology remains completely incomprehensible to other races.

The Protoss ' limited understanding of the Xel'Naga Gateway told them that these magnificent creations connected places once visited by the Xel'Naga, and each portal was an irreplaceable miracle, extremely precious, because the Xel'Naga who built them had long since departed.

The Revolutionary Army also obtained from the Protoss the method of using and maintaining the Xel'Naga Gateway. This knowledge and the mysteries within it are invaluable, as it is clearly impossible for the Revolutionary Army's enemies in the Koprulu Sector to know it.

As long as Augustus still possessed the Xel'Naga Gateway in Aiur, he could return to the Koprulu Sector at any time via the one in Haj. All the Xel'Naga Gateway in the universe were interconnected; controlling just two of them allowed one to transcend the dimensions of time and space and teleport to the other side of the universe.

Augustus still vividly remembers that just a week ago, the Gateway was operating at full capacity, with countless Protoss and human ships carrying Protoss refugees heading towards Gateway; the spectacular scene remains fresh in his memory to this day.

As time passed and the situation gradually eased, the scenes of endless streams in Gateway became increasingly rare. More than 150 million Protoss refugees have been safely transferred, while the remainder remained in the province of Antioch Province.

Only a portion of the supply ships that sailed from Shakuras and Haj are still transporting supplies to Aiur through this Xel'Naga Gateway, which has now become the lifeline of the Aiur - Protoss alliance.

"We have completed our mission in Aiur. It's time to go home. Leave the rest to Tassadar and Fenix." Augustus put down a stack of reports calculating military expenditures and reached for a handful of purple berries wrapped in parchment on the table.

Aiur's fruit is both delicious and nutritious, surpassing the antique rations that the Revolutionary Army might have stored in the Confederacy warehouses ten years ago. With a little cooking, stewing the tender green fern leaves with animal meat makes a rare delicacy.

Augustus would occasionally display the hunting skills of the Mengsk Family in the forests of Aiur, a popular pastime among the nobles of Korhal, as well as sailing, squash, and horse racing.

Augustus could no longer derive much pleasure from what the nobles considered an elegant and sophisticated pastime; his past cynicism had transformed into an extreme seriousness toward everything.

"Yes, we have been away from home for too long. The soldiers are all looking forward to the day they can return home. The war in Aiur has left them deeply weary, and that cannot be erased by a fervent pursuit of revolution and freedom." Kerrigan sat opposite the log writing desk, fiddling with the handicrafts and fragrant flower arrangements on it.

"The number of Zerg on Aiur has decreased significantly compared to a month ago, and the Behemoth and Leviathan Swarm in the galaxy have also left. If this situation continues to improve, it's only a matter of time before Tassadar's forces gradually recapture Aiur." Augustus chewed on the delicious, juicy purple berries, but his heart was filled with longing for his mother's baked snails and that dish of garlic-roasted potatoes.

"There's less and less we can do on Aiur, and besides, the Revolutionary Army can't afford to be too far from the Koprulu Sector for too long. I've already given the order for the Revolutionary Army to return to the Antiga system in batches starting March 2nd, so the entire army is ready to evacuate Aiur." He continued speaking to Kerrigan, hoping she could understand the political maneuvering involved and its implications.

Kerrigan is an excellent listener, and her military talent even surpasses that of many of Augustus's senior generals. However, as a powerful telepath who can read minds, her greatest deficiency is the ability to read people's hearts.

"I've heard that the nobles and high-ranking officials of the Terran Confederacy have used their wealth and power to claim credit for the expulsion of the Zerg. The nobles have made a fortune selling military supplies and transporting refugees on cargo ships, while the councilors have secured their positions in the recent general election and are now at the height of their power."

"That's their style. Mr. Angus Mengsk saw it clearly twenty years ago." Kerrigan stood up and straightened her new grass-gray uniform—it was the uniform of the Revolutionary Army's mountain troops, which she wore Kerrigan to test its appearance.

"And it is precisely because Koprulu is without you that they can live comfortably and contentedly. There are rumors that you are dead, because Horace Warfield is the one who is now speaking out. The politicians in the Confederacy government, who are attacking each other, have started discussing the possibility of recruiting the Revolutionary Army again."

Any military uniform looks great on a handsome man or a beautiful woman, but it looks baggy and sloppy on a lazy and slovenly person. Kerrigan's slender figure, clean and neat red straight hair, and cold, ascetic expression make her perfect for the cover of a Revolutionary Army recruitment poster. In fact, she had just returned from the photo studio.

Before long, posters featuring Kerrigan will appear on the streets of Umojan, Antiga, and even Moria, portraying her as a revolutionary fighter or Valkyrie of the battlefield, while the revolutionaries' enemies will do everything in their power to denigrate this image. In any case, such a claim is essential; without it, the people of the Terran Confederacy cannot be expected to gain much of a positive image of the Revolutionary Army from the Confederacy's propaganda.

"Koprulu cannot do without me," Augustus. "Once we return to Antiga, they will remember their fear of Augustus Mengsk. The Terran Confederacy's regime will not be able to run rampant for long; we have established a foothold in this dark universe."

"Vroom--" At this moment, the roar of an engine interrupted the conversation between Augustus and Kerrigan. It was a Hercules-class transport ship that flew over the Taiga Camp, fully loaded with the Revolutionary Army soldiers returning from the front lines.

As the situation on the Aiur battlefield gradually eased, Augustus began to withdraw some of his main divisions from the front lines. In Augustus's view, killing the Overmind and many Cerebrate had already achieved the purpose of this trip to Aiur. In addition, more than 500 million Protoss were saved, and the Protoss were finally spared from annihilation.

Going forward, sending troops to Aiur is pointless. Reclaiming their homeland is the Protoss's own business, and has nothing to do with humanity.

Suddenly, darkness fell outside the command center window, as if a huge dark cloud was drifting overhead. It was the Xel'Naga transport ship that the Revolutionary Army had excavated from Eldritch Lake. It was also the largest ship in the Revolutionary Army, large enough to be converted into a massive mobile dock.

Even with the addition of numerous facilities to the Xel'Naga spaceship, its engines are more than capable of handling the increased load. The Xel'Naga doesn't even need refueling; from a human perspective, its internal energy source is virtually inexhaustible. However, if we extend the Xel'Naga's lifespan to be longer than the universe itself, then it becomes insignificant.

Tassadar decided to gift the giant Xel'Naga ship to Augustus as a token of gratitude for the Revolutionary Army's assistance to Aiur. Augustus had already decided that no matter what the Conclave said, he would absolutely not return the Xel'Naga transport ship to them.

Augustus has ordered the ship to be converted into a massive dockyard capable of building Behemoth-class Battlecruiser, and a large number of outstanding Protoss Khalai phase engineers will assist in this massive project, which will be a supership that combines Xel'Naga, Protoss, and Terran technologies.

This was also one of the Revolutionary Army's gains in Aiur. Augustus even obtained the authority to station troops near the El-Xel'Naga portal, because Tassadar neither expelled his former human allies nor believed they would cause trouble in Aiur.

With the clanging of the alloy steel doors outside the command building opening and closing, Faraday, the captain of the Marshal Guard, led Jim Raynor, dressed in a naval captain's uniform, into the room. The wolf head badge on Reynolds' hat brim gleamed in gold.

"Augustus, I heard we're leaving Aiur soon. That's a good thing, I haven't seen Elizabeth and John in a long time. Revolution is a cause worth sacrificing everything for, but I regret not being able to be with my children as they grow up." Raynor pulled over a huge chair given to him by the Protoss and sat down next to Augustus.

It must be said that the masterpieces of the Protoss master craftsmen combine beauty and comfort; only the arbitrators would overemphasize the value of tradition and the precious metals and gems that signify status.

"John can walk by now, can he?" Augustus laughed. "His mother says he's much smarter than other children his age, so much so that he's mature like a big kid, while Valerian was still crying a lot at his age."

"In the letter's original words, wasn't that the crybaby you? Your mother never even met Valerian Mengsk before he was seven years old," Kerrigan pointed out at this point. "You two, uncle and nephew, have quite a close relationship."

"What's the difference? Valerian looks exactly like me when I was a kid," Augustus continued to say to Raynor.

"By March, I will arrange a spaceship for you to go to Umojan. We can take this opportunity to send Matt Horner Matt Horner, Mira Han, and Egon Stetmann to Umojan University to further their knowledge and skills. They have already learned a great deal through practice, but they still need further study."

"Okay, I'd be happy to send our kids to school," Raynor said with a smile. "Your sister also found a teaching job at Umojan University, maybe they'll run into each other there."

"That child doesn't have time to teach; she owns an entire business empire." Augustus shook his head.

Dorothy Mengsk was the Pearl in the Palm of the Mengsk Family's eye; she was a child showered with love and affection throughout her life, yet she did not acquire the vices often associated with the nobility, undoubtedly thanks to the Mengsk family's excellent upbringing. Her brothers served as role models for Dorothy, which was also an asset in her political endeavors.

This woman from the Mengsk Family became increasingly assertive and was known as Yekaterina of Korhal, which was her grandmother's name. Augustus adored his sister and never hid his affection for her.

Augustus valued his family members highly, just like his brother Arcturus.

"To be honest, I'm really reluctant to leave Aiur now, and I don't know if Tassadar and the others can control the situation. Compared to the people of the Conclave, they are just generals with no political experience, and they also lack the determination and courage to kill their own kind." Raynor blinked and changed the subject.

"We all know Tassadar is kind, but we also know he will suffer greatly for it. Unfortunately, including people like Fenix and Artanis, there isn't a single decisive and ruthless person; how can they lead an empire?" he said.

"That kind of person should be someone with ambition like you."

"The worst-case scenario for Tassadar is whether the Conclave can tolerate the deepening cooperation between the former and current Executors and the Dark Templar of Shakuras," Augustus said.

"That must be a huge blow to the reputation of the Templar Knights class—most of the Protoss Empire civilians fear and hate the Dark Templar, while the Dark Templar themselves are forgiving of their own kind who once drove them out."

"This is undeniably ironic."

"The Protoss who chose to follow Tassadar did so out of respect for the Executor, while Tassadar's friendliness toward the Dark Templar pushed those Protoss who despised them toward the Conclave." Augustus nodded.

"Now, if we take stock of the Protoss who have recently left Tassadar and those who have come from the Kor-shakal Province to join him, we can easily see that the Protoss who like the Dark Templar Dark Templar and those who don't are splitting into two distinct factions at an increasingly rapid pace."

"We will soon find out whether this will lead the entire Protoss to utter ruin— the Protoss ' history has instilled in them a fear of division and civil war, and regardless of what Tassadar and the Conclave think, everything is heading in that direction."

A voice from the Adjutant interrupted the conversation, "Tychus Finley is calling," followed by intense gunfire and shouts, creating an extremely noisy and chaotic scene.

"Damn it, the Conclave attacked us. What's wrong with those hairless bastards? They chased us away first, and then they ambushed us halfway there. They have no shame at all!"