Now we must prepare and set up the match between Pravda and Oorai.
I also need to figure out just exactly what I need to fit in between now and the Pravda match. We know that they had enough time to get an entire tank refurbished and running, so we have some time.
Of all the things Samantha thought she'd be doing today, watching Mako argue with the public morals committee members was certainly not one of them. Well, it was Mako, so it wasn't really arguing; it was more the committee bead was shouting at her, clutching a clipboard, while Mako tried to walk away in her permanent sleepy state
"I just don't understand why the public morals committee can't be represented on the Sensha-Dō team!"
"Bah! Stop it, there's no tanks anyway, besides the I-go, and it is garbage!"
"We will make do with what we can find! As head of the public morals committee, I simply must..."
Sam shook her head and turned away, making her way twords the tank garages as Sodoko continued to follow and berate Mako.
Upon entering, she found Joshua leaning over one of the roadwheels on the M3 Lee, helping Azusa and Hector to tighten one of the bolts. Standing, he greeted his radiowoman before everyones attention was drawn twords the sleepy Garupan and her follower.
"What's that all about? Was Mako late again?"
"Nah, I overheard them saying something about wanting to join the team. But we really don't have any tanks available, except the I-Go, and it's the I-Go."
Joshua nodded, before the short Gestapo agent turned her eyes twords him
"You! You're the vice commander, correct? you can make decisions for the team??"
"I, uh... well not officially I guess..."
The girl deflated at that while Mako barked in laughter, "Th-thats no good! I need someone with the proper authority, I'm getting nowhere with... her!" She shouted, gesturing twords Mako.
The sleepyhead made her way to her tank, laying down on the roadwheels and settling in
"Face it Sodoko, we don't have room. And you'd just bother me all day anyways. Now shoo."
"Don't call me that! And it's against school regulations to sleep during club hours, and even more so to do so on a tank! It's dangerous!"
Mako opened one eye, "Oh, I didn't know you cared so much about my health Sodoko!"
"I-I don't! I care about the regulations!"
The commotion caused Miho to come around, approaching Joshua
"What's going on?"
"Apparently the short one-"
"Mako?"
"No, the one with black hair-"
"That's Mako."
"No, the other one!"
"Oh, Midoriko!"
"That's the one. apparently her and her comitt wanna join the team."
Miho brought her finger to her chin, thinking
"Well, Yuzu did say she found what might be an extra tank in one of the swamps... Maybe they could crew it? We could really use some extra firepower for Pravda, even if it is just one tank..."
Joshua nodded, "Well, good. Hey, Sodoko!"
The Public morals committee Chairwoman turned, angered "Thats not my name! Oh, Nishizumi Miho!"
Excitedly, she approached the girl, citing regulation after regulation as she begged to be let on the team.
Eventually, Miho managed to calm her down enough to not write the whole club up, and meet her later the next day to see the newest tank they'd be using
"Joshua, meet us there with your own tank. We might need it to help pull it out of the muck..."
The next day, Joshua sat riding on the turret of the T32 as Michael navigated his way twords the swamp. In the commanders seat sat Miho, while Sodoko sat in the loader's.
"It's just up ahead Joshua!"
Joshua nodded, reaching into the coupla for the commanders mic, but Miho beat him to it
"Driver, right up ahead at that large tree. Ah!"
Embarrassed, Miho dropped the microphone, realizing she had taken command of Joshua's tank from him. Luckily, the American didn't seem to have much of an issue with it. The tank lurched forwards, coming to a stop, and the four tankers saw the remains of a Char B1 Bis that had been stuck in the mud. Sodoko hopped off, eyeing the tank with wonder, as Joshua and Michael set to work attaching the towing cables
"We'll bacj it out first since the reverse gear has a lower range in this mud, then once she's on some.more solid ground, we'll get her set up to the rear and tow her to the garage. Sound good?"
Sodoko only nodded absentmindedly, climbing up on the tank and opening the commanders hatch. As the smell of 20-year old swamp water hit her, she gagged, but pressed on and turned on her phones flashlight, peering inside
Michael leaned against the hull of his own tank, "So, whatcha think Sodoko?"
"It's... it's wonderful! It's perfect!" the small girl grinned, looking every bit the petite high school girl she was and not like the Gestapo-lite most thought of her as. The fact that the girl took no issue with her nickname being used spoke volumes as well, and the commanders smiled
"Alright then, let's get her out of here and back to the shop!"
Nina was quite nervous. This would be her first assignment, and she was tasked with infiltrating the Sensha-Dō teams tank garages and gathering all the intelligence she could. Luckily, one of the transfer students had trained her extensively; Nina could now lie with the best pocker players, and had cleared several wallets of the crew of the ship she snuck aboard during poker night. She was also much more agile and flexible, and could shimmy up and into hard to reach places with ease now, combined with her small size. In addition, her and her friend Alina had always possessed an incredible amount of strength.
She prided herself on her and her crews ability to reload the massive gun of the KV-2 quickly and readily; sure, the Sensha-Dō shells weighed a bit less than the real ones, but they still clocked in at a good 35 kilos, with the powder charges weighing their usual 10. Technical specifications for her tank had called for the KV-2 to be able to fire at 2-3 rounds per minute, but actual field usage reports indicated it was more like one. These were trained soviet tankers, fighting in the Great Patriotic War for their Motherland's survival, mind you.
Nina and Alina managed to clock a personal record of just shy of 11 rounds per minute. They had actually been the subject of several news articles in Sensha-Dō Monthly, though no pictures had been taken.
These thoughts dissapeared when she came to the Sensha-Dō garages, watching as the American heavy tank towed what appeared to be a French B1 behind it.
Now, Nina wasn't stupid, she considered herself quite smart, if a bit clumsy. She was commander of Katyusha's Volunteer Army for a good reason! Spying the tank, she knew, thanks to her studies and Klaras incredibly demanding training regime, that the tank needed a 5 person crew to operate. Spotting the exited looking head of Oorais public morals comittee, she began to formulate a plan
"Alright, good job Mike, go ahead and unhook her! Lemme go find the automotive club, once she's unhooked get a bucket and some cleaning supplies, this tank needs a good once over"
Michael waved his Commander off, unhooking the towing cables as Sodoko asked question after question about her new tank. Miho joined the American in searching the garages, and fortunately they didn't have far to go. Joshua stopped at the team office, pulling out a large manila envelope, before making his way to the sound of air compressors and power tools. Coming upon one of the automotive club girls, Joshua gave a whistle and got her attention
"Satoko! What's going on?"
The girl turned, smiling and gripping the man's hand with her own grease covered one
"Joshua! Nice to see you. I'm assuming that big hulk of metal is our latest project"
"Sure is, don't worry, we'll get it cleaned out for you so it doesn't stink up the place. I'm assuming you want the uh... usual, payment?"
Satoko chuckled, "Appreciated. B1 Bis right? Man, that things transmission is crazy! I've been reading up on it, it had to be precise enough to aim the gun by itself in the hull! And in regards to the payment, of course. But, uh..."
At her hesitation, Miho rolled her eyes and huffed, but nodded; Deal making and bartering were still a part of Sensha-Dō, and the Automotive club wasn't motivated by money.
"I-I don't mind... Just, keep it in your guys garage, okay? I don't need a repeat of the incident last week..."
Joshua handed the envelope over, and Nakajima opened it, whistling as she did so.
"You guys really outdid yourselves this time... Is that a freaking Miata on May?" she asked, stifling laughter
"Sure is. Hector likes that car, though I'm not sure why... Guys too big to really drive it with the top up"
Her eyes leering over the image, Satoko responded, "Yeah, yeah... but I don't think having a top is an issue here, for him or that Miata... And what's this?? Joshua, I didn't know you liked the Celica!"
Blushing, Joshua rubbed the back of his neck as Miho looked away
"Yeah well, there it is..."
Purring, Satoko put the envelope down, calling for Hoshino to put the calender up by the other posters the club had taken as payment.
Joshua pressed on, "What's the timeline look like you think?"
"Hmm... Depends on the condition. It looks good, Actually, hopefully it hasn't rusted to badly. We already got the parts ordered in from Yuzu- I read that article you were in, by the way. I know Anzu is trying to get money, and it's working, but I gotta admit it seems odd seeing someone I know go and advocate for boys to own property and vote and stuff. Just seems like more a girls thing, ya know?"
Joshua's eye twitched; Politics always bored him, and after doing several interviews for the Japanese Masculanism movement, he had just about McFucking had it with politics in general. The only thing keeping him going was the fact that it brought in plenty of cash flow for the team.
"Yeah, well... Politics. Anyway, don't stress too much over it. Yuzu and Momo said they wanted to talk to you also, might have found another tank altogether. Just keep an ear open, yeah?"
The mechanic nodded, and Joshua and Miho turned back twords the tank, ready to get to cleaning when a small girl approached him and Miho. This wasn't unusual, as the tank garages were left open to help with ventilation, though they'd probably be closed up more often with the addition of the Char B1 to try and keep their newest toy a surprise.
"U-uhm.. Excuse me? Miss Nishizumi?"
Miho turned, "Yes? May we help you?"
"Yes! My name is Nina. I'm a recent transfer student, and... I'd like to join the Sensha-Dō team!"
Damn Russians, always up to no good.
I've decided to introduce Klara a little early, with the reasoning that she's a part of Natalia's crew, the Russian girl we introduced all the way back in Chapter 1 who transfered to Pravda.
Also a little more tongue-in-cheek Garupan politics here. I'm not taking a side on that issue, i just think its funny to imagine that since Tanks are seen as a woman's only sport in Japan, other things might be seen tyat way as well. And, as is tradition in the world of Garupan, weve cranked it up to 11 for cheap laughs. It won't have any bearing on the story, but technically Joshua and his male companions arent allowed to own property or vote in Japan. To paraphrase Saori; Silly boys!
Likewise I've made the automotive club crude and lewd, as the stereotypical mechanic is, with a twist on the signature pin up calanders hanging in the garage, with hot girls posing on car models. Now, its hot boys!
