In the bar of the Hyperion, Jim Raynor continued to drink his wine. Drinking had become his daily routine. He liked to hang out here when he had nothing to do.
The good wine he has now is freshly supplied from the Aglia colony on the planet Haven, and the taste is quite good.
Dr. Hansen and her Aglia people gave everything they could in return for the help they had given to Renault.
Therefore, Renault is very satisfied with these fine wines. This is not only the fruit of victory, but also the recognition of them by the Aglia people. This makes Renault feel that their great cause seems to have taken another step forward and gained something. Part of the human heart?
Therefore, while sipping the wine, he looked with interest at the huge TV hanging on the wall of the bar, which was playing a piece of news:
"I am Donnie Vermillion of UNN, the first, last and only voice of truth! Tonight, Kate Rockwell will reveal the mysterious Shadow War, led by the brave ghosts of the Terran Empire Agents are the protagonists, guarding us silently and fighting against brutal enemies..."
The first person to appear was Downey, the star of the UNN studio. This funny guy was full of lies. After he finished speaking, it quickly switched to another scene.
"Thank you, Donnie! I'm reporter Kate Rockwell, and the person I'm talking to now is Du... (masked sound), the Tyrannic Empire's Du... (masked sound), especially Du... (masked sound), we know, you You and your partner have been fighting some doo-doo-doo-doos. Can you tell us something?"
On the TV screen after the switch, in addition to UNN's beautiful reporter Kate Rockwell, another small screen behind her showed that the person talking to her was an invisible black figure. Obviously I did it because I didn't want the other party's true face to be exposed to the public.
"Okay, Kate, but I can't give too much away..."
Soon, the black shadow began to talk incessantly, and then, every time he came to a keyword, he would be artificially cut off and a shielded beeping sound would be added.
"Knowing that the Empire's troops will protect us, I think everyone can sleep more peacefully at night? I am Donnie Vermillion from UNN. See you all tomorrow!"
snort!
Seeing those who were about to tell the truth on TV being blocked in time, while those who told lies were full of benevolence, justice and morality, this made Renault, who was drinking, sneer with disdain.
With this kind of fake news, I don’t know how Downey dares to say that he is the only spokesperson for the truth?
I'm afraid, he actually serves that bastard Mengsk, right?
Look at how skilled he was at interrupting other people's live conversations just now. He definitely didn't do this once or twice...
After thinking about it, Renault felt that he had drunk enough, so he stood up slightly and started to walk out of the bar door.
"How's it going, Matt? What's going on with our supplies?"
After finishing his usual drink in the battleship bar, Renault wandered back to the bridge of the Hyperion and asked Matt, who was sorting out material information.
Three full days have passed since the battle on Planet Haven. Now, Renault and his Hyperion have already left the barren agricultural planet and have re-jumped into the universe. Sailing on a remote route, ready to take the next step after repairs are completed.
"Sir, we currently have enough living materials, and we don't need to resupply in a short time! As for energy, due to the transaction with the Federation of Heroes, we have obtained enough high-energy crystals and high-energy gas for us to use for several years. Therefore, we There is no shortage of energy at the moment!”
After looking at the supply list displayed on the smart terminal in his hand, Captain Matt Horner quickly reported.
"That's great. Why do I see you looking a little worried?"
This is what Reynold is wondering about. Look, now their Hyperion has no worries about food, drink, and energy. How good is this? You should be happy. Why does Matt still look like this?
"Sir! Because... we are almost out of money now..."
After looking at the list of supplies in his hand, and then at Jim Raynor who stood opposite him and almost never asked about these internal chores, Captain Matt could only speak helplessly.
Although he also knew that his superior did not want to hear the bad news, he still had no choice but to say it.
If anyone thinks that the Hyperion does not need funds to launch a counterattack against Mengsk, then they are totally wrong!
On this battleship, except for some like-minded people who are willing to follow Jim Renault in this high-risk and high-return undertaking, a considerable number of other people are mercenaries who are willing to pay high prices for their money but not their lives!
Only these mercenaries who put their heads on their belts every day dare to fight anyone after receiving money!
Whether it's protoss, bugs, or Mengsk's imperial army, as long as they have money to take, they dare to copy people and go to the battlefield to do their job!
And once there is no money, when the contract expires, some of the combat personnel on the Hyperion may be reduced by less than half, or even more, in an instant?
"Why did you run out of money so quickly?!"
Hearing that it was about money again, and not sure if he was drunk, Renault suddenly felt a headache, a terrible pain...
Over the years, they have been hunted down and squeezed out of their living space by Mengsk's empire, and they have not lived a good life. Lack of money and supplies is a common thing, and it is normal.
But now, after much difficulty, they made a huge fortune in energy from Haiwen Star, and received a large amount of free supplies of living supplies from Dr. Hansen's people. Renault, who originally thought he could live a good life for a year or two, But they never expected that they would be short of money at this time?
"How about... we first take out those high-energy crystals and high-energy gas and sell some of the emergency supplies?"
After thinking about it, Renault, who had no good solution, immediately came up with the idea of the batch of energy that had just been put into storage.
In his opinion, these energy sources should be in short supply that are easier to sell, and the price is ridiculously high. If they sell some of them on the black market, it will probably be enough for them to live happily for a while?
"Sir! I don't recommend that you do that! Those energy sources are very important to our Hyperion, and you shouldn't have such thoughts!"
As soon as he heard that Renault was going to resell energy, Captain Matt immediately became anxious!
In the past few years, the Hyperion has often been in an embarrassing state of insufficient energy. It often has no meal, so it has to do some business of robbing houses or recycling junk!
You know, the behemoth-class super battleship has a huge appetite for energy consumption. Once it encounters a fierce battle, the energy consumption after a battle will be even more terrifying!
Although it is possible that the Hyperion has a giant fusion reactor, a clean energy source with fusion reaction as its core, that can be used, but when ultra-high power output and jumps are required, where can the energy source of high-energy crystals be used?
Now, they have finally become a little richer and no longer have to worry about energy. This is a good thing that has never happened in the past few years. How can they resell the precious materials they finally obtained to pay back the money?
Anyway, Matt will never agree to Renault's plan to sell energy for money!
"Okay, what do you think we should do? Or do you have any good ideas?"
Seeing that his friend Matt was unwilling to do this, Renault had no choice but to sit on a chair with a slight sigh.
At the same time, he was also thinking in his heart, should he go to that entrustment again to do those unprofitable transactions? The bastard said last time that he wanted to go to the Bell Stone planet of the Protoss to get those Protoss holy artifact crystals?
Tsk! Renault thinks this matter is a bit difficult...
You know, Renault had just offended the executive officer of Thrandis on Haven Star. If he goes to fight with Tuosh now about the god-given gift of that star spirit, and grab the "Breath of the Creator" "If the state of cyanide...
Then, he, Reno, will really become a space thief!
Then you are honored to be included in the wanted list of the protoss again after the Mengsk Empire?
At that time, he may really have no choice but to sneak away to Haiwen Star, live a secluded life with that beautiful doctor, where his wife and children are on the hot bed...
"Of course, sir! Because I just received a message!"
As he spoke, Matt clicked directly on the holographic strategic map on the bridge of the Hyperion, calling up a holographic model of the planet, its orbit and other information.
"This is... Santanis?!"
After seeing the planet that Matt called up, Renault immediately said that he was very familiar with this planet!
It is the capital administrative star of the old federation, the Terran Federation.
It was a beautiful planet with a highly prosperous economy and population. It was also the most prosperous administrative planet that had ever appeared since the human exiles established a colony in the Koprulu sector!
Of course, this is all in the past...
When Arcturus Mengsk formed the Sons of Korhal and led this terrorist organization to grow and develop into a full-fledged interstellar rebel army, the invasion of the zerg soon caused the Tyranid Federation to be in trouble both internally and externally. In the end, the Tower Thannis was eventually overrun by the Zerg and severely damaged.
It is estimated that at least two billion humans on this planet died in the catastrophe caused by the insect invasion... But not long after, the zerg voluntarily abandoned the planet they captured. As for the specific reasons, , not known to outsiders...
It was then that Sarah Louise Kerrigan was slain at the hands of the Swarm and transformed into the Queen of Blades she is now! It was also at that time that Mengsk's abandonment of his troops caused a mutiny in the army. Renault and many people who were originally loyal to Mengsk left angrily and started working against Mengsk...
Then, when Arcturus Mengsk successfully overthrew the old Terran Federation and established the new Tyranid Empire (now the Mengsk Constitutional Monarchy Empire), the refugees from Tarsonis were dispersed To other colonized planets, this planet itself has not carried out re-colonization activities.
The Tyranid Empire implemented a strict military blockade on Tarsonis. Only the official recovery team searched for the technological and military secrets left by the old Federation in the ruins. Even Raynor did not know that Mengsk blocked this ruined place and was washed away by nuclear explosions. What kind of crooked ideas do you want to make on this planet that has passed by?
"You read that right, sir! This planet is indeed Santanis!"
After nodding, Matt operated the holographic map, enlarging the image of the planet Santanis, and finally locked onto one of the Empire's excavation sites.
"We accidentally received the latest excavation report from the Terran Empire in Santanis: there are many supply trains operating there, but their defenses are very weak!"
"If we intercept the empire's military train and obtain the contents before the goods are sent to other planets, I think we will definitely be able to gain huge benefits?!"
To put it bluntly, Matt suggested that Renault do a business without capital and cut off the Terran Empire's military supplies. He would use what he could use and sell what he couldn't use for money! This kind of thing is much more reliable than reselling precious energy!
Moreover, the opponent's army defense is very weak, and they are still wanted criminals by the Tyran Empire. If they don't rob the Tyran Empire's military supplies, why don't they rob the merchant ships of civilians or merchants?
If they really do that, their Rangers will really become like rats on the street, interstellar thieves that everyone shouts and beats.
They are now a group of freedom fighters, definitely not interstellar thieves! Moreover, the nature of the matter between robbing Mengsk's troops and robbing civilians is completely different!
"Okay... then it's up to you! It seems you are prepared... So, Matt, what are your plans?"
After thinking about it, Renault felt that since Matt felt that robbing the empire's military supplies was more cost-effective than selling his own energy, he might as well do it!
"Of course! As far as I know, the Terran Empire has restored power to the suspended railway system from the old Federation era, and they use trains to transport those bulky recyclables to a central processing station."
"The information we obtained: A very important thing was found at an excavation site in the Tyran Empire. I heard it is very valuable?! In two days, they will transport it to the processing station, so at that time, it will be us The best time to act!”
"Besides, that thing is probably very valuable! Otherwise, the imperial military would not have installed anti-scanning protective carriages on the trains? So, we'd better intercept enough trains and try to get it so that the empire can That nervous thing... I hope we can be lucky enough then!"
Soon, Matt pointed at the random suspended railway lines on the holographic map, and then marked an uninhabited area in the middle as their landing site two days later.
He planned to land at this location, intercept the military train that raided the empire, and get those valuable things.
"Hopefully we'll be lucky?! Matt, this doesn't seem like a plan you'd say..."
Actually leaving a combat operation to luck?
Renault, who had never heard Matt say such a thing before, was a little surprised now.
Matt's style of planning military operations has always been known for his rigor. If he is not very sure, he will always come up with a plan. But now, he wants to gamble his luck like a gambler?
"So, sir, do you have any good ideas? I'm all ears!"
That thing must be very valuable, or very important, otherwise, the imperial military would not block the information so tightly, and even the trains would be equipped with anti-scanning carriages! Therefore, besides trying his luck and intercepting as many trains as possible, Matt had no other good solution.
They don't have enough money to buy accurate information now, and even if they have money, they may not be able to buy core military secrets like this!
"Great! Matt...you convinced me!"
"Okay, I listen to you, let's go rob the train in two days! I think old Tychus will definitely like this job!"
Renault, who had no good solution and was unwilling to say anything more, nodded and graciously agreed to this action.
Isn't it just robbery? This is Renault's old profession. He guarantees: By then, not a single train will be missed!
————
On the planet Haiwen, on a continent near the equator of the planet, on a tropical plain with a suitable climate and rich products, a huge human colonial spacecraft, the Hope, has landed here from space.
Then, with this spaceship as the center, the humans of the original Hope, and now the citizens of the Federation of Heroes, are working feverishly with the efforts of countless SCV engineering vehicles to begin building the first building of their federation on this huge construction site. A ground colonial city, it is also their new capital - the City of Hope!
At this time, little Annie was not in this bustling construction site, nor in the small and stuffy cabin of the Hope, or in the heavy battlecruisers patrolling the sky.
At this time, she was leading two elite marines from Demacia and Noxus who had recovered from training. They boarded a heavy armored transport ship and after forcibly recruiting two Wraith fighter jets, they went far away from the construction site. Combat training initiated by her was going on in a savanna on the other side of the field!
"Hey! Galen, please pay attention! The enemy is moving towards you at high speed. Our fighter planes have driven the enemy over. Hurry, you must step forward to intercept it!"
Next to an armored transport ship parked on the ground, in a military tent, little Annie was squatting on a metal stool, looking at the holographic map in front of the military combat table and commanding Galen vigorously. Fight Darius and the others.
Behind her, the two technical staff were also staring nervously at the holographic battle map on the table. They wanted to step forward and help the little head of state, but they didn't dare to do it, so they could only stand there and worry.
"No, sir! This target is too big! We can't hit it, and we can't eat it! Unless, you let us go back and put on armored power combat suits first! Or give us a gun?"
Outside the encirclement, Galen and two of his men were struggling to hold on to their Demacia swords. After seeing the enemies in the distance being driven by fighter planes, they didn't even think about it. The three of them just dragged their respective swords. Da Jian ran to the side, narrowly allowing the opponent's escape route, and at least he was not hit.
Wearing only officers' civilian clothes and no armored power combat uniforms, the three of them really had no way to defeat the enemy who just rushed past...
"Hmph! You are so useless!!!"
After seeing that the other party let go of her hard-fought target so easily, little Annie muttered in dissatisfaction.
Then, she quickly got down on the combat map and started operating. Soon, she found another slightly weaker enemy.
The size of this enemy seems to be weaker than the one just now? In this case, they will definitely be able to fight, right?
"Fighter No. 2, please pay attention. We have found the target: it is at your seven o'clock direction, distance 486. I have marked it. You hurry up and drive it to Darius and the others! There must be no mistake!"
Now that Galen and the others had let go of their first target, little Annie had no choice but to choose a slightly smaller one.
"Fighter No. 2 received, I am turning... I have seen the target, mission confirmed! Now, I will drive it over immediately!"
In the encirclement, a Wraith fighter plane did a backflip and changed its direction, then dived towards the target marked by Annie on the radar.
"Hey! Big black guy! The enemy is fleeing towards you. You must intercept it! Otherwise, we won't feed you later!"
The big guy just now has been let go by the useless Galen and the others, and now she will definitely not miss it again!
No matter what, she must ask Darius and the others to defeat the enemy and drag the opponent's body back to be skinned and cramped to satisfy her hatred!
"Sir, sir! Can't you choose a good enemy for me? This guy is obviously more ruthless than the one just now..."
To be honest, looking at the enemy being chased by fighter planes and rushing toward his five-man team, Darius was almost frightened.
Look at the opponent's strong claw-shaped hooves, fine and hard scales, majestic body and protruding muscles. He looks a little uncomfortable without wearing armor or a rifle...
If you put him in an armored power combat suit, Darius would dare to go up and chop the opponent alone!
However, now all of them are wearing casual clothes, plus a battle ax or a big sword. Not only is this a serious lack of strength points, but it is also obviously a configuration with high attack and low defense, which is really not suitable for fighting!
"I've decided! That's it! If you dare to let it go, I will lock you all in a dark room for a week!"
They have been preparing and working hard for this battle today for a long time. Now, little Annie must not lose sight of that goal. That enemy must be captured as soon as possible!
If they dare to let him go again, just for disobeying the order, then they will just wait to go back to confinement. No one can persuade him!
"I'm going! Everyone, shrink the encirclement and run over to support Darius immediately, but don't let the enemy escape!"
As soon as he heard what little Annie said, Galen became anxious. If he really let the enemy go, then the little boy could really do it!
Therefore, he did not want to be locked up in a small dark room for a week, so he quickly called out to the other team members in the channel, then carried his big sword and rushed into the grassland of Haiwen Star, which was almost half his waist high.
"As you command, sir!"
"Copy that, we're on our way over now..."
After responses in twos and threes rang out on the channel, all twenty Marines carried their weapons and quickly surrounded Darius in the direction of Darius, intending to unite and knock down the enemy.
"Your Majesty the Head of State! How about I help them with the machine cannon?"
Hovering in mid-air, looking at Darius and others who were fighting hard with the enemy below his fighter plane, the pilot on the No. 2 fighter plane hesitated for a moment and then asked.
"No shooting! Otherwise, I will lock you in a dark room for a month, and then transfer you to the engineering team!"
I heard that the other party actually planned to shoot, or use an aerial cannon?
Little Annie immediately became anxious, quickly stood up from the metal stool in front of the holographic map, and spoke loudly to warn. If she could shoot, would she have been laughing for so long?
The enemy must be chopped alive, and the enemy's body must be kept intact as much as possible!
"..."
(…)
————
"Adjutant Doug, the heads of state and the others seem to be engaged in an important military battle now? Maybe, we can go there later?"
In the sky, in the cabin of an armored transport ship, an officer who was sitting in a position listened to the command of Chief Anne and the battle shouts of the Marines coming from the channel. He thought for a while, He turned around and suggested to Doug, who was closing his eyes and concentrating.
He thinks that what they are planning to do now is not as important as what the heads of state are doing, right? The other party seems to be fighting the enemy. Wouldn't it be bad to disturb the other party rashly like this?
"You are still too naive..."
Doug opened his eyes and looked at the second lieutenant beside him in surprise. Then, the corner of her mouth twitched for a while before she managed to say something that made the other person unclear.
"..."
The officer scratched his head a little and looked at Doug who continued to close his eyes and didn't speak. He didn't quite understand what the other party meant.
————
"So this is ah……"
Almost half an hour later, when Doug's armored transport ship parked next to Little Annie's ship and opened the hatch, the ensign officer who came out finally understood the scene after seeing the scene in the distance. What Adjutant Doug said to him before...
It turned out that in the distance, outside the military tent, a group of Marines were happily grilling a huge six-legged Heven star animal on top of a large fire?
These people...at this stall where everyone was busy building, not only did they go out in groups and play hunting and barbecue tricks, but they also recruited two military Phantom fighter planes to help them drive away the prey? !
So what, where is the anonymous reporting box for complaints against the Supreme Head of State? Does he think he can write an anonymous report letter of tens of thousands of words with his left hand?
"..."
Doug, who had been mentally prepared for this, glanced at the dumbfounded second lieutenant next to him, then walked forward with some documents in his hand, a little amused.
"Oops! Aunt Doug! I've said it many times, if there's anything, or something that's not very important, don't bother me with it!"
Sitting on the military map table, little Annie, wearing silver casual clothes and dangling two light military boots, was arrogantly directing Galen's Marines to apply delicious spices and various barbecues on the prey they had just caught. Special powder seasoning.
Then, when she saw Doug coming down from the incoming armored transport spacecraft holding a file terminal, her little face quickly fell.
It’s so boring!
This Aunt Doug spends all day asking her to sign or authorize trivial things that seem trivial to her. It’s annoying to death!
How could things like building a capital, building a space station, or building a military port be as important as having her play happily?
Wouldn't they discuss it themselves? !
There is also the matter of persuading the bespectacled lady and her Aglians to join the Federation of Heroes. She is also required to attend meetings and negotiations one after another all day long, which is really annoying!
In her opinion, why do these things need to be so troublesome?
Wouldn't it be great to directly drive the battleship to the opponent's continent, aim the gun at their colonial gathering place, threaten them, and directly order them to submit quickly? Do you still need to negotiate all day long?
She felt furious when she thought of the representatives from both sides staying in that smoky conference room all day long, listing out the treaties one by one, and having people on both sides argue for a long time over such trivial matters!
"Yes, I understand! However, these documents still require your authorization!"
Doug handed over the instrument in his hand angrily. After opening the files on it, he motioned to Little Annie to quickly use her authority to authorize.
She already knew the little girl's temperament very well.
In her eyes, as long as it is something that she is not interested in, no matter how big or important it is, in her opinion, it is just a trivial matter that is dispensable!
Just like now, as the supreme head of the Federation of Heroes, she usually only has two days of rest every week. Today is also a working day, but... she has also been forced to change in the name of going out for exercises. It became a day off…
But now? Not only did this little girl not have an office, nor did she bring office equipment, but she also dragged Galen and Darius's group of Marines to come to this grassland to hold a barbecue party?
Is this an exercise? Exercise what? hunt? !
Not only did Galen and the others wear casual clothes and risk being attacked by wild animals to hunt in dense tropical grasslands, but they even privately dispatched two Wraith fighter planes to drive away the prey for them?
Look, they've made this place so chaotic. They've eaten a lot of wild animals these days, right? !
Thinking again about the luxury ocean yacht with anti-gravity flight capabilities that was secretly ordered to be built by the head of state in the heavy factory, Doug could already imagine the other party's future life on Haiwen Star...
It’s nothing more than going up to the mountains to hunt or fishing in the sea, right? I hope they don't eat any poisonous animals! After all, the work of collecting and establishing archives of animals and plants on Haiwen Star and preventing epidemics have just begun.
"oh……"
After reluctantly taking the instrument, little Annie held a roasted animal hind leg that Galen had just handed over in her mouth, and opened the files with her oily little hands, without even looking at them, and quickly counted them. Ten documents were scrolled through.
The amount of work that might take others a day to complete was turned into a boring point-and-click game by her, and it was all completed in less than ten seconds.
"Okay, you can take it now!"
After finishing it, little Annie threw the equipment into the other person's arms and hurried to the side of the barbecue rack. On top, the huge Haiwen star specialty, the six-legged predator, was being eaten. After the skin is peeled and cramped, it is baked, and the attractive fat and fragrance are constantly emitting.
They hunted a lot of prey today, large and small, ensuring that everyone had enough to eat!
"..."
Seeing the Federation's most important power device becoming full of grease in his arms, Doug could only roll his eyes helplessly, then he took out a handkerchief, wiped it and put it away carefully, and then took out another one. instrument.
"Eh? You guys aren't leaving yet? Is there anything else?"
Little Annie, who had just cut off a slightly smaller front leg from the body of the six-legged creature, turned around and saw that Aunt Doug hadn't left yet, and couldn't help but ask curiously.
Do they also want to join their barbecue party?
But... She, Doug, has always been very disgusted. Even Galen and Darius have been reprimanded by her several times!
"One more thing, we need you to record a declaration of the founding of our Federation of Heroes. In one month, when our capital city is roughly established, it will be released to the entire Koprulu sector!"
After saying that, Doug waved to the staff in the transport ship to move out a set of holographic camera equipment and once again handed a manuscript of the declaration to their Head of State Anne.
"Why do you need so much trouble? Right now, right here, hurry up and record it!"
After taking a look at the manuscript, little Annie threw it away with disdain.
Do you want her to change clothes? Memorize a manuscript? !
She is very skilled at giving speeches, so why bother? Must be simplified and save costs! In this difficult moment, when they have just started construction on this planet, no one can waste manpower and material resources casually, yes, that's it!
Then, she carelessly grabbed the front leg of the roasted animal she had just finished cooking with one hand, holding her little bear Tibbs in her waist. She pulled the steaming piece of meat with her other hand and stood directly. Arriving in front of the camera equipment, while swallowing the delicious food, he signaled to the stunned TV staff that they could start working.
"Your Majesty the Head of State...wouldn't it be bad for you to do this?"
After seeing Little Anne's outfit and the things on her hands, a female reporter asked a question with some uncertainty, and then looked at the silent aide to the head of state as if asking for help.
"..."
However, what disappointed her was that Doug just glanced at her and said nothing.
