StarCraft: Tyranid Empire

Federation Frontier, Urthos System

The Iron Justice is cruising towards the main star of Artesia. A.D.2489.05.22, ship time 8:54.

". Release the nuclear bomb and turn Korhal IV into scorched earth!"

The bar on the ship was filled with Marines wearing brown uniforms and fleet soldiers in black space combat uniforms who had heard the news. The Marines were all from the 33rd Ground Assault Division to which Augustus originally belonged.

The already small bar could not accommodate so many people, so some soldiers jumped on the table. The scene was chaotic. People who had been squeezed into the corner scraped off the Marine Corps Shooting Competition posters on the walls. The chandeliers hanging from the ceiling seemed to be shaking due to the chaos.

This battlecruiser is within the scope of the thirteen main star worlds of the Federation, so they are one of the first fleets to receive the news.

A sergeant from Korhal IV was covering his face and crying. This man who did not shed a single tear even after losing a piece of his skull during the Sigma landing battle was now on the verge of collapse. One soldier shouted the names of his wife and daughter, tears streaming down his face, thinking Korhal had been destroyed.

"That's his home, his family is still there," his comrade explained to the other soldiers. "He couldn't save them."

At this time, more soldiers were walking towards the upper deck cabin where the bar was located. As the number of people increased, those who came after them could only stand in the aisle at the door.

People everywhere were asking what was going on, what happened to Korhal IV.

But after learning the truth of the matter, the soldiers just stared blankly at the TV screen on the bar, at a loss.

"Is this a ridiculous April Fool's Day joke or has UNN's terminal network been hacked?" The soldiers just felt baffled and could not believe that UNN would report military secrets that would never be made public even if they were true.

"This can't be true. Parliament would have to be crazy to shoot its own people."

The TV in the ship's bar had been playing it on a loop since several soldiers in the bar first heard the news six hours ago.

"Sorry, we encountered some technical failures, and technicians are re-debugging the faulty equipment." In the news being played, immediately after the shocking speech of the Speaker of the Federal Parliament, the emergency signal was cut off.

The person who came to the rescue was a daytime host. He had just been dragged out of bed by the federal marines who had kicked in the door. He was obviously still in shock, but he could not stutter when he spoke.

"The following is a recruitment advertisement for the Federal Marine Corps: Actively respond to the government's call and actively sign up to join the army. It is the sacred responsibility of every federal citizen to defend the homeland and resist the invasion of the Camorian Federation." He sorted himself out uneasily. tie.

"Welcome to the official website of UNN Universe News Network to read the latest news reports - we have the most complete and authoritative exclusive news and exclusive reports. UNN's motto is to discover the truth at all costs."

But obviously, these few words could not calm the soldiers' confusion.

"Go back to your posts. No one is allowed in the passage!" At this time, Lieutenant Colonel Horace Warfield's voice suddenly came from the communication device. Before the military police on board arrived, the soldiers quickly dispersed.

Only a few soldiers from Korhal IV were unwilling to leave. They stood in the bar and stared at the TV screen above their heads, hoping to get more news about Korhal from it.

A few minutes later, Horace Warfield, commander of the 2nd Brigade of the 33rd Ground Assault Division, wearing the uniform of a lieutenant colonel, walked into the bar and glanced at four or five Korkha soldiers: "Why don't you obey the order?"

"We're from Korhal, sir," one of the privates replied.

"Go back and rest." Warfield said gently to the soldiers after a moment of silence: "Get some sleep and everything will be fine."

"Things have not reached the point of no return."

The private shook his head and said sadly but firmly: "Sir, we will not leave until we find out what happened."

Warfield nodded, but did not force them to comply.

Warfield walked to the TV screen, and in another cycle, the solemn and majestic Hall of Reason appeared in front of him again. The respected Speaker McMaster's bold and powerful image when he spoke for the people in the past was the same as The combination of the cold and routine appearance at this moment is so ironic.

"Switch back to live broadcast." He'd seen it more than once and didn't want to watch it again.

Where the Iron Justice is located, the news channels have a delay of nearly half an hour. At this time, the TV was still showing underwear advertisements for fashionable brands, and Warfield became unusually irritable.

Even now, Warfield cannot believe that the government he is fighting for would actually do something that is no different from genocide, the most cruel and inhumane ethnic cleansing plan in human history.

However, even if this is the case, it cannot be concluded that this is definitely true, because it is so sensational that people can't help but doubt the accuracy of this matter.

When Warfield was troubled by this fact, the TV in the bar finally stopped playing advertisements. A man in a black suit and blue tie appeared in the center of the screen with his hands on the podium of the new network press conference. Under the podium were reporters holding microphones high.

"The spokesperson of the Federal Security Service held an emergency press conference at 8 a.m. Tarsonis time. Here is the live report for you by Lorraine, the UNN reporter in Tarsonis City."

There were as many as twenty reporters from various news newspapers at the press conference. Almost at the same time as a large number of armed airships took off, these reporters who were awakened in various ways smelled the big news.

"The purpose of my coming here is just to answer a few questions." The spokesman said extremely seriously as he tightened his tie.

"There are sacred and inviolable federal laws to respond to groundless accusations and false slander."

"Witnesses from citizens claimed that a group of terrorists stormed into the UNN headquarters building and controlled it for at least an hour. Is this true?" a reporter from Terrador United News asked loudly.

"It is true that terrorists entered the UNN headquarters building and caused some riots. The Federal Security Service is currently fully investigating this matter. We have sufficient reasons and evidence to confirm that Angus Munn of "Korhal's Mad Dog" Skok planned this terrorist act, and he and his rebel party should be held responsible."

"What role did the Tarsonis Police Department play in this vicious incident? Our viewers want to know whether the police officers who neglected their duties deserve taxpayers' money?" a reporter from Antiga Broadcasting Company said.

"Actually, our police are very good." The spokesman shook his head and said: "If you have read our government report, you will find that no hostages were injured or injured. This just shows that the police's rescue operation was very successful."

"I want to know how you respond to the accusations that the Federal Council has decided to use a thousand Apocalypse-class nuclear bombs to destroy Korhal IV." A UNN reporter said.

"I have nothing to say about this. All groundless accusations against the government are treasonous, false and malicious slander. I would like to warn those who spread rumors that it is illegal."

"Do you want to deny the authenticity of that unknown video, because those were forged by the rebel party and were virtual images created using artificial synthesis technology." Another reporter apparently even thought of the reasons for the spokesman: "In fact, the resolution regarding the bombing of Korhal was a forgery."

"I don't know," the spokesman said. "Next question."

"Has the parliament revoked or given up on the resolution to use an apocalyptic nuclear bomb to destroy Korhal IV?" In the words of the reporter from Lothar Global News Radio and Television, he seemed to have assumed that the parliament had actually passed this proposal.

"I don't know," the spokesman replied.

"How will the government respond to the riots and protests that broke out in the main star worlds and edge worlds of the Federation after this news was broadcast?" a reporter from Hermes News Group asked loudly.

"As it should be, those who flout the law are committing a crime," the spokesman said.

"Our reporters in Kharkiv IV captured the chaos that erupted on this planet due to the panic of the entire population. The shuttles taken by the rich were shot down as soon as they took off. People began to flee the city frantically and dug deep underground air-raid shelters."

"Korhal IV must pay the price for their betrayal. The federal government has given them many opportunities."

"."

"Damn, he doesn't want to admit it, because it's true." In the bar of the Iron Justice, a Korhal soldier said, his brown eyes filled with tears and his shoulders shaking. Every Korhal person thinks back to their beautiful home and their loved ones with great sadness.

"They are indeed going to do that, they are indeed going to drop nuclear bombs. If the federal government hears the voice of the people, then they will not make such a decision, and we will not even have to resist." The nearly seven-foot-tall Keha man lamented. cried to his lieutenant colonel.

"Sir, we have to go back," he said.

"Back to Korhal."

"But you have to stay on the ship now. There is nowhere else to go. Even if I put you on the nearest colonial planet, it is more than one million astronomical units away from the Iron Justice."

Warfield said in his most firm and unquestionable tone at the moment.

"Kid, stay here. When you are homeless, the 33rd Ground Assault Division is your home."

Captain's room, A.D.2489.05.25, ship time 9:24.

Lieutenant Colonel Warfield saw nearly one-third of the petty officers, sergeants majors, lieutenants, and colonels in the Iron Justice in the captain's cabin. More than eighty people stood in the not-so-wide cabin. Due to the large number of people, some people had to stand in the aisle.

These people were all Warfield's old subordinates or hand-picked, carefully screened based on their background and political leanings, and they were deemed the most trustworthy.

"Hell, if that congressman were standing in front of me, I would beat him to pieces." Major Charles Chuck Horner said angrily in the crowded captain's room.

Charles was one of Arcturus Mengsk's old subordinates who served as commander of the 33rd Ground Assault Division. When Arcturus was still a lieutenant, Charles was a member of his subordinate Imperial Squadron. He is a strong man with broad shoulders and a square roof. He comes from a distant edge world where electricity is a problem. The basic industrial system in that edge world has not been established even after two generations.

The people in Charles' hometown lived an almost primitive life. Outside the central town built with colonial ship materials, people relied on grazing and planting to survive. There are only about 15,000 people on the entire planet. Due to the long distance and no money to be made, merchants only come here within a cycle of five years or more. Only scavengers will frequently visit Charles' hometown.

Like many people who are regarded as country boys by the people of the Prime World, Charles is also a rude and arrogant person. He is full of foul language and always makes the other party think that he is talking nonsense when talking to "civilized people".

"I still can't believe this is true." Even though he had seen it more than once, Warfield still said in an unbelievable tone: "Even if Korhal IV has a large-scale rebel army, can it be larger than the population? The Kaimorian Federation with more than six billion people? I originally thought it was just an ordinary planet landing battle."

"It's like you're walking on nice grass and step on a piece of dog poop, but that's the truth," Charles said in his magical metaphorical way.

"If hackers had not invaded the network of UNN Universe News Network, then in early June, we would have received the information that Korhal IV had been destroyed," Warfield said.

"Arcturus will go crazy, he is deeply in love with Korhal." Charles said. "If you have seen the tenderness he showed when he wrote to his mother and sister, then you should know how much he loves Hold them."

"And I think that as a human being, we should complain and take revenge."

"How could they treat Korhar like this? Even when they slaughter the same number of cattle and sheep, they should have a little compassion." Warfield looked at the officers surrounding him and said, "We treat humans like this. The sense of identity with a concept is the reason why we break away from the category of animals and create civilization."

"It has nothing to do with the rebellion. If one day your hometown suffers the same fate as Korhal for other reasons, then what choice will we make?"

"We can't go on like this, my friends. I have more and more doubts about whether a government like this is worth fighting for," Warfield said.

"What do you mean by waiting? What are we going to do?" a captain said.

"Seize control of this battlecruiser by force," Warfield said: "Then shut down all military network communications and completely disconnect from the fleet command center and Tarsonis."

"We will no longer fight for the Federation. We will enter deep space and escape into darkness."

"Order, Lieutenant Colonel," the officers said in unison.

Warfield's men were extremely angry at the resolution of the Federal Assembly. They were disgusted by the fact that they had been loyal to such a government, and they were determined to follow their commanders and leave the army.

"Sooner or later the federal parliament will pay the price," Charles said. "They love dirty bombs."

"But my hunting teacher always said that whoever uses the sword will die by the sword."