Chapter 16
Jeb O'Devlin

Back in Ireland, Jeb O'Devlin was born in a Jewish family on the small town of Ennis. Along the streets of a musical and story inspired town was a shop that repaired music boxes, O'Devlin Musical Repairs, that has been there since 1770's. This shop was filled with a large assortment of antique music boxes that Jeb spend a lot of time learning how to work on machines with his father. But as time moved on and technology was pushed forward, the antique music box repair store had to adapt with the changing of the times. Much of the boxes were auctioned off to make room for new devices such as computers, Bluetooths, iPods and many more. Jeb was fascinated by the mechanisms and technology and was quickly adept at it with his father having a bit of a struggle. Despite the hardships, they succeed. But with success comes with jealous hatred.

On a cold April night of 2013, a mob family came and try to set up in the town of Ennis. A Christian-Catholic mob that sorta follows anti-Jewish policies. The mob busted down the door of the shop and nearly torch it to the ground. Luckily for the O'Devlin's, they survived. And so, they run out of the country and into the United States to avoid whatever the mob has in store for them. They moved in all the way to the American heartlands and landed in Muddle Creek.

But in here though, Mr. O'Devlin had to work at the borders of the country such as being a technician due to some..."circumstances" about their immigration. As for Jeb, he worked as a mechanic as a part-time job at the family shop while maintaining school work. In his first year, he came across a special event over at the capital of the state that involved the best mechanical skills with a prize of $30,000. That is when he met his new friend, Jose. Well, they didn't start out as friends at first. They started as rivals as they build the best and fun mechanical device with no electricity. Things got heated as they build and continue to build in each round with many impressive mechanical gadgets. But ultimately, it was a tie with impressive engineering. That is until they decided to make a new form of passion: making a game console. Jeb made a console that is used for playing computer games complete with a wireless keyboard and mouse since the newer windows won't play hard copies of video games for computers. While Jose made a console that is capable of playing any type of game ranging from the very first games to the newer consoles at the time.

The two had some fierce contests in multiplayer compatible games where they just obliterate each other to settle some of their differences. Later on, they became friends. That is when Jeb met new friends such as Jack, Tsuki, J.H., Muammar, Liga and Uma. Thus Jeb's new life truly began.

AN: Okay, does anyone else hate the fact that the new computers can't play hard copies of a game you know and love? Even worse when you have to go on Steam and purchase the game again. What's the whole point if you already have the game and have to pay for it again? That's super dumb. The only way for you to play your hard copies is to pirate them.

In a deep chasm that appeared because of some celestial quakes, Jeb is just waking up in his titan after taking a nasty fall.

"Owww... Mo cheann fucking."
Translation: "Oww... My fucking head."

Jeb tries to orient himself in the cockpit. He touches the upper right corner of his forehead and notices something wet. Jeb looked at his hand and sees blood.

"Ah cacamas. Is fearr liom an bindealán seo a chur ar bun sula n-éireoidh sé níos measa."
Translation: "Ah crap. I better get this bandage up before it get worse."

So he manage to pull out a first-aid kit that he has, courtesy of Uma's thinking. He found a roll of bandages, some hairpins and some alcohol wipes for disinfectant. Jeb use them to patch up his head and tries to figure out what to do.

"Lig dom a fheiceáil anseo..."
Translation: "Let me see here..."

Jeb looks at his surroundings and sees rocks, more rocks, and some sunlight above him. He press a few buttons to get someone on the radio, "Oi, Jose? Ya there laddy?" All he's getting is static and garbled radio noises. "Jack? Uma? Liga?! Is anyone on the horn?! Hello?! Hel-loooooo!?" But no answer. "Damn. D'fhéadfadh sé dul níos doimhne ná mar a cheap mé." He tried his boosters but are highly damaged.
Translation: "Damn. Might've gone deeper than I thought."

He looks at the chasm walls and tries to see if he can climb out assuming that it is possible. "Níor chóir go mbeadh sé chomh dona sin. Sílim gur féidir liom éirí as seo agus dreapadh suas, díreach cosúil leis an gcomórtas balbh a rinne Jose agus mé faoi dhreapadh carraig."
Translation: "Shouldn't be that bad. I think I can get out of here and climb up, just like the dumb contest Jose and I did about rock climbing."

Jeb has his titan jump onto the cliff wall as the titan's metal fingers dig deep into the rock. The titan's feet have also dug into the rocks as well as the mech clings onto it like a desperate rock climber trying to escape from the jaws of death. Jeb has his titan climb and climb with his hears starting to pop after climbing two miles upward. However, another quake is felt as Jeb is about to panic with every fear about being in the hole he is in. Rocks coming to smash him, the chasm closing back up, or falling back down and have to start all over again. Even wilder about a volcanic eruption under him. Yet the quakes suddenly stopped as quick as they started. So he climb and climb miles deep until he start to see a thick steel cable. Big and thick enough for a titan to grab onto.

Jeb checks his radio, "Hello? Anyone up there?"

"Jeb?! Is that you?!" the image is a little fuzzy, but the voice is as clear as day as Jeb recognizes it.

"Jose, is that you?"

"JEB! Mierda, casi me da un infarto."
Translation: "Holy shit I nearly had a heart attack."
"You alright amigo?"

"I'm good and thanks for the rope." Jeb then grabs onto the cable and is being pulled up.

"Hold on, I gotta!"

Jeb has finally made it out of the chasm with not only Jose in his mech, but also a few similar titans piloted by J.H., Liga and Muammar. Uma is there with an ambulance on standby as he is dragged out. Once on the surface, the cockpit opens as Jeb sighs in relief.

Uma runs over and checks on Jeb, "Are you alright?!" She checks him over, "Good thing I had those first aid kits in your robots." he looks at the bandage on his head, "Are you blacking out? Have any form of nausea, disorientation? Anything?"

"I feel fine." Jeb just casually replies. "Had some problems with the boosters."

Jose is next to Uma, "You do realize that you can psychically fix it, right amigo?"

"I didn't wanna risk it with my head injury." Jeb replies, "If I did, I may have passed out."

"Why not heal?" Jose suggests, "You can auto heal, right? We have psychic powers so I'm just sayin'."

Jeb thinks about it for a moment, "Ah crap, you're right."

Jose chuckles, "For one of the smartest mechanical nerds I've known, you've got a one track mind when it comes to your goals."

Jeb does a light chuckle, "Yeah. Like with the contests we've done when we hated each other."

Uma finishes, "There doesn't seem to be anything else wrong. You should be good, but I recommend you hold off on any labor or piloting for a while just in case."

J.H. came over, "You okay, little buddy?"

Jeb sits straight up, "I think so, thanks to you guys. But why are you using a titan instead of super strength or something like that?"

J.H. snorted, "Come on man. Everyone loves robots and to pilot them."

Jeb looks at Muammar, "Hey, Muammar, thanks for the save. Since when did you exit your little astronomy tower?"

Muammar explains, "Well, I heard you were in trouble and Jose was screaming over the radio. Plus we still have a bit of a situation here and you have to hear this."

"Like what?"

"Now we got more planets in our solar system! We have four types of Mercury's, five kinds of Venus', six planets that are sharing the same orbit with our Earth, four other planets between Earth's orbit and Mars', three kinds of Mars', two to four kinds of different gas giants and onward."

"Does that explain the quakes?"

"Yes."

Before they can continue, a fleet of Combine dropships are seen in the skies coming from the northwest. Yet each and every one of them are bearing a DNA white, blue and orange flag of the Republic of Pacifica that start to land all over. Troops in green, biological chitin armor and sci-fi weapons started to come out and headed towards the group.

One soldier speaks through his helmet, "Is this a micronation?"

"Yes...?" Muammar replies.

"I'm afraid you are to be sentence to leave off the planet."

A large gathering of people have gathered at the resort ranging from Mudokons, Vortigaunts, various dwarves and many others that have been gathered by the soldiers of the Republic of Pacifica and are getting anxious and angry about what's happening and what is gonna happen. Some are getting frustrated and are boiling for a fight against the government after being dragged out of whatever it was they were doing or from their homes. Others are scared and confused while worrying about what fate is in store. Even worse when they see Conduits dressed in uniforms while showing some of their powers either to show who has the better powers or to keep people in line. Jack, Tsuki, J.H. and basically all of our main characters have been rounded up as well along with some of their families. Some. Beatrice and Catherine are not there, neither is Mrs. Silversword for that matter. Seven massive holographic screens have appear and form a circle, and on the screens is Jill Stein. For those that don't know, Jill Stein was a political candidate of the 2016 election and represented the green party.

"Jill Stein?" Jose says with his left eyebrow raised.

"Yo, what is she doin' on the big screen?" J.H. asks.

"Greetings everyone of the micronation of Big Sky." she says through some sort of speakers, "I am Jill Stein, vice president of the Republic of Pacifica working under direct orders of president Hillary Clinton."

Jose and Jeb look at each other, "Hillary Clinton is president of the Republic of Pacifica?"

Tsuki is confuse, "Wait, if Joe Biden is president of the UNSA, does every nation part of it have their own president or...? I need more info."

"I regret to inform you that due to certain changes, including the appearance of planets with their own nations, all micronations are to be banished."

Muammar pulls out his water bottle, takes a few sips, and then spits it out before shouting, "WHAT?!"

Everyone is confuse and upset by this revelation as they say it is unethical and not constitutional.

"WHAT THE HELL?!" Marcus shouts with all his anger, "DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA ON HOW HARD IT WAS TO BUILD OUR MICRONATION!? THE SUFFERING AND SWEAT AND TOIL WE WENT THROUGH?!"

"Now I know you are all upset-"

"FUCK YOU, BITCH!"

"-but the reason being is to make room for all the people that may come over and get things back to normal. As close to normal despite the apocalypse still going on."

J.H. is stumped, "Still going on?"

"The United Nations have agreed that micronations should go. But don't worry. The planets you all will be going has plenty of room for all and it is suitable for sustaining everyone. We apologize for this, but it is a necessary step to move forward and to ensure peace and tranquility with not only our fellow nations, but also with our creations."

"This...can't be good." Jack says and is worried. He looks at his friends, "If we leave, we'll never find out who started this, how this started and how to end it. Like she said: the apocalypse is still going on."

He has a point. The apocalypse is still going on and it doesn't appear to be stopping at any point. If they don't find the source, things will get more complicated and it may or may not cause a dimensional collapse that could destroy the universe. ... Possibly, but not much proof to it. Yet he feels something strange in the air. Something, or someone, watching over his shoulders. As for now, everyone was becoming furious about the whole situation that they're being forced out of the home they've spent so long trying to build and are about ready to cause a riot. But many of the soldiers are prepared to open fire at the angry mob with one soldier firing a shot into the air that seemed to stop them.

Marcus whispers to Jack, "Cousin. Can you and your friends do something about this?"

Jack whispers back, "I don't think we can."

"What why?" Marcus is a bit annoyed.

"Because I have a feeling we are being watch by someone. And I don't mean the soldiers and the giant head of the vice president of this republic." Jack looks around and keep feeling something powerful is watching. "We're just gonna have to comply for a while. As much as I hate to leave and want to find out who is behind the apocalypse, I think they're watching us as we speak."

Liga leans over, "You feel that, too?"

"You too?" Jack whispers to Liga.

Marcus says, "We'll discuss this stuff later."

A Freedom-class frigate from Star Trek appears in the skies and is about to land close to the settlement.

Jill Stein says, "You have two options: If you leave, you will lose your citizenship and will have to get your own in a new nation. If you stay, you get to keep your citizenship. The choice is yours. You will be taken to the moon where the stargate will take you to your new homeworld."

Many had to decide on what to do and what should they decide. Our eight heroes decided to stick with Marcus in order to hide from whoever is watching. Some people are having an argument about what they should do and if they want to stay. So many board the ship in order to start a new life away from Earth to find something better. Some stay behind believing that the new UNSA might be better than the original USA. Many look back to take one last look at what they're leaving behind before settling into the new frontiers.

In a white sedan heading down the highway, Catherine is on her pink smartphone talking to someone while driving down the empty highway.

"It's me." she says to the person on the phone, "Did my brother and his friends start something? ... Oh please, Jack's a moron. I'm smarter than he is." Then she starts to get upset, "My little brother is nothin' more than a- ... Look, he's a moron. He'll make mistakes. If not, then his friends will." Now she gets angry, "Don't forget about our agreement, bitch! You said if I turn in my cousin's community over to the government, no matter which one, I get an easy scot-free life! Don't tell me to underestimate my shitty little brother, I'm better than him! ... What do you mean I fucked up!? I did what you want me to! ... Listen here you-"

Catherine's head exploded into bloody, gory pieces all over the windshield and the driver seat window with some on the passenger windows. Bits of bones have shattered some of the glass and pieced the radio and dashboard with a major chunk of it destroying the phone. The vehicle swerves out of control and hits a boulder that cause the car to explode.