"Akiyama, get up."

Yukari opened her eyes to see someone shaking her awake.

"Akiyama, it's five in the morning. You've got fifteen minutes before you're scheduled to deploy."

Yukari bolted upright, promptly hitting her head on the bunk above her. She fell back down, clamping her hands down on her forehead. "Ack! Damn it."

"Hernandez, Comou, you're supposed to be deploying right now. Stop worrying about her and worry about your own asses."

Yukari sat up, more slowly this time, watching as the two in question made their way out of the room. She was stuck in a room with five other girls, all simple privates. Hernandez and Comou were simple grunts, traveling with a convoy of trucks shipping supplies to the border. Their job was to pick things up and put them where they were told. Henders and Topalian were in the middle of some time off. Henders, who spent her time heckling the others, seemed to be glad for the time. Topalian was the opposite, and Yukari realized why; it was her country they were protecting. Of course, there was another girl in the room. She was a girl from Saunders who used the name Diana. She was nowhere to be seen, though, as the Saunders group had left an hour earlier.

Yukari pulled off her shirt and started changing into the clothes that had been provided to her. She was supposed to report for duty in these clothes. Simple camo-patterned shirt and pants with black combat boots that she tied tightly. She stuffed her cap in her shirt's chest pocket and checked herself in the mirror.

Henders clapped unenthusiastically. "Well done. You now have five minutes left to find your way across the base to wherever you're supposed to be."

Topalian patted Yukari's shoulder. "Give them hell."

Henders just sighed. "We're trying to prevent a war here, not win one."

"Tell that to the civilians in villages near the border. You hold the border keeping the enemy out while they shell our towns from safety. We need to put a stop to those artillery sites, or holding the border is useless."

Yukari inched toward the door. "I have to go." She ducked out before either of them could say anything more. She couldn't run down the hall, so it was good she was so close to the exit.

Saemonza appeared beside her. "Guderian. Today we go to war."

Yukari took a deep breath, walking towards the door as fast as she could without running. "Are you looking forward to this? Tell me honestly. Are you looking forward to killing someone?"

Saemonza cleared her throat and was silent for a moment. They stepped outside and she finally answered… sort of. "It's best not to think about that until after the fact. When the time comes, I won't hesitate. You shouldn't either."

"I really hope I don't freeze up. I don't want to kill, but it's preferable to being killed. Right?"

"Preferable to letting innocents get killed." Saemonza shielded her eyes from the sun as she scanned the sky above them. "It's going to be a hot day. If you're worried about killing, just focus on your job. You're the loader. I'm the one who has to worry about what I'm aiming at."

"I do not envy you."

As they made their way across the base, several other girls joined them. All of them were from Ooarai, on their way to war. Yukari felt her heart beating faster. She hoped it would calm down. If it just kept getting faster and faster like this, she'd pass out before they left the base.

"Hold up!" Most of them stopped. They were at the corner of a building, and the ground started shaking. Kadotani pulled Momo back from the corner just as a massive vehicle came into view. Coming out from behind the building, rolling by right in front of them, was Kuromorimine's Maus. Kadotani smirked. "I guess they got it moved finally."

Erwin appeared on the other side of Yukari from Saemonza. "That's awesome! You realize that Maus might see action? It'll be the first time since it was built that a Maus has actually fought in real combat!"

Yukari nodded. "Doesn't the legend say that one of the originals fired off a shot before it was overrun?"

"Unsubstantiated. Who knows what cannons were going off then? Someone probably mistook something else for the Maus." The Maus' hatch opened up and a familiar face popped into view. Noriko saluted quickly before ducking back into the giant tank. Erwin gaped. "How come she…"

Yukari shook her head, letting out a sad sigh. "The rest of her team is still back home. There's nothing we can do about it, really. She's probably taking the place left by one of their first-years."

Saori piped up from behind her. "You know, Rabbit Team are all in their second year now. Same with all the first-years we left behind. And Miho's in her third year."

Kadotani started walking, calling back to them. "It's passed. Wish them luck and get moving."

They picked up the pace, making their way to a large hangar-like building. Yukari wondered at its size, but rationalized that it probably held more than just Ooarai's tanks. It looked rather empty now, save for the five tanks waiting at the back, and the young woman standing in front of them. It was Maho.

Saori tapped Yukari on the shoulder. "I really hope we're in the same teams as before. Don't you?"

Maho called them over in a commanding voice. "Fall in, ladies! We move out in ninety seconds!"

They all rushed to her and sorted themselves by their tank crews. Anglerfish, Turtle, Hippo, Mallard, and Leopon. Yukari hoped that Maho wouldn't say anything about them assuming they'd all be in the tanks they knew best. It turned out she didn't have a problem with that, as it saved time.

Maho let out a sigh. "Get to your stations. In case you haven't already figured it out, I'll be taking command of the Panzer, as well as the whole platoon. Now get a move on."

As they approached their tanks, Hana looked to Saori. "It's been a while since we've all been together like this. I almost wish Miho was with us."

Yukari rushed ahead suddenly, glomping the frontal armor of the Panzer IV and snuggling up to the war machine. "Finally! We are reunited!"

Mako climbed past her and opened up the hatch to the driver's seat. "They cleaned it up. Looks like the armor's been reenforced too."

Climbing up to the turret, Hana looked over the main cannon. "Looks like they changed a lot. Subtle differences, but definitely different."

Pulling herself away from the front of the tank, Yukari hopped up onto the main hull and made her way to the turret. She nodded at Hana's observation. "They probably upgraded it as much as they could. They don't want to waste time having to retrain us for a whole new tank, so I bet it drives and shoots pretty much the same way as before, just more efficiently. I wouldn't be surprised if they made the main gun much more powerful."

Mako, looking up from the driver's seat, agreed with Yukari. "The cannon isn't any longer than before. And we're about to find out if the drive controls are any more sensitive."

Saori popped her head out of the hatch next to Mako's. "The radio looks totally different! It's brand new! My… my powers are growing!"

Maho stepped over her, making her way to the top hatch. "Stop wasting time. The tank should operate the same as you're used to, just better."

Yukari saluted. "Yes ma'am!" She slid herself in through her hatch, closing it behind her. On the other side of the turret, Hana slid into place as well. She looked over her station to make sure everything was in place, then gave Yukari a thumbs-up just as Maho dropped in right between them. Yukari grinned and saluted again. "We're ready, ma'am!"

Maho leaned forward, mumbling to herself. "Only thirty seconds behind schedule." She put her hand on Saori's shoulder. "You can handle this new gear, right?"

Saori nodded. "I went out of my way to find lessons on modern military communications during training. Not only will I not let you down, I'll use this thing better than any radio has ever been used before."

Hana nodded. "And I'll fire the best that any gunner has ever fired."

Yukari pumped her fist. "I'll take loading to a new level!"

Mako deadpanned. "I'm gonna drive the shit outta this."

Saori recoiled from Mako's statement. "Wait, what? Mako! What would your grandmother say if she heard you talking like that?"

"She's not here. She doesn't need to know."

"And what if I tell her?"

"That would be a problem."

Maho reached in and put her hand between them. "Shut up. Hippo Team and Rabbit Team have already started moving. I don't want to be the last one moving." There was an awkward silence.

Hana poked her head out the hatch beside her. "Um… the Hetzer is Turtle Team."

Maho looked back at her. "What? Then what's the StuG?"

Saori answered. "That's Hippo Team." She smiled slyly. "Wait, you thought Hippo Team was Rabbit Team and Turtle Team was Hippo Team? Did you even pay attention to any of our battles?"

Maho sat back, her face going blank. "Move out."

Mako started up the engine amid Saori and Hana's laughter at their commander's expense. The Panzer IV started rolling, leaving the hangar right behind the Mallard B1. Once they were out, driving down the road to the gate, they could see the entire Ooarai team ahead of them. Leopon Team had apparently made it out first and was now leading the charge.

Maho pulled a map out of her breast pocket and unfolded it. "Okay, we have our orders. We're headed across the border to take out an artillery group that's been shelling civilian villages. The Turkish government is trying to avoid a conflict over this and have been claiming that this artillery has fallen under the control of a rogue colonel. While the United Nations have decided to accept this explanation, Turkey has yet to do anything to stop the colonel. The UN continues to act like everything's fine, content to hold the borders, but Colonel Victoria has grown tired of taking in refugees from the villages being shelled. We're putting a stop to it."

While Saori passed their orders along to the other tanks, Hana looked to Maho. "We're crossing the border? Couldn't that cause a larger conflict?"

Maho kept her eyes on the map in her hands. "According to Colonel Victoria, the Turkish government claims they will publicly condemn this action, but more privately they've actually asked that it be taken care of. They've got their hands full, apparently. Of course, none of this is anything they've mentioned at the UN." She held the map up for Hana to see, pointing at the name of a small village. "How do you pronounce this?"

"Horribly, most likely." Hana shook her head. "So let me get this straight. They want us to take care of this for them, but they're going to say we shouldn't have done it. So it's a lose-lose situation."

"It's a win for the folks who don't have to worry about being blown apart." Maho handed the map down to Saori and pointed at the village again. "Tell them we're going to this place."

Saori read the name off letter for letter, simply spelling it out for everyone listening. She then handed the map back, holding her headset's microphone away from her mouth. "Did you think I was kidding? I know how to communicate." She turned back again, answering someone's question. "Look, I told you the name of the place we're going, and the coordinates to a place we're going. It's safe to say that it's the same place, Sodoko."

Maho frowned, folding the map back up and stuffing it back in her pocket. "Is she going to end up mothering the entire team?"

Saori turned around, covering the microphone again. "I am your mother! I'll make sure you never miss a meal and that you always keep yourself clean! Fold your laundry, brush your teeth, and always say please and thank you!"

"She's always been the most responsible one." Hana laughed. "I'm glad to see you haven't changed a bit, Saori."

Mako suddenly reported from the front. "The handling has improved, and I think it's a lot faster now. Also, have you noticed the engine is quieter? I think they replaced it with an electric one."

"That would make sense." Yukari checked behind her to see the shells waiting to be loaded. "These don't look any different, at least at first glance. They're probably a hell of a lot more powerful, though. I should test one, just to see if they're any heavier."

Maho, glad to get away from Saori's ranting, reached back and grabbed one of the shells, tipping it a bit to test its weight. "Geez, these are pretty heavy. Are you sure you can handle them?"

Yukari grabbed the shell out from under Maho's hand. She hefted it in her hands, getting a feel for it. "It might throw me off some, since they're a little lighter than what I'm used to. I'll get used to it pretty quickly, though."

"Lighter?" Maho shook her head. "Well, I'm not a loader. Isuzu, what about you? Think you can handle the gun?"

Hana turned back to the firing mechanism in front of her, looking it over again. "Hmm… it's not set up any different. So, while the gun itself and the shells it fires are different, how it operates shouldn't change." She smiled. "My second shot definitely won't miss."

"I'd rather your first shot not miss either."

Silence fell over them as they rolled through the gate, leaving the base on their way to their first mission. Saori kept her ear to the radio, listening for anything that needed a response. Hana and Yukari opened their hatches and leaned out, taking in the air of the strange new land they'd found themselves in. Maho sat in her seat, waiting for something to happen.

Mako spoke. "Wait, isn't Yukari's mom pregnant?"

Yukari pulled herself back inside. "Huh? Did you forget or something?"

"No, I just never really had that cleared up for me. I heard something about it, but never had it confirmed."

Saori turned around to glare at Yukari. "How have I not heard about this yet?!"