Greetings from SeekerMeeker, again.
Let's get through this.
;)
Girls und Krieg
Chapter 2: Operation Overkill
Miho stood on top of the tank, surveying the scenes.
"Not what I expected," she said to herself.
Although thousands were fleeing, the bombardment was not actually serious. As she suspected, all of the shells fired were merely solid balls of steel, strong enough to damage wooden structures, but not strong enough to break through walls and beams of bio-steel, a type of super-strong steel that was enchanted to semi-repair itself. Hence, whenever a shell hit a beam of steel, instead of breaking it, the shell fell down, and the beam gradually bent back into its normal shape. Hence, none of the buildings fell, but the more vulnerable parts of the buildings fell down easily, especially the numerous ornamental parts that decorated the buildings. Civilians fled, as thousands of glass shards, lamps, and crumpled paper objects fell down.
"Maybe we should think about reducing the number of decoration on our buildings," Miho noted to herself. "Other than that, I am glad that none of the buildings still fell; they are all strong."
"Of course," Saori said, overhearing her. "We're Japanese, after all. We are used to living in earthquake-prone zones."
"Formerly Japanese," Mako corrected her. "But we got so used to peace, that a sudden attack like this really shocked us."
Suddenly, a shell fell down, causing a small crater a few meters away from Miho's right. Mako hiccuped, while Saori flinched.
"Miporin!" Saori screamed. "Can you come down?"
"Saori-san," Miho said, looking down. "Don't worry. These shells are not that bad; they're from primitive, medieval howitzers."
"Medieval?" Hana asked.
"Umm," Saori fidgeted, trying to think. "Ah, ancient ones, based on history books!"
"From the Middle Ages or so," Miho said.
"What?!" multiple voices echoed from beneath.
"I thought it was serious!" Saori gasped. "From such old cannons?! Now that you say it, they are NOT that strong..."
"Now that she mentions it," Hana said. "I am looking through the screens, and she is right: much of the damage is towards the poor hanging pots and flower gardens."
"This is no time to talk about flowers," Saori groaned, as another shell fell. Miho casually turned her head to the left, dodging the ball with ease. It struck the ground about 100 meters away.
BOOM!
"Zon!" Saori screamed. "Still, these shells sound dangerous! But they are weak."
"That makes sense," Mako said, as she drove the tank, which rumbled through the streets. "Now that I see from here, the shells are unusually weak. They are not even strong enough to cause our own houses to fall."
"Miporin," Saori said. "Even though it's safe now, please get in; just halfway should be good."
"Alright," Miho said, smiling. She got down, her torso still exposed, her head raised. She looked around, and patted the tank.
"The Crucigon tank," she noted with a smile.
Crucigon Tank
(Remember: this one is now updated.)
The Crucigon tank was now the tank of the Anglerfish Team. It was nothing like their original tank; unlike the Panzer IV Ausf H, this one was clearly a futuristic one. It has a clean sleek design, with very shiny, silver and pink plates contrasting with its metallic cobalt-blue stripes and plates. That was its default color, but in reality it could change according to the surroundings. It was also huge, with a length of 13.5 m, a width of 8.4 m, and a height of 6.3 m. It weighed a whopping total of 80 t, but it had a strange set of anti-gravity inducers (or anti-grav inducers), which allowed the tank to have the maneuverability, speed, and acceleration of a 40-t tank. It had four tracks and four wheels; the wheels stuck out between the tracks. The tracks were the "main four legs," which drove the tank. The wheels were more used as stabilizers, keeping the tank stabilized. However, if necessary, these wheels could produce their own tracks, thus becoming an extra set of tracks in case they were needed.
The interior of the Crucigon possessed enough space for a variety of computers, electronics, firing systems, small and large storage units and containers. The Crucigon's main guns were the triple 155-mm cannons, and all of them were 10 meters in length. Believe it or not, most tanks used by Miho and her friends and allies used guns of the 155-mm caliber. However, the Crucigon was distinct in having not one, but three of the cannons, mounted on a colossal turret, designed to handle the recoil from three cannons at once. Hence, the tank could strike very hard and very fast. Even crazier, this was just in its mobile mode. It had another form: the artillery mode.
When the Crucigon went into its artillery mode, the wheels transformed into legs, and the wheels had weird armor plates on them. They became claws, which kept the tank stable. Its triple 155-mm cannons then fused together into one single, 320-mm ultra-cannon, which fired colossal shells, which were specifically infused with an enormous amount of strange energy. Hence, whenever the Crucigon entered the battlefield, many of its enemies (especially those who witnessed it before) froze in fear at the mere sight of this tank.
Like most of the highly advanced tanks, it possessed a variety of systems, such as its highly digitized battlefield management system and a miniature holographic projection of the battlefield. However, due to its sheer size and advanced nature, the Crucigon also had an unusually large variety of weapons systems. Thus, each of the five members of the team was responsible for a specific station:
-Miho Nishizumi was still the commander, of both her team and the entire forces of her homeland. She was in charge of the main viewscreen, which showed her the surroundings of both her tank and her force's locations, and hence the main battle management system. It also showed her who was who, both in and out of combat. She also controlled the tank's main safety and "healthcare" systems, as well as a single weapons system: a multi-purpose railgun station, the only weapons station onboard with a railgun small enough to be used. She also controlled the tank's UGV construction module, which allowed the tank to create at least one Unmanned Ground Vehicle, which varied in designs. Mostly, however, the UGVs were based on the RoBattle, the Guardium, and the AvantGuard UGVs of Israel, except more advanced, better armored, and especially better armed for combat.
Inside, Miho and her teammates wore at least a special tiara-shaped headgear, which displayed information much like helmet-mounted displays; hers was a simple golden tiara with white wings and magenta flower ornaments. Her own headgear also had a pair of giant headphones, which had blue-and-gold butterfly wings sprouting out of them. Thus, Miho unintentionally stood out, as she was the only one in her team to wear two "wings" on her head; many civilians affably nicknamed her the "Four-Winged Angel" as a result (which embarrassed her). Saori, Hana, and Mako all wore headgear that looked like tiaras, themed after an actual tiara, flowers, and sweets respectively. Yukari was the only one who wore an actual helmet. Interestingly, this type of technology could not be replicated; any attempt to reverse engineer it fails miserably.
-Saori Takebe was still the radio operator; hence, she was in charge of the tank's main communications systems, such as its PA system and its radar system. Being the PR manager of the state, she was in charge of a special interface, which allowed her to directly control ALL of the PA systems in her homeland. She also controlled a weapons station that was responsible for smart mines, which were mobile explosives that scanned for targets.
-Hana Isuzu was still the gunner. Hence, she was in charge of the tank's main guns, both in mobile and in artillery modes. Being the President of the New Ooarai Republic, she had a direct link to the Lotus Office, which was the main governmental body structure in the entire state. In addition to the main guns, Hana controlled the four rocket pods onboard.
-Yukari Akiyama was still the loader, because the tank's giant cannons required manual loading. Being the Vice President of her state, she was in charge of many responsibilities related to the President; hence, her interface had some major connections to Hana's. She was in charge of the tank's more practical aspects, such as its self-repair mechanisms. She also controlled a weapons system, which controlled two machine guns and two drones that could fly and shoot.
-Mako Reizei was still the driver. Considered to be the smartest in her state, she was in charge of controlling the tank's complex driving system. Even Mako herself admitted that only a "true genius" could understand the tank's driving mechanisms, as it was more complex than "piloting a super-advanced plane." Indeed, Mako might be the only girl who could even drive it, as driving it required a careful, clever management of its four tracks and four wheels. She also was responsible for its distinct ramming cannon, which fired a very short but very fast projectile that essentially acted like a real battering ram. She also controlled its engines and jump jets, which allowed the tank to "jump" over rough terrains.
Wasting no time, Miho then pressed a button on her interface. Although her tank had limited space, due to something that Saori called a "magical replicator," the UGV construction system already had a UGV ready to deploy, which looked like a blue-and-white themed Guardium but with a large radar disc. The tank opened a door through the rear, and the UGV went out.
"Saori-san," Miho said. "I have deployed the Radar UGV. You should be able to contact with Sodoko-san and others more easily."
BOOM!
Another shell struck nearby, and Miho sighed.
"How are things now?" Miho asked, as Saori successfully made contact.
"Casualties are very low," Sodoko spoke, her face appearing in Miho's interface screen. "The invaders succeeded in killing only 30 of our actual citizens, most of them young girls in their teens, all struck by falling debris from the buildings."
Miho shuddered.
"Our clone-girls deliberately got into the line of fire," Sodoko continued, unfazed. "Had it not been for them, we would have it worse."
Miho nodded grimly.
"We will have burial rituals ready for them," Hana said.
"Thank you," Miho said, finally able to smile.
"You took it quite well," Saori said, and Miho chuckled.
"We all have to," Miho said. "At least it could have been worse; we've been through worse than this."
"But why so low?" Mako asked. "I was expecting a lot more, based on the explosions."
"They were primitive shells," Miho explained. "They do not cause explosions, but the explosions came from the pipes that caused reactions from the impacts. We better check our pipes later, but good thing that our death toll is low."
BOOM!
"And we better focus," Miho said. "Girls, let us focus."
Everybody nodded, and Miho rapidly touched and managed the interface, and scanned the areas. Sure enough, her system revealed that the bombardments originated from the coast, and three ships were firing.
"They look like old galleons," Miho admitted. "Huh, only three? Why so cute and small?"
"It is rare for you to comment like that," Hana replied. "But I cannot blame you; it is odd for such a small fleet to attack us with their cannons."
"It's like trying to fight tanks with swords and arrows," Mako bluntly replied, as the tank rolled on. "Like a famous anime, where some imperial and allied medieval-age soldiers tried to assault modern-day Japan. That was stupid."
"And these invaders," Yukari noted, watching her own interface from her helmet-display. "Are obviously ill-prepared. What are they even attacking us for?"
"It looks like they are the only ones to fire," Mako interjected. "There are no enemies on the ground, so all of the attacks are from the ships."
BOOM!
This time, the shell struck right in front of the tank, and the tank rumbled to a halt.
"They found us," Mako bluntly said.
"Back!" Miho commanded, and the tank reversed a few meters back, just as another shell struck right where the tank was.
Boom-boom-boom!
"And here come some of our forces," Miho said, smiling. "They are already firing back."
Sure enough, at the coast, from her screen (displayed via the tiara-mounted displays), Miho noticed large groups already firing. Six platoons of tanks were already firing at the ship, but deliberately missing; they were firing warning shots. Miho had the real authority to tell them to shoot on sight.
"They are the only tanks at the coast," Miho noted. "Raio, Merkava Mk.5 Lev Ruach, Xabra, K3 Zainichi, Reapard, and Oklo. They will definitely be considered after this fight."
"Oh boy!" Yukari squealed with delight. "Raio, based on the Osorio main battle tank of Brazil! Merkava Mk.5 Lev Ruach, the fearsome tank based on the Merkava of Israel! Xabra, our version of the Sabra tank of Israel! K3 Zainichi! That cool tank based on the cool one from Korea! Oh boy, I hate to admit this, but the Koreans sure beat us to making a better tank-don't get me in trouble about this, please! Reapard and Oklo, the tanks we got from our friends and allies, modified for our own use!"
"And they are all quite reliable and ready to fight," Miho said. "But good thing: the ships are now distracted. Mako-san, please drive us to the Observation Hill."
She nodded, and after about a mile, the tank rested on top of a hill, which overlooked the coast that was being bombarded. From here, the tank was clearly visible to the three ships (which was deliberate), as it raised a flag, which had her state's symbol:
It was her state's old school logo, consisting of two kanji signs, stylized together to resemble the Balkenkreuz (Bar Cross). Colored white and blue, it was superimposed on top of a simple but lovely lotus symbol, colored pink and red. The whole flag's background was white.
"Attention!" Miho called out, which was a signal to Saori. She activated her PA system, which connected Miho's voice to all of the PA at the coast, and directed at the enemies in the sea. "This is Commander Nishizumi Miho, the commander-in-chief of the Senshadou Forces of New Ooarai Republic! We desire peace, not war, at our capital city! Please cease fire, and we will cease! Girls, stop the fire!"
All six platoons stopped firing. Soon, Miho noticed three new platoons appearing. This time, they were composed of artilleries, although they did not shoot.
"Oh boy!" Yukari squealed again. "The GX Rhino, based on the G6 Rhino self-propelled gun-howitzer from South Africa! Look! Our famous Sholef Gadol, the 'Great Slammer' self-propelled gun with its colossal 275-mm cannon! It's based on a Sholef prototype artillery from Israel! And my favorite artillery, if it had tracks: the Boxer RCH 210 NOR based on a model from Germany!"
"Panzer high," Miho said sternly, causing her to deflate. "This is serious business, sorry to say it, but wait. Attention!"
She turned back to the PA, focusing on the three ships, who also stopped firing for a few seconds.
"Please cease fire," she commanded. "We have ceased our own, so please cease yours. Let us have a proper talk, so that we can-"
BOOM!
From one of the galleons, a particularly giant cannon, a 300-mm one, burst, and a giant crater appeared about 100 meters away to the left side of Miho's position. The hill suffered a massive battle scar, with a crater to show where the shell fell.
"...have a friendly chat," Miho finished. "Please, let us-"
BOOM!
Another shot burst, this time about 30 m away from her position.
"Can we just hit them?" Sodoko's voice echoed. "We cannot get our own personal tanks in time, but these platoons are ready to hit them!"
"One more time!" Miho shouted, louder this time. "Please hold your-"
BOOM!
This time, the cannonball partially hit. It scraped the front left track, causing it to dent. Shrapnels exploded out, and Miho shielded herself with her railgun turret's shield. After a few seconds, a flying drone came out, and scanned and repaired the damaged part.
"I gave you three chances," Miho said, this time with a very serious tone. "And you did not let me finish."
"Wait!" a voice suddenly blared from her interface, and a face of one of the tank commanders appeared. "I hear a voice!"
"Sorry!" Miho heard a faint voice from her headgear. "We DID hear you, but I am on the ship with the red flag and-uf!"
The voice got caught off, and the girls could hear scuffles and some profanity.
"It's a radio signal," Saori said curtly.
Miho reached out her neck, still halfway exposed. She then pressed a button on her tiara, which activated its binocular system. Her sight zoomed in, and saw a ship with a red flag, and some men trying to subdue someone with radio equipment.
"So they know what they are doing," Yukari said, sweating.
"Yes," Miho said. "Attention, commanders and captains. Do not lay a hand on the galleon with the red flag. For the other two: fire without mercy."
The almost cold tone of the last part sent shivers down everyone in the tank; even Hana shivered once.
BOOM-BOOM-BOOM-BOOM-BOOM-BOOM!
Miho then shook her head, as six platoons, each with 12 tanks, and three platoons of self-propelled artilleries, each with eight of their own, mercilessly bombarded the two ships. Although the two ships appeared to be 108 m long and had a lot of steel welded onto their sides, they were no match for 72 tank shells and 24 artillery shells. They were no ordinary shells either; unlike normal shells, they were more fit for naval guns; her state's tanks fired 155-mm rounds, while the artilleries fired 210-mm ones.
In only seven seconds, the two ships were reduced to floating masses, literally shredded into tiny pieces. The sea was now littered with floating timber pieces, with no survivors apparently. From her post, Miho could tell that the crew onboard the only ship floating was panicking. After trying to bombard the city, the sudden turn of events shocked them.
"I see mutiny onboard," Mako noted.
The others looked. Sure enough, the original man who radioed them then rallied up the rest of the crew, who turned on their captain.
"I get another radio signal!" Saori said.
Miho listened in, and a few cracked voices blared:
"Captain!" a young man's voice blared. Miho gasped; it was the same man who radioed the girls about his ship.
"We declare mutiny!" he boomed, as cheers came from his side. "We are tired of being 'cannon fodder' at the hands of these amazons!"
"Traitors!" the captain's voice echoed from Miho's display earphones. "These witch-girls must be taught a lesson, and you all turn against me!"
"Excuse us?!" multiple voices roared.
"They were far better coordinated than we expected!" a rough voice boomed from the radio. "These were not the random works of the stupid demons, but deliberate, prudent efforts of a civilized people, who warned us before firing on us! That's the mark of a noble soul, not the words of a savage!"
"Fools!" the captain's voice blared. "They are just puny girls with giant tanks! We have our own, which will come later!"
"Come later my butt," was the last words from the radioer, before shots rang out.
Miho then craned her neck, using her binocular system on her headgear. Zooming in, she saw that the captain still had a few loyal companions, who fought against the raging horde of those who mutinied. However, the mutinous crew included some very large, muscular men, who soon wrestled down the few loyal to the captain, and then turned against the captain himself. Despite his efforts, the captain found himself down unto the deck's floor, with the men wrestling away his weapons. After subduing him, they dragged him with force, although he kept bawling something. The original radioer-turned leader then signaled something, and three men raised a white flag.
"Victory!" multiple voices echoed from Miho's interface, although Miho herself kept a cool face.
"We apologize for the sudden attack," the radioer called back.
She smiled.
"That's alright," Miho replied. "At least you all take ownership of what had happened. You will still have to answer to the 30 citizens who lost their lives here, but I personally believe that you may be innocent. Stay there, and keep your ship anchored. Our naval managers will survey your position, in order to determine how many people died from your side."
"Roger that," the radioer answered grimly. "My condolences, but we have heard about clone-girls."
"We will discuss that later," Miho said. "For now, we have to rebuild our city, and discuss everything that happened today."
"Thank you," the radioer said. "Oh, and Miss Virago, I am James Polo, one of the vice captains aboard. We are actually hired mercenaries, who were forced into this type of warfare. My apologies."
"Apologies accepted," Miho replied through her displays. "But we'll talk later. This is Commander-in-chief Nishizumi Miho, signing out."
"Signing out," James Polo answered, before turning off.
"Let's find out who they are," Miho said. "I am now curious. James Polo and his men sure looked and sounded like some foreigners we could trust."
"Hopefully so," Mako said.
Minutes after, small ships, each armed with a single tank on top instead of an actual turret, surrounded the lone galleon. Some of them, however, scoured the waters, removing the debris and cleaning up. After a while, one of them gave the code, confirming that the galleon was responsible for none of the losses.
"Apparently," Miho noted, as she and her friends relaxed on their tank, while driving down the roads. "James Polo and most of the men had a change of heart, and deliberately missed. They fired mostly into the empty streets. Only the other two galleons actually fired at buildings and crowded streets. Thus, they got what they deserved. May the 30 souls of our girls rest in peace."
The five girls then bowed in the direction of a specific site, where the volunteers were organizing the bodies of the fallen. All except five were there; the others were in the process of being carried there. Suddenly, Miho noticed something:
A single girl was walking to the site, carrying a body between her arms. Like the other fallen, the body was covered in a white cloth, with the symbol of the girl's state on it. What caught Miho's eyes, however, was the fact that she was the only one doing that, while the other four were being carried on stretchers.
I hope they're not related, Miho thought. Boy, that looks both scary and very sad. But we girls don't do that, carrying a body like that, unless it's someone they personally knew and were close to. I hope not.
"I am glad!" Saori said out aloud, snapping Miho out of her thoughts.
"Sorry?" Miho asked, joining in.
"Boy, imagine if we had to mete out the hardest punishment possible!" Saori groaned. "But who are they, to attack us so brazenly?"
"Nishizumi-sensei!" Sodoko's face spoke, appearing on Miho's displays. "We have gathered up the last of the surviving crew. We count 57 of them, including the captain. While they are not responsible for the loss of our 30 citizens, they did put others at risk."
"We will think about the punishments later," Miho said. "For now, this is the task of President Hana."
"But you are the one to judge," Hana said. "Since you are responsible for situations like this, we do not mind listening to your verdict."
"It's too early to decide," Miho said, sweating a little. "However, let's join the crowd there."
About 10,000 people, all girls, crowded in, eyeing the spectacle before them. All 57 men lined up. Most were fidgeting, visibly unnerved by the curious eyes of the girls before them.
"I cannot blame them," Miho admitted, as her tank neared the shore. "It has been decades since we last saw a man here."
The tank stopped, and all five girls went out. They then walked towards the spectacle, but as soon as they appeared, the rest of the crowd moved away, allowing them to pass through, as if they were royalty. Of course, the Anglerfish Team was the leader of the leaders at the state, and everybody in the state knew that. Even the men tensed up, as they recognized that they were facing the leaders of the very state that they attacked. The Anglerfish Team then stopped right in front of the men, standing with other military personnel, including their friends.
"Four-Wing Angel!" a good number of voices cheered, causing her to blush.
"Wow," Yuzu said, eyeing the men. "They sure look nice."
"Do I look a little slim?" Shinobu said, looking down at herself. "I hope I am good enough for men."
"Oh boy!" Karina squealed. "Men! It's been SOOOO long!"
"It's like from the mythical history of the Greeks," Caesar said, observing the men carefully. "We are the Amazons, and they are the Gargareans."
"That's right!" her teammates answered.
Miho giggled. Even after decades, all of her teammates of the old Senshadou club were still themselves, except taller, stronger, and dressed differently. All of them wore what looked like fancy military uniforms, except with sleek, futuristic-looking armor plates and linings. Some had frilled skirts, while others wore tight skirts; some even wore actual hotpants. This time, all of them wore some emblems of their teams: Anglerfish, Turtle, Duck, Hippo, Rabbit, Mallard, Anteater, Leopon, and even Shark. All of the original 37 members of the Senshadou club at their old Ooarai school were now leaders-no, more than just leaders.
The men were right to call them Virago.
"Who are you?" one of the men suddenly shouted, only to be elbowed by his mates. Miho giggled.
"That's what we should be asking," Miho replied. "So, Before we introduce ourselves, who are you?"
"She's a little too nice to be the leader here," one of the men mumbled. Unfortunately for him, she and others had sharp ears, and they heard him loud and clear. Some of the girls started to crack their knuckles.
"Hold your tongue," Sodoko said sternly. "But I do not blame you; we are not technically humans, but we still have our standards."
"My apology for that," James Polo said, coming forward. "But we now are technically outcasts. Our captain was really working with some shady organization, who is too secretive for our taste. We are actually members of the Free Sea Company, a company that focuses on providing men like us to the services of anyone who desires a good fleet. Well, what is left of ours."
"What happened?" Miho asked. Some of the men gulped; they were not used to a girl, a girl who was not only a leader, but also one who spoke so kindly and so innocently.
"They actually tricked us," James Polo said with a sigh (his eyes glanced up and down at Miho). "Apparently, in their contracts, they expected us to obey the captain of their choice, instead of allowing us to decide. Our so-called captain here then forced us to fire, on pain of death. Fed up with him, we decided to mutiny."
"So you all are just mercenaries," Miho noted. "Who were forced into some type of secret service that lacked transparency."
"Correct," James Polo said. "But now, our ship is badly damaged from crossing the seas. We originally had 20, but only three survived."
The girls around them talked in a low voice. They could tell that the captains were both stupid and foolhardy.
"Despite that," James said with a sigh. "The captains, hired by that secret, stupid company, forced us to fire at you all, even though we have heard rumors about your firepower. Now, seeing that you all are powerful and dangerous, we surrendered."
"That is an honorable act," Miho said. "There is a time to fight, and a time to make peace, even surrender. You all are the only ones to reconsider and rethink what you all are thinking. Because of this, on my honor as the Commander-in-chief Virago, you all are pardoned, free of charge."
Sodoko audibly groaned, but most others shrugged and accepted it. Miho was the kind to say that, and since the surviving crew did not really murder anyone, none objected to her apparently easy verdict.
"But if you are mercenaries," Miho said. "Then what are you all going to do?"
"We have no choice but to go back," James Polo said. "But our ship is in bad shape; we need a new one."
"We have one ready," Miho said, pointing to a ship already in the wharves. It was a galleon that looked like the one used by the survivors. However, it was heavily modified, with a lot of armor and two giant engines at the back.
"That is a galleon from long ago," Miho said. "We took control of it, and modified it to suit our tastes. You all can use that to go back home. However, those engines are actually drones, which will detach and return back to us, if possible."
"Thank you," the men answered with a deep bow.
"We cannot thank you enough," James Polo said, as the men dragged the former captain. "With him down, I am the true captain now."
"What are you all going to do with him?" Miho asked.
"That's not for us to answer," James said with a stern face. "He did something that technically should be judged by the mercenary companies. Well, that's a human thing, but who are you all?"
Miho smiled.
"It is odd for you all to say that," Miho answered. "We are still humans, or formerly humans. We are Senshazons, a group of girls who now practice a unique type of warfare called Senshadou, or the Art of Tank Warfare. But how do you all know about us? You all apparently knew about us a little, such as our coast and calling me Virago."
"We were among the very first to discover your lands," James said. "In reality, our forces are trying to set up base, in order to find another continent we're looking for."
"A new continent?" the girls asked.
"We are not only mercenaries," James said. "But also explorers. This whole world is so vast, that we wanted to explore its very mysteries. And one of the most famous is Alfaria, the continent of elves."
Miho became uneasy, and looked around. The others also fidgeted.
"And we really want to find them," James said, unaware of the girls' atmosphere. "We've heard that elves are among the oldest, most powerful peoples on this planet of Alterra, our home of homes. We are currently looking for them, and their homeland, in order to learn more about them."
"Actually," Miho said, with a sheepish grin while fidgeting. "You already found it, and they're gone."
The men blinked.
"Eh? What?!
Next chapter will be a comprehensive "backstory guide" to who the Senshazons are, what happened, how they got here etc.
So, since I have already listed questions in the first chapter, I will answer them all very succinctly:
1) Our GuP girls are now in Senshazonia, a continent that was formerly Alfaria (as implied above).
2) The girls, not just Ooarai, created their own states, in order to both survive and thrive. How they ended up here will be explored in the next chapter.
3) Miho and her team drive the Crucigon, a type of tank whose history will be explored in the next chapter.
4) Miho and her girls are now Senshazons, a group of superhuman amazons. The name is a fusion of "Senshadou" and "Amazon."
;)
5) Tune in to the next chapter.
The Crucigon tank is based on three types of tanks: the Baneblade from Warhammer 40k, the M808B "Scorpion" tank from Halo, and the Crucio siege tank of Starcraft II. However, it should mostly look like the Crucio, but with traits of the others. While the original Crucio has six tracks, the Crucigon has four, replacing the extra two tracks with four wheels. In other words, if you see a picture of the Crucio, replace the extra two tracks (which jutted out) with wheels.
This Crucigon is something I had in mind for a while. One main influence was actually a fanart of the Anglerfish Team driving a Crucio, by zhongye yu.
Mako's remark about the bad cannons is a reference to a famous anime known as "Gate: Jieitai Kano Chi nite, Kaku Tatakaeri."
Saori's reference to a "magical replicator" is a nod to Star Trek.
Miho's headgear is based on two things from a game called Aura Kingdom: butterfly earphones and a tiara with wings from Eirene, one of the characters from that game.
I give a shout-out to commanderstarscream123 for his contribution to the Crucigon, and for helping me with some writing, such as checking grammar.
Reviews, criticisms etc. are appreciated, and thank you for all your support.
I hope these are good enough, and have a panzer-ful day!