It should have been like any other day.
Somewhere out there, birds probably chirped, horns honked, water still dripped, and time passed the same way it usually would.
But for some reason, the Empire must not have been part of this somewhere, as it experienced a collective hiccup.
A hiccup so intense that for a moment, everything and everyone stood absolutely still.
The livestream froze.
Terminals paused mid-scroll.
And some people were certain that even their cells took a momentary break.
Across the Empire, across the star systems tuned in, across living rooms, offices, classrooms, barracks, transport hubs, and even a few (several) questionable underground establishments, the reaction was exactly the same.
Stillness.
Absolute stillness.
On every screen stood a young cadet, eyes bright and pure, his radiant smile framed by kneeling mechas and a parade road still lined with people.
And yet in the stillness of it all, something extreme echoed in everyone's minds.
Hello.
