Chapter 785: Heading to Haven
"Commander, you mean..." Matt had already guessed it.
"Haven," Raynor spoke the name. "An Earth-like planet near the edge of Protoss space. I saw data on it in some old archives. It has a high ecological rating, a complete atmosphere, liquid water, and a stable ecosystem with almost no traces of industrial development. Theoretically, it can support the long-term survival of tens of thousands of people, or even more."
"But it's close to the Protoss!" Tychus's voice came through the comms, filled with undisguised opposition. "Jimmy, have you lost your mind? Those blue-skins aren't gonna invite us to tea just because we're dragging a bunch of refugees around! They look at us the same way we look at bugs on the ground!"
"It's exactly because it's near Protoss-controlled space that the Swarm might have reservations and won't attack easily," Raynor analyzed calmly. "This is the only place we can find right now that might allow us to avoid the main Swarm forces while providing basic survival conditions."
"And what about the Protoss themselves?" Dr. Hanson interjected, her voice fraught with worry. "Commander Raynor, our understanding of Protoss biology and sociology is extremely limited. But the general consensus is that they maintain a stance of absolute zero tolerance toward any form of 'contamination'—especially the Zerg and their related derivatives."
"Their purification methods... are usually thorough and absolute."
She paused, her voice softening. "If, and I'm just saying if, there are still undetected infected hiding among our refugees, or even if someone is just carrying trace amounts of Zerg spores... Once detected by the Protoss, based on historical records and fragmented intelligence, their standard response is highly likely to be..."
"Incinerating the entire planet," Valerie continued calmly, stating a cold fact.
She had seen descriptions of Protoss "purification" actions in some of the data provided by Ryo; it was absolutely not a military strike in the human sense.
The briefing room fell into an even deeper silence.
Going to Haven might mean bringing thousands of survivors to another potential, highly efficient furnace of destruction.
"I know the risks." Raynor's voice was low but resolute, his gaze sweeping over everyone present. "If we stay here, we'll start starving to death in five days, or get wiped out by the Swarm that might catch up. Going to other human colonies almost guarantees running into the Swarm or getting turned away by the Dominion. Haven is the only theoretically viable option right now. As for the Protoss..."
He took a deep breath: "I've dealt with them a bit; they aren't entirely unreasonable. Their highest principle, the 'Dae'Uhl', emphasizes protection and purification, but it also includes a certain degree of... measurement. If we initiate contact, explain the situation, and prove we harbor no hostility and carry no uncontrollable infection threat... maybe there's room for negotiation."
"You expect to reason with those guys who think they're gods?" Tychus sneered over the channel.
"Better than sitting around waiting to die," Raynor said decisively. "We need a foothold, a place where these people can catch their breath, treat their wounds, and eat some real food. Haven is the only option."
"Matt, set a course, target the Haven system. Have the entire fleet prepare for camouflage and silent running; we'll approach as low-profile as possible."
"Understood." Matt began operating the navigation system.
"Dr. Hanson," Raynor turned to the female scientist. "I need you and your people to use all the equipment we have to conduct the strictest, multi-round biological screenings on all the refugees. Especially those with a history of direct contact or open wounds. We must do our utmost to ensure we don't bring any 'trouble' to Haven. This is the only possible foundation for negotiation."
"I'll do my best, but our equipment is limited, and some deep infections or incubation periods..." Dr. Hanson looked troubled.
"Do your best." Raynor nodded, then looked at Valerie. "Miss Valerie, can your specialized equipment and technology assist in conducting more precise scans? This concerns everyone's survival."
Valerie nodded slightly: "I can coordinate some resources to conduct auxiliary deep bio-signal scans. But similarly, I cannot guarantee one hundred percent absolute reliability." She knew clearly in her heart that Ryo's technology went far beyond this, but she absolutely could not reveal that right now.
"That's enough. We need to show maximum sincerity and effort." Raynor stood up, concluding the meeting. "Everyone, we have no way back. Haven is our only hope. Dismissed. Prepare yourselves."
People left carrying a heavy burden of pressure. As Valerie walked down the corridor, her data-slate received a regular pulse signal from the Eternal Seeker—everything was normal.
Ryo was still observing in silence.
And they, leading a flock of refugees struggling to survive, were sailing toward a frontier world guarded by a proud and powerful alien race, their future unknown.
The Hyperion's engines rumbled deeply as it adjusted its course.
Outside the bridge's observation windows, Meinhoff, the planet gradually being eroded by purple spots, slowly rotated until it was finally left behind in the darkness.
The voyage to Haven was estimated to take forty-eight standard hours. This relatively short journey felt like trekking on the edge of a blade for everyone in the fleet.
Conditions in the temporary holding areas continued to deteriorate. Despite the best efforts of Dr. Hanson and the medical team, the lack of medicine meant the condition of many wounded began to worsen.
Infections, fevers, sepsis... Death harvested lives in a slower, more agonizing manner within these crowded metal spaces.
Body bags were silently carried out every day and thrown into the small matter reclaimer at the rear of the ship—a common method for disposing of remains during space travel, but it felt exceptionally cold and frequent right now.
The extreme shortage of food sparked deeper anxiety.
The rationing points, which initially maintained some semblance of order, began to see shoving and arguments.
The Raiders had to dispatch more manpower to maintain order, but the soldiers themselves were equally starving.
While the high-density nutrient bars provided basic calories, they offered no feeling of fullness or psychological comfort, especially for civilians who had experienced massive trauma.
The emaciated faces and lusterless eyes of the children stung the conscience of anyone who still had one.
Valerie walked among the crowds. Her security consultants were dispersed at several key locations, maintaining basic stability.
She calmly observed everything, detailing the rate of supply consumption, personnel health indices, and mass emotional fluctuations. This information was valuable for both her own mission and Ryo's observations.
She saw a mother secretly slip most of her nutrient bar to her incessantly coughing child, only licking the inside of the wrapper herself; she saw a garrison soldier with a severed hand, driven by severe pain and despair, attempting to end his own life with a bandage late at night, only to be discovered and stopped by his comrades in time.
Despair was like a silent plague spreading through the crowd, its harm no less than the biological infection on the surface of Meinhoff.