"We all know the situation," the schoolgirl perched on the edge of a crate reminded her companions. "There's no point wasting time on recriminations and pointing fingers."

"You're right, Mage," agreed the girl leaning against the same crate. "No blaming anyone until we're home and safely out of this mess."

"And then we kick Drak's butt?" Minako had the room's only chair, a metal folding one.

There were general nods of agreement from the other girls present with one notable exception – a blonde, sitting on a stack of ammunition cases, nose still buried in a paperback – who extended a single finger in obscene salute towards the girl who'd spoken.

"It's only fair," Mage pointed out from her crate. "We're all going to get our butts kicked in this fustercluck."

Drak closed her book, using a playing card as a bookmark. "Not necessarily. Think positive."

"Okay." She paused for effect. "I'm positive we're going to get our butts kicked. Every other school in this tournament fields three or four BattleMechs as their lance. We've got one."

"There are –"

"Not done, Drak."

"Please continue, O devourer of carrots."

"And it's a Charger."

Minako leant her chair back until the back rested against a large crate behind her. "There are good variants of the Charger, Mage."

"It's a 1A1 model."

"Can we at least...?"

"Physical attacks are banned in league matches."

"...we're boned."

Drak stood up. "There are two things I'd like to point out that may salvage this situation... no, three things."

"You have the floor."

"Firstly, we may only have a single 'Mech but we do have three reasonably competitive combat vehicles to fill out the lance. Secondly, we've been given skills to use in this little sporting event equivalent to those we've had when this was just games. Thirdly," she gestured for Minako to move aside and pointed at the crate the girl had been leaning against. Stencilled on the outside was the legend (upside down) 'Pitban 240 SFE'.

"Ohhhh..." Mage's grin was almost criminally wide. "Challenger. I like the way you think."

"You are the most evil of us," conceded Minako. "But doesn't that require a lot of expertise and tools?"

"Despite the name, in a lot of ways this is a tech school. And while you may kick my ass when it comes to MWO, I'm very, very good with SSW. I can do this."

"I hate it when you're right... but when you're right, you're right." Minako nodded. "Dibs!" she snapped suddenly.

"D- ah, dammit, Minako!"

"Being fair, Mage, if only one of us is a Mechwarrior for this little lance on lance contest, it should be the best of us."

"But..."

"It's not like it's an Urbie."

Mage mimed getting shot through the heart and lay back on top of the crate. "This is still all your fault, Drak."

Drak nodded and opened her book again. "If it makes you feel better, keep telling yourself that. I will need to work the supply chain to get some additional parts though. Does anyone feel comfortable with doing a stock take and maybe some under the table trading to get what I need?"

"I think I can do that," one of the other girls said confidently. "It doesn't look like anyone's really organised this place in years – there could be anything in the back corners."

"Thanks, Cons. So one retooled 'Mech, figure out crews for the rest of the lance and try to win this in the next three, three and a half weeks. Sounds like a plan."

There were nods and some puzzled looks. Drak closed her book again and stashed it in her uniform jacket.

"Why that time limit, Mage?"

The girl on the crate sat up. "What happens to girls every month or so?"

"...Drak." Cons picked up a two-by-four – debris from some long ago damaged pallet – and swung it to judge the wait. "Die."

The blonde didn't bother screaming, she saved her breath for running. She got the impression she might have to keep running quite a while before Cons gave up on braining her.

.o0o.

{Drak} Wouldn't Girls und Panzer fit into Battletech reasonably well?

{Cons} What, with vehicles from the '40s in the 31st century?

{Drak} Well they could be reconstructions. They have the combat simulations down, we see it in the books.

{Mage} And someone's using this to put teenage girls through combat training? That's a bit hard-core even for BAttletech

{Mage} oh, yeah. The Clans. Never mind.

{Minako} Even outside the Clans, I could see some of the successor states doing it. Giving kids training on obsolete gear before they enter the military later

{Drak} CC or DC, certainly. And those huge school ships

{Mage} Star League engineering

{Drak} Well floating cities could exist, maybe. The super-carrier look I'm not so sure of.

{Bleu} would this be a story idea or a game idea?

{Katar} could work as a game

{Xio} so Oorai are equipped with battletech tanks? or would 'Mechs be allowed?

{Drak} depending on era, perhaps some 'Mechs. although older models that aren't much use any more. Primitives.

{Fitz} there aren't a lot of them. Would that mean Miho has a Tiger?

{Mage} Wasn't that the auto club tank.

{BROB} This sounds like a fun idea.

{Cons} Who's playing around?

{Drak has disconnected}

{Cons has disconnected}

{Mage} that's omninous.

{Katar} netsplit?

{Mage has disconnected}

{Minako has disconnected}

{Bleu has disconnected}

{Fitz} BROB nononononono!

{Katar has disconnected}

{Xio has disconnected}

{BROB} have fun!

{Fitz} oh hell

{Fitz has disconnected}

{ECS has disconnected}

.o0o.

The Kikō Sentō building had been a quiet spot on the campus for almost thirty years - the team had been drafted along with any equipment considered useful in combat in the late 3060s. When the DCMS grudgingly donated two 'surplus' tanks during the paring down of armed forces in the 3090s they'd been stored in a more convenient garage to the classrooms.

For twenty years - her entire career as teacher of military theory at Soyokaze Military Preparatory School for Girls - Kyoko Wilson had visited the building for only two reasons: as a discreet place to have a smoke out of the students' sight and to check it in the evenings for students and possibly their non-student friends sneaking off there for a smoke or other adolescent misbehaviour.

Technically speaking the girls there were creating a fair bit of smoke - but not from tobacco. The BattleMech that had - for years - been left rotting in the back of the Kikō Sentō building was now centre stage in the workshop area, surrounded by gantries and cherry-pickers as students swarmed over it.

"What in the Dragon's name are you doing?" she exclaimed, tucking her cigarettes and lighter out of sight.

Aki from Class 4-A was studying a pieced together and much annotated manual - probably borrowed from the school's library. "We're overhauling it, Sensei."

"That's... rather ambitious." Also pointless since even in mint condition a CGR-1A1 BattleMech was one of the most useless designs ever put into production. "Has this been cleared with the administration?"

"It's on the charter." Aki looked around. "Katar! Where's the charter?"

"I left it on the forklift, Drak." Katsue was one of the few final year students participating in the revived Kikō Sentō team. Most fifth year students were more focused on preparing for the final exams. Wilson hadn't heard anyone call her 'Katar' before - or Aki 'Drak'. Were nicknames going to be a fad among the student body?

Aki found the charter and handed it over to Wilson. "The Kikō Sentō team is responsible for maintenance of their vehicles and other equipment, ensuring its readiness for all school purposes educational and competitive," she quoted.

"It looks as if you're taking it apart."

"Sensei, I don't think anyone's used it in decades. If Minako is going to pilot it, we need to be reasonably sure the reactor shielding won't fail the moment it warms up. That would be..." She looked for a word and then found it. "Unfortunate."

The heat of the reactor core igniting the air around it, melting much of the interior and immolating the pilot could be considered unfortunate, Wilson conceded. "Have you found a fault yet?"

"Just one, but it's a biggie."

"Oh?"

"Its a 1A1 model."

The teacher nodded and checked her watch. "Well don't stay out past curfew."

.o0o.

"Down... down... okay, hold it there!" Fitz gestured up to the crane cab where Xio was working the controls.

Around the workshop girls listened for any warning creaking. The crane _was_ holding a load of more than fifty tons in the air after all.

Fitz checked the ground for obstructions and to make sure the massive reactor was coming down entirely within the markings laid out on the workshop stores area. "Okay, all clear. Bring it down nice and slowly. We don't want to break it."

"Damn right, Cons' plan won't work if this isn't fully operational."

"And if we don't get the parts, I can't fix this up," Drak agreed.

"More importantly, we don't get the booze."

"Be gentle!" Mage shouted up to Xio.

Drak rubbed her forehead but saw she was a minority of one. "I suppose that works."

.o0o.

"Where is Kunie?" Wilson asked as she took rollcall for the class.

Bleu raised her hand. "Cons... uh, Kunie, has been excused from classes, sensei."

"And why is that, Rui?"

"It's Kikō Sentō business, sensei."

"Is that so?" Wilson looked down her nose at Rui. "I think there's been a little too much freedom given to your club. Who signed off on this absence?"

"Eddington-hakase, sensei."

Wilson raised an eyebrow. "Well we can't go against the Principal, can we? But I'm sure she has more important things to deal with than club activities. Your faculty advisor should co-ordinate this with the rest of the teaching staff."

"I'm not entirely sure we have a faculty advisor, sensei."

"Hmm." The teacher frowned. "Very well. Is anyone else excused for this purpose?"

"Katar is excused, sensei."

"'Katar'?"

"Katsue, sensei."

"Well as Katsue isn't in this class that doesn't immediately concern me." She opened her book at the bookmark. "Well, it seems we're beginning to discuss Sun Tzu today. Can anyone find anything in Sun Tzu's writings pertinent to Kunie's absence from class today?"

The class flipped through their own copies assiduously and Mage raised her hand.

"Yes, Megu?"

"Chapter ten, section thirteen. 'When there are no fixed duties assigned to officers and men, and the ranks are formed in a slovenly haphazard manner, the result is utter disorganisation'."

.o0o.

There was a heavy tank transporter assigned to the school for moving heavy equipment around. In theory it was to be used to move tanks or their one 'Mech around without tearing up the roads. In practise it was mostly used at the beginning and end of term to move scores of students and their bags from the campus to the transportation hubs of Deber City.

Cons had spent a good fifteen minutes adjusting the seat - and eventually adding a cushion - before she could both reach the pedals and see over the dashboard. It hadn't exactly been designed for a fourteen year old to drive, much less to do so with a load of more than fifty tons strapped to the loadbed. That weight gave it extensive momentum and made steering... something of an exercise in brute strength.

Of course, she didn't have a lot of brute strength and sometimes Katar had had to reach over and help her turn the wheel. Theoretically the older girl could have driven but - being just a few centimetres shorter - they hadn't found a compromise that let her.

Even with the help, Cons' arms felt like limp noodles when they finally pulled off the highway towards the little industrial complex that was their destination.

Behind them, backed up traffic - to keep under control Cons had been going well below the speed limit - honked derisively as they finally managed to surge forwards.

"Are we almost there?"

"I hope so." Katar checked the map against the next sign she saw. "Assuming the Kawahara Cannery is where you want to get to?"

"That's the place. God, I hope the deal goes through. I _really_ don't want to drive back to school with the same load I left with."

"You're preaching to the choir."

Slowing further to manage the narrower streets, they pulled up at the gate of the factory complex.

"Who's there?"

Cons tried to respond to the challenge and realised that the angle was such that she couldn't see the guard out of the window. She was about to unstrap when Katar hopped up on the seat and leant over her.

"Hi!" she chirped. (Chirped? Really, what was happening to them all?) "We're from Soyokaze. Delivery for a Kamzaku-san!"

"Seriously, kid?" protested the guard. "I don't know how you got the truck, but get out of here before I call the Civilian Guidance Corps."

"You should probably call Kamzaku-san first," Katar told him seriously. "I mean, if you think we'll be mad about coming out here from Deber and then driving back for nothing, it's got nothing on how mad Kamzaku-san would be if you sour this deal and he has to go to the next lowest bidder. What was our margin again?"

"Nissan for about two hundred fifty thousand ryu above our offer."

"Yeah. So do you want to cost Kamzaku and the firm all those ryu or do you want to make one little call?"

"You get out of the truck then," the man decided. "I'll call Kamzaku-san's office, but if he hasn't heard of you then I will call the CGC on you."

Katar watched and Cons settled for watching the other girl practically in her lap rather than trying again to look at the guard. She wasn't sure if she should be more excited about Katar's proximity or less. Knowing who was behind the youthful face was a vote for the latter, but... This is a screwy enough situation, she told herself. Besides, we might be going home when this is over and hoping we leave all the baggage in Vegas probably isn't the best idea in the world.

After a muffled conversation, the barrier slid out of the way. "Okay ladies, go right in. My apologies."

"You're just doing your job," Katar assured him before wriggling back into her seat.

Parking the truck by a delivery bay, Cons was about to hop out when Katar grabbed her arm. "Hold up, you can't go into this meeting like that." She handed over a wipe. "Clean your face and straighten your uniform. We need to look professional."

"Are you sure you're not getting too into this?"

"If we look like we don't care how we present ourselves it looks like we don't respect them. No one wants to do business with someone that doesn't respect them."

Cons sighed and accepted the wipe. "Just don't expect me to call you Katsue-sempai."

The other girl shuddered. There had been high-pitched squealing from the junior classes when - as the oldest member of the Kikō Sentō team - she was designated as the captain. "They're worse than the minions back home."

When they exited the heavy truck they were greeted by another security guard, this one much more deferential, who ushered them through several long corridors, up stairs, down stairs and through more corridors. Cons quickly determined they were being routed through several unnecessary diversions.

'Powerplay?' she mouthed to Katar who nodded slightly.

The office they ultimately reached was overlooking a small contemplative garden. A modest balcony looked down on it from behind the large and polished desk. A slight, balding man sat behind the desk - Kamzaku no doubt. Off to one side, a stocky man in DCMS dress uniform was eyeing the two of them in an amused way.

"Are these really here to make a deal?" the officer asked once they'd exchanged bows. "Or are they the entertainment?"

"I'm sure a noble samurai of the DCMS can find entertainment without difficulty when he isn't on duty," Katar replied smoothly. "You must be representing the military board?"

Her reply was a nod. "Tai-i Sanada. You're offering military-grade hardware to a civilian firm. You didn't think that would get our attention?"

"I was sure that it would. After all, any such agreement requires military board authorisation."

Kamzaku gestured towards the two seats in front of his desk. "Please sit and we can discuss the matter."

The two girls took the seats and Sanada sat down facing one end of the desk - overseeing the arrangements without being quite a part of them.

The businessman grudgingly cleared his throat. "From your earlier call, I understand you're offering an alternative to our current power arrangements. One that involves military hardware. This seems very irregular."

Cons straightened slightly and after Katar nodded, she explained: "Currently you're drawing power from two sources: the Deber City grid and an auxiliary diesel generator on site. Since you're quite a distance from Deber, the auxiliary is getting quite a workout covering for brown outs and two complete blackouts in the last year - which is adding noticeable fuel costs to your bottomline."

"Obviously I couldn't comment," Kamzaku commented, steepling his fingers.

"You recently contacted Nissan to obtain a fusion reactor to replace the diesel. With a fusion reactor you could offset brown-outs and even cut your draw from the grid, saving costs there. However, Nissan have a backlog of orders and currently can't commit to provide a reactor in less than thirty months unless you pay significantly over the odds. Even without that, the price tag is 2.25 million ryu - a substantial drain on your cash reserves."

She produced the specifications for the reactor taken out of the Charger. "At the Soyokaze Kikō Sentō club we have a surplus fusion reactor, rated comparable or superior to your current diesel generator in all regards. It was built 127 years ago but it's barely been used and like most military hardware it's made to last and has been stored carefully."

Sanada leant forwards. "Military hardware in civilian hands is no small matter, little girl. The possession by such clubs of the equipment is contingent on their readiness to serve as militia at need. Disposing of the equipment for profit is highly inapprorpriate and perhaps... unpatriotic."

"I'll respond if I may." Katar turned to the Tai-i. "Setting aside for the moment the distinction between a military grade reactor and weapons, this is not a matter of personal profit. If the reactor is used then the payment will be used by the Kikō Sentō club to improve our equipment and make ourselves more battleready against the possibility of being called to the Dragon's service."

"How is pulling a BattleMech reactor going to make you more battleready?"

Katar accepted the document offered by Cons and handed it over. "This is the Battlemech we removed the engine from. I think you'll agree that even if we were to totally disassemble it for parts - and in fact we intend to return it to service, much improved - there would be minimal detrimental effect on our combat power."

That got a reluctant guffaw from the soldier. "One of those? I see. Well, with modifications, they can indeed be much improved upon. It will still need a reactor though."

"We have a reactor. The need for funds is to cover other parts and expenses. I hope I've allayed your concerns."

"Ha. Well, yes, you make a good point."

"And you, Kamzaku-san? How do you fell about the prospect of obtaining a fusion reactor more than two years earlier than and ten percent cheaper than your current prospects?"

Kamzaku considered and then wrote a number out. "Given the need to adapt your hardware to our needs, I think this would be a reasonable price to pay."

"I can understand you might think that." Katar turned to Cons. "Do you have the address of our next potential buyer?"

"Of course." Cons tried not to show how much the idea of driving the heavily laden truck out to another site dismayed her.

"Not that we're unreasonable." Katar wrote another figure and offered it to Kamzaku. "To be paid into our account immediately on delivery."

"Given your truck's load, I imagine that delivery will be in a matter of minutes." Kamzaku studied the number. "I'll need to make a call to the bank, but this is acceptable."

Sanada leant forwards. "You know, this business can get rough. If Kamzaku were less honest, he could keep the reactor without paying it. Who would question him if he said you never arrived?"

"Let's just say that anyone taking the reactor off the truck before the money is in our bank account will regret it." Cons produced her own phone. "And we won't be told how to disarm the traps until the payment is verified."

.o0o.

Mage and Fitz held Xio by the shoulders although the girl hadn't tried to break free since they dragged her back from smacking Drak with the bamboo training blade she'd been wielding a moment ago.

Opposite them, the blonde girl took a deep breath and tried to calm herself, fingers still locked around the strap of the satchel she'd been using to protect herself from the brown-haired fellow exile.

"What was that about?" asked Fitz, watching carefully - expecting Drak to counter attack.

"What else?"

"You and your stupid games." Xio let go of the training blade. "I've got a family, you know? I don't want this."

Mage shook her head. "If this was a game, we'd be having more fun."

"He is, him and his - her - stupid 'Mech project and..." There were tears running down Xio's face.

"Most of us are missing family, Xio. You can't blame Drak." Fitz gave Xio a little shake. "It's BROB's fault. I was the last one taken, he knew we didn't really want this."

Drak nodded. "I play the hand I'm dealt, Xio. I want to go home too. But crying about it... Ah shit, sorry. I've done that too. But it's not getting us out. Our only hope is the bastard that sent us here. If we can win this, maybe he'll send us home."

"What if he's lying?" Xio demanded.

The other three girls feel silent.

"That's what I thought. And we're stuck here in... Christ. You know, I checked the history books. Do you know what they say about Kentares?"

"The planet or the massacre?" asked Mage.

Xio just looked at him. "They say Coordinator Minoru was murdered there. That his son delivered 'just retribution'. None of the gory details. That's where we're living. Somewhere they -"

"Don't say that here." Mage looked tired. "I know what you mean - I'm a _historian_ - of course I know. I also know what happens to the nail that stands up. We need to pick our moment and this isn't it."

"We don't risk anything by competing in the tournament. I don't like appeasing the bastard, but I don't see a better way." Drak slung her satchel. "Fitz, I could do with a hand if you have the time."

"A little, they're not exactly sparing us on homework."

"Well if we're creative about copying off each other, maybe we can cut back on the time we need for that."

"Cheating?" asked the shorter girl said, tugging on her braided hair.

"If you're not cheating, you're not trying," Drak pointed out. "And it's mostly math on the technical courses so there aren't a lot of possible answers."

"I guess."

They walked in silence for a while.

"We're probably stuck here, aren't we?"

"Oh goddammit, Fitz!"

.o0o.

"Cons has finished going through the inventory," Bleu reported, handing over a folder. "The details are here."

"Can you summarise?" asked Katar.

"We're okay for spare armour - should have enough for Drak to work with - and plenty of training ammo for the tanks with one exception."

"Oh?"

The black-haired girl shrugged. "The Sturmblitz' main gun is ancient. We've technically got rounds in the right caliber but they're using current standard cartridges that aren't compatible with the loading mechanism. As it stands we've got less than two full ammo loadouts for it."

Katar and Xio exchanged looks. "We need that big gun," Xio pointed out. "Hell, we need the whole tank or we aren't technically competitive at all."

"Fitz is working on it." Bleu gave Xio a pointed look. "And Drak's helping now that the Charger's as far along as she can get it without more parts."

"I'm not going to bite him." Xio rubbed her face. "I guess I should apologise."

"The training sword was a bit much," agreed Katar. "If the two of you want to wrestle, we can set up a mudpit though."

The other two looked at each other. "Now that was a bit much," Xio said.

With a nod, Bleu opened a second folder. "To finish the Challenger we're going to need lasers, heatsinks and maybe a different gyro. Drak says older heatsink models will work - we don't need freezers - and Magna Mk II and Mk III lasers would be best but she should be able to work with anything standard."

"Nice of her. Where'd we have to go to get Magna lasers?"

"Well new ones are made in the old Free Worlds League... or Taurian space." Katar drummed her fingers on the table. "Older ones should be easy to find though - they were exported all over the old Star League and probably got pulled for newer models after the Clan Invasion."

"Put Cons on finding a source?" suggested Xio. "She seems to have a knack for this sort of thing."

"Not a bad idea. But..."

They looked up as Wilson-sensei entered the Kikō Sentō building's office.

"Can I help you, sensei?" offered Bleu.

The teacher moved one of the other seats over so she could sit at the desk with them. "Don't mind me. I've just been appointed your new faculty advisor."

"Was Eddington-hakase waiting to appoint the first staff member who asked about us to the post?"

Wilson shook one finger in Katar's direction. "No cheek from you, Katsue. What mischief are you up to now?"

Katar leant back in her chair. "Actually I was about to say we should have Cons get the number for Tai-i Sanada... he might be just the man to introduce us to the local DCMS logistics network. As a modest part of the planetary militia we might be able to make a deal with them."

"Tai-i Sanada?" Wilson's eyes narrowed. "Who is this Tai-i and how do you know him?"

"That's a story that goes into why we have a couple of million ryu in the club funds."

"W-what?"

.o0o.

Kikō Sentō - literally 'Armored Combat' - is a sport involving the use of combat vehicles and BattleMechs under training conditions. Since its initial heyday during the early and mid 29th century, Kikō Sentō has been mostly practised by upper military preparatory schools in the Draconis Combine.

During the latter days of the Star League, battle ROM data of conflicts skirmishes between the House Militaries and 'unidentified bandits' were the predominant form of military format entertainment in the Member States. With the shift to more aggressive and less glamorous conflicts in the First and Second Succession Wars these were replaced by the 29th century by the nascent Solaris gladiatorial system. In the Draconis Combine where the practise was considered a debasement of honourable combat and the gladiators mere entertainers, these remained illegal to participate in - and under some circumstances to watch - for more than two centuries.

To fill this entertainment gap, Kikō Sentō tournaments were created, based in a smaller and more limited scale upon the SLDF's Martial Olympiads. Technically considered a training programme for militia and second-tier armored battalions of the DCMS, Kikō Sentō teams were often sponsored by planetary nobles and followed avidly. This heyday came to an end during the Third Succession War as resources shrank and actual combat operations became smaller scale and thus more cinematic. The decriminalisation of Solaris gladiatorial games in the 3050s inflicted a further blow to the sport until Kikō Sentō matches were adopted there post-Jihad.

As of the 32nd century the only offically sanctioned Kikō Sentō leagues are the Solaris Unlimited, which has operated since the 3080s on the titular planet, and the Middle Academic Kikō Sentō League which is open to teams from any middle school in the Draconis Combine able to meet the non-trivial costs. The Solaris Unlimited differs from the traditional format by utilising live ammunition and permitting deliberate contact between vehicles. The Middle Academic Kikō Sentō League has increasingly shifted towards the use of BattleMechs in recent years as the Inner Sphere's disarmament has made military surplus equipment more accessible.

The Middle Academic Kikō Sentō League is divided into Terran Conference, based in Benjamin District (and also accepting participants from Clan Nova Cat sibkos since 3079) and Outworlds Conference, covering Pesht and New Samarkand Districts. The League championship is contested annually on Luthien between the two finalist teams in each Conference championship with each Conference champion facing the other Conference's runner-up in a semi-final match.

.o0o.

Mage pulled the trigger and a salvo of LRMs sprayed back from the turret of the Saracen. Less than half of them struck the frontal armour of the Ostsol chasing them. "Can't you make this thing go any faster!?"

"The terrain isn't helping!" shouted back Cons as she wove the hover tank through the rock field.

In theory the Saracen should be easily able to outpace the heavy 'Mech - while agile for its size an Ostsol shouldn't be able to match them. In practise the vulnerable hover-skirt of the Saracen forced Cons to pick their way through the boulders littering this part of the battlefield while the Ostsol was simply striding over them and slowly making up ground.

"We should be better off if... Dammit!" Another volley of LRMs was launched and this time none of them came close. "I can't read the map and shoot at the same time but we should hit open ground once we're past the next hill."

"We really need another crewman then!"

The Saracen jolted as the Ostsol scored a hit with one of its large lasers. Fortunately the designers had known the tank would need to weather fire as it pulled out after a hit and run strike so the rear armour was sturdy. Still, it couldn't take many strikes like that.

"We could do with some more support too," Mage agreed. Her next shot was better and warheads detonated around the 'Mech's head and shoulders. "Take that!"

The Ostsol's reaction was a full alpha strike with all four forward lasers - scoring with both large lasers and one of the mediums. The Saracen's left flank struck the ground and they slewed wildly for a moment before Cons managed to regain control.

"Watch out, we almost flipped!"

"I noticed!" Cons wrestled with the throttle. "We've taken damage to our turbofans and the next time it scores a hit to the rear we're gonners!"

"He's also inside of 300 metres!" Mage fired again, not just LRMs but now the three SRM launchers. "You know what we should have loaded? Smoke rounds! They'd do about as much damage as we're causing right now and they might keep us from getting shot up the ass!"

"Take it up with Wilson-sensei!" The Saracen crested the slope and Cons opened the throttle as wide as she dared, the Saracen accelerating downhill. "Open ground at last."

"And an ally!" Mage cheered as the slablike shape of a Sturmblitz tank destroyer moved out from behind a rock. A moment later the heavily armoured vehicle was followed by the smoothly rounded upper surfaces of a Tokugawa heavy tank. "Two allies!"

The Ostsol crested the hill and veered sharply to one side as it realised it was outnumbered now.

There was a belch of fire from the Tokugawa's turret and shells from the autocannon tore into one arm, peeling away the armoured plating covering the limb. A moment later SRMs spiralled in to add to the damage.

Mage looked to the Sturmblitz, eager to see what the even larger cannon it carried could do. The seventy-five ton machine remained silent however - it had even stopped moving. "Katar, what are you doing!" she shouted into the radio. "Shoot!"

Instead the Ostsol fired - having turned aside away from the deadly Sturmblitz its target was the Tokugawa and it scored a line across the turret with one large laser.

The heavy tank skidded, the massive tyres on either side squealing as it turned sharply to bring its weapons to bear. There was a tak-tak-tak as the machinegun in the nose sprayed wildly and ineffectually. Fortunately whoever was in the turret did a better job and hammered on the centre of the Ostsol's chest with the autocannon. The SRMs crashed out a moment later, scarring the already battered armour.

"What's going on with Katar?"

"I don't know!" They were out of range for their own SRMs so Mage could only add their LRMs to the volley. "Maybe..."

"What?"

The girl studied her screens. "Cons, the Sturmblitz just vanished."

"What shot it?"

"Nothing shot it! It vanished! Poof!"

"Did you just say 'poof'?"

"Would you focus!?"

"Well I..." Cons yanked controls hard to avoid a sudden change of target by the Ostsol. The BattleMech's pilot had noticed them into range and fired with both large lasers. Both shots kicked up dust but the girl pulled the hover tank back to avoid more shots. "Don't have time for this right now."

"Maybe if we pincer it." Mage tapped the radio. "Fitz, try to get uphill of it. Maybe we can get some backshots in."

"I'll try but that's going to be hard on the wheels."

The wheels in question were already spinning furiously as the Tokugawa zig-zagged to avoid shots from the Ostsol. Twisting uphill proved ill-timed as the left tyres caught on a stone and left the tank immobilised for a brief moment as Fitz worked the gears and tried to gain traction.

Infra-red scopes illuminated sharply as the Ostsol unloaded its full arsenal into the flank of the Tokugawa. The armour around the crew compartment held but with two wheels gone Fitz wasn't going to be able to get it moving again. The tank's turret swivelled - about three degrees - before grinding to a halt.

One mistake and sixty tons of tank was a loss - not totally, but certainly out of the fight.

"We'll call that it." Wilson-sensei's voice cut across the radio channels.

"We can still fight," protested Cons.

"Playing keep away won't teach any of you anything," the teacher declared drily.

.o0o.

Cracking open the hatches let the girls out into the Kikō Sentō building again, dim and quiet.

Tempting as it might be, the club weren't going to take their tanks out and actually shoot at each other, even with training ammo. The fuel and ammunition costs would mount up soon enough as it was and throw in repairing even incidental damage...

No, for now they'd locked the computers that ran the machines together into a training simulation mode.

"What happened?" Mage called over to Katar, who was sitting cross-legged on top of the Sturmblitz.

She shrugged. "The magic smoke escaped from the computers and we dropped out of the sim. Drak's working on it."

"That would be kind of embarassing in an actual match."

Katar held her hands about six inches apart. "Just a bit."

"We need more crew," Bleu added, climbing out. "That gun's a beast, Drak needs to be in at least three different places to make sure it works."

That got nods from Cons and Mage. "A third person here wouldn't hurt either. I'm guessing Fitz and Xio feel the same way about the Tokugawa - too many jobs and not enough hands."

"The only thing not undermanned in that fight was the 'Mech." Katar nodded. "Who won?"

"The winner! And still! The Champion!" Minako waved down from the shoulder of the Charger. Still bolted in place for Drak to finish the modifications once they had the parts, the 'Mechs cockpit was functional and a patch-job had let it control the simulated Ostsol for the simulation.

"See how good you are in the leadfooted eighty tonner," called back Cons.

Minako grinned. "Twice as many large lasers!"

"Which rests on a lot of elbow grease by Drak and Fitz... who could do with more help." Katar sighed. "Sounds like we need minions."

"Sounds like 'Katsue-sempai', could call in her fangirls."

"Sounds like someone needs a clout upside the head. Most of them aren't even thirteen yet. Not a good idea." Katar raked her fingers through her short hair. "No, we need a more formal recruitment drive. Figure out what positions we need to fill... hmm. Maybe we could appeal to their sense of competition?"

She cupped her hands around her mouth as a megaphone and shouted: "Everyone gather 'round. Team conference!"

Even with that, Bleu had to duck back into the Sturmblitz to retreive Drak who emerged well after the rest of the team, muttering that she could hear perfectly well from inside thank-you-very-much.

"You don't need the armour to protect you from us, Drak." Seeing Wilson watching them, Katar adjusted her next remark smoothly. "No one's blaming you for the Sturmblitz falling out of the sim. It's ancient and this was only the first attempt."

She scrambled to her feet, remembering to keep the uniform skirt under control. "Okay, things on the agenda. Old business?"

"Uniforms," Bleu reminded.

"Right. Everyone needs to provide their measurements - not just three numbers please - for uniforms. You too, Minako, even if it's mostly for the cooling vest. Did you have any problems with the neurohelmet?"

"I had to fiddle a bit but it's okay now."

"Right, well let me know if there are any problems. I'll see if I can get a professional in to check it. We can't expect Drak to handle that - she's not a specialist."

"Parts."

"Thanks Bleu. Cons?"

"We have an appointment with Sho-sa Tatewake of the Seventh Ghost Regiment. Tai-i Sanada has been approached about joining us. I assume you'll want to be present, Wilson-sensei?"

"You assume correctly."

"Thank you. We'll need to buy something nice for him - I was thinking some Sake. May we have a note to buy some for him?"

Wilson snorted. "For him, yes. Not for yourselves."

"I promise I won't buy a bottle except for the one as a gift for him."

"Very well then."

"Thank you, sensei." Katar turned to Bleu. "Other old business."

The girl shook her head.

"New business," offered Cons. "I've an update on this year's championship tournament. "As expected there will be seven regional groups - one per Prefecture. The best team in each group and then the best other team overall will enter a single elimination tourmament."

"Are there really that many teams to face?" asked Fitz.

"Most groups are quite small. There are only four teams in Benjamin Prefecture: ourselves, Urizen Legacy Preparatory who are also on Benjamin, Chapelle Academy from Aix-la-Chapelle and Temple Ewell on Dover. We'll have matches against all of them - here on Benjamin - over the span of about two weeks. Exact dates haven't been announced but the other teams are expected to arrive around the end of the month."

"That isn't a huge amount of time to finish getting our equipment and personnel up to speed," Katar noted. "We'll be looking at work every day after class and a half-day on Sundays." She looked around. "And speaking of personnel, we need more team members to properly man the tanks. Mage, Xio, how many people do you need on your crews?"

"One for me."

"Fitz and I need two more if possible."

"Okay. And technically the Sturmblitz has a full crew of seven although we might be able to get by with just two more."

Drak looked pained. "Sure. Can someone call Tako-sensei? I need his arms..."

"Any other business? No? Okay, let's get cracking. Everyone get their homework done tonight, we don't need anyone held back from the team on academic grounds. Otherwise see who you can drag into the team and meet here tomorrow at the crack of 3pm."

"I'll get you the note by this evening," Wilson said before she left.

"What the hell were you thinking promising not to buy booze for us?" hissed Cons once she was sure the teacher was out of earshot. "We need something to look forward to."

"I only promised I wouldn't buy any." Katar smiled and loosened her uniform tie. "I was figuring to send Xio and Mage to do the buying... delegation is the heart of leadership. And maybe to see if they can pick up some cigars while they're at it..."

.o0o.

When Bleu got back to her dorm room she saw her room-mate had already gone to bed - although judging by the weighty book open in front of Jennifer, she didn't have any immediate plans to turn out her reading light.

Bleu didn't stop to talk beyond a quick exchange of "Hi"s, taking her bath bag and heading back to the shower. Even without the heat of actually firing the autocannon, it was quite stuffy within the Sturmblitz and between the sweat and the inevitable grease she felt a need for a long and thorough shower.

"You know, you're not exactly the sort of person I figured would be going in for Kikō Sentō," Jennifer observed without looking up as Bleu returned.

"Because it's such a ladylike sport?"

"You're not unladylike. But it is a bit... public. You're usually a bit more retiring."

"It's fun. So far, anyway. And I'm inside seventy-five tons of steel and stuff. It's not very outgoing." Bleu changed quickly into the school's issue sleepwear and scrambled up into her bunk. Then she leant over and dangled her head over the edge to look at Jennifer. "You should try it." Katar _had_ asked for recruiting efforts.

"Me? Rui, are you kidding?"

"Why not?"

"Did you see yourself coming back in? Did you smell yourself?"

"It's no worse than self-defence class. What are you really bothered about?"

Jennifer closed her book. "Do we even need to talk about this?"

"No, we don't." Bleu rolled back over and pulled the blankets over her. "Katsue sold an old engine we had for two million ryu the other day."

"She what?"

"Sold the -"

"For two million ryu?"

"Fusion reactors are expensive."

Jennifer hmmed. "And what's going to happen with that money?"

"Oh, it's club funds. So club activities. Parts for 'Mech. Maybe some social events if we can get permission." She grinned.

"That's a lot of money."

"Being fair, it's an expensive club to run."

Bleu heard her roommate adjusting the light. "So what else do you do?"

Baited and hooked. "Well we just did our first simulated training..."

.o0o.

Being dirtier and greasier than Bleu, Drak had lingered in the showers. Anyone who thought reclining in a very hot bath for an hour or so was better than having hot water sprayed over you with reasonable force clearly had no idea what they were talking about, she felt.

Fortunately Soyokaze didn't skimp on the water-heaters or the shampoo allocations since it took two soakings and a lot of lather before she was sure all the assorted debris from the Sturmblitz was out of it.

"Maybe I should get a hair cut."

"Given how orgasmic you look under the shower, I'd think you'd hang onto it as an excuse to linger."

"Wah!" Drak spun and over the top of the partition - which was about nose high on her - saw the head of another girl.

Said girl turned and grinned broadly. "Hiya, Aki! Did you miss me?"

"Echiko." Drak turned back into the shower. "Yes, and leaving kyudo club for Kikō Sentō probably means I won't get a chance to improve my aim."

"I bask in your love and affection." She turned on her own shower and lowered her voice. "So... Battletech?"

Drak's head jerked around.

"I thought so." Echiko's smile was a hair less predatory. "I take it this isn't special effects, Drak? Because if it is, you went above and beyond."

"How did you know who I was?"

"Oh please. Who else is enough of a bibliophile enough to cram four books into her school blazer?"

It was a fair cop, Drak admitted.

"That and the nicknames got around. None of you are especially subtle about throwing them around. So what's going on?"

Echiko... "ECS?"

"Yep, you're good at guessing too."

"I have my moments."

"So I must have missed something - why are you all in the Kikō Sentō team? I'd have thought some of you would want to lay low."

"Ah, you missed the conversation in IRC before we got snatched? I was talking about a story or game idea - something like this. As far as we can tell, our only shot at ever getting home is to 'entertain' BROB. Kind of a long shot, I admit."

ECS frowned. "So I guess I've you to thank for this."

"Um." Drak moved to secure the door to her cubicle. "You wouldn't hit a girl with glasses, would you?"

"Drak... Aki doesn't wear glasses. And why would I hit you? This is the best thing to happen to me in years. My back... hell, my everything doesn't hurt. I could... well maybe not kiss you."

"Oh." The blonde wondered for a moment if she should be feeling relieved or cheated. Both, probably. It wasn't as if ECS was actually under-age, whichever way it was counted. "So... do you want to join the team? It's interesting."

"Not if it means going back to Earth afterwards. No offence to those who want to but..."

"I've no idea. The operative root of BROB is bastard."

"So we could be looped back for doing nothing?"

"It's a gamble either way."

"Well shit." ECS leant against the partition. "I guess I might as well have fun then. Sure, I'm in."

There was a knocking at the door. "Girls, there's a curfew. Finish washing and go back to your rooms."

.o0o.

"Wilson-sensei, you have a guest."

Wilson looked up at the secretary's words and then rose sharply to her feet and bowed as a DCMS Tai-i walked past the woman without waiting. "Welcome to Soyokaze." What in the world was the man doing here?

He returned her bow and waved her back to her seat. "A pleasure to meet the woman behind those intrepid children of your school's Kikō Sentō team."

Oh, he must be the one Katsue mentioned. Damn the girl! What's she done now? "The honour is mine. You wouldn't by any chance be Tai-i Sanada, would you?"

"I am indeed." The man shrugged. "Your girls asked for my assistance dealing with the garrison regiment for some parts, I thought I'd visit and see what they were going to do with them."

"Well you're very welcome. I don't know that I can take much credit for their preparations. They've shown a lot of initiative. And of course we haven't had any matches yet."

"I'm sure they're looking forward to their first time."

Wilson noted that clearly no one had briefed Sanada on things one should absolutely never say around teenage girls. "Well they should be in class right now, but I can take you down to get a look at their equipment before they arrive if you'd like."

Sanada smiled. "It sounds excellent. Nothing like a surprise inspection, eh?"