A voice came across the radio of the M1917A tank, "boys I say boys in the M1917A, are you ready?" Coach Beauregard said.
"Sir, yes sir" David responded.
The coach then called the next tanks to check in.
"Locust team 1, locust team 1, come in Logan" Coach Beauregard said.
"Yeah, we're here, you don't have to yell" Logan said on the radio, warranting a collective eye roll in the M1917A.
"Locust team 2, locust team 2, Wallace and company, check in" Coach Beauregard said.
"We're here and ready coach" Wallace responded back.
"Locust team 3, locust team 3, Chelsea Denton, your group ready?" Coach Beauregard asked, continuing to check in with every group.
"We're here and ready" a male voice said, answering for the team.
"Augustine's, check in," Coach Beauregard said.
"4TA 1, Jose Augustine here," Jose said.
"4TA 2, Javier here" Javier added in quick succession.
"Finally, Locust 4, Kat, your group ready?" Coach Beauregard asked.
"Yes, we're here and ready!" the familiar Kat's voice rang out on the radio.
"Hey, no daydreaming just hearing her voice" James said to Zeke on the tank as the tank commander had appeared to doze off.
"I can doze until the old guy tells us to go," Zeke retorted.
"Zeke, we both know we should always be ready for battle" James said in response to this.
"The first lesson a young tanker learns, you're as green as the grass to tankery aren't you?" David said, as if to see through Zeke. "Well, regardless, James is right, don't get caught off your guard, otherwise, the enemy will strike".
"Got it" Zeke said, checking his smartwatch, "coach ought to be starting things soon".
"Yes, that's why you cannot doze off," David responded.
"Yes sir" Zeke said, acknowledging the instruction.
The coach could then be heard on the radio, "Ladies and gentlemen, the rules of this battle are simple, the last tank standing wins the commandership of the Tankery team. Just like with tankathalon, each tank that is defeated will display a small white flag automatically within five seconds of defeat. I will be automatically notified of your defeat and will announce it for everyone on the radio so they can keep up with who they need to defeat. I wish you all good luck. Now, tankers, start your engines!".
Across the battlefield, all seven tanks came to life, with a loud rumbling from the engines that could not be mistaken. It sent chills down the spines of the freshmen and others that were new to tankery.
"This is so awesome!" Zeke said, sounding like a small child in his excitement.
"Easy tiger, we can hear you over the radio just fine" David said as the tank idled.
The coach's voice then echoed over the radio, "all tanks, the battlefield is yours, go get'em". This final statement struck at the heart of Zeke, knowing that it was now time for him and his crew to sink or swim. It left Zeke staring off into space as the tank idled into a monotone that seemed to make him zone out.
"So, commander, what's our plan?" David said, snapping Zeke out of his trance.
"Co, co, commander?" Zeke said with his voice cracking severely as the reality hit him.
"Yes, commander, otherwise you're just deadweight on this tank" David added.
"Yep, and we'll just leave you behind to be cannon fodder" James teased to add on with this.
"Uh, yes then, I think it is in our best interest to hide, let's go down to the river, the sloping of the hill should maybe help us" Zeke said, his mind going a mile a minute.
"Alright, and what about Albrecht?" David said, beginning to move the tank to the left to go down towards the Cape Fear.
"Well, I'll keep an eye on him and we'll shoot him if need be" Zeke said, sounding more confident in his commands.
"Good to hear, commander" David said on the radio, as James whispered to him.
"I was beginning to wonder if he would actually do a command or be nothing more than a figurehead" James said, feeling relieved.
"This is only the first inning, this ball game has a long way to go" David said, ominously.
—-
"Well, girl, I say girl, let's see who comes out on top" Coach Beauregard said to a woman who sat in a chair beside him, viewing a TV screen showing the tanks and their movements within the battlefield.
"Indeed, are you betting on a particular tank to win?" the woman with platinum blonde hair said, her arms folded as she watched the movement of tanks.
"Well, my gut tells me our main returning wannabe sub commander takes it, he's still mad that he wasn't a proper subcommander last year, and it makes me think he'll do anything to win" Coach Beauregard said. "So, who do you think will win?" he asked her.
"Hmm, I like Damien's daughter, I'm sure you know the hereditary tankery theory of skill, don't you?" the woman said.
"So, you're taking our locust 4? Fair enough, may the best one win" Coach Beauregard said, putting his feet up to rest on the desk as the pair watched the tanks move on the screen.
"Why don't we up the stakes of the battle?" the woman said with a grin.
"Oh? Like what? I don't know what I could offer you" the coach said in a somewhat confused tone.
"Commandership, of the Sherman, if I win. If you win, I have to join the team like everyone else" the woman said with a smirk.
"And this is because you're a package deal with those tanks? Or is it because your record is to speak for itself as the platinum assassin?" Coach Beauregard said, weighing the options.
The lady shrugged, "my sister wanted to get rid of me and word around the family is this was the excuse to get rid of me".
"So that's why Damien was so eager to trade and to toss in that Pershing" the coach added, with a frustrated sigh.
"So, do we have a deal?" the lady asked.
The coach grunted in frustration, "you have a deal", to which the woman nodded in satisfaction.
"Ahead full, turn 90 degrees left" the second Locust commander Wallace said, informing his crew.
"Yes sir!" the driver said as they made the turn and began to speed up the tank.
"When we hit the main road, go down and cut through the driving range. There's a space open to get across to Denton's starting point" Wallace said.
"Yes sir, perhaps they're hiding in the tunnel waiting for things to happen?" the gunner of the locust, Kyle Abernathy said.
"But would the coach allow them to do that, it would be right under the north border of the battlefield" the driver of the locust, Kevin McDowell added.
"Not likely, they would just be serving themselves up on a platter for us" commander Wallace said.
The tank crossed from the parking lot to the road leading into Keith Hills Golf Course. The golf course itself was still open, leading to some surprise looks when those practicing shots would see a tank crossing in front of them. Allowing the golfers some target practice as they pelted golf balls on the tank, as everyone was well hidden inside the tank.
"I hate those golfers," Wallace complained as the driver found the path into the woods.
"Sir, we all know those balls won't break through and it's better than being hit with shells," Kevin said in a relaxed tone.
"I can fire the machine gun over their heads to scare them if you'd like Commander Wallace" Kyle suggested in sarcasm.
"Don't be vulgar, the coach would hang us if we did that, legal or not" Wallace said.
By now the Locust had cleared the driving range and were now deep into the woods south of the university. The tank moved fast, with Kevin throwing caution to the wind as the tank quickly appeared from the woods and into the clearing.
Wallace popped his head out of the tank and began to survey the surroundings. He looked into his binoculars and turned slowly to see everything.
—-
"This is a sweet hiding spot you picked out for us, commander," driver Chelsea Denton said with glee as she sat relaxed in the tank.
"Indeed, we'll wait here in this tunnel, let the others take each other out and then we can sneak in for the win" the commander, Kurt Henson said grinning like an idiot.
The crew of the tank meanwhile were all sipping on soda from a small bag cooler, waiting for the time to pass.
"We ought to go and do a survey of the surroundings and make sure nobody has spotted us yet" suggested gunner Harry Haley.
"Who cares, this is good Pepsi," laughed Chelsea.
Wallace's tank had moved forward to behind one house still under construction, when he finally stopped moving and spotted a tank in the tunnel.
"There it is, bearing, mark" Wallace said.
Gunner Kyle turned the turret, "bearing 065".
"Begin firing preparations" Wallace commanded.
"Firing preparations complete" Kyle answered a few seconds later.
"Fire!" Wallace commanded; a deafening boom was then heard as the M22 Locust fired its shot towards the tank of Chelsea Denton hiding in the tunnel.
"Shell away, preparing the next shot" Kyle answered.
"On target. Yes. YES!" Wallace said.
"A hit sir?" Kevin the driver asked.
"Yes, indeed and a little white flag too. Excellent shot Kyle, we hit their weak spot" Wallace finished.
The voice of Coach Beauregard came over the radio of everyone in the match, "Locust number three, Denton, is down. Defeated by Locust number two, Wallace. This leaves six tanks remaining"
"Let's get back into the forest and wait, we'll wait for Logan to finish the M1917 so we can link up and hunt down the Augustine's" Wallace said after the transmission.
—-
"So, your Wallace drew first blood?" the blonde woman sitting beside Coach Beauregard said, raising an eyebrow to the situation.
"Yes, if Albrecht wins, I expect Wallace to become his sub commander," the coach said.
"Are you sure Wallace would not try and win things for himself?" the woman asked.
"No, he's more likely to link up with Albrecht and try to win the battle for themselves as a whole" the coach said, sighing in frustration as the match continued to unfold.
—-
"Ahead full! We need to get moving, the locust is faster than those 4TA's" Kat commanded to her driver Allie.
The M22 Locust was being pursued by the pair of Marmon-Herrington CTSL 4TA's as the Augustine's were chasing them down, firing rounds from their newly 20 mm anti-tank rifles.
"They're getting away, can't we go any faster?" shouted Javier Augustine to his driver, Enrique "Erik" Suarez.
"Sir, we can't go any faster, the locust is faster than this tank!" Erik responded, trying desperately to appease his commander.
"Let them go, we'll reset and try the attack again" Jose Augustine said over the radio to his brother.
The two 4TA tanks broke off their pursuit to begin the process of strategizing as the Locust tank sped off in the distance of the forest, coming to a stop on the other side of a small hill. The two 4TA commanders then popped out of their tank hatches to discuss their plan.
"Are we going to play a game of hare and hound with this Locust?" grunted Javier to his brother.
"Hare and hound, that's it!" Jose said.
"What's it?" Javier said in confusion.
"We'll force the tank out of hiding like a hound chasing its prey, I'll be positioned to take them out and between the two of us we should get them," Jose said with confidence.
"Alright then, but I am not 100% convinced this will work. They do have the speed and weapon advantage" Javier said dismissively.
"Pfft, brother, you should know, fighting is more about brain power than fire power" Jose said with an arrogant confidence, to which Javier rolled his eyes at this.
"Alright, I'll go flush them out, bring them over here?" Javier said, to which his brother nodded and began to order his tank to hide behind a rather large tree.
—-
Kat's crew in the Locust were catching their breath and trying to calm down as they hid behind the hill.
"Those two don't give up, do they?" Allie said concerned about her fellow tank crew.
"We still have the size, fire power, and speed advantage," Kat said, trying to rebuild some confidence in her crew.
"And we have the best-looking team" Terra piped up with cheerful confidence.
"That we do" Kat said with a grin, as Allie nodded in agreement, with Kat "Plus, I think the next strategy those two will try will favor us".
As Kat and company strategized, the 4TA of Javier Augustine crested a hill, with the Javier grinning with excitement, shouting, "here's Javier!" and laughing maniacally as he fired the anti-tank rifle at the locust, with the Locust speeding away as fast as it could. Javier fired the gun to steer the Locust into the trap his brother set.
"Here comes the company, Allie, away at full speed!" Kat commanded, "and fall for their trap".
"Got it!" Allie said as the tank moved with incredible speed over the hilly forested terrain.
"Terra, got that shell ready?" Kat asked.
"Firing preparations complete, just help once I fire" Terra said.
"The Heavensent Hearts Squad will give them exactly what they want" Kat said with a grin.
Just then, as they crested a hill, the 4TA tank of Jose Augustine appeared, right in the firing line of the Locust.
"Fire!" Kat commanded, as the boom from the Locust's gun reverberated throughout the forest as the 4TA fired upon them. Immediately after the shot, a small white flagged appeared from the 4TA to the shock and horror of Jose Augustine and his driver.
"Brake now, Allie!" Kat commanded, the tank lurched as Allie threw on the right brake, whipping the tank around a full 180 degrees, into the immediate firing line of Javier's 4TA who was too slow to react.
"Fire!" Kat shouted as Terra fired the gun at the other 4TA.
"Now get a Terra Byte of this!" Terra shouted as the shell made a direct hit on the 4TA tank and a white flag popped out of it, to the absolute horror of the brothers Augustine.
The coach's eyes widened as he nearly leapt out of his seat realizing what happened on the screen, "both!? Girl, I say girl that was both our 4TA's they just defeated".
"Are you regretting that bet now, coach?" the woman said with a smirk.
"I figured she was good, but not that good!" the coach said, sweat forming on his brow as he was beginning to wonder if he was going to have to eat his words after all.