Madness

While serving as executive officer aboard the Fury in the Empire's Northern Fleet, Colonel Roberto Lamas was unpopular with many because of his forceful personality. He never spared his colleagues or subordinates when pointing out their mistakes at work, demanding immediate corrections, but no one could deny his exceptional skill in managing a warship.

Ever since Roberto had been transferred to take formal command of the newly built Minotaur-class warship Moebius Ring, constructed after 2502, the extraordinary judgment and astonishing courage he displayed had convinced his superiors at the Augustgrad Naval Command that he was an excellent appointment—a distinguished officer of outstanding character.

The Moebius Ring was a thoroughly designed new warship, equipped with shield fields, missile launch bays, and "Y" Yamato Cannons, as well as a nuclear arsenal capable of waging planetary-scale extermination wars. The Empire had already built, launched, and commissioned thousands of such vessels.

From the Korhal uprising to the founding of the Terran Empire, from Emperor Augustus's ascension to the throne to eight consecutive years of imperial expansion.

Over a decade had forged the Empire a great many capable officers and soldiers. Many outstanding commanders had also been selected through successive large-scale Total Wars. Before that, they might have been nothing more than farmers and miners in some remote frontier region.

Though the Terran Empire's military included quite a few figures who had risen to prominence during the old Confederacy era, most were commanders of the new generation who had gradually grown into their roles. Before becoming decorated commanders, they had been as unknown as Jim Raynor, who had grown up on a farm in Shiloh. Roberto was no different.

In the age of the Terran Empire forged by Emperor Augustus himself, humanity faced dangers greater than at any previous time—but for those with ability, that