Chapter 3: Phoenix

Beginning of June…

Kass stared at the charred Elefant tank destroyer in front of her in the garage. She stood in front of it while deep in her thoughts. How do I repair this thing? she thought. She couldn't just abandon it, not after everything they've been through. "Let's pull everything out to assess the damage," she said aloud. She began at the rear of the destroyer and opened the rear hatch. Inside the floor was covered with ash and burnt pieces of metal and the paint cracked around her fingers as she held the hatch.

She hopped back down to grab a shop vacuum and pulled it to the rear. She let the suction take care of all the small debris and picked her way carefully toward the front of the compartment. As she found pieces of debris too large for the vacuum to pick up, she threw them out the rear hatch and onto the floor below, causing a variety of sounds as they fell to the concrete floor below. Once the debris was cleared she could properly assess the damage clearly. Thankfully a lot of the fire damage was superficial for the armored steel plating so it may not need to be replaced. She turned off the vacuum and set it aside outside of the tank.

"All right," Kass said aloud. She walked around the front of the tank and examined the damage. Unfortunately, the engine and front area were close to the flash spot where the leaking fuel from the fuel line had ignited. The entire section of the armor plate was heavily scorched and blackened. The heat had done a number on the electronics and wiring. Kass looked at the damaged areas and shook her head in dismay. There was no way to fix the damage without a rebuild of the entire area.

"The engine and motors will need to be completely replaced, the armor can be straightened out, but the carbon plating and sensors will need to be completely replaced. All the wiring and electronics will need to be redone, and the gun will need to be removed and probably rebuilt to ensure it won't blow up when we try to fire it... this is going to take some time." She sighed. She rolled a large toolbox over and took out an impact wrench. She pulled out each of the bolts that held the engine cover to the tank and then strapped it to the mechanical crane that hung from the ceiling of the garage. With the help of the crane, she lifted the engine cover, gently laid it on the floor next to the tank destroyer, and began disconnecting the various burnt-out cables and wires inside the engine compartment. Nothing was salvageable, so she just tossed them onto the floor below to be cleaned up later.

She stopped once she'd taken the last of the wires and cables out of the engine compartment. She studied the damage to the upper half of the engine and grimaced. It looked more like a ball of coal than a functioning engine. "This is going to be a real pain in the ass to replace."

"What are you doing?" A voice came from behind her.

Kass jumped and whirled around to see Joseph standing by the entrance of the garage.

"I was working on the Elefant," Kass said, motioning to the pile of scrap metal on the floor.

"I noticed..." he said, looking at the wreckage, "listen, are you sure it can be fixed? I mean, it's a beautiful piece of hardware, but... it looks ruined

"We won't know if we don't try," Kass replied, "but I think the damage could be repaired. We'll have to take it apart first to see what's possible, though."

Joseph sighed. "Look, I love the determination, I really do... but we have a lot to do and not a lot of time to do it. We should focus on the Nationals. We just don't have the time," he stated with a pained grimace.

"You're right, but..." Kass trailed off, feeling guilty for wanting to spend time fixing the Elefant. She knew he was right, they needed to continue training and preparing for the next match. But the Elefant was a part of her. It was part of its crew too. They had been through hell together, they'd fought side by side, and she wanted to save it. "We can make time," she said quietly.

"But what about your schoolwork? Can you balance that, Sensha-do, and the Elefant restorations?"

"If Ross can take care of a baby while doing Sensha-do and school, then I can restore the Elefant," Kass said confidently.

"Even if you find a way to do it, you have to consider the cost. How much is the restoration going to cost, and where would the money come from?"

Kass frowned. A part of her didn't want to hear the answer. She knew there was no way she could pay for the repairs herself. She hadn't even considered how much it might cost.

"I'm not saying you can't do it," Joseph continued, "I'm just trying to point out the reality of it."

"Is that why you were so eager to move over to the T1E1? So you wouldn't have to deal with the Elefant?" Kass asked, anger creeping into her voice.

"No," Joseph answered, "It's not that simple... listen, there are two reasons we need to stay with the T1E1 right now. First, there is only one workshop that we can buy replacements for the engine and motors from, Kuromormine. Needless to say, they aren't very enthusiastic to help. I'm also concerned about another accident happening. If something fails again, the damage could be worse, and we may not escape like we did last time. That's something you need to think about as well. That tank is still dangerous, and we can't afford any more accidents."

Kass sighed. "I understand, but I don't think that's a good enough reason to abandon this project."

"And I don't think you've thought it through, Kass. We don't have the time or resources to fix the tank like it needs. There is nothing we can do to salvage the original engine. Maybe it could work with a replacement motor, but we'd have to get a new one from Kuromormine, and they will not sell us one. It might be best to sell what we can, and look for a different solution."

Kass felt sick. "But... I love this tank. I want to fix it, to keep it running."

He nodded sadly. "I know. And I am sorry, Kass, but it's just not practical."

"Give me a chance. How far do I need to go to convince you?" Kass asked, her eyes pleading.

Joseph sighed and looked away momentarily. He leaned against the frame of the garage door, his arms crossed in front of him. "I will give you the benefit of the doubt, for now, but if the JSF decides to not reinstate the Elefant's safety certification, then it's done. And I won't be able to help you though," he said softly.

"Deal," Kass agreed with a smile.

Kass ripped out the last of the charred wiring and threw it. The Elefant was stripped down to its bare chassis and its engine had been removed completely. Next to it was the massive 88mm L/71 gun. The breech would need a refit, but the whole gun shouldn't need to be completely replaced. She was exhausted and covered in grease and oil, yet she had a grin on her face. She couldn't believe how fast she had been able to tear the entire thing apart. All that was left was the carbon armor lining the crew compartments. She climbed into the rear fighting compartment with an impact wrench and began removing the armor.

The back of the compartment was lined with carbon nanotube armored plates. She didn't understand the science behind them or cared to learn, but the JSF wouldn't even think of having damaged plates in an active vehicle.

She removed a plate that didn't look directly burned, after all it was hidden behind the steel interior plating, but the heat was too intense for the armor to survive. The plate was warped and twisted so she removed it from the tank. She pulled off the next one and tossed it aside as well. It was a repetitive and tedious process, but eventually, all of the carbon armor and its sensors were gone.

After a short break, she went to the empty engine compartment and began pulling off the carbon armor surrounding it. Once she removed the armor, she found the first signs of trouble. The armor was melted and blackened, and fused to the metal itself. She cursed softly and hauled out a sledgehammer before ripping and tearing at the metal until the armor came free. Her hands were sore and blistered, but she was making progress.

Finally, the last piece of armor was torn free. Kass's shoulders slumped and she rested the sledgehammer over her shoulder.

"This is going to take some time," she mumbled. She crawled into the driver's compartment and began removing bolts to extract the instruments and gauges. The steering column was held together by many bolts, and they were long and stubborn. She spent a while trying to remove them.

Finally, the instrument panel was free. Kass sat back and sighed heavily. She was exhausted and her muscles ached. Still, she smiled as she watched the gauge panels fall to the floor. It was more junk for the junk pile.

She dragged herself back out of the driver's compartment and dragged a pressure washer to the front of the hull. Using the nozzle, she washed the entire front of the vehicle, working the char and grime off of it. She worked her way around the tank, rinsing and repeating until the tank was clean and shining. Finally, she stood and stretched.

"It looks better already," she muttered. She hooked up the power washer and moved to wash the inside of the tank. This was the hardest part. It was so cramped and tight in there. She had to crawl around the box to completely rinse it. When she was finally done, she wiped the sweat from her forehead and shook her head. "Now, I can move on."

The rest of the day was spent cleaning the rest of the Elefant by hand. Eventually, the tank was spotless and gleaming. The char and ash were gone. A thin layer of blackened water coated the concrete floor and she made sure to mop it outside.

As the sun set, she finished cleaning the Elefant and collapsed onto the ground. She stared up at the sky and listened to the sounds of the night approaching. There was a slight breeze blowing through the trees. It rustled the leaves and gently carried the scent of the evening. Kass closed her eyes and let her mind drift. She could imagine the Elefant coming back to life again. Soon, it would be ready to fight once again.

Her thoughts were interrupted when she heard someone approaching. Kass opened her eyes and looked around. Approaching the garage was a fellow tanker, Ross's radio operator, Chloe. She paused in front of the Elefant, and Kass turned to see what she wanted.

"Hey, Kass," Chloe said with a smile. "I was wondering if you were still here. What's up? You look tired."

"Yeah, been a long day," Kass answered. She wasn't used to working this hard and it was taking a toll on her. She hadn't realized how much pain she was in until she stopped.

Chloe nodded, then looked down at the ground. She noticed the massive pile of wires and cables that Kass had ripped out. "You had to pull out all the wires?"

Kass shrugged. "I had to get rid of them. They weren't safe anymore."

"Yeah, none of those are usable... Do you need to replace all of them? That will take forever."

"Yes, it will."

"And what do you know about electronics?" Chloe asked, staring curiously at the tank.

"Not much," Kass admitted.

"Well, you're going to have to learn. We'll start tomorrow," Chloe stated firmly.

"Really? You'd help me?"

"Of course!" Chloe replied.

"Thank you," Kass said, a wide grin spreading across her face as she jumped up and hugged Chloe. "That means a lot to me."

"It's just a few wires. No big deal."

"No, no, I mean, I don't even know what to ask, or where to begin..." Kass trailed off, stammering nervously.

"Easy," Chloe said with a laugh. "We'll figure it out, but you should get some rest. Electrical work is not something you should do tired."

Kass laughed. "Good point. Thanks, Chloe. See you tomorrow."

Chloe went over the schematics of the Elefant and noted what needed to be purchased. Kass was grateful for the help, as she was overwhelmed with the task of replacing the wires. She knew how the tank worked, but she didn't understand how to fix it. If she did it wrong, it could be dangerous.

After school the next day, Kass followed Chloe to Oarai's local Sensha-do store, Teruo Otter's Oarai Tankery and Tank Equipment Retailer. Out front was really only knick-knacks, uniforms, and other miscellaneous items. In the back and on order, however, they had everything. From hoses, to spare parts, to tools, it was all there.

The pair entered the humble-looking building with a long list of components to order with their current budget and to figure out how much they needed to buy what they couldn't afford today.

"Good afternoon," Teruo greeted, "you two are on the Sensha-do team right? What can I do for you?"

"Yes," Chloe said, "we need to find some components for our Elefant. Do you have any of these?" She handed him their extensive list of components and replacements.

His eyebrows rose momentarily as he saw the extensive list. "Pretty much replacing everything then? Ah right... I think I saw that tank on TV, fuel line failure, and fire, right?"

"Yes," Kass answered nervously.

"Right... well, I have to admit, I've never had any orders like this. But, I think I can help you," Teruo said confidently. He logged into his computer and pulled up a screen to search through their inventory. "Here, I've got the parts you'll need... a few of these I might have to special order, but we'll see. How much are you trying to spend?"

"As little as possible. We're on a tight budget."

"Understandable. Let me check."

He continued searching for a while, then turned back to them. "I'm afraid I won't be able to help you with your entire list... but I can get you most of it. I'll be able to save you some money, though. I don't want to put you in a bad spot, so I'll get you a better price than I normally would cause you folks are putting in a great effort for Oarai," he said cheekily, "you've certainly got the town caring more about Sensha-do and I'm seeing a lot more sales because of it. I'll do what I can to help you."

"Thank you," Kass said gratefully, "we'll buy what we can now and the rest later when we can. Thank you for all your help."

"Don't mention it. Just let me know what you need, and I'll get it ordered."

The following week, the first parts were delivered. Kass and Chloe set to work immediately after practice. They started at the driver's compartment. The gauges and switches were easy to change out since they weren't connected to anything important yet. They had protective glasses on that shielded their eyes from the flashes of light and sparks as they soldered the wires together. Kass had never done this before, and she found it difficult. Chloe had no problems and taught Kass a few tricks.

"You have the patience of a saint," Kass commented, as she watched Chloe place the wire where it needed to go, and then test the connection to make sure it worked correctly.

"I've messed with electronics my whole life. It comes naturally."

Kass smiled. That was true. Chloe had an easy way around things electrical or electronic.

They finished the first part of the project and moved to the main engine. This was a bit more complicated. Kass was terrified of the electrical circuits, but Chloe knew exactly what she was doing. She took over and began working on the connections.

Kass listened carefully and tried to learn as much as she could. Luckily, Chloe was very open with the information she had, and Kass felt like she was learning a lot.

"Hey!" the pair heard Joseph call out from the front of the garage. Kass looked up to see him walking towards them. "It looks like you're having fun."

"Yes, sir," Kass replied shyly.

Joseph laughed lightly. "Listen, I'm really impressed by your progress here. You two seem to be getting along pretty well too. I've changed my mind, I'll help now, and I brought the rest of Hyena Team with me." Behind him stood Elliot, Tanner, August, and Morgan with wide smiles.

"What? Are you serious?" Kass asked.

"Of course, we're crewmates, right?" Morgan replied.

"Tell us where you need us. You started this project, I don't want to take it over from you," Joseph assured.

"Great, thank you!" Kass responded happily, "let's have Tanner, Elliot, and Chloe work on getting the driver's compartment, radio, and internal wiring set up. The rest of us can work on the crew compartment and what mechanical hardware we have."

"Good plan," Joseph agreed. He turned to the others. "What do you guys think?"

"Sounds like a plan," Elliot responded.

"Let's get started," Tanner added.

"Come on, Kassie," Chloe encouraged, "we're going to be busy for a while."

Kass, Morgan, and August started working on restoring the gun breech. They removed the barrel and cleaned it, disassembled the trigger mechanism, and replaced the broken parts. They had to figure out how to remove the broken pieces and replace them without breaking any other parts. It was a delicate process. But with a bit of trial and error, they managed to get everything back together again. Kass used what she learned from Chloe to repair the electrical components of the 8.8cm Pak 43 cannon. She was able to reattach the circuit board and a makeshift power source for the system. When she was done, she tested it and found that it was functioning perfectly.

"Wow," Chloe stated in awe.

"That's amazing," Morgan added.

"Thanks," Kass replied bashfully.

"I didn't expect you to fix it so well," Chloe admitted.

"Well, if you hadn't shown me what to do, I wouldn't have been able to do it. So thanks," Kass told her.

"You're welcome," Chloe replied.

"Let's put it back in the tank," Joseph suggested with the crane controls in hand.

"Okay," Kass answered. She climbed up into the casemate. "Joseph, are you ready?"

"Yeah, let's give it a try."

"Then let's get started."

Joseph started the crane and lifted the large cannon back towards its mounting. Kass held her breath as it slowly moved toward her. She grabbed the breech and carefully guided it into place. "Stop!" she called out once it was lined up properly. They just needed to weld and bolt it into place. They needed to be careful to do it right, otherwise, the gun wouldn't be able to maneuver and aim properly.

They all helped secure the gun, and then it was finally bolted in place. Kass couldn't believe it. It was fixed! A huge sigh of relief left her body. They tested it once more, and it was moving flawlessly. August began working on the new optics while Morgan and Kass began installing the ammo racks and storage bins. Everything was going perfectly. They were almost done.

"How's it looking?" Joseph asked.

"Almost finished," Kass replied.

They just had one, last problem. The engine and motors weren't coming their way. "So, what can we do about the motors?" Chloe asked.

"Beat the crap outta Kuromormine and hope they let us buy some afterward?" Joseph suggested.

"You know, they might be more willing to sell after we beat them," Kass pointed out.

Chloe looked at her questioningly. "Why's that?" she asked.

"Well, they don't like us because we have boys on our team and they think they're inferior. But what if we beat them? Then it's all moot. Their argument has no basis after they themselves lose," Kass explained.

"It's not like it has a strong basis to begin with," Joseph pointed out.

"True, but to them it does. So you have to look at it from their perspective to change it. Reasoning with them from our perspective won't work. Beating them though, it plays into their perspective. They view strength and capability over reason, so we'll just play their game. That's how we win," Kass continued.

"I… guess that makes sense," Tanner replied, not particularly following, but not caring either way.

"Nice reasoning, Sherlock Holmes," Morgan teased, messing with Kass's hair.

Kass swatted her hand and rolled her eyes. "So that's that. Let's destroy Kuromormine in the tournament, then we'll get our motors!" she declared.

"The Porsche Tiger is notoriously hard to work with, and our last German diesel-electric tank…" Miho trailed off remembering the disaster that took the Elefant from them.

"Have you seen what Kass has done to it though?" Nakajima asked, "that girl has worked wonders on it. She's a hard worker."

"I'll have to check in on it then. I didn't have much faith in it being much more than scrap metal, but I'll have to see how far she's gotten it," Miho replied, "anyway, can I get your roles and team name?"

"Sure, we're Leopon Team and I'm the commander, Hoshino's the gunner, Suzuki's the loader, and Tsuchiya's the driver," Nakajima answered.

"Thanks, we'll get you trained on your tank as soon as it's ready," she said before leaving them to their work. She turned to the backdoor of the garage she was in and decided to check out Kass's work. They had put the Elefant out there since garage space was getting tight and it wasn't being actively used regularly.

Outside, a small chain link enclosure surrounded a small area where some rubbish and scrap was left in piles. At the far end; however, was a neat little workshop with the Elefant tank destroyer shielded from the afternoon sun by a white tent. On the engine deck, Kass sat with her chin in her hands.

"What's on your mind, Kass?" Miho asked as she approached.

Kass snapped up and turned to Miho. "Oh, captain!" she exclaimed before jumping down and standing at attention, "We're was just trying to solve a little problem we're having with the final stages of the Elefant's restoration!"

"The final stages? Have you really restored it to working condition?" Miho asked.

"Only with a little bit of help," Chloe said from behind Miho with a smirk.

"You've been helping her restore the Elefant?" Miho asked.

Chloe nodded. "The Elefant is heavy on the electronics and wiring. Even an experienced Elefant crew member like Kass would need an electronics expert to fix it," she answered.

"Have you found any replacements for the motors yet Chloe?" Kass asked.

Chloe sighed regretfully. "Unfortunately, no. Those things are nearly impossible to find and the only manufacturer isn't willing to sell us one, even if we had the cash."

"Kuromormine…" Miho whispered. Kuromormine was the only school on the high school level to use Ferdinands and Elefants and produced their more specific components in-house.

"The good news is, captain, outside of the motors, the Elefant is effectively ready for battle!" Kass exclaimed, "I've replaced the carbon lining, replaced the wiring, replaced the interior, and even replaced the optics!"

Miho's eyes widened. "Really? That's incredible!"

"Just goes to show what you can do with a little determination, elbow grease, and ingenuity," Chloe stated, "but it's all worthless if we can't get those motors."

"I'm sure we can figure something out. Has the Sensha-do Federation reinstated the safety approval of the Elefant and Ferdinand?" Miho asked.

Kass shook her head. "Not yet, but I've been communicating with them constantly about it. By the time we get our motors, they'll be back on the battlefield!"

"That's great to hear!" Miho exclaimed.

"Alright, let's get back to work though. I'm almost done with the last of the wiring repairs and all our tanks will be ready for the next match. Also, the Student Council approved some new security measures around the school so the Blackshirt break-in shouldn't happen again," Chloe informed.

"Good, good…" Miho muttered, "but honestly I'd just like them disbanded."

"Yeah, we all do, but that's a bit out of our reach," Chloe replied, "oh right! The Student Council wants to meet with you later tonight in their office. And for Kass, I've got something for you to investigate!"

Kass perked up at the news and she jumped down from the Elefant. "What is it? Some new mystery to unravel?!" she asked excitedly.

"Yes, but promise you won't laugh, alright?" Chloe requested.

"Promise!" Kass promised.

"Alright, well Rabbit Team heard a rumor about a 'Monster of Oarai's Depths.' Apparently, on the 13th deck there's been rumors of a monster making loud screeching noises," Chloe explained.

Kass started giggling. "Really? That's what's going around? C'mon, even the deck number is cliche."

"Hey, you said you wouldn't laugh! Rabbit Team is completely enamored in this and they want you to help them investigate," Chloe said.

"Right, right," Kass composed herself. "Sure, why not? It should be fun. Should I be armed to slay this monster as well?"

"Nah, Patty wants to go with to slay this beast, but I think she's just playing along for the rabbits," Chloe replied.

"Just don't get into trouble," Miho warned.

"Yes, captain!" Kass replied with a salute.

August…

Hyena Team gathered around in the middle of the gravel field outside the garages as a duel-bladed helicopter with the school log of Kuromormine painted on its fuselage approached from above. Under it, was a large crate being carried by heavy-duty cables. "Wow, I've never seen a Drache before," Joseph said

"It looks like one of those gunships in the movies, except it has propellers instead of jets or rockets, and is made of metal. It's huge, too," Kass added.

Miho stood next to them and checked the time on her phone. "Good thing we got here early, Erika's always been a fast flier," she commented.

The M6 tractor was parked in front of them with a large trailer ready to receive the crate under the Drache. From the cockpit, Erika looked down and stared at the cargo as she tried to line it up with the trailer. She gently descended the aircraft so that the cargo would drop right onto the trailer. "How's it look, Miho?" she asked over the radio.

"It looks good! Just a little further down!" Miho replied.

Erika dropped the Drache a little further and with a gentle thud, the crate landed on the trailer. "Break!" Miho called out. Erika quickly flipped a switch and the cables disconnected and retracted to the bottom of the helicopter. "You're good!" she announced, "thanks for the delivery, Erika!"

"Just remember to give us a rematch sometime!" Erika replied smugly, "see you then!"

Kass hopped onto the M6 and watched the Drache fly away into the sky. The rest of Hyena Team and Miho followed suit and climbed aboard the M6 tractor.

They drove to the garage where the Automotive Club was waiting with the engine cover and gun of the Elefant removed. Everyone exited the truck and entered the garage. "Let's get that engine running!" Nakajima yelled.

"Yeah, let's get going!" Joseph responded.

First up was the electric motors. The Elefant used a petrol-electric drive and the rear sprockets were driven by a pair of Siemens 230 kW motors. The motors were powered by a single Siemens-Schuckert 500 kVA generator, which generated power from two Maybach HL120 TRM engines. There was also a pair of industrial fans to help blow air into the engine. Since it used a petrol-electric drive the tank didn't need a mechanical transmission. For the purpose of safety, the fuel lines had been reinforced and modern materials were introduced to the structure of the engine system to reduce the risk of failure. If all else failed, the JSF also introduced an automated fire control system to the engine compartment to prevent accidents like the one in the first round from ever happening again. Joseph looked at the new engine system as it was unboxed and thought back to the accident. He couldn't help but feel uneasy. How could they guarantee that it was safe now?

Once the electric motor assembly was complete, Joseph and the others moved to the next step: installing the main engine. But as he helped connect the engine to the crane, Joseph felt his heart skip a beat. His skin felt warmer than usual and sweat began to pour down his face. Was something wrong? He shook off the feeling and continued working.

When the engine was connected to the crane, Nakajima took the controls and lifted the engine out of the box. She guided it through the air and towards the Elefant's engine compartment. The rest of the team followed behind and helped guide the engine into place. When it reached the top of the engine compartment, the crane slowly lowered the engine in place. Once it was inside, the crew began to connect it to the drivetrain and the other systems. The whole process went smoothly and soon the engine was ready to be tested.

"Kass, you should be the one to fire up the new engine for the first time," Joseph suggested, trying to hide his growing feeling of anxiety.

"Don't you want to? You're the commander after all," Kass replied.

"Well... you took the initiative the start this project. You deserve to do it," Joseph said, still feeling anxious. He didn't even feel like he could get any closer to the tank destroyer anymore.

"Okay, I'll do it," Kass agreed. She climbed into the driver's compartment and sat down in front of the controls. She took the ignition switch between her fingers and savored the feeling of the brand-new steel before flipping the switch. A loud hum filled the air as the engine came to life. The sound was almost deafening and the vibration traveled through the vehicle. Kass held her hands tightly against the steering levers and closed her eyes.

She opened her eyes and looked at the gauges. They were all good. "All systems are go!" she announced. She pushed the levers forward and the Elefant lurched forwards. It moved sluggishly, but the gauges were stable and nothing sounded off. Kass smiled. They'd done it. They raised their beloved Elefant from its grave and brought it back to life. She reversed it back into position so its gun could be reinstalled. The rest of the team joined her and helped finish the job.

After the gun was reinstalled, the team gathered around the tank to inspect the renewed tank. "This is incredible!" Miho exclaimed. The Elefant was restored to its former glory and looked better than ever. The paintwork was immaculate and the armored plating gleamed brightly. "Come on! Let's fire the gun at the range!" Kass urged.

The team climbed into the tank except for Joseph. He stopped, frozen a few feet away. His heart raced and he felt dizzy. Something wasn't right. He felt a deep sense of unease. His brow was coated with sweat and his legs felt heavy. He turned to look at the Elefant. Its armor was flawless. Even the rivets were perfectly aligned. Everything about it screamed perfection. So why was he so afraid to enter it?

Miho noticed Joseph's demeanor and recognized it. It was the same fear she experienced when she returned to Sensha-do. She remembered how it felt to have her body react like that. How it felt when her mind told her to move, but her body refused to obey. "You guys go ahead, I need to speak with Joseph for a moment."

His crew looked concerned but listened to Miho's request. She led him away from the tank and sat him down on a nearby bench as the Elefant drove off. "What's wrong?" she asked.

Joseph tried to calm himself down. "I'm not comfortable commanding the Elefant again. Not after what happened last time," he admitted.

"I understand. Kay said we can keep the T1E1 if you'd like to keep commanding it. That way you don't have to worry about the Elefant," Miho offered.

"I don't know... I mean, it would be nice to command the Elefant again, but..." Joseph trailed off. He couldn't bring himself to say anything more.

"It's okay. We'll figure something out," Miho reassured him. She put her hand on his shoulder and gave it a reassuring squeeze. "Let's call it a day. We've earned some rest."

000

Another day, another chapter. What do you guys wanna see next? Is there any slice-of-life ideas you wanna see? Any characters you'd like to see and explore their lives? Let me know because I need some ideas, hence why there is no next time title preview below.