Chapter 2: Sherman X Tiger
I could not believe that a person with such a small body could take on a fully grown man and treat him like he was nothing. Getting a closer look at the girl named Ruby, she was no more than sixteen years old. I was sucked into a trance with just observing her features. The short black hair, marble white skin and silver eyes was a rare feature amongst the people.
"I said, are you okay?" she repeated.
Still seeing that I'm in a daze, she reached out for my hand. At first I hesitated and started getting up on my own, but it was of no use because I really could not stand up. I decided to grab the hand that was offered. Her hand was smooth and soft as silk and I really got embarrassed to be able to hold such a delicate hand with my torn up mitts I use when I scavenge for old relics. I also felt something that was out of place, it was a certain firmness of the muscles in her hand making it not so delicate after all.
"Wow, you really are short! How old are you?" she asked.
"How rude?! Usually you should ask for someone's name first before anything else."
"Okay. I'm Ruby. Ruby Rose, and you are?"
An innocent anticipation was plastered on her face. At least I know that she genuinely wants to know me.
"My name is Puck… fifteen years old, at least what I've been told."
"No way! You look like you are just eight! To have met such a cute person at my free day, this must be my lucky day!" she puffed her chest. "Well then Mr. Puck, it is decided! You will accompany me for today."
"Wait! What about my store? The supply officer might come very soon."
She slapped her hand on my back and laughed a little.
"Don't worry about that. I can have someone pick up your merchandise later. Come now!
I closed my store and decided to take her offer. The incident earlier made me want to take a break as well. She led me to different alleyways of which I could not remember. I didn't know that these places existed in the first place. We walked a lot until we stopped in front of an old house. She knocked a few times but there was no answer.
"Shouldn't we leave?" I asked.
"Leave? After working hard for my day pass after two weeks? I can't just return to the barracks without getting something here."
"What are we getting anyway?"
She looked at me in a mischievous manner and whispered softly in my ear.
"We are here to get some newly discovered old texts. I heard rumors about the whereabouts of a scavenger who always found such important relics."
"I see!"
My curiosity was piqued as well. These texts were said to be of extreme value and they hold information about the past era. The door opened before us and I entered excitedly only to feel a cold steel in my forehead. I looked up and saw the barrel of a rifle in between my eyes.
"Uwaaaahhhhhh!"
I fell down on my bottom for the second time today. An old man was still pointing his gun at my face and my mind went totally blank. I was about to cry when his serious face broke into a smile that continued to hysterical laughter.
"Got you! Consider yourself dead little boy! HAHAHAHA…"
"Geez gramps! You never changed at all."
"Well if my eyes aren't lying to me, Ruby!" he chuckled. "Can you blame an old man for entertaining himself?"
They briefly hugged each other and went to the deeper part of the dark house. I rose up and followed them inside keeping my alert up for any surprises. Arriving at the basement of the house, noting else was visible but I could find my way through scent and hearing. The basement smelled of rotten papers and food. The smell was invasive.
"I am actually quite impressed by your friend Ruby, he walks with us as if he has memorized this place..."
After his remark, he pulled a string and the lights opened immediately causing my eyes to hurt.
"and that's quite a unique dilation of eyes. Certain features of a…"
"Is this it gramps?" Ruby interjected.
I felt a sudden chill at the old man's observation skills. He was quite sharp for his age.
"The one and only! After 3 days, I have deciphered the title of that text."
"What does it say?"
"The title is, Tank Spotter's Guide: A Detailed Review."
My ears couldn't believe the old man's words. A tank guide? There was no known extensive information about tanks in the four kingdoms. Most of the information about these huge mechanical monsters were only about their names and basic information. I quickly squeezed my head between them to take a peek.
"I am familiar of some of the tanks here. Oh! A Sherman tank, we used one just like this in Fort Beacon."
"That's right! I remember the first time I saw you driving one, almost running over your commanding officer."
"You told me you weren't going to bring it up again!"
The old man chuckled once again. Shutting out his noisy laugh was easy the moment my eyes laid on the pages of the text. The front, side and overview of the tank were clearly detailed and I would have never imagined for it to look like the way the book showed. I've only seen the inside and half buried ones. Mills always took apart the tanks whenever they hauled one.
"America… 76mm gun…"
"What did you say?!" The old man took my shoulder and looked directly into my eyes. "How did you know such confidential information? Are you a spy?"
"What? No! I just saw it here in the book."
His grizzled hair and pointy nose were practically touching my face as he stared at my face closer. He released me and went for the book to flip some of the pages. When he found something that he was satisfied with, he placed the book in front of me and pointed at the image of a tank. My eyes once again fell into the image of a new one. I could only feel a certain sense of power from the imposing image of the machine.
"Wow! That one is a beautiful tank!" I could only explain my wonder.
"Not that one! I mean read the details in this one." He urged.
"Oh okay. Hmmmm… it just says that it was developed by G-G-Ger-Germany? Its main weapon was an 88mm gun and weighs around 50 to 60 tons. What are tons?"
He slowly backed away and found himself in a chair. The old man took his glasses and looked at me once again, scrutinizing every part of my being.
"Ruby, who is this friend of yours? Where did you meet him?"
"His name is Puck. I met him just today at the outer level of the kingdom. He sells tank parts so he must be knowledgeable about them. Is there something wrong?"
"Nobody knows this kind of information; even I tried to decipher the scripts of the past era. It took me a long time to just get the title right. Young man, how can you read texts?"
I didn't know the answer to be honest. Sure, the letters are different from what is used daily but I could just read and understand it naturally. There was nothing I could do but stare back at the old man, trying to suppress his disbelief. As if startled by lightning, he scrambled for a pen and a piece of paper and started jotting down the information I said earlier.
"88mm gun… hmmm… then how would that stabilize the recoil of that force?... but it also weighs a lot!... must be a heavy one…" he looked at me once again and asked. "The name?"
"ummmm…" I looked back and searched for the name. "It says here, Tiger."
"Tiger! What a beautiful name for a beast of this size. If I am right, then not even two or maybe three of the Shermans can withstand an attack from this."
The old man looked at Ruby once again, a smile creeping in his face.
"I want this boy recruited at the Armored Division as soon as possible! He might be the key to break the stalemate!" he pranced around like a crazy man. "I won't be asking for details for now, but we must keep this a secret. Oh! The horrible things that might happen if people knew you had this ability Haha!"
Things were happening too fast and I didn't want the direction the conversation was leading to. I tugged Ruby's uniform.
"I hate to break this celebration after you saved me but to be honest, I don't want to be part of any of this. I'm just a scavenger selling parts and relics. I have no idea about being in the army."
"That is understandable. Nobody is pushing you into doing anything. Gramps here is just too excited after being away from civilization for so lo- OUCH! What did you do that for?"
"I see you learned to talk behind me now. Then let us fix that! I will come out of retirement and Major Bill Graham will be reporting immediately." Bill sat down. "Ruby, have him placed in the 1st Division as well. Take care of him now!"
My eyes full of pity seemed to have affected Ruby but there was nothing she could do at the moment. It looked like Bill was a retired ranking officer in the army. It felt like I was being pulled into something and I was gradually losing control. My plan for the day was to just sell my loot and scavenge some more like I did everyday for the past two years. Never did I imagine to be enlisted in the army.
"I don't want to! I'm heading back. If you want something deciphered, I can help you from time to time for a fee but that's it."
"Puck!"
There was nothing more to do but storm out. On my way out, I still doubted myself because deep inside I really wanted to learn more about the things I've been taking apart. Seeing those texts was a once in a lifetime moment and every step towards the door made me regret so much it hurt.
It was the moment I opened the door that the sirens started blaring. An alarm like that could only mean one thing, the kingdom was being attacked by an invasion force. People ran towards the safety of buildings and find shelter. Soon the loud engines of Vale army resounded at different points of the kingdom readying themselves for the incoming threat. The kingdom walls in the far right suddenly erupted after a deafening explosion.
"Puck!" Ruby pulled me inside the house as fast as she could. "Get down!"
She covered me with her body as we hit the floor and another explosion occurred. The wall crumbled further and we were at the front of the breach.
"If only I was at the headquarters, I could get the team ready." She gritted her teeth.
The door opened and Ruby as if on cue, shot using her sidearm. It missed the target but I soon realized that it was a warning shot for the civilian who entered the house.
"Please let me hide, just until it is safe out there. Just until it is safe." The boy pleaded.
Ruby never said a word but kept her full attention at the boy. Bill immediately came up checked our status. He didn't utter a single word until he saw the stranger cowering by the door.
"Who is this?" he asked.
"Please let me hide. Please!"
"What in the seven seas are you talking about? We aren't hiding. The numbers are complete! We will delay the enemy's advance until reinforcement comes!"
A contorted expression enveloped Ruby's face as she realized Bill's plan of action.
"No Major! We can't drag two civilians into this fight. They would just endanger us as a unit!"
"I will nothing of that nonsense. This is an attack! Sergeant Rose, put those two in their feet and we will hold the line."
He wore his cap and placed a pipe in his mouth then it dawned to me that he was the renowned commander of the armoured division Mills always told me about.
"Right now, Sergeant Rose, Private Puck and Private… what's your name, boy?"
"Arc, sir. Jaune Arc."
"What kind of name is Arc? What's an Arc? Regardless Private Coward, you are an enlisted man at this point. Follow orders or you shall be court martialed. Your choice?"
Jaune contemplated for a second and stood up.
"You leave me no choice, sir." the crack in his voice showed his fear.
"Smart boy! Better scared than dead as I always say."
We ran towards the basement once more and he opened a hatch that led a level down further. It looked like a workshop of some sort. A large thing was veiled under a thick cloth. It was obvious what was underneath and needed no explanation. As Bill pulled the cloth off, it revealed a Sherman tank but it was not exactly the one I saw at the texts. It had a longer gun and a different turret. The major tried to crank the engine up but it wasn't starting.
"Major, this is the missing tank from the warehouse! This tank does not work properly."
"Quit your yappin' sergeant! Private Coward, come in here and help me fix the wiring."
Everyone else entered the tank. Jaune helped Bill fix the wiring and Ruby turned the engine on. A few tries and black smoke came out of the muffler. The engine was alive and ready to run.
Bill sat on the driver's seat pulling different levers with both hands. Ruby positioned herself at what I presume to be the gunner's. Jaune was hugging his knees and both of us didn't know what to do.
"Private Puck, get the book at the assistant driver's seat and sit at the commander's chair. Identify the enemy tanks, their positions and search for their weak spots. Private Coward, be of some use and load the shells into the cannon. Push with your knuckles and take your hand away as soon as possible then yell 'Clear'. Everybody wear some ear muffs because this going to be noisy, got that?"
"Yes, sir!" both of us said weakly.
"Rose, you don't have a spotter so measure the distance for yourself. You know what to do!"
"Yes, sir!" she answered as well.
Just like that, I was dragged in something far worse than entering the army. I was about to enter my first fight inside a modified Sherman.
*Thud* *Thud*
I couldn't differentiate my heartbeat from the whirring sound of the engine. The noise just drowned my ears so much. The ground rose like an enormous elevator. Soon enough, sunlight hit the cold steel of the sleeping beast and we were out in the open. Bill pushed some levers and the tank moved forward. The wall that stood to protect the outer layer of the kingdom was all crumbled on the ground.
"Tank on our right side!"
I spotted one immediately entering the far end of the breach. Ruby turned the turret and searched for the tank at the distance but out of panic, she couldn't locate its exact position.
"Where exactly?!" she yelled.
"It is already in front of you! We've been spotted!"
I noticed the enemy's gun slowly lining towards us. Without leaving the target, Rotated the body of our tank to get a look.
"For Vale's sake sergeant, 1 o' clock!" Bill yelled. "Puck have you identified?"
"I can't see that far away, sir!"
"Then use the binoculars, damn it!"
The binoculars were strapped in a pin beside me and I fumbled with it as fast as I could to properly identify the enemy. The increased sight revealed the one enemy I didn't want to meet. My breathing stopped for a moment but I knew I had to relay the information.
"T-T-T-TIGER!"
"Bloody hell! Sergeant, fire!"
Jaune picked up a shell and loaded it in the gun as instructed. Ruby held her breath for a moment and adjusted her sights before firing. Even with the ear muffs, a sound as loud as thunder shook the entire tank. An absolute weapon could only fire something of immense force. The shot only bounced off the armor of the Tiger.
"We didn't penetrate! The shot was negative!"
"Ruby, try targeting the rear part of the tank!"
At that moment, the enemy shot and grazed the top of the turret. I thought that I was done for. Bill quickly maneuvered backwards and hid behind another building. He brought the tank forward to take a peek but the enemy was waiting. Another shot missed us. Ruby, unfazed, readjusted her scope and fired at the rear part but missed
Bill moved further backward and moved into the narrow alleyways, sparks flying from our sides as steel hits stone walls at both sides. The enemy advanced trying to catch up to its fleeing enemy but the major knew the streets at the back of his head. He encircled the advancing Tiger with the exposed rear.
"A.P. Round! Load!" Bill shouted.
"What?"
"There's only one kind of shell in here. Just load the damn thing already!"
"Clear!" Jaune yelled.
Ruby shot with all of her concentration and connected at the enemy's engine. The tank was enveloped with fire and a few seconds later another explosion erupted and blew the turret off. I could just imagine the blood-curling screams of the men inside the tanks. A voice suddenly came from the radio on the side.
"Hello?"
"Unidentified Sherman! What is your designation? Respond immediately or we will open fire!"
"I don't know my designation but I am with somebody you might know."
Ruby grabbed the radio from me and replied in her most calm voice.
"Sgt. R-Ruby Rose here! 1st Division Combat Brigade, stand down! I repeat, stand down."
"Copy that Sergeant!"
Bill started to laugh while Jaune collapsed on the floor, exhausted from the battle. Ruby gave me a reaffirming smile while I clutched the text in my arms. My shoulders dropped and I could feel the fatigue crawling into every bit of my body.
"Enemy tank destroyed, Major!"
A grave mistake for my first battle.
At the side of my eyes, I saw an incoming tank running at full speed. We were rammed at the side which sent me flying to the wall. My head, only protected by a soft cap and earmuffs, hit the steel wall and I fell on the floor beside Jaune. There was only white noise that surrounded me. Jaune quickly stood up and grabbed another shell as Bill and Ruby regrouped their selves. I wanted to get up quickly but my body didn't obey.
Somebody!
Anybody!
Help!
The image of a young boy screaming for help came to me. Suddenly, I was in his place. I wanted to help him but all I could say was…
"Save your breath… nobody is coming…"
A/N:
This is a work of fiction. Not every detail about this will be 100% accurate so if you have problems with the details, please PM me so I could correct it. Thank you!
A tank-centric chapter if I must say.
I hope you enjoy and support this story.
Cheers!
