Chapter LII: Return of The Noble Sisters (Part 2)
Himeyuri Tank Battling Ground
Okinawa, Japan
Few Minutes Earlier
"Who is she again?" asked Brunnhilde Knispel.
"Her name is Erika Itsumi, from Kuromorimine Girls' Academy," said Maria Haber, "in English, Kuromorimine can be translated as 'Black Forest Peak', Mein Fraulein."
"Ah, so this is the school of German themed with disgracefully use the name Schwarzwald in it?"
"Ja, Mein Fraulein, it's the same school from..."
"I know who they are, the one who beat Baden-Württemberg at that day. I'm a Knispel, Frau Haber, I don't need to be reminded on those bitter memories."
"Thousand apologies, Mein Fraulein."
"Never mind. So, tell me, Frau Haber, do they embodied the proud name and history of Schwarzwald, or like other Japanese things, merely a distasteful imitation, a fraud."
"None could bear the name Schwarzwald as good as us, the German, Mein Fraulein."
Brunnhilde Knispel took a deep breath.
"Those Japanese with their kawaii culture, thought that bearing the name is something fun, something cute. But for us, The Daughters of Schwarzwald, it's like smearing coal in our forehead. They won't understand the pride of Schwarzwald, so we have to teach them the lessons, don't you think?"
"Yes, Mein Fraulein."
"Tell me, this Erika Itsumi, what's her position in the team? Does she the second in command?"
"Most likely so, Mein Fraulein?"
"Most likely? What, are you not sure?"
"Miho Nishizumi never assigned a specific person for second in command, Mein Fraulein. I even doubt that the position existed in the first place. During the first match against Russia, Erika was among the first to be eliminated by Russian envelopment; but she played crucial parts on the match against South Korea and United States. Plus, she's the leader for their heavy tank group, so along with Shizuka Tsuruki, her demise will become a very devastating blow to the Japan Team."
"Very well then, take her out."
Amelia Steiner move closer to Brunnhilde Knispel.
"May I have the honor, Mein Fraulein," said Amelia Steiner.
"No honor in destroying the impostor, Frau Steiner," said Brunnhilde Knispel, "but I'll allow it. Teach her a lesson for her insult on The Daughters of Schwarzwald, will you?"
"Jawohl!"
"Five minutes," said Amelia Steiner.
"Huh?" said Erika.
"It's only five minutes from the armistice to end, and you already attacked me. I don't suppose breaking a parlay is counted as part of Japanese honor, right?"
"And I don't suppose stalking someone counted as 'moving towards aggressively' in Germany, I presume?"
"Alea iacta est..."
"So be it, then!"
Erika fires her gun, but Amelia Steiner dodge it gracefully. With gloves already off, both tanks now attacking and maneuvering on each other aggressively. It's the duel of two Tigers: same tank, same skills, and both aces are one of the best in their respected countries. On few clashes, both could see that the engagement won't be easy for both of them.
"Dammit, this won't end fast," said Erika, "seems that she's vouch to eliminate me whatever it takes."
"You're the best ace of Kuromorimine, Erika-san, a German themed school," said Orange Pekoe, "seems Amelia Steiner wanted to test if you're up to your name."
"So, she made this personal? I really don't have time for this."
"As much as I adore a chivalry battle, I must agree with you that we don't have time for personal duel."
"You still in your position near the torii gate?"
"Yes, you're gonna bring her to us?"
"Yeah, so be prepared. We have took down two German rittmeisters, if we could take this one down also, then it would be a huge blows to the German."
"Wakarimashita, we'll be ready on your cue."
"Understood."
Orange Pekoe and Assam prepared themselves to meet the enemy that being brought to them by Erika. After the initial mishaps, Japan has a good run, taking out two German rittmeisters on the process, if Amelia Steiner, the most senior rittmeister, can also be taken out, then it would be devastating to German, aside from the fact that the two rittmeisters taken earlier are still in play with substitute tanks.
As Erika moving across the woods, Amelia Steiner skillfully shadowing her on every move. In this speed, firing to each other's opponent is useless, only waste of shells. So, Erika hoped that by luring Amelia Steiner to the trap set up by the St. Gloriana duo, she could at least deliver a devastating blow to German team in a whole.
"Position?" asked Erika.
"A hundred meters," said Orange Pekoe.
"You only have one shot," said Erika.
"I won't miss," said Assam.
Both Assam and Orange Pekoe then point their canons to the designated direction, on where Erika would lead them their target. Rumbling sounds can be heard approaching, and both girls preparing to shoot when suddenly...
"BLAAAMM!"
Assam shocked to see a round coming from their flank and instantly white-flagged Orange Pekoe's tank from the side. It's the angle where they don't expect for any incoming. Coming from the brushes is a DB Panther bearing Westfalen crest: Brigitta Kersch is here!
"So, you think you can entrap us, huh?" said Brigitta Kersch.
Mesmerized by a sudden loss of her teammates, Assam quickly turned her gun on Kersch's tank, but...
"Assam! Evade!" Erika shouted through the radio.
Like a slow-motion scene, Assam turns her sight to see that both Erika and Amelia Steiner's arrived. However, she also sees that Amelia Steiner has her gun pointed on her. While Erika tries to ram her tank on Steiner's hoping to deflect the shot, it was too late. Before both tanks bumped, in just a friction of second, Amelia Steiner managed to shoot. And the next thing Assam remember is that her tank being slammed by a high-speed projectile, white-flagged her at once.
Erika shouted in disbelief. Just with a single swoop, the table has turned. It's now her facing both German rittmeisters, a predicament she never thought before.
Brigitta Kersch shoot on Erika, but she skillfully dodged it, ramming the Panther in retaliation. The weight of the Tiger put the Panther spun by the impact, but not enough to do any real damage.
"After her!" said Amelia Steiner.
"But the Manito," said Brigitta Kersch, "Japan could take it and undo their casualties."
"Let them be! If we nailed this one, even if they took the Manito, it's still minus 2 on their rank. But this target is very important!"
"On it!"
Brigitta Kersch and Amelia Steiner quickly put chase on Erika, leaving Assam and Orange Pekoe, despite they fully aware that both Japan tankers are near the torii gate of Manito Tank. After they're gone, without wasting more time, Orange Pekoe and Assam stepped out from their tank and go to the torii gate.
Meanwhile, Erika can't catch a breath even for a moment, since both German rittmeisters are hot on her tail. She gracefully dodged any attack from her pursuers, however, if things go on like this, it's just the matter of time before she'll be white-flagged. Moreover, she now can't precisely locate her own teammates, plus, from the manner of how they counter-ambush Orange Pekoe and Assam, Erika has reason to believe that Germany somehow have a way to precisely locate each Japan's position. But this is in the middle of the deep forest, and it's nightfall, so how can Germany tracked down Japan's tank without using restricted technology?
"SWOOSH!"
A 75mm round flown past her, very close to almost scrape the armor of her tank. No time to think over anything else. She must now find a way to escape her pursuer and she must do that ASAP! If another German tank decided to join the party, then it's all over for her.
The pursuit now continues to the hill side. The road is quite narrow that now both German tanks move on a single file. However, with almost straight path, Amelia Steiner now have a clear shot over Erika's tank rear.
"We can't keep doing like this," said Erika, "they could shoot us when the path perfectly lined up."
"And that would be another furlong ahead," said Bauer, "you have any idea?"
Erika looked at the creek below the hill.
"I have, but I don't think you're gonna like it," said Erika.
"Do us, anything is better than being sitting duck here," said Bauer.
Suddenly, Erika move her tank sliding down the hill to the creek below. It's a dangerous maneuver, since tank could hit something and rolled upside down to the creek, but this also the fastest way to escape the terrain, and the enemy.
"She's going down there..." said Brigitta Kersch.
"Well?" said Amelia Steiner.
"Scheiße!"
Grudgingly, Brigitta Kersch slide down to chase Erika. The downhill is darker, and she could only track Erika by her tail light through dust trail. In this condition, when Erika reach the creek, she would be easier to lose her pursuers. However, this dark condition didn't serve Brigitta Kersch as well.
"Head light, now!"
A pillar of light suddenly break the darkness, allowing Brigitta Kersch to see her prey. But to her surprise, Erika already pointed her gun on her.
"BLAAMM!"
A high-explosive shell lands near her tank. Brigitta Kersch tries to shake it, but on the explosion, the ground started to loose and as a result, Kersch's tracks are loosing it's footing and started slipping uncontrollably. Erika fires another high-explosive shot on the ground above Kersch, and more dirt are loosing, dragging her tank even faster to the bottom, so fast that the tank finally tumbling to one side and rolling down on its side, landed upside-down in the creek, white-flagging it.
"We did it! We got one!" said Bauer.
"Yeah, but the big one still remains," said Erika, "look!"
On the direction pointed by Erika, Amelia Steiner started to rolling down the cliff in chase of Erika. In quick response, Erika fires on Steiner the same manner as she did to Kersch, however, as the ground become loose and slided, gracefully, Steiner's tank surfs the flow without losing much stability.
"Damn, she's good!" said Bauer.
"She has skills alright," said Erika, "and since Tiger is heavier than DB Panther, so it's easier for her to gain traction."
"What should we do?"
"Let her down, we'll fight her on the solid ground, I could..."
"BLAAAAMMMMM!"
Erika's tank rocking after being hit by an unexpected shot. It wobbles down a bit before finally stopped, right before a big shadow with smoking gun, that seems has been waiting for her and took her aim carefully. A white-flag pops out not long after. As Amelia Steiner finally catched up, it's clear that the one shooting her prey was actually Brunnhilde Knispel herself.
"Mein Fraulein..." said Amelia Steiner.
"You're taking too long for this one, Frau Steiner," said Brunnhilde Knispel.
"Forgive me, but I thought you said..."
"I know, but we don't have much time left. We should've gone to our position by now. If we did this too late, then all shall fail."
"Understood, but how about the pride of The Daughters of Schwarzwald, Mein Fraulein?"
"Such pride is empty without victory accompany it, Amelia. Win this fight, and all shall be forgiven, even a torn pride."
"Jawohl, Mein Fraulein."
Brunnhilde Knispel then take her radio.
"Kersch, report, you're still there, are you?"
"Jawohl!" said Brigitta Kersch.
"About few meters from your position, is another Manito tank, without light, but it's very close. Take that quickly and report to me, we're running out of time."
"Jawohl!"
The radio silent for a while, before broken by Brigitta Kersch screaming.
"What's wrong?" asked Brunnhilde Knispel.
"You're not serious, are you? Why do you told me to take this crap?" said Brigitta Kersch.
"I don't know what is that, so what is that?"
"It's the f*cking Caro Armato M14/41! No way I can fight in this rust bucket!"
"You can and you will! We have no much time left, and we won't wait for you whining around. Now get that tank and get your pretty ass to your designated position, jawohl!?"
A distinct whining can be heard through the radio.
"Jawohl, Kommandant!" said Brigitta Kersch.
"Cheer up, Kersch," said Amelia Steiner, "even Rommel use M14/41 in his command at El-Alamein."
"Reiß dich zusammen!"
"Let her be, Amelia," said Brunnhilde Knispel, "now let's go."
"Jawohl, Mein Fraulein!"
As Brunnhilde Knispel and Amelia Steiner left the scene, Erika and the rest of the crew come out of the wrecked tank. They took their bead before finally Erika speak to the radio.
"This is Erika, I've been white-flagged," said Erika, "to Pekoe-san, if you hear me, please assume command of the company immediately."
The radio goes on static for a while.
"This is Erika, does anybody hear me?"
"We hear you, Erika-san, we're arriving in your place," said Orange Pekoe, "sorry for coming late."
"What? What do you..."
Before Erika finished her sentence, from the darkness, another large sized tank come out. Erika stands and watch as the tank approached on the side. It's very similar to Churchill tank, but with different turret and larger gun. It's an A43 Black Prince! Orange Pekoe and Assam showed up from both hatches.
"Get in!" said Orange Pekoe.
"What? But how?" said Erika.
"We'll be fighting together, come on in and keep your command!" said Assam.
"But..."
"No but, Erika-san. We still need our commander right now," said Orange Pekoe, "and in case if you forget, Taichou has told us to form a mighty team, so this is what we're doing."
"We'll be Noble Sisters once more," said Assam, "and you're taking Darjeeling's place. I know she won't mind."
Nodding, Erika then jumped to the tank and assuming her place as both tank and company commanders, just as Miho has already designated.
"We still have room for one more girl, you know," said Orange Pekoe, "take one of your crew along."
"Alright, Bauer, come on in," said Erika, "for the rest of you, sorry I can't bring you along."
The rest of the crew didn't answer, just saluting.
"Just win for us," said the tank driver.
"I will," said Erika.
After Erika and Bauer gone inside the tank, they then rolled out. Inside, Orange Pekoe symbolically present Erika with a cup of tea, which Erika accept awkwardly. She wonders, was this what Darjeeling feels when commanding St. Gloriana in her flag tank?
"Order?" asked Orange Pekoe.
"We need to regroup as soon as possible," said Erika, "Brunnhilde Knispel has hinted that she may have plan for something."
"Exactly as what Carpaccio told us earlier," said Assam, "must be something big."
"Yeah, but that's not what worries me more," said Erika.
"Oh, what is that?" asked Orange Pekoe.
"The way Brigitta Kersch ambushed you, and also Brunnhilde Knispel ambush me, or how Amelia Steiner knew exactly where to shoot," said Erika, "I'm suspicious that Germany in some way tracking our movement. Earlier, even Brunnhilde Knispel know how to locate Taichou for parlay."
"How do they did that?" asked Assam, "the situation is not suitable for any surveillance method as we knew, unless they're cheating by bringing some modern equipment."
"That's what we must find out soon," said Erika, "or else we're doomed for sure."
