A/N: Well this took a looooooong time to get out... but it's finally here
Satellizer had the Pandora from earlier pinned down under her. Face smashed into the pavement she was begging for her life. It was quite a humorous sight, despite the fact that someone's life was on the line.
Just now realizing it he saw the kid, Kazuya, with a stasis field deployed. Walking forward he saw the line of students in front of him. Chiffon and Hiiragi stood off to the side along with Arthur. Looking out once again Jacob spotted the bodies of three limiters. Most likely deceased from physical trauma sustained by Satellizer.
Jacob sighed as the teacher burst forth from the stairwell and started yelling at Satellizer to get away from the girl on the ground. Despite not being present Jacob could tell that the girl on the ground did something major to force Satellizer to act like this and bring her into an inch of her life.
Relatively soon the situation was diffused and Jacob walked up to Hiiragi and Arthur.
"What are you doing here Jacob? We thought you had classes." Came Arthur's voice in response to seeing Jacob on the roof with them.
"Well you know, I wanted to make sure my friends were alright, that's all." Jacob finished as he used his 'good' hand to rub the back of his neck awkwardly.
'I need to head back to base for a few days at minimum and make some adjustments for the Pandora...' Jacobs internal mumbling was cut off when he received an elbow in the arm from Arthur.
"Come on let's go hang out, since we don't have classes for the rest of today…" Arthur was cut off by Jacob.
"Actually I need to head back home for a few days to check something that has come up." Jacob said in a slightly irregular and rushed tone of voice. Thankfully Hiiragi and Arthur didn't pick up on it.
"I may be leaving today, so I'm going to say goodbye now until I return in a few days." Jacob said to Arthur again before going over to Kazuya who was standing to the side he was on at the beginning.
"Hey Kazuya, I'm going to be heading home for a few days, but I will be back soon. Also take care of Satellizer while I'm away." Kazuya nodded without saying a word before Jacob rubbed his neck and slowly walked away.
He entered the stairwell as he planned out his route to the principal's office. Carefully treading as to not alert students looking for answers as to what was causing such a commotion on the roof.
20 minutes later
"Hello Sister, I was wondering if I could have a 6-day leave." The lady swiveled around in her chair with a clam look plastered on her face, and an eyebrow raised.
"Yes I know I've only been here a couple days but I need to attend a serious matter at my home." Not an entire lie. Sister Margaret looked at the holographic display before her and typed a few things in before looking up.
"I understand you want to leave and see an old friend, is that right?" There was a silence for a moment before Jacob spoke.
"Yes ma'am, her name is Alice… she's not very good with people and I'm really the only one who can engage her in conversation." Jacob's words were half lies and constructed tales that further encompassed his true need to leave.
"That's a shame… I hope Alice has a good time with you around. You have 6 days until you must be back." Jacob smiled as Sister Margaret printed out a small school slip that had information on his departure and time until return.
"Hope you have fun with these days off." Margaret couldn't help but feel a small tinge of uneasiness as Jacob left through the door to her office.
10 minutes later
Arthur, Hiiragi and Kazuya stood at the entrance waving at Jacob as he got into a relatively nice limousine. As they pulled away Jacob opened the driver's window and saw a human sized drone sitting in the driver's seat. 'How the hell did the security not notice that one' Jacob sighed as he opened his PDA and contacted the base.
"Hello Alice… how are you doing?" The Ai's voice was slow to reply.
"I'm 'doing fine' as you humans say." This caused Jacob to chuckle at the struggle that the AI faced when trying to act normally.
"Why don't I update your emotive processor?" Jacob asked the AI.
"I would find that… 'Cool'." Again the AI's attempt at acting human made Jacob smile widely. The limo continued down the road for two hours. Then the limo turned down a dirt path off of the side road.
"What was filling you with mirth Jacob?" The AI simply could not comprehend what was making Jacob so happy, even with all her calculating over the past 2 hours, about what she was saying.
"Nothing Alice, nothing… Also can you get the workshop and armory up and running before I actually arrive?" The Ai emitted several beeps as she activated the different areas of the base that had not been used in a few days.
"Base operation capacity is at full and the factories are ready for you orders sir." Alice said as Jacob's limo rolled through the forest. Slowly the trees gave way to a 50-foot-tall and 70-foot-thick wall. The gates in the wall slowly opened as the limo drove through. The base looked familiar and it gave Jacob some comfort.
The large artillery that lined the southern side of the base scanned the horizon for any threats as the wall mounted AA and point defenses scanned the forest for any signs of Seraphim presence.
"It's good to be back… now let's get to work." Jacob said as the limo stopped allowing him to get out and walk into the administration building. The many drones that walked around resembled people but held little emotional or processing capabilities. Jacob sighed as he walked into his office. Plopping down he sighed as he brought up the holographic screen and started writing things down.
6 days later
Jacob wiped his brow as he walked out of the workshop. The old bots walking in one side, coming out the other with new and improved upgrades. Upgrades like extra plating, AA mounts, and anti-personnel weapons.
Even though he felt bad about it he needed something to protect his troops from the Pandora if they ever perceived him as a threat. It felt like a necessary upgrade.
"Commander, your car is ready to transport you to the school… whenever you get ready… about an hour ago… yup… you were supposed already be on your way." Alice had received her emotive upgrade and received a personality, but not the personality Jacob wanted.
"Is this what you would have been like all those years had you received your emotive upgrade?" Jacob asked as he pulled on his school uniform. His cap sat upon his head as he grabbed his bags and walked through the administration building. Waving to some of the friendlier, and smarter, drones they greeted him with some mechanical whirring and waves with their single digit hands.
"Yes it is… now chop, chop, you have a limo to catch." Alice was really enjoying her ability to annoy Jacob, he could tell by the sudden increase in her vocalizations for the past two days. The limo was waiting for him at the front of the building. A jet black unmarked limo that waited patiently was something he never thought he would ever be able to ride in once, let alone twice.
Jacob slid into the backseat as his bags were hoisted into the bag by a loading drone who buzzed off to the battlements soon after. Pulling out his PDA he started writing up some papers that he had been assigned will away. He grumbled as he kept writing. 'Away on break doesn't mean on leave from school work' He sighed as he continued on the several papers he had due by the time he arrived.
A little over three hours, and a vast amount of writing, later he arrived at the school. The walls and tunnels coming into view with their reinforced fences and guard posts. After Jacob had shown his school ID to the guard they let him pass. After another 20 minutes the Limo pulled up to the front gates.
Stepping out of the Limo he heard a few whistles. Looking towards the front gate he saw Hiiragi and Arthur looking at his Limo. Approaching them with his bags in his hands he looked at both of them before they spoke.
"Well, you never said your family could pay for a private Limo and driver." Arthur said still looking at the Limo.
"Do you have butlers and maids at your house?" Hiiragi added with a slight hint of curiosity.
"Yes, yes we do." Jacob added with a smirk as he decided it might be fun to play along, well heavy lifting robots and janitor bots both counted as maids and butlers in their own way.
"I can see how you wouldn't want to come back… Also we've had a few events." Arthur said as he rubbed the back of his neck. They all started through the gates and towards the dorms so Jacob could drop his stuff off.
"What happened?" Jacob asked with mild curiosity. Hiiragi was the one to answer as she skipped and turned around continuing to walk backwards, her hands clasped behind her back.
"Well, for one, Satellizer was put in the brig for the time you were gone for… well, you know…" Jacob remembered the fight that occurred before he left. He smiled slightly at Satellizer's predicament. Then Arthur spoke.
"Also we just had a Pandora queen contest." Arthur stated as a small smile crept up onto his face. "Suffice to say Satellizer won by a landslide vote." Jacob gave a look of approval as they continued walking towards the dorm. A few minutes later they had arrived.
"Anything else?" Jacob said without turning around.
"Well, there were a few fights between Satellizer and other Pandora. Also there's a new Pandora, Rana Linchen. She saved us and Kazuya from a few slightly upset Pandora who thought they could take out their anger on us." Arthur said in a calm tone as they entered the dorm.
"So where is Kazuya?" Jacob inquired as they rounded the corner towards his room. "Kazuya should be in his room." Arthur answered. Jacob was about to speak when a few alarms started going off.
"Attention! This is not a drill, I repeat, this is not a drill! We are under attack by 7 Type-S Nova!" The voice over the intercom sounded fearful and Jacob knew that this facility was of high strategic importance.
"Just then a fizzle of energy could be felt in his SE's. His PDA opened up and spoke. "Commander Quantum rift ruptures detected nearby!" Alice now had the capacity to convey emotions in her speech. "7 of them."
Arthur looked to Jacob and couldn't find the source of the voice as he locked eyes with Jacob. "Attention all Limiters and Pandora, gather for deployment to defensive lines immediately!" The ground was almost vibrating with how many Limiters and Pandora were moving about.
"What was that Jacob?" Arthur questioned as they sprinted outside only to be met with the chaos of gathering Pandora and Limiter, readying for combat. Gathering in formations they moved behind several APC's and started boarding. Jacob looked around and saw an APC with an open seat. Hoping on, he buckled in preparing for what he would see once he was past the gate, hell, he was ready to give those Seraphim what they had coming.
"Hey! Who the hell are you! You aren't in our squad!" She sounded angry but Jacob wasn't having any shit from anyone.
Jacob kept silent for a few minutes as the transport bounced around, reminding him why he loved his ACU better. Meanwhile, the Pandora from earlier was keeping up her rant at him, one he had stopped listening to long ago. She was stopped when Jacob spoke, now fed up with her ranting.
"Listen here girl, I have more experience killing these 'Nova' than anyone in this transport combined." Jacob said as he pulled out his PDA and started typing in commands. The Pandora was livid about this Limiter talking back to her and was about to complain some more when the driver spoke.
"Alright ladies and gents, this is it, everyone out and get ready for combat." The ramp dropped and they all jumped out constructing their weapons in their hands, preparing for battle. Jacob stepped in front of all the Pandora and looked at the 7 towering S2 assault bots.
"Alice im going to need some Marines here right now." Jacob spoke into the earpiece as the AI confirmed his order.
Back at base four flying transports loaded up with improved Marines. Emotionless soldiers made to kill the Seraphim and all that followed them. The 11-meter-tall marines stomped onto the metal platform as magnetic clamps slapped onto their shoulders and hoisted them up into the transport.
Yet before anyone could speak the Pandora's started charging forward. "Wait… God Dammit!" Jacob cursed out as the Limiters looked at him with confusion. "They will die facing them, I don't care if they're 1st years or 4th years." Jacob said sadly as he watched the carnage taking place before him. Pandora after Pandora cut down, bisected, ripped apart, and even absorbed by the Seraphim.
"We need to fall back to the gates!" Jacob yelled to the remaining troops after only a minute of fighting.
This same situation was commonplace within the UEF forces when facing an army of Seraphim this large. Victory with such a small force was almost impossible, they needed a chokepoint or easily defensible position.
The remaining Pandora's and limiters heard him and followed him to near the APC. "No one is going to live if we keep this up… Alice how long until the Assault bots get here!?" Jacob yelled into his microphone as he met up with the remaining Pandora and Limiters.
"Who gave you command of my squad!" Said a furious Pandora with a look of fury in her eyes. Then they both froze before Jacob spoke, a small smirk playing across his features.
"Scarlet Ross, it looks like we meet again… I wished under better circumstances." He smirked as she looked at him with confusion as the Nova advanced on their position.
"Why are you so calm? Half the squad was wiped out! We need to fight them until…" She was shocked to see Jacob paying her no mind as he pressed two finger against his ear.
"Alice, have the Klink Hammers opened fire?" Jacob questioned and received a reply by way of a whistling sound from the sky. The Pandora and Limiters looked about before seeing a streak of light flying through the sky towards the Nova.
"Affirmative Commander, the Marines are on the way as well." Alice finished as several sets of jet engines could be heard off in the distance.
The engines were temporarily drowned out as the 80-foot-long, 9-foot-wide, 20-ton-shells smashed into the lead Nova causing it to crash to the floor from the force of the impact.
"Alright, Ladies and Gentlemen… The giant piles of metal that are landing are friendly. Their job is to offer us time to retreat and possibly eliminate the Nova." Jacob spoke as the remaining students watched with a mixture of shock, confusion, and hope.
"Hey driver, tell all other combat groups that the robots are friendly." Jacob finished as the Driver nodded, repeating Jacobs words into the radio.
He watched the marines taking and dealing out hits out they swatted away the tentacles and used their 5 foot knives to slice them off but they still came back. Slowly the Seraphim started pushing them back.
"What the hell is going on out there!?" Came a voice from his radio. It was Sister Margaret. He turned on his microphone and spoke into it.
"Code red, if that's a thing, 7 Nova assault bots… I mean S2 bots… err S2 Nova are attacking from the west!" Sister Margaret thought for a moment before speaking.
"You need to retreat back…"
"Already ahead of you Sister." Jacob interrupted as the APC's, or the few that remained, peeled away and started heading back towards the base.
"Alright Jacob, take care and don't let anything past you." Sister Margaret had a tinge of confidence in her voice as the communication ended.
"Alice, we need some engineers up at the western flank of West Genetics, what's the ETA on that?" Jacob questioned as they rapidly approached the wester gate.
"The Eta is 45 seconds. However, I did send a preemptive group of deployable tanks to the gates… suffice to say that the Pandora and Limiters are quite confused at the appearance of the 6-meter-tall tanks." Jacob sighed as he looked out the front of the APC and was met with a dozen T1 Deployable tanks in a semi-circle.
The other people in the APC were confused, to say the least, with the appearance of this mysterious military force, weapons of an unprecedented scale. As the APC came to a halt Jacob disembarked and walked over to the tanks before opening up his PDA and interfacing with them.
"Units 1-12, enter a deployed state and return fire only." Jacob ordered as the giant tanks started unfolding and deploying the 260mm guns on their top and the 50mm dual guns on the sides of their hull.
"Additional rifts detected commander!" Alice stated as the Seraphim crested the hill before them.
"Aerial units?!" Alice almost yelled as Jacob looked around in fear at the lack of any AA on the walls surrounding West Genetics.
"I need some of these Deployable tanks to enter AA mode!" Jacob ordered as Alice confirmed the order.
The turrets of some of the tanks pulling back into the hull but re-emerging seconds later with quad 180mm guns in the turrets.
"What kind of flyers do we have coming in?" Jacob asked Alice.
"They only appear to be T1 gunships, no problem to the Deployable." This eased Jacob a little bit as his radio crackled to life.
"Jacob Sterling!" It was the Sister, "What in the blazes is going on out there? I have reports of tanks nearing the height of our walls out there!" Jacob knew he would never hear the end of it.
"After this engagement I will tell you what you need to know, I swear upon it as a commander in the United Earth Federation armed forces." Jacob cut the comms as the Gunships entered the range of the Deployable tanks.
The clacking of turret drives slowing before a deafening buzz filled the air.
This was the start of a battle… not the first… nor the last.
A/N: Yes... you can kill me for clifhgangering here... *Sigh* I hate myself too for this, also don't forget to leave a like and a review!