Olympian Panzers: Part II
Author's Note: Here's chapter 7. This chapter does not contain any original characters. This chapter has a start of a significant battle, so that's why it took so (f*cking) long to write. Also, college life, so yeah. Hope you enjoy. Feedback is welcome.
Note on Japanese honorifics:
x-dono: Miss/Mr. x (more respect than x-san)
x-sama: Miss/Mr. x (more respect than x-dono)
x-san: for people of equal age/stature/position (slightly respectful)
x-chan: for females of equal age/stature/position
x-kun: for males of equal age/stature/position
x-senpai: for people senior to you in school/sport
x-sensei: for teachers/professors/doctors
*x-san, x-chan, & x-kun are sometimes used interchangeably
Previously...
Miho stood up and joined Kay. "I just want all of you to know that all of you are great and have what it takes for our match. J-just keep doing what you've already been doing, and we'll win this!"
All the girls pumped their fists into the night sky. "Yeah!"
Chapter 7:
The night couldn't pass quickly enough for all of the girls. None of them could wait for the excitement that awaited them the very next day.
The next day, the girls were awakened by the sound of the T-62's 115mm U-5TS gun. Outside the tents, Katyusha was in the commander's hatch of the T-62, and Nonna was driving.
Nonna stood atop the hull of the tank. "You girls had better get ready if you want to get some last-minute practice before our match later."
Katyusha chimed in. "That's right girls. You must be ready early like the great Soviet leaders!"
"Actually, we are already prepared.", came a calm voice.
Then, a Conqueror stopped neatly beside the T-62. Darjeeling appeared out of the commander's hatch with tea in her hand.
"I think the both of you should be more like the late Winston Churchill...", said Darjeeling.
Maho walked forward. "Well, in any case, they're right. We'd better get ready quickly and make sure our tanks are in working order."
Nakajima piped up. "You don't have to worry about that. We spent almost all last night tinkering with them. They're all perfect! I think we got a bit of extra engine performance as well...", she said gesturing toward the rest of the Automotive club.
In about half an hour, the girls' tanks were rumbling away. The forest of the battle area was alight with tank gunfire.
Miho was standing in the cupola of a Leopard I, giving orders through her throat microphone. Hana, Saori, and Mako were sitting atop the tank.
Miho looked down. "Have any of you seen Yukari?"
The girls shook their heads.
"I haven't seen her today, Miporin", replied Saori.
"I hope she isn't off on one of her 'missions'...", muttered Miho.
Just then, Yukari arrived with Captain Chono and several other JGSDF officers.
Before Miho could open her mouth to speak, Captain Chono held up her hand, as if she knew what Miho was about to say.
"Don't worry, Miho. Yukari was with me. Now, could you call up the rest of the girls?", she said.
Miho stuttered slightly. "O-Of course. Right away."
Once everyone got back and gathered, Erika yelled out, "What's this all about, Miho? We should still be out there!"
The Captain spoke. "That question would be mine to answer, Erika. I am here to tell all of you the rules for the JGSDF tankery match. And also to introduce you all to their amazing commander."
Miho was confused. "We get to know what tanks the enemy is using before the match?"
Captain Chono nodded. "Yes, as per Olympic Tankery regulations, both teams involved in a match are required to release the lineup of tanks they will be using a minimum of three hours before the match. Most teams release their tank lineup twelve hours in advance. This may seem like an advantage, but remember that you must release your lineup as well, and once you release your lineup, it cannot be changed, unless a tank has experienced severe mechanical failure, in which case an official will allow you to substitute that tank, and that tank only."
Alisa rose her hand. "Yes?", said Captain Chono.
"So, we can't change our lineup even if our opponent releases their lineup after we do?", asked Alisa.
"That is correct.", affirmed Captain Chono.
Noriko rose her hand. "So who's the commander for the JGSDF team?"
Captain Chono smiled. "I thought you'd ever ask."
Saori whispered in Miho's ear. "I bet he's some hot soldier guy!"
Then, Captain Chono yelled, "I am the commander for your opponents!"
A full minute of silence passed.
"WHAT!", yelled team Oarai in disbelief.
Noriko started to whimper. "Y-You mean we... have to fight you?"
Silence fell through the group of girls.
"Katyusha accepts your challenge!", yelled Katyusha from atop Nonna's shoulders.
Nonna nodded in agreement.
Darjeeling put down her tea. "As do we."
"Let's do this!", said Kay.
"I don't back down from a challenge.", said Maho.
"Count us in!", said Hitomi.
"Don't you forget about me, Miho!", said Emi. "I'll need a tank too, you know."
"I've got you covered there.", said Sakoto, as she gestured toward the Tiger(P).
Later, all the tank commanders met inside one of the Oarai tents.
"See, I knew this old tent would be useful!", said Yukari.
Miho spoke. "Now we have have to choose our tanks for the match. We have already chosen the Tiger(P) for Emi-chan. Now we need to choose... How many more?"
"The enemy will have a total of 12 tanks. So we need to choose 11 more.", said Nonna.
Nonna continued. "I assume that all of the Soviet tanks will be chosen of course?"
Miho answered. "No, we will use the T-62, and the IS-8, but we will not use the SU-122-54. I believe it will be too vulnerable."
"Won't all the tank destroyers be equally as vulnerable?", said Erika.
"Yes, which is why we won't be using them.", replied Miho. "Are there any objections?"
Katyusha raised her hand from atop Nonna. "Would a KV-2 be alright?"
Miho hesitated. "Well, yes, but we don't have a KV-2."
"Actually, we do. Call up the girls at Oarai, and have them check the storage garage.", said Katyusha.
Anzu walked into the tent. "It's already on it's way. I thought we might need it, so I sent for it earlier."
"The question is... Can it get here in time?", joked Kay.
Alisa and Naomi laughed with Kay.
Katyusha was angered. "Don't you question the great Soviet Kliment Voroshilov 2!", she said as she wagged her index finger at Kay, while teetering atop Nonna.
Miho cleared her throat. "The other tanks we will be using will be as follows:"
She wrote on the board...
Kay: M103,
Darjeeling: Centurion,
Nonna: T-62,
Katyusha: IS-8,
Caesar: KV-2,
Anchovy: Lorraine 40t,
Volleyball club: Type 89B,
Automotive club: M46 (flag tank),
Student Council: Panzer IV,
Maho: VK 72.01 Lowe,
Miho: Leopard I.
"And of course, Emi-chan will be using the Tiger(P) as I said earlier. Are there any objections?", continued Miho.
Silence fell through the tent.
Maho spoke up. "This lineup isn't going to be good enough."
"Even so, it's all we have.", replied Miho.
Kay responded. "We'll just have to make for it with skill, right, guys?"
"Yeah!", yelled everyone, except Maho.
Maho turned on the spot and headed out of the tent.
Hesitating for a second, Miho chased after her.
When she reached the outside of the tent, she saw that Maho was already in the cupola of the Lowe.
The two stared at each other for just moment.
Maho broke the silence. "Are we going to do this or what?", she said with a slight smile.
"Onee-chan...", whispered Miho. "Yeah, lets do this!"
Just then, one of the freshman Oarai girls came out of the tent. "Commander? The JSDF team is radioing us for our tank lineup."
"Yes, of course. Its finalised, you can give it to them.", replied Miho.
As Miho walked back into the tent, Yukari was writing down the JSDF lineup, while holding a headset to her ear.
"How does it look, Yukari?", asked Miho, hopefully.
As Yukari looked up, her face looked as if she had seen a ghost. "M-M-Miho-san?"
Miho knew something was wrong. Yukari never called her by her first name...
"Look, Yukari, no matter what it is, it can't be that bad. Just tell us.", replied Miho.
"Well, you see, umm... They're using a platoon of 12 of Japan's finest Type 74's!", she stammered.
Half the jaws in the tent dropped. The Type 74 was a superb tank, and performed so well that a few with upgraded computer systems were still in service today. Prototyped in 1968, this was near the competition limitation of using a tank that was at least in the design phase as of 1970.
Compared to those, their tanks, regardless of gun calibre, were leagues behind. One could even say they were ancient, and were no match for these modern, fit tanks, crewed by some of Japan's finest.
Panic ensued in the tent among the younger members of the team.
Azusa, of the Oarai freshman crew, said, "We've got to change our lineup!"
"We can't. Its already been released, and we can't change it once its been released.", said Darjeeling putting down her beloved tea.
Nonna interjected. "Besides we do not have any better tanks. There would be nothing for us to improve in our lineup."
"Looks like we'll have to make do with what we've got.", said Kay, stretching her hands behind her head.
A few hours later, at match start time, Captain Chono radioed the girls. All tanks were at their assigned starting positions.
"Are you ready, girls? You know I won't go easy on you, even though you are my students.", crackled the captain's voice through the headset.
A moment later the siren sounded, signaling the start of the match.
Miho radioed the others. "The JGSDF have an advantage over us. They already know the terrain of this area, so keep that in mind."
"Commander, I believe that we should attack quickly, and not give our enemy the chance to exercise their advantage.", said Nonna over the radio.
Miho replied. "That would mean that we would have to overpower them before they have time to react effectively. Do you really think we can do that?"
"These people are the SDF, you know...", chimed Kay.
After a short pause, the remaining Oarai tank commanders chimed in one at a time, "We can do it, commander!"
Maho then spoke. "Are we going to do this or what?"
"Panzer Vor!", yelled Miho, throwing her hand forward.
The girls' tanks rumbled forward from their various starting positions.
A few minutes later, Saori radioed the volleyball team. "Type 89B, are you at scout position 1?"
"Just arrived.", came the reply. "Can't see anything here... Doesn't look like they're here."
"Don't move just yet. Look harder. Remember that they are much more skilled than we are.", replied Miho over the radio.
Noriko was looking ahead with her binoculars. "I just don't see anything... Is the engine acting up again? It's getting a bit smoky..."
At these words, the commanders from the various schools came to the same alarming conclusion.
"Get out of there, NOW!", they all screamed in unison.
Just then, a shell whizzed past the side of the Type 89B, grinding the paint and nearly taking the left track.
Noriko looked back and saw an SDF officer smirking back at her.
Noriko smacked the top of the turret. "Go, go, GO!"
The Type 89B immediately sprung into life, racing toward its allies.
"Are you still operational?", asked Nonna.
"Yeah, but I think they missed on purpose. They spared us there.", replied Noriko.
"M46, what is your position?", radioed Saori frantically.
The ground was a square, with sides of one kilometre. The entire area was forested, with a river running diagonally from the west to the southern edge of the grounds. Each team started on opposing sides, SDF on the north, the academies on the south. Currently, the academy tanks were scattered about the east, south of the centre, while the SDF were similarly scattered about the west, north of the river.
The Type 89B, having been spotted near the centre, was now retreating southeast. The academy flag, M46, was north northeast of the center of the grounds.
"We are at the agreed point, why?", came the reply.
"Do you see anyone at your position?", asked Miho.
"At the moment, no.", said Nakajima.
"Good. Stay vigilant.", warned Miho.
"Got it.", reassured Nakajima.
Meanwhile, Nonna was deep in thought. "Using smoke this early is rather unusual..."
Miho wondered what the enemy's strategy was going to be.
Just then, pounding from behind the Leopard I, came the M46, and sped right past her.
Miho immediately got on the radio. "M46, do not leave your location!".
"Yeah, well, look behind you!", yelled the reply.
Miho turned around in the cupola of the Leopard. Seconds later, she saw 1, 2, no, 10 Type 74s speeding toward her.
[END CHAPTER]
Author's Note: Again, sorry to all my readers that this chapter took so (f*cking) long to write and publish. I'll try to get my publishing schedule back in order. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to figure out how this battle is going to end.