Free SAW 1: Stars at War by Lee Guo Page A

were trapped.
    Patel gazed at Lieutenant Henderson. “Tell those people to
hurry!”
    “I am, sir! All engineers working on grazer array 802,
please vacate the premises ASAP! An asteroid is on a collision—”
    The 10 kilometer wide asteroid slammed into the grazer
array. A titanic whoosh of an explosion blew fire and debris in all directions.
The snake grazer piece crumbled as the giant asteroid smashed into it.
    My stars — there’s humans in there— Patel sucked
in his breath.
    By the time it was over, the asteroid cut through towards
the other side. Its momentum like a behemoth carrying it through the snake
grazer. The grazer, on the other hand, became sprawling debris. It shattered
into a thousand pieces. Whoever didn’t make it out —Patel counted— perhaps,
as many as 2000 humans died in that collision.
    This is the price we pay to defend our nation… “Helen.” Patel glanced at a colonel from the med unit. “Get medic teams toward
that broken grazer mount immediately. A lot of people are going to need help.”
    “Yes, sir.”
    “Scotty, recheck the asteroid vector projections.” Patel
sighed. “Let’s hope an error like that doesn’t happen, again.”

 
    CHAPTER TEN
    Star System Dalon, Viron Empire Core
    Planet Dalon's World, Viron Administrative Capital
    Parade Street, Outside the Capitol Building
     
    6 days later…
     
    T he trip itself
down to the planet turned out to be uneventful for Admiral Prancort.
    When the scouts detected that the snake fleet wasn’t going
to attack another planet, Prancort’s immediate thought was that the invasion
could be over. The snakes must have decided they’d taken too much damage and
couldn’t justify more damage to its fleet.
    Everyone, including Prancort, leapt in happiness in response
to the news.
    When the word of it reached Dalon’s World, the president,
Jinho Hyun, immediately requested Prancort return to the capital, where he
would be awarded many metals befitting his actions. Prancort, realizing the
snake threat seemed to be over, at least…temporarily…so he agreed.
    Therefore, for the past three hours, Prancort patiently
waited as his shuttle descended through the cloud banks onto the star port,
outlying the capital city of Haven’s Glas. When he got out, he was showered
with applause. Two entire platoons of marines parade marched him through the
city’s center, as part of an morale boosting planetary event, broadcasted on
live holo throughout the empire.
    Thus, before he knew it, Admiral Prancort found himself
walking through miles of city streets, until he finally reached Parade Street,
which lay directly outside the Capitol Building, where President Hyun and many
political dignitaries awaited him with metals prepared to be strapped on his
chest.
    "Admiral Prancort! Admiral Prancort!" a young
female’s voice sounded through the crowds.
    On both sides, the crowds showered Prancort with glittering
flowers. The colors of the Imperial flag flew at full banner on all sides of
Parade Street. Red and Green, the stars of destruction and life.
    "Welcome home, legendary admiral!" waved President
Jinho Hyun, who stood directly ahead with a wide smile.
    “You’re on national TV. Smile back and wave to the
president,” reminded the Marine colonel.
    Prancort, embarrassed, waved back.
    There seemed to be so much applause, so much! He felt he
didn't deserve it. The hysterical crowds to his left and right jammed to see
him. The Viron Main Hall, the center of government for 25 billion humans, stood
tall and vast ahead of him.
    "It's the fleet admiral!"
    "Oh, let me through, I want to see him in real life!"
someone yelled.
    "Admiral Prancort, will you marry me?"
    "People! People!" the General Secretariat called
out from beside Prancort, "You have to let him through. He can't shake the
President's hands if—Ooof!" Someone crashed into the general secretary.
    Prancort barely saw a blur from the man who did it. The next
moment he was carrying the secretary