NINA KOZLOV
The lone Covenanter stopped just before the intersection and scanned the area ahead with its turret. Nina and Éclair were hidden in a thin, shadowy alley. There was nowhere to go except straight ahead and straight behind. The allied Renault was hidden in a parkade with only entrance and exit. Both guns were fixed on the tank but shooting would give them away.
The Koala commander popped out of the turret and stretched. For a brief moment she looked down the alley. Nina met her eyes and they locked for a brief moment. She dropped back into the tank and drove away. Nina breathed a sigh of relief.
"Quickly, move back toward Alisa's last position. Check the corners," ordered Éclair.
"Shouldn't we follow that tank?" asked Nina.
"Not without help."
"Was it just one tank?" asked Becky, "Nothing else nearby?"
"Oui, just the one."
"Go ahead and chase it. It's probably alone and hasn't reported its position."
"But the commander stood out of the turret."
"Probably just to stretch. They do it all the time during practice. Sheila never has a plan so they've all spread out to do their own thing."
Éclair thought for a moment, "Okay, we'll go after that tank. Renault, stay far enough behind just in case."
"Shouldn't I take the point, ma'am? You are the flag tank."
"Not this time. I will take on this risk. If I get knocked out rally on Alisa and follow her orders. She knows much about mobile warfare."
"Understood, thank you ma'am."
Koala had a couple of blocks ahead of them and the other Koala tanks were still roaming around the city. Éclair's little troop caught a lucky break a few minutes later. The tank had stopped in front of a clothing store. The crew had popped out of the hatches to point and admire the few samples that were unfortunately left behind. The SOMUA drove up carefully behind the tank. Their reflection grew in the glass and the shape of a larger tank overtook the shadow of the Covenanter.
The Australians turned around and dropped their jaws.
"G'day," taunted Éclair.
Nina pulled the trigger and let a round have its way with the back of the tank. The girls lurched in their hatches. After the violent little shake the white flag popped. Nina was laughing as they drove away back down the streets. The yells and shouting of the angry Australians following them all the way.
"We got one! We got one!" cheered Nina.
"Now we must go to the barrage point," ordered Éclair, "Fondue, take us by the fastest route please."
"Yes madam," said Fondue quickly making a left turn, "If we encounter other tanks?"
"Get around them as quickly as possible. I'll try to hit them but knocking them out is not a priority. Understood, Renault?"
"Yes madam."
"How is everyone else holding up?"
The other tanks and commanders reported their current status. Alisa had found another of Koala's tanks but decided not to engage. Laura and Sodoko were still holding their position while Anasazja called for another barrage.
Maginot approached the barrage point. The buildings suffered some terrible damage. Walls had tumbled down blocking the road. Piles of rubble littered the streets and the dust was still trying to settle. Windows were broken and anything that wasn't destroyed was peppered with holes from shrapnel and debris. Fondue proceeded at half speed and the Renault pulled up alongside.
With all the dust and debris in the air it wouldn't be a good idea to pop out and take a breath. Éclair remained buttoned up and swivelled around the cupola trying to identify any defeated tanks and threats in the area.
"It would be foolish to stay, it would be foolish to stay," said Éclair trying to reassure herself, "They wouldn't remain here, they wouldn't remain here."
Nina lapped a shell, "We'll be okay. We'll be okay."
"There's a shadow ahead," said Fondue, "I'll get us closer."
The shadow grew out of the dust and smoke. It was long like the SOMUA with round turrets, several turrets. Their barrage managed to knock out one of Wu Wei Shu's prized T-28s. A few moments later the Renault reported a BT-7 had been knocked out as well. Both tanks were frozen in the exact position they were during the march through the city. They faced down the street as though they were preparing to turn.
"Just two, darn I was hoping it would have taken more," said Fondue.
"We are still ahead," said Éclair, "They've suffered losses and haven't found us. Take us down that street, it seems as though they wanted to go that way."
"Should we tell the others?" asked Fondue.
"Yes, I shall," Éclair tuned the radio, "We've knocked out two of China's tanks, the rest seem to have gotten away. We think they wanted to head toward the city hall and the plaza and will follow them."
"Preparing barrage on the plaza," reported Laura, "Becky, that means they're far off you can head off if you want."
"I think we will. Éclair, we'll join you from the south side."
"Alisa, how about our orders?" asked an allied Wushu commander.
"Do what you think is best, just report anything new. My tank will still be searching. We found some tracks."
"Laura, I'm returning to you," said Anasazja.
"Allons-y, vite que vous pouvez."
Maginot approached the city plaza, approaching from the north side down a diagonal road between two short buildings. The plaza was large and flat with four roads bordering a small monolith in the centre of the square. There was virtually no cover but plenty of room to run around. Wu Wei Shu was there, and all their tanks had formed a little cluster around the monolith. There were some tunnels that led to parkades and many of the shop fronts were large enough to conceal a tank, but there nothing to indicate activity beyond the Chinese's arrival.
"Laura, Wu Wei Shu is in the open," said Éclair, "They are dead centre in the square, can you hit them?"
"One minute, I need to get the right coordinates."
Fondue turned in her seat, "What's the plan, madam?"
"We'll wait for Koala to arrive and engage in a single strike against the group. As we retreat, Laura will barrage the square and we'll circle back and attack again," said Éclair, a bead of sweat ran down her face, "Have you seen the flag tank?"
"Non."
"Then it must be in the middle of that group. Renault, target the BT-7 at the rear of the formation, I'll take the Stuart at the front. We'll box her in. Take cover for now. Becky when you're close let us know."
"We're rounding the corner now."
Éclair quickly briefed them on the plan and within the minute they jumped into action. Maginot rushed out of the south side and Koala from the north. They began with a resounding volley, the shots crashing into the cement and stone. Wu Wei Shu was slow to react as each turret turned to face a designated opponent. The allied tanks had separated and begun their encirclement when the fortress returned fire. Shells glanced off their armour and smashed into the walls. A ricochet made the Renault jerk to the side and waste its second shot. Wu Wei Shu tightened its formation making it perfect for a barrage.
"Laura now!"
Shells fell dangerously close around her. It seemed as though the entire plaza was opening fire upon her. Fondue expertly ran around the plaza avoiding the shells. Evan as the tank zigged and zagged Nina was acutely focused on loading the next shell.
"Laura, what are you doing?" shouted Becky, "You're nearly hitting us!"
"That's impossible, we just fired the first volley. They should be landing… now."
The distinctive sound of ripping air whizzing overhead was amplified by the echo amid the buildings. Two shells crashed in the plaza with a calamitous thunder. A Crusader swerved to avoid the shell only to be greeted with one to the hull. The tank ground to a halt and the white flag popped out.
"That didn't come from Wu Wei Shu or the barrage," said Éclair, "Merde!"
Galette's force walked out of the department stores and parkades. Their cannons tracking their targets. Éclair's Renault fired at Galette. It's small round bounced off the curved front of her Char. Éclair could feel Galette smirking in her tank. Both cannons fired and put down the defiant Renault. Two flag tanks stood against the full combined forces of Wu Wei Shu and Maginot.
"Retreat! Retreat!"
Galette's Maginot continued to fire as it slowly reversed back to their original positions. Wu Wei Shu split in half, something they avoided doing whenever possible. They must have had a simple directive: knock out their target.
"Laura," Nina grabbed the radio, "Keep shooting! Don't stop! Don't stop! Please don't stop!"
"Understood. Load faster!"
"Get us the hell out of Dodge!" yelled Becky, "Move it! Move it!"
Becky and Sodoko escaped down the street as the shells continued to fall and Wu Wei Shu right behind them.
Galette started closing the noose around Éclair's neck. Fondue was desperately trying to avoid getting hit while trying to make an escape. As she tried to make it down one street a flurry of shots deterred her. Galette's encirclement became like walls while Wu Wei Shu chased them around the square.
"We won't get knocked out, we won't get knocked out," muttered Nina.
"This might be the end," said Éclair, "It may even be by our own shells if we are so unlucky. How terrible to blasted by the very petard we wished to use on our enemies."
"Now isn't the time for theatrics, Éclair," said Fondue, "What are we to do?"
Laura's barrage fell faster and faster filling the square with clouds of dust and smoke and inching dangerously closer to another tank.
"I hope Laura blasts an opening for us," said Nina.
"We'll just have to endure until then. Pray that we don't get hit then."
"Je vous salue Marie pleine de grace…" said Fondue.
Nina and Éclair continued to return fire as the barrage continued to fall. As the noose tightened it became harder and harder to move but the barrage became more and more concentrated. Four shells fell from above screaming louder than ever before. The square shook like as if an earthquake erupted right below them. The sound was so loud it kicked the tankers in the chest knocking the wind out of them. Ears rang and it took a moment to regain their bearings.
Éclair gasped, "Fondue hard right then straight ahead!"
"Yes madam!"
The SOMUA jerked right and rushed straight ahead through the dust and smoke. It bumped and forced its way past a pair of defeated Renaults and a disabled SOMUA. They ran out of the square as quickly as they could with Wu Wei Shu right on their tail. Fondue took them down every street and alley trying to shake them but like a dog and bone they couldn't be separated.
The roads were just wide enough to let them go two by two which meant Nina's tank had a little more room to move. But still it was hard to shoot while moving.
"Éclair, we won't last much longer out here."
"And we might run into the other teams," said Nina, "Should we head back to the park? Pull them into Laura's guns?"
"No, I don't want them to get an exact location on Laura," Éclair thought for a moment, "Laura you should leave your position."
"Already on it."
"Anybody nearby please help," Éclair pleaded, "There are three tanks on us and we're running down Main Street. Quickly, please."
Éclair opened the hatch and popped out of the turret. Shells whizzed past her. The rushing wind tossed her hair dizzily. Nina fired making the turret rock. Her shell landed short and peppered a BT-7 with shrapnel.
"Darn, you almost had it Nina," Éclair said into the tank, "Fondue, swerve less, they are starting to gain on us."
"Éclair look!" replied Nina.
Éclair looked back at their pursuers. To her dismay a pair of Stuarts appeared from around the alleys and joined the formation behind the BT-7s. The light tanks were quickly catching up to the formation and training their guns to their target.
Nina pulled the trigger. Her shot ripped the air and landed square in the hull of the BT-7 halting it immediately. Wu Wei Shu paused for a moment to get around the obstruction buying precious seconds to escape. But those seconds were quickly lost as the Chinese charged full speed ahead.
"This may be it," radioed Éclair, "Four tanks are pursuing us and we cannot escape them. We are passing the intersection of 10th and Main. Good luck. Vive la France!"
White flags popped from the hulls. The BT-7s swerved to the side defeated and the Stuarts rushed alongside Éclair's tank. The commanders stood out of the turrets and saluted the French commander.
"Where did you come from?"
"I was near on Second Street, my comrade was on Fourth. We came to help."
"Merci beaucoup, and thank you Alisa for directing them to me."
"Don't thank me, they went all on their own."
"We are departing," said the Chinese commander, "We intend to do the same to the other Wu Wei Shu group. Continue down this street and you will meet with Alisa. Good luck!"
"Good luck!"
"Elciar, what do we do now?"
"We rally with Alisa and assist her until the end."