Always Advancing
A Girls und Panzer fanfic
Part XXVIII: Winter is Coming
by Civilis
"Nozomi, please have the head of intel in the meeting room as soon as possible," said Nonna, calmly, as she looked over the others gathered in the Pravda Sensha-Do team's meeting room to watch the St. Gloriana – Kuromorimine match.
The speed at which the former Discipline Committee member obeyed order suggested that the appropriately menacing subtext had been conveyed.
"[Did Saunders just do what I think they did?]" asked Klara in her native tongue.
"Japanese, Klara," said Nonna. "We have guests. And leave the massive failure by our intelligence team until their control officer is here."
"Ok, then," said the Russian in fluent Japanese. "The Kuromorimine plan was almost exactly what Katyusha predicted," she nodded in the direction of the smaller girl, perched on a cushion.
"The Nishizumis stick to their school's offensive traditions, but after last year, they're not taking chances," said Katyusha. "That rear Panther didn't help them, though."
"It gave them just enough warning. We also predicted the general outlines of the St. Gloriana plan, with the double envelopment with Crusaders and Cromwells," Klara continued. "The Comet was… unexpected, but not out of the realm of possibility. The way they used their new tanks, however…"
"It almost worked. If they had had enough time to fully train the crews in the new tanks…" Nonna trailed off, the implication obvious.
"A problem we ourselves are wrestling with," Klara replied, looking toward the two other former Discipline Committee members in the back of the room and the half-asleep girl they were half-heartedly guarding as she lazed back with her feet up on the chair in front of her.
Mako opened her eyes and picked up a paper from the seat next to her. "According to this, the tank that crashed was crewed by veterans, as was the one that broke off. The rosette's crew is half new, and your report says that the other one is some mechanics that were pressed into service."
"At this point I can't trust our intelligence," Nonna said. She looked at Sodoko and Gomoyo. "I trust our Discipline Committee volunteers, at least, can obey orders?"
As if on cue, Pazomi led Pravda's intelligence chief into the office. The girl was shaking and sweating profusely. "Commander! I… I don't know what happened!"
"Saunders happened," Nonna glared at the girl. "We have your people deployed at the match to watch Kuromorimine and St. Gloriana. Next thing I know Kay is blowing your team's cover on TV."
"There was an email…" the girl stammered. "I'll show you."
She handed her phone to her commander.
Nonna looked at the screen, then handed it to Klara.
"So, you ordered your team to stand up?" asked Nonna.
"No! I didn't send that!" the girl pleaded.
"Who did?" asked Klara.
"I don't know! One of them forwarded it to me, that's how I have it."
Klara fiddled with the phone, then stopped. "Did you send this earlier message, the one asking for info on who was in the Saunders group?"
"Yes, I sent that one," the girl said.
"Why did you send it? The most important mission I gave you was gathering info on Kuromorimine," said Nonna.
"Because there were seven girls there on the Ōarai list," she replied.
Hearing the name, everyone in the room but Katyusha and Mako leaned forward to pay attention.
"What list?" said Nonna, calmly leaning forward as she narrowed her eyes.
"The list of girls who were at Ōarai last…" she saw the trap in front of her, too late to stop.
"Which was supposed to be Top Secret," said Nonna. "Which you swore not to talk about to anyone."
The girl slumped, dejected, knowing what was coming next.
"I think it safest if you spend a couple of days pondering your offense. Nozomi, take our friend to the Discipline Committee, give them strict instructions that our intelligence chief gets assigned to Potato Duty. Any questions or anyone tries to object, call me immediately." Nonna was sure the Discipline Committee member would follow her instructions precisely, and was sure that her status now as working for Nonna gave her the power to override any Discipline Committee objections.
Pazomi led the sobbing girl away.
"What is Ōarai? Is it some kind of code word?" asked Katyusha.
"Ōarai is the school carrier the education ministry closed down last year," said Nonna. "The students needed to transfer to other schools. The name keeps popping up."
"I don't remember them having a Sensha-Do team," said the small girl.
"The records say their team shut down twenty years ago," said Klara. "However…"
The two Discipline Committee girls exchanged glances. Mako merely closed her eyes and tried to go to sleep.
"Why is it so important?" asked Katyusha. "You can tell me."
"You who keep breaking regulations?" asked Nonna, feigning seriousness.
"Katyusha can keep secrets. Why else do you trust me to help plan?" said Katyusha.
"[Go on and tell her,]" said Klara, switching back to her native tongue. "[If you don't she'll keep bugging you until… oh, that's a clever plan.]"
"[Unfortunately, we need to tell her so she'll understand the new team roster for the match against Saunders.]" Nonna replied.
Nonna turned to the smaller girl. "Katyusha, how is Moyoko working for you as driver for the KV-2?" she said, gesturing to Gomoyo.
"She's working fine, she obeys Katyusha's orders and has learned quickly. Katyusha was a bit annoyed at being assigned a commissar, but Katyusha can work with Gomoyo."
Gomoyo seemed pleased with the assessment, enough to overlook the use of her nickname.
"Would it surprise you to know that Moyoko has been in Sensha-Do for less than two weeks?" Nonna asked. "She and her Discipline Committee comrades and our delinquent over there are all transfer students… from Ōarai."
Katyusha looked at the three other girls and blinked in confusion.
"Akiyama Yukari, Arisa's protégé and the one likely responsible for the recent humiliation of our intelligence department is also from Ōarai. You remember her, right?" said Nonna.
"The girl you sent around pictures of? The spy?" Katyusha asked.
"The one you missed even though she was right in front of you," said Nonna. "I believe we may have been too lenient with you on that case."
Katyusha looked like she was ready to cry.
"[Good one!]" said Klara.
"The two new members of Rosehip's crew that almost took out the Kuromorimine flag earlier today? The St. Gloriana students that were at the Saunders - Anzio match? Also Ōarai," Mako replied without sitting up or opening her eyes. "As are, I believe, a couple of other girls that were there. Perhaps a little leniency could improve my memory?"
Nonna looked at the girl. "We have our final practice before Saunders tomorrow, and the match after that. Then two weeks before the finals, assuming we win. We need everyone to be as trained as possible."
"If we win, I'm sure you could let me off from practice that first week," said Mako, seemingly indifferent.
"Perhaps we could let you sleep in until 0800 that first week?" Nonna offered.
"Noon," Mako countered. "And the four colorful Anzio students that were sitting with Saunders are also from Ōarai, but your intelligence team already had that. Those are the seven you knew about."
"[Are you really negotiating with her?]" Klara asked her commander.
"[You've seen how she responds to threats,]" Nonna replied. "[None of the punishments we have she fears.]"
"0900?" Nonna offered the lazy girl.
"In writing," said Mako. "And I'll throw in another piece of information if you give me that Saturday off entirely."
"Fine," sighed Nonna in surrender, as she wrote out and signed the agreement.
Mako slowly got up and walked over to the desk, where she read the agreement, then signed it herself. "The four unknown St. Gloriana girls we saw with Darjeeling are the mechanics, all originally from Ōarai's auto club. I would guess they're the ones responsible for getting the Cromwells fixed, and they were the ones in the Cromwell that jumped the ditch with Rosehip," she informed Nonna.
"And the other piece of information?" Klara asked.
"You guys are smart," said Mako, cagily. "Did you notice something odd about the closing ceremony?"
"For a veteran commander, Miho isn't a good speaker," observed Katyusha.
"As I recall, she personally knocked out your tank last year," Nonna agreed. "But Mako's right. It was odd, that after Miho's speech, when they panned over the crowd…"
"I would have sworn that the Saunders group was the group cheering the most," added Klara. "That included the other guests, the odd girls from Anzio."
"Didn't you say they were all from Ōarai?" asked Katyusha.
Klara and Nonna looked at Katyusha as Mako slowly smiled.
"Miho was at Kuromorimine last year," said Nonna. "We know that much."
Mako grinned. "Had things worked out a little differently, Miho would have been at Ōarai this year. Of course, that required Miho abandoning her tank to rescue the crew of the tank which slipped into the river, which would have allowed Katyusha to knock out her Tiger."
"You said you didn't remember Ōarai," said Nonna, angrily.
"You guys throw me in a tank and bump me around and it must have knocked something loose," Mako said back, unafraid. "I went along with your little scheme against Yukari, and it turns out she told us the truth, even if I didn't know it at the time. I've been cooperative, because I struck a deal with you."
She pointed at the two Discipline Committee members. "These three also have some of their memories back, and they've said nothing. Right, Sodoko?"
"We don't remember much," admitted Sodoko. "It's very confusing. But we do remember a little."
"[Why don't we just meet with Saunders when they arrive tomorrow and try to make a deal?]" said Klara.
"[No. The team won't let me back down until we've taught them a lesson after what happened today. We'll apologize to Yukari, specifically, after the match. You can get your autograph then,]" Nonna replied.
"[Was it that obvious?]" asked Klara.
"[You can have her. I'll keep Katyusha,]" Nonna replied.
"[I just want the autograph. I swear she has a fan club here already after what happened at Anzio!]"
"[Also, keep on your toes. The Saunders dirty tricks aren't going to stop,]" Nonna warned her assistant.
She then pulled an envelope from the desk and turned to Katyusha. "This is our final order of battle. There are a couple of complications you'll have to work around when planning. It is also Top Secret. The people in this room and Nozomi are allowed to see it, nobody else."
Nonna turned to Gomoyo. "Since you are in Katyusha's crew, stay with her and keep an eye on the list. I mean it when I say nobody else sees it. Although you've volunteered to help us, you still are officially a member of the Discipline Committee and have the authority both from them and from us, so use that power if necessary."
Katyusha walked up to the desk to pick up the envelope.
Before handing it over, Nonna took the time to stare at the pair. "If this leaks, I'll hold you both responsible. Return the list to me with your plan."
The pair saluted their commander, then walked out.
"Let me guess," said Mako once the doors had closed, "the biggest complication is the role Sodoko and I are playing in this?"
Klara started to glare at the girl, but was stopped by Nonna's voice.
"Yes, the little detail about your crew can wait until the match itself," she said in a tone which conveyed weary resignation, "but Katyusha doesn't need that to plan. The general plan she came up with last week seems even more valid after today. Katyusha won't object to your role, even without all the details. Now, you two also have practice to get to."
"Yeah, yeah," said Mako. "I'll go practice. Come on, Sodoko." The girl slowly got up and started packing her things.
"Reizei, before you go, a question," said Nonna.
Mako turned to look at her. "Now what?"
"Why did you agree to do Sensha-Do?" asked Nonna, staring at her. "You keep ignoring the Discipline Committee's rules. We have less power over you than they do. We can't force you to be here."
"I think it gets Grandma off my case about being lazy, and I can blame being late to class on 'the team needed me for something'," Mako replied. "Besides, Yukari was right, it is kind of fun, and you and Klara haven't been too hard to deal with. Also, since I joined before Sodoko, it makes me her senior on the team. Right, Sodoko?"
"I am not calling you Mako-sempai," said Sodoko angrily. "I'm a year ahead of you."
"[I don't like relying so much on unknown elements,]" said Klara, gesturing to Mako as she finished packing her bags. "[That one, especially.]"
"[She's smart, and a quick learner. It would be a danger to let her go even if she knew nothing. Saunders probably would offer a lot for her. Besides, she's honest and will keep her mouth shut. Same with our Discipline Committee volunteers. As much as I like Katyusha, and as much as she has a surprising tactical genius, she can't keep her mouth shut,]" Nonna replied, turning to her assistant commander. "[Though I will have to make sure we keep her grandmother happy.]"
"[I've certainly learned a lot here that I never would have learned at home,]" said Klara. "[Tactics and strategy are one thing I can get anywhere. The politics of running a team? I had no idea it could get this confusing. The professional way you're handling this is a real inspiration.]"
"[I only wish I was as sure inside as it seems to you,]" Nonna replied, smiling genuinely for the first time. "[And, of course, some things are entirely beyond my control. Let's go to practice. The avalanche has not yet begun, so we snowflakes still have choices we can make.]"
"Here we are, sunny Hokkaido," said Kay, as she watched the last of the massive Saunders convoy roll off the ferry.
"Cold and miserable Hokkaido, you mean," said Arisa. "And we still have the drive to Sapporo."
"Could be worse," said Yukari. "Last time I was in Hokkaido, it was snowing."
"Mud's not much better," the pigtailed intelligence chief replied. "And while it's not freezing, it's still cold. We should have taken the C-5 all the way up, rather than meet the convoy on the way and send the plane on to Saunders."
"At least we'll be able to ride back down on the School Carrier, hopefully to Tokyo for the finals," said Naomi as she waved to a face in the crowd.
"Is that your Pravda spy friend?" asked Kay.
"Yep. I leak her some trivial info, she tells me things. It seems that Nonna sacked her Intelligence chief before they could figure out how we busted their ring."
"Anything interesting?" asked Arisa.
"Aside from the fact that their intelligence section is in complete disarray? Apparently, Nonna has gone paranoid and brought in a couple of Commissars, as they call their Discipline Committee members, to enforce discipline. They're resorting to conscripting delinquents to fill their ranks. They've been having secret meetings and training sessions," Naomi recounted what she had been told.
"Sounds like someone is feeding you a bunch of bull," said Arisa, as she finished her lunch. She checked her watch and groaned. "We'd have been there by now if the girls from Anzio didn't have their circus at every stop."
"We have our fans to feed!" said Kay, gesturing to the crowd that had gathered, many of them clamoring for pictures of the tanks chained down to their trucks.
It was certainly an unusual experience. While normally moving the tanks long distance on land was always an adventure, and any stop could usually bring out at least a couple of fans that had been passing by for pictures, this trip had seen a change, in that fans and even curious locals were waiting in surprising numbers at every stop.
Anzio had jumped at the opportunity this provided. The more nimble Anzio food trucks zipped ahead to set up in advance of the main convoy to feed the waiting fans, accompanied by a Saunders advanced scout jeep to coordinate parking for the main convoy.
"I have no idea how that girl handles this," said Momo, sitting down heavily next to the Saunders commanders and gesturing to Anchovy waiting tables nearby. "I can't keep up with her."
Like most of the Anzio girls waiting tables, both wore their tank crew uniforms instead of their regular school uniforms. Every so often, one of the fans would ask for a picture of the girls in front of one of the tanks, even though both were from different schools, and the Anzio girls were happy to oblige potential customers.
Shortly thereafter, Saori, wearing the regular Anzio uniform with an apron, joined the group, passing a can of tea to Momo, who downed it quickly.
"We're getting ready to pack up, and they said they had enough food for the people left," Saori pointed to the food truck. "Do any of you want anything?"
"How do you guys keep up with the logistics on this?" asked Kay, curious. "That's a lot of food you're serving."
"We have a couple of girls with a cargo truck ahead of the food trucks. I radio ahead with what we're getting short on and they pick it up and meet us at the next stop," Saori explained.
"It didn't look like you were having a lot of fun cooking back at Anzio, Saori," Yukari observed. "Is it becoming more fun?"
"Yeah, it is. Just like Sensha-Do, in fact. At the Fashion club, they all leaned on me to cook. Here, Pepperoni and the others pull their own weight. Anchovy herself waits tables. And Momo organized everything and handled the publicity. We're a well-run team. Though Saunders is impressive as well, moving all these vehicles. What is that big thing?"
She pointed to the last truck in the Saunders line, with a massive, tarp-covered object, significantly larger than the Shermans on the other transporters. From one end, a pole-like extension had been wrapped in additional tarp. Unlike the other tanks, a couple of Saunders tankers had been stationed to keep curious onlookers from getting too close.
"That's our surprise for Pravda," said Kay.
Momo looked at her. "Actually, that's our secret weapon. We did help you build it, after all."
"You'll see it in action at Pravda," said Arisa. "For now, let's get this show on the road."
Next: XXIX: The Circus Comes to Town
Author's Note: I assumed that the GuP series starts at the beginning of the Japanese school year, with Miho's first day at Oarai, but that doesn't scale with the Oarai / Pravda match being a Stalingrad/Bastogne homage except for the rule of humor. Likewise, for all the humor, Pravda isn't the Soviet Union, and all the dictatorial nature is there for rule of humor, so Mako can obviously ignore it like she ignores her tardiness at Oarai.
