Viewpoint Papa, 15:43 Local

I had been called, again, before our Student Council president, Anzu Kadotani, with some hints that whatever my presence was necessary for, had to do with the Sensha-do team, which was rapidly approaching our first match. We had trained heavily, practicing maneuvers and shooting, and with the match with St. Gloriana bearing down on us at an alarming rate, I was hoping whatever news Anzu was to give it was positive. Both Hana and Yukari had insisted that they come with me, and against my better judgement I allowed them to accompany me. Although the support might come in handy since the last time I had been in Anzu's office, I had been pressed into serving in Ooarai's Sensha-do team, against my own will. As we approached Anzu's office, we placed bets on what Anzu had called me for, I was half heartedly hoping that it might be a cancellation of her previous order, although I severely doubted that I would have that kind of luck. Flanked by Hana and Yukari, I entered the cool, dark air of Anzu's office, which for some reason the lights were never on in, probably just add to the atmosphere of the place or keep it cool in the heat, and found her with Momo Kawashima, but no Yuzu Koyama in sight. I was hoping to play off that point, and not seem to blunt or aggressive.

"Where's Yuzu?" Anzu and Momo seemed less then surprised by our presence, Momo spoke first

"She's doing errands for us. I guess you're here regarding shensha-do, right?" She was being quite blunt, although I suppose she somewhat always was.

"Yes I am." I replied. Yuzu seemed to do a lot of errands come to think of it. Anzu now spoke, with excitement.

"Well, you're in luck! We got a message from a foreign school about some transfer students their sending to us." A pause. Hana seized it to ask a question.

"Transfer students?" A spot of confusion in her voice, then again I was also was asking how did a set of transfer students, and foreign transfer students at that, have anything to do with Sensha-do or the Sensha-do team? Momo spoke again.

"From where or from whom, we're not too interested, however they have claimed to have sent us a M26 Pershing panzer along with the students, who apparently are trained in Panzerkraft." This was surprising, a school would just send us a panzer for what I perceived as no real reason.

"And they might arrive before our first match too!" Added Anzu, while Momo stepped away and searched for something in the piles of paper about. This development I was not expecting at all. A sixth panzer, and a relatively large one at that, much heavier than any of our current vehicles, and better armed. And maybe before our match with St. Gloriana to add, where against the heavy armor of Churchills and Matildas it would be greatly appreciated. This was definitely good news, even if they would only have a day or two at most to practice with us. Yukari was ecstatic.

"A Pershing! Really?" Anzu nodded her head in agreement, although she seemed less interested in the panzer itself and more the fact it would definitely disrupt any strategy St. Gloriana had planned, although I suspect that such a vehicle would also severely agitate our own plans. Momo approached me, handed me a sheet of paper with someone's handwriting on it, it looked as if it had been scribbled in panic, or with enthusiasm.

"Here's the manifest of all we're to receive. Don't lose it." There was some sense of snappiness in Momo's voice, as there always was, a sort of discipline that seemed more akin to my former school, Kuromorimine Woman's College, which was far removed from Ooarai. Anzu then made plain that we were excused, so we thanked them both and left their office, bumping into Yuzu, who looked a little tired, but happy, on our way out.

"I guess you got Anzu's message?" She asked with a smile, something she wore almost as a habit.

"Yes we have, it's great news!" I replied, delighted with this new development. She just smiled and passed by, back into the office we had just come from. As we walked back through the now silent halls of our school, which naturally vacated minutes after the end of class, leaving the facility occupied by people with either sports, Sensha-do, or other electives that required activities outside of class time. As we walked, Yukari asked if she could have the manifest, and, although I suspect that Momo would not appreciate me letting Yukari just have such a important piece of paper, she was very interested in reading the manifest. I gave it to her and she began to read it out loud to both me and Hana as we walked through the school, giving her own commentary as she went.

"Vehicles: M26 Heavy. Even though the Pershing isn't really a heavy panzer at all." She paused to clear her throat. "Equipment: Approximately one hundred shells for M26's main gun and one thousand rounds for M26's machine guns. Well at least they're willing to bring ammunition instead of forcing us to find some."

"What kind of main gun does the Pershing have?" Hana asked, she didn't know all that much about panzers or Sensha-do, but she was trying to learn as quickly as possible. Yukari on the other hand, seem full of knowledge on the subject of panzers, down to what type of grousers a panzer had.

"I think it was the 90 millimeter M3, either that or it was the 76 millimeter M1A1, which was the gun on the Sherman Easy Eight." Or the exact type and model of gun a panzer had apparently. I had already decided to begin the reworking of planned ambush we were to use during our battle with St. Gloriana to use our newest weapon to its full potential, although that may have not been the best decision, regarding that it might not arrive before our match, or even arrive at all. I asked Yukari the question which would determine this new panzer's usenin the upcoming match.

"Would the 76 be able to pierce a Churchill's armor?" Yukari paused and looked off into space, contemplating an answer.

"The 90 definitely could, however, the 76 would have trouble at anything past about 400 meters in range." This girl might be an essential asset later on with that kind of information lock up in her head. With the question and answer section done, she continued reading the manifest. "Students, Commander: Rosemary Fancourt. Gunner: Lisa Salt. Loader: Abigail Stuart. Driver: Megan Hosteen. Radio Operator: Alyssa Yoshimoto. Good luck." She furrowed her brow. "Those names seem really anglicized, don't you think?"

"Well, that last one doesn't." I replied.

"True." Yukari concurred.

"I can't think of anywhere where anything like Sensha-do is practiced and people would have such European sounding names." Commented Hana, cradling her chin with her hand.

"Well maybe they're coming here because they want to be a part of Sensha-do and they can't where they are now?" A very compelling argument from Yukari, and so far the only one that really explained anything about this. Except for the fact they had a Pershing, so they had the materials and expertise to participate in Panzerkraft, but decided to come here to engage in it. Strange. We had reached the entrance to the school building, I opening the door.

"I hope they know Japanese, or else this might be more of a hindrance than a advantage." Hana pointed out, quietly as she passed through the door's threshold.

"I don't think someone would be stupid enough to send an entire panzer and panzer crew without at least them knowing the language, right?" Yukari laughed, still a lot of excitement in her voice, but there seemed to be considerably less confidence.

"Probably not." I replied, confident that our friends, wherever they may be, would have had at least a little common sense. Yukari smiled at me. She highly valued my opinion, especially when it came to Sensha-do. We were headed towards the general direction of the Sensha-do shed, the air warm, yet also cool thanks to the sea breeze as the Academy ship steamed along under a blue sky and warm sun.