Hell On Tracks
Interlude
Kay 1
Kay couldn't stop pacing back and forth near the tank park. If she stopped, she might explode, or punch someone, or scream, or something. She had liked and trusted Tally. The rookie TC was an excellent commander and tactician, if she could get over her anxiety. But this…
Blue-on-blue was unacceptable. To have Tally's tank participate in two different blue-on-blue incidents in two matches? Something needed to stop. Once was an accident, twice wasn't a coincidence, and you never let it reach being a pattern.
Now, it could just be chalked up to Tally's inexperience as a TC and a tanker. The shot in the match a few days ago, where her tank had fired on an ally's could be chalked up to a mistake or a miss in a poorly setup crossfire. But the shot that had happened less than fifteen minutes ago was a clear case of not bothering to ID the target before firing on them.
"Arisa, Naomi, clear out the tank park, then meet me at the command clearing. Do it quietly. I don't want rumors starting up over this." Kay ordered her subordinates.
"Yes ma'am!" The two said, before moving to funnel people away from the tanks.
Kay gave a slightly relieved sigh as she watched people comply with her orders. If anything was going to ruin Tally's Tankery career, it would be her and her alone, not any rumors spread by her teammates.
The rumble of a tank entering the tank park was Kay's cue to focus on the area again, finally pausing her pacing. A beaten up and dented M4 Sherman was coming into the tank park, with Tally and most of her crew sticking their heads out despite the rain. They were cheerful, rightfully so in their victory. Kay really hated what she was about to do, but it needed to be done.
Kay marched up to the tank as Tally dismounted. She tried to keep a smile on her face, but the stunned look on Tally's face let Kay know that whatever smile she wore was fake and insincere.
"Tally, a word. In private." Kay demanded. Tally meekly nodded, and Kay could see that she was nearly ready to flee. Instead of letting that happen, Kay's hand found Tally's wrist and dragged her along as she marched back to the command clearing.
A quick glance showed that Tally's crew had guilty looks on their faces. They were experienced enough in Saunders' Tankery to know they had fucked up royally.
Neither Kay nor Tally said anything as they moved through the forest towards the hidden command clearing. It was a sparse area, with only a few benches and a small campfire pit that they had to haul wood in to use. Arisa and Naomi were waiting for them as they arrived, and both looked suitably upset for the circumstances.
"Tally, please, sit." Naomi said, gesturing to a bench across the clearing from herself. Kay released Tally's hand, and the rookie TC nervously walked over to the bench and unceremoniously sat down. Whatever cheer Tally'd had before getting out of her tank had faded, and she already looked like a nervous wreck. Nevertheless, the impromptu trial had to go on.
"Tally Evans, do you know why you are here?" Arisa asked, starting things off. She had a notepad and a clipboard, ready to jot things down. Things may have been rushed, but there were certain rules to follow for this kind of thing.
Kay waited a moment before Tally shook her head no. Tally was unaware of just how much of a stigma was on teamkilling in Sensha-do, especially here at Saunders. That was on Kay, for not giving proper instruction to the rookie, and instead throwing her straight into a tank.
"During the match, your tank was observed firing on and eliminating an allied tank with no warning. Did you or did you not intentionally give the order to fire upon your ally?" Kay demanded. Tally shook her head, but that wasn't a good enough answer. Anyone could lie with just motions, even someone as nervous and shaking as Tally was. "A yes or no is required, Tally."
"N-no." Tally said softly, her voice hitching.
"Did you identify your ally before giving the order to fire?" Arisa asked. A reasonable question, but still a damning one, if Tally had given the order before IDing someone.
"N-no…" Tally answered, trailing off. She was clearly crying now, and Kay felt awful. Either Tally was an excellent liar and actor, or she really was a hairbreadth from having an anxiety attack.
"Did you give the order to fire?" Kay asked, hoping beyond hope that Tally said no. An insubordinate crew was easier to deal with than a rookie mistake or an overeager commander.
Tally tried to say something. Her mouth formed the words, but they didn't come. She was shaking heavily. After a moment of trying to say something, Tally gave up and shook her head.
The color drained from Kay's face. Tally wasn't at fault, and they had just done the whole interrogation on an innocent and fragile girl. Shit.
"Were you aware of a similar incident three day ago, when your tank was reported to have fired at and eliminated an allied tank?" Arisa asked, referencing the Practice vs Training match at Camp Intrepid when they had first pulled into port.
Once more, Tally shook her head. Kay let out a very soft "Shit!" before gesturing to Arisa and Naomi to come closer.
"We have the wrong tanker." Kay began in a whisper. "She didn't give the order, and wasn't even aware of the last incident."
"Just because she didn't call the shot doesn't mean she isn't at fault." Naomi countered. "Though we may need the Chief to handle her now."
"We're the ones ultimately at fault." Arisa said. "We put a brand new TC with a crew of troublemakers. What did we expect to happen?"
"Not blue-on-blue." Naomi said. "At worst, she would come to us and ask for a transfer to a new crew."
"Do we even have any crews she could join as a TC right now?" Arisa asked, looking at Kay.
The captain thought for a moment before shaking her head. "While it's certainly doable, she would have to drop down to a Training Company team and we would have to break up a crew to put her in."
"It's a better idea than keeping her with San'nin no Tōzoku." Arisa interjected. Kay was about to say something when she looked over at Tally. The rookie TC had fallen silent, and had collapsed on the bench.
"Shit! Arisa, go get the Chieftain, now! Naomi, go find a tarp we can put up over her, or maybe a blanket! Something to keep her warm and dry!" Kay ordered, as she rushed over to Tally.
Right now, more than anything, Kay wished she was better at first aid. Tally was still breathing, which meant that she had just fainted. Certainly not good, but not the worst thing possible. Still, she could do something for the poor girl while her teammates ran off for their objectives. Kay took off her own waterproof coat and draped it over Tally, trying to keep the unconcious girl that little bit drier and warmer.
The rain stopped before Naomi came back with a blanket and tarp. Kay retrieved her coat from Tally, and helped Naomi drape the blanket over her instead, tucking it in underneath her body.
"Naomi, go find her crew. Don't bring them here, but I want to deal with them. We're going to find out who exactly is at fault for these incidents, and if they try to blame Tally for anything more than being TC, they're all going on probation. Two weeks of no tanks and lessons with the Chief at minimum, and then we give them exactly enough rope to hang themselves with." Kay ordered, once Tally was wrapped up.
"Yes, ma'am!" Naomi said, giving a salute before running off to the tank park.
Kay shook her head sadly, and pulled her rain jacket back on. As much as she wanted to hunt down the Three Bandits herself, Naomi was more than capable of wrangling them, and someone needed to keep an eye on Tally.
Arisa sent her a text that she had found the Chieftain, and that they were on the other end of the camp, but were on their way. Kay smiled sadly, knowing that a chewing out was on the schedule for herself, Arisa, and Naomi for this.
They had all fucked up here. Ultimately, it was their fault. If Tally wanted off the team for this, they would let her go, and it would be a black stain on all three of their records, as well as the entirety of the Saunders Tankery Team.
It wasn't too long before Kay ended up leaning against a tree, keeping her back to Tally and the clearing. She would be able to hear if anyone was approaching, but not very many people actually knew about the command clearing. The only people she should expect to come were Naomi, or Arisa and the Chieftain.
Kay didn't hear the soft footsteps behind her, too lost in her own thoughts. She did however, hear the loud squelch of mud as someone directly behind her pulled a boot from the mud. Kay turned on a heel to see Tally, up and moving. Stumbling backwards, directly away from her, landing against a tree.
Fear was pasted on Tally's face. Maybe even terror. Kay froze, her mouth half open. She wanted to apologize, to admit her wrongdoing, to offer her unquestioning support, something, anything to make Tally feel better. No words came from her mouth, and by the time her brain had rebooted, Tally was already gone, fleeing back towards the tank park.
"Shit!" Kay swore loudly. Her one opportunity to apologize, and she'd fucked it up. If she was lucky, she might get another chance later, but that might also be too late. Chasing after Tally now would just make things worse.
Exhausted, Kay moved over to one of the benches and sat. She hung her head in shame, awaiting the telling off that the Chieftain no doubt had in store for her.
