Chapter 393: Test! Psionic Energy—Level Ten! Truly Terrifying!
The Queen of Blades' immense psionic power allowed her to control Zerg combat units with extraordinary precision—far more stable than what Cerebrates could achieve.
Beyond that, her presence had also, to some extent, accelerated the Zerg's evolution: directing them to absorb more biological genes to correct their deficiencies, enhancing intra-species communication through psionic links, and enabling them to adapt to extreme environments through constant combat exposure.
To the Zerg, the Queen of Blades was every bit as important as the Overmind.
Since they were planning to use the Keystone's psionic energy to control the Zerg, capturing Kerrigan—this central objective—had become a top priority.
With this in mind, Li Ang turned to Quentisa and asked, "How is our psionic warrior augmentation program progressing?"
Ever since Megacorp had taken control of Bysel and acquired the Taldarim's core Terrazine deposits, large quantities of Terrazine had been shipped to the Science Nexus for research and development.
After so many days of relentless effort, there ought to be some results by now.
"As of now, our psionic warrior program has entered the testing phase. We expect to see results within a week or two," Quentisa replied.
"If the testing proves successful, Paul Atreides will be our first candidate for augmentation."
Her tone was direct.
Given Paul's demonstrated ability to consume spice without side effects, his exceptional drug resistance made him an ideal subject—one far too valuable to waste.
"Good. I'll leave this to you—just make sure he stays safe."
Li Ang nodded, emphasizing again that Paul's safety came first. He'd rather delay the psionic warrior program than risk Paul suffering Terrazine-induced destabilization.
For Universal Megacorp, that kind of loss was utterly unacceptable.
"Understood."
After reviewing the progress of the Science Nexus's projects, Li Ang and his team returned to the Multiverse Base Headquarters.
Thanks to days of round-the-clock construction, the frontline base within the StarCraft universe had finally taken shape.
Heavy hard-light turrets dotted the orbital defense ring; psionic cannons, electromagnetic railguns, and ground-strike lasers were all in place—every weapon needed to repel large-scale assaults.
Any incoming Zerg fleet was guaranteed to suffer heavy losses before getting close.
And that was just the outermost defense perimeter.
To ensure the base's long-term stability, Megacorp's Engineering Division had fortified it into a near-impregnable planetary fortress.
Back in the Transformers universe, when preparing to defend against large-scale bounty hunter raids, Megacorp had deployed a stellar-class defense grid throughout the solar system.
Though that battle never came to fruition, the experience taught them valuable lessons in rapidly establishing fortified zones.
This time, construction had gone even more smoothly. In less than two months, over 70% of the base's defenses were already complete.
Paul—who had just finished his Ranger duties and returned to tour the Multiverse Base—was visibly shocked at the sight.
In the blink of an eye, the frontline defenses were nearly finished. The Engineering Division's speed was almost absurd.
"This pace is insane," Paul muttered, still stunned, as he walked toward the central base.
Naturally, to ensure maximum security, David had moved the command center into the underground complex—the core of the entire stronghold. There was virtually no way the Zerg could reach this far in.
After passing through a labyrinth of security checkpoints and clearance protocols, Paul finally entered the frontline command center.
As expected, David Martinez was already inside, coordinating defensive deployments and preparing rigorously for the all-out Zerg invasion slated for the following month.
This upcoming battle would determine the fate of Megacorp's efforts to unify the StarCraft universe. No amount of caution could be considered excessive.
When David saw Paul return, he wrapped up his current directives and walked over.
"You've worked hard," he said. "Everything okay with the Rangers?"
Paul nodded. "Don't worry, everything's handled. Tychus's restraints have been removed—he's stable now."
"Good to hear."
After confirming that Tychus was no longer a threat, David continued, "You visited the Science Nexus—Dr. Halsey should've briefed you on the situation."
"She did. The Keystone will be arriving here soon, and once it does, the Zerg will launch a massive offensive."
Paul knew full well that bringing the Keystone here would place Megacorp's soldiers at extreme risk, but it was a necessary sacrifice to ensure the plan's success.
In the grand scheme, everyone had to make way.
"Commander, surely the Zerg aren't just our responsibility. Why haven't the other factions sent reinforcements?" Paul asked, genuinely puzzled.
After all, both the Terran Dominion and the UED were also being attacked by the Zerg. They were fully aware of the battles taking place—yet they stood by and did nothing.
"We've tried to solicit help from the Dominion and the UED," David said with a helpless chuckle. "But aside from the Daelaam Protoss agreeing to send troops, no one else has responded."
Megacorp didn't really need help. As long as no one stabbed them in the back, they'd manage. Still, David had reached out to gauge where the other factions stood.
If they sent support, it meant there was still some hope for their leadership.
If not—well, once the war ended, there would be a thorough purge.
No one would be spared.
Paul wasn't surprised by this at all. If it were another race behaving this way, he might have been disappointed. But when it came to humanity?
Completely expected.
Just a brief look at the leadership of the Dominion and UED told you all you needed to know.
Arcturus Mengsk—ruthless usurper and manipulator—would gladly sacrifice his own citizens to preserve his power. A monster devoid of humanity.
The UED's ruling party? An ultra-xenophobic regime obsessed with human superiority, blindly rejecting and excluding all non-human civilizations.
Given their track record, Paul figured they should be grateful Megacorp hadn't branded them collaborators and purged them already—let alone hope for their assistance.
"Well, at least we won't have to worry about them trying to meddle," Paul said thoughtfully.
After finalizing defensive plans and operational details with David, Paul rejoined his Rangers for a final inspection of the frontline defense grid.
Just then, Dr. Halsey from the Science Nexus sent word—Paul was required to return to the main universe for a classified test.
Only then did he leave the base and begin his journey back.
Thanks to the tireless efforts and refinements of Universal Megacorp' scientific team, the Megacorp had made groundbreaking progress in the field of psionics. Humanity had taken its first concrete steps in understanding how to possess, wield, and enhance psionic energy.
Though still in its infancy, this research far surpassed the Terran Dominion's outdated approach, which relied solely on identifying children born with innate psionic potential.
Hyperion's psionic system, in contrast, aimed to make psionic ability accessible to everyone—offering a path of cultivation to all humankind.
Of course, at this stage, launching a society-wide psionic awakening remained a daunting challenge, one fraught with significant risk of death and mental instability.
As such, the Megacorp planned only to awaken and modify a select group of individuals at first. Once sufficient experience was gained from wielding psionics in practice, the technology could then be rolled out on a broader scale.
Under the leadership of research director Quentisa, the first batch of psionic warriors had been selected: elite fighters from the Fremen legion of the Dune universe—and Paul Atreides himself.
In addition, several researchers involved in Zerg and Protoss studies would also be joining the psionic enhancement program.
Paul had barely returned from the front lines when he was escorted directly to the Science Nexus to undergo Megacorp's psionic aptitude test.
And he was visibly intrigued.
In the StarCraft universe, psionics were the very lifeblood of all narrative threads. Protoss technology relied on it. Zerg evolution depended on it.
Even human progress was inseparable from it.
Psionics were the "gift" bestowed by the Xel'Naga to all intelligent life. There was no reason for Megacorp to reject such a divine offering.
Before long, Paul was led to a laboratory deep within the Science Nexus.
This facility was dedicated to psionic research and staffed by scientific teams from numerous alien civilizations.
Although Paul didn't recognize most of the faces, two stood out in the crowd: Alt Cunningham, the division supervisor who welcomed him, and Dr. Ariel Hanson, who had recently joined Universal Megacorp.
Ever since the Raiders had been officially integrated into the corporate system, Ariel had taken up a position at the Nexus, where she could finally put her talents to proper use.
"Welcome, Paul. We've been expecting you for some time now," Alt said warmly, shaking Paul's hand. "Must've been a rough trip."
"Nothing I can't handle," Paul replied with a smile. "With the invasion looming, everyone's doing their part. A little exhaustion is a small price to pay."
Hands in her pockets, Dr. Hanson jumped straight to the point. "Since Commander Atreides is here, let's get today's test underway."
Much like aptitude evaluations in cultivation sects of fantasy worlds, mastering psionics required a test of one's "psionic roots."
Before Paul could begin his journey, they needed to determine whether his body could handle Terrazine exposure—whether he could withstand the ripples of psionic energy.
"No problem. Let's get started," Paul said with a nod. He already knew what today's test entailed and had mentally prepared himself on the way over.
Alt and Ariel guided him toward a sealed pod and explained the procedure.
"Once you're inside, we'll release a specially refined, low-concentration Terrazine gas. It won't cause permanent neural damage," Alt assured him, "but it may trigger hallucinations. Whatever you see—it's perfectly normal. Don't panic."
Ariel added, "After you inhale the gas, your brain will start emitting psionic waves. We'll monitor the fluctuations to assess your latent aptitude. That's the entire process. Got it?"
"Understood."
Paul took one last glance at the holographic display outside the pod, half-expecting to see some over-the-top message flash across the screen like: 'Psionic Energy—Level Three!'—as if he were in a melodramatic RPG.
With a calm expression, he stepped into the pod.
Once sealed inside and the staff took their positions, a violet mist of Terrazine gas began to pour in.
Soon, Paul was engulfed in a haze of purple light, its strange aroma shooting straight up from his nose to the back of his skull.
"Steady your breathing. A little dizziness is expected," Alt's voice crackled through the comms.
Sure enough, under the drug's effects, Paul began to feel a drifting sensation—as if his soul were detaching from his body. His thoughts floated away, unanchored from his flesh.
This was a feeling he knew well, one he had experienced countless times while taking spice.
What surprised him, though, was how closely the hallucinatory sensation from Terrazine mirrored that of spice—yet also how fundamentally different it was.
Where spice might show him cryptic glimpses of possible futures, Terrazine thrust his mind into the boundless deep of the cosmic unknown.
His perspective widened beyond imagination. He saw the scent of thoughts, heard the song of starlight, smelled the iridescent hues of space.
Every sense became sharpened and disordered, both crystal clear and overwhelmingly abstract.
As his perception grew more refined, Paul eventually witnessed the Milky Way itself shrink into a grain of sand.
Then, even that grain collapsed into twisted lines, until the vast cosmos compressed into a single translucent halo—beyond which lay countless more such halos.
Who knew how much time passed before Paul collapsed to the floor, drenched in sweat. His mind, drained to the limit, slowly returned to his body.
For a fleeting moment, he had glimpsed some profound, undeniable truth. But the sensation was short-lived.
Just as he tried to linger in that state, his consciousness slammed into an invisible "wall" and was violently hurled back into his physical self.
All traces of the psionic realm vanished in an instant.
"So this is what psionic resonance feels like…" Paul muttered, stunned. "It's nothing like spice."
Different universes clearly had different metaphysical structures. Yet for some reason, Paul felt like the psionics in the StarCraft universe stemmed from something even deeper.
Possibly even beyond the Xel'Naga temples of the Void.
Maybe Amon was right.
Perhaps some grand mechanism had locked this universe into a never-ending cycle of evolution and regression—an unbreakable samsara from which no one could escape.
Meanwhile, outside the pod, Alt Cunningham and Dr. Ariel Hanson exchanged shocked glances.
The data on their instruments was utterly unprecedented. The level of psionic fluctuation being emitted—nothing they'd ever seen came close.
If they were to measure it using the "Psionic Energy—Stage X" scale…
Then Paul Atreides was undeniably the chosen one.
Psionic Energy—Level Ten!
Truly terrifying.
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