Chapter five: First Blood
Unknown location
Maho stood, petrified, watching the inferno before her eyes. The fire engulfed the building, lighting up the star-lit night. Firefighters tried desperately to fight the flames, but to no avail. The red and orange tendrils coiled around the firefighter's' body, and the air suction nearly pulled them into the fiery hell. They pulled back, unable to douse the blaze, which already torched the building like a large bonfire.
Maho felt someone grab her; it was Miho, who was much younger. She looked up at Maho with wide eyes. Maho hugged her tightly.
Another hand gently squeezed her shoulder. Maho looked up to see her mother, staring ahead. Though she had an emotionless face, Maho could tell the despair in her eyes. Maho looked around, and saw several tanks, even hundreds of tank parked and lined up, as well as girls and men in uniform, all gathering around the burning building.
Maho hadn't noticed the girl up until now. She had been close to the flames, and several men were pulling her back to safety. She attempted to wriggle out of their grasp, but they held her tightly.
"Papa! Papa!" The girl screamed in anguish. The men dragged her away, and she reached her hand out in desperation. The she looked over to Maho. Maho's eyes widened, and time stopped. That girl was from the dream before. Her long black hair. That scar, it looked fresh. The dark red flesh streaked her face, her eye almost nonexistent. The girl covered her face and gave Maho a death glare.
Maho's vision blurred, and the scene changed to a beach, palm trees swaying by the wind. All of her friends were dead, lying in the sand, covered in blood. Blood was splattered across Maho's face, who was lying against a large rock.
Erika crawled towards her, blood pouring from her head. "Commander, please escape," She coughed up blood. "I'm sorry, I couldn't keep our promise-" She stopped, a bullet tore through her head and brain matter flew onto Maho. She tried to scream, but her vocal cords wouldn't work.
The woman who shot Erika stood before Maho with a smug smile. Her scar was now healed, and she aimed her pistol at Maho's head. "What a shame," she muttered as she looked at Maho's dead friends. "You will join them now." she grinned as she pulled the trigger. Maho's vision quickly turned into a bright light, then immediate darkness.
Kuromorimine Girls High School Carrier
Maho shot up from her bed, sweating profusely. Who was that girl? She wondered. Have I met her before, and if I have, what does she want with me?
"Commander, are you ready to disembark? We're in Kunigami," Erika peered through the doorway.
"I'm coming," Maho shook her head got her jacket and walked out.
Meanwhile another girl was having a dream on her own.
Unknown location
Mi-jing desperately tried to reach her hand out towards the burning hotel, but her uncle and a couple of aides pulled her back.
"It's too late for your father! You yourself almost died! Stop acting crazy!" The uncle roared. But she didn't care. She didn't care about the scar down her eye, searing her face and causing excruciating pain for her. No, all that mattered was her father, who was in the core of the flames. "Papa!" She screamed.
Her uncle started to drag her away, and she tried to kick him away. He grabbed her by the hair and she screamed. "Why? Why don't you care?" She sobbed.
Her uncle looked down at her. "I am sorry for his death, but you are under my care now. As your lawful caretaker, I will teach you about the greatness of our glorious leader and our nation, and all that attack us will regret their action." He said in a could tone.
"No. I don't want that," Mi-jing muttered. She looked to her right, and by the corner of the light, saw a young girl staring at her. She had short dark brown hair and had a cold gaze. Just seeing her made Mi-jing's blood boil. She screamed one more time in anguish before she passed out.
She was standing over the same girl, now in her teens, with a gun up to her head. Mi-jing jeered in amusement. This girl's friends were all dead-wonderful! She pulled the trigger and the girl fell back, her head hitting the rock she was leaning on. Blood poured down her body, and stained the sand.
Tsutaya, Okinawa
Mi-jing's eyes fluttered open. Why did I have to remember something from long ago. I thought I Buried that memory away. She groaned in frustration. Who was that girl though? Why was she there? She couldn't have been there. Mi-jing clasped her hands over her head. How long has it been, ten years? Ten years since he died, ten years living with my uncle and ten years since I got this stupid scar. Ten years since-A knock at the door interrupted her thoughts.
"Commander? Are you awake? We're going to start a meeting soon," The voice of Maeng drifted through the doorway.
Mi-jing stood up. "I'll be there in a minute," She called. She tried to brush it off as just a bad dream, but something nagged her from the back of her mind, begging her to finish her thoughts.
Kunigami, Okinawa
Maho, Erika and the rest of the Kuromorimine Senshadou team rolled down the ramp in their tanks, watched by curious locals and JSDF troops. Maho led the column, directing them to a temporary tank garage. She got out of the tank and was greeted by a man and woman in a JSDF uniform.
"Welcome to Kunigami, Miss Nishizumi! I am Colonel Arai." The woman introduced herself. She had short, ginger hair and wore glasses.
"Lieutenant colonel Hiroi," The man saluted. He was young, tall, and had cropped, jet black hair.
Maho saluted back. "Thank you,"
"Since we appreciate your help, tonight you and your crew will be staying in a inn with an onsen, along with anything you can wish for," Arai said.
"An onsen would be nice," Maho agreed.
Hiroi chipped in as well. "There's also a Boko shop, if you're interested," This grabbed Maho's attention. "There are two special Bokos that are sold only here in Okinawa: An American marine Boko and and an IJA Boko." Maho tried to contain her smile, but only resulted in a creepy grin that confused the JSDF officers.
Maho and the team reached the inn, who ran around, looking at the shops. Maho quickly ran over to the Boko shop and bought four, two for her and Miho. She offered to buy a pair for Erika, who refused politely.
"We'll have dinner in around twenty minutes, and then you guys can head over to the onsen," Arai said.
Hiroi turned around. "Well, I'm out. Have fun ladies," With that he left the inn to go back to his barracks. Maho was ecstatic, stroking the marine Boko on the head.
…..
The team and Arai sat at the table, eating at the dining room, eating Okinawan and Japanese cuisine.
"This is good!" Koume squealed.
"Different from the usual good we eat," Erika noted.
Maho looked at her. "You do eat a lot of hamburgers," she said, to which Erika blushed.
"How's Okinawa everyone?" Arai shouted. "Good!" A chorus of voices rang out. Arai laughed. "Good, good, it's only going to get better from here on out!" She got out several bottles of sake. "Drink friends, drink it all!" She opened a bottle and started chugging it.
"We're minors, ma'am." Maho interrupted.
Arai looked at her with a expression of disbelief. "Aw, come on! You can't be serious!" She complained.
There was a series of thundering booms and the room started to shake. The girls became frightened and grabbed themselves in fear.
"What's going on?" Erika asked. Arai chuckled. "Aw, that's just the artillery shelling the enemy positions. I'm sure they'll return fire as well," The booming and shaking continued for two hours, before everything went quiet and the girls sighed in relief.
After dinner they went to the onsen, washing themselves before entering the warm water.
"I can't believe we're enjoying ourselves like this," Erika said, sitting in the onsen. "The people we're supposed to be fighting are just a few dozen kilometers away."
Maho looked at her. "They're probably just letting us have some rest before the battle starts. We should take full advantage, as we won't be able to afford such luxuries once we're at the frontlines,"
"Erika-san, Commander, looked what we found!" Koume's voice echoed throughout the room.
"What is it?" Maho asked, looking over across the hot spring.
"Sake! Sake at the onsen! Isn't it wonderful?" Koume shrieked with delight. She chugged it before Maho could stop her.
"Stop!" Maho shouted. "We're minors, and we're going to the frontlines tomorrow! We can't afford to get drunk and get hangovers!"
The girls refused to listen, and they started taking turns drinking straight from the bottle.
"Why are there sake bottles in the onsen in the first place?" Maho facepalmed and Erika stared at the girls, wanting to join in but didn't want to disappoint Maho.
June 7th, 2024
Maho jumped awake at six in the morning. She forgot for a minute where she was, and then remembered she was in Okinawa. She looked around the room. Erika was sleeping next to her, and Koume and the rest of the girls were piled on top of each other across the room.
Arai stormed through the door, and blasted an air horn. The loud noise blasted everyone awake; Erika jumped awake and Koume stumbled up and vomited. "Wake up, maggots! I need all of you to get ready for combat; the enemy can strike at anytime, so I don't want any of you to be surprised." She shouted at the top of her lungs.
…...
The girls scrambled around, changing into their uniforms, eating rations and fill their tanks with fuel and ammunition.
"Erika, is everything ready?" Maho yelled.
"Yes, commander, we are ready to advance," Maho climbed onto her Panzer X. "Alright, Panzer vor!" She yelled into her mike.
30 tanks roared to life and the iron column rumbled forwards to the frontlines. They were joined by APCs and Type 10 MBTs carrying infantry.
"Hey, Nishizumi," Maho looked to her right. It was Lieutenant Colonel Hiroi. "How'ja sleep?" He asked.
"Good, for once." Maho answered.
"Well, that's good-" Hiroi started he was interrupted by someone on his throat mike. He groaned. "We need to hurry up; It seems 4,000 North Koreans are attacking Ogimi." He told Maho.
Maho nodded. "Alright, everyone, increase speed."
…...
They trudged forward for an hour; they finally heard the popping of rifles and explosions of grenades.
"That's close," Maho noted. "They've advanced pretty far in a short amount of time." The Kuromorimine tanks exited the forest and entered into an open road.
"The town is straight ahead, we better hurry," Hiroi radioed Maho.
They saw the first building, a school building, which was used as an HQ by the JSDF. The Type 89 IFV in which Hiroi stopped, and He jumped out. All other infantry dismount their vehicles and spread out across the school grounds. Maho stopped her Panzer X, and the entire column halted.
"Maho!" Hiroi shouted.
"Yessir?" Maho turned towards him.
"The enemy seems to be amassing a large force to try to take our position. I need you to set up a defensive line with your tanks. We've got anti-air and infantry providing support for you," Hiroi told her, "After we decimate their attack, we'll storm through route 58 and liberate the village. Better hurry, the Koreans are a bit angsty right now."
Maho nodded. "Erika, take ten tanks and position them across route 58 and 2204 Nūha. Ritaiko, bring four tanks and place them by 2215 Nūha. I will take the eleven and create a firing line from across the school grounds. The rest of you will be the reserve force," She ordered.
"Yes, commander!" The girls replies crackled through the radio.
….
Erika waited, her Panzer XII being parked in between a shack and some shrubs, a decent cover against being spotted. She looked at her watch. It was almost eight. Is the enemy coming out or not? She wondered. She tapped her foot anxiously. She checked the machine gun and missiles for ammunition, which was filled.
"Want some coffee, Erika-san?" The driver asked. Erika nodded, and took the cup. "Thanks." She said, before taking a sip.
She heard the low rumbling of artillery, and within seconds explosions rocked her tank. Erika grabbed the side of her seat to stabilize herself while the Panzer XII rocked back and forth.
"It seems the enemy is starting their attack," Maho's voice calmly told everyone from the radio. "We must halt the attack here. I trust in all of you."
Erika peeked out of the cupola hatch. The artillery had hit their position hard; it seems one Jagdpanzer VII was detracked, and several infantrymen were inflicted with serious injuries. She fully opened the hatch and leaned out. She saw several dozen North Koreans swiftly appearing from the shadows of the mountains and advancing through the dust. They dispersed to eliminate each armored position. Several M1992 APCs lumbered after the infantry, lobbying shells at the entrenched tanks. Shells plunged themselves into the ground, nearly hitting Erika.
"Fire back! Fire back!" Erika shouted. The Panzer XII aimed straight at an M1992 and fired a HESH round right into the hull. The round pierced the hull and exploded inside, killing the crew in an instant.
The gunner leaned back, face in her hands. "I..I killed someone.." Her voice quivered.
"Don't stop firing!" Erika yelled.
"But, vice-commander.." The loader started. "It's either us or them! Don't think, just fire!" Erika shouted. "If you don't want to die, then keep firing!" She screamed, the adrenaline rushing through her veins.
Three North Korean soldiers, armed with RPGs ran towards Erika's Panzer XII, flanking it from the right, left and front. When Erika noticed them the one on the left was already aiming their grenade launcher at the Panzer XII. She swore to herself as she swiveled the coaxial machine gun and fired at the North Korean man. The bullets tore through his leg, guts, and head, and he fell over, dropping his RPG to the ground.
Erika turned to the right, where the man was shot down by the infantry.
The man in the front fired his grenade, but it sailed wide and failed to do any damage. The panzer XII turned and fired at the man in the front. He exploded, and when the dust cleared nothing of him remained.
….
Maho was providing covering and support fire for the foremost positions. Before her were the smoldering ruins of several North Korean IFVs and APCs. She let the crews escape, as there was no point in gunning down retreating soldiers. Her only intent was the destruction of armor, not lives.
Eight North Koreans ran out into the open before being cut down by machine gun fire. Maho cringed, and she sat back down on the commander's seat. "How is everything?" She asked.
Her gunner wiped her forehead and grinned. "Perfectly fine, commander," She replied. Maho looked at the loader.
The loader shrugged her shoulders. "Live ammo is much heavier, but whatever,"
Maho nodded. "Good. Continue engaging with the enemy," She said.
A shell landed near the Panzer X, but failed to do any damage.
"Open fire!" Maho ordered. The Panzer X fired back, destroying the vehicle. "Good job!" She said, as the crew of the destroyed vehicle scrambled out and ran away.
"You're doing pretty well for yourself," Hiroi radioed Maho.
"Thanks. I thought this would have been harder," Maho replied.
"Don't count on it," Hiroi laughed before signing off.
Just as Maho got off the throat mic, she heard a deafening roar outside. What the hell is going on? She wondered as she opened the cupola hatch. She saw at least one hundred North Korean soldiers and 40 IFVs and APCs, as well as at least ten tanks, charging her position.
Maho ducked as gunfire ricocheted off the Panzer X. The North Koreans run past their comrades' dead body, spraying assault rifle fire and tossing grenades. The entrenched JSDF troops fired back, killing dozens at a time. The IFVs stormed through the defense, crushing JSDF troops and forcing others to fall back. A heavy machine gun nest perched atop the high school building rained bullets onto the North Koreans, killing ten of them. A North Korean RPG fired a shot at the machine gun nest, and the subsequent explosion threw the gunner off the building. He landed with a thud onto an IFV.
…...
Erika was shooting nonstop into the mass of North Korean soldiers. "Fall back, we're going to be overrun!" She ordered. Her Panzer XII sputtered to life and started to move back.
"Pokpung-ho tank, four O'clock!" The driver shouted.
Erika gritted her teeth in frustration. "Take it out," She ordered.
The gunner turned the turret and aimed it at the North Korean tank. But before she could fire, the Pokpung-ho shot first, the round striking the right side of the Panzer XII. A metallic shriek enveloped the entire tank, and the occupants covered their ears.
"Goddammit!" Erika shouted. The gunner adjusted her aim, and fired a HEIAP round into the Pokpung-ho tank. The round hit it squarely in the turret, and it turned bright from the flames. The crewmembers crawl out, trying to extinguish the flames. They ran around screaming, to the shock and dismay of the Panzer XII crew. The gunner began to cry, and the radio operator nearly vomited.
Erika herself shook with fright. She straightened herself and scowled. "Get yourself together! We still have work to do!" She shouted.
The crew fixed themselves up. "Yes, vice-commander!"
…...
The North Korean assault started to falter, as many of their soldiers were shot down and most of their armor became metallic coffins. The remaining soldiers stopped their attack, and within minutes the retreat became a rout.
Maho looked out as the North Koreans ran to the mountains. "It's over," She whispered. She climbed out of the Panzer X, inhaling deeply.
Erika also exited her Panzer XII, along with the rest of the crew. The gunner immediately ran to a nearby bush and vomited.
Erika walked over to her and placed her hand on the gunner's back. "You did a good job, Kanagawa." She said.
The gunner wiped her mouth and eyes. "Really..?" She asked.
Erika nodded. "Yeah, you did your job, and continued even after people died because of it," She slid down the tree she was leaning on. "I knew I was harsh back then, but I had to. I'm sorry." She apologized.
Kanagawa shook her head. "No, I have to thank you. If you didn't yell at us, I don't think we would have been able to continue,"
Both of them walked back to the group of soldiers gathered around in a circle.
Maho spotted them and ran up to them. "Erika, good job on holding that position. We're now going to go on the offensive. We're restocking fuel and ammunition right now," She said.
"How..many enemies did we kill?" Erika asked.
"We found the bodies of at least 230 enemy bodies, and 38 armored vehicles destroyed. We lost 42 soldiers and five tanks. None of the tanks were from Kuromorimine, though four were detracked," Maho listed.
Erika gasped. "Two hundred..and thirty? They sent that many soldiers through a narrow mountain pass?"
Maho nodded. "Their attack was a failure. Now it's our turn for a counterattack," She shuddered lightly.
"Commander, are you alright?" Erika asked.
Maho smiled. "Yeah, what just happened was pretty unnerving. But don't worry," She assured Erika.
Hiroi walked over to them. "Hey, good job. You guys were cool under fire. Was it because of Senshadou?" He questioned.
"Yeah, that had to help," Maho replied.
"Alright, get ready. We're going to move out in forty minutes. The artillery's going to bombard the enemy defenses to pieces," As Hiroi said that the booming of artillery began to start. They all looked over to hear multiple explosions across the mountain.
"Tamaya!" Hiroi yelled enthusiastically. "Destroy those bastards!" Erika tried to walk over to her tank, but froze in place when images of the soldiers she killed flashed through her mind. The torn-apart soldier with the RPG, intestines dangling out and blood flying everywhere. The shock and pain on his face before he died. The men who were on fire, excruciating pain…
"Erika!" Maho's voice brought Erika back to reality. "Is something wrong?" She asked, being visibly worried.
Erika shook her head. "Nothing at all, commander. I will be right there."
Type 89: An IFV in JSDF service
HEIAP: High-explosive incendiary/armor-piercing ammunition