Whew! Almost missed my deadline...I think. Whatever, I hope you guys had a great holiday season and New Years. I need to submit this chapter before the power goes out, fucking nasty snowstorm outside.

Also, I edited some dialog for the last chapter didn't feel right narratively. You'll notice that originally Aldritch made no mention of there being friendlies in need of support. Felt weird so I changed that.

But does he know WHO they really are?


Bastion

"They are in front of us, behind us, and we are flanked on both sides by an enemy that outnumbers us 29:1. They can't get away now."

Attributed to Colonel Lewis B. "Chesty" Puller during the Chosin Reservoir campaign in Korea, November 1950

1300 HOURS ITALICA

Outnumbered but not lacking in prowess, the Knights of the Rose Order had led the defense of Italica from night into morning. It had been a long and hard-fought victory, but it was a victory all the same. Now the enemy had begun their retreat from one of Italica's many courtyard entrances. It was here and in front of a hastily erected palisade that Piña led the counter-attack, her fellow knights flanking her on either side.

"You stupid wench! This changes nothing, you live on borrowed time!"

Piña parried another swing, the clanging of steel audible over the sounds of battle all around her. Her opponent, a large man clad head to toe in dented battle plate, had made the fatal mistake of going for a blunt direct line of attack. He and many others before had assumed that a woman would offer no challenge.

Taking the advantage of the opening her foolish adversary had given her, Piña brought her sword arm back and plunged her blade deep into a gap between breastplate and trousers. The force of the impact and the nature of the wound caused the man to sputter, drop his weapon and fall back onto the blood-stained dirt. A fatal blow and another victory to her name.

"You lose, filth."

The princess spat on the dying man's body and removed her blade to hoist it high into the air.

"Knights of the Rose Order and people of Italica! Victory is ours!"

A loud cheer erupted from the militia taking cover behind the knights. They had survived yet again. Piña lowered her bloody blade and pointed at the militia. "See to the wounded and make whatever preparations are necessary! Our enemy will not give up this place so easily."

Affirmative grunts echoed among the militia as soldiers and farmers alike saw to their wounds and wounded comrades.

"I see some of my training has not fallen on deaf ears."

Piña paused from running a dirty cloth against her blade as a nearby chuckling Gray removed his sword from the back of a large ogre's head. He had bested the massive beast in singular combat only a few moments earlier and Piña might have commended him on the kill had she not been busy herself. Gray plucked a dirty dented helmet off the ground and held it out to the princess.

"These men assume the battlefield is no place for a woman." Piña returned her blade to its sheath with a smirk. "I merely took advantage of their complacency-"

"And used their size against them." Gray finished her sentence as he wagged the helmet in a beckoning fashion. "As I taught you, but do try and keep your helmet hmm? Wouldn't want to hurt that pretty face of yours."

"Thank you old friend, but." Piña snatched the helmet and examined it in detail. The wings on either side of it had been chipped off and its once resplendent white paint was now covered in mud. "The vision it offers is limited and my 'pretty face' does much to drop the enemy's guard."

The princess sheathed her sword. "What of our losses?"

"Norma, I saw him fall from the parapet." Gray lamented.

"Did he die-"

"Honorably? Yes, he bested four before being overwhelmed."

Piña sighed. "Four? The Norma I knew could have bested a battalion's worth of bandits."

Gray folded his arms and his expression turned dour. "Did you notice who we fought?"

"I tried not to."

"You would do well to do the opposite. The situation does not bode well, your highness." Gray pointed at Piña's recent kill. "That's Elbean battle plate and that crest? One of the noble families. Elbean dragoons, I'm surprised it didn't go worse for us."

Piña sighed. "I know the design Gray, perhaps it was stolen-"

"Like the standards and sigils of Mudwan? Alguna? These are not bandits nor common rabble."

"Deserters then, their betrayal knows no bounds." Piña spat back.

"Deserters as organized and well equipped as they are?" Gray shook his head. "You can live a lie as best you like, but the proof is right there."

Piña watched as more corpses were carried from the courtyard and towards shallow graves. Many of them were local militia but others were that of the enemy. She recognized the colors and the individual style of their equipment. She knew who she was fighting the moment the battle had started. She just didn't want to believe it.

"Your highness, our allies have betrayed us."

"First Italica, now this." Piña continued to observe the damage all around her. "Why do they keep turning against us?"

"Probably because you send them to die and then fail to take accountability."

Piña grimaced as the strange man named Roger interjected into their conversation. The man puffed away at some small tobacco stick and clacked a strange object into his weapon as he approached. Piña eyed it cautiously, she had seen firsthand what the weapon could do when Roger single-handedly held an entire flank on his own from atop a building.

As usual, Roger was accompanied by one of the Formal clan's warriors. Delilah, the warrior bunny. She silently cleaned her khukri and paid no attention to the crimson stains neither on her fur nor her minimalistic battle dress.

"These soldiers belong to the armies you sent at us both at Alnus and back through the gate."

Roger pointed at a dead Algunan archer that lay on the ground. Like many others that fell to Roger's weapon, neat holes had been punched clean through the archer's body.

"And how do you know this?" Gray responded through gritted teeth.

"Do not be so naive, you know just as well as I do who your allies are. Or rather, used to be." Roger stopped and maintained a comfortable distance from the two Rose Knights, his eyes watching their sword hands from time to time. "I cannot say I blame them. None of this would have happened if you hadn't just barged into our world and started killing."

"And what would you have us do? Give up?" Piña put a hand on her breastplate. "Never, the Empire does not bend a knee to its enemy."

"Neither do we." Roger answered confidently. The soldier blew a puff of smoke out from between his partially closed lips. "This is only going to get worse if you let it."

"Your highness, Princess Piña!" Piña was about to berate her mouth enemy when a disheveled Hamilton came pushing through a gaggle of militia. The young knight stopped and put her hands on her knees as she tried to catch her breath. A concerned Piña was quick to assist her fellow knight, rushing to her side to pat her back.

"Hamilton, I had worried you had fallen. What news from the northern gate?"

"They-they." Hamilton stood up straight and took a deep breath. "They are here, the other army!"

"What other army? More deserters?"

"No, the one from beyond the gate!"

Townspeople and militia alike froze in their tracks upon hearing this news. They had been so focused on the renegades that they had almost completely forgotten that another very real and credible threat had come to this world.

Roger looked at a strange metallic object on his wrist and whistled. "Aaaand that would be my people." The soldier spat out his tobacco and rubbed it into the dirt with his boot. "Like I said this only gets worse if you let it."


OUTSKIRTS OF ITALICA

"Four set."

"Three, set."

"Two, set."

"Copy on all, One is set." Aldritch dropped down into his turret and looked through his TC's sight. Like the rest of the platoon, his tank had been positioned on the reverse slope of a grassy hill a few miles away and overlooking Italica. From here the tanks could see but not be seen.

Dark pillars of smoke billowed up into the sky and had the tankers not been inside their vehicles they might have heard the chaos going on inside the town walls.

Meanwhile, and much to Rory's disdain, the Japanese trucks lingered back down the road waiting for the all-clear from the tanks.

"Horseman One, RCT3 Actual. What's the situation?"

"Unsure at this time. We've got eyes on infantry and other supporting assets in full retreat." Aldritch switched back to internals. "Reeves, what do you have for me?"

"Typical shit sir. Orcs, cavalry, foot soldiers. We're late definitely late to the party though." Reeves traversed the turret and pointed it at some contraptions on the walls. "There are a few ballistas on the walls too, some of them manned, some not."

"Yep, I see them, keep your eyes on." Aldritch snapped a finger. "Loader, change the frequencies."

"On it sir." Next to Aldritch, Clancy dropped down into the turret and flipped a few dials on the radios recessed into a wall near the main gun's breech. "Good to go, sir."

"Jackal, this is Horseman One, you got me on comms?"

"One, Jackal. About time, where you at?"

Aldritch exchanged confused looks with the rest of his crew in the turret before glancing through his sight and the range Reeves was feeding back to him. "We're occupying expedient BPs a good….500 meters away from the Northern road into Italica."

"Cool, go ahead and push down the road to the front gate, we'll be waiting. Jackal out."

"'Cool'? The fuck?" Reeves chimed in. "Defo high-speed bubbas."

Still confused, but otherwise hopeful he'd get answers to his growing list of questions, Aldritch ignored Reeves and clambered back up into his cupola.

"Horseman One copies, pushing up now." Aldritch changed his radio channel back to that of RCT3's.

"RCT3 Actual, Horseman One."

"Horseman One, RCT3 Actual I read you. What's the situation?"

"We got comms with friendlies inside the town. We're clear to push up this road and to the front gate."

"Copy, would you like us to push in first?"

Aldritch knew what Itami was trying to do, ever the peacemaker. The platoon commander scoffed and toggled his helmet back. "Roger, on your move. Be advised though we have eyes on a few emplaced weapons on the walls."

"Ryokai, we see them as well. Moving now."

Aldritch waited for the Japanese trucks to push past the platoon and down the road before switching to the platoon net. "Net call, net call, Horseman One. Once the trucks stop we'll push in after. Order of march will be Four, One, Two and Three. LVSR and Mike 88 you got rear."

All of the vehicle commanders rogered up the net. Well, all save for one.

"One, Four. Say again, you want us to lead?"

"That's an affirm. If we're going to make an entrance we're going to do it right."

"...Roger, Four copies."


ITALICA NORTHERN GATE

With bated breath and behind an armored peephole, Piña and her knights watched as green metal wagons grumbled towards Italica's northern gate. The same one she was taking cover behind.

After months of rumors and secondhand accounts, seeing the enemy for the first time was surreal, to say the least.

Next to Piña a stoic-looking Gray peered through what little room was offered. "So that's them then. The enemy who's been thwarting us at every turn."

"Steel chariots that lack horses…." Piña muttered what she had heard many times before. "They look smaller than I had imagined-"

The princess stopped mid-sentence as she felt a pit form in her stomach. Someone was riding atop one of them leading the pack, someone she had heard only legends of. Piña saw the legendary halberd, saw the ceremonial dress flowing in the wind. They were decorated in the colors of only one particular god.

"N-no it cannot be."

"Who is it?" Now utterly concerned Hamilton gripped the hilt of her still sheathed sword. "Your highness, Gray. What is going on?"

"Rory Mercury, the apostle of Emroy." For the first time in a long time, Piña saw what could only be described as pure dread register on Gray's face. "Our enemy is in leagues with Rory Mercury."

"Rory? Already? Well damn." Roger nonchalantly whistled and pushed his way past the awestruck knights, Delilah following closely. "Looks like everything is well underway."

"Well underway?" Piña shook off her haze and grabbed Roger by the back of his collar. "How do you know about Rory? Who are you people?!"

If Delilah was concerned for Roger's well-being, she wasn't showing it. Choosing instead to let her human charge continue his game of wits. Seeing the Empire squirm was nothing short of delightful for her and the desperation in Piña's voice was simply the icing on the proverbial cake. Or so her new friends from beyond the gate would say.

"Who are we?" Roger confidently looked over his shoulder, reached back, and removed Piña's hand. "That is a question you will have answered shortly."

Roger opened one of the smaller doors and made his way out of the shade and into the bright light beyond. "Your highness."

"A most expedient if not exhilarating ride, but we have arrived my warriors! Prepare yourselves for a battle unlike any other!" Rory gleefully hopped off the top of Itami's truck, her boots impacting the dirt and sending puffs of dust out.

Upon brandishing her weapon and looking around, however, her anticipation turned to disappointment. The enemy had already left, leaving behind only corpses, the faint stench of death, and smashed remains on the once lush green fields around Italica.

"Pah! Somebody broke them already." The apostle planted the staff end of her halberd into the ground just as Itami and the others disembarked from their vehicles. "Itami, you promised me a battle!"

"I did no such thing." Responded an exhausted Itami. Free of the stuffy cramped interior the lieutenant got a good stretch in, the popping of joints eliciting a series of winces. "I said we were coming here to help."

"Indeed, he did say that your grace." Cato slyly remarked from behind Itami's truck. Like the lieutenant, he too was nothing short of relieved to be back on his feet. Despite hours of learning about the technological marvels of the JSDF. The old mage's eyes went wide feeling more than a few disks pop. "I am getting much too old for this excitement, much too old."

Rory huffed and leaned against her halberd. "Be that as it may." The apostle pointed at Italica's now open front entrance and the motley pair approaching them. "It appears we are expected, a friend of yours perhaps?"

"Huh?" Itami paused from taking in his new surroundings and took notice of the American operative and his rabbit cohort. The American was about as stereotypical as an American soldier could be. Younger, but had a face that belied years of experience. His camouflage was standard OCP* which meant he wasn't a Marine and his high-speed equipment including the kitted-out scoped rifle meant he was a cut above the grunts.

As for his cohort, wild was probably the best way Itami could describe the warrior rabbit. Red fur, the typical minimalistic battle dress, hair that went down to her shoulders. She was armed head to toe with knives of varying sizes and designs.

Pretty on the eyes, but not someone Itami would want to be near to. Everyone knew how fast they could move.

Upon seeing them Kurata hurried out of the driver's seat "Youji! Do my eyes deceive me? Or are those-"

"Rabbit ears, yes Kurata." Itami rolled his eyes and shook his head, a sentiment that was shared by the other Japanese soldiers. "Come on now, we've seen plenty of them."

"Yes, but that was when they were trying to jump over our sandbags and into gunfire."

Itami shuddered remembering that fateful night battle back at Alnus. He had quickly learned to appreciate the value of a shotgun courtesy of some Marine private who fought by his side.

"Don't remind me."

The lieutenant maintained control over the pistol grip for his rifle and extended a hand to the American. "Lieutenant Youji Itami, Recon Team Three. We heard you could use some help."

"Yeah, that's us." The American shook Itami's hand firmly. "Captain Steve Roger, 1st SFG." He let go of Itami's hand and pointed at the rabbit warrior. "And this is Delilah, one of Clan Formal's head enforcers."

Delilah merely bowed her head. Pleasantries weren't her strongest suit.

Shifting his attention to Rory Roger gave an affirmative nod. "Rory Mercury. My country has heard of you, we were hoping to talk to you during less." The operator paused. "Violent times."

"But of course you have." Rory did a curtsy, her red lips smiling seductively. "And worry not my son, the battlefield is where true colors are revealed. We will learn all there is to know about one another very soon."

"Green Berets?!" Shino had been fussing with her gear when she heard the news and almost rushed over. "What are special forces doing out this far?"

"Winning this war." Roger dismissed the excited sergeant's ramblings and lit a cigarette. "I appreciate that enthusiasm but time's pretty fucking short right now."

"We have medical personnel and ample supplies to assist however necessary sir." Itami chimed in. "

"Good, good. There's wounded inside and that's gonna win big points with the Formal Clan if we can help them out." Roger fixed his backward ballcap and looked around expectedly. "Where's the tanks? I thought I was getting tanks."

"Oh, waiting for the all-clear." Itami unclipped his radio. "Horseman One, RCT3 Actual. We have made contact with friendly forces. You are clear to move in."

"Copy pushing."

"Hey hey! That's what I'm fuckin' talkin' about!" Roger started clapping his hands as soon as the first tank crested the hill and whined towards the road. The soldier enthusiastically nudged Delilah's shoulder. "See that Delilah? I told you this town was in safe hands."

"So it would seem." Delilah examined the lead tank with increasing scrutiny. "They are the ones who fought the flame dragon?"

"Fought it?" Roger scoffed. "No, they killed it."

"It is true what he says." Lelei chimed in with a nod. "My master and I witnessed it ourselves."

Delilah remained wordless as the tan behemoths and two other smaller contraptions fell into a single file line down the road.

Once the platoon stopped a short distance away from the trucks Aldritch dismounted from his tank, shotgun in hand, and confidently strode towards the group. Upon seeing Roger his spirits were visibly lifted. It was good to see more Americans so far forward.

"Alnus Main didn't tell me I'd be working with Special Forces. Wouldn't be the first time I had to pull your asses out of the fire."

"Yeah yeah well someone has to go stir the pot right?" Roger smirked and exchanged a firm handshake with Aldritch. "Looks like we're not the only ones making noise."

"Hmm?" Aldritch looked back at the lead tank and shrugged. "Oh, that? Wildlife got testy."

The captain looked around with a confused expression for a few seconds as if something was missing. "Where's the rest of your boys?"

"Busy." Roger answered dismissively. "I was telling Lieutenant Itami here that there isn't a lot of time and we got a lot to do."

"I see." Satisfied with the answer Aldritch could only press onto more important matters. "Well, whatever you need us to do, consider it done."

Roger pointed back towards the front gate and at the three cautious-looking knights that had been watching everything unfold from afar. "Well, you can start by following me in and saying hi to the princess over there."

"Excuse me what?"

"The princess? Princess Piña Co Lada? Daughter of Molt Sol Augustus." Roger rolled his eyes. "You know, the leader of the Empire we've been at war with?"

Seeing the utterly confused looks on both Aldritch and Itami Roger shook his head and gestured back towards Italica's main entrance. "Well, looks like I gotta get you gentlemen up to speed."


ITALICA

After forming the tanks and trucks a cohesive perimeter around Italica; Aldritch, Itami, and the Roser Order Knights followed Roger into Italica. It was here where they were appraised of the current situation, despite the conflicting language barriers that would pop up from time to time.

As for Piña and her knights they had more or less remained quiet. Watching and listening intently as their enemies, now turned unlikely allies, walked through what was once their territory.

Everywhere the group went confused townsfolk gave them a wide berth. Seeing the foreign army up close was one thing, but seeing them walking side by side with important Imperial and Formal clan representatives was another. More than a few brave merchants tried to beckon them in and Aldritch had to stop at least two times to help Itami from getting dragged away by some demi-human sex worker.

"We got here a few days ago and right before the Princess and her knights showed up." Roger led the motley crew through Italica's cramped and winding streets, taking care to sidestep the wounded and occasional lopsided cart.

"It didn't take us long to figure out about Italica and Clan Formal. A few interrogations here, some eavesdropping there. What we didn't know was just how bad the situation was until we got here."

Aldritch raised an eyebrow from under his woodland eight-point cover. "Define bad."

"Try rogue military forces trying to set this place to the torch bad." Roger answered back from over his shoulder. "The same guys we beat back at Alnus. Turns out they're not too happy being sent to die."

Aldritch shrugged. "Yeah, yeah that is pretty bad."

"Anyways, we made contact with the Formal clan not long after we helped repulse the first attack." Roger smirked. "Man you should've seen the reactions when we opened up with the 240. Fuckin' unforgettable."

"And I suppose they were thankful for that?" Itami inquired as he walked past some strange demi-humans staring at him from behind a market stall. Kobolds by the looks of it, the strange half canine creatures were becoming more common as the war continued.

Roger saw a familiar face working a market stall and tossed a half-empty pack of cigarettes at the now grateful merchant. "More than you know lieutenant. Turns out being abandoned by your allies and having new ones come in wielding thunder sticks has that effect on people." The operator pointed back at Piña and her knights. "They showed up yesterday, so far they're cooperating-"

"But you don't have enough firepower to hold indefinitely and the local garrison is insufficient. Which is why you called for support when you did." Aldritch interjected.

Roger chuckled as he led the group around a corner and up a long flight of stone stairs leading to the town center. "Well damn, how'd you figure that out?"

"I saw the damage outside the walls." Aldritch answered matter of factly. "Siege weapons included? That's at least company level strength, bigger if they can hit multiple avenues of approach the way they did."

Roger shrugged. "Guess you Marines are brighter than the memes make you out to be. Right, well. Here we are."

Now at the top of the stairs and staring at a lavish mansion Roger clapped his hands. "So this is the Formal estate, pretty cool digs."

"Pretty cool digs" was one way to put it. The Formal Estate was very traditional in its appearance and it certainly didn't suffer for it in the aesthetics department. A large fountain sat in front flanked on either side by rounded rows of lush green grass and carefully tended flowers. The pearly white stone mansion itself was massive complete with support pillars not unlike that of ancient roman architecture.

The operator turned around and looked at both officers. "Let me handle most of the talking, the Countess is a little on the young side and still struggling with trying to keep things under control. That and she trusts me."

He then turned his attention towards Piña. "Your highness, you are not among enemies if you do not choose to be."

"Of that I am aware." Piña paid special attention to Aldritch. She saw the flame dragon marks, only a competent leader could have led capable warriors skilled enough to take down such a beast. "No doubt we will lead one last defense. Powerful as you may be, I will not sit by idly as strangers make plans I am not privy to."

"I understand that your highness." Aldritch bowed his head, a sign of respect to her office. "But you getting in the way will endanger both you and your knights-"

"We held this line before you got here and we will not stop just because you-you, dragon slayers arrived!" Piña put a hand against her breastplate. "You say you come with good intentions, show me then, Aldritch. Show me that there can be reason hidden within all this madness."

Aldritch stood there flabbergasted for only a few moments. He hadn't expected such a passionate and fiery retort from the young knight.

Still, she was a leader of troops much like himself. Her tenacity reminded him of his days as a lieutenant.

"You want to see reason? Okay, you come see my men fight and I'll show you reason."

"Good. We will see if your iron steeds can fight alongside our flesh and resolve" Piña huffed before leading her knights to the mansions front doors, leaving the Operator and the two officers standing there.

"Well shit, not bad Captain."

"Come again?"

"Well, that's almost a little more than she's talked to me." Roger shrugged. "Sure you weren't a diplomat in a past life? Hell she might even like you."

Roger put a finger under his chin. "She's got a pretty sweet as-"

"No, fuck that." Aldritch grunted before following after the Imperials.

Roger looked over at Itami. "Let me guess, strict adherence to doctrine?"

"Yes, he's very by the book." Itami nodded solemnly. "But he has been known to cooperate with new ideas from time to time."

"Yeah well, you and your captain buddy over there better learn to be flexible." Roger lit another cigarette. "You ain't long for this campaign sticking to the books."


ITALICA NORTHERN GATE

There could be no sweeter time than that of a tank crew being away from the rest of the unit. It was during this time that the crew could be alone with their thoughts and away from prying eyes.

Well, usually. The crew of Here We Go Again had done much to garner the attention of Rory Mercury and the mages. That company coupled with one of the Japanese trucks did much to break the peace and quiet.

Still, it was a beautiful afternoon and the sun was starting to lower itself down to the tree line beyond casting an orange glow in the skies above, and with some classic rock playing the tankers were still able to catch their breath.

"Yes, you are the one he touched alright." Rory removed her hand from Kincaid's forehead with a smile. Meanwhile, atop the tank, Elton maintained a watchful eye on the pair. It had taken a great deal of convincing from Rory to assure the crew she meant no harm. Not that any of them still trusted her.

"I do wonder if there is anything I can even do for you."

"What do you mean?"

Rory shrugged with just the slightest hint of melancholy. "Death is quite literally an old friend of yours, war meaningless to you." The young apostle tsked. "You wage it with the casualness a farmer has when he tends to his crops. As naturally as one might sleep and wake."

"Yeah, war isn't anything where we come from." Kincaid folded his arms and leaned back against the side of his tank. "So why me? Am I something special or something?"

"No, I just think you were the first one my lord was able to reach. "Rory inquisitively put a finger under her chin. "In the past, Emroy has only been able to reach out to those who were open to communion in the first place."

Kincaid couldn't believe what he was hearing. Here he was talking about gods and apostles as if they were the most natural things in the world. Well, this world anyways.

"It is possible that somehow your concussion opened a small gap he was able to exploit." The apostle smiled seductively. "I suppose that would make you a very special boy, my son~."

"Cut it with the son crap." Kincaid turned around and climbed up the side of the tank and onto the back deck. "We answer to our chain of command. Not gods nor you."

"We shall see." Rory picked up her halberd and let it rest across her shoulders. "There is always Itami."

"Yeah maybe. Look I have things to do, so if you don't mind?" Kincaid opened up a sponson box and reached for the tools inside. "Maybe go bother the Japanese."

"Very well Jasper Kincaid." Rory licked her lips. "I would advise you to rest while you can. There will be a great deal of blood spilled tonight."

"Heard that before."

With that, Rory did a curtsy and went over to see what Kurokawa and the other Japanese soldiers were doing.

Elton relinquished his grip on his shotgun and picked up his translation book."The hell was that about? I only got bits and pieces of it."

"Nothing man, I'd just keep an eye on her that's all." Kincaid hopped down from the turret and onto the back deck of the tank. With the turret over the side, he was free to access the various access panels leading to the tank's engine.

But not free to work in peace.

"So this 'tank', it is a siege engine?" A nearby Lelei quietly walked up to the side of the tank ran a hand along the side of the vehicle, her fingers inspecting every nook and cranny she came across.

"No, consider more like uh….heavy cavalry" Kincaid stayed focused as he continued to carry out post operations inspections.

"Heavy cavalry? So you are an Equites*?" Lelei paused from her inspections and looked up at the busy gunner. "I guess that makes sense."

"Yeah uh, sure."

Lelei cocked her head to the side as she ran a hand over one of the brake lights. "What do you call this steed?"

"She's an M1A1 Abrams and we call her Here We Go Again." Kincaid answered proudly. As unmotivated as tankers often got they never shirked an opportunity to brag and boast about their war machines. Kincaid was no exception to this rule.

"What a strange name."

Kincaid grunted as he opened an access hatch over the tank's engine. "Yo Benitez, pass up the 15-40*."

No response.

"Hey, you hear me down there? You can't be that fucking absorbed in a walk around-"

Kincaid paused as he saw the tan jug slowly hover up and over to him, a blue sheen glowing all around it.

"I assume you are looking for this Kincaid?" Lelei called up to the gunner with her eyes closed and staff extended out towards him. All of the soldiers that had been in Falmart knew about the existence of magic, plenty had fought it too. It still never got easier seeing it in action though. Scientists were still trying to figure out the how and why of it.

"Yeah, that's it." Kincaid stretched his arms and caught the wayward jug. "Thanks."

"It looked heavy and your comrade is sleeping on the front of your…" Lelei opened her eyes and frowned as she tried to remember the foreign name. "Tank?"

"Figures." Kincaid rolled his eyes.

Seeing this display of talent Lelei's master was quick to praise his student. "Well done my apprentice, well done!" Cato called from underneath the cool shade of a tree next to the tank. The wizard sat crisscrossed and mimicked a thumbs up he had seen several of the soldiers do earlier. "It seems even our new friends can benefit from the services we can provide!"

The elderly mage puffed away happily at his pipe.

"Of all my students she has always been the most proficient Sir Kincaid. You could not find a finer company in your court!"

"My court, of course!" Kincaid paused from fussing around with a funnel he had put into the tank's transmission and looked over at Wilkes. "Speaking of royalty. Pretty sure it's the loader's job to do this shit."

"Excuse me?" Wilkes paused from talking into his hatch just as curious Shino's emerged from within the vehicle. "You and Elton were the ones who told me to give the sergeant a fucking tour!" He looked over at Elton half expectedly. "Tell em' boss man."

Elton didn't look up from his book, choosing instead to turn another page. "We did, stop bitching and finish the after ops bro."

"Yeah yeah, whatever."

"Well, it's a pretty badass machine." Shino grunted as Wilkes grabbed her hand and lifted her up and onto the top of the turret. Back on her feet, the sergeant dusted herself off. " It's a lot bigger than the Type 90s back in Hokkaido. Think you could take one of those or a Type 10 on?"

"Kill em five times over yeah." Kincaid answered confidently as he finished pouring oil and started closing up the access hatch. "As for the size, it's an autoloader thing. Plus we're American, big guys need the space."

"Yeah, I'll say." Shino grinned at Kurokawa. "Almost as big as you Kurokawa! You sure you don't wanna take a look?! It's pretty cool~!"

The medic had been over by their truck and sorting through some supply boxes with another soldier when she heard Shino making fun of her. The sergeant looked over at the tank with a frown.

"Very funny Kuribiyashi. I'll remember that the next time you go hitting your head on things again!"

"Woops." Shino stuck her tongue out and started making her way down the front of the tank. Upon passing where the gun tube would normally be she paused to turn around and snap another photo of the tank and its crew with her cellphone. "Thanks guys my friends back at Alnus will love this shit."

"Yeah, no problem we do it all the time." Elton gave a thumbs up and flipped another page. "Let the ladies know my virgin ass crewmates are single too."

"Oh ho?" Shino pointed at Wilkes and smirked. "Sure I'll keep that in mind."

Wilkes almost choked on his freshly lit cigarette just as he sat down. "The fucks that mean?"

"If we get time off come to Akihabara and I'll show you." Shino winked as she hopped off the front of the tank and started walking back to her truck. "See you fellas later!"

"Well damn." Kincaid stepped up onto the top of the tank and lit a cigarette of his own. "I think she thinks you're slightly less ugly than the rest of us."

"Shit I'd smash the shit out of her fuck you mean?" Wilkes smiled playfully.

Elton put his book away and dropped down into the turret interior. "Uh-huh, sure. Kincaid make sure Benitez isn't gonna be crushed."

"Yup." Kincaid stood on his toes and looked over at the front slope. Curled into a ball snoring loudly, and oblivious to the world around him. Benitez remained fast asleep. "He's good. Bring her over."

"Roger. Power, traversing!"

Suddenly, the hydraulics whined as Elton began traversing the turret back over the front and oriented down the road.

"You're good!" Kincaid waited for the turret to stop moving before reaching into one of the sponson boxes and taking out a lukewarm can of cola. "Hey, Lelei!"

He whistled over at the still curious Lelei and tossed the can half expecting her to catch it like a normal person. Only to raise an eyebrow as the can stopped midair and gently glided over to her.

Upon grabbing it she inspected it with increasing levels of scrutiny.

"It's soda! You drink it!"

"Soda?" Lelei turned the can over. "So-da?"

Seeing this Elton chuckled and opened his book back up. "Holy shit they're evolving."

"Oh for fucks sake." Kincaid ignored his tank commander and grabbed another can, holding it up so Lelei could see it. He popped the tab and drank from it. "See? Like this."

Lelei let her staff rest against her and mimicked the instructions given to her with a surprising level of competency. Upon hearing the pop and fizz she sniffed the can curiously before taking a sip.

"Oh, here we go." Wilkes lowered his aviators down past his eyes. "This I gotta see."

The moment the liquid touched her tongue the young mage's eyes lit up. "What flavor! I have never had anything like it."

"That is coca-cola." Kincaid tried not to laugh as he watched Lelei start chugging away at the can. "The refreshing taste of America."

"Ah yes, the refreshing taste of my nutts-oof!" Wilkes grunted as Kincaid delivered a kick to his back.

Satisfied his loader was properly disciplined, Kincaid returned his attention to Lelei. "Thanks for helping me earlier, now go back to Cato before you go breaking something."

"Thank you, Sir Kincaid!" Lelei bowed her head before running off to Cato. "Master master you must try this drink!"

"And that's how this world falls apart." Elton shook his head. "You're gonna get her hooked on that shit."

"Yeah….yeah probably." Kincaid yawned and sat down next to his loader. "Felt nice to do, sue me."

"Shit you remember last month during the Marine Corps birthday?"

"How could I forget? Best soda and bag of chips I ever had." Kincaid slurped from his can. "Even if it was in the middle of a field of death."

"Yeah, fucking sucks we won't be home for Christmas though."

"Don't remind me man." Kincaid sighed. "Don't remind me."

Wilkes leaned against his gunner. "Hey man don't be so down, you know the hot plate is in the sponson box right?"

"You didn't!"

"I did, got some of the good stuff in the cooler too." Wilkes raised his sunglasses back up and blew out a cloud of smoke. "Soon as we wrap up here I'm grillin'."

"Speaking of wrapping up." Kincaid reached for his M4 and scoped in down the road. "Looks like we got company."

All previous pleasantries were dropped as each of the tankers grabbed their weapons and prepared to get inside the tank. "How many?"

Kincaid brought his ACOG's reticle over one of the men on horseback. "Three, probably scouts."

"Right then better send it up. Someone wake up Benitez." Elton put his book down and reached for his comm helmet's boom mic off the top of his .50 cal. "Horseman One this is Four Actual."

"Send it."

"I've got eyes on three scouts over here by the north gate, they're definitely sizing us up."

"Give me the word boss man and I'll drop em'." Kincaid flipped the safety off his rifle and got down into a kneeling position between the TC's and loader's hatch. "Easy shots to make."

"Copy, let me know if anything changes but do not engage. I'm coordinating a plan of attack with mainside and friendlies."

Elton nodded and gestured for Kincaid to hold his fire. "Roger, Four out."

"Damn, never get to fucking fire this thing." Kincaid continued to keep the scouts in his scope right up until they turned around and left.

"Bro you're a gunner you get two fucking weapon systems." Elton put his hands up incredulously. "Is that not enough?"

"C'mon man using the personals is classy, has more feel to it you know?"

"...Yeah true. Been wanting to watermelon something with the pump nasty to be honest."

"You should have killed them! Send a message to their misbegotten fellows!" Rory laughed from atop the Japanese truck. "No matter they are all going to die tonight anyways!"

Rory continued to laugh much to the uneasiness of everyone nearby. She was right though, they were almost all going to die.

She just didn't know how unprepared she was for the cold hard truth of how they were going to die.


I know some of you will ask. "Hey wait why is Roger US Army now?" C'mon think about how the CIA is...there's your answer. Originally this was all going to be part of the actual attack chapter too, but uh. Take a look at the word count, trust me you guys didn't want that. I don't want to short-change you on the Italica fight.

Anyways I need to go do my Azur Lane dailies...and get ready for the workweek. Woop Dee Fuckin' Doo. As ever ya'll are awesome and don't forget it. Stay warm and stay safe. Until the next chapter!


ACRONYMS/TERMS USED:

OCP: Operational Camouflage pattern. It's what the U.S. army and a fuck ton of others wear now.

EQUITES: A class of citizens who originally formed the cavalry of the Roman army and at a later period were a wealthy class of great political importance. Thought I was being slick with this one not gonna lie.

15-40: A type of oil used for the engine also used in the hub wheels if I recall. Been a hot minute since I did after ops lol.