The air in the hospital bedroom was stale, the electrical fan whirring in the background did nothing to help the bitterness that penetrated the atmosphere of the room. The heart monitor punctured the deafening silence with the occasional beep to show that the occupant of the bed was still in the land of the living. Occasionally, just occasionally, a tear would slip off the watcher's chin and splash on the floor, she'd run out of tears to continue constantly sobbing a long time ago. Sat with her lover's hand clasped between her own, Darjeeling watched Henry's chest rise and fall ever so faintly, a far cry from how he was a few days ago in the morning before the match against BC Freedom. Her eyes were red and rimmed with dark circles, having barely slept since the incident. Miho had been with her for a while, but she had to leave to talk to her team and call her sister, that was a few hours ago, since then Darjeeling had been at Henry's side alone, except for the occasional nurse coming in to check up on his condition. She knew that the rest of the team were worried sick, especially his crewmates who were also guilt-ridden about the accident. Assam and Pekoe had to restrain her earlier from slapping the leader of the BC men's team for his blatant disregard of safety and common decency on the field, the man had been perfectly willing to accept the hit as well, which just infuriated her more.
Half of Henry's face was swathed in bandages, hidden beneath the sheets she knew that his right leg was held in a splint, and he had a back brace on his lower spine to protect it, just in case. The Doctors said he would recover just fine, but it was just a matter of when he would wake up and that was out of even the best of doctors control. Darjeeling sighed softly, thinking back to the match that ended in tears.
Two days prior
Darjeeling sipped her tea as she relaxed in her chair, Pekoe next to her sat with her hands in her lap, anxiously watching the big screen. Assam and Rosehip reclined next to each other on the bonnet of the car, enjoying the sunny day as Miho and the rest of Anglerfish team chatted nearby.
"Soooo, Miporin and Hana what were they like?" Saori's chipper voice piped up, reaching Darjeeling's ears as she smiled, knowing exactly what sort of grilling the two girls would be getting from their boy obsessed friend.
"Yes Miss Nishizumi, what were the tanks like?" spoke up the ever-energetic tank obsessed Yukari.
Saori sighed, "I don't mean the tanks Yukari."
"Then what do you mean?" as all four of her friends gave her incredulous looks
"Oh, you mean the…the boys?"
"I think they would much prefer to be called men, despite their behaviour at times." Darjeeling interjected, smiling at the Ooarai girls.
Yukari blushed, "S-sorry."
"Well, don't leave me waiting!" Saori demanded of her friends
"Well, they were very pleasant…" Miho began
"But are any of them single!"
Darjeeling politely giggled, "Only one of the command tank is single, and I think he had eyes for your gunner here. The others are all taken."
"Oh" Saori looked dejected "Of course Hana gets all the fun! and those girls are so lucky…"
Darjeeling and Pekoe shared a chuckle, "Yes I'd say we are."
Saori stammered "O-oh, sorry I didn't realise."
Darjeeling waved away her apology, "It's fine, how would you know. It's not common knowledge that I'm with Henry, we only got together a few weeks ago."
"Yes, after driving the rest of us mad for three years." Assam piped up from the car
"Tsk details. Pekoe here is with Tim, Assam with Richard and Rosehip with Richie."
"MATCH START"
The start of the match stopped the conversation as all eyes were drawn to the big screen, the St Gloriana tanks moved forward and split into three groups as Darjeeling knew they would. The BC team did exactly what Assam said and send out their light H39s as scout tanks as their main battle line rumbled forward at a snail's pace. On the other side of the field, the anti-tank group accompanied by the 4 Valentines advanced directly ahead, whilst two Cromwells split to the right and the Comet and other two Cromwells went left, Henry's Comet was not the flag tank this time around, that honour was granted to the 3 Inch Gun Carrier, to try and lure the BC team to attack them.
"The whole art of war consists of guessing at what is on the other side of the hill"
"Wellington?" Pekoe enquired
"Quite, it's a clever ploy our boys are trying to pull off, but that hill could be the undoing of them."
The Battleground was different from the time the Girls fought Ooarai here, this area was grassier, and in the middle of the field was a very large hill, which both teams were advancing towards. The H39s were already making quick progress towards the ridgeline in comparison to the main St Gloriana force, who were trundling along at the speed of the 3 Inch.
"They aren't going to make it." Pekoe said, whilst Darjeeling merely took a sip of her tea.
"Henry will have a plan."
The H39s had made it to the ridgeline and had spotted the St Gloriana advance, beginning to open fire with their 37mm SA 18s, their fire wouldn't do any damage to the St Gloriana tanks, but it would be enough to alert the rest of BC to their location as well as keep the enemy pinned.
The Anti-Tank group halted and began to return fire, the roar of the 3 Inch's 76mm much louder than the H39, who pulled behind the ridgeline slightly to avoid being knocked out by the Valentines.
Meanwhile, the main battle line of BC Freedom was making their way forward, the B1s were just pushing up their side of the hill, whilst the ARLs waited at the bottom. The camera on the main screen switched to the Comet and the accompanying Cromwells as they crossed a bridge, which placed them just behind the BC line.
A H39 tried poking its turret over the ridgeline and instantly took a shot from one of the Avengers below, knocking it out of the game.
"FIRST BLOW, ST GLORIANA, HOTCHKISS 39 ELIMINATED."
The B1s now had started to push over the ridgeline and move down towards the waiting St Gloriana line, who started to slowly reverse as they began taking shots from the B1s double cannons. The Valentines moved themselves in front of the Avengers and 3-Inch, soaking up some shots that would have otherwise damaged the Anti-tank squad. One Valentine got detracked, then instantly peppered by all of the BC tanks, obliterating it and causing the white flag to pop
"ONE VALENTINE ELIMINATED."
By now the B1s had made their way down the hill, the H39s sped ahead of the advancing line, firing on the move as the outnumbered St Gloriana line desperately tried to put out more shots. The ARL's had also made their way up to the top of the hill, beginning to add their cannons to the bombardment, another Valentine went down, the announcer was about to call it out when one of the ARL's took a shot to the flank, causing its engine to give out and the white flag to pop.
"ONE VALENTINE AND ONE ARL-44 ELIMINATED."
The Camera flashed over to the other side of the hill where the Comet sat with a smoking barrel, the four Cromwells sped along from both sides to relieve pressure off the beleaguered main battle line. The BC flag tank, the Commanders ARL, turned to face the Comet, whilst the others tried to stop the Cromwell attack when one Cromwell veered off and made its way up towards the flag tank.
"There goes Davenport, this match is as good as won." Darjeeling finished her tea, holding out the cup for Pekoe to refill.
Miho looked across to her, "How so?"
"Henry's crew in the Comet are the best on the team, and Davenports are next, the French commander may be good, but he can't take on both of our best at the same time." Pekoe refilled the cup as Darjeeling nodded in thanks.
Back on the main screen, the fight had intensified, the Avengers had started to wreak havoc on the H39s as they attempted to flank, knocking them all out. The B1s started to panic, having lost their screen and with their backs exposed to the remaining three Cromwells. The other ARLs were clearly unsure what to do, either stay with their commander or go to help their comrades who were caught in the trap below. The Comet avoided a shot from the flag tank and began its charge, speeding along the ridge peppering the ARL with machine gun fire as it went.
"Tim does love to use that machine gun doesn't he Pekoe."
"Well he has told me he tends to get bored when he's not on the radio, so I can't blame him really." Pekoe let out a small giggle.
Back on the field, one of the ARLs had decided to engage Davenport, forcing him to swerve off his intended target. The Comet was now on its own against the opposing flag tank, but the two were equally matched. As the range closed, the Comet started to open fire with its main gun as well, trading shots and ricochets with the ARL. Down below, two of the B1s had been knocked out by the Cromwells, but an Avenger had taken a direct hit and was also down. The fight was getting close and the outcome balanced on a knife-edge.
Suddenly, Pekoe gasped as the camera returned to the duel between the two commanders. Henry had opened the turret hatch and was now standing up, they could see him shouting orders into his throat mic, as the Comet zipped nimbly around the ARL, balancing along the ridgeline. Then it happened.
The ARL accelerated forward, slamming into the Comet and then firing point blank. The Comet's white flag popped out but that was not enough as the ARL kept going and then the tank, which had been so dangerously balanced on the precipice of the ridge tumbled over the edge. The Camera zoomed in and the girls could see that Henry was slumped over the edge of the cupola, unconscious with blood streaming down his head, then he was launched out of the tank as it fell off the edge.
Time slowed as Darjeeling stood up, her teacup falling slowly to the ground as Henry ungracefully flew through the air, the Comet rolled down the hill ploughing a track through the grass and spraying dirt everywhere, Henry's red jacket was clear to everyone as his body rag-dolled down the hill following his tank. Darjeeling's cup shattered on the floor, spraying her polished black shoes with tea as she watched Henry bounce once more before coming to a halt at the foot of the hill.
The Comet had landed upside down, but that didn't stop the crew from forcing themselves out of the turret and running across to the fallen body of their commander, who was showing no signs of getting up.
Sirens blared across the field, signalling for the match to stop. Darjeeling stood agape, as Pekoe tugged on her arm. She was saying something, but Darjeeling couldn't hear, she only had eyes for the unmoving red dot that was Henry on the screen. Miho was there then, her hazelnut eyes the last thing Darjeeling saw as her vision slowly blackened and she fainted back onto her chair.
Present day
Four bottles clinked together in a toast, "To the Commander." The four crew of Henry's Comet all took a long swig of their beer. Tim had a bandage wrapped around his forehead from a cut he had received when the tank tumbled down the hill, both Richards had escaped unscathed and Arthur had a bandage wrapped around his left hand where he had touched the hot gun breech as they fell.
They were sat in a small bar off Oorai's waterfront, pop music softly played out of the speaker by the bartender who was cleaning some glasses, aside from the four tankers the place was empty.
"What do we do now?" Tim asked the others.
"Not much we can do, except wait until he wakes up, other than that…let's get smashed." Richard took another swig of his beer.
"Aye, I'll drink to that" Arthur chuckled
Richie sighed, "Shots on me then lads." The normally stoic driver was quite shaken up by the events of previous days, they'd spent the day after the match in the hospital then decided they couldn't stand it anymore and went off in search of cheap drinks the day after.
Four rounds of shots later, one for each of the group they started rambling. Tim slumped onto Richard
"Oh, I could have stopped him, pulled him back in or something."
"Nonsense, you know once he puts his mind to something he won't stop for anything."
Arthur slammed his hand down on the table, startling the others "Moping about it won't do anything, Henry would want us to have fun, so in that case…. MORE DRINKS."
Oorai Streets
Assam flicked off her phone, "Still nothing?"
Pekoe shook her head and took her phone away from her ear, "His phone is off."
"Idiots…." Rosehip kicked a lamppost, then yelped in pain.
"I'm sure they are fine." Came a voice from behind them, turning around the three Saint Gloriana girls, saw the four members of Anglerfish walking towards them.
"Miho came back from the hospital, she says that Henry has stabilised and now they are just waiting for him to wake up." Hana said as they came to a stop in front of them
"And what about Miss Darjeeling?" Pekoe asked them politely, hands clasped in front of her.
"She's….as well as you can expect, I think she needs her friends now."
Assam sighed, "We need to find our boyfriends, Darjeeling and Henry will murder us if they do anything stupid whilst he's under."
Mako spoke in her monotone voice "Well they are probably drinking, and I have an idea where."
The three other girls blinked at their friend in surprise, Assam looked at her "Well, lead on I suppose."
Making their way through the quiet streets of Ooarai the girls were attracted to a small bar just off the harbour, they could hear some singing which was utterly awful and slurred. Assam tsked "I have an idea who that might be."
Sat outside the now-closed bar, the four men of Henry's crew were clustered around a bench facing the ocean, as the girls approached them, Richard turned around and his eyes widened
"Oh God."
The other three turned as well, their eyes widening in fear
"Oh shit." Richie spat out as Rosehip gave him a glare
"Oh bugger." Tim watched Pekoe approach
"Actually you're buggered, I'm fine."
The three non-single ones turned on Arthur,
"You're in this together with us Arthur." Richard got him in a headlock
"Yeah you're not escaping." Tim grabbed onto his arm
"Look that girl you fancy is here as well." Richie took his other arm
Together the three of them pushed him towards the girls
"Take him, spare us!" Richard blurted out, as the three St Gloriana girls shoved Arthur aside, making him fall into the Ooarai girls, specifically Hana, she looked down at him, as he said
"Oh, has anyone ever told you that you have amazing eyes."
Whilst Arthur attempted to flirt with Hana, the others cowered on the bench as their mutual significant others advanced,
"Right I'm out." Riche attempted to make a run for it, but Rosehip wasn't having any of it sprinting after him she tackled him to the ground and started shouting at him "YOU'RE AN ABSOLUTE IDIOT, DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW WORRIED I WAS."
Pekoe just took Tim by the hand and pulled him away, whilst Assam stopped in front of Richard, who awkward scratched his head "Errr hey."
She just stared at him for a moment, before pulling him up and planting a kiss on his lips, "I'm just glad you're ok."
The Hospital
Darjeeling's phone buzzed, flipping it open she saw a text from Assam
We found them, no worse for wear. We're taking them home now, make sure you sleep x
She smiled sadly, 'No, I don't think I'll be getting any sleep tonight…'