Roughly 140,000 settlers remained on Bel'Shir's surface, among them a 5,000-man infantry brigade of the Revolutionary Army and a small but fully functional colonial government. Between 120,000 and 130,000 people were under the influence of Terrazine; aside from occasionally speaking about Bel'Shir, they otherwise appeared completely sane.
The concrete ground, reinforced with iron fences, was packed shoulder to shoulder with Korhal immigrants. Every one of them stood on tiptoe, straining with all their might for a glimpse of the Revolutionary Army Marshal, Augustus Mengsk.
Once upon a time, the people of Korhal IV had looked up to the men of the Mengsk line as if they were gazing at the sun—following those born leaders as though chasing the light itself. Now, these people still followed Augustus Mengsk with unwavering loyalty, simply because he was a descendant of the Mengsk family, and every Mengsk without exception was a leader born of destiny.
Everyone in the square understood clearly that the next time their compatriots returned to Bel'Shir might be ten years—or even longer—from now.
"I respect your choice, because you are my people." Augustus's voice carried far into the crowd.
"Today, the Korhalans have raised a monument on Bel'Shir, marking the establishment of our first homeland beyond the Koprulu Sector. We must, just like our forebears, forge ahead with courage and resolve. Humanity is the most resilient and adaptive species in this universe—and among humanity, the Korhalans are the most tenacious of all."
He stood upon a hastily erected platform, looking down upon his people, whose eyes shimmered faintly with a trace of violet light.
Augustus knew well that Terrazine had strong side effects, its addictiveness rivaling that of the most vicious narcotics. Yet it was true that Terrazine could enhance the psionic abilities of those who consumed it.
At present, Augustus knew of only one rare mineral capable of mitigating the madness and side effects brought by Terrazine—Jorium.
Though no significant changes could yet be observed in this generation of settlers, their descendants would certainly reap the benefits. Perhaps within just two or three generations, the proportion of psionics among Bel'Shir's settlers would far exceed that of humans on any other world.
"Be cautious of the Tal'darim Protoss who may still be lurking on this planet," he warned, "for after the fleet departs, you will be forced to live side by side with those malevolent Protoss. Stay alert to your surroundings and the dense jungles—Tal'darim hunters could appear at any moment from within. Protect your children and families well, for your survival will depend solely on yourselves."
As soon as he finished speaking, the central square erupted in resounding shouts—the voice of the people, proof of the immense prestige Augustus held among the Korhalans.
Immediately afterward, Augustus waved farewell to his people and, flanked on both sides by Kerrigan and Corporal Faraday, boarded a deep-crimson shuttle with flaking paint.
"If the people of Bel'Shir can't restrain themselves from the lure of Terrazine, they'll end up destroying themselves sooner or later." As she followed Augustus up the shuttle's gangway, Kerrigan said, "You're always too merciful. Do you still remember how you helped Lisa Cassidy detox?"
"In the same room, tied her to a chair with ropes." Augustus said seriously, "When Lisa's addiction acted up, she would moan and beg you to give her the poison she called salvation—and for that, she was willing to do anything."
"That, in itself, was also a test for me."
"You don't need to tell me this," Kerrigan said, glaring at him with her emerald-green eyes. In Corporal Faraday's view, her face changed like storm clouds, shifting from clear to overcast in an instant.
"Why do you know so clearly what happened with Lisa Cassidy—ah, I forgot. Even if you're not permitted to read my memories, you can still read others'." Augustus spoke just before stepping through the shuttle's hatch.
"If you know your enemy well enough, you can easily drive a dagger straight into her throat." Kerrigan's expression didn't change.
"Forcibly taking them off Bel'Shir isn't out of the question. We might be able to spend enormous resources to eliminate Terrazine addiction, but we can't cure the sickness of their minds." Augustus made no comment on what Kerrigan had said.
"Bel'Shir's Terrazine may be fundamentally different from that found elsewhere—or perhaps there really is some mysterious entity that has been conversing with humanity," he said.
"I'll wait. The day Bel'Shir once again returns to our control, perhaps that planet will bring me a few surprises."
"But you're a staunch atheist," Kerrigan said.
"Of course. There are no gods in this world—only beings who fancy themselves as such," Augustus replied.
...
SCT 2490.8.08, local time 9:21 a.m.
It had been more than four months since Augustus's Revolutionary Army had departed from Bel'Shir. During this period, the Revolutionary fleet had assisted Korhal's immigrants in establishing several self-sufficient colonies on Kalis and Marek V, then hurried nonstop to Agria to resettle the remaining people.
"Agria, a pure blue planet—over seventy-five percent of its surface is covered by vast oceans. Its landmass consists of one main continental plate and numerous islands. A long, irregular continent stretches from the polar cold zone of the north all the way down to the temperate latitudes of the south, while most of the other islands are scattered along the narrow coastline of the main continent."
As the shuttle carrying Augustus began retracting its thrusters and preparing for descent, the Hyperion's mechanical adjutant—linked to the shuttle's main computer—was reading out Agria's data.
"The main settlements of Agria's colonists are located in the temperate zones where the climate is mild. Their leader is Dr. Bernard Hanson, a biologist from Tarsonis University."
"Looks like this place is a hell of a lot better than that stinking pit called Mar Sara. At least no crazy Tal'darim point-heads are gonna pop out of the jungle swinging lightsabers," Tychus grumbled darkly.
Sitting beside Augustus were Tychus and Harnack. For the past few months, both men had been idle.
After all, both Tychus and Harnack belonged to that kind of men who became useless troublemakers when they weren't fighting. The former had incurred Augustus's thunderous wrath for trying to organize a strip club among the settlers, while the latter had spent those four months challenging and defeating numerous senior officers in brawls—including Brigadier General Edmund Duke of Alpha Squadron—beating his way from brigadier all the way down to second lieutenant.
"At least Agria seems safe for now," Raynor said with lingering unease.
Raynor's wife was seven months pregnant. He knew their child would be born during the fleet's voyage—a child of the fleet, one of those who would take their first steps on the decks of the Hyperion.
If someone were to ask Raynor about his homeland, he would proudly say Shiloh. But for his child, that homeland would be the sea of stars—he would be a child truly born of the heavens.
"Augustus, how long are we staying here?" Raynor asked.
"Not for long," Augustus replied.
"Our voyage through the stars has already consumed too much of our time, and the Confederacy is close to forgetting we ever existed."
After a slight jolt, Augustus's shuttle touched down on a flat stretch of land. Raynor and Corporal Faraday led a squad of guards out first, followed closely by Augustus, Kerrigan, and the others.
Those who had come with Augustus to Agria were still the same original members of the Heaven's Devils: Raynor, Tychus, and Harnack. Warfield and Lundstein—the two trusted generals skilled in defense—remained stationed with the Revolutionary fleet outside the Agria system, acting as Augustus's eyes and hands to oversee the overall situation.
"We have to resettle the remaining two million people as quickly as possible. The fleet can't house that many," Augustus continued.
Every battlecruiser of the Revolutionary fleet was crammed full of people; even the corridors, main engine rooms, and torpedo bays were packed with immigrants from Bel'Shir. It was impossible for Augustus to carry these people with him across every battlefield.
When the shuttle steadied on the ground and the hatch slowly opened, a scene of pure azure sky, vast green fields, and white-walled, red-tiled colonial buildings instantly filled Augustus's view.
The fragrance of grass and blossoms rushed to greet him. As the wind brushed across the distant fields, waves of golden wheat rolled like the tides, while hundreds of towering white windmills turned, driving the waterwheels in the blue rivers below.
As far as Augustus's eyes could see stretched an endless sea of wheat-green and clean, beautiful houses. Immigrants wearing yellow sun hats piloted towering bipedal agricultural mechs at the far edges of the fields—each one looking like a giant in red and white.
When the shuttle's engines finally went silent, the only sounds in Augustus's ears were the whistling wind and the rustling waves of wheat. At that moment, he finally relaxed.
Ever since Augustus had taken command of the Revolutionary Army, he had seldom spent his precious time on leisure or entertainment. It was rare for him to unwind; only when drinking tea or soaking in a hot bath could he truly calm himself.
"Damn, this place is beautiful!" Harnack shouted loudly as he swaggered past Augustus, wobbling a little as he used his foot to draw a heart on the ground.
"Where are the bars and the girls?" Tychus craned his neck.
"Let's go, let's go—" Augustus turned back with a look of exasperation as his guards dragged several Vultures out from the shuttle's cargo bay.
"We'll go meet Dr. Hanson, the chairman of the settlers here. Perhaps he'll have a way to help us," Augustus said as he mounted his own red Vulture.
"Agria is still in its development stage and lacks sufficient labor power. The influx of a large number of immigrants will, to a certain extent, greatly boost the local level of development."
Soon after, Augustus, Raynor, and the others rode their Vultures across the fields and villages, heading toward the center of the settlers' colony. Along the way, the local colonists cast wary glances at them. Agria was a beautiful agricultural world—but it was also a place often visited by pirates, though pirates had little real interest in wheat.
Augustus eventually came upon a lovely red house built from brick and timber, with a wooden fence enclosing a small garden where pale purple morning glories and red tomatoes grew.
Inside the fence stood a girl with shoulder-length black hair, holding a cauliflower and an old book with a gilt cover in her hands. Her large, light-green eyes gazed at Augustus.
"You are not among the people I know," she said.
"But welcome to Agria, gentlemen."
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