Chapter 16

Ooarai's Hetzer, commanded by the student council, crept over the crest of a bush covered hill. Pocking her head out of the hatch, Anzu brought a pair of binoculars to her eyes and surveyed the forward area. To her disappointment several dozen challenger 1 and 2's rolled through the hilly terrain.

Anzu dropped back into the Hetzer and tapped Yuzu in the back signaling to turn around. The Hetzer began to reverse and climb down the hill. Upon reaching a more covered tree line the Hetzer turned around and headed back to the column of tanks.

When the student council arrived back at the column, they were greeted by Maho. She had basically taken over command of the whole column and wanted everything done to a tee. It seemed overwhelming at first, but she seemed to be managing.

"What did you see?" Maho asked.

Anzu pocked out of the hatch again to respond. "Almost three dozen Challenger's. seems Akari really wants to find us." She said.

"So, both north and north-east are blocked off. And we can't retreat and go around, it would take too long. What now?" Erika asked.

"What about Hoja? Darjeeling, Is it manageable?" Maho asked.

"The federation force relieving us was less in number but that was due to the damage we gave Virginia over the course of time. If Davis has not been defeated by now, I will be impressed." Darjeeling said.

"It seems to be our only option." Erika said.

Maho thought about the decision for a minute. Unlike the popular belief, she was exhausted and tired from the command this whole column of high schoolers she led. Before she got another word out Edward had called her name.

"Maho, can I talk to you?" he asked.

She looked at him. He was still malnourished. All the Americans were. They had only so much food to give the guys without running low and still needing some for themselves to. Maho nodded and hopped down from her Tiger and turned to the girls.

"I'll be right back." She then leads Edward away to talk privately. "What is it Edward?" She asked.

"First, call me Ed. Secondly, we have an issue with some of the guys. Specifically, Mark and Austin." He said.

"What happened?" Maho asked.

"It's not what has happened but what will happen. Marks leg is getting better but with the bumping around we fear his leg will misalign or something. Austin is a different case. His wounds opened again. If we don't get him serious medical attention, then we risk him getting Anemia." Edward said.

Though Austin and Mark were taken to get medical care back in Mishima, it was the bare minimum. The medically trained wrapped Marks leg up and just left him, and they only washed Austin's back and wrapped it in bandage. They didn't even try to clean it. He was also at risk of getting infections.

"What can we do?" Maho asked.

"Get to Glendale as quickly as possible. We don't have the stuff to care for them. Johnathan does." Edward said.

"Alright." Maho then walked back to her tank and mounted up. She turned to the three girls still talking and put her commander voice on. "We go through Hoja, Mark and Austin's conditions are getting worse and they need proper medical help now. Transport all the boys who can manage onto some of the other tanks. Have some Pravda's heavy tanks and Kuromorimine's heavy tanks clear for combat if necessary. We know the Federation force doesn't care what happens to the boys, so put their safety above all priority." Maho ordered.

"Yes ma'am." A chant said over radio.

Maho gave a wave with her hand and the column of tanks began rolling again. Moving in a direction to avoid the amount of Federation tanks scouted earlier. Though Maho knew that Kuromorimine and Pravda's tanks together could hold off federation engagement for some time, her priority was the safety of the four hundred some Americans who have had the worst few months of their lives.

It took another two hours to reach Hoja city. The towering skyscrapers were seen well before the column even saw the city outskirts. Though the city looked well, there was the occasional crater or destroyed building.

Katyusha ordered her unit to advance and the Pravda T-34's sped forward to access the security of the city. Afterwards Maho lead the rest of the column into the city limits, where after, she rode alongside Katyusha for a report on her findings.

"Did you see any Federation tanks Katyusha?" Maho asked.

"No. no one. Not even the American tanks. It's strange, the city is worth three points to hold entirely and with the lack of battles going on it would seem that someone has total control." Katyusha stated.

"but who won is my concern." Maho said. "Let's get moving. Maybe we can find one of the operating bases and get some supplies back."

The column continued moving deeper into the city and even passed the center square without even seeing any sort of activity. Maho felt something had happened here but she wasn't sure if it was actually bad or not.

"Edward, can you come up here please!?" Maho called.

Edward headed to the front of the column and climbed Maho's tank, he took a seat beside the commander's hatch, where Maho was standing, and nodded.

"What do you think happened here?" Maho asked.

Edward took a gander of the city square and took stock of what he saw. Craters, smoking remains of some destroyed housing and vehicles. This was a battlefield, but he couldn't tell when.

"I can only come up with the same assumption as you Maho. Someone won a fight and took control of the city." Edward said.

Maho sighed. This was getting them nowhere. She didn't want to move the column forward without knowing who was in control of the city. They were sitting ducks. Maho then heard a faint noise. It sounded like an engine. Now it was louder and getting closer. Maho looked to the right, past Edward, and out from behind some buildings came a M6 heavy tank. It sped forward, then aimed its barrel at Maho's tank while coming to a halt. Edward had instantly moved in front of Maho, as if to shield her from the shell of a 76.2mm barrel. However out of the commander's hatch came a familiar face. it was Davis Brown, Tank Commander of Virginia Academy of Arts.

"Ed! Holy cow man what happened to you, you look like a zombie!" Davis cried.

"Davis! Oh, thank god it's you! You nearly gave us a heart attack you Robin Hood!" Edward yelled.

"Whats with the column? And why are you riding alongside the girls? What happened man?" Davis asked.

"Long story short, Federation reinforcements treat us men like crap and the Japanese High school teams are on our side now. Hey is Anthony with you? We got two critically wounded guys in need of serious help." Edward asked.

"Yeah, he's back at base. Come on I'll lead you through the city. Then you can tell me the long story." Davis said.

His M6 started moving, drove in front of the column, and started leading the force to the east side of the city. The side that had been held indefinitely by Association hands.

After a few minutes, the tanks arrived at Virginia's base of Operations. All the Virginia guys glanced at the incoming tanks in shock but reviled with delight when they saw their fellow countrymen.

After getting everyone situated and allowing the mechanics of the various girl's schools to get working on their tanks, and getting Austin and Mark to a proper infirmary, Davis brought Maho, Edward, and the other commanders to his 'War Room' to discuss what happened to them.

"After the Federation reinforcements arrived, and they sent St. Gloriana and Ooarai home, they launched an aggressive campaign against us. However, with the amount of tanks they had brought it was clear they heavily underestimated us. Did they even listen to your warnings of us Commander Darjeeling?" Davis asked.

"No. they said that since you had little to offer in the way of an offensive, they surmised that taking you out would be easy. How wrong they were." Darjeeling said.

"Even so they did take a number of us out. My whole team only has seven operational tanks left, but luckily we were able to drive them out of the city." Davis said.

"How have you managed to hold the city with such few numbers?" Katyusha asked.

"We at Virginia Academy of Arts take pride in our passion. Most of our guys on the Tankery team are also trained mechanics. We managed to fix our tanks up so fast that it seemed like we had reserves waiting to be deployed, and the Federation soon realized that it would take a lot more than what they had to defeat us." Davis said proudly.

"So, I'm guessing work has been stalled for the moment?" Edward asked.

"Yes. We don't have the parts needed to fix half of our tanks and we are low on ammunition for the rest. Its bad out there Ed. Johnathan and the association unit can barely hold the Federation's advance. We only have Glendale and the northern CP left in our control." Davis said.

Edward sighed at this. Maho however felt there was some correlation with the American schools. She thought back to what Davis said. most of their Tankery players were mechanics? It was unique.

"Pardon the question, but what is so special of all your schools to begin with?" Maho asked.

"Well, as Davis said most of Virginia's Tankery guys are trained mechanics. All the guys at Montana are trained Mathematicians. The guys over Edison are geologist experts. And the guys at Uncle Sam are astute strategists and historians. Most of those facts is why our schools were ranked so high." Rivers said.

"Anyway, back to what you said earlier Ed. How the federation treated you guys was inhumane. We have to tell the people at the Association table." Davis said.

"Remember the rules. No communications with the outside. The higher ups aren't intervening except to deliver supplies once every month." Edward said.

"But it's not right!" Davis yelled.

"If I could interject. I had some of my teammates take pictures of the stockade and of how the boys were treated back in Mishima all throughout the last month. We have enough proof to slander the Federation for this." Maho said.

"I also had one of my teams get evidence on Akari and even got some of her private calls and messages. She had been breaking the rules the whole time. She was communing with the Federation since she arrived." Miho said.

"Well if we have to wait what happens now?" Davis asked.

"Rest would be best. The guys at Uncle Sam and Montana are malnourished and need time. Plus, all the girls are tired of driving. We should be safe here." Kay said.

"I will have to ask if you girls can help with perimeter control and lookout from time to time. Like I said I have only seven tanks left. We could use the assistance." Davis said.

"Of course. We'll help anyway we can. It's the least we can do for your safe harboring us." Maho said.

"Hey, any friend of Ed's is a friend of mine. Now my guys should have set quarters up for you all by now. Go get some sleep. We'll start talking about what to do next tomorrow." Davis said.

Everyone agreed and dispersed. Edward and Rivers went off to be with their teams and the girls were guided over to some other buildings were they would be sleeping. The tank crews had already parked their tanks up and, most likely, gone to bed themselves.

Maho and Miho stayed near the rear of the group and Miho couldn't help but feel that her sister was going on about something. She seemed nervous or even frightened.

"Maho, what has you feeling down?" Miho asked.

"It's nothing Miho. Just thinking about when this game is over." Maho said.

Miho's face grew into one of understanding. She knew what Maho was afraid of now.

"You're scared of facing mother after all this is done, aren't you?" Miho said.

Maho only gave a timid nod. It was to be expected. Maho had followed their Mothers rules all her life. She did whatever their mother said all her life. And now she had, for the first time, went against what her mother wanted. And it had to be against something she was so adamant about. Their mother would be furious that Maho orchestrated the breakout of the Americans and even switched sides to fight alongside them. the inevitable reunion would not be pretty.

"I'll be here for you Maho. And if you ask, I'm sure the rest of our friends will be to. Maybe Ed can get the boys to back us up. You are the one who saved them." Miho said.

"I'm just so terrified as to what she'll say. I don't want to face her." Maho said.

"And right now, you don't have to. Let's just take it one step at a time. You were there for me when I needed help. Now I'll be there for you. That's what sisters are for." Miho said.

Maho smiled and hugged her sister. She was so thankful to have someone like Miho as her sister. After breaking up the hug the two Nishizumi heirs caught up to the others and soon settled in for a good night's sleep.

End Part One