Three months earlier
The sun was shining bright in the last days of May. The carrier ship of the Oarai Girls Academy sailed the blue waves of the Pacific Ocean. The sea was dead beautiful; there were no clouds on the horizon and the water reflected back the sunbeams as a diamond.
The schools Sensha-Do team was on the training field after a sweaty practice. They were cheerful. Well, everyone on the ship was cheerful, from the students and teachers to the barbers, bakers and sailors. The summer break was coming up, the weather was nice and warm, but the most important thing was that they were still the inhabitants of the Oarai's school ship. Last year, with the help of their friends from the other schools, they defeated the team of the All Stars University, and so they saved their Academy from closure. Though they were excited about the closing 65th National Sensha-Do Tournament, here they were in aware of their security and it felt very good. The tanks were lined up in a row, one after another, Anglerfish, Turtle, Duck, Hippo, Rabbit, Mallard, Anteater, Leopon and Shark.
"Thank you everyone for your hard work today!" said Nishizumi Miho, the team's commander. All of her teammates loved and adored her, for she was always kind and friendly with anybody she met with, and her commanding skills was among the best in Japan. "I say that we can look forward confidently to the upcoming matches!"
"We are always up to date taichō!" the girls yelled in choir.
"You can go to the deserved rest in a minute, but first, Kadotani-san would like to say something. Your word kaichō!" Kadotani Anzu, the Student Council' president stepped forward.
"Arigato Nishizumi-chan! Hi, everyone! You probably know that next week the yearly federal conference will take place." The Japan Sensha-Do Federation (JSF) held a meeting every June, where they discussed about possible changes in the rules, about the budget, etc. This year the event had another, big meaning too. The mandate of Kodama Shichiro, the director of the JSF was about to expire. They also had to vote about the director candidates. "During it's time me, Yuzu-chan, Momo-chan and Nishizumi-chan will be away. If you have any problem or stuff, turn to the teachers, or the school director! That was all! Now cheer up girls!"
"HAI!" All the teams walked away. Miho heard what they were talking about. Kawashima grumbled: "Don't call me Momo-chan President!" Murakami from Shark team complained about being on solid earth, but Ogin the "captain" reminded her that Captain Kidd had also step on land to hide his treasures. Hippo's conversation was about the ancient battle of Cynoscephalae. All the girls went on their own ways. Miho and her crewmates from Anglerfish team were walking along a park.
"So Miporin wouldn't be here when summer break starts?" Saori asked half-heartedly.
"It would not take so long Saori-san." Miho replied. "Besides, if I'm not here you will have more time for running after boys."
"Whaa… What? I don't know what you're talking about."
"Is it your first time to go on a conference like this Miho-san?" Hana, the gunner asked.
"Actually, yes." Miho replied thoughtfully. "I wonder if I can be useful without exercise."
"No doubt!" Yukari yelled. "Nishizumi-dono is always masterful, no matter what!"
"Yukari-san is right Miho-san." Hana said. "Don't think too much about it!"
"Thank you girls." said Miho.
"What is the point to go on conferences during summer, when people could sleep?" Mako, the driver asked sleepy.
"Don't say that Mako-san!" rebuked her Saori. "You cannot sleep through whole days!"
"Yes, you can…"
They continued talking, went to a restaurant, and at the evening the five girls went on their own way. When Miho got home, she put her bag down, and fell on her bed tiredly. She was lying on her back for minutes, thinking of the Federation's meeting she will going to. She has participated in nothing like that before; she has never negotiated about Sensha-Do rules; and she never elected directors. By the way, directors! Who are the candidates? Guided by an idea, Miho rose from the bed, switched on her computer and started to search informations. She found the conference on the Federation's website.
"Dear Chairpersons, Committee members, Judges, Team Commanders and Student Council members!
As you know, the yearly Federal Conference of the Japan Sensha-Do Federation will start on 3rd June, in Tokyo. The event will last for four days. During it's time You will be placed in the nearby Sakura Hotel. Your accommodation and meal will all be paid by the Federation. We propose You to arrive in the hotel a day before…"
Yes, a few more informations about their stay in Tokyo, but where is the rest? Ah, here, at the end of the page!
"We remind you that Kodama Shichiro-san will soon leave his position as director. Two gentlemens and a lady have signed to take His place. On the last day of the Conference, we will give our votes to them, to decide how many of them will be candidates. The final director election will take place on 31st July. On that day we call You for another meeting to finalize everything.
We are waiting for You heart fully!
Yours Faithfully,
Japan Sensha-Do Federation"
Now, she knew the schedule, but who have signed up to be director candidate? Miho scrolled more down and found three names. The first one was Aizawa Kodama. He was one of the secretary general of the JSF. The second one was Hayakawa Ayano. She was a judge from the Pro League. And the last one is… Oh!
Landsknecht Boys High School, Niigata, same day
The boys schools didn't have carrier ships, they were built on solid earth. The german styled Landsknecht Boys High School stood in the city of Niigata, in western Japan, in the mouth of the Agano River. Since it was early evening, the building was nearly empty, just a few people was there. One of them was a tall, elegant, brown haired boy with dark, hazel eyes. His name was Hasegawa Kiyoshi and he was the Sensha-Do team's commander. His team did well with him. He was firm, but kind, hard but fair and his teammates were the most important to him. Now he was sitting at a writing table in an office and did the paperwork and checked e-mails. He was about to finish it. Kiyoshi was glad about that, because he started to get really tired. Finally, he could put down the pen and lay back in his chair.
"Next week that damn conference will begin." he thought with closed eyes. "I wonder why are they even calling us too?" He was thinking like that, when he heard a knock on the office door. "Enter!" The door opened and a boy with black hair stepped in, holding a paper in his hand.
"What can I do for you Isato-kun?" Kiyoshi asked. Hayashi Isato was Landsknecht's Student Council president.
"Do you have a few minutes for me Hasegawa-kun?" Isato asked with a serious expression on his face.
"Natürlich!" Kiyoshi answered in german. He loved the language and always wanted to train himself. "Take a seat President!" Isato sat down opposite to Kiyoshi and put the paper on the table.
"You'd better take a look on this. I have printed it from the JSF's website." Kiyoshi took the paper in his hand and started to browser it.
"Yes, the conference announcement. What's up with it?"
"You know that we will choose a new federal director, right?" the president asked.
"Yes, I do Isato. Why?"
"Look at the end of the page! There are the names of the prospective candidates. Look, who is among them!"
Kiyoshi looked where he was told and noticed the three names. Aizawa Kodama, Hayakawa Agano and… Tsuji Renta… What? The last one hit Kiyoshi like a shock. Slowly, he raised his head and looked Isato in the eye with a shocked face.
"That's exactly how I looked like when I noticed him." Isato said blankly. "Well? What do you say?"
There were many things in Kiyoshi's mind. No, it must be a sick joke. THAT man wants to be the director of the JSF? He knew that the Federation and the MEXT had a close relationship, but that close? Tsuji was a MEXT official, administrating the schools practicing Sensha-Do. What brought him to this? Kiyoshi didn't know that, but there was something he was sure about. He didn't want to see Tsuji as a federal director. His personality was his biggest argument against him. He couldn't stand that man. A cold, haughty person, who has never cared of anybody else, just himself. The last drop in the glass for Kiyoshi was Tsuji's most scandalous deed in last year. He promised to Oarai Girls Academy that their school will not be closed if they win the National Sensha-Do Tournament. And when they did the impossible, he didn't draw back from his plan, so the girls had to face distress, anxiety, uncertainty and an almost unconquerable opponent again. Normally Kiyoshi didn't care so much about the girls' schools, because they were the ones who repressed Sensha-Do practicing boys' schools including his. But Oarai was somehow different. It could be said that he respected them for how they created a hard-hitting team out of nowhere and won a championship. Most of his respect belonged personally to their commander, Nishizumi Miho. He looked at Oarai with cool appreciation. But even he did, they were still part of the female dominated JSF. And now this.
"That man? HE wants to administrate us?" he asked quietly with contempt in his voice.
"Looks like." Isato replied with the same tone.
"How much chance he has?"
"I don't know yet. But I think I know how both of us feel about this."
"If you mean that I wouldn't accept him as a director or serve to him, you are right President."
"So I was right. It is late now, but tomorrow I'd like to talk with you more about this case."
"Of course. That's insane!"
"Alright. Then, tomorrow, 3 p.m. in the Student Council Room."
"I'll be there Isato. By!" And with that, Isato stood up and left the office. Kiyoshi just sat there motionlessly for five whole minutes, thinking, then got up and walked to the window. He looked out at the well-lit city on the other bank of the Agano. It was beautiful. He was a bit poetic soul and liked views like this. He looked at the clock and decided it was time to go home. Kiyoshi lived in Niigata, so he wasn't in need of dormitory. As he was walking on the evening streets, thoughts bombarded him on, even when he entered their garden gate then the front door of their house. As he took of his shoes a slim person stepped into the ante-room.
"Evening Oka-san!" Kiyoshi bowed to his mother.
"Welcome home son!" Hasegawa Takako greeted her son with a smile. "Is something wrong?" She saw the distraction on his face.
"No… No Mother, I'm just tired. Don't worry; it was simply a tiring day."
"I see." Takako said with a little doubt in her voice.
"Is Father away?"
"Yes, he is on night duty." Kiyoshi's father was a policeman. "Are you hungry son?"
"Yes, a bit."
"Go up and rest a little, I make you something."
"Thanks Mother!" Kiyoshi said as he walked up on the stairs.
"Will omlette be ok?"
"Perfect! Thank you!"
"I'll call you when it is ready!" Takako shouted after him.
"Alright." Kiyoshi shouted back from the sill of his room and then closed the door behind him. He didn't turn on the lights. His room was not very big, but well-furnished and homelike. He put down his bag and sat on the side of the bed. Tsuji Renta… Kiyoshi tried to imagine, what would happen if Tsuji was the director of the Federation. Sensha-Do was founded in the 1950's at the same decade with the Japanese Self-Defense Force; specifically for women to popularize the army among them. It was already the late 80's, when the directorate opened the sport for males. However, they did it with huge restrictions. To start the list, there were no male teams in higher education, just in high schools. Secondly, when it came to the boys' schools, the JSF always spared expense. They have got much much less money for their Sensha-Do teams than girls' high schools and university teams. A boys' school which had ten tanks could have been mentioned as lucky. Landsknecht was among them, they've had a Königstiger, two Tiger I's, two Panthers, two Panzer IV's, a Panzer III, a Stug III and a Jagdpanther. But how much freedom these teams had? To tell the truth, not too much. The Strengthening Committee allocated them a certain amount of money, which was not so big, and before buying a tank or equipment, it first had to be approved by the Approval Committee. Another, and way bigger distinction manifested in the fact that they were not allowed participating in international or even national tournaments and championships; they could only play matches between themselves for a nominal winner title, which had no effect in the Federation's life. In fact, even the tanks themselves were not truly their own. Most of the ownership belonged to the girls' school, which was representing the same nation as the boys' school. In the case of Landsknecht, it was Kuromorimine. Anzio may seemed to be poor, but their counterpart, Stromboli Boys High School and it's Sensha-Do team was at an even lower level, just between being and not being. A part of their budget went to Anzio.
Kiyoshi often thought of these things, and he didn't know why they were so discriminated. The boys loved to do this sport. They enjoyed it and thanks to it a true friendship was born between Kiyoshi and the other commanders, vice-commanders, and other crews. Did the Federation want to save the armored vehicles of the Self Defense Force for women? But most Kiyoshi and most of his comrades didn't want a career as a soldier. Maybe that was it? The most likely explanation for him was the personalities of the JSF's leaders from the very first ones. They were not really the most modern and enlightened people in the world and maybe they looked at boys as disgraces of the sport and they've just wanted to sap them.
And now, a shameless man, Tsuji, who nearly destroyed a school and broke his promise without the littlest regret, wanted to govern the Federation along with them. If he was only interested in money, and their team's fate goes into his hands, Kiyoshi was right to feel that his school was in danger, and these thought was pretty frightening.
"Kiyoshi! Dinner is ready!" he heard from downstairs.
"I'm going Mother!" Kiyoshi replied and stood up to go to the kitchen. While eating he hid his concerns with talking about his day.
After dinner he went back to his room, took his phone and dialed the number of one of his mentioned friends.
"Hello man!" a voice greeted him from the other side of the line. It was the French styled De Gaulle Boys High School's commander, Ariwa Genji.
"Hello Napoléon!" Kiyoshi called him by his nickname. "Do I disturb you?"
"Not at all. How can I help you?"
"Did you see the name of those who want to be the federal director?"
"Yes I did." Genji said with a darker tone. "And I saw…"
"The name of a certain MEXT official right?" Kiyoshi finished his friend's sentence.
"As you say."
"We should discuss about this with the guys, don't you think?"
"Yes, I think we should."
"What about we meet a day before the start of the conference in Tokyo?"
"That would be great."
"Fine. Could you please notify the others tomorrow?"
"Of course Hasegawa."
"Thank you mate. By!"
"By!"
And with this, Kiyoshi hung up the phone and thought it's better to go to sleep at the moment before he collapses under the rampage of his brain cells.