Katyusha was in a rage. She had not felt tension like this in quite some time. The most similar memories for her being her fight to the championship her freshman year and her defeat at the hands of Oorai. Now they were at a disadvantage of yet another upstart school.
Her forces were now dwindling and her position compromised. She had assaulted the town with half her original forces and now only a half of that remained. Her crew's occasional glance's back between their loading procedure revealed her now tightly gripping her cupola's ring.
They had been invited into the city to finish off their limping prey but instead found themselves caught in a debilitating trap, paralyzed in the face of their prey's jaws. Katyusha's canine was now biting down on her lip so hard she would draw blood if she wasn't so opposed to pain.
Clara was still at her side holding off the enemy with her impeccable accuracy yet even she was limited with their confined spacing and the enemy using the urban terrain to their full advantage. Katyusha's glare was now intensifying as if her look would melt through her tank's turret.
Finally Nonna. Nonna had for the first time, disregarded an order from Katyusha and rather than rejoin her position for a breakout had deemed another course of action necessary. There was no doubt in Katyusha's mind that Nonna did it for her benefit and she wanted to trust Nonna as she always had. But there was always an if, What if she failed without Nonna. Katyusha now began tapping her heel in a hurry against her seat.
'She has never done that before and if she didn't agree with an order she would find a compromise that didn't go against Katyusha.' This thought single-handedly repeated itself amongst the white noise surrounding Katyusha's state of mind. Suddenly looking up with a glare of determination and resilience Katyusha could have been said to 'snap'.
Grabbing her mic Katyusha bellowed into the receiver. "ALL STUDENTS CHARGE! URRRAAAA!"
-Transition-
The Tiger was waiting with Kaiser standing in its cupola. It had trailed further north of the city center away from the battle undergoing in the south. The intent was to make an obvious pass by Nonna and force her to choose pursuit or risking the aid of her companions and possibly exposing her rear. The options seemed obvious to many from the outside that there was strength in numbers but Kaiser had taken into account two large factors.
The first was the infatuation that Nonna held for Katyusha leading to her absolute loyalty. The second being their awareness of his danger to them. If she went to aid Katyusha knowing that the Tiger was to her rear she would risk being fired upon to the rear and further complicating their position. Nonna would do anything for Katyusha and to see her smile at victory, even disobeying an order and risking her disapproval.
"After all, the fear of failing Katyusha would be a larger motivator than the calm acceptance of an order," explained Kaiser in a sultry whisper to his crew. His driver and gunner were tense upon their controls as they focused through their sights and viewports while his RO and Loader were prepared but looked up at his figure in awe.
They had kept their advance within a reasonable speed and took varying turns to make it look as if they were trying to be covert but in reality to keep Nonna at an arm's length and so she wouldn't realize they were drawing her away. After arriving in a large area of the town that was under construction they waited for Nonna and her IS-3 to appear.
Sitting in the middle of the open roadways between all of the equipment and material left out, the Tiger waited for its opponent; it's engine idling as if the soft purr of a hunter. Slowly the IS-3's form came into view. it approached cautiously, the majority of its silhouette hidden behind cover.
"Advance and raise the barrel," Kaiser ordered. "S-sir?" responded his crew. "It seems we both want to have a little chat" Kaiser answered, not taking his eyes off his opponent's figure who was now standing tall out of her hatch as well.
The Tiger and IS-3 proceed to each other stopping at a distance of 15 meters. Facing each other yet with their cannon barrels averted up and to their respective left's they allowed the dead silence of the night outside their vehicles to reign prominent between them in their new battleground.
Kaiser took the initiative, breaking the silence with a voice barely louder than normal. The night's silence carried it loud and clear. "I've been looking forward to speaking with you" he spoke as if starting a casual chat. Nonna did not look down her nose as she did with so many others rather she glared at him, not averting her eyes lest he take advantage of the opportunity.
"I am afraid I cannot say the same" She responded. "Clara told me of the possibility that you would be a thorn in lady Katyusha's side. Kaiser took his cap off and laid it before him on the turret. Popping his neck he gave a flattering smirk in return. "I see you two were watching me as closely as I was you" He quipped. "How else would I know that you would pursue me to the end?" He continued.
"I figured you were leading us away halfway through your false chase, yet this is something I must do. You are too much of an irregularity to our expectations. For Katyusha's sake, you must fall. Then I will return to her side" Responded Nonna resolutely.
"Oh?" Kaiser prodded. "Even if you do take me out I doubt she'll be waiting for you once it's all said and done" he jabbed. Nonna's poker face was the first to falter between them as she adorned a now evident frown.
"I believe in lady Katyusha," Nonna replied simply. "And I... have moderate faith in Virtanen. Kaser answered in kind. Unheard to Nonna was a couple of giggles and snorting below him from his team who had broken their tension at Kaiser's nonchalant quip at his superior.
Kaiser remained steadfast and serious leaving Nonna unaware of the lax tension below him. "Your weak bonds will be your downfall tonight" Nonna stated. "Huh, well then let's see if your obsession will be yours. Either way, you'll have to defeat me first." Stated Kaiser.
His Tiger was the first to begin reversing slowly with Nonna's following suit. Slowly as they backed away their cannons fell into a forward position. as they backed away Kaiser had noticed the red light decorating their environment slowly fade into white. 'Well, I guess she is rather attractive despite her domineering attitude' lamented Kaiser as the two drew further apart. He couldn't help but admire his adversary and her devotion.
The idle thought however did not last as with the lurch of both vehicles to a stop his mind snapped into focus. "Sir, I think you should get in for this one" recommended Katya. Not averting his eyes Kaiser quipped back, "Really? I just rappelled off an enemy tank with you firing on me and now you think is a good time to advise caution?" Katya stuttered to explain her reasoning as Westhoffen interrupted her.
"So, what are we waiting for, boss? Am I supposed to rev the engine? This suspense is killing me." Kaiser shook his head mildly. "If you think it'll help." Westhoffen, therefore, did as he suggested and revved the Tiger's engine. Naturally, Nonna's vehicle didn't break discipline. "Worth a shot eh?" commented West.
Instead, the IS-3 followed the Tiger's movements until their bout began. Slowly both traversed their chassis. Both angled their guns to stay in the same forward position at each other despite their turns. Then as if someone had called for both to begin the two churned soil beneath their tracks as they peeled forward.
-Transition-
Virtanen was astounded. Backed into a corner his small foe didn't curl up and prepare for her demise nor stick it out for a prolonged defense. The madwoman and this may be the only time when he referred to her as a woman, was conducting another mass charge against him.
His team was firing down roads and alleyways any avenue of fire they could needle a shot through in order to inflict damage on the Pravdan tanks who were dug into a small section of street. Now their remaining three vehicles, the T-34-100, IS-2, and Kv-8 were charging his Panther.
Knight's Pz IV and Natalya's IS-1 were adjacent to him and despite the dispersion, their regulated fire had kept the enemy's heads down but it seemed Katyusha had locked onto Virtanen's vehicle in the dim light. All at once, the T-34-100 with Katyusha's small head peering out was bearing down a wide roadway towards him.
Knight was the first to respond amidst the crisis. The Pz IV sped directly towards the front of the enemy column firing as it did so. Whether it was to deter the assault or sacrifice himself as wreckage to block their advance was pointless to discuss as within a few seconds the clash of steel and rupture of canons resounded.
The Pz IV aiming for Katyusha's vehicle in the lead had come to no more than a nuisance as it's shot's ricocheted off the moving target and once having closed the distance for a ram Katyush's vehicle intuitively jerked into the side of a building missing Knight's valiant charge. As Katyusha ground into the brick and mortar slowing herself and receiving a shot from the Panther that was absorbed by said debris, the PzIV lay open in the roadway prime to be struck dead on by the limping KV-8.
The KV-8's optical sight may have been rendered useless at range but the crew had found a use for their vehicle's massive weight. The Pz IV had been hit so hard it threatened to roll under the impact but the KV-8 did not stop. Instead, it continued on turning left and ramming the PZ IV into a wall opposite Katyusha's vehicle.
Katyusha's T-34 resumed its dash as it gained speed once more. The KV-8 kept its tracks churning forward as the Pz IV attempted to escape, struggling for survival. Both vehicles were now exposed and fighting for time.
Two separate shots resounded ceasing the sound of scraping steel. A flag erupted from the Pz IV and the KV-8. As smoke listed from both vehicles, the perpetrators slowly approached the wreckage.
The commanders of their vehicles made eye contact at distance. The Pravdan girl having a pale complexion in the moon's light and blonded threaded hair, both radiating a glow of elegance.
The Transcendence girl held a head of brunette hair and though not fair-skinned held a similar beauty. Clara and Natalya stared at each other in surprise. The IS-2 and IS-1 idly standing by as their most recent victims listed gentle smoke and flags up to the sky.
Natalya had been too late to intercept Katyusha's dash but she had instead caught another priority target. Initially taken aback by the sudden order from Katyusha only one thought was in Clara's mind. 'I have to assist Lady Katyusha' was her foremost concern as now both flag tanks were dueling each other.
Natalya had a similar focus, rather than rescuing and fulfilling a promise it was a concern of proving herself. 'I have to redeem myself from earlier lest Kaiser loses faith in me' was Natalya's focus.
The pause of surprise between the two gently stretched. Either side seemingly tempting the other to move first. Clara's devotion to Katyusha forced her to cave first. The IS-2 charged forward attempting to pass the intersection before her and lose Natalya's IS-1 as she joined Katyusha.
Not allowing her redemption to escape Natlya sped forward crossing the intersection first. As Clara's IS-2 attempted to cross after her they received a shock and sudden jolt. Out from behind the wreckage of the Kv-8 and Pz IV, the IS-1 had reversed back into the IS-2 thus beginning the grueling combat between two prodigious students.
Meanwhile, Virtanen's Panther had left its former position as Katyusha gave chase deeper east. 'I never thought I would be so scared of a girl chasing after me' he joked internally. In reality, he had been quite shaken seeing the fury on Katyusha's face which he had gotten a close up of after all.
As soon as the chase began he had reversed behind a corner and when Katyusha had turned to face him his Panther fired He into the building's corner then charged through it to circumnavigate Katyusha and drive opposite her direction.
Before he had descended into his cupola to avoid the debris he and Katyusha's eyes had met. Her fury at his trick had jostled his nerves slightly. 'It isn't even my preference to destroy property! Kaiser is the one who told me to do it in an emergency!' he mentally pleaded. However, he assumed his pleas to the heavens were lost as he heard fervent shouts and more destruction close in on him from every corner they took deeper and deeper into the city.
-Transition-
The Tiger and IS-3 ran parallel to each other, their turrets swinging and failing to catch sight in time to fire. Instead, the massive hulls of steel screeched as both swung tight ninety-degree turns and charged at each other dead on. Both turrets now began to straighten as their distance shortened.
Fire was exchanged, both shots glancing off turrets and their commanders doing little more than wincing at the sound before ordering both vehicles to take a sharp right turn once more to avoid damaging their cannons.
Their dance ensued once more. Both vehicles not wanting to lose speed continued their charges taking long turns when available and sharply only when necessary. As the two scraped past each other the second time both shifted to their right flank harshly, the rear of both vehicles collided. The intense impact jostling the crews and altering their courses.
Both tanks weighed heavily and the collision left its damage as Kaiser looked down to his gunner who was disoriented worse than the others. Looking over his shoulder he caught the cold glare of Nonna as her crew undoubtedly scrambled to regain their orientation. The IS-3 was fearsome. Faster, lighter, smaller, and a 120mm cannon to boot. He may have had the advantage of a new engine in his vehicle to offset the speed and perhaps a quicker reload but Kaiser new face to face he would meet his demise.
"West push forward! we're relocating! Belle rotate the gun to 220 degrees! Laura load HE!" Demanded Kaiser. Instantly his orders were followed with haste and his vehicle departed With the IS-3's turret and chassis turning to pursue.
Like a carnivorous predator, Nonna gave no respite as she pursued. She thought little of this enemy of hers and would not let him besmirch Katyusha's name or her pride. Her IS-3 had followed a turn around the husk of a building in construction when a round flew over her head. Nonna Averted her face from the impact as she glanced up to see the Tiger continue to retreat and hearing the sound of debris begin to fall around her. A further look showed a supporting column of the new structure blown and the outside walls collapsing onto her vehicle.
Quickly she descended into her hatch as the heavy debris began to fall around her. Other than the excessive dust that coated her she had avoided the dangerous debris that had engulfed her vehicle in a thick blanket. Her crew braced the impacts as the dulled thuds rained down while they drove out from under it. Ordering her crew to advance out from under the danger zone Nonna peered through her viewports.
The dust had coated the glass and she could only imagine her gunner's sights. The moon's bright rays tracing down through the dust only aided in hampering their sight. Covered in bricks, cement, and miscellaneous debris Nonna's IS-3 pushed forward undeterred until a much larger Crash had hit them releasing a black smoke from their engine and slowing them.
'He couldn't have gotten behind us!' Nonna critiqued mentally as she whipped her head to look through her rear viewports. Surely enough it wasn't a shell that had hit their rear but instead, a crane of the construction site had been hit at a key joint and fell directly atop their engine. The heavily weighed hook striking their engine and knocking something loose.
Nonna grimaced at the consecutive attacks while noting that the Tiger was no longer in sight. Covered in debris and trapped within her vehicle lest she endanger herself further Nonna remembered that this enemy wasn't prey but another predator who had robbed them of their speed and partial sight.
Only a few moments had passed but Kaiser already had his next stage set up. His crew was dead silent as he whispered to his gunner. Belle shrunk at his words as they caressed her ear but she didn't let the anxiety distract her... too much. "I know you can't see but just listen to me and it'll be okay." Kaiser instructed.
Belle slowly shook her head while holding her breath. Kaiser then straightened his back and gazed ahead. Gently he gripped her shoulder and Squeezed.
The Tiger's 88 ripped into the side of the IS-3 but left no remarkable damage. Without delay, the Tiger fled it's ambush spot as the IS-3 retaliated.
The Tiger had waited opposite a large pile of concrete tubes that were laid atop another. As soon as Kaiser had snagged a few moments he had the Tiger position it's barrel aiming straight down one of the tubes and draped the large tarp over to help conceal his vehicle's silhouette. Since the tubes blocked his gunner's view he became her eyes as she awaited his command. The result was his failed ambush as the IS-3 suspicious of such a possibility approached in an angle down the path.
The IS-3's 120m gun ripped through the concrete without regard for its resistance and past the Tiger. The IS-3 gave chase only to be surprised as The tiger had turned 180 degrees and faced them into a head-on collision.
The two chassis collided and neither gave way as they adamantly ground at their terrain. Nonna saw Kaiser standing defiant out his Cupola and emerged to face him once more. "You are more stubborn than imagined" she commented as the vehicles continued their struggle for dominance.
"It's one of my charms," Kaiser quipped. The comment was immediately noted. Nonna could easily see his change in demeanor. No longer was he calm and collected nor cynical as once perceived. He had a cold sweat from the battle's intensity as she did yet instead of maintaining his calm as she, he had changed.
He was showing a sarcastic smile and even speaking satirically. Almost as if he was embracing the battle, as if he was enjoying this. Snapping her from her observation he continued their short talk. "I have to admit however Miss Nonna, you are quite catching even when bathed in moonlight and cement."
This was one of the few times Nonna's agitation had shown since her freshman year. The comment on how he had broken her appearance as untouchable and then mocked her drew a cold response. "Yes, you seem to be full of surprises. Even I am having trouble dispatching you. But that'll only be a more rewarding experience once Katyusha uses you as a stepping stone towards her success."
Kaiser's smirk ceased at her claim. "I wish you'd act for yourself, supporting your leader is one thing but coddling them too much and they'll face harsher failure in the future" His words left their mark. The two had been exchanging words for not even a minute yet her silence seemed to eclipse the time substantially. As if he had experienced it himself and spoke so confidently about her as if he understood completely.
Seeing her silence Kaiser's smirk returned as he glanced towards the moon. "Well then let's continue our game and enjoy ourselves" he suggested glancing back at her. Nonna looked up from her vehicle's lower positioned cupola. The moon's light glowing around them had rescinded into a pinkish glow and his words reignited her intent to finish their fight. Unbeknownst to her Kaiser had succeeded in drawing her far enough away for enough time. The match was finishing without them and neither would be able to aid the victor outside of their own world of combat before them.
-Transition-
Katyusha had long since left her sight as the enemy's commander fled and fearing failure of her commander's orders and Nonna's request, Clara chose to bypass her current obstacle, the first opportunity that presented itself. Racing down a street Clara was adamantly searching for Katyusha while trying to lose the enemy combatant.
The attempt was useless as a shell from her left rang past her turret. Jerking her vision to the origin Clara could see the enemy student. A fervent stare bore down on her as the IS-1 increased its speed and in an attempt to forcibly change Clara's course rammed into her chassis on the left side.
Steel groaned as the speeding mass's of armor ran parallel to each other, colliding every so often in an effort to trip up their foe. Clara and the girl locked eyes. Clara had never needed to glare as Nonna had before meeting Transcendence yet these stubborn 'cadets' as they labeled themselves fought to the end.
And yet despite her glare that could rival Nonna's the girl didn't back down. Instead, her own face showed an increase in intensity. Amid their contest of might and intimidation, Clara racked her mind for anything she could use in the situation. 'This girl is named Natalya Prokov... a transfer... A part of that Kaiser's squad..." Nothing came to her mind on how to relieve herself of her assaulter.
The two vehicles raced next to each other, Claras IS-2 trying to get past and push northeast to Katyusha, and Natalya desperately trying to keep her in place if not disable her. Clara again went against her normal actions and spoke to her opponent. "Why are you fighting so hard?" she paused as the two vehicles collided once more. "It is clear you will lose, Lady Katyusha's skill surpasses your commander!" She declared.
Natalya reached her arm outward as if she was wishing to grab Clara by the collar of her jacket but instead pointed at her face. "Then why are you trying so hard to leave without defeating me? Besides Defeating you will show him!" rebutted Natalya. 'Him? Tch' Clara internally questioned in annoyance as the vehicles collided once more.
"Why are you so adamant in this fight?!" Clara asked, losing her calm in the face of her current stress. 'I cannot fail lady Katyusha, I cannot fail Nonna, I have trained for this! I must not be held down by a simple enemy! And yet this obstinate girl's skill matches mine!' Clara's mind screamed. Glancing around in the night's ever whitening gloom Clara saw the next intersection.
"Even that boy Kaiser, your ace will have fought for nothing. He'll be wiped out by Nonna!" Clara stated, her composure slipping slightly as her voice began to rise as she strove to distract her foe. The statement worked well. At the mention of Kaiser Natlaya's eyes grew wide and her body relaxed slightly at the surprise.
Clara took the opportunity and commanded her driver with her foot to slow and pull left. Natalya's vehicle without a timely command amidst her temporary aloofness continued at its speed. Natalya's IS-1 passed Clara's and as the IS-2 pulled left Clara gave the order to fire. the barrel didn't adjust to aim and instead fired as the entire chassis shifted with its speed timing it's shot at the IS-1's turret.
Unexpectedly Natalya gave instant orders, her intensive training kicking in. Her IS-1 pulled left immediately, gaining just enough of a turn for its front end to collide with the corner of the intersection and jerk their front towards Clara's vehicle. As the IS-1 jostled into place it fired, hitting the still turning IS-2's front chassis and forcing its path into the opposite wall.
Clara shook her golden head of hair as she regained her sense and looked up to see Natalya was staring from under her brow in defiance. "Kaiser couldn't possibly lose to her! And I won't lose to you!"
As her words entered Clara's ear the IS-1's shell left its barrel, aimed directly at her chassis.
-Transition-
Virtanen couldn't help but laugh nervously as his Panther once again dodged Katyusha's wrath by a hair. That wrath being in the form of a 100 mm projectile scraping the paint off his chassis that is. Their chase had led them into what was essentially a zigzagging route that passed straight east only to change up their course when Katyusha wisened up and attempted to head them off.
His barrel was too long for him to give the order for it to reverse. The danger of damaging it as they sped away was too high and they couldn't afford the time to stop and turn it. Instead, he chose his battleground carefully on his map. A large traffic circle in the city's eastern quarter presented itself as the most opportune and they were nearing it.
"Alright everyone" Virtanen nervously chuckled to his crew. "This is it. Just perform how I instructed and we've got this. A couple of nervous giggles followed him halfheartedly. "You could do with Lieutenant Colonel Kaiser's conviction sir, an encouragement like that will only make us more nervous." Quipped his driver who was mildly shaking.
Virtanen looked away from his viewport at the girl. "I don't think we need two Kaiser's here" He retorted. "And besides knowing him he wouldn't offer you any comfort at this point either." Virtanen sighed before continuing. "I'm sorry to put so much on you"
"No problem at all boss" His driver responded as her voice cracked slightly. "Just make sure those two up there don't miss or fumble the reload." A short session of bickering ensued between the male gunner, loader, and female driver, easing the tension before Virtanen shouted.
"Everyone ready!" The moons brightening rays made sight clearer than earlier in the night and he could see his destination in the distance. The traffic circle was ahead with shops lining the outer circle and a fountain in its center, it provided a plethora of room for him to engage in combat.
It seemed Katyusha could see their stage as well. Rather than the incessant machine-gun fire at their tracks and the timed precision cannon fire at their rear, her T-34-100 was now barreling down on them seeking to close the gap and remove any possibility of error.
The match had reached its concluding battle. The Panthers turret began to turn preemptively in anticipation of the tight drift like turn oncoming while the T-34 had raised its barrel into the sky as it's speed maxed out and it's stability lessened.
The Panther entered the turn following the road right before pulling hard left as it had done prior. Katyusha anticipating trickery had opted to force their tanks down and back by ramming into their stationary position.
Both had unexpected results. The Panther's turn had been too tight and it's tonnage forcing too much pressure on its tracks. The front left track then separated and sent the Panther grinding to an early stop with its turret facing far to it's left.
Katyusha having expected a wider turn had aimed to ram where she expected them to be rather she found herself overshooting the enemy's chassis and circling clockwise to stop herself from bypassing them further. Both commanders looked at each other in passing astounded by the fluke before both came screeching to a halt.
An awkward pause overcame the two vehicles before both scrambled to fight once more. The Panther down a track rotated its turret left hoping to gain their enemy in their sight's while vice versa the T-34 sought to lower their own.
Virtanen's adrenaline seemed to slow time for him as he knew the lowering barrel aimed for his rear would end him before his turret could even face their attacker. Then he saw a familiar Sight smash through the glass window of a cafe behind the T-34.
-Transition-
Sokolov had followed his orders impeccably throughout the match. No matter the situation he had placed his trust in Kaiser even though He felt guilt putting Kaiser's orders over Virtanen's own and his friendship with Knight, although fledgling as acquaintances at best, he still felt sympathy for wanting to help those close to him. Despite his lethargic and despondent attitude, he was emotional and compassionate.
This match itself had made his emotions fluctuate far more than any other experience in his life even if he hadn't shown it on his face. The initial lines breaking, a detachment of peers being cut off, and one even injured, the division of the team amidst a match, having to choose a side, and the ensuing chaos of Kaiser and Virtanen trying to pick up the pieces. Needless to say, his low stamina led to him being emotionally drained.
The only real perks to this were his team's performance tonight and that they didn't have to deal with the stress of confrontation, only the minor inconvenience of staying hidden which he preferred to a chaotic clash of force.
There perhaps was one minor bonus to all of it. The enemy commander. He had seen pictures and heard stories as anyone else but, seeing her in person and the charisma she exuberated, her confidence and collected appearance. He was confident of it. 'Katyusha is ...cute!' he declared internally.
That's why his final part to play in this act pained him and his crew who understood him as much as any self-respecting team did, remained quiet even as they could see through his face into his inner turmoil.
Sokolov included they all performed their actions uninhibited and flawlessly. Having hidden in a mechanical shop a few blocks away they awaited their moment. Patiently they waited in the darkness listening to the far off sounds of combat and their radio operator switching through frequencies to get updates from other RO's in combat.
Then their signal came. The sound of tracks rattling on cement was their call as they mounted up and pushed onward. They enclosed onto the origin where they heard the screeching of steel followed by a pregnant pause. No gunfire exempting that in the far distance.
"Left" Sokolov shortly ordered as always. "Yes" came the reply ending the usual transferral of orders within the crew. The Stug IV then barged through a corner cafe's wall crushing tables underneath it as their barrel gently smashed a window and exposed itself towards the rear of an enemy T-34.
Sokolov emerged from his hatch and saw Virtanen and Katyusha, the latter not noticing his presence as the former did. From afar he could hear Virtanen yell "We can do the same tactic!" as his panther void of a left track reversed into the T-34, ignoring the damage to its suspension it was causing and stopping the 100 mm gun from lowering at them. Virtanen's enthusiastic glare caught Katyusha off guard and drew her attention over her shoulder. A cold sweat ensued as her eyes widened and dilated in the dark.
Sokolov took his opportunity before fate could intervene and solemnly gave his order. "Fire" The 75mm ripped into the side of Katyusha's vehicle. As the smoke began to settle the infamous white flag erupted up and it's commander shed a single struggling tear before slinking down into her vehicle. Sokolov felt bitter at the final scene silently wishing an apology.
-Transition-
The Tiger tank had been cornered between two buildings nearly completed in construction. Fortunately or not depending on the contracting companies' insurance, they did not remain so.
Kaiser ordered the Tiger to fire all of its smoke canisters. The projectiles rocketed out in a 180-degree arc in front of it smashing into windows and filling the buildings with smoke as well as the road before them. The Tiger then Fired it's coaxial machine gun in a wide arc spraying other windows to release more of the thick smoke.
Being pursued it soon vanished into the smoke with the IS-3 on its heels. The action was so fast Nonna hadn't expected anything to happen but once again she was betrayed by expectation. The Tiger had shifted to it's left and slowed down following behind Nonna.
The Tiger then fired aiming at the small lip underneath the IS-3's rear turret but the impact came to nothing. Before a second shot could be fired Nonna ordered her vehicle to decrease speed. The Tiger followed seeking to avoid impact and go around but its front right track caught the IS-3's rear left thus sending both into partial spins.
Nonna increased hers while Kaiser shortened his. Both stopped face to face before firing while charging. It was a spectacle both crews were remaining hardy and steadfast amidst the chaos and collisions, noise, and vibrations. It could be said the two were the stars of the entire show in terms of performance and perhaps even popularity for their respective schools.
But to them, none of it mattered. To the crews, only their tasks and their commanders will did. For the commander's it was the battle. Neither taking their eyes off the other even in the thickest of debris or smoke, daring the other to back down.
The two raced towards each other and fired. The IS-3 no longer had Nonna operating the gun as she was preoccupied commanding and as such its 120mm missed. The Tiger with Belle as sharp as ever landed its round but it bounced off the angled armor.
The tanks collided once more with barrels interlocked as if a noble duel between goliaths were taking place. Reversing then pushing again to not let their foe gain an advantage the clash ensued. Before both vehicles came to a halt. Kaiser and Nonna looked confused, glancing down to their crews with apparent agitation demanding why they had stopped.
Both of their Radio operators would answer in kind. "The match is over!" and not a word more the victor would be announced back at the rally area.
Kaiser and Nonna looked back up at each other in silence. Neither speaking as a gentle wisp of air passed them. The moons now brilliant white shine endowed their surroundings as the IS-3 and Tiger remained still, barrels up and crossed. The tiger's paint scratched and slightly warped from close calls. The IS-3 was in a similar state with debris and dust decorating it.
"Alright everyone, up and out" Kaiser instructed as he took off his cap and exited his vehicle. Nonna watched as his team propped themselves out their hatches as he walked to the front of his tank wiping his hand down the length of his tanks still warm barrel before patting it.
Kaiser and Nonna locked eyes. "I won't say we go back walking hand in hand but let's not remain enemies." He said removing his glove and offering a hand outwards. Nonna hesitated before quietly speaking to her crew. Almost to his surprise, they followed suit.
"I will admit it's my loss" Nonna conceded as she shook his hand once. No emotion could be seen on her face to the average person but Kaiser caught it. The adrenaline, the disappointment, the rush. "Don't look down on me. Neither of us disabled the other and what happened outside of the two of us doesn't matter to me. This was far more interesting" Kaiser muttered with a captivating grin.
The two gave one more solid shake and returned to their crews who were themselves in between not betraying professionalism and smiling while waving to their prior foes in relief. The match was over and though neither Vice commander had achieved their personal victory once they arrived home to their teams someone will have won.
-Chapter end-