Anarchy from the UK!
By Jangocommando27
Chapter 6: Ours is not to ask how or why, ours is but to do or die
First Round Battle area,
St. Gloriana prep area.
07:52
"Sword Squadron! Comm check!"
"Sword 2 Check!"
"Sword 3 Check!"
"Sword Lead Copies. Power down and standby for further orders. Sword Lead out." James clicked off the radio and took off his head set. He climbed out of his cupola and jumped down from Achilles, bouncing off the engine deck as he did. He landed on the tarmac ground, taking a moment to straighten his fatigues. In their tank prep area, St. Gloriana's tanks were being made ready for combat by their crews.
James checked his watch. It was a G-Shock watch that his father had gotten him after his last one was destroyed when his tank got hit, he'd used it in every battle since. His watch told him he still had time before he had to go to the participant's safety briefing prior to the match. He removed his black beret and ran a hand through his hair, wondering what to do to kill 5 minutes or so. As he was pondering, the sudden feel of a hand on his shoulder made him jump. He instantly jumped forward while spinning round and coming into a fighting stance, ready to drop whoever was there.
His ice cold, deadly glare took a moment to register his target as a equally startled Green, the commander of Dagger Squadron. James breathed out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding.
"Sorry Green" he said, "You alright?"
"Umm Yeah." She replied still slightly startled, "Are you ok? I called out twice but you didn't seem to hear me. Then I tap you on the shoulder and you look like you're about to kill me."
"Yeah. Sorry about that." Apologised James sheepishly while scratching the back of his head. "When you live for so many years with the characters I have, then you learn to do that on instinct. Less you be bum rushed for some fraternity ritual or something. Any way what can I do for you?"
"I...I was wondering if after the battle you'd like to go out for a drink or something." She said, blushing slightly as she said it. James was slightly surprised. He was expecting a question about tactics, deployments or such like, not to be asked out on a date. He smiled warmly,
"Thank you for the offer Green," he said, "but I can't. I've got a history paper due and I haven't got started yet. Another time perhaps?" Green looked slightly disheartened at the rejection.
"Yes." She replied hollowly, "Another time... We'd better go. The safety briefing is about to start."
James nodded and walked past her towards the safety briefing. Green hung her head in shame and defeat and started walking in the same direction. From his perch on the back of Achilles' turret, Jay watched the defeated Green walking after him towards the briefing.
"Jesus. The heartless bastard."
St. Gloriana starting position.
08:57
James fiddled with various things in his cupola, securing various ideas so they were within quick grabbing reach if he needed them. Satisfied that all was how he liked it, James pulled himself out of the cupola and observed the surroundings. The tanks were formed up by squadron, engines idling and crew ready to rock and roll.
This was the part of tankery James hated the most, the waiting. He would far rather be leading his squadron across the battlefield than standing around waiting for all the formalities to be over and done with. But that was the ethos of the Royal Tank Regiment. Unlike most regiments in the British Army, they weren't ones for pomp and ceremony, their origins were in the mud and blood, and the grease inside of the tank. James thought his CO back at highlander summed it up pretty well;
"If you want a shiny parade, call the Grenadier Guards. If you want someone or something killed or blown up quietly, call the SAS. If you want the fear of god put in someone then justify it, call the RTR."
James was bought from his musings by someone pulling on his fatigue trousers. He dropped back into the turret to find a John looking up, offering him a camouflage cream kit. His face was disrupted by streaks of black camouflage paint.
"Cam cream boss?"
"Ta mate." James took the cream kit and used the built in mirror to start applying black stripes over his face to break up the outline of his face and facial features. While it would only serve a practical purpose if they dismounted and performed recon on foot, it was a tradition that many crews had adopted from their basic cadet infantry training they got when they first joined.
'A regiment of pomp and ceremony? No. Tradition? Defiantly.' Thought James.
Once he was satisfied that he was suitably cam'd up he passed the 'men's make up' kit back down into the turret. As he looked he saw a Daimler Dingo scout car pull up by the assembled armour. Darjeeling jumped out of the scout car and walked towards her Churchill. The Dingo drove off and Darjeeling climbed into her tank.
"St. Gloriana Tanks." She said over the radio, "Sound Off and report status."
"Sword Lead Check!" Reported James into the radio, "Ready to rock and roll."
"Sword 2. Check! Ready."
"Sword 3, Check! Ready."
"Dagger Lead, Check! Good to go."
"Dagger 2, Check! Ready."
"Dagger 3, Check! Ready."
"Shield Lead, Check! Ready."
"Shield 2, Check! Ready."
"Flag tank, Check! Ready."
"Good." Darjeeling said over the radio, "As Charles Kingsley said, 'some say that the age of chivalry is past, that the spirit of romance is dead. The age of chivalry is never past, so long as there is a wrong left unaddressed on earth.' Let us go forward with Chivalry in our hearts. Forward to Victory!"
Ōarai Starting position
08:59
Miho went into the state of quiet thought that she often did before a battle. She thought about her team, a mix of competent veterans and trained amateurs. She thought about her opponents. St. Gloriana we're good, but their tank line up was on the whole not as formidable as her own, but Sergeant Hunter was a wild card.
She'd need to take him out first.
"Are you ready commander?" asked Anzu over the radio from her Hetzer. Miho snapped back to reality.
"Ready." She replied quickly.
"Lead us to another victory. 'kay?"
"Right!" Then came the announcement they'd all been waiting for...
"MATCH START!"
"PANZER VOR!"
St. Gloriana starting position
09:00
"MATCH START!"
"All Squadrons Advance!" Ordered James. The atmosphere around them suddenly erupted with the sound of British engines roaring as the drivers gunned the throttles. Achilles and her 2 Comet escort accelerated away from the rest of the formation, heading to the North West as was the plan. Now the wait was over, James and his crew were in their element.
Hunters with a target.
Sword squadron sped across the country. James ordered the hatches open for improved ventilation, and he was riding up in the Cupola as he usually did. 30 meters either side of Achilles were Sword's 2 and 3. The Comet commanders were also riding hatches open, keeping watch for any signs of Ōarai. The terrain was slowly climbing, the low rolling hills giving the commanders a great view over the centre battlefield. The fields were below were a mix of grassy plains, with the occasional bush dotting the landscape and a forest further out. James raised his x10 binoculars, taking a quick scan to his front and into the valley bellow. He spotted movement. Across the plain, sticking near the forest edge on the far side. Dagger Squadron? No they were moving the too slowly and heading the wrong way. He clicked his mic on,
"Sword Squadron. Contact right. Baring 082 range 1500 yards. All tanks halt." Sword squadron slowed to a halt, the tanks coming to rest on their massive suspension. James switched his headset from the squadron channel to the intercom.
"Traverse left, load AP." The turret began to rotate and the gun depress, a second or 2 later the gun was trained on the target.
"Jay?" asked James, "You clocking this?"
"Oh yeah." He replied, "Looks like the Tiger, Tiger P andT1 Heavy. They've got no idea were up here."
"Rog'. Keep 'em in your sights and Load AP. Then wait out." acknowledged James, switching his head set back to the squadron channel.
"Listen up!" he said, "Swords Lead and 3 will engage the targets to our right. Sword 2 will hold fire and cover us, encase anything jumps out while were busy sniping. Acknowledge?"
"Sword 2 copies." Replied the commander, sounding slightly pissed off.
"Sword 3 copies." Replied her commander.
"Alright. Fire on my shot. Out." James switched back to intercom, "You ready to shoot?"
"Target locked in! Ready to fire."
"Alright. Standby... FIRE!"
"Brace!" James and the crew braced themselves against whatever they could. The 17 pounder fired, the armor piercing round leaving the barrel at nearly 3000 feet per second. The concussion from the blast kicked up a massive dust cloud that smothered the Centurion and blinded them for a moment. It cleared just enough so that James could see the shell land a meter or so short of its target. A moment later, Sword 3 fired. It's shot went straight and true into the side of the lead tank. It slowed to a stop, smoke coming out of the back. There as an announcement over the radio,
"Ōarai Porsche Tiger Immobilized!"
"Good Kill!" announced James, "Reload! Reload! New Target! Traverse right 2 degrees! FIRE!"
"Firing!" The Centurion fired again. This time the shot hit its mark. James watched with a smile as he saw a white flag deploy through his binos.
"Contact stopped. One times T1 Heavy Destroyed! Good work lads." He saw movement from the last tank in the formation. Its turret was almost rotated around and pointing at them. It was Fritz's Tiger. The muzzle of the 88mm KwK 36 gun, the gun that still at the mere sight of it gave tankers nightmares, flashed once.
"INCOMING!"
The ground less than a meter from the front of Achilles exploded, showering the tank in dirt and sod. James instantly dropped into turret basked from the cupola. It was a lucky miss, but if Fritz still had Lutz as his gunner, he wouldn't miss again. James clicked his headset.
"Sword Squadron." He Ordered, "Disengage and pull back." The 650 horsepower meteor engines revved as the tank shifted into reverse and started pulling back, putting some cover between themselves and the tiger's gun.
Shied Squadron
"Commander. We've received a message from Sword Squadron." Reported Darjeeling's radio operator. Darjeeling set her cup of tea down on its saucer before asking,
"What does it say?"
"First blood Britannia. Commander." The radio operator replied, "They go on to say they are pulling back having engaged the enemy heavy tank squadron, knocking out 2 of Ōarai's tanks before being forced to disengage by return fire."
"So we have drawn first blood." Mused Darjeeling, "Any word from Dagger squadron?"
"None commander."
"Inform me if they make contact." She instructed. The radio operator nodded and dropped into the tank, listening for any Comms from Dagger squadron.
Dagger squadron
Green clinged on to the edge of her cupola as her Cromwell raced through the forest. Green had always been a speed demon. Back in her parent's garage was a partially built Caterham kit car that she and her father worked on together during the holidays. It was also the reason for why, when given her choice of Matilda or Crusader, she picked the latter. She did miss her sports car like Crusader; she did like the new Cromwells were a definite improvement. The increased armor, firepower and mobility (especially speed) made the Crusader crews fall in love with the Cromwells quickly.
A flash of grey among the forest got Green's attention. They were the only St. Gloriana tanks this far out, anything else was hostile.
"Dagger Squad! Hard Right!" she ordered. Her tank wheeled round to the right and crashed into a clearing. Sat in the middle of the clearing was the A38 Valiant. Ōarai's Flag tank!
"That's the flag tank!" Green Shouted gleefully, "FIRE! FIRE!" Her Cromwell's 75mm fired and sent an AP round straight into the back of the unsuspecting Valiant. The Girls of Dagger Squadron let up a cheer of victory when they saw the white KO flag pop out of the Valiant's turret. There was an announcement that followed.
"Ōarai A38 Valiant Immobilized!"
That was it. No announcement that the Ōarai flag tank was knocked out. No St. Gloriana wins announcement. Just one tank knocked out. Green was puzzled for a second, but then realized a something. Aside from the Valiant's KO flag, there was no flag on it. Also it's engine wasn't running and it was parked right in the middle of a clearing. It was too easy...
There was suddenly an explosion and Dagger 2 rocked as it took an impact from the side, it's KO flag deploying. Green spun round in her cupola to face the direction where the shot had come from. About 50 meters away in the forest was Ōarai's Stug III, its 75mm gun's muzzle smoking. From another direction came another shot, Green again turned to face it to see Ōarai's Chi-Nu, gun trained on the now KO's Dagger 3. Then Green saw the Panzer IV...
"BRACE FOR IMPACT!" She shouted to her crew, dropping from her cupola and down into the turret. The 75mm shell hit the Cromwell and the crew were thrown around inside. The tank eventually settled and the hydraulic hiss of the KO flag deploying annoyed Green slightly less than the following announcement did.
"3 St. Gloriana A27M Cromwells Immobilized."
"Everyone alright?" asked Green. Her shaken crew replied that they were fine and Green got on the radio.
"All call signs this is Dagger Lead. Dagger squadron has been knocked out, and have taken out Ōarai's Valiant, but it is not the flag tank! Repeat, Ōarai have changed their flag tank!"
"Our any of you hurt?" Asked Darjeeling over the radio.
"Wait out." Replied Green. She climbed back up to her Cupola. She saw that the crew of the other tanks were in the process of getting out of their knocked out tanks. "Everyone alright?" The shacken and bewildered crews gave replies that they were fine. Green got back on the radio,
"Yeah, we're fine." She said, "But Ōarai's tanks are moving off and heading south. Including the Panzer IV."
"Roger. Good work Dagger Squadron." Replied James who had been listening over the radio, "Wait for the pickup crews to come get you. Shield Squadron? Sword Squadron is pulling back to reinforce your position. If Nishizumi's coming were gonna need all the firepower we can get. And there's still a Tiger out there."
"Roger Sword. And good work Dagger. Shield Squadron out."
Anglerfish team
Miho Nishizumi was troubled. She'd guessed that when she ran into James and the other British Boys from St. Gloriana after their tankery planning meeting that the boy's had gotten hold of their plans somehow, so they'd made some last minute changes to turn the tables on St. Gloriana. While this had gone well, it was the surprise appearance of a trio of Cromwells, and not the crusaders' she'd expected that worried her.
"It's going well isn't it Miho?" asked Saori from the radio operators seat.
"Well," thought Miho, "both sides have lost 3 tanks. But we've lost 2 heavies and a medium tank, where as they've only lost 3 medium tanks. And we don't know what it was that took out Leopon team."
"It was the Boy's Centurion wasn't it?" asked Hana.
"Maybe," said Miho, "but they said that the first shot fired missed but an immediate second hit them and knocked them out. So there must have been a second tank with the same penetration power as the Centurion."
"Maybe another centurion?" suggested Saori.
"It could have been a comet." Suggested Yukari, "Its 77mm gun was a shortened version of the Centurion's 17 pounder, which was the same gun from the Sherman firefly."
"Whatever it was, we better take out their flag tank before it gets us." Said Mako in her normal monotone way. "Where are we going?"
"To the town in the south." Said Miho, "That's where St. Gloriana will have positioned their flag tank as well as any other tanks defending it."
"I just got word from Lynx team." Said Saori, "Ernie says they can see the town but can't see any tanks around it. You sure St. Gloriana will be there?"
"They're there." Affirmed Miho, "It's what Darjeeling would do. Let's see if we can convince them to come out. Saori, tell Lynx team to start shelling the town."
Lynx team
"Commandant. We've received orders from the Commander to start shelling the town."
Fritz opened up into a evil grin, knowing what was coming. The other crew of Lynx team were similarly eager to engage the enemy.
"Gut... Gut... Marius! Load High explosive! Lutz, get the gun targeted at the village. Anything that looks good."
"I've got a suspicious looking garage at the end of the road."
"Good. Line her up." The massive turret of the tiger rotated with the characteristic whine of electric motors.
"High Ex loaded!"
"Fire!"
"Firing!" The 88mm gun, the gun that had still gave World War 2 tank commanders nightmares, fired as it sent a exploratory high ex round towards the town.
Shield team
Darjeeling was stood on the roof of her tank when the ground shook with the sound of an explosion shook the town. Darjeeling dropped into her turret and immediately picked up the radio on the platoon channel. The channel was awash with commanders on borderline panic, all trading words to the effect of 'What on earth was that?'. Darjeeling immediately took up her radio,
"Everyone calm down!" she said firmly into the radio, "Is anyone hit?" All the crews replied that they were not.
"Judging by the sound and blast, it was a high explosive round from the remaining Tiger I. It was a testing shot, to see if they could lure us out. Did anyone see where it came from?" Again the crews said no.
"If they are trying to draw us out that must mean they know were here. All tanks make ready for defensive combat!"
"What about that Tiger?" Asked one of the commanders. Darjeeling thought for a moment. Then tuned the radio to the team channel.
"Sword Squadron. We've got a Tiger tank overlooking the town. It just fired a testing round into one of the buildings. Can you take it out?" There was a moment of static before James responded.
"Command this is Sword Lead. Uhh Yeah I could take it out if I could get eyes on it. Sword squadron is coming off the high ground to the north east of the village, If you could get him to fire again and we spot his tracer we could take him out. Over."
"Right, We'll see what we can do."
"Roger. I'll send swords 2 and 3 down to the town to help deal with Ōarai's attack. We'll deal with Fritz and his Tiger. Out." Darjeeling then turned back to the Shield Squadron channel and said,
"So Sergeant Hunter has said he'll deal with the Tiger if we can get it to fire again. So any volunteers?"
Achilles
"Hard Right!" Chris immediately stopped the left track and Achilles did a hard turn and broke out of formation with the rest of sword Squadron. The 2 comets continued towards the town to link up with Shield Squadron, while Achilles was off hunting for a big cat. Inside the crew were getting ready for combat in their own way. James ducked down into the turret, he saw Jay was on his phone texting, something he rarely did inside the tank. James quietly reached across and tapped John on the shoulder. John looked over, seeing James pointing at Jay. John understood and nodded.
With speed unexpected of a man of his size, John reached across the turret and grabbed the phone from Jay. Jay attempted to grab it back but John threw it to James who immediately went back above his cupola. With Jay grasping at his legs to get the phone back, James read the latest texts he'd received and sent. A quick read and he burst out laughing, he keyed the intercom.
"Hey everyone!" He announced with untold hilarity, "Jay's getting Laid!" There was a sudden palpable silence within the tank, before the boys burst out laughing at the gunners little secret. And the banter did flow.
"So how long have you 2 being getting friendly?" jabbed John.
"Hash tag quickie in the gym cupboard." Chimed in James.
"FUCK BOTH OF YOU!" shouted Jay.
"Sorry mate but we don't want you exhausted for Assam." Replied John,
"Besides I don't think Assam would like our leftovers!" Said James, dropping into the turret. The boys kept laughing as their gunner attempted to punch them, but failed within the confines of the turret. James handed Jay back his phone which Jay snatched back.
"Well then boys." Said James, "We must congratulate our brother, for becoming the first of us to get laid in an all girls school."
"Actually that was you boss." Said John, "Remember the tankery match against Cheltenham ladies collage?"
"Oh yeah," reminisced James, "That was a good night."
"That reminds me, we need to talk boss." Said Jay. James sensed this was going to bite him in the ass.
"Ok..." he ventured.
"Are you Gay?" asked Jay plainly. James was surprised.
"No..." he said, "Why?"
"Well we've been in an all girls school for nearly a month and you are the only one of us who doesn't have a girlfriend." Explained John, "Even your little brother's got on!"
"Oi! How did you..." exclaimed Chris from the driver's seat,
"You and Pekoe aren't very good at hiding it bro." Said James before returning to the matter, "And I'll have you know that the only reason I haven't got a girlfriend is because I'm not actively trying to get one!"
"Really?" asked Jay, "Is that why turned down Green before the battle? Or have you got your eye on someone and you're afraid to make a move?"
"I don't know what you're talking about." Said James, while also cursing Jay and his annoying ability to find stuff out.
"Did she ask you out?" asked John coyly. James was getting annoyed now.
"It doesn't matter if she did or did not Lance Corporal." Replied James, "The sole reason I haven't got a girlfriend is because I have not been actively going for one!"
"So you turned down Green because you've still got eyes on Darjeeling then?" said Jay. James gave his gunner a level 10 death glare, and with his voice dripping with intent he gave his gunner a suggestion.
"Tell you what Jay." He said, "If you shut the fuck up right now and get back to finding that tiger, you won't have to explain to your girlfriend that you won't be able to perform tonight due to you having reverted to a prepubescent stage of sexuality on account of your balls having receded into your stomach, thanks to my boots. Clear?"
Jay just paled slightly and nodded before pressing his eyes back to the gunner's sight. John and James saw his face and both stifled their laughter. The tank suddenly shook on its suspension from the shockwave of a near miss. James immediately bolted out of the hatch and pulled his bino's up and saw what had fired at them.
"Contact front! It's Fritz's Tiger! 800 yards on the hill! Load AP! Button up and return fire!"
James dropped into the turret and latched and locked his hatch behind him. He grabbed his periscope and focussed on the tiger. Its gun was tracking them while it brought its hull around.
"Gun up!"
"Firing!" The 17 pounder fired and the turret filled with fumes, the extractors working overtime to get rid of it. The shot hit the tiger but bounced off the corner of the front plate.
"Shit!" cursed Jay.
"Hit'em again! Chris drop her to 3rd! Jay! Ice that that Kraut Clanker!"
"Gun up!"
"Firing!" The gun fired again. This time the round went straight and true into the rear stowage on the back of the turret, but the tiger kept moving. The 88 fired back, the high ex just missing the accelerating Centurion, but close enough that it blew the right track off. Achilles skidded round to the right before Chris killed power to the left track. Now they were stuck, in the middle of open ground, with a tiger reloading with a clear shot on their side armour.
"Fuck!" Cursed James, "Jay get the gun around and hit that SOB! Reload John! Were only gonna get one chance at this!"
"Rog'" Replied Jay as he spun the turret round. John hefted another AP into the breach as fast as he could, slamming the breech shut as the turret stopped.
"Gun up!" The gun elevated and then Jay seemed to stop. "Come on Jay shoot him!"
"Nail him Jay!" pleaded Chris from the driver's position.
"Steady!" ordered James.
"Shoot him!"
"Steady!"
"Firing!" The 17 pounder fired. The 76.2mm Armour Piercing Tracer round flew the 500 yards to the tiger in less than a second, but for the boys inside Achilles, it was a lifetime. The shot went straight and true, slamming into the just about exposed lower glacis plate of the tiger and penetrated. The shot was registered by the onboard computer as a penetration and as a destroyed transmission as well as internal damage.
The KO flag deployed.
"Ōarai Tiger 1, immobilized!"
"Fuck yes boys!" shouted James in celebration. Congratulations and celebration went around the tank. As the crew celebrated, James got on the radio.
"Command this is Sword Lead. Contact stopped. One times tiger destroyed. But we've had a track blown off and were stuck. How's it going in the town over?"
"Sword lead this is Darjeeling. With the help of Sword's 2 and 3, we've taken out the Chi-nu, Hetzer, and the Lee. The Panzer IV and the Stug are withdrawing."
"Which means the flag tank is the only tank we haven't seen and is alone."
"Indeed. But we don't know what or where it is..." there was a momentary interruption of the radio as the sound of a gun discharging went off in the back ground before Darjeeling resumed, "Apologies. Nishizumi is still putting up a fight with her Panzer IV and the Stug. We cannot spare any tanks to go looking for the flag tank."
"Roger. We'll get the track fixed and get hunting. Sword Lead out." James hung up before he took of his headset.
"Right boys." He said, "We've got a track to fix." The Crew popped hatches and as James was climbing out. The tank shook under the force on an impact on the left flank. The KO flag didn't deploy which surprised James. He jumped up out of his cupola to see what had fired at him to get a surprise. Charging down the hill towards them was Ōarai's Type 89, with Ōarai's flag on the back of it. They must have been sheltering under the assumed safety of the Tiger, and once it was taken out they decided to finish off the stricken Achilles.
"Contact left! It's the Flag tank! Nail it!"
"17 pounders not loaded!" replied Jay as he was tracking the Type 89 as it closed.
"Hit'em with the Polsten!" The turret mounted 20mm Polsten auto cannon ripped into life, sending automatic fire towards the closing flag tank. The first 3 rounds missed but the next 4 found their mark as the type 89 attempted to veer away from the incoming fire. The Type 89's engine started to belch black smoke before it came to a stop, its KO flag floating in the breeze.
"Ōarai Girls High School Flag tank Immobilized. St. Gloriana Women's Academy wins!"
St. Gloriana airfield
08:45
James stood at the airfield with his Land Rover waiting. It had been a week since the St. Gloriana battle, and in that time the various tanks had been repaired and training was still ongoing for their second round match. But they'd been let off from training for the day due to an inspection which was going on that meant that they couldn't train. Which was fortunate for James, It meant he could go meet Caroline when she landed.
James had been elated when he heard that the school board had approved for Caroline to come over on the same scholarship as he and the boys. Though they'd kept it secret, James and Caroline had dated a while back. But as they began to progress in their separate branches of the cadet force, they'd decided to mutually end it, but they remained great friends, they had been since they were kids.
The sound of an approaching helicopter caught James' attention, it was one of the birds used by the school to fly students and faculty whenever they needed to leave the ship, a dark blue Eurocopter AS365 Dauphine with the St. Gloriana shield on the door. The Helo landed not far from James and his Land Rover, it powered down, the door opened and Caroline stepped out.
She looked exactly like her picture showed and she was wearing a pair of almost form fitting skinny jeans, a white T-shirt and a black leather Jacket. She had her belongings in a duffel bag over her shoulder and a pair of ray ban sunglasses on her head. James leant forward from where he'd been leaning on the Land Rover and walked toward her.
"Hey Caro." He said. Caroline looked over at him and she smiled, repositioning her duffel bag on her back as she walked forward towards James.
"Good to see you again JJ." She said. James laughed and he hugged his old friend before adding, "Don't call me JJ." They released the hug after a moment and James pointed back to the Land Rover.
"Jump in. I'll take you to the tankery base." Caroline chucked her bag in the back seat before jumping in the passenger seat. James just climbed in the driver's seat and they drove off, pulling into the stream of traffic.
"So..." mused James, "How are things back at highlander?"
"Pretty normal." Replied Caroline, "We've got a good new batch of recruits. Jason got promoted to Corporal. Colour Sergeant Puckett is still a Bellend and... oh yeah. After she announced that Laura had broken up with Jay after you'd left, she suddenly had a sudden and violent attack of diarrhoea while on stage in front of the school. Almost like someone slipped her some laxatives before she went on stage... I don't suppose you had anything to do with that?"
James smiled knowingly. He'd have to thank Sarah on a job well done.
"Now how could I be involved with something like that when I'm on the other side of the planet? Besides I'm sweet an innocent you know."
"Yeah," said Caroline patronizingly, "as innocent as a puppy next to a pile of shit!" the 2 friends laughed together.
"So where am I crashing?" asked Caroline.
"I think you're in Cambridge dorm with Darjeeling, Assam and Pekoe." Said James, recalling something he'd heard during a conversation on arrangements for Caroline's coming.
"Who?" asked Caroline, confused as to the names.
"You'll meet them later." Said James, "The names are to do with the culture of the school. They're all members of the tea garden, its kind of like a civilized version of the Bullingdon club. All the members go by tea names."
"Interesting." Remarked Caroline. "Highlander is also sending over Titan." James snorted in amusement. Caroline never went anywhere without her Chieftain Armored recovery Vehicle.
"Is Harley coming?"
"No." Replied Caroline sadly, "They wouldn't let me bring her."
"You can borrow the Land Rover anytime you need her." Said James to cheer her up. Caroline too then jabbed at the topic James hated the most currently.
"So John tells me you don't have a girlfriend yet?"
"Damn it! Not you too!"
There we have it.
Probably not a surprise that St. Gloriana won but there we are. We also have the introduction of Caroline who will have a big impact on the story from hereon out.
Next chapter will have the Cambrai Day celebrations in their entirety. We'll also have some more in the way of social side of things and also hinting more on Tankery matches to come.
Out of curiosity did anyone watch the documentary I mentioned last chapter? I recommend it if you didn't.
No idea when the next chapter will be out, but it is coming.
As ever, Review, PM me with any questions. Criticism and suggestions are welcome!
And in the words of the red Barron:
Hals- und Beinbruch! (break a leg)