The Grand Curtain

By June 2493 AD, the United Earth Directorate Expeditionary Fleet's offensive in star systems such as Braxis had gradually evolved into an unprecedented Total War, shrouding countless Confederacy worlds once again in the ominous shadow of war.

"From Braxis to New Trinidad, a vast star system encompassing seven-thirteenths of the Terran Confederacy worlds has been affected." On the central connecting bridge of the Hyperion, the image of the Adjutant was projected onto the tactical control console.

"Bacchus Moon, Asteria, Choss, Altheon, Onuru Sigma, Artisia, Rhine 12, Turaxis II, Eridas, Timul IV, Turaxis, TarKossia Noris."

Images of numerous Confederacy territories flashed before Augustus's eyes, his face changing colors as he watched the vibrant lights of those planets. No two of these planets within the Confederacy territories were alike; their positions within their respective stars and a host of other factors combined to create vastly different natural environments.

The environment and resource distribution of each planet have given rise to completely different human landscapes, and some planets are even worlds apart.

The Bacchus Moon is a planet with vast, dark oceans. All of its land area has been transformed into waterfront cities built along the water, and the lights of countless ports, holiday hotels, and shopping streets create one glittering point after another on the deep blue planet's surface.

Choss is a desert planet with towering mountains. Its inhabitants arrived during the last wave of colonization. The vast and sparsely populated environment means that each town is far apart. The inhabitants are somewhat similar to Mexico during the Earth's colonial era.

Many of these planets survived the Zerg invasion of the First Total War, but the war never seemed to end.

Augustus could simply reach out and touch the planet on the holographic screen, and tap it to see detailed values.

Some celestial systems orbiting their respective stars or planets are flashing red, indicating that they are on the United Earth Directorate Expeditionary Fleet's route. Of course, most of these planets may not even have seen a trace of human spaceships, yet the planetary governors still declare that they have been attacked—these attacks may come from local Confederacy Resistance Army forces, pirates, or a few drunkards with beer bottles.

Just as in the First Total War, the Terran Confederacy Navy did not have enough manpower to defend the colonies that were far apart. The people of the colonies hoped that the Confederacy Fleets would be nearby if their homes were attacked, so they had to ask Tarsonis for help.

The upheaval caused by the United Earth Directorate Expeditionary Fleet's invasion was no less than that caused by the Zerg, Terran Confederacy realized that this was yet another Total War that could overthrow its rule.

From the perspective of the Augustus Revolutionary Army, it was impossible for them to help the Edge World fight against the UED Fleets at this time. After all, the destruction caused by the UED Expeditionary Fleet was far less than that of the Swarm. They didn't care about the gains or losses of a single place, nor did they have time to plunder the people of the occupied territories.

"We intercepted distress signals from multiple colonies, the furthest of which is more than eight thousand light-years away," the Adjutant concluded.

"Even Saluset has reported that they are under full-scale attack by the Earthlings." A deep voice came from behind Augustus, the sound of Power Armor combat boots slamming heavily on the bridge deck.

"That planet is far away on the other side of the Koprulu Sector. I think even if the Earthlings really have an army of billions, they wouldn't need to rush to attack that barren land. Even if the Earthlings had a thousand warships, they couldn't possibly deploy them across so many worlds. It must be that the Earthlings used classic psychological warfare and deception tactics to throw the multiple worlds of the Terran Confederacy into chaos."

"As far as we know, the Earth United Earth Directorate Expeditionary Fleet is not as large as they claim."

"Long time no see, Lieutenant General Horace Warfield." Augustus turned to his old friend behind him. "Even we don't know where the Earthlings' Fleets is right now."

Horace Warfield wore a heavy gray-white Power Armor, with golden Capricorns cast on the broad shoulder armor on both sides, the insignia of Warfield's army.

Compared to the past, Warfield's skin was noticeably darker, and his beard was whiter; only his deep, pool-like eyes remained, glaring with an air of authority.

General Warfield was originally stationed on Antiga Prime, guarding several Edge World centered on Antiga Prime in the hands of the Revolutionary Army. He was the pillar of stability in that star system.

After the United Earth Directorate began its invasion of the Koprulu Sector, Augustus recalled Warfield's Fleets.

"A week ago, the Confederacy's Epsilon Squadron, Deep Blue Squadron, Delta Squadron, and Eta Squadron formed a massive Fleets and launched a counter-offensive against Braxis aimed at reclaiming lost territory," Augustus.

"Nobody knows exactly how the Battle of Braxis is going, but it seems the Confederacy has suffered another major setback there."

"The Confederacy knows nothing about the UED's military leaders, yet they know information about every Confederacy naval Fleets." Warfield stood beside Augustus.

"The only thing we know is that the United Earth Directorate Expeditionary Fleet's Fleets has been in constant motion. The advanced Warp Drive technology and heavily armed escort ships they brought from Earth are the key factors that have allowed this Fleets to outrun the Confederacy's pursuit Fleets."

"If the Confederacy commanders aren't stupid, they should know that the Earthlings came with the intention of utterly defeating them," he said. "The unrest that DuGalle's people have caused on various planets is just a smokescreen; their ultimate target is definitely the Confederacy of Tarsonis."

"Earth is 60,000 light-years away from here. Once the United Earth Directorate Expeditionary Fleet is defeated, they will only perish in this desolate universe."

As one of the earliest high-ranking Confederacy officers to join Augustus's uprising, Warfield had been entrusted with important responsibilities by the Revolutionary Army Marshal in recent years. Few could earn Augustus's unwavering trust like Warfield and Raynor.

Augustus understood the principle of trusting those he didn't trust and trusting those he did trust. This trust earned him the loyalty and trust of his subordinates.

"It seems the Confederacy isn't worried at all about the possibility of Tarsonis falling." Augustus retrieved information about the Tarsonis main planet on the tactical control console.

Standing behind Augustus, Warfield could naturally see the magnificent alloy steel fortresses and orbital defense platforms in the outer space orbit of Tarsonis. So many steel fortresses guarded Tarsonis, and even the brilliance of the nebula was obscured by these space-based defense platforms that humanity was so proud of.

At least four fully-fledged Confederacy Fleets, formed during the First Total War, guard Tarsonis and patrol trade routes to various prime worlds. Tarsonis is also a highly developed, self-sufficient world, with hydroponic farms and food processing plants sufficient to support its population, Tarsonis surged to nearly four billion after the Zerg invasion.

The Tarsonis Confederacy was well prepared for a protracted war of attrition against the Zerg and Protoss, and the humans were not a threat.

"Tarsonis has now truly become the most impregnable human planet in the Koprulu Sector. The leader of the Old Families, who is in charge of the construction of the defense system, has declared that it will be an insurmountable defensive line. Even the Zerg will have to retreat in defeat in the face of Tarsonis ' orbital defense network, and the Protoss Fleets will also be defeated here." Augustus put his hands behind his back.

"By now, the Confederacy believed they could rest easy, commanding the Confederacy Fleets to annihilate the Earth invaders from the fortress of Tarsonis."

"From this perspective, Tarsonis is indeed an impregnable fortress," Warfield added.

"Our Fleets is completely helpless against those steel plates that can withstand naval gunfire and the incredibly powerful railguns; only the Hyperion's main guns can put up a fight," he said.

"Right now, the Confederacy's only concern is that this United Earth Directorate Expeditionary Fleet is merely a reconnaissance Fleets dispatched by Earth, while the truly overwhelming Solar System Fleets may be on its way."

"But if that's the case, there's no need for this advance Fleets to alert the enemy," Augustus said.

"However, Earth's technology is definitely superior to ours. It took the Tarsonis seventy years just to research the Warp Drive technology for colony Mothership and get back into space. The technological gap between them cannot be ignored."

"I've already mentioned to you that United Earth Directorate general named Alexei Stukov. He's a visionary commander, and it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say he's a genius in warfare," he told Warfield.

"I believe Alexei Stukov is the mastermind behind the UED Expeditionary Fleet; he will surely find a way to break through the Confederacy's defenses. All we have to do is wait, wait for the moment when the situation in the Koprulu Sector truly changes."

"Even the Zerg couldn't defeat the Terran Confederacy. You're overestimating the Earthlings, Marshal." At that moment, the bridge doors of the Hyperion opened.

Several distinct footsteps approached, led by General Edmond Duke, commander of the Alpha Squadron, who was now loyal to the Revolutionary Army.

General Duke clenched his fists, as if he were strangling an UED Expeditionary Fleet soldier, a move that would kill him with a mere squeeze. "Those country bumpkins on Earth are nothing special. Their warships aren't that scary."

"Give me a Fleets, and I can crush those tiny mud planets of Earthlings in a few standard months."

"I've never known who gave you this confidence, General. Or perhaps, in the eyes of Earthlings, we are the real country bumpkins." A magnetic voice made Augustus turn around.

"Big Mengsk is right, you're the country bumpkin," Harnack Hank's flamboyant voice followed.

"Shut up, you country bumpkin! I'm going to send you, the arsonist, to jail!" Duke's temper was never good.

"Arcturus, brother, you've come." Augustus's cold gray eyes lit up.

"I have a feeling that the final moment for us to overthrow the Terran Confederacy is about to arrive." Arcturus Mengsk wore a black square-collared cloak with bronze epaulettes and copper buttons, and a red cape with the Mengsk Golden Wolf pattern in gold thread.

Augustus stepped forward and embraced his brother.

"Do you miss me?" Arcturus was thirty-two years old this year. He was even more robust Augustus, like an upright lion, with a storm seemingly gathering between his gray eyebrows.

For years, Arcturus has been running his mines outside the Koprulu Sector. Arcturus is a man who shares weal and woe with his men in the pursuit of goals, and he often participates in the day-to-day operations of the mines, even personally overseeing the excavation of mine shafts.

Arcturus never stopped training his body, and it is said that no one in the mines could beat him in swordsmanship, marksmanship, hand-to-hand combat, or chess.

"Of course," Augustus's thought.

Perhaps, there is a little bit.

"How are Mother and Dorothy?" Augustus asked.

"Why don't you ask me how I am?" Arcturus retorted.

"Brother, you look as strong as a lion." Augustus thought for a moment.

"Have you decided to marry Juliana? How will Valerian explain his parents to others?"

"No, this revolution is at its peak, how can I get married?" Arcturus offered an excuse, borrowing words from the ancient Earth texts he had read.

"My life is dedicated to the revolution."

"Heh, I know what you fear most is constraint," Augustus chuckled. "Whether it's your father, or the family represented by Juliana and Valerian."

"Alright, this matter will eventually come to a conclusion, but not now." Arcturus thought to himself, "I mine to support your army, not so you can insult me." But based on Arcturus's deep love for his brother, he didn't care about the matter at all.

"I have brought the Sons of Korhal, who have sworn to be the first to ascend Tarsonis and avenge Korhal," he said.

"You've been waiting for an opportunity, one that wasn't with the Protoss or the Zerg, but with the Earthlings. Now, the Earthlings have arrived."

"Once everything settles down, it will be us, not the Confederacy and Earth, who will take over the Koprulu Sector." Arcturus's eyes seemed to hold the power of lightning and thunder, captivating all who beheld them.

"I have arrived, Augustus."

"General Ledbetter of the Terran Confederacy has been appointed by the Confederate High Command as the garrison commander of Tarsonis in a time of crisis, and several Confederacy Fleets have been transferred to the core worlds surrounding the Tarsonis main star." This was reported by the Adjutant of the Hyperion.

Augustus and his generals turned to the bridge porthole, where they saw the entrance to the sub-dimensional channel, which stretched out like a blue film, and thousands of the Revolutionary Army gold and red battlecruisers and fighters were crossing the channel.

"Locate the coordinates of New Folsom —the largest prison in the Terran Confederacy used to hold political prisoners and rebel captives," Augustus said to his Adjutant. "Let's rescue our imprisoned revolutionary comrades first."

"Release the wolves of war!"