„It's getting late general." Miho told to Kiyoshi as the sun started to set.
"True." he replied and stood up. Miho did the same. "I can't really say anything else Nishizumi-san than: thank you for this day."
"I can say the same Hasegawa-san." replied Miho as they shook hands.
"I hope we will meet again once this whole thing is over. You're really sympathic to me."
"Same here general."
"Viel Glück!"
"Good luck!"
As darkness took over the skies the sides returned to their positions while looking back at each other. But it was conforming for them to know that there will be no fights at least in the next few days.
Next morning the armies all over Japan wake to the roaring sound of helicopters. Miho, Kiyoshi and the others looked up. There were CH-47 Chinooks in the sky. They were painted to green and the hiragana letters on their side said: Japanese Ground Self Defense Force.
Ami's POV
"Drop it down!" ordered Ami as she was levitating in one of the helicopters over the head of Miho and her friends.
The soldiers pushed boxes equipped with parachutes out through the opened doors. The same happened over Kiyoshi and at all the fronts. Ami managed to persuade the leadership of the JSF and the Confederacy to let the JGSDF to bring supply for the forces of both sides as a "humanitarian aid".
Once they landed the soldiers rushed to the packages. They've received tin cans of beef, pork and fish, bread, cheese, cocoa, tea and maybe most importantly equipment to warm up their food and drinks.
"Return home soon everyone." Ami silently wished. After this she had to go for she'll have an important meeting with someone.
It was a late but sweet Christmas present for the fighting sides.
But currently none of them was fighting.
In fact, back in the heartland more and more people started to demand peace. The voice of the parents got stronger and even some leaders of the JSF started to call for negotiations with the "rebels".
Finally the demands became so strong that Tsuji had to agree. As Viggen High School was one of the two federal schools that remained neutral (the other one was Count High School) he contacted the confederate leadership through them and Kyousuke accepted the offer. Both of them will send representatives to All Star University as the team of Shimada Chiyo didn't participate in any fight yet and they also could be called "neutral ground".
As for Kyousuke he had really busy days after Christmas. He had to organize the negotiations and choose the members of the delegation. Secondly, he had talks also with the tank manufacturing companies. He couldn't be sure that the negotiation with the JSF will be a success and he wanted to provide the supply of his troops and replace the lost vehicles. After a few days all the administration was done, to get the new tanks he only had to make a telephone call and they'll deliver them immediately. And he had one other task. If the war will rage on, he had to decide what should be their tactic. Continue the defensive attitude or start an offensive against the Federation and bring the war into the heart of their territory. The last option could possibly end the conflict earlier. However, the public could see them as the aggressor and turn against them. After all, they stated that with the secession and the fight they only wanted to defend their freedom.
28th December
In one of the meeting rooms in the building of All Star sat a group of federal officials, headpersons and instructors at a long wooden table. They were the delegates of Tsuji and obviously firm members of the JSF who wanted to keep the boys inside the Federation at all cost.
A few minutes later a group of boys entered the room. They were student council members of the confederate schools and they were led by Isato.
The sides sat down face to face. They didn't say a word but the tenseness was vibrating in the air between them.
The leader of the session was a middle-aged woman, Hirase Akane, a friend of Ami from the Self Defense Force.
"So. I think we shall begin." she said. "First I ask the Japan Sensha-Do Federation to tell their criterions for peace."
"Thank you Hirase-san." said Egami Amaya, headmistress of Pravda. "In name of the Japan Sensha-Do Federation we want all the rebel schools to lay down their weapons immediately, surrender to us and hand over all their armored vehicles. After that we want them to take responsibility for all their illegal deeds, their rebellion, their aggression and their scandalous attack against the JSF. In short that is what we want ma'am."
"Thank you Egami-san. Your turn Hayashi Isato-san." said Hirase and turned to the student council president of Landsknecht.
"Here are OUR criterions." said Isato. "We want the recognition of the Confederacy of Independent High Schools as separate sport association on its own. We want an end of the invasion of the JSF against us, and we want THEM to take responsibility for their condescension, unfair treatment and distinction against us during all those decades."
As we can see two very different opinions collided with each other.
"You think so Hayashi-san? As I remember It was you to shoot the first shot at Nakajima Island. Who authorized you to do this?"
"When it comes to the Japan Sensha-Do Federation Egami-san, freedom must be taken by force as we can see. We took our, that's all that happened." replied Isato in a cold tone.
"In my opinion you rebelled against the Federation! If you surrender now we won't punish you too hard."
"You see Hirase-san?" Isato asked Akane. "That's exactly why we didn't want to be part of the JSF anymore. Egami-san! Do not be too pretentious! You are far from destroying our army! May I remind you that two of the four major islands are on our hands and you couldn't threaten our existence on the other fronts either?"
"Luck doesn't last forever." hissed Egami.
"This whole thing can be easily ended. Recognize our sport association!"
"Never, because you didn't have right to secede!"
This went on for about a week. In mean time the federal and confederate soldiers had to spend New Year's Eve too in their positions. Surprisingly in Tokyo things seemed to improve. Conversations became much calmer and the sides could even make small deals. But there was still no agreement. This worried many people because the cease-fire was about to expire and continuing the fight would be more painful as peace seemed to be just a bit closer.
3rd January
The delegations gathered together again in a sanguine mood.
"So. So far we have agreed on this." said Akane. "The Confederacy of Independent High Schools pay for the property of the JSF they took over. In return the JSF accepts the demands of the 16 points of the former Advocacy Alliance. Both sides get back their original territories and they pull back all their forces to the school hometowns. None of them should…" she would have continued the text but they heard a knock on the door. A secretary of All Star came in.
"Excuse me ma'am. Two letters arrived, one for Hayashi Isato-san and one for Egami Amaya-san."
Isato was surprised. What could it be?
"Sorry for interrupting." the secretary bowed and left.
Isato took opened the envelope and took out the letter. For Akane it was worrying how his face darkened as he read it. Isato passed the paper to his mates. They all reacted as he did. The student council president of the german styled school stood up followed by the other delegates.
"There will be no agreement." he said with anger.
"Wh-What?" Akane gasped. "B-But Hayashi-san…"
Isato turned to the federals.
"No matter what you do, we will not waver. And you will be so terribly humiliated." The boys turned over and left the scene heading back to their schools. Egami was surprised. She looked at her own envelope. The letter came from Hamada Kyousuke. What could the confederate president want from her?
The letter said:
"Your federal forces have carried out a barbaric attack on our Kyushu Battalion. Therefore I must retract the offer of peace. Hamada Kyousuke."
"Excuse me Hirase-san." Egami stood up. "We have a war to win."
Several hours earlier
It was dawning at Fukuoka, home city of Diamondback. Most of the American styled school was still resting. Suddenly Johnson woke up because someone was shaking his shoulder. He opened his eyes. It was his gunner.
"What is it Davis?" Johnson asked sleepily.
"Listen commander!" said Davis quietly. The air was filled with some kind of hissing sound.
"What the hell? Go Davis! Wake up all the boys!" When his gunner left Johnson walked to their frontal line. The sound was coming from Kuromorimine and Saunders. But as it was still pretty dark and a thick layer of fog covered the field he couldn't see a thing. The only thing he could notice that he started coughing constantly and he couldn't stop. A few seconds later tears started to flow on his face. All his comrades reacted the same way. It was one of the most unpleasant things he ever experienced. His eyes were burning and it was really hard to breath. Then, he heard the unmistakable sound of rolling tanks.
"To your battle stations!" Johnson yelled.
Maho's POV, half an hour earlier
"I'm not sure about this Mother." Maho complained in the radio.
"A soldier doesn't ask questions Maho. You do it for the sake of Sensha-Do!"
"Understood." Maho sighed. You could tell that she was not okay with this things. "Erika, do we have all the gas tanks?"
"Yes commander, we are waiting for your signal."
"Good. What about you Kay?"
"We already put them into position Nishizumi. The wind is blowing in the right direction too." replied Kay in the ether.
"Alright. We begin the attack at 06:00 a.m."
At the specified time a line of tanks were lined up before the tanks of Kuromorimine and Saunders. Tubes were connected to them and they were turned toward Diamondback. The label on the tanks said: tear gas. Girls from the two schools stood by them in gas masks.
When the clock showed 06:00 they opened the taps and the white gas started to fly toward the boy's school.
Johnson's POV
Those who were in the first line had to run back without their tanks. The gas was so terrible that it was impossible for them to get into their vehicles and do their duties. Johnson and his crew has managed to start up their Pershing but the commander had to order a retreat as gas was constantly coming and it started to fill many vehicles.
Suddenly out of the curtain of fog and tear gas the first Tigers and Shermans emerged and they immediately opened fire at the abandoned tanks then at the close ones which were filled with struggling crews. They were shooting at close quarters what was very dangerous even in a normal match. They fired even the electroshocking machinegun bullets at the fleeing boys.
"All forces retreat to Kitakyushu!" Johnson ordered. "Fireflies and Priests! Cover our retreat!"
They've headed to the home city of Seinarukaze while the TDs and self-propelled guns were firing at the enemy. When they arrived to the Japanese styled school Diamondback had to realize that they've lost one quarter of its forces. Now they had the opportunity to send a message to the HQ about the attack what happened before the end of the ceasefire.
But the fight wasn't over, shortly after this Kuromorimine and Saunders appeared again and they forced the two separatist schools into the city. After this Saunders took the lead as the Shermans were better in street fights than most of the german tanks. By noon they were fighting for the bridge connecting Kyushu with Honshu. The Federation wanted to take it since months and now they were closer to this goal than ever.
When Kyousuke got the news, Johnson and Kazuya had to pull back to Honshu. However the JSF still didn't possess the bridge, the confederates took positions on the other shore and from there they bombarded all federal tanks trying to roll on the bridge. The Priests of Diamondback were very useful this time. Then the front stuck again.
Hearing the news Kyousuke ordered Isato to stop the negotiations immediately and told the JSF that there will be no agreement. They'll fight 'till the end until they prevail or perish.