115 years had passed since the Arcadian Union Republic had their first confrontation with the invaders.

 

“Congratulation’s cadets! Welcome to the Arcadia Military Academy! You had passed the selection test and now you are officers in training…”

 

Lei was standing in line along with thousands of others listening to the General in charge of the Academy speech. As the others were having their attention to the general speech, his attention on the other hand was fading.

 

It was common knowledge that only elites were sent to the Arcadia Military Academy. However, Lei seem not to be one, he lacks the discipline to be one. Personally, he truly didn’t know how he manage to be selected as an elite candidate in the first place.  

 

Even now when he was selected to enroll to the most prestigious military academy in the whole Arcadian Union Republic. It was something that he is not motivated.

 

Personally, if he could, he wanted to go back to his room to watch his treasured Anime collection. It was something that kept him entertained; it was something that actually kept him going. Everything about the situation now is just dull to him; it was something that was common. A general fact of the current society and he is the third generation born within this trend.

 

‘Sigh… when will this end…’

 

After several minutes later…

 

“… to end this speech, I want you to know the facts. I want you to get to know what your enemies truly are. What are you going to face after you graduate! The report now days are all generally propaganda, all geared towards the victories we had.

Although indeed those are true, those are only reports on the winning fronts, the reports do not report on the side that we are losing.

To state it out right! We are practically on the stalemate.

Let me hammer this into you. The current news and reports are glorious in nature, but one hundred years ago, it was not. All those loses we are facing now is similar to those we face one hundred years ago!

Here now, I will make sure that you do not underestimate the enemy you are facing. This is the classified footage of what our great fleets encountered a hundred years ago!”

 

Lei stood there watching the classified footage. As the footage was running, everyone else gasp on what they saw, but for Lei it was different. He came into realization now that he was here just to watch that classified footage. It was nothing else beside that. It was as if the Anime he was watching came to life, the fantasy turn reality.

Valkyrie fighters, Mechs, Cruisers, Battleships and even Titans battling against space beasts that match their size and firepower along with individuals that was supernaturally freakish in nature only existed in Animes. All the classified footages showed that the Union armadas and army in complete destruction or route. This was never reported by any news, even those space beasts seen on the footage was completely different to what the current news were reporting. Every cadet world was now overturned but not Lei. He stood there now realizing something. He stood there now having a dream.

 

…

  

10 Years had gone by since then. Within a ship in a fleet at the Nu star system….

 

Lei was relaxing in his room watching his treasured Anime left by his great ancestor. His ancestor anime collection was the one light that shine brightly within him when everything was in darkness. The one gave him goals to achieve in a war-torn life.
At first, it was a goal to try to recover and decode the information left within the antique data storage.

 
Based on his understanding, his ancestor was told that he could to bring one item as a reminder of Earth and he decided to take his anime collection for that purpose. Since the colonization accident, it was kept within his storage being passed down as a memorial storage by his descendants.

Over the years, no one bothered with it. It was left there until it was passed down to him as the last surviving person within his line. For him it was the only historical memorial left by his family ancestors. Since he do not have any one left, it was the one that kept him going on. He decided to take the effort to find out what was stored within.

 

Even after recovery, he did not manage to watch all of the Anime episodes available for all those series as some of them have been completely lost due to the data degradation within the storage device.  He sometimes cursed why he was the only one in the family that found out about the old data storage his great ancestor kept. It took great effort to decode the relic in his free time. While watching them his mind will wonder off when he got some ideas after watching some scenes where he theorized the possibility of actually adapting them for real.

 

[Lieutenant Lei, report to the med bay ASAP]

 

‘Sigh….’

“Why me again!”
“In times like this I seriously regret studying bio meds as my elective!!”

 

After grumbling, Lei got up and got ready to report to the med bay. He knows that the med bay in the ship he is in, the Alcyone is understaffed. For a latest designed ship mainly for research, it is still a battleship in this sheer size, firepower and tactical capabilities. The ship is indeed understaffed due to the constant engagement the Union Republic have with the invaders. Many of the med team had already being reassigned to other location. However due to circumstances at the moment Alcyone was assigned as a heavy escort for the med fleet instead of doing its regular duties. Because of the fleet med ships being working in full capacity they have to receive casualties to the ship as well.

 

[Lieutenant Lei, your presence in the……..BOOM!!]

 

“What the….”

 

[Intruder Alert! The Med bay and the neighboring sectors is compromised! Intruder Alert!]

[This is the captain, everyone report to your stations and prepare for close quarters combat.]

 

“Dammit!”

 

This was something that Lei did not expect. Nevertheless, Lei switched his gears as he rushed to his weapons cabinet to switch to his battle suit and arm himself.

After getting battle ready, right before he stepped out of his room he remembered something, he rushed to his personal console, grabbed his treasured data crystal, and stored it in one of his pockets.

 

“Just in case we were to abandon ship…” He mumbled.

 

When Lei came out of his room, he rushed to the nearest secured console from his room. He needed to get more information regarding the intruders. When he reached there, he accessed the internal bio signature monitor while changing the settings to identify the intruders’ bio signature.

‘Huh… this is weird… Not securing their flanks and rears, it’s not like them… Although their military and combat tactics is quite primitive, nevertheless they always have a general idea of tactics. Where are they going? What is the rush? …’

 

The intruders in the display kept on going. After they engaged the security personnel that encountered them, they just left the area unguarded. Lei felt puzzled about the intruder actions as he continue monitoring their activities on screen. Every engagement ended up with the same actions. He also notice that certain intruders were carrying an unknown item, it was his first time seeing it.

 

“Huh, they are moving two decks below”

“What are they…..”

“Shit!!” “My Research project!!!”

 

Right at that moment Lei figured out their objective. They were going after his research project. Lei’s research project was supported greatly by many within the Union.

 

At the early stages of the war, the Arcadian Union Republic relied only on conventional military strength. Although the ships and machines used in the war required training to use, in general however they were just ships and weapons for the masses. Once built or developed it took very little time to get it to the frontline. The weapons developed was designed for one purpose and it was used to devastating effect. However, in the end, the devastation lead to the problem. The weapons were just too destructive particularly for enclosed situation like on a ship, a colony station or on a planet.

 

Initially the Union tried using augments and genetic engineering to even the odds especially during planetary warfare but it lead to societal problems within the Union. With the Augment robotic uprising and the Eugenic war happening on each of the occasion. The Union were at their limit. After dealing with both of those internal problems, the Union had to limit their approach towards it. It was truly sad that human nature is hard to change even when facing external pressure.  

 

When Lei was watching the classified footage, he realize the possibilities that was provided to him. The anime that he watched gave Lei the insights and a view of possibility that he could actually find a way to deal with the humanity predicaments.

 

Great credits had to be given to the creative anime creators. They were unique in their thought process. For Lei and anyone else now at this age, they would have never think of that possibility. A hobby that brought light to this new possibility, it helped Lei in his pursuit of creative innovation never before realize since the Union founding.
With the advances of scientific knowledge throughout the years at his disposal, it became his dream. To try to adapt what that was fiction during that time to be used for humanity to win this war.

 

That is how Lei ended being assigned in the Alcyone, leading one of the research division. Researching advances towards personal offensive and defensive capability, without relying on augments or genetic modification. To have the same effect of the conventional weapons but not living the aftereffects of the weapons used.

 

One of the most important research Lei was doing at the time was a barrier research. If the research was successful it could be used various situation. Using them in tandem with the available weapons right now it could project devastating effect with little to no aftereffect of the devastation of the weapons used.

 

Lei realized where are they going from connecting the dots as some of the intruders were carrying an unknown device. He is now certain that it is a sensor. They are going after his research. A barrier system that was derived out of what he saw in an anime series.

 

When he completed a large version of the barrier, he noticed that the barrier was emitting a wave frequency yet unknown to him. It was the first time that this signature was ever found by him or by anyone in the Union. Lei did not know anything about the wave frequency hence he decided to play safe by erecting a shield cladding the barrier device. When the shield was activated it accomplish what Lei wanted, it was blocking the wave frequency from emitting beyond the device.

 

Looking back at the invaders actions and direction they are heading to, Lei was now quite certain that they are heading to his research department.

 

Lei pressed the communication channel directed to the bridge.

 

“Lei to captain, the intruders are going to the 2^nd research department; they are going after my research!”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes sir, the device they are carrying is directing them to the unknown wave signature generated by my research, sir.”

“Alright.”

 

[This is the captain, all security personnel to the 2^nd research department]

[All personnel within the vicinity of 2^nd research department prepare for the intruders incursion]

 

After reporting to his captain, Lei rushed to his research department. During the time he was running to the location he was wondering why are they so zealous towards his research, what could it be… his thinking was cut short when he heard weapons fire at the nearby hallway.

 

Lei started to observe his surroundings more closely as he hastily move towards the corridor. As he moved the more he turn serious. The sound of weapons fire and shouting was heard from where he was and the intensity weapons fire was increasing at a rapid rate. When Lei reached the corridor to observe the situation at the hallway, he got to know the situation at hand. Two of his staff along with three security personnel was barricading the hallway. Holding the line preventing a dozen intruders from passing through the area.

 

As Lei observed more closely the location that his staff and the security were holding was collapsing. There were already many casualties on both side. Lei immediately decided to take action as he knew that this hallway was the faster route to reach his research department. He must not let it fall and he must reach the department before they do.

 

Since he made his decision Lei immediately pulled out two modified stun grenade. He activated it and threw it towards the intruders. While shouting ‘get down’ towards his staff and the security personnel. The blast engulfed the intruders incapacitating most of them, however two of them were still standing although still groggy, and they came about almost instantly. Following that, they turned their eyes towards him and immediately rushed at him.

 

“Damn they are class B!”

Noticing their action Lei realize what he is up against. Although it is difficult to classify the invaders accurately. The Union still manage to devise an estimate ranking system classifying the invaders by grades it start from the F, E, D, C, B, A, AA, AAA, S, SS, SSS.

 

Of those eleven grades, the Union was able to easily to identify individuals from classes until class A. However, when it reached class A the measurement became complex. It was extremely difficult to measure an individual beyond class A.

 

The scaling numbers for the calculation of the grades were getting larger as the ranking increases. It was up to a point where it was too large to allocate a grade specifically for that rank.

Because of it the Union also include a ‘-’ or ‘+’ within the grading after reaching the rank of A. Such as A+ or A- grading.

The grades calculation is complex, however generally it is comprised of a combination of mainly three different scales. The scale calculation include the raw energy output, the estimation of threat level and estimation of other parameters. The Union then further expand their ranking subdivided into different specialization. The three most common one is space warfare, planetary warfare, and support.

 

The class B that Lei is facing right now is assumed to be within the planetary warfare division.

 

It was completely based on his judgement after observing their status after receiving his modified stun grenade blast. He knew that his current prototype stun grenade was capable to stun any grade lower than B. When an A class received the blast they will not feel a thing, however the individuals in front of him did. Although they were not incapacitated by the blast they did felt it, with that reasoning Lei made his conjuncture that that individual was a class B.

 

After analyzing the situation, Lei activated his battle suit. He then moved backwards while aiming his plasma rifle towards one of them.

 

As Lei was directing his plasma rifle towards them, their eyes turn serious. Just as Lei fired his plasma rifle both of them were quick to evade the shot.

 

Noticing it was going what he was doing was going nowhere Lei then switched his rifle to secondary mode, increasing its rate of fire while a shield was generated at his arm. He knew that his battle suit shields alone will not be able to completely take on a full-burnt attack of both of them.

 

He was not wearing a planetary battle suit but a research suit. He did not like the bulky design of a battle suit so Lei took his research suit and heavily modified it for his purpose. Recognizing his suit shields alone may not hold the attack; Lei opted for a secondary shield for that purpose.

 

One of the invaders threw a projectile while the other generated an energy-based attack on his sword and executed the energy blast towards him. Observing their actions Lei made a quick decision.

As the projectile was moving towards him in a breakneck speed, Lei visual assistance alerted him of its distance and he took action. Lei side stepped away and avoided the projectile. Following that he decided to take on the energy blast with his arm shield while jumping, in doing so he received the blast and the blast manage to propel him backwards even further.

 

During his quick action, Lei also took another prototype grenade on his other hand as he activated it and threw it towards them.

 

The invaders eyes grew wide at Lei quick actions, when they saw the grenade thrown they tried to move away from it. However, it was too late. The grenade sensing the invaders within its proximity activated. A barrier expanded engulfing them and then contracted and it pushed them closer to the center of the grenade. It then detonated, and the plasma detonation killed both intruders incinerating them.

 

Lei looked at the detonation location, in awe towards the effectiveness of the prototype grenade barrier. The way the barrier reacted was one that he got inspiration from anime as well. He remembered the scene where he watched it once in one of the show episode but it awed him in creating this prototype his own adaptation it.

 

Lei always wonder if only if he have their combat capability of those in the Anime how good it was.

 

When it was over, he saw one of his staff at the corridor.

 

“Sir! Are you alright?”

“Yea”

 

His staff observed the detonation location and he was aghast at what he saw. The barrier made a spherical outlook at the walkway making him see the structural layout of the deck almost allowing him to see the deck above and below him.

 

“Sir, this…”

“It was my prototype plasma grenade”

“Ah!”

“Anyway I’ll need to go to the research section, you guys hold the area.”

“… Yes sir”

 

Lei jumped over the small cavern created by his grenade, leaving his still shocked and amazed staff behind and continued towards his research department. He figured that he will need to save his research data so he can continue his research elsewhere in the future and as well as use his prototype device to lure the invaders.

 

He will then request evacuation of the section, jettison his research section module with the device and the intruders to space while setting his device to self-destruct.
However, his plan was naught, when he was reaching his research room where his prototype is located; the ship shook multiple times, indicating that the ship and probably the whole fleet is under attack. When he reached his prototype device, everything was too late….