Empress
Agria, the surface of the earth.
The Skylark Crossing Refugee Camp.
The semi-circular metal-roofed building, with its silver and red hues, gleamed in the morning sunlight; it was a modular structure welded by laser. Nearby, there were hundreds of identical houses or larger warehouses, outposts, and fortifications and towering watchtowers that shared similar style and materials, their gold and red flags clearly identifying their ownership.
Before sunrise, the people in the Skylark Crossing Refugee Camp emerge from their safe metal huts to be tested for Zerg infection at designated medical monitoring points. Then, they receive water and heated food to eat a poorly presented but essential porridge containing calories and protein, while the children occasionally receive candy.
Next, if the test results are normal, these people will go to the movie theater to watch the news and keep up with the latest news from the Terran Empire. Of course, wearing masks and maintaining social distancing are essential.
It's worth mentioning that, besides news about the refugee rescue efforts in the Edge World the Terran Empire, the most popular programs in the refugee camp are the talk show hosted by Domi Mili. In the show, the host, as usual, quotes a saying by Augustus before starting.
Secondly, the Imperial Raynor's Raiders Drone -Kicking Contest, hosted by Char Jim Raynor of the Terran Empire, is also very popular. In Raynor's Wilderness Survival segment, you'll also see the decorated Admiral Raynor teach you how to cook alien Mutalisk wings in 200-degree Celsius sand in dire situations and how to do it with relish.
This sparked a craze for Mutalisk Chicken Wings within the Empire, making Mutalisk Chicken Wings a bestseller both inside and outside the Star Sector at the Star Barbecue Restaurant in New Orleans.
The increased jobs provided much-needed employment opportunities for the unemployed and refugees, despite evidence suggesting that these Mutalisk chicken wings were not made with real ingredients.
The Skylark Crossing Refugee Camp camp houses approximately 70,000 people, including a special expeditionary marine battalion of the Terran Empire's Nova Squadron, along with numerous logistical, administrative, and medical personnel.
These Imperial soldiers had participated in many famous battles, but in the past they had fought against tangible Confederacy forces, Protoss, and Zerg; now they had to face invisible plagues and infections.
Near the refugee camp is a long river, dozens of kilometers long, whose source is the majestic Yalta Glacier. The river water is clear and sweet, but the people in the area have long since stopped drawing water from here.
In the past, this river was like a blue ribbon of light shimmering with gold under the sunlight, its bottom covered with lush underwater algae, a truly beautiful sight. Now, it's more like a rotting, stinking ditch, where corpses can often be seen floating downstream.
The opposite bank of the river was once a beautiful forest, but now it has become a wasteland covered with a thick Creep, and the withered tree trunks are silent tombstones. Every night, a mournful wail echoes from there, and the Infested Terran wander everywhere, like hordes of zombies.
When daylight arrives, they retreat back into the darkness underground, but they will also come out to roam on cloudy days when the weather is unpredictable.
These monsters are not all extremely terrifying; some are even no match for a little girl with a shotgun. However, many of them are mutated individuals, carrying saturated acid within their bodies. Once they explode, people within a radius of tens of yards will be killed by the shockwave, and those further away will die in excruciating pain.
On this day, Bernard Hansen, the chairman of Agria, stayed up all night, handling the dispatch and transfer of refugees in a small, secluded room in the refugee camp.
Bernard had been working for sixteen hours straight, his nose was bloodshot, and his body told him he was exhausted, but the beloved chairman showed no sign of stopping to rest.
Agria's losses were too great.
When Antiga's Imperial Navy arrived in Agria, this once scenic and climatically pleasant agricultural settlement had lost nearly a million people, equivalent to one-tenth of its total population.
This is only one aspect. The agriculture on which Agria depends for its development is also collapsing due to the spread of the Creep. Unprecedented diseases have begun to spread in major crops such as wheat and corn, and the thriving native plant communities have been greatly wiped out.
The atmosphere of Agria was filled with deadly spores of the Zerg plague, which further poisoned the rivers and seas through rainfall. The terrifying Griffin tribe and their leader Carlos crushed the Agria settlements without firing a single shot; the invisible fear was more chilling than sharp fangs and claws.
In the beginning, the Agria were driven from their homes by disease and fear, and more than 100,000 died or went missing during their exile alone.
Depression, despair, and fear spread among the survivors, crushing the morale of some and making them feel that death would be better. The Agria once thought they had been abandoned, until the arrival of the first Imperial reinforcements.
"Father, the Emperor's flagship Hyperion, has arrived at Lark's Crossing Starport." Bernard's daughter Ariel Hansen, pushed open the door and walked in, followed by two Agria militiamen dressed in greyish-white CMC-200 Power Armor. The red and white crosses on their armor indicated that this army mainly performed medical support missions.
Ariel, the daughter of Bernard Hansen and Talis Korgan, has grown into a beautiful young woman. She has just interrupted her studies at University of Tarsonis to return home and help her father govern Agria.
Ariel has a head of glossy black hair, wears a knee-length white lab coat, and carries a book in her hand, exuding the intellectual beauty of a literary young woman.
"Emperor Augustus was always very punctual." Bernard recalled the first time he met Augustus Mengsk, at which time he had already recognized him as a young prodigy.
"Have my secretary find a time machine; I need to see the Emperor immediately. I hope he won't turn me away."
"The Emperor is on his way to see you," Ariel said. "If all goes well, he should arrive in a few minutes."
"I hope he's here to interrogate me; that would make me feel better." Bernard sighed deeply. These past few days, self-reproach had almost broken this once-strong man. "As chairman of the Immigration Commission, I'm incompetent. Perhaps the official sent by the Emperor would have done a better job. After all, I'm just not cut out for this."
"This isn't your fault," Ariel said.
"Agria is the first settlement to survive an attack by the Griffin Swarm. Our warriors are brave and tenacious, and the morale of our people remains high," she said.
"The surrounding immigrant territories that have also declared their Terran Empire have provided Agria with resources or manpower support to varying degrees. As long as we persevere, Agria will surely be able to hold out until the moment of final victory."
"The Emperor has arrived." At this moment, a commotion suddenly arose outside. Before long, several Royal Guard soldiers who had cleared the way were already standing at the door of Bernard's office. Their bright crimson Power Armor and the golden wolf insignia on it were almost impossible to ignore.
When Bernard stood up, a wave of dizziness almost made him faint; he was simply too exhausted.
"Bernard Hansen, I'll come to find you as soon as I arrive in Agria." The Emperor of the Terran Empire's voice preceded his arrival.
Two Ghost operative dressed in blue and white holographic combat suits walked in first, bringing with them a chilling aura. Bernard wasn't sure if it was just his imagination, but he felt as if there were many more eyes watching him from the shadows.
Bernard suddenly recalled the rumors circulating that Emperor Augustus Mengsk trusted Psionics more and consulted his red-haired ghost queen on everything. This was certainly not true, but Psionics could be found in the political vetting and recruitment departments of the Terran Empire, holding far more positions than in the Terran Confederacy era.
So far, the Emperor has not allowed Psionics to hold important government positions, although it is said that General Haller of the Nova Squadron is also a Psionics.
Times have changed.
Augustus wore the Empire's dark blue naval uniform, with a bright red cloak adorned with wide gold insignia and bronze buttons. The Emperor of the Terran Empire carried a cage-shaped longsword and an electromagnetic pistol at his waist, as if he were still an Imperial general.
His gaze was calm and resolute; when he stood, he was like Char's solid rock and Braxis's upright pine.
When the Emperor entered the office, the guards at the door, Bernard, and Ariel all involuntarily lowered their heads.
Bernard was startled; he couldn't recall ever considering Augustus Mengsk as an unquestionable authority. This was completely contrary to his original intention in establishing the Agria settlement, which was to exist independently of any Human Regime.
"Emperor Augustus, the Chairman of the Agria Immigration Committee pays his respects." Bernard, unsure of the proper etiquette when addressing an emperor, simply bowed respectfully.
Augustus grasped Bernard's hand, his grey eyes shining brightly. "I have learned of Agria's current situation, Mr. Bernard, and that will soon change."
"I have failed you in your trust," Bernard said. "You should seek someone more capable."
"And then send an Imperial Governor? Very well, Mr. Bernard, my Chairman Agria, I don't need to resort to such means to control this planet." Augustus simply smiled, as if he had seen through Bernard's little scheme at a glance:
"If my great grandfather were still here, he would tell me that the Lord of Restoration will rule his people with fear and awe and with strict laws, while a benevolent ruler only needs to be loved."
As the old saying goes, water can carry a boat, but it can also capsize it.
"To make a long story short, I have good news. The Imperial Fleets is about to launch a counterattack and completely drive out the Zerg from Agria," Augustus.
This information was not communicated to Agria via radio; it was a military operation. And now there is evidence that the Griffin Swarm's Cerebrate Carlos has even learned to steal military secrets by infecting communications soldiers.
"We are about to engage in a decisive battle near Agria —using Psi Emitter to lure the Zerg, and then destroying them in one fell swoop." Augustus felt it necessary to explain this to the leaders of the Agria settlement.
"After that, it will be time for a real counterattack."
"This is wonderful." Bernard knew he had finally gotten his chance to reclaim Agria.
"At that time, Agria will be rebuilt." Augustus's words immediately reassured Bernard: "The Empire will not abandon Agria; its food production is enough to feed at least twenty border worlds."
"For a long time, Agria has been supplying worlds like Antiga with resources. Agria's support for the Empire will certainly not be forgotten."
"Clearing the infection from Agria isn't the problem. The key is that the Griffin Swarm will invade here once, and then it will come again." At this moment, an elderly man with white hair, dressed in an Imperial Navy uniform, walked in. He had a ruddy complexion and was full of energy, looking like he could live another fifty years.
"I propose that you establish an alien biological laboratory in Agria to study the Zerg virus in humans. Hmm, to study exactly how the Zerg virus affects humans. That way, we might be able to do the opposite and use this virus to fight the Zerg." Narud looked at Bernard Hansen.
"Oh, I am Dr. Narud, the biological expert hired by the Emperor. Hello, Dr. Bernard. I heard that your ex-wife is now in Tarsonis, working on a new project for the Terran Empire."
"Hello." Bernard shook hands with Dr. Narud and felt that the other's seemingly thin hand was surprisingly strong.
The Protoss have developed a nano-antidote for the Griffin Swarm Virus. Antiga's pharmaceutical production lines are also fully operational. Once the antidote is deployed in Agria and other invaded worlds, half of the crisis will be resolved.
At least, the current antidote is extremely effective against the Zerg virus. Augustus offered resources to help the Protoss build the Golden Armada in exchange for hiring the Daelaam biological experts of Dalam and ordering them to participate in the research on the Zerg virus.
At the same time, the knowledge brought by these Protoss will greatly improve the medical level of the Terran Empire, which is a win-win situation for the Empire.
Behind Dr. Narud should be Queen Augustus Mengsk, with beautiful red hair and eyes like cool green emeralds. She walks with a brisk and heroic air.
Sarah Kerrigan previously just a commoner, with no connection to the nobles of Tarsonis, let alone to royalty like the Mengsk Family.
On the day Emperor Augustus ascended the throne, he declared Sarah Louis Kerrigan the undisputed Empress of the Terran Empire, making her the most revered woman in the Terran Empire. If the Emperor were to perish, Kerrigan undoubtedly become the Empress.