Chapter nine: The Strange Commander
Nerome, Ogimi, Okinawa 7:20 A.M.
Maho's eyes fluttered open, and her head pounded. What happened? She thought. I was drinking with Hiroi and-Her eyes went wide and her face turned red. Oh no, what happened? Please don't tell me something happened. She dressed into her uniform, shaking while doing so.
"Commander, you're awake?" Maho stopped at the voice of Erika coming from the doorway.
"Erika, did anything happen last night?" She asked.
Erika shook her head. "No. Don't worry. I stopped that man before he could do anything." She reported confidently. Maho got her Panzer Jacket and walked out of the barracks, with Erika following her.
Hiroi was smoking a cigarette when Maho bumped into him.
"Good morning." Maho quickly saluted.
Hiroi saluted back. "Mornin'. I hope you feel well after last night,"
Maho's cheeks turned slightly red. "I feel fine," She murmured.
"Oh, good. You're going to be going on a mission briefing in an hour," Hiroi told her.
Maho nodded. "Got it,"
An hour later
Arai stood at the front of the table, staring down at the map. Maho and Erika stood to the right of her, while a boy and a woman standing to her left. Other soldiers surrounded the table.
"Alright, listen up soldiers. Here's the mission: The North Koreans have set up a mortar position on top of that mountain," Arai pointed to a mountain on the map. "There's heavy anti-air weapons so using helicopters or fighters will be tough. Maho, your heavy tanks won't work well in the forests, so you'll have to use your lighter tanks. Got it?"
Maho nodded. "Yes ma'am,"
"This operation will be led by Major Kaito," Arai looked at the boy.
"But he's young! Look at him!" Erika interjected.
Kaito smirked. "Watch your mouth, woman. I am an elite who the Emperor found worthy," He boasted. "I can have you executed and nobody would bat an eye." He began to unsheathe his Guntō.
Erika panicked, and jumped back. "What is wrong with you?" She screamed.
"It's a joke. Go on, Colonel Arai," Kaito's expression turned stern once again and sheathed his weapon.
Arai looked at him with confusion and annoyance, and continued talking. "Alright, so anyways, third squadron, move over to the right flank-" She rambled as Kaito looked at Erika and smiled, to which she just scowled even more.
…..
After the meeting was over, Erika stormed out of the building, followed by Maho. "What was with that kid? That idiot's going to lead the attack? We're all going to die!" She shouted.
"Excuse me," A woman tapped Erika's shoulder.
"What is it?" Erika whirled around, and was face-to-face with a woman, with braided black hair and dark glasses.
"I'm sorry for Kaito-sama's previous behavior," She bowed, "As you can probably tell, he's a bit of an eccentric person." She explained, "And a lolicon." She hissed under her breath.
"What?" Erika raised an eyebrow.
The woman straightened her back. "I'm Vice-commander Tanya, by the way,"
"Vice-commander Erika," Erika introduced. They shook hands.
Tanya turned to Maho. "Nice to meet you, commander Maho," She said.
"Strange group you have," Maho noted.
Tanya nodded. "Yes, we are, to put it bluntly, made up of bizarre individuals. We are the elites after all," She wholeheartedly agreed: Because of unfortunate events, social awkwardness, and their inability to conform to society, most of the regiment were cast out of a normal life. However, because of their abilities, they were chosen to become the Emperor's elite regiment. They were out of their minds and prodigies at the same time.
"Commander Maho," A male saluted. He was short and skinny, and had short, black wavy hair.
Maho noticed the chrysanthemum seal and saluted back. "Yes, sir?" She asked.
"I have a sister who is on the Senshadou team, and I've been all over looking for her," The man said.
Maho was surprised. "Who's your sister? I could take up to her," She answered.
The man smiled. "Thanks a lot. My sister is Koume. Akaboshi Koume," He informed.
Erika and Tanya glanced at Maho; Her face was frozen in surprise. But she closed her eyes and bowed deeply towards the brother. "I am sorry to inform you, but Akaboshi Koume was killed, no, murdered by those cowards! It was my fault for not stopping her and letting her die! I am unable to express how sorry I am," Tears rolled down her face.
The brother's face darkened, but kept up a smile. "No, don't say that. You've done everything you could, and you couldn't prevent it. Koume was happy to serve under you, as well as Erika-san as well. You two were her best friends. I'm glad to see you two in person, to see the wonderful people she was with," He told Maho and Erika. "She also talked about your younger sister as well. She was a dear friend for Koume, as is all of you. I thank you from all my heart, for being with her till the end." He bowed himself.
Maho looked up, tears still streaming down. "Thank you," She wiped her eyes.
Kaito appeared from the brother's back. "Naoki, get ready for the fight,"
Naoki saluted. "Yes, sir,"
Erika glared at Kaito. "He just learned that his sister died. Family is important, you know!" She shouted at Kaito.
Kaito narrowed his eyes at Maho. "You know what, you're right. Mourn if you want, but be prepared when we're heading out. Tanya, let's go," Kaito and Tanya turned around and walked towards their barracks. Naoki smiled and turned around and left as well.
"What's with him?" Erika hissed.
"Erika, calm down. He probably doesn't mean it," Maho said.
"Okay, commander," Erika just rolled her eyes.
Two hours later
The Kuromorimine and the Emperor's regiment suited up and got into their armored vehicles; Their Panzer II's, III's and IV's were upgraded, still lightly armored compared to the MBTs but still able to combat infantry and traverse through heavy terrain. Several Type 87 recon vehicles and komatsu lightly armored vehicles were being manned by the Emperor's regiment. There were also scores of infantry preparing for the attack.
Maho reviewed the tanks, her own Panzer IV "Skorpion" at the forefront. "Alright, everyone, Panzer Vor!" She shouted, and fifteen Panzers roared to life and they ascended the mountain road.
"Troops, move out." Kaito relayed his own orders.
Erika opened up the hatch and yawned outside of her Panzer III "Spinne" and turned to see kaito leaning on the turret, sharpening his Guntō. "What do you want?" She shouted.
Kaito looked up. "Hm? I'm just hanging out," He replied.
Erika scowled at him. "Seriously, I am so done with you. You're crazy and controlling. Stop pestering everyone and act normal for once," She growled.
Kaito looked at her with a perplexed expression, then burst into laughter.
"What?" Erika was taken back by this.
"Erika, Erika, Erika. You really need to control your emotions. You're a smart person, but that scowl is chasing everybody away," Kaito snickered. Erika looked bewildered., and he continued. "Look, you have great looks; people will fight each other for you, but your personality is really bad. You get your emotions get the better of you. You did that in Senshadou, and you better not let that happen on the battlefield. That can cost not only your own life, but the lives of your friends as well,"
He pointed the blade at Erika. "I'm not saying you're a bad person; far from it. I think you're acting on goodwill. I know that. It's your cold image that pushes people away. I know you're a good person, and I find you attractive, to be honest." He went back to sharpening his guntō.
Erika slunk down into her seat, her face burning hot. Wha-wha-what what's with him? He called me attractive? Oh, god, what's with him, seriously? She covered her face with her hands.
"Vice-commander? Something wrong?" Kanagawa asked. Erika quickly shook her head. She peeked her head outside once again; Kaito was still there, now reading a book.
How can he be doing something like that in this situation so nonchalantly? Erika thought. "What book is that?" she asked.
Kaito looked up. "Achtung-Panzer by Heinz Guderian. It's a good read,"
"I've always wanted to read that."
"You can read it when we get back, if you want. This is the fifth time I've read it anyways."
Erika smiled. "Thanks!" She said.
"See, that's what I want to see. You gotta smile more. It makes you look more beautiful." Kaito winked at her. She scowled and disappeared from the hatch, her face red once again.
…..
Maho was checking the map, looking for pathways to attack the base, when an armored car rolled up next to her.
"Hey!" The woman in the roof-hatch waved at Maho.
Maho raised her gaze from the map. Her jaw dropped when she realized who it was. "You're one of the commanders from Selection University!" She shouted.
The woman grinned. "It's Megumi. The rest of the Bermuda trio is with me. Hey, Rumi, Azumi. Say hey to commander Nishizumi," She said.
"Hello." Azumi shouted from the driver's seat.
Rumi waved from the side window with a grin on her face.
"We were placed into the Emperor's regiment, for our skills in Senshadou. We had to leave Commander Alice behind, which is sad," Megumi said.
Maho nodded. "Nice to have you here." She replied.
Megumi gave her a thumbs-up. "You can count on it!" She exclaimed.
….
The road split into two different paths, one going down and one ascending up. Maho raised her hand, and the Panzer column stopped. Erika's Panzer drove right next to Maho.
"Commander Kaito, how should we do this?" Maho asked.
Kaito jumped across Erika's turret and landed right next to Maho. He stared at the map for a few seconds. "Let's see.. We should obviously split our forces in two. Maho, you take the Bermuda platoon and nine Panzers, and flank the rear by going down. I'll take the rest and storm the front," He poked Erika, "You're going to be my command tank." He informed.
Erika sighed. "Yes, commander," She said.
Kaito gave the map back to Maho. "Great. Good luck and move out,"
…...
Maho's section roared down the forest path, looking up above to see her main objective; a huge building complex on top of a large hill. The path swirls down and then up again, behind the complex. She kept her eye out for any obstacle that would attempt to stop them. Maybe the North Koreans thought they would not come through here.
There was a huge bend in the road, which ascended left. Maho's Panzer jerked to the left and advanced. She looked up and saw several sandbags piling up on each other, with machine gun barrels peeking out. "Enemy contact!" She shouted into her radio as bullets ricocheted off her tank. She closed the hatch of the tank for protection.
North Korean troops aimed their guns at the Japanese troops below, and began firing. Several anti-tank weapons were brought out to deal with the oncoming Panzers.
"Fire!" Maho shouted. The Panzer IV fired a shell into the sandbags, blowing a hole in the defense.
"Attack!" Megumi fired the machine gun at the North Koreans, killing several of them.
Megumi grabbed a portable radio. "Infantry dismount. Support the attack!" She shouted.
The infantry dismounted and began fanning out into the forest, throwing their firepower against the thin defense. The combined arms pushed the North Koreans back, retreating back to a stronger defensive position.
"Move forward!" Maho ordered. The tanks trudged forwards and chased the North Koreans.
…...
Meanwhile the other section ran into North Korean troops as well. Erika maneuvered her Panzer to the edge of the forest. "Fire!" She shouted, and the Panzer took out a North Korean anti-tank team.
Kaito jumped off the Panzer and took out his Guntō. "Men, advance!" He ordered. Tanya aimed her assault rifle and shot down a pair of North Korean soldiers.
"Erika, could you ram through the barbed wire?" Kaito asked.
"Sure." Erika nudged kanagawa, who nodded. She drove the Panzer through the barbed wire and tore a hole in the sandbags, scattering the North Koreans away.
Explosions began rocking the road, forcing the Japanese to take cover.
"They're using their mortars on us!" Tanya shouted.
"I know! We've gotta reach the top fast," Kaito replied. "Alright soldiers! Let's hurry up and get to the top!" He shouted. The Japanese surged forwards, overwhelming the North Koreans. They try to run, but are gunned down from behind.
"Keep on moving!" Kaito ordered. "We're almost there!"
Translations:
"Skorpion"-"Scorpion"
"Spinne"-"Spider"