SAW 1: Stars at War

by Lee Guo

  No—Roro would go down with the vessel that carried his name…

  Star System Dalon, Core of the Viron Empire

  Battle space

  Out of 15,497 human missiles, 14201 made it into position without being shot down by snake fighters. They surrounded the snake fleet of eight ships like a ball of needles, all of them pointing inward.

  At Prancort’s command, they dove.

  For the next hour, they accelerated to titanic velocities, adding one gigaton of kinetic energy each to their fusion payload.

  At 80,000 kilometers, the snakes opened up with point of defense laser fire at the ball of needles coming in from all directions. There were so many missiles the snake point defense grazers were overwhelmed. They destroyed 500 before the needles entered the snake fleet’s ECM and counter-missiles.

  After two battles, the snake fleet’s electronic countermeasures and mini-missile supply became been exhausted. What little it remade, using raw materials it self-cannibalized and collected at earlier systems was used to create new ECMs and mini-missiles. As of result, only 30% of the fleet’s full ECM and mini-missile complement would even be launched. The ECMs caused 2000 human missiles to lose tracking. The snake mini-missiles took out a thousand human missiles. Thus, 10700 human missiles reached the snake fleet’s flak range.

  The snake fleet launched millions of fusion canisters which detonated, creating a very strong flak wall. Although not impenetrable, the flak wall of expanding plasma became very thick and only 40-50 kilometers away from the snake warships themselves. Out of 10,700 human missiles, only 6300 made their way through the flak wall fully functional.

  Each of the 6300 human missiles smashed into the snake fleet. Each missile contained over 500 megatons of fusion payload and unlike the previous missile battles…over 70% of them smacked into the rear or side armor of the snake vessel it targeted. Adding along a gigaton of kinetic energy, the resulting explosions decimated the eight snake warships. Vast boleros of fire smashed through all the snake vessels.

  ….A cataclysm of destruction.

  Whole inner compartments exploded into debris. Snake fusion cores detonated, unable to control their containments, adding more explosive payload to the massacre.

  Not a single snake ship survived.

  All eight snake starships became wreckage. Each belched fire as internal atmosphere ran loose into the cold void—entire systems, propulsion, weapons, gravity control and power—failed. What was left after the missile strike became vulnerable debris, ready for the picking.

  However, the destruction did not end.

  The snake kinetic kill particles, launched by the snake fleet earlier, smashed into Dalon’s World. For each kinetic kill particle, gigatons of explosive energy unleashed onto the surface. Massive atomic sized fireballs blew into the planet’s atmosphere. Although, the entire planetary population escaped into the underground bombardment shelters, the shelters themselves were not failsafe. Approximately 5% of the planet’s 1.2 billion population died as shelters collapsed, due to being too close to the centers of impact.

  Waves of fire rings expanded in every direction, killing all native surface life.

  The planet’s surface did—become glass.

  CHAPTER THIRTY

  Star System Dalon

  Second Planet, Dalon’s World

  City Beta Aquatine, Northern Continent

  Bomb Shelter 1422, Sleeping Compartment

  The ground shook violently.

  Elle’s face cringed as both of them hid beneath their bunks.

  “You, alright?” Goldie asked.

  “Yeah, are you?” Elle smiled.

  “I’m good. I have you.” His big wavy blond hair fluttered in every direction as the ground shook.

  Elle couldn’t understand what exactly happened inside her but suddenly, she felt romantic…whether it was the fear or the adrenaline, suddenly Goldie became the sexiest thing she’d ever seen. “Hey,” she mouthed, “I like you.”

  Goldie smiled with a wide grin most big, confident boys had when they smiled.

  It warmed Elle’s heart.

  He leaned forward to kiss her, and just as he did so, the ground spasmed.

  Goldie’s head crashed into Elle’s lip and suddenly nothing in world seemed romantic as Elle grabbed her lip in pain. “Oww!”

  Then, to Elle’s astonishment, Goldie reached forward with his arms and before long, Elle became inside his tight embrace. Being so young, she didn’t understand men or love or emotions very well, but at that moment, she suddenly got the feeling—a new feeling—that he was the one—the one she ought to love forever.

  So then….as the world above became lifeless glass, the two below held each other, for a very, very long time.

  No matter what happens, I’ll always feel safe as long as you’re holding me, thought Elle.

  Flag Bridge, Juggernaut VSF Asterix

  “All Cell warships, surrender yourselves,” Prancort blasted the order across space, using grav radio. He didn’t even add ‘or be destroyed’ because none of the snake warships seemed to have any fight left in them. They were sprawling debris—nothing more. The Admiral estimated that maybe 10% of the snake crews survived the missile attack, and were hiding inside those wreckages they called ships.

  “We surrender,” came an alien voice, followed by several insectoid clicks, on the main channel.

  “To whom am I speaking to?” said Prancort into the microphone.

  “Supreme Commander of the Cell Space Fleet Roro Cro-Drignon,” it replied.

  “Supreme Commander? You are the one who controls the enemy fleet?” Prancort asked.

  “Yes,” a voice came back over the net while sounding mechanically human, probably a byproduct of whatever translation software it used.

  “Greetings, commander. I am Prancort de Gaulle, supreme…Admiral of the Viron Star Fleet. I have been wanting to meet you for a long time. We accept your surrender. Power down any weapons and all star drives.”

  A pause, followed by incomprehensible clicking. “All weapons and gravity drives are powered down. We surrender. Please help us.”

  “Good, we will send medical and engineering personnel immediately. For now, consider all survivors of your fleet prisoners of war.”

  Another pause, followed by clicking. “Yes,” Roro replied.

  Prancort broke the connection.

  Then, this was finally it—Prancort couldn’t believe he just spoke to his Arch nemesis, the one who’d been in control of the vast fleet Prancort fought for so long. All those tricks and deceptions and traps…now the invisible enemy had a name.

  Roro. A name that Prancort would forever remember.

  He reminded himself to one day go and see this Roro physically. He imagined Roro would look like any adult snake would look. A three-meter long centipede with developed cranial lobes.

  He shuddered to think how he would compare with such a creature physically.

  Roro, thought Prancort. You’re the mastermind of all this—if I hadn’t been lucky, I would be the one surrendering my fleet to you, or whatever would be left of it.

  Then, Prancort thought, if he hadn’t been lucky with the 7000 human fighters who appeared just on time, there would have been no surrender. He doubted the snakes accepted surrender from an enemy. Most likely, the snake fleet would have blasted his fleet to pieces, and Prancort along with it, and all the orbital facilities around Dalon’s world.

  Did snakes have morality? Did they follow the rules of war? Prancort doubted it. Not from what he’d seen so far.

  With this in mind, Prancort realized even if the enemy didn’t, he would follow the rules of war and treat his prisoners well.

  Therefore, using his keypads, he planned for the proper imprisonment of the snake survivors. The mop up operation began well underway.

  Battle Statistics

  Battle of Dalon

  Date: 4091 AD (Galactic Year 1720), October 30th

  Result: Total Human Victory

&n
bsp; Belligerents: First Viron Empire / Cell Khanate

  Leaders (FVE) : Admiral Prancort de Gaulle

  Leaders (Cell) : Master Commander Roro Cro-Drignon

  Motivations (FVE) : Industrial protection

  Motivations (Cell) : Annihilation of the humanity's ability to produce new ships

  Strength (FVE) :

  3 capital ships (90 million tons) / 30,000 Humans

  17 missile ships - 15,500 capital ship missiles/ 5,000 Humans

  7 light fighter carriers - 7,000 fighters, / 10,000 Humans

  Strength (Cell) :

  7 capital ships (2 billion tons) / 0.2 Million Insectoids

  15 fighter carriers - 16,000 fighters / 22,000 Insectoids

  Losses (FVE) : all missiles destroyed / 3,000 fighter pilots killed / 68 million surface civilians dead / 8 million injured / 0 Captured

  Losses (Cell) : 22 Warships (5 billion tons) / 16,000 fighters pilot killed / 0.18 Million Insectoids Dead / 15,325 Injured / 42,081 Captured

  Part of Early Insectoid Expansion Campaign (Show)

  Epilogue: Invasion’s End—A New Beginning

  CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

  Star System Dalon, Core of the Viron Empire

  Fleet Base Aquaria, Synchorbit around Dalon's World

  Detainee Jail Cell One

  A week later…

  Countless millions died. The total human death toll from the war’s beginning numbered 67,848,702. The largest portion came from the kinetic bombardment of Dalon’s World, where approximately 50 million died in crumbling underground shelters which couldn’t withstand a direct impact above.

  The surface of Dalon’s World is now pure glass. From space, it appears mostly black but intermeshed with glowing red streams of fires which hadn’t cooled. It would be many years before the surface would become habitable, again. For now, the reconstruction of Dalon’s World is underway. Every day, food transports from other areas of the Empire came to Dalon’s World to offload fresh supplies to its starving population.

  The war wasn’t over. Just because Prancort defeated this invasion didn’t mean the war ended. No doubt, both sides—snakes and humans—kept their war industries operating at full speed, creating new starships and weapons to defeat the other.

  Would the snakes ever stop their planned conquest of the human territories to gain population space?

  For these eventual battles, Prancort had yet again, a solution. He would ask a certain being a question…an effort to stop the war and make peace with each other.

  “Master Commander Roro Cro-Drignon,” Prancort called to the caged insectoid on the other side of the invisible shield wall.

  The cool prison air flowed freely in between the two battlefield commanders.

  Prancort couldn’t help but notice a stench coming from the three meter wide centipede in front of him. “Do you think the war will ever end? If I free you, can you stop your nation from attacking us?”

  The centipede in front clicked.

  “No,” the mechanical translator attached to Roro’s neck echoed out, “I cannot aid you in your quest to stop my nation from invading your lands. I am sorry. I am just an appointee. I gained my post as Supreme Commander or as your nation would call it—Fleet Admiral, because of my skills. I have no political leverage with the eight Warlords. I cannot convince them to stop their invasion.”

  “Surely, you have some political power?”

  “I have none,” Roro answered, “And even if I had, I would not convince my nation to stop invading your territory for land. The Cell Empire must grow. We, snakes, will forever need new land to conquer. It is our destiny as a species. It is the destiny of the galaxy for the weak to succumb to the strong, for those without capability to be weeded out by those who can kill them. It is the natural law of all things.”

  Prancort couldn’t believe what he just heard. Surely, this particular snake didn’t speak for all snakes. “But that will lead to forever war…If your species must always be growing, there will never be enough territory within the galaxy to satisfy your continuous growth. How will it end, when you are the only species left?”

  Roro clicked. The translation box spoke, “Then, and only then, will we be satisfied. I imagine even then, we will begin warring amongst our own clans for population space, much like the elder ages before space flight.”

  “And that is truly the nature of your species? Constant war?”

  “Yes.”

  Moments passed while Prancort pondered the implications of what the Master Commander said. Finally, Prancort spoke, “Then, I have no more to say to you, Master Commander Roro. I hope you rest easily. We will not kill you or torture you for information. You and you alone, are our guest. Please ask chief scientist Willhouse if you would like more accommodations. A larger room. Food. A mate. I understand your species is sexual in nature.”

  The centipede in front clicked in what appeared to be joy. “My captors are most gracious. Thank you.”

  So…with that, Prancort turned around and headed for the exit—then he stopped. He turned and gave a crisp salute. He knew Roro didn’t know what it meant, so he spoke, “From one warrior to another, I wish you many years of life. And as much joy as you can have in that cell. Perhaps, we can play a strategy game. I can teach you 3D chess.”

  Roro, on the other side of the jail cell, clicked at him, “I can learn.”

  “Good. When I have leisure time, I will visit.” Then…Prancort left.

  Fleet Base Aquaria, Synchorbit around Dalon's World

  Fleet Admiral’s Quarters

  Prancort stared into the abyss through his port window. The blackness of space stared back, with its usual vast sprinkle of stars.

  With the technology gained by salvaging the wreckage of the snake fleet, humanity could now produce new ships equipped with more efficient inertia nullifiers and better weapons, such as snake gamma ray lasers. Already, new starship classes came out of human assembly docks from all over the empire.

  While he gazed at the Stardock called Prometheus II two hundred kilometers away, he noticed the human crews were fast at work on a new starship hull. The new human juggernaut Ares V would serve as Prancort’s flagship. Armed with every technological advantage gained from dissecting snake warships, it would be the icon of human ingenuity and perseverance.

  Soon, all the technological disadvantages humans had would be erased. Soon, humanity would be able to create better starships than their snake counterparts on the opposite side of the galaxy, using their own knowledge, combined with what they found on snake starships.

  If the war would last a long time, and it certainly appeared this way, having better warships would prove to be an immeasurable step towards victory.

  Prancort pressed the inside of his palm against the transparency separating him from the cold abyss.

  The war definitely wasn’t over. Who knew what new talents, new nemeses, would arise? To beat them, and to win the war, Prancort would have to go on the offensive. He would have to invade the snake territories. He would have to destroy entire worlds in order to cripple the snake manufacturing economy…which, he already knew to be stronger than humans. Judging from the speed in which the snakes pumped out new starships, Prancort imagined he would have to begin the invasion at the earliest date.

  He’d already decided. The moment he achieved twenty warships, he would launch the invasion.

  Then, of course, there would be losses, but from these losses—new talents were bred from experience. Talents like Admiral Jacobs and Admiral Kirkeis.

  Prion—dear Prion—dead, as were many others in this war, but those who lived will be stronger.

  He knew he could trust the survivors of three major battles with anything. His new fleet, nicknamed Prancort’s fleet, would be ready soon. They would be manned by the survivors of the three battles…veterans.

  With this in mind, Prion walked away from the viewing transparencies and headed to bed. Tomorrow would be another day. Who knew what tomorrow would bring, when m
ajor events could happen within seconds?

  Fleet Base Aquaria, Synchorbit around Dalon's World

  Hospital Ward 001

  Bobbi Duke woke up to the sound of fresh oxygen pumping through the vents into her little room.

  I’m alive.

  She glanced left and then to the right— to see no one except open space, a holo set, and some chairs.

  I guess I’m alone, too.

  Where am I?

  A sound rustled behind her. She could hear a tiny person’s breathing. “Who’s there?”

  The rustling became louder and louder, until it seemed to be almost an inch away from her ear.

  Bobbi twisted her head to look. Instantly, recognition sprouted in her face. “Kitty!”

  “Mommy, you’re awake!” Cathy Duke exclaimed.

  “Kitty! You’ve been here waiting for me all along?” Bobbi Duke reached out, giving her daughter a bear hug.

  “Yep, mommy! The nurse told me not to touch any of the buttons and so I didn’t!”

  “How long have you been waiting?”

  “A little over two hours. The nurse said you would wake up today. Mommy, you’ve got scars!”

  “I imagine I have a lot.” Bobbi grinned while gazing at her daughter’s fresh freckled face. “Have the kids in the playground been treating you nicely?”

  Her daughter grinned. “Haven’t you heard? School has been canceled ever since the planet got bombed.”

  “Oh, I see,” mouthed Bobbi, still clenching her daughter with a bear hug. “It’s good to be back. It’s good to see you, again.”

  Most of her wing mates would never believe her if she told them she was a mother. That’s why she never spoke of it. Bobbi knew it would be mostly impossible for her wing mates to believe their tomboyish wing commander ever birthed a child.

  “And how has daddy been treating you?”

  “Daddy’s real nice nowadays. Ever since he heard about how you saved the world, he’s been talking about you a lot.”

  Bobbi laughed. “Saved the world? I didn’t save the world. I just got there at the right time.”