The Bright Lamp Emperor of Taron, Accomplished in Both Civil and Military Arts, Wise and Divine
History, Planet Surface, Drill Site 3
Drilling Site No. 3 is located in a concave, flat lowland within a canyon, connected to a deep underground mine. The area is desolate and monotonous, with everything appearing dim and hazy yellow. Riddled with damage and pollution from mining, drilling platforms and silver-gray modular buildings occupy half of the site.
While the deep underground mines offered refuge from the Imperial Army's search, the descendants of the Old Families, led by Morgan Calabas, could only live in the workers' dormitories. Hundreds of feet or even deeper underground lay another world, a place of murky air and oppressive atmosphere, where the only eerie sound was the rumble of mine carts passing over the tracks.
There was an oasis a few miles away, but here there was only sand and stone. This mining world was still almost virgin land, and living conditions were harsh, far inferior to the comfortable life in Tarsonis. Morgan and his crew had to accept canned and synthetic foods, and sometimes even those were unavailable.
The life of a wandering, fearful escape is not a pleasant journey to the countryside or a tourist destination; pursuers who may arrive at any moment are like deadly ghosts.
In the past few days, Morgan and his companions, who had just arrived on this planet, had hardly slept well, and were growing thinner and thinner due to fear and the harsh environment.
Every day, various messages came from the channels that were still loyal to the Terran Confederacy and the Old Families. Each day was worse than the last, and all the good news sounded like incessant self-comfort and blindly confident boasting.
First, Augustus Mengsk declared himself emperor in Korhal, and the newly established imperial government immediately began arresting government officials and members of the Old Families accused of persecuting revolutionaries. All the ill-gotten gains of the Confederacy and the Old Families were also nationalized.
The news of Augustus's ascension to the throne shocked the Old Families. They could have attacked his uprising as a form of imperial despotism disguised as revolution, but they had to admit that the balance of power between the Confederacy and the Revolutionary Army had changed dramatically, and their roles had been completely reversed.
Shameless usurpers, the Koprulu warlords, Ravager of the world. No matter how much the Confederacy's supporters curse the Terran Dominion emperor, no matter how much they deny this fact, on the lands controlled by the Empire, the Imperials are the government, while the former masters of the Confederacy have become rebels.
In many imperial worlds, this emperor, who always wore military uniform or a gold-red cloak, was also known as the Eternal Augustus, the Conqueror, Lord of the Korhal Wolf, and King of the Terrans.
Morgan and his friends, once high-ranking family Heir and future political leaders and financial tycoons of the Terran Confederacy, have become wanted criminals. Ironically, the amount of the bounty is exactly the same as what the Confederacy previously offered for killing members of the Mengsk Family and important leaders of the rebels.
Within the territory of the Terran Empire, whether they were drug addicts, vagrants, and gangsters from the slums, or former Confederacy officers and officials who took advantage of the change of regime to engage in military speculation, not one of them did not want to rise to the top, gain the emperor's favor, and acquire enormous wealth and a prominent position.
In the Confederacy Era, the power to Overmind the Confederacy belonged to the many Old Families behind the Confederate Congress. Even these Old Families fought and united openly and secretly due to differences and interests. In the Imperial Era of Augustus Mengsk, one only needed to please one person to bring power and fame.
Now, Morgan, who had only been at peace for a few days, was once again dragged out of his sleep. Morgan and his companions gathered in the central control room inside Drilling Site No. 3, looking at each other anxiously, waiting for the latest news to figure out whether this was just another false alarm or whether they had to leave immediately for the next refuge.
As time passed, more and more people entered the control center, and every single one of them had a grim face and a worried expression.
"The shuttle that took off from Mining Station Alpha was shot down by an unidentified weapon before it even entered the stratosphere, Mr. Morgan. We're likely surrounded, and we're under enemy surveillance." A former Confederate Marine Corps officer in blue Power Armor walked in, followed by several others.
"It must be the rebels. All communication signals to the outside world have been intercepted; it can't just be a malfunction of a single communication base station."
It's easy to tell: for over a month, they've been closely followed by either Zerg or rebel pursuers. The rebels used human methods, and the Zerg used Zerg methods.
The rebels might try diplomacy first, but the Zerg are not reasonable.
After the Confederacy officer finished speaking, the control room immediately fell silent. There were no complaints, cries, or screams. The people standing there had experienced far too many scenes like this before, and even those who had tears in their eyes had already shed them all.
They were completely unaware of the war raging in the system, unaware that the Protoss -human alliance was already locked in combat with Prince Gabriel Tosh of the Blades right above them.
"Our shuttle is also very likely to be discovered and shot down; we should think of other ways to get out of the world." Roderick was beside Morgan.
He was a handsome young man, dressed in a stylish cardigan. He had reddish-brown hair and fair skin, and was elegant in demeanor and quick-witted. When silent, he was always thinking, and when he acted, he was clear and decisive.
Roderick was the kind of person who was meticulous in his thinking and decisive in his actions when necessary. Among this group of wealthy and noble scions, he was often the one who offered advice and strategies.
He may be the last Roderick still on the run; the other family members either died when Tarsonis fell or became prisoners.
The Roderick Family was one of the earliest members to establish the Terran Confederacy, but despite holding seats in the Confederate Congress, they never got involved in politics. The Roderick Family had been in business for generations, and their trade extended throughout the Confederacy's territory.
By this generation, Roderick's family was still prosperous, but much more low-key than the Tagore and Calabas Family.
"They couldn't possibly monitor the entire planet; they only located the alpha mining station." Key, wearing a black knit hat and a black jacket, leaned against the alloy steel wall.
"In that case, let's depart from the hidden underground launch port and activate the warp drive below the stratosphere."
Like the other young people here, Ki was a descendant of Old Families, whose members were interstellar merchants, adventurers, and soldiers. He was also the first among these panicked young people to regain his composure.
Not all nobles are spoiled brats; in fact, family Heir raised with rigorous education can be considered elites. Most of the nobles who wreak havoc in Tarsonis are those who lack ability and are not loved by their parents.
Those who were sent to Taradorn to hide were all young talents and heirs of various families, the chosen ones on whom great hopes were placed.
"Leaving Shi isn't difficult; the challenge lies in deciding on our next destination. I know of several Confederacy military bases with significant resistance forces, but those are likely already compromised." Morgan nodded in agreement, then continued, "Leaving Shi further limits our options. The Calabas family has many such planets, but if it's not safe here, it's safe elsewhere."
"Augustus Mengsk's Fleets departed from Korhal, Tarsonis, and Dylar IV, heading towards those worlds still loyal to the Confederacy. My father is also constantly on the run from pursuers; there is no stable, safe place unless he escapes to the edge of the Koprulu Sector."
Morgan Calabas is now the leader among these people, not because his abilities are recognized by everyone, but because everyone else relies on Calabas to some extent.
A month ago, when Morgan and others were enjoying a holiday in Taradorn, there were twenty or thirty people there. Now, there are only nine people in this control center.
Although Tarsonis had fallen, and all the Old Families except for the three Terra Family had suffered heavy losses, many Old Families still retained some strength. Naturally, they immediately dispatched their family armies to rescue their scattered and fleeing family members. Otherwise, if anything happened to this force, they would have no choice but to select another Heir.
For families that already have few descendants and a small population, this would certainly be met with outrage.
For example, Antonia Tagore and the Cusinis Family twins, Beth and Rockham, have already left. In other words, these people are now like children without parents, unless they are willing to go back to their own homes and find their own mothers in the gloomy and terrifying New Folsom Prison.
For example, the entire Roderick Family was imprisoned in the horrific New Folsom Prison, their fate unknown, while the entire Kee family perished on the day Tarsonis fell, slaughtered by crazed UED assassins.
Even the Tagore Family, which had ruled Tarsonis for nearly a century, split after the death of their grandmother, Andrea Tagore. One faction fiercely resisted, while the other wanted to submit to the emperor, offering wealth and dignity in exchange for forgiveness.
This turn of events caused the children present to mature a lot in a short period of time. The frivolous young people became silent and steady, hiding their hatred in their hearts and waiting for revenge.
New Folsom was once an artificial prison used by the Terran Confederacy to detain political prisoners, hardened criminals, revolutionaries, and rebels. It was also the final resting place for those who opposed the Old Families. It can only be said that the Confederacy created a torture device that it ultimately used on itself.
"The risk is still very high. I suspect the rebels know our movements inside and out, and it's very likely this place has already been exposed." Morgan Calabas looked around at the people, implying that there might be a traitor among them. "Even if we escape this planet, the rebels will still be closely following us."
The people here are all loyal servants of the Calabas Family, but that was when the Old Families still ruled the Terran Confederacy.
When Tarsonis fell, the Confederacy suffered a crushing defeat, losing almost all of its army and its government personnel to prisoner. Currently, the Terran Empire, founded by Augustus Mengsk, rules over two-thirds of the former Terran Confederacy's territory, and its powerful Fleets repeatedly triumphs in foreign wars.
If this continues, fewer and fewer people will miss the past of the Terran Confederacy.
Perhaps the servants and hired Confederacy professional soldiers here are loyal, but the mining and smelting workers in the mining station are a different story. They were just workers recruited by Calabas's subsidiaries, and they were only doing their jobs properly for their meager wages. They were not going to risk their lives for the entrepreneurs and bosses.
The Emperor of the Terran Empire was a wise ruler. Domestically, he rewrote and established a new legal system based on the laws of the Confederacy and Korhal, appointed capable officials, reduced the bloated size of the government, and severely punished corruption. Economically, he implemented a policy prioritizing the development of technology and the establishment of new industries, opening the door to talented individuals, and encouraging the re-establishment of trade with the other two brother states Kel-Morian Combine and the Umojan Republic.
Externally, Augustus tamed the Zerg and wiped out the Protoss...
The emperor cared about the people's livelihood and always put the interests of the common people first. He listened carefully to and seriously considered the people's opinions, and the new policies he formulated were more about protecting the interests of workers, peasants and other proletarians than the interests of nobles and monopolistic merchants.
Since Emperor Augustus swept away the nobles and monopolies of the major core worlds, such as Tarsonis, and suppressed all disobedience with ruthless and iron-fisted methods, the common people have found that they now work much less time than before, yet earn much more.
The new policies and their swift and decisive implementation brought about tremendous changes in a very short time, changes that left every politician, economist, and mainstream newspaper writer who held a pessimistic view of the empire gritting their teeth in disappointment.
After the establishment of the empire, a relatively stable social order, a new currency, and government intervention in the prices of necessities led to a significant improvement in people's lives. This allowed them to spend more money on high-tech products like electronics, thus increasing the overall happiness index of the empire's citizens and boosting other industries.
In fact, Emperor Augustus's policies largely followed the democratic system of the Korhal IV, and could only be described as strictly adhering to the rules of a modern democracy. A considerable portion of these policies were also formulated by his father, former Korhal Senator Angus Mengsk, and his staff. The actual promulgation of these laws was by Prince Arcturus, who served as acting regent during the emperor's personal military campaigns.
It can only be said that the Confederacy is utterly incompetent and corrupt to the core; there is no harm without comparison.
The Terran Empire is a highly centralized monarchy, and its enemies are bound to be overwhelmed by the vast ocean of the people and the imperial army.
As a result of this change, whenever Morgan Calabas and his friends fled to a new place, they would be surprised to find that the reputation of the Terran Empire and Emperor Augustus would improve, to the point that some people even hoped to move to Augustgrad in Korhal.
Therefore, in contrast to the Empire's policies of protecting workers' rights and interests, the workers under the Old Families Enterprises became increasingly dissatisfied. After all, this was not just a matter of one or two worlds, nor just of the core worlds such as Korhal, Tarsonis, and Vilityia, but of the vast Imperial territory.
When Morgan heard the people at Drilling Site No. 3 gossiping about him, he would assume it was a plot to take his head. Morgan felt a mixture of respect and fear towards the unfamiliar emperor, but he didn't feel any hatred towards him.
The Old Families that ruled the Terrans for over two hundred years has fallen to this state, all because of Korhal and that Augustus Mengsk.
Yesterday, I was really delayed by a nap. I must have been so tired to sleep from 1 pm to 9 pm.