StarCraft: Tyranid Empire

"Two natural weeks, thirty million federal credit coins or two million Umoyan citizen points, cash."

There was no negotiating table. The pirate captain and the Korhal rebel leader, who had recently become well-known to the citizens of the Terran Federation for his rebel activities, were talking face to face on the empty docking platform. Behind the leaders of both sides stood many figures. Warrior in power armor.

Only a relatively small number of the pirates aboard Jackson's Revenge possess modified power armor, apparently the result of a trade with their elusive counterparts, the Kaimorian pirates.

The power armor of these pirates has sharpened ship armor fragments standing on it. The Gauss rifle has spurs that are nearly one-third the length of the gun body. At the same time, the transformation of mechanical prostheses can also be seen in all aspects of their bodies.

In comparison, the Steelling Guards behind Augustus, who were all painted in dark gray and wore power armor with golden wolf head badges, had a much more serious military appearance. They were calm and silent, as if they were walking together as one.

The loyal Korhal IV Stirling soldiers regard Augustus as the only hope to save their home planet, and are willing to sacrifice their lives to protect the leader of the Revolutionary Army.

The mechanical prosthetic eye on the left side of Captain Jackson's face radiates a breathtaking scarlet light. There are several deep scars on his broad forehead, and his thick gray-brown beard and lips are trimmed to be sharp and long. The wide-brimmed and high-top captain's hat also features the federal navy's dragon wings and anchor emblems.

The captain, whose reputation was as foul as his lingering body odor, had many nicknames, both positive and negative. His crew called him Jackson the Ninth, the pipe-smoking tyrant, the Overlord of the Koprulu Sector, and the Terran. The light of humanity.

"Bank transfers and checks are not supported, but the equivalent value of rare crystal mines can be used as deductions. If you have high-purity crystals, business there will be much easier." Captain Jackson held a briar pipe in his mouth. The pockets of the thick Commodore's coat contained more various types of pipes and tobacco boxes.

"I am prepared to employ this ship and everyone on it for a long time. In addition, my people can also provide you with fuel, weapons, and upgrades to the ship's armor and weapons." Augustus said: "Based on this, I’m asking for my commission to be halved.”

"Dealing with the rebels is risky." Jackson blew out a big, round smoke ring: "I bet the federal navy is right behind you."

"Yes, Duke's Alpha Squadron is searching for us now." Augustus said bluntly without being vague or covering up on this issue.

"If that's the case, then I think you should pay more." Jackson didn't react at all, but the crew behind him became somewhat uncomfortable when they heard Duke's name.

In peacetime, Edmund Duke, who had nothing to fight, always kept an eye on Jackson's Revenge, and he had many medals for beheading pirate ship captains or using heavy cannons to shave a few inches off the Revenge. Obtained from steel plate.

Although most of the crew of this pirate ship are no longer the original batch of Federation fleet soldiers, they still hate the pursuit and interception of Alpha Squadron.

"Unless you prove that you are worthy of asking me to pay more money." Augustus did not back down: "Even if my old friend Hill guarantees you, I can't guarantee that you will suddenly bring this money." Just disappeared.”

"No, I won't guarantee it." Glare Hilton waved his hands at the side.

"The deal is done, guaranteed by Greer Hill, because he is a person that both of us trust." Jackson glanced at Tychus next to Augustus: "You pay first, and then we sign the contract. "

"Both steps can be carried out at the same time." Augustus said: "I deliver it with rare crystal ore."

"I just like people like you." Jackson said, "Tell me, besides fighting the federal navy, what else do you need us to do?"

"You can incorporate this ship into your fleet. Whether it is a flagship or a companion ship, Jackson's Revenge can do the job."

Jackson pointed proudly at his battlecruiser, as if to prove that it was worthy of Augustus' price.

"But this ship looks like a rag." Tychus did not give any face to these desperadoes, and he pointed out another point more sharply:

"Can this glued piece of junk really fly?"

No matter how angry Jackson and his crew are, no matter how majestic their ship once was, Jackson's Revenge now looks like a battleship pieced together from metal junk, which has long since changed beyond recognition. The emblems under the bridge windows and at the propellers have obviously been covered with new emblems over and over again due to the many changes in captains.

This Leviathan-class battlecruiser, which had been in service in the early days of the Tyranid Federation, was regarded as a shame by the Federation Navy. Jackson's Revenge, his original number and the reason for his defection have gradually become files that must not be disclosed. secret.

Because it has been cruising near the main trade routes of the Tyranid Federation all year round and harassing passing merchant ships, many merchant ships have witnessed the roar of Jackson's Revenge naval guns and recognized its model as that of the Lee that is serving in the Federation Navy. Vitan battlecruiser.

The Federation Navy only admitted in the end that one battlecruiser was indeed lost during the mission, but they claimed that all the crew had been lost, so the current Jackson's Revenge was just a ghost ship floating around in space.

Smart media people quickly came to the conclusion that the battlecruiser had either fallen into the control of a group of desperadoes, or that some supernatural force had taken control of the ship.

"Boy, we have seen more main sequence stars, neutron stars and white dwarfs than you can imagine in your walnut-like head!" One of Jackson's helmsmen walked towards Tychus angrily.

The pirate, who was wearing a tattered sailor's vest and a blue-and-white striped turban, was not wearing power armor. When everyone watched him rush towards Tychus Finlay, who was standing next to Augustus with his hands behind his back, Not surprisingly, they saw that the latter easily swatted the former to the ground like a fly and almost split his head open.

The conflict then ceased, and Captain Jackson, who felt very embarrassed, was obviously unwilling to make the matter a big deal. There are three revolutionary army battlecruisers in this space station. As long as he wants to leave here safely, he can only avoid the conflict from continuing to expand.

"That's enough, Tychus, be nice to our friends." Augustus knew what Tychus was up to. He wanted to provoke conflict and then kill the pirates inside the space station and take away Jack. Mori's Revenge.

Although now was the best time to kill this group of pirates, Augustus did not want to break out into a conflict with these pirates.

"This is a Terran Federation signal tracker." Augustus handed Captain Jackson a sophisticated device disguised as a music box: "As long as you turn it on, it will attract Edmund Duke's Alpha Squadron."

"Sounds like a magic flute that attracts rats." Jackson took the signal tracker.

"What I want you to do is to take Alpha Squadron to the edge of the Koprulu sector, as far away from the main star world of the Tyranid Federation as possible."

"But, is Duke really so gullible?" Captain Jackson couldn't believe that such a gadget could have such a big effect.

"At least it will be useful for a period of time, and this period of time is enough for me." Augustus smiled and said, "With my understanding of Duke."

"He's bound to be fooled."