Chapter 27

Fragment of Spacetime (Girls & Panzer Side Story 1)

Section Chief, please look. This is our achievement.

Just as we said before, we did it! She will surely change the way of the tank, even the future!

In a certain meeting room, several people wearing lab coats stood before a person sitting at the desk, supporting their chin with crossed hands.

Before this section chief, a huge screen was playing a pre-recorded video.

A regular octahedron was placed into a spherical device with multiple ports.

Afterwards, the spherical device, after being encapsulated, was placed into a brain position where the skull had been 'opened'.

In order to prevent the test subject's existence from startling those students, and also to prevent the programmed personality of the test subject from causing low-probability program errors due to the difference between tanks and people.

Therefore we did not adopt the plan of directly connecting it to the tank, but instead made it into a robot; what you are seeing now is the vehicle commander, the primary and foremost role in the five-person crew setting. The person holding the remote controller bowed slightly while explaining.

Afterwards, the scene switched.

Four girls, likewise with the upper half of their heads in an open state, were undergoing 'core assembly'.

As for the other members, we adopted technology analyzed and developed from that special crystal. However, due to the difficulty of meeting material standards and the tight research schedule... The person holding a folder explained.

Enough, I don't really understand your academic stuff. I want to know one thing: can we complete the task this month and start the experiment as you envisioned? The person called "Section Chief" interrupted the researcher's explanation.

This, please rest assured. Within this week, 'Eight Direction Snow Wind' can be put into the experiment. To ensure the authenticity of this experiment, we will not load her with any specialized knowledge of the way of the tank. Everything will focus on her and her team's learning and self-improvement. After saying that, the researcher at the front pushed up his glasses and stepped back two steps.

Have the names already been decided…? Alright, I know. If so, while there's still time, go do it. Upon hearing this, the Section Chief turned his chair, facing the sea outside the floor-to-ceiling window and said.

Hi! The overlapping voices sounded.

……

I don't know whether this will be 'one step ahead, steps ahead' or 'one step wrong, steps wrong'.

Looking at the distant school ship gradually approaching the shore, the person called 'Section Chief' muttered to himself.

——————————————

Mm…… President, you called me? Nishizumi Miho, who was decorating her No. 4 tank together with other crew members, suddenly received a summons from the Ooarai Student Council President, Kakuyama Anko.

Yeah, that's right. Time is still a bit tight; as the commander of our school's tankery, President Anko thinks it necessary to discuss with you.

A hand holding a peach on a paper board pushed up his glasses and said.

Mm, okay, I'll come down right away. Saying that, Nishizumi Miho pushed herself up with both hands on the turret's upper hatch and stepped out.

Well, you all go ahead, I'll leave first.

Okay.

Understood.

Go!

Yawn~~.

After hearing the response, Nishizumi Miho went with Kawashima Momo to the student council.

…………

……

Huh? Why did the new transfer student call me over~? Nishizumi Miho was puzzled, questioning the student council president ahead who was eating dried sweet potatoes.

Geez~ Don't be so distant~ After all, this transfer student does have some connection with you~~ Kakuyama Anko said smiling.

Um…… Miho, not knowing how to answer, gave a forced smile.

Let me tell you like this. This time the new transfer students happen to be five people, and they were specially inserted by the Ministry of Education.

Seeing Miho's embarrassment, Anko explained.

Eh—, five people…… Upon hearing this, Miho froze, she thought of some possibilities.

How about, if you roughly understand, let's go together. Don't let the newcomers have a bad impression of us. Seeing Miho's expression, Anko swallowed the sweet potato she had been chewing for a while and said.

Mm…… Hmm. After a slight hesitation, Miho nodded.

Yoish~! Let's go! Saying that, Kakuyama Anko sprang up from the office chair that was too big for her and "flew" down.

…………

Mm…… tank…… Snow Wind looked at the huge hull beside her, lowering her head in thought.

She has her own memories, her own perceptions, her own consciousness.

She clearly remembers awakening from a stone, then being discovered by a group of people. They were overjoyed and conducted research on her.

Out of curiosity and boredom, when those people tried to leave something on her 'body' with weak regular electric currents, she did not stop them, but just watched.

Later, she understood what those fragile things appearing in her consciousness were—programs.

The people researching her said this.

They also attempted to transmit some images and information to her.

However, this action was useless for Snow Wind; she could easily distinguish which were her true memories and which were false information.

From that information, Snow Wind only accepted her current identity and name.

Although somewhat incomplete, she still clearly understood that she did not belong here. But since she couldn't recall, she had to temporarily accept the situation.

Hey hey, sis, what are you thinking?!

Suddenly, a call interrupted Snow Wind's thoughts.

……Ah!? Oh, nothing, just thinking about what to say later.

Speaking, Xuefeng turned his head toward the source of the sound.

Clouds from all directions, this is my 'sister'; if we insist on blood relation, we could say we have some, because this 'sister's' computational core is made from the companion crystals that surrounded me when I awakened.

In the laboratory, Xuefeng was there 'watching' as those people placed him and his sisters into bodies similar to theirs, becoming what they are now.

Ah ah, like that, ah, oh sister you always think too much.

Speaking, Chuyun lay back on the sofa with both hands supporting his head.

"..."

Xue Feng said nothing, one hand supporting her chin, the other hand subtly squeezing the metal seat she was sitting on.

There was no soft feeling, it was very hard.

"The power is limited…, but it's not hard to get around the program limits."

She felt the electric current inside her structure and thought.

"Come to think of it, am I the only one with complete memories?" Looking at her half-reclining sister and other companions who, according to the setting, were chatting or eating, Xue Feng thought.

"Forget it, since we're here, let's make the best of it. Let's just leave it like this; the doubts in my mind, rushing won't produce results."

Thinking this, Xue Feng pulled out her phone and took a look.

After confirming there was still some time left, she tilted her head and leaned against the chair to sleep.

Although robots can completely go without sleep as long as they have energy, after all, they still need to get along with people.

Beside them, a steel monster lay still, prone.

…………………………

"Hello, nice to meet you, I'm Ba Fang Xue Feng, this is my sister, Ba Fang Chu Yun." Xue Feng reached out her hand, making a standard handshake gesture.

"Please guide me!" Chu Yun bowed after Xue Feng mentioned her.

"Well, nice to meet you, I'm the student council president of Oarai Girls Academy, Jiao Gu Xing. This person here is our school's Senshado battalion commander, Xi Zhu Mei Su." Jiao Gu Xing also reached out to shake Xue Feng's hand, giving it a slight shake twice.

"Hello, please guide me." Mei Su also gave a slight bow after hearing the president introduce her.

"Please have a seat."

"Hmm."

"No need for pleasantries; if the Department of Education can directly assign people here, then ability-wise there shouldn't be any problem." Jiao Gu Xing spoke first.

"Well, that's best. I'm not much of a talker. From now on, I'll trouble you. (turning head) Also trouble you, Captain West." Xue Feng said.

Meanwhile, Chu Yun obediently sat beside Xue Feng, holding her teacup with both hands.

She looked like she was concentrating on her tea. Hmm… her cup actually contained milk.

(During the talks…)

…………

"Alright, since all matters have been discussed, I'll first go organize our stuff and prepare for the academy ship." Xue Feng said, downing the remaining half cup of tea in one gulp.

"Hmm, Oarai Girls Academy, welcome to all of you." Jiao Gu Xing said.

"Peach!"

"Ah?! Oh oh, this is your enrollment agreement, just sign your name." The somewhat drowsy He Yu Tao jerked awake, quickly turned her head twice, then hastily took the paper from the cardboard pad in her hands.

……

"Then we'll meet again later, President."

"Hmm, goodbye."

Ka—kachak

"Phew~, they finally left. I didn't expect Xing to be this formal this time. This meeting took almost two hours." Tao stretched, glanced at the clock on the meeting room door, and said.

"Oh dear~, after all, they're people directly assigned by the Department of Education." Jiao Gu Xing only said that.

"Ah right, thanks, Mei Su." Xing turned her head and said.

"Uh… I feel like I didn't really do anything." Mei Su, recalling the earlier talk, gave a somewhat forced smile.

"It's fine, as long as you came, that's enough." Jiao Gu Xing smiled and waved her hand.

Tao beside them immediately understood, saying: "Then, classmate Mei Su, you can go back to your own affairs. Please excuse the inconvenience we've caused."

"Hmm, then goodbye."

"Bye-bye~" Jiao Gu Xing waved her hand, while her other hand picked up some dried sweet potato.

…………………………

"Ah, big sister's back!"

"How did it go, big sister?"

Upon returning to the seaside inn, a black-haired girl and a brownish-yellow-haired girl successively asked about Xue Feng's meeting outcome.

"Black-haired, San Ye Shen Tong, driver. I hope she can be more steady. Brown-haired, Tu Ye Ban Cang, gunner."

After briefly recalling the two's personal information, Xue Feng said: "Hmm, went smoothly; the Oarai side should be ready to accept us."

"Yay! Big sister can handle anything!" Shen Tong let out a small cheer.

Ban Cang then sat back down, slowly sipping a cup of matcha.

"What exactly did you implant in my team members' memories…?" Xue Feng thought, looking at Shen Tong's exaggerated reaction, twitching the corners of her mouth.

After a quick glance around the room, Xue Feng noticed someone was missing and felt puzzled.

"Eh, Quan? Where did she go?" she asked.

"She went out wandering around looking for snacks." Ban Cang glanced at the phone on the tea table and said.

"She… can she really eat that much…?" Xue Feng muttered a complaining question.

In Xue Feng's "real" memory, during the adjustment period with the other "sisters" before arriving, San He Quan almost always had food in hand.

"Really, we're lucky we're tin cans." Self-mocking, Xue Feng opened her phone.

After dialing a number, taking advantage of the connection time, she commanded everyone.

"Now, immediately, go to sleep! Tomorrow we still have to get up early; we want the Oarai students to see our spirit!"

"Hi!" X3

After saying that, everyone hurried to the restroom.

After hearing the response, Xue Feng turned away and made a low-voiced phone call.

Hmm, it's me. Please perform the final inspection and maintenance on the tank. I know, but taking a few more looks won't hurt. Okay, thank you.

Ha—. Tomorrow, it's finally starting. I wonder what awaits us? Xue Feng half-reclined on the sofa, staring at the ceiling, thinking.

…………

6：05

Drip-drip—drip-drip.

Ha—

Accompanying the alarm clock's sound, several figures rose from the bed in perfect unison.

Afterward, they rhythmically groomed themselves and got dressed, preparing to wash up.

Fifteen minutes later, the four stood before Xue Feng.

Now, everyone do a final self-check. If there's no problem, we depart in two minutes! Eat first, then pack your luggage!

Yes!

……

8：30

As they left the hotel, a bus bearing the Da Xi logo was already parked at the entrance.

The red-haired student council president stood with arms crossed, waiting at the bus door.

Please. Upon seeing Xue Feng and the others appear, Kakuyo An made a gesturing invitation.

Meanwhile, at the underground garage entrance, accompanied by the engine's roar, a military-green heavy truck slowly pulled out, on its trailer sat a cold, iron giant beast lying still.

IS-2... Jiaogu Xing thought of that name in her mind.

Thank you. Xue Feng nodded, then gestured backward and was the first to board the vehicle.

Seeing Xue Feng's action, the remaining few then lined up and walked toward the bus door.

Hello, I am Sanye Shentong. Please look after me.

I am Ti Ye Ban Zang. Please guide me.

I am San He Quan. Please guide me.

Xue Feng's teammates lined up neatly and boarded the vehicle.

After everyone had boarded, Kakuyo An clapped her hands and said.

Welcome, welcome. Please just hold on for now; everything will be arranged later at the academy. From now on we'll be fellow professionals. I am the president of the Da Xi Student Council,

Okay.

Understood.

After receiving everyone's affirmative reply, Kakuyo An sat with a smile in a seat near the front of the bus.

The training level is high, and the captain's authority is sufficient.

From the side of An's seat, one could see the writing on the cardboard placed under the peach's hand on the seat.

…………

... After that, the welcome party organized by the other classmates of the tankery course took place. Izumo had a great time, and the others integrated well. Even I was startled by their enthusiasm; the atmosphere among the Da Xi students was far better than the materials suggested, and their tank paint jobs and internal fittings truly amazed everyone seeing them for the first time.

The motorbike squad also performed an unnecessary maintenance on the tank, but they insisted on doing so. After the party ended, I wandered around the academy ship; though small as a sparrow, it had all five viscera. It was not inferior to those of the university campuses.

Mmm~~ah~~.

Xue Feng, who had been slumped over the desk, sat up and stretched, lightly blew on the paper on the desk, folded it, then casually opened the drawer, took out an envelope, and slipped the paper inside.

And placed a fragile sticker on the seal.

A few minutes later, a palm-sized drone flew from Xue Feng's dormitory into the night sky.

Obviously everyone has a phone, yet they insist on using this antiquated recording method, but then they send it via a relatively advanced drone. Who normal person keeps a diary like that?

Watching the drone emitting a faint buzz as it receded into the night sky, Xue Feng muttered to herself.

After glancing at the sleeping Izumo, Xue Feng quietly changed clothes and prepared for bed, not even noticing that the corner of her mouth had unconsciously curled into a smile.