A/N:

Sorry for missing a week. On some days, I just didn't have the energy to write much. This chapter is longer than usual for a non-match chapter so I hope that makes up for it.

I also want to say that I've been reworking my earlier chapters. Fixing grammar and reformatting them to make them more in line with my later chapters. If you were looking for an excuse to re-read the whole story, you now got it. The changes have already been published, up to Chapter 14. More chapters will be updated as the days go by.

Enjoy!


Wednesday, September 4th 2013

Catalina's School Carrier

Atlantic Ocean

The Mojave Rose tankery team was going well. Two matches into the internationals and two victories to their name. If the team made it all the way to the end, it would mean they would've fought a total of nine matches, one per month, all culminating in the world finals that will take place next March. The road to the finals will be the polar opposite of easy. It will not be straightforward, rather, it will be filled with twist and turns and covered with obstacles and hazards, known and unknown. No one on the team was deluded thinking that it was going to be straightforward anyway. And, who's to say that Mojave Rose will even make it all the way to the end to the finals? For all they know, the road that they are on right now could terminate in a dead end with hostile guns poised to send them back to California.

Getting more tanks will definitely improve their odds. But that's the problem. The rate that the team was acquiring new vehicles was slow and sporadic. As a result, the team since day one have suffered being at the number's disadvantage. They have managed to overcome this, though with tanks like an IS-3 and Super Pershing most certainly makes up for the lack of vehicles. Still, more tanks would be welcome. This was on Valarie's mind. Has been since the team got organized. Other schools didn't have this problem. For some schools, what they agonize over is choosing what tanks to field out of their large roster. Mojave Rose's tank problem did not stem from the fact that they lacked the funds to purchase thanks. Madison was more than wiling to pay for any and all tanks the team wants, and has done so for the AMR and Type 97.

It was finding them that was the issue.

With the internationals in full swing, tanks were becoming a scarce commodity as numerous tankery teams were snatching them up at every conceivable opportunity. Even teams not participating in the world competition were acquiring tanks as if they were going to be extinct to bolster their teams for the smaller and more local competitions in their home country. Some schools were even already preparing their teams for the next world tournament.

At her desk in her apartment, Valarie was on her computer searching for a new tank for the team but an hour of searching has yielded nothing. They were a handful of WW1 tanks and others from the Interwar years but they were so woefully outdated compared to the Panthers, Pershings, and Tigers that were common to encounter at this level of competition. She rubbed her eyes as they were strained by the bright glow of her computer screen, then sighed.

"You're up early."

Turning around, Valarie found Emma who had just awoken less than a minute ago.

"It's a little past 5:30 in the morning." she informed.

"I know," Valarie replied. "A lot of things are on my mind. Made me wake early."

"A lot of things, huh? Like what."

"Main concern is where out next tank will be coming from. The sooner we get another the better."

"I getcha. Any luck?"

Valarie brought her hands to her face.

"No." she admitted, her voice muffled behind her hands.

Emma hugged Valarie from behind and laid a kiss on the top of her head.

"We'll get another tank soon enough. Hey, it's probably closer than you think. Now, you've been working a lot and I've been meaning-"

"Hold on, what did you just say?" Valarie asked, interrupting her. She stood straight up in her chair.

"That...you're working a lot?"

"No, no. Before that."

"Um. That the team's next tank is closer than you think?"

"Yes...yes!" Valarie exclaimed. She got up and quickly started to get dressed for school. "What if a tank is on this ship?"

"Valarie, when I said that I didn't mean physically closer."

"But what if?"

"Well..." Emma said. She hesitated for a few moments. "I guess it can be possible. Kinda doubt it though. We'll need to talk with someone who knows this ship well."

"I know just the girl."

"Yeah, I think we both know her."

The young couple dressed, ate breakfast together, and once the time drew near, departed for school. In their morning classes, Valarie had this total fixation on the possibility that could be on the ship. Somewhere. Maybe. Emma listened as Valarie energetically spouted all her theories on where a tank could potentially be. Her belief was that should there be a tank, it'll most likely be deep within the ship. Once the lunch period rolled around, Valarie and Emma went straight toward Catalina's student council room. The pair stood before the door, with Valarie peering into the door's little window to look within.

"They're not having like a meeting, right?" Emma questioned. "Don't wanna intrude if so."

"They don't have meeting during lunch. Madison told me there's a whole class period dedicated to the business of the student council. She also told me that she always spends her lunches in here." Valarie explained.

"Gotcha. So, she in there?"

Valarie took another look.

"Mmm, can't see. She's in there, I'm sure. Just in a spot I can't see. Let's go in."

They entered the student council room and looked around. It was empty save for two people. One was Madison, of course. It was the other person that was surprising. Harper. These two girls were sharing a lunch, with one feeding the other fries to the other. The sound of the door opening got their attention. All four girls stared at each other for a few moments. All blushing.

"Heeey..." Madison said slowly. "You, uh, you didn't say you were coming."

"I texted you." Valarie said, her gaze turned toward the floor.

Madison checked her phone and did indeed find a message from Valarie.

"Ah. So you did," she remarked. "Well, I was preoccupied."

"Got it...sooo, we'll just be leaving then and catch you another time."

"No, it fine. Come sit. What brings you here?"

"We're here to ask you a question," Valarie said, sat across Madison. "About the ship."

"I know a fair bit about this big thing. What is it you want to know?"

"Could there be a tank somewhere on this ship?"

Madison blinked at her.

"A...tank?"

"Yeah! What do you think? Is there a chance?"

"A chance?" Madison repeated in near disbelief. "This school has never operated a tankery team in all of its existence. I sincerely doubt that a tank would just be lying around here."

Valarie thought for a few moments, tapping her fingers rhythmically on the table.

"How old is this ship?" she then asked.

"Thirteen years old. First launched in 2000."

"Thirteen years is a long time. A lot can happen in little over a decade."

"True."

"So, here's what I'm thinking. You take me and my crew to explore the interior of this ship."

"...To look for a tank that most definitely not exist?"

"Hey, who knows what we'll find down there. And if we don't, I'm sure there is stuff down there you want to show us anyway."

"Can we even go down there?" Emma interjected.

"We can to an extent," Madison answered. "There are of course some forbidden areas, but, we can explore a good part of the interior. And they are some things I do indeed want to show off."

"Great!" exclaimed Valarie. "After our meeting today, we'll go."

"Oooh, today?" Madison said with a wince. "Today is not a good day for me."

"Why not?"

"I got, uh, you know, plans," Madison explained awkwardly. She used her eyes to gestured toward Harper who has been sitting patiently as the team had their conversation. "Special plans."

It took a few good seconds for Valarie to understand. She grinned.

"Ah, I see. We can go tomorrow then. Will that work?"

Madison nodded.

"Yup. We'll go exploring tomorrow."

"Good. So, uh, we'll just leave you two alone now."

Valarie and Emma left the room. Outside, the pair talked as they headed to the familiar palm tree.

"Do you honestly think we'll find a tank on this ship?" Emma questioned

"It's worth a look," Valarie told her. "The IS-3 was found by Ray and his friends in some old garage. Tanks can literally be anywhere."

Emma chuckled.

"From junkyards to abandoned mines."

Later

Throughout the day, Madison has something to look forward too. For after the Mojave Rose team's meeting, she and Harper were going to hit the town together and do whatever seems fun. Was it a date? Ask both girls and they'd say no. Obviously, it was just a girl's night out that only consisted of two girls who will be by each other's side and hold hands in a clearly platonic manner. Yet, this totally-not-a-date was later and Madison was feeling impatient. Though she saw Harper earlier in the day and will see her later, she wanted to see her now. So, she went to the garage, nearly skipping the whole way there as her mood was as sweet as a fine apple pie. At the garage she waltzed in, the team paying no mind to her as she has become quite the frequent visitor. She went right toward the Jumbo, whose crew was in the process of performing routine maintenance. Her arrival was first noted by Haley, the girl grinning upon seeing her.

"She's in the turret." Haley told her, pointing at the tank.

"Oh? How do you know who I'm here for?" Madison asked in an attempt to feign ignorance.

"Well, Harper has been approaching me for relationship advice and your name sure does come up a lot. Ah, I'm sure its nothing though." Haley said with a wink.

Madison looked away to hide a blush.

"Well, that's news to me," she remarked. "I'll, ah, I'll be seeing her now."

"Of course. We'll give you two the privacy you need."

Madison shook her head as she carefully climbed on the Jumbo. The loader's hatch was open. Peering in, she saw Harper tending to the shells to ensure that they were secure in their stowage racks. Madison got in the turret, her movements notifying Harper of her presence. The two gave each other the warmest of smiles and got right to speaking with their hands.

"Hi. How are you doing?" Madison asked.

"Good," Harper replied. "Kinda slow. Not much happening today."

"Looking forward to later this evening?"

Harper enthusiastically nodded.

"Yes! Though it looks like you're the one whose more excited."

"Guilty," Madison signed. She then took a look around the turret of the Sherman Jumbo that sparked her curiosity. "How does this all work?"

Seizing on this learning opportunity, Harper proceeded to explain to Madison all of the positions of the tank. First was her own. Harper showed her one of the ammo stowage racks and pulled out an AP round. She held it close to her chest as if it was a cherished stuffed animal. The look on her face a proud one. She passed the shell to Madison. In her hands, she felt the brass of the approximately twenty-five pound round. It was hefty but not terribly so. Harper then tapped her hands against the cannon breech.

"Load." she told her.

Madison hesitated for a moment, looking at Harper and back at the shell. She readied herself and slid the round into the breech, the sound of scrapping metal filling the turret. Once the round was far enough it, the breech snapped shut behind it, the noise startling Madison.

"Ready to fire!" Harper reported

"We aren't actually going to fire, are we?"

Harper playfully shook her head.

"Of course not."

Harper operated the breech controls to get it open. the round was retrieved and returned to its place in the ammo rack. Madison was then gestured to the commander's position where she toyed with the vision devices. She pressed her face against one and was surprised how limited her field of view was. No wonder Valarie vastly preferred being out of the hatch.

Next was the gunner's seat. The gun sight was what Madison gravitated toward. She looked through it and saw the markings that helped the gunner make an accurate shot. Her hands were on the elevation and traverse controls that moved the gun. As the engine was off, the tank had no electrical power so she had to hand crank the turret. She moved it left, then right and felt powerful. Her fingers explored these cranks and noticed that they were bare. No trigger to fire the gun. She faced Harper.

"How do you shoot this thing?" she asked.

Harper pointed to the turret floor where two pedals lay beside the gun. Madison leaned in closer to examine these devices and looked confused.

"These things?" she asked. "The pedals shoot?"

Harper smiled and nodded.

"Yeah. Right pedal for the main gun. Left pedal for the coaxial."

Madison looked back at the pedals and placed her foot on the right on. She pressed on it and heard a loud click of the striker that would have fired a shell if the breech was ready with one.

"Put pedal to the metal to fire some hot metal." Madison joked.

All the positions in the turret were gone over, now all that remained was the two positions in the hull. The two girls got out of the tank and Harper led Madison to the driver's seat. Its hatch was opened and Madison got in. Before her were all manner of things that the driver had to tend to. First, her eyes laid upon the steering levers. She gripped them and moved them a little, and played with the brake and accelerator as well. She found it so much fun that she couldn't help but let out a laugh as she pretended to drive as if she was a toddler again. In her mind, Madison reasoned that with some practice she could become quite the Sherman driver.

On her left was the control panel that contained gauges and a switch that turned on the tank. One of the gauges was a speedometer that went all the way up to an extremely optimistic eighty miles per hour, another reported the engine RPM, oil temperature, a clock, and much more. If there was anything wrong with the tank, then the driver can just take a peek at the control panel to diagnose the problem. With that, there was one more position to go over. One that had no one assigned to it as in the sport of tankery, such a position is not as important to fulfill. The bow machine gunner. Out of all the positions, it was this one that looked the most clean as rarely has any of the Jumbo crew ever been in it other than performing maintenance on the transmission as this seat allowed the best access. Nonetheless, there was still a bow machine gun in its mount and maintained. The .30 caliber machine gun was ready to fire, its safety on, and extra ammunition stored securely nearby. Here, Madison inspected the machine gun and moved it around in its mount.

"What is the point of machine guns in tankery?" Madison asked. "They're more suited to dealing with infantry, but now we're talking about war. Not a sport."

Harper pondered for several moments.

"Mostly to look cool. Though, Ray, the co-captain, has made us practice with them a few times as like a harassment measure."

"I can definitely see them as annoying to be on the receiving end."

"That's the inside. Wanna know the outside now?"

"Oh yes, please."

Harper continued to give Madison a tour of the Jumbo, the two girls greatly enjoying themselves. Elsewhere in the garage, at where the T-44 was parked, Emma, Heather, and Ashley were together and in the middle of a conversation. Valarie was nearby, but her attention was on her playbook making edits.

"She needs a break," Emma declared. "She needs time where she can just unwind and relax."

Ashley and Heather nodded in agreeance.

"Totally," Ashley said. "Just sleeping in would do her good."

"How do we go about convince her?" Heather added. "It'll take some effort to make her even consider a break."

"A week off will be good," Emma pondered. "Ray can take over no problem and Mrs. Redwood will for sure let her have a break."

"Yeah, Gabrielle can be really cool." Ashley added.

The other two looked at her funny.

"Are you on, uh, on first name basis with our instructor?" Emma asked.

"I like to think so. I've done a lot for her and her husband. Like, you know, committing a crime when I infiltrated the ATA offices at the convention and got some incriminating memos to blackmail them."

"You had help." Heather reminded.

Ashley hugged them both.

"And I can't ask for better accomplices! If I wanna rob a bank, you two will be the first people I call."

"Oh, you're such a comedian." Emma remarked.

"So...about Valarie." Heather said.

"Right. We'll all go up to her. Follow me lead."

The three girls walked to where Valarie was and formed a semi-circle around her. Valarie stopped working on her playbook and look at her crew with some suspicion.

"Hey," she said a bit awkwardly. "What's all this?"

"Think of this like an intervention. Kinda." Ashley said.

"We all appreciate what you do, Valarie," Emma told her. "The whole team does. You are the absolute best person for the job of tank commander and team captain. Your dedication and passion is what we love. And what we're about to ask you is born from our love for you. Please, take a break."

"A break?" Valarie echoed. "No, no. I'm fine. This is what I love to do."

"People who love their jobs take breaks every now and then, you know," Heather added. "My parents love their hospital jobs, but after long shifts of them working a full week, you bet they'll welcome a break."

"All we're asking is you take a week off." Emma said.

"A...week!?" Valarie exclaimed. "So much happens in a week! We don't even know where our next match is and that info could drop at any time and I want to be ready for it!"

Emma walked up to Valarie and placed her hand on her left arm. She rubbed gently on the spot where was injured.

"This is a wake-up call, Valarie," Emma said softly. "Please, for me, take a break."

Their hands found each other and were held tightly. Valarie took a deep breath.

"Alright. I will. I'll a day off, not a week. I'll not come in for tomorrow's meeting."

"Oh come on, Valarie," Ashley remarked. "You're just gonna take a meeting off? That's not enough. Take this Saturday's practice off instead."

"Woah, practice? No, I have to be here for our practices. I got to oversee it all."

"Ray can do that and he has done so before." Heather recalled.

"I dunno," Valarie said as she look away. "Having our tank with one less crew member will just make practice harder for you."

"Hmm," Ashley hummed as she glanced around the garage. Her eyes laid upon the Jumbo with Madison and Harper still talking. "Hold that thought."

Ashley left and went off to the Jumbo. She returned quickly with Madison in tow, who looked a bit confused. Ashley then took of Valarie's helmet and placed it on Madison. The T-44 crew looked at what she has just done.

"Oh my god," Heather remarked. "That can work. It really can."

"With the uniform she'll be virtually indistinguishable." Emma added.

"Yup!" Ashley said with some joy. "Madison, because she is Valarie's half-sister, can go in her place as the two look that much alike. Same height. Same face. Same voice, et cetera. The crew performance of the T-44 will remain unchanged."

"You guys are being serious?" Valarie said in near disbelief. "Just pretend Madison is me?"

"With her acting as you, practice can go as normal while you can just stay at home and relax."

"I...I don't know." Valarie said with hesitation.

"Valarie," Madison then said as she finished adjusting the helmet. "I've been in a lot of plays. I can act and I am more than willing to help you out."

With all eyes on her, Valarie entered into a deep thought. Doing so, the temptation of having practice off tasted sweeter and sweeter to a point that it soon became irresistible. They were right. Absolutely right. She finally nodded.

"Okay," Valarie said. "I'll take practice off and Madison can go as my doppelganger, I guess. I'm genuinely curious such a thing can be pulled off."

"Oh I just gotta act like a tank addict and your team wont suspect a thing."

Valarie grinned at her.

"You'll have to do a lot more than that. Before practice, I'll give you what you need to act like me."

"Oh man," Ashley said all giddy. "Saturday is gonna be fun."

The meeting that day came to a close and the team were dismissed. Among all the people heading backing to the apartment complex was one group in a celebratory mood. Ray, his friends, and Natalie were all together to celebrate his birthday as today, he was now eighteen. Before they all went to his apartment, Ray went to fetch his little archeology experiment. The pot of garum that he had left fermenting for a month. With fish sauce in hand, they all met in his apartment. Ray set down the pot on a table before them all and smiled.

"An archeology experiment you can eat is my kind of experiment," he remarked. "Fish. Herbs. And a whole lot of salt."

Ray opened pot, producing a distinctive popping sound and filled the air with a strong odor that rushed out. Everyone took a step back as they got used to the smell of fermented fish.

"Wow...that's powerful." Cesar remarked.

Ryan went up and look into the pot. He cocked his head to the side.

"Fish chunks in some brown liquid. I don't know what else I expected...and man that smell!"

"It sure is something, huh?" Ray said. "There is one last step before it is ready though."

From a kitchen drawer Ray retrieved a strainer and poured the garum through it. The larger chunks of fish was caught by the strainer, with the remaining liquid poured and collected in a wooden bowl. It was brown in color and thick. They all looked at the sauce with various levels of trepidation.

"So. We just eat it now?" Jeremy asked.

"Not yet. It's a sauce and sauce goes with things. This morning, before school, I prepared bread in a similar way the Romans did along with getting some last minute ingredients. The bread will bake as we get dinner ready. Let's get right to it."

Ray and his group of chefs proceeded to work in the kitchen. The first meal involved eggs. Ten eggs were fetched from the fridge and placed in a pot of cold water on the stove, where it was then brought to a boil. As these eggs boiled, pine nuts, which were soaking in water overnight, were dried and pounded to fine powder in a mortar. Pepper, honey, and a bit of the garum were mixed with it producing a fine sauce that had a genuine nice smell to it. After a few minutes, the eggs were removed from the water and had their shells carefully removed. These soft-boiled eggs were plated and had the pine-but sauce draped over them.

The next dish kept with the seafood theme first started by the garum; seasoned mussels. Another pot of water of put on the stove, brought to a boil, and a few dozen mussels were dumped in to cook. As they cooked, the seasoning was added to the water which consisted of more of the garum, one chopped leek, a handful of cumin, and a half a cup of some cooking wine. Just a few short minutes was all that was needed to cook the mussels just right where they were then placed in a large bowl next to the soft-boiled eggs.

"Now this," Natalie said with a proud smile. "Now this a meal fit for an emperor."

"I can almost not smell the fermented fish anymore," Cesar commented. He rubbed his hands together. "I want those mussels first."

"Hold on now," Ray said to them. "Got one more thing to prepare. It'll be quick."

Fresh cheese from the fridge, herbs, salt, oil, and some vinegar were all brought together in a mortar and mashed forming a cheese spread, it was white with a hint of green in appearance and smelled divine. The moment Ray placed the spread on the table, the oven dinged, the bread was ready. It too was brought out and finally all of their work was done. Ray look at the meal that they all prepared and was filled with an immense amount of pride and excitement.

"Thank you guys for helping me create this Roman-style dinner. I know it's a bit weird, but I appreciate it so much."

"How is this weird?" Ryan questioned. "How can food that looks this good be considered weird?"

Ray blushed a little.

"Well, we all did a good job here."

"So, can we enjoy the fruits of labor now, birthday boy?" Natalie said in a tease.

"Of course! Worst thing we can do is let this all get cold. First, the garum."

"Umm. How about those eggs? Or mussels? That cheese spread looks pretty good too."

"What, you scared, Nat?" Ray said, his eyes matching hers.

Natalie took it as a dare.

"No. No I'm not," she said as she sliced a piece of bread and dipped it into the garum. "I'm not scared at all. I love fish sauce if you didn't know."

She placed the bit of bread soaked with the fermented fish sauce into her mouth and took one bite and her eyes widened. The overwhelming strong flavor of the sauce completely surprised her. It took a lot of strength to hold it down.

"...That...was great. Loved it." Natalie said then promptly downed a glass of water.

Ray tasted the garum and winced a little.

"Definitely an acquired taste. Way better as a sauce, mixed in with all other flavors."

The group settled down and had their meal together. As they ate, they chatted and laughed the evening away. In time, all the food on the table was gone and thoroughly enjoyed. It was well into the evening at this point and the group just sat contently at the table.

"I can't ask for a more better birthday dinner surrounded by better people." Ray said with a pleased sigh.

"Well, how about dessert?" Natalie suggested playfully.

"Oh I wish, but making a dessert in addition to everything else would've taken much longer."

"Who said anything about preparing anything?" Natalie said as she nodded toward Ryan. He got up and left the apartment and came quickly back with a box. It was laid on the table and opened. Within was a tres leches cake. A sponge cake delightfully soaked in three kinds of milk. Sliced strawberries lined the rim. Upon seeing the sweet treat, Ray showed a grand smile.

"Not some Roman-style cake," Ryan said. "But hey, as long as it tastes good, eh?"

Ray was silent for a moment as he looked over the cake.

"My mom would make tres leches whenever it was my birthday," he then looked toward Natalie. "Did you know?"

"All the little things you say, I remember," Natalie said warmly. She went over to him and kissed him on the cheek. "Happy Birthday, Ray."

"Um, don't expect a kiss from any of us," Jeremy said. "But, ah, happy birthday man!"

"Thank you all," Ray said. He reached for a plate. "Now, this cake is better enjoyed when shared."

Thursday

Throughout the day, Valarie had exhibited an undeniable eagerness. If she had the power to speed up time, she would use it without a doubt to skip to later today. Alas, she was without this godlike ability much to her disappointment. So, she had to power through the day, eliciting familiar feelings of days long gone past. During school, she had met up with Madison to confirm their exploration of the ship and to elaborates upon the more finer details. Again, Madison told Valarie that the chances of finding any sort of armored fighting vehicle was less than zero, but Valarie held on to a modicum of hope that there very well could be one lying derelict on the ship, just waiting for its rediscovery and a road to a new life. After what felt like eons, the school day and the meeting was over. Valarie and her crew quickly went to their apartments, changed, and met with Madison back outside.

"So, we're going tank hunting I take it?" Ashley asked.

"No, no, no," Madison said. "We're going to just explore more of the ship. Take a look at the interior."

"Buuut we could." Valarie then remarked.

"Oh yeah, we could," Madison said with a sigh. "I bet it's right next to the Holy Grail."

"Wouldn't that be something," Heather commented. "Now, ah, how do we get into the ship?"

Madison twirled around to face down the street.

"Follow me I'll lead you all to an entry point."

The T-44 crew followed her down the street, passing a few blocks when they arrived at a building that seemed off. Its outside looked like a store but the windows were tinted so extremely that they couldn't see through it. Madison opened the door to this 'store' and they were presented with an elevator that was situated on the wall opposite of them. Two stair wells were to their left and right, each for upward and downward traffic. In the middle of the room was a man behind a desk. Madison went up to him.

"Hello. They're new," she said, gesturing to the T-44 crew. "I want to show them the inside of this big ship."

"You the know drill," the man said. "Stay out of restriced areas."

"Of course."

The man handed her five passes and the group continued. They all piled into the elevator.

"We need like some kind of permission to be down here?" Emma questioned.

"Yes. The school wants to control the amount of people who want to take a look inside the ship. It isn't spacious down there as it is topside. Fire and crowded spaces do not mix at all. Some school ships learned that lesson the hard way."

"...Oh."

"Alright, so what's with the building then?" Ashley asked.

"All the entry points in this ship are located within false buildings as to not detract from the asthetics of the town. Inspired by how LA hides their oil rigs."

The elevator travelled a number of floors down almost to the bottom. When the doors opened the girls were in a metal hallway with pipes on the ceiling and walls. Yellow lights illuminated the area. Madion faced toward on direction.

"Let's head this way. Some interesting stuff over there."

They followed her down the hallway, their footsteps on the metal floor echoing throughoutf. There was this ambiance of heavy machinery at work seemingly coming from all directions. At the end of this hallway was a heavy door that required some effort to open. They were now on a catwalk in a wide open area. Below were crates, boxes, and all manners or storage devices piled high and expand to as far as the eye can see.

"Supplies," Madison explained. "To keep thousands of people satisfied and to keep the businesses on the ship stocked to serve said people. This is just one of a few mass storage areas."

Valarie leaned over the railing to take a good look at the area blow. She scanned every corner and soon relented.

"Hmm, most likely not down there."

"Oh, there's a tank down there."

Valarie instantly turned toward Madison.

"Where."

Madison pointed to a crate at random.

"I bet that one has ton. You know, those plastic model kits?"

Valarie shot her a glare.

"Funny."

The girls moved on and entered another hallway. Here, they passed by people that operated this ship, wearing uniforms that was white in color with epaulets on their shoulders. Emma noticed that the people they passed were all clearly adults and that made her curious.

"Hey Madison, I heard that some ships allowed students to help operate the ship in exchange for free tuition for school. Does Catalina do something like that?"

"Mmm, some do. We don't," Madison answered. "All the people we passed in those uniforms are the ones who operate the ship, they handle the most important aspects of the ship with one notable exception. Those people are part of the Merchant Marines."

"Merchant Marines, hmm?" Valarie remarked. "All ships are operated by them?"

"All United States school ships, mandated by law, are to have their core duties fulfilled by members of the United States Merchant Marines. All American school ships are also part of the U.S Merchant fleet."

"Interesting," Heather noted. "What is that notable exception?"

"Ah, we'll get to that when it's appropriate."

The group walked on as Madison continued to lecture them of all the places they were passing by. A area filled with enormous tanks that held fresh drinking water which was continually replenished by rain water collectors dotted on the surface of the ship and by a desalination plant that took in water from the ocean the vessel sailed upon. Another section of the ship had several acres of farmland that provided the ship with fresh fruits and vegetables. Strong powerful lights shined upon the farm that was superbly fertilized to encourage the best crop yield. They passed by many things that all contributed to making the ship as self-sustatining as it can. Valarie was impressed by all that she saw, but there was a growing disappoint in her. There was no place that they saw where a tank could potentially be. The group walked hallway after hallway where then, Madison stopped abruptly, nearly causing the rest to collide with her. Ahead of them, at the end of a hallway, was a door that was incredibly reinforced. Above the door was a large bright yellow sign that displayed the ever-familiar and intimating trefoil symbol in black. Below the symbol in bold letters made what laid beyond the door clear.

"RADIATION WARNING - ONLY AUTHORIZED PERSONEL BEYOND THIS POINT"

"What the hell is over there?" Valarie asked.

"The nuclear reactors that make this ship move and powers most of the ship. Remaining power supplemented by solar and wind turbines," Madison explained. "Behind that door leads to a path to the reactors. Obviously, we are not heading over to see them."

"This that notable exception?" Heather questioned

"Indeed it is," said Madison. "Nuclear engineers operate those things."

"Is there other places to see?" Valarie wondered.

"Yes, one more big place."

They backtracked and headed down another hallway. On this path, there were the sound of machinary at work. It was a sound the group were already well accostumed too, but these sounds had something different about them. Valarie was captiavted by them as she focused hard to figure out what she was hearing. The general ambiant sound of being inside such a titantic vessel made listening closely a challenge. They walked for several minutes, with Valarie now ahead of the group. The sounds were growing louder and her pace quickened. The amount of focus she was dedicating to these sounds was like she was in a match. She walked even faster.

"Valarie," Madison said. "What's the rush?"

She didn't respond. Valarie turned her head to the side so that her ear was facing the source of the sound. Then, she just stopped. The rest followed suit and attempted to ask why but Valarie rose her hand to silence then. In the relative quiet, she heard it. What she hoped to hear.

The clattering of tracks.

Valarie didn't say anything. She just bolted. Madison immeidatley realized what made Valaire run.

"It's not what you think!" she exclaimed.

But to no avail as she was already too far from them to hear. The rest of the group had no other choice but to run as well to catch up to her. The sounds of these tracks become audible to them as they ran.

"God damn, maybe Valarie is right?" Heather remarked.

"They're not tanks." Madison replied.

When they caught up with Valarie, they found her against a rail looking down. They were on another catwalk. Below them was bulldozers scooping up plastic bottles and other items to dump them on a conveyer belt as wide a road so that they could be properly recycled.

"I thought..." Valarie said but her voice trailed off.

Madison placed a hand on her shoulder.

"I know. I know. But what you heard were those bulldozers. Recycling is a huge thing for this ship. So much so that we recycle pretty much anything. This is the plastics section."

"Hey, bulldozers can be cool." Emma said to cheer Valarie up.

Valarie smiled.

"They can be," she said. She felt dissapointed, sad even. As she looked at the working machines, what Madison just said soaked into her mind. "Say, do you recycle metal?"

"Oh yeah," Madison responded. "It's in a different section. We melt them down for newer purposes."

"Something like a forge? Oh, I want to see that."

"All you need to do is follow."

The section of the ship where metal is recycled was not too far from where they were, only neccessitating a short walk. There, they were in a large open area that was littered with discarded metal of all shapes and sizes. In a similar fashion to the plastics area, a large conveyor belt was in the vicinity along with bulldozers though today they were parked in the far side as metal recycling was not in current operation. On the catwalk, Valarie saw a ladder that went all the way down.

"Are we allowed down there?" she asked.

"Um. Well. I never been down there so I don't exactly know." Madison shared.

"It looks like no one is working right now," Ashley remarked. "It wouldn't bother anyone if we go down, hmm?"

Madison looked hesitant then gave a quick nod.

"Damn. Like I never broke the rules. Alright, lets go and take a quick look."

Each girl descended down the ladder, with Valarie the first one reaching the bottom. The T-44 set out to explore the metal scrap, them doing so brining up feelings of déjà vu.

"Time is a flat circle." Heather remarked.

"No kidding." Emma said.

Valarie looked around.

"I know a few thousand people live on this ship, but this seems like a lot of discarded metal. I mean, there must be hundreds of tons of the stuff in here."

"Our recycling methods are incredibly efficent," Madison said. "So much so that whenever we make port, people sell their refuse to use so we can process them to make useable things. A good chunk of the stuff here came from when we made port in Germany. Just waiting to be melted down."

"Cool. Now that forge..."

"Right. It's down there I believe."

The group walked down a cleared path with large, expansive metal piles flanking their route. Valarie glanced around to look at all the trash almost in an absentminded manner when her eyes caught something that ignited her curiousity. It was an engine and a large one at that. She knelt down to examine it closer as the rest joined her.

"Twelve cylinder and water cooled," Valarie determined. She rubbed a finger into one of the holes and smelled it. "Gasoline powered for sure."

"Old engines are discared here sometimes." Madison said.

"Hmm, this engine does look old but it still has some life in it. I can tell. With some maintance, it can run again."

"For all we know it's some regular car engine."

"Looks pretty big for a car." Heather noted.

"A boat then."

"This isn't from some boat," Valarie said as she continued to scrutinize. "This is actually two engines connected end-to-end."

"Wow really? God whatever this engine belonged to must be woefully underpowered and moved like a slug." Madison remarked.

Valarie looked at the floor around the engine and found something that made her grin.

"You know what class of vehicles tend to be underpowered?" she said as she bent over to pick up what she found. With a bang, she placed a roadwheel on the engine. "A tank."

The rest of the girls look at the roadwheel with amazement.

"I'll be damned," Madison said with a gasp. "Holy Hell, Valarie, you might be right."

Valarie turned to gesture to all the metal scrap.

"Somewhere in here, is a tank and I have a good idea of what it is judging from the roadwheel. It can't be far from its engine. Span out and find it."

They all complied, an exciting energy gripping them all. The girls were careful not to trip on the metal they were walking on as they searched as none were particularly interested in getting tetanus shots. To their fortune they did not have to look long. Amid the piles of metal was the object of Valarie's hope and desires. What the team most desperately needed. A tank.

"Oh thank god!" Valarie exclaimed as she rushed over to it. "Another moment and I would've been praying for a tank!"

"Man this is a big one. Like twenty feet long at least." Heather said.

"It's a Churchill." Valarie informed them all.

"Not in the best shape, it looks like." Emma noted.

"Mmm, missing some roadwheels and it has no tracks. Hull machine gun is gone too," Valarie said. Another look at the tank and she then learned that the turret was facing away from them. She walked around to examine the main gun and when she did, she let out a gasp. "Woah. Um. Okay. Kinda big issue with its gun."

She was joined by the rest and they all saw what she saw. The six-pounder cannon for the Churchill had its barrel split like a banana. Completely destroyed.

"That's unfixable," Heather said. "This thing will need a new gun."

"Round must've exploded right before it left the barrel," Emma reasoned. "Bet the crew got the shock of their lives."

"All you needed to do was replace the gun, why was this whole tank thrown away?" Ashley questioned.

"Ah, I know why," Madison declared. "Clearly this tank used to belong to some tankery team from a rich school and when the gun was destroyed, they just threw the tank away because they can just buy a new one."

"What makes you say that?"

"Maybe I used to have an old car. Maybe I ruined its transmission because I was just learning to drive a manual. Maybe I just bought a new one with an automatic."

"Interesting hypothetical."

"MmmHmm. Yeah totally."

The sound of Valarie climbing on top of the Churchill got their attention. She opened the commander's hatch and peaked inside.

"This is workable," she said. "Fit the engine, install new roadwheels and tracks, and a new gun will make this tank fit for combat again. Though there something I don't like about the Churchill. Its recessed gun mantlet. If the sun is in front of the tank, it will cast a shadow on the mantlet essentially painting a target. Anything that hits it will flat out knock out the tank and if not, will surely jam the gun."

"Well, whoever will be crewing this tank will just have to deal with it." Heather said.

Valarie looked at the turret for a few moments longer, then snapped her fingers.

"No...no they won't. When the Jumbo got its new gun, its old 75mm wasn't thrown away, right?"

"Nope," Emma said. "I saw it in our meeting today against the wall."

"Ah, perfect! We'll mount that gun to the Churchill!"

"We can do that? Just mount whatever guns we like on whatever tank? What's stopping us from mounting like a 105mm on the Super Pershing?"

"Because there isn't any historical basis. But for the Churchill there is! In the North African campaign, the engineering arm of the British Army was tasked with scrapping Sherman tanks that were knocked out of combat. One guy noticed that the 75mm guns were still usable. So, he proposed the idea of mounting that gun on Mark IV Churchills. It solved two issues about that gun; it how had a platform to fire more capable HE shells and the recessed mantlet was no more. They were designated Churchill NA 75, the NA being North Africa."

They all took a moment to look at their find.

"They'll let us take it, right?" Emma asked.

"Oh, I'll make sure they will." Madison assured.

"Another heavy tank for our roster," Heather said. "I'm sure it'll serve us well."

"For sure," remarked Valarie. She hopped off the tank and away from all the metal. "This day has ended perfectly. I feel so...calm."

The girls made their way out of the metal recycling area and returned topside. A new tank has been secured for the team, one that will both require repair and modification to get it fully functioning. September had only just begun and already was it starting strong. Locating a new tank put Valarie at ease, though even before she made it back to her apartment, already was she thinking about where the next tank could come from. She took a large breath. This was precisely the reason why Emma and the rest of her crew pleaded with her to take a break. Though she will only take practice off this coming Saturday, even just a day off could do wonders. A day of no tanks for a girl whose obsessed over them.

A day that will, of course, go according to plan.