StarCraft: Tyranid Empire

The next morning, Augustus woke up to the sound of rustling clothes. Queen Sarah Kerrigan was seen sitting in front of the mirror, while many palace maids and makeup artists were taking care of her long, flaming red hair and gorgeous dresses.

There is also a small round stool to the right of Queen Kerrigan, on which sits the little Princess Louise. Her long red hair is a complete replica of her mother.

Today, Princess Louise will accompany her parents to attend the ceremony before the colonial fleet sails away, so she is worried about choosing which skirt and top hat to choose, and while tangled, she lowers her head and chews her thumb.

Although the Augustgrad Palace was also divided into the emperor's palace and the queen's suite, their family still lived together. After all, there is a big difference between the Mengsk family and the Bennett family, an old aristocracy known for its cold-blooded cruelty.

Like many Korhal nobles, the Mengsk family attaches great importance to their families, and the bonds between their families will accompany them throughout their lives. Even though the Mengsk family has become a royal family, the relationship between their family members has never been alienated.

"Are you awake?" Kerrigan didn't look back. The waitress behind her was picking up the queen's hair, which was tied into locks, and twisting it high on her head.

"You can even notice the change in my breathing rate." Augustus took a dark gray Imperial Navy uniform from the hanger next to him, put it on his body and buttoned it step by step.

"Your Majesty." Seeing Augustus stand up, the maids bowed repeatedly.

With maids taking care of it every day, the emperor's living room was always neat, orderly and comfortable. The silverware on the bedside table is filled with roses cut from the top garden, the bouquets must be changed twice a day, the clothes in the wardrobe must be dusted and ironed, and the busts of the Mengsk family ancestors on the walls must be spotless. Everything must be spotless. There is no need for the queen to do anything about it.

However, they are said to be maids, but they are actually carefully selected ace ghost agents. They are proficient in the skills of killing and espionage as well as complicated palace etiquette. Naturally, they can take care of the emperor and queen's food and daily life.

Compared to the rulers of the old Commonwealth who both wanted to harness the power of telepaths but were always wary of them, Augustus the Great's trusting attitude towards them was a far cry from that. After all, even the Queen is a telepath.

"If you don't even notice this, then a thief can sneak into the palace at will." The queen said calmly.

During the Revolutionary Army period, Kerrigan was always worried that Augustus would be assassinated by Federation assassins, so he always stood guard at his bedside, watching him silently. And even though the palace is now the most heavily guarded place in the entire Tyranid Empire, Kerrigan has never let down her guard.

"Even a mosquito trying to fly over the palace will be shot down by a laser cannon. You should have more trust in Faraday and the Royal Guards." As Augustus spoke, he had already walked behind his daughter Louise and tied her hair with his own hands. . I have to say that Louis’s cold gray eyebrows are exactly the same as Augustus’s.

"But your enemies are not just humans," Kerrigan said.

"But my friends and allies are not just humans." Augustus didn't want the topic to be so heavy this morning. After all, his daughter was still here. Kerrigan was too worried about Augustus' safety, and it was not a good thing for her to be too nervous.

"That's right." Kerrigan sighed: "Tassadar and Zeratul both said that you are popular, which means you are not an ordinary person."

"Dad, when will Grandpa Zeratul come to our house again?" Louis looked up at his old father.

"It may be a long time later. Of course, for the protoss, a few years just flies by." Augustus thought that the last time Zeratul appeared was in Zakuul, and he should be somewhere buried now. The dark world of ancient ruins in Xel'Naga.

"But chances are, just when you think Zeratul will no longer appear to you, he will emerge from the shadows."

In order to pursue the Xel'Naga prophecy and find the last glimmer of hope to save the world from danger, Zeratul always wanders on the edge of death. Of course, this is the fate of all Dark Templar.

"Really?" Lewis lowered his head in frustration.

"Ah, as long as I can contact Zeratul, I can always find a way to get him over." Augustus's face was clear.

At this time, Lewis's face immediately changed from gloomy to sunny.

"Are you overindulging?" Kerrigan stood up, her pink dress studded with diamond jewelry sparkling with her movements. This is a stunning custom-made gown, lined with ermine, with open velvet sleeves embroidered with gold and silver patterns, and a neckline that perfectly matches her slender and smooth neck like a swan.

Kerrigan rarely wore this luxurious attire, as the higher-ups of the Empire were proud to wear military uniforms. Only in the glitzy Tarsonis of the Federation, the noble ladies at the ball would wear such dresses and dance all night long.

A maid carefully placed a corolla made of roses on the queen's bun, making her more noble, elegant and beautiful.

"Zeratul also likes Louis very much." Augustus didn't think much of it.

"It turns out that popularity can be inherited." Kerrigan turned around and showed Augustus her graceful and swaying figure.

"You are still as beautiful and charming as ever, my lovely queen." Augustus said sincerely.

Kerrigan did not accept this trick: "Your Majesty, when you were young, you captured the hearts of many noble girls with your sweet words, so much so that you ruthlessly took away the kisses of Korhal's ladies in the past."

"Nonsense." Augustus was already confused by "The Sayings of the Emperor", and it would be fucked if he added a romantic love story. Kerrigan was an elegant and calm queen in public, but this was not the case in front of Augustus.

"That's what Tychus said," Kerrigan said.

"No ivory comes out of a dog's mouth." Augustus immediately quoted an ancient saying from the age of the earth: "You should read his mind!"

The words of Tychus, the Imperial Lobbyist, are generally not to be trusted, and his conscience should never be expected to find out.

"I would rather know nothing than take another look into the cesspit." Kerrigan is right. Telepaths are not willing to delve into the hearts of others, which generally makes them miserable. The inner world of Tychus is a garbage dump, full of primitive desires and selfishness. But I have to say that this is what it means to be human.

"It cannot be denied that Tychus is a piece of shit." Augustus has always thought so.

"But occasionally, a liar who is a liar will tell the truth." Kerrigan suddenly laughed, and it was obvious that she was in a pretty good mood today.

She put on a long coat with red mink trim and a high lapel, and lifted up the velvet skirt underneath: "How do you think?"

"It's beautiful." Augustus said this time, somewhat perfunctorily. At this moment, he was fully dressed, wearing a straight military uniform with a medal with a gold ribbon on it.

"It seems you no longer like old women." Kerrigan said: "Men always like the new and hate the old."

"Who said this?" Augustus asked.

"Alpha," Kerrigan replied.

"But it is neither a human nor a man." Augustus said to himself that it knew nothing about humans.

This brainworm is very weird. It has a mind similar to that of a human. In essence, it is just a monster that eats people without spitting out bones. Tychus likes to do some work for himself, and Alpha Cerebrate likes to do some work for others.

Now this brainworm takes a bath in the small primitive schism pool in the palace laboratory every day, and browses holographic videos of human Zerg themes when there is nothing else to do. The rest of the time is spent as the bug in question, arguing with people in the comment area. Countless trumpets are fighting simultaneously. The scene was like a zerg inviting a navy army, but I didn't expect that one insect would become a navy army.

The good news is that this brainworm has not gained weight. The bad news is that as its strength grows, so does its arrogance. It seems that I need to find some time to hammer it out.

Augustus made another mental note, kissed Louis and Kerrigan on the cheeks, and walked through the corridor outside the palace door to the small restaurant outside. The table in the dining room had been replaced with a neat white cloth, and on it lay sliced ​​white bread, fried sausages and smoked fish fillets, and a plate of tarsonian raspberry sauce next to it. After a while, Kerrigan and Louis came over.

While Augustus was dining, a summary of the latest information from the front line had appeared on the table.

"What happened?" Kerrigan found the clue from the expression on Augustus's face.

"Tavili has discovered a reconnaissance force of the Fenris swarm." Augustus said to Kerrigan: "The local militia armed Taavili sentries have cleared out the invaders, but this matter is still among the people. It caused a certain amount of panic.”

Talvaria, a planet that was once part of the Old Federation, is famous for its high-quality marble. Today, as a world under the rule of the Tyranid Empire, Tawili's population has reached 80 million. With its developed high-end manufacturing industry, it provides the empire with central control equipment and fighter accessories, so it is not unknown.

As the total war has entered its second year, the armed defense forces of the empire's border planets are also constantly increasing. Some worlds with abundant martial virtues are even able to repel the Zerg offensive on their own before the imperial fleet arrives.

"In the war against the zerg, there is only one thing that is clear, and that is that when you find the first zerg, the ground may already be crawling with worms." Augustus set his sights On Louis who was concentrating on jam bread.

Louise was a natural telepath, and while her mother was unaware of her psychic gifts at her age, the same could not be said for her.

Zerg and protoss have been by Louise's side since she was very young, and it's hard for her to imagine that they are actually enemies of humanity.

"The Fenris Swarm" Kerrigan looked at Augustus: "They have always been mysterious."

The Fenris Swarm are the deathbringers and hounds of the Overmind, known for their hunt and pursuit across the endless reaches of space. The number of this insect nest has always been maintained within a small range, but it is only equivalent to a large group like Jormungandr.

"If the zerg have appeared in Taveli." Augustus mused.

Each border planet has a certain amount of imperial troops stationed, plus trained militia reserves, which are fully capable of dealing with a sudden invasion war. But if a super large insect swarm comes, the only option is to dispatch the imperial fleet.

For now, the number of Imperial fleets is sufficient, but spreading the force too thin will give the Zerg an opportunity to take advantage of it. The swarm is an intelligent race. Of course they also know tactics, and they use them better than humans and execute them more efficiently.

"The one closest to Tawili is Duke's Alpha Squadron." Augustus looked at the report: "He is currently fighting against the Kukulkan swarm on Sanix III."

Thanix III, a desert world full of dead deserts and barren highlands. But before it was destroyed by nuclear war and biological and chemical virus weapons due to the civil war, Sanix III was not as desolate as it is now.

Now, Sanix III is still an important Tyranid Empire world, providing the empire with a large number of outstanding soldiers. After five generations, Sanix has gradually adapted to the wasteland of his home world and has begun to restore the planet's ecosystem with the help of the Imperial government.

The Sanix Legion is equipped with a large number of nuclear weapons, and the weapons are equipped with self-destruction devices. They are known as the "nuclear infantry" in the imperial army.

The Kukulkan Brood (the Quetzalcoatl in Mayan mythology) that invaded Sanix III is a little-known insect nest. They are not very selective about genes, and even large alien dogs are infected. , but meat and vegetables are not taboo.

"In response to Taveli's call for help, Duke sent a squadron to support." Augustus paused: "The commander is a captain? Then he must have something special about him."

Although Duke is not an imperial general with outstanding commanding abilities, his Alpha Squadron has always been a powerful army, and his outstanding officer corps can be regarded as his brains.

"Duke." Kerrigan looked at Augustus.

Marshal Edmund Duke, a man among men, a marshal among marshals, invincible and invincible. But as we all know, UNN News's report on Alpha Squadron must be reviewed by Marshal Duke himself, and more polishing is inevitable.

Duke is also an extremely ruthless imperial general. He always puts the fulfillment of the emperor's orders first, even before the safety of the people of the empire. If Augustus had ordered Duke to blow up his home town of Tarsonis, he wouldn't have batted an eye before doing so.

There is no doubt that Duke was a cold, violent and biting snake, but he was now at the mercy of Emperor Augustus.

"But it's not just Tavili, Vigoril also discovered the zerg, but they encountered the Vigoril Torch Company." Augustus put down the report: "If this is just the way to go to war, no matter how many fleets there are, it won't be enough to mobilize."

"They are testing us," Kerrigan said. "The zerg read people's minds."

"But they can never guess Duke." Augustus took a sip of coffee.

At this time, the sunlight passed through the curtains at the entrance of the restaurant, and the crowded Augustgrad came into view. On this day, a new fleet will set sail from Korhal, carrying the Tyranid humans to their new homeland. Other fleets will sail in the opposite direction, which is the front line of the Corpse Mountain and Blood Sea.