Wind of War
Korhal Revolutionary Army Territory, Crusader III.
"Very good. The Terra Family has now truly become our loyal ally. Apart from hoping that my Revolutionary Army can reclaim the Terra Family's assets in Tarsonis, Annabella Terra can find no other reliable people."
A triumphant Revolutionary Army Marshal Augustus Mengsk emerged from a lavishly decorated detached villa, followed closely by an enraged Sarah Kerrigan.
This villa, located in New Babylon City, once belonged to the president of a mining company in Krusas, who fled the planet with his family after the Revolutionary Army arrived.
Afterwards, someone reported to the Provisional Government of the Revolutionary Army that this person had illegally plundered the xenon crystal deposits of Krusas and forcibly occupied the land of local farmers to build factories. Subsequently, Arcturus Mengsk ordered the confiscation of all his assets in preparation for auction to compensate the local residents.
Augustus temporarily housed the members of the Terra Family here and funded their upkeep.
Kerrigan wore a well-tailored black blazer over a beautiful white silk shirt, paired with a dark blue skirt and clattering high heels, her red hair flowing behind her.
If she were to wear glasses, Kerrigan would transform into a sexually sensual librarian.
"This is certainly an inspiring boost for the Revolutionary Army —why are you running?" Kerrigan said to Augustus walking ahead, and caught up with him in just a few steps, walking briskly even though she was wearing high heels.
Before meeting Augustus, Kerrigan, a former Confederacy Ghost operative, was not used to such high heels that hindered her movements, but she quickly became adept at them in a short time.
"Stop right there!" she stomped her foot.
"Stop!"
"I'm just in a hurry." Augustus dressed in a Revolutionary Army's uniform, with the Mengsk family's sword hanging at his waist.
"The General Staff told me that they wanted to consult me on the drafting of general mobilization orders for each territory."
"Alright." Kerrigan seemed to accept Augustus's explanation, but as a mind reader, she was not easily fooled. "Do you think I'm still angry? She's just a frivolous Tarsonis bitch. This bitch, her husband just died and she's already hooking up with young, handsome men."
Kerrigan was referring to Annabella Terra, the legally married wife of House Constantine, the head of the Terra Family. Today, Annabella has traveled from her planet to Krusas, bringing with her the full support of the Terra Family.
The Terra Family holds an indisputable monopoly in many industries within the Terran Confederacy. They Overmind everything in areas such as machine servants and virtual images, including research and development, manufacturing, the supply and sale of raw materials, and almost all industry competitors and related companies have been Terra Family over a long period of time.
This allowed the Terra Family to accumulate unimaginable wealth— the Mengsk Family was merely the ruler of one planet, Korhal IV, and their influence was limited to other planets, while the Terra Family's influence extended throughout the Confederacy.
The Terra Family's wealth, accumulated over two centuries, is more than enough to support this raging revolution. They are one of the de facto Overmind of Tarsonis, and their mere presence of liquid funds is enough to cause a sensation on the Confederacy Stock Exchange.
This is also why Angus Mengsk was accused by the Confederate Congress of being an ambitious man. The Old Families had already divided and Overmind every aspect of this Confederacy world. It was really difficult for a rising star like the Mengsk Family in a local colony to intervene in an industry that was completely monopolized. They could only use the name of revolution to overthrow everything and redistribute the benefits.
Not only in Tarsonis, Terra Family's businesses span the entire Terran Confederacy, and their products subtly influence the lives of the Terrans.
Take the Tyrador III combine harvester manufacturing plant of the Terra Family as an example. After modification, the production line in the plant can produce components for improved Arclite Siege Tank, Rattlesnake Tank, and mobile electromagnetic cannons.
The Terra Family even owned many unexploited crystal mines and high-energy gas deposits, which Annabella transferred to the Revolutionary Army and Augustus himself, including entire planets.
"Annabella is now the de facto controller of the Terra Family. She is an extremely capable person, and she has managed to regain firm control of the Terra Family in such a short time." Augustus forced a few words of praise for Annabella.
Many people, including Augustus, have always thought that Annabella was a woman of loose morals, the kind of lady who spent most of her life dressing up, buying jewelry, and going to the opera, but that was not the case at all.
"That's right, but that doesn't contradict it. How could she say something like that? It's utterly shameless!" Veins bulged on Kerrigan's forehead. "What? Constantine is dead? If she marries you, the Terra Family and Mengsk Family can legitimately unite?"
"Annabella is such a witty and humorous woman," Augustus lied.
Most importantly, Kerrigan knew that Annabella was telling the truth.
To be honest, Kerrigan didn't consider herself the most irreplaceable person by Augustus's side. The Terra Family, for example, had something Kerrigan didn't: the support of a large family.
Annabella Terra was right; if Augustus married her, he could control the Terra Family.
"God knows what she was thinking?" Augustus -laughing and half-crying. "Annabella Terra is old enough to be my mother, but I recommended a suitable candidate to her: my father, Angus."
"How dare you say that?" Kerrigan knew it was just Augustus joking; the guy often made fun of his father, and perhaps he still harbored a grudge against Angus.
But it must be said, Kerrigan was amused.
"Mother must not know about this." Augustus shrugged, thinking to himself that he had finally managed to get away with it.
This is what telepaths are like. It's very difficult to truly enter their inner world after they have developed a complete and sound worldview. Psionics have a better understanding of human nature than most philosophers and thinkers.
Having a girlfriend who can read minds is a tough job, especially with Augustus being so popular right now.
Just then, Augustus heard someone calling his name from behind. When he turned around, he saw Annabella's eldest daughter Clara and youngest daughter Nova walking quickly toward him.
Beside the huge floor-to-ceiling windows on the second floor of the villa, a noblewoman wearing a black shawl, a box-front short jacket, and a blue knee-length skirt, and a young man in a suit sat at the dining table, smiling at Augustus.
This is a three-story Baroque palace-style building with symmetrical, wide porticoes, steps, and pale blue domes. The harmonious diagonals and dignified decorations create a unique sense of solemnity.
In reality, the meal lasted only half an hour before it ended hastily. Augustus and Annabella barely ate anything, instead sipping fine red wine from Tarsonis while discussing business, mainly clarifying how the Terra Family would support the Revolutionary Army.
Annabella was a very clever person; aside from having Augustus spend some time with her, she never made any demands for anything in return.
"Mom has something else to give you." Annabella's youngest daughter Nova, blushed and handed Augustus a small blue box.
Augustus idea what was inside, because Kerrigan had already snatched it and crushed it— Kerrigan's strength was like that of a tank engine; she could easily lift a Marine in Power Armor.
Nova was immediately stunned.
"Wow--" Clara, standing to the side, covered her red lips in surprise, her thoughts unreadable.
"What is that?" Augustus asked.
"A bottle of perfume, usually a sex toy used to drive men crazy, how could this bitch let her daughter deliver something like that?" Kerrigan replied through gritted teeth.
Although Kerrigan already equated the women of the Terra Family with philandering bitches in her mind, she still treated Nova quite well. It seems that the women of this family are keen on being mistresses.
"Wow," Augustus said, shrugging.
"Go back, Nova." He called her by her nickname like family, "Tell your mother I probably can't accept her gift because it's broken."
Nova Terra is someone Augustus afford to ignore; she has been confirmed as a Level 10 Psionics, on par with Sako Angelini. Augustus is lucky; this is yet another golden legend.
Nova Terra is currently learning how to control Psionics from Sako Angelini and Sarah Kerrigan. Sako runs a school full of Psionics children in Krusas, with students from all the planets controlled by the Revolutionary Army, while Sarah occasionally teaches Nova a trick or two, but they are things that can be deadly.
Nova is absorbing knowledge about Psionics at a rapid pace, and her talent has even caught the attention of a Protoss Dark Templar master who secretly follows and protects Augustus.
Augustus had no doubt that Nova would become a Psionics master in the future.
"Okay." Nova clearly knew what was in there.
When Augustus looked up, Annabella was smiling at him. Annabella had neatly combed-back burgundy hair; she was well-maintained, and her smile exuded the composure of a mature woman.
Annabella is the current head of the Terra Consortium and one of the most powerful figures in the Terran Confederacy. Although Tarsonis is currently surrounded by the United Earth Directorate Expeditionary Fleet, the Terra Family remains a loyal ally that Augustus should value.
At this moment, Captain Faraday of Augustus's Guard had already arrived in an Armored Vehicle, and dozens of guards were standing guard on the main road in front of the villa. In a place unseen by everyone, twelve Ghost operative and at least two Zeratai Dark Masters were secretly protecting them.
Augustus didn't know exactly how many Dark Templar were around him; he only knew they were definitely there.
These taciturn Dark Templar masters had little desire to communicate with Augustus. They only spoke to Augustus on rare occasions, warning him that someone was plotting to assassinate him. No one knew what these Protoss were doing in the shadows; they might be reading Xel'Naga documents, or perhaps playing cards.
"Let's go." Augustus greeted Clara and Nova and boarded Faraday's Armored Vehicle.
"Annabella is a very shrewd person. She openly supports the Revolutionary Army, so that in the future I won't have to uproot her like I did with the other Old Families," Augustus said to Kerrigan had followed him from his seat.
"For two family conglomerates, merging allows them to maintain greater power and easily acquire more wealth," he said.
"The Terra Family's factories on other planets are continuously supplying us with various resources and even manpower."
"Like the Terra Family, the Holt Family has also sent members to seek refuge with the Revolutionary Army; they have lost faith in the Confederacy's military power," Kerrigan said. "Not only that, families like the Kucinis and Blueback, whose strength is comparable to the Terra Family, are also trying to contact us."
"Did they also evacuate Tarsonis ahead of time?" Augustus asked.
"It seems so," Kerrigan said. "If it's the Swarm attacking Tarsonis, they won't have a chance of escaping the vast swarm of Zerg."
The Armored Vehicle drove along a small road across the continent and entered the city of New Babylon.
The city, filled with skyscrapers, remained vibrant, with a constant flow of traffic on its roads. Holographic Projection screens and propaganda boats above the city were broadcasting news from the Revolutionary Army Television Station, where a presenter was recounting Londerstein's victory on the planet Victuwa.
Recruitment posters for the Revolutionary Army can be seen everywhere, and the election of Krusas New Senate is about to begin.
New Babylon was a prosperous metropolis, even rivaling Sterling in Korhal, Augustus's birthplace. Thousands upon thousands of people were busy making a living in the streets of New Babylon, seemingly unaffected by the war.
When the Revolutionary Army first took over Krusas, local big merchants tried to make a fortune by hoarding goods, causing prices to skyrocket. But now, those people have been sent to New Folsom Prison by soldiers dispatched by Arcturus Mengsk.
In the past few days, old Confederacy supporters could be seen gathering furtively on the streets, but now that has all disappeared. That's because the Revolutionary Army Government has swiftly installed cameras on various roads to access footage from every neighborhood, making it impossible for fights or any other criminal activity to escape detection.
Centuries ago, Earth already used surveillance to retrieve traffic violations or track criminal suspects, but few people in the Koprulu Sector thought of this.
In the most prosperous areas of New Babylon, military and police officers patrol with robotic police dogs—designed by Viktor Kaczynski and using advanced Umojan AI technology.
As the Armored Vehicle drove through the city center, Augustus suddenly received a message from the Revolutionary Army's security department. The message was concise: they had confirmed the fall of Tarsonis, and the UED army was launching an attack on the core world surrounding Tarsonis.
"Tarsonis has fallen." Kerrigan also saw the message.
"What should we do now?"
"Summon my generals," Augustus.
"Immediately."