On the hill, the Tigers crew was focused. None of Kaiser's crew had realized their commander's incident until the lack of orders arose. He was taking too long packing away just a couple of cables. The radio operator Katya was the first to realize. Her eyes widened as she climbed into the commander's seat, peering out the rear cupola visor. A shrill scream escaped her as she saw Kaiser unsteady, trying to get to his feet.
"Stop the tank!" She shouted. Her initial scream had drawn her teammate's attention already. The shy girl giving orders had them hesitate to respond.
"What is it?" Asked Westhoffen, a hint annoyed as he slowed the vehicle to a halt.
"I-it's the Colonel!" She said through panicked breaths. "What about him?!" Asked Westhoffen raising his voice as he attempted to hide the vehicle in some sort of concealment rather than in the open.
"He, he fell off!" She gasped, struggling to explain amid her panic. Her words left all listening confused.
The gunner Isabelle opened her hatch and looked back. Through squinted eyes, she saw the uniformed body fall to his knees a hundred or so meters away. A shocked gasp left her lips as she jumped from her hatch and began to run while shouting instructions. "West! Laura! Come with me and bring the first aid!"
"Damn that ass, getting hurt now of all times" cursed Westhofen under his breath, lifting himself out his hatch.
The loader Laura made her way to exit as well before looking back and seeing her sobbing friend. "Katya look at me. He will be alright. It's Kaiser we're talking about here" she smiled. Waiting for a small smile and deep breath to come from Katya, Laura ran after her fellow crew members.
Laura slowed to a halt as she came upon them. The sight scared her, to say the least. Injuries were common and usually small enough, such as bruising or being knocked unconscious by banging your head around the inside of a vehicle. Accidents of this caliber were practically unheard of, especially in recent years due to safety measures taken by the senshado committee. The fear of what could happen to the team's future however was an afterthought to the current injuries Kaiser may have sustained.
The scene was somber, to say the least. Not even a few minutes ago adrenaline had pumped through their veins and excitement in their minds. Now they felt exhausted, useless. Isabelle was holding Kaiser's head still and ensuring he was breathing while Westhoffen reluctantly relinquished Kaiser of his outer clothing to search for injuries. Laura kept a lookout and would hand any supplies needed to whoever required them.
There was no life-threatening injury evident as Westhoffen began to unbutton Kaiser's undershirt. Laura was the first to notice Their commander's eyes open.
Kaiser awoke to a rather painful migraine. Worse than usual to his disbelief as his body felt as if he had just been run over by a his eyes he saw his gunner Isabelle's long silver locks spilling onto his face. Past her hair, he noticed her worried expression and gaze as she spoke to someone else.
Following her intense stare, he made uncomfortable eye contact with his driver Westhoffen. His driver looked back speechless as he was preparing to rip off Kaiser's white uniform undershirt. Kaiser's eyes sharpened into his usual, nasty glare.
"Westhoffen…" began Kaiser, his pained voice grabbing everyone's attention. "I understand that you've may have difficulties with women but this is the worst solution to your problem."
Westhoffen's face showed his indignation. At a loss for a response, he slightly lifted up Kaiser's torso by the shirt and dropped him. As Kaiser released a groan, Isabelle shoved Westhoffen onto his rear and began to scold him.
Laura knelt next to Kaiser as he laid down, looking around and regaining his bearings. "You get blasted off a moving tank, knocked out cold and injured, and that's the first thing you say to those trying to help?" she questioned, prodding his forehead with a finger.
"Ah, you're right Cpl Schulze. My mistake, it seemed a proper moment to make light of the situation." He explained. Slowly sitting up he glanced around. "Has anyone seen my cover? I'm rather fond of it." Laura seemed dumbfounded at his casual acceptance of the situation before shaking her head in resignation.
"Ah stow it Belle" retorted Westhoffen. "He's clearly unhurt if he can make jokes like that." The annoyed driver shouted.
Kaiser retorted before Isabelle could speak. "Even so Westhoffen I'd prefer you to never be alone with someone. Not that I don't trust you but I have two witness's here to your attempted crime. Although… Perhaps they're accomplices since they didn't try to stop you." Bringing a finger to his chin he pretended to ponder the thought as all three hurried to defend themselves and voice their objection.
Ignoring their shouts Kaiser thought of what had just happened. 'Seems that scuffle Prokov flew into somehow sent a stray my way. I'm lucky it wasn't any more severe' He thought. Taking a glance down he looked at his body. Still clothed he shifted his body slightly a few bruises on his torso, right leg, and sharp pain on his right forearm.
A small cut had opened above his eyebrow and he requested for Laura to clean and patch it up. Prodding at the wound in curiosity, he saw dark red blood on his gloved fingers. "Capillary bleeding, nothing of importance" He assured himself. 'I can dismiss it as bumping my head inside the vehicle. The bruises are hidden as well. It's the Forearm I'll have to hide'. He then presented his forearm explaining it may have been fractured. Worried, Isabelle tried to reassure him and ease his pain by speaking as Laura applied the splint and Westhoffen watched from the side. Kaiser snickered at their display.
Once patched up, Kaiser stood and began walking towards his Tiger refusing any offered assistance. Grabbing his jacket, he straightened his cover while demanding to be briefed. "How long was I unconscious?"
"A couple of minutes at most sir" came Belle's concerned voice.
"How long have we been out of the fight?"
"From when we withdrew until now, Ten minutes" responded Laura, switching gears as he did.
"What was the situation when I was knocked off and where are the combatants now?"
"First Sergeant Prokov's IS-1 was flanked by the Pershing and is out of commission. It's down to the Panzer IV and the enemy's Pershing. Last I saw through the ports was the Pershing withdrawing towards Colonol Virtanen's last known position and Major Knight in pursuit to slow them down" said Westhoffen seemingly disgruntled.
"Very well then we should make haste to catch them" announced Kaiser grabbing onto the Tigers chassis with his one good arm.
"Wait!" Shouted Katya from the turret hatch. "We should get you medical help, Who knows how injured you might be?" Though with tears in her eyes her expression demanded compliance.
An awkward cough came from behind him. Glancing the rest of his crew showed no support, instead, they stared him down as if it wasn't his choice.
"Sir it would be best, this is just a match after all. A scrimmage at that" reasoned belle, cautiously choosing her words. It didn't matter as Kaiser cast a sharp glare her way ceasing her rationality.
Regarding those around him, Kaiser spoke gruffly. "There are reasons why I can't simply 'stop'. We will proceed. That is an order" he stated firmly. He received none of the usual cooperation. Instead, one crewmate could no longer contain themself.
"Ah, stow it!" Shouted Westhoffen, reaching to restrain Kaiser's good arm. "You're hurt so stop the tough guy act!" he demanded, trying to pull his commander away from the vehicle.
The three silent crew members watched as quickly as Westhoffen had reached Kaiser had slipped out of his grasp. In the blink of an eye and with one good arm Kaiser had shifted himself and pinned Westhoffen, arm behind his back against the Tiger. Resisting but unable to escape Kaiser jerked his teammate's arm upwards at a sharp angle eliciting a shout of pain.
Kaiser observed his three female teammates' expressions. Katya and Belle were worried, unsure of what to do. Even Laura's usual calm was wavering at the scene. With a strict tone demanding attention he spoke. "I am not your leader by popular vote nor someone's kindness. I am your leader because I was selected out of a vast group of potential candidates. One of the reasons I was selected was that I do not abandon my mission. That includes this scrimmage". With one last glance around he took a breath and released Westhoffen who turned to face him cautiously while rubbing his aching joint.
Taking a step back himself his tone shifted noticeably as he looked at the averted faces of his crew. "Your concern is flattering and admirable but I have made it clear what the priority is. Besides, I think I'm healthy enough to simply command if I can grapple with Westhoffen, don't you?" Again no response. Rather they cast uncomfortable glances amid shifting feet.
"Look at me" he ordered. Hesitantly all but Westhoffen, who gave a defiant stare, turned to face him. A gentle reaffirming grin came upon his face. The expression was small, unexceptional, yet none of his crew moved a muscle as he adjusted his cover once more and mounted the Tiger in a flash. Surprised looks were exchanged in his absence.
"Did he just?" Asked Laura.
"I, I think he did" stuttered Belle.
"I thought it was the only thing he was incapable of doing. He never..." muttered Westhoffen. Katya still standing inside the tank simply slinked back in without a word. Their silence resumed until Kaiser banged his fist on the turret signaling them to move. As his crew resumed their positions the vehicle roared to life once more. One thought emerged at the forefront of his aching head. 'I hope there were no cameras to film that'.
-Transition-
The Tiger was now making its way to provide support once more to its few remaining allies as Knight's Panzer IV pursued Kay's Pershing at a distance to slow her rather than defeat. The Pershing's route seemed to be towards Arisa and Virtanen's last known position.
The battle between Arisa and Virtanen, during Knight's comeback and Kaiser's mishap, had grown into a bitter fencing match between her M4A3E2 Jumbo and Panther. Each attempting to outmaneuver and disable the other while steadily drifting away from the teams.
Their current battleground was a depression with raised hills encompassing them. Practically an arena for the two duking it out. No cover was present less they exposed their rear in an attempt to surmount one of the nearby elevations. With the last combatants of both teams speeding towards the area, the audience watching from afar began to chant and cheer, as anxious murmurs agreed that an ending would soon arrive.
-Transition-
"Agh damn" grunted Virtanen under his breath. Arisa had just attempted to drive into his Panther's side to use her barrels shorter length to land a blow. "Hit the reverse and pull left! Raise the barrel and swing left!" he quickly commanded.
Although his team was struggling to keep their composure they followed through and were able to negate their enemy's attack. Both vehicle's cannons ground against one another in the close quarter's spar. Arisa's vehicle proceeded to push forward, pulling back and attempting another maneuver. Virtanen continued issuing simple orders in response to her assault as he tried to think of a solution. He was at a disadvantage as the Jumbo held maneuverability and a shorter barrel. "I could probably use some of that support right now" Virtanen grunted as he muttered under his breath.
Amidst his internal dialogue, the Sherman reversed enough to release its barrel but keep his still extended past their turret. With the small opening, the Sherman lowered its aim and blew the Panther's left track.
"Dammit" cursed Virtanen. "Back to the left again, Now!" Without only a concerned glance, Virtanen's driver did so. The Sherman attempted for the next minute or so to land a penetrating blow onto the Panther. Despite the disadvantage and only one track, the Transcendence commander was giving Arisa no easy task.
Virtanen's Panther was effectively shifting forward and back to angle themselves best they could to deflect the Sherman's assault. No matter the strain on the bare interleveled gears, Virtanen would not simply let defeat take him.
To the audience, it seemed that this small bout would last until the other vehicles arrived. As expected by both schools Arisa took the initiative now feeling the pressure of time. Once her Sherman had drawn the Panthers barrel it reversed and sped towards the opposite side. She planned to gain distance from the Panther's slow-moving turret to obtain a shot.
Virtanen couldn't allow the obvious attempt. Feeling blood rush to his head he hurriedly sought a way to survive just a moment longer. His turret wouldn't keep speed with them but if he shifted his chassis he could retaliate with fire even if it did expose his vulnerable flank.
Both vehicle commanders were aggressive in terms of personal tactics, this led each to believe the other would take any bait laid before them and unannounced to them they both did. This repeat of lures and trapping was what kept both from being disabled yet. As Virtanen watched the Sherman out of his cupola he recalled an old lesson from InfanteriKampf.
The memory was old, An underclassman shouting of a sniper before being hit in the torso by a paint round. He and others hid behind some of the artificial rubble made for the match. He peeked to find the target only to see a flash and another peer of his squad be hit.
Taking a deep breath he emerged and provided covering fire. He was stopped short as his squad leader grabbed his collar and pulled him to the dirt. "Wait here boot." Sighed the familiar face no older than he. Virtanen protested. The higher-ranked student laughed in his face
"You think your peashooter will root em out?" smirked his senior gesturing to Virtanen's M1 Garand. Virtanen didn't know what to say as the unknown student rolled his eyes and smacked Virtanen's helmet with the but of his rifle. With a surprised grunt, Virtanen looked up, grasping his head.
"Pay attention." instructed his squad leader. Virtanen looked up in confusion when he heard a large burst erupt from nearby.
"A machine gun will do a better job of suppression. Don't just play into the enemy's hands by being hasty. Besides, I need bait such as yourself" his senior said strangely relaxed. "Bingo" he muttered leaning into a scope and squeezing the trigger. Snapping his head to the right Virtanen watched as the glimpse of a helmet appeared in a different window before disappearing as a round impacted with its owner.
Virtanen was in awe at the patience and rehearsed practice of the fellow student. It was the first time His peer Kaiser had talked to him in length.
The memory came and went in the blink of an eye for Virtanen as he loosened his tense muscles and calmly observed while giving his next order. "Shift the turret towards the enemy don't adjust the chassis unless they have an opening to our side or rear".
"Yes Sir!" came the unanimous reply. The turn was unexpected for Arisa. As the turret slowly turned she couldn't believe that he had called her bluff and didn't expose his side. Now he was waiting for her to make a move. She shifted itself and began to circle the Panther.
In response the Panther began limping in its own little circle as it tore dirt up with its gears, Soon its entire tread was absent. The standoff continued once more. Arisa in turn took the bait. Her Sherman continued to circle, slowly closing the distance so she could get a window of opportunity no matter how small.
The Sherman had finally outrun the Panthers barrel and now was nearly parallel with the soft flank of the Panther. The opportunity to fire never arose, they had wasted too much time. A shell came from an unknown direction and impacted the front of the Vehicle. The front armor protected them but the harsh and sudden vibration from its impact rattled her crew's nerves, including herself.
Virtanen witnessed the jumbo begin to flee after the mysterious round impacted and as he looked for his savior he found it in the form of Knight on the radio.
"Couldn't stop Kay's Pershing, so I rushed her to help you escape!" he called in.
Arisa's Sherman attempted to flee westward out of the depression, however, Knight was beginning to rout her as his Panzer IV appeared from the north, forcing her to change course south. Climbing the hillside and making a dash for refuge her Sherman was an easy target for both Virtanen. His first shot ripped apart her left tread.
"An eye for an eye" he scoffed as his loader ejected the shell casing.
The Sherman Jumbo skidded downhill at an angle before receiving a 75mm shell from the Panzer IV in its engine. To ensure its defeat Virtanen gave the order to fire right before a flag popped up and the 75mm projectile impacted the jumbos side.
Virtanen felt the fatigue hit him as he sighed in relief, slumping into his seat. The immediate danger was over. Now they had to repair his track, gather what forces remained, and hunt down the remaining enemy. With a quick order, Virtanen's loader and radio operator went to repair the tracks while he got a situation report. He could see Knight waving out his hatch pointing to his head signaling he wished to speak. With a small snort, Virtanen turned on his mic in time to hear Knight's experience of the very round he witness fly in their direction.
The Panzer IV which had been making its way towards Virtanen's Panther was struck. The first shot dislodged some metal and before the fire was even registered another was sent. The second broke the suspension leaving the Panzer IV unable to steadily traverse terrain let alone garner a shot. A harsh realization set in for Virtanen as his crew scrambled back inside while he searched for the source. They were now fish in a barrel.
The Panzer IV fired in the direction it had received shells from, inaccurate but hoping to suppress. No notable change but also no returned fire. Their enemy was most likely relocating which meant they had time.
Virtanen radioed Knight. "What enemies are still active, do we have any reinforcements?" he demanded.
Knight responded immediately. "Sir, the enemy commander is the last one operational, I-I couldn't defeat her. We are the only remaining teammates. The Tiger fell behind and I have received no word since, I fear the worst. I am sorry Sir."
Virtanen felt a small panic rise in him. He could control himself now but the situation was dire. They were the last two left standing and they had just been rendered immobile by their final enemy who had could attack from anywhere.'Even Kaiser' Virtanen bitterly thought.
"Knight! Raise your barrel and aim over my vehicle. The elevated terrain closest to each of our vehicles is too high for our barrels but we will cover for each other. She has to defeat both of us, at this point we're going to run out the clock" At least Virtanen hoped they could. He doubted Kay would be that amiable. If she was still up and running even after Kaiser was defeated, then he was slowly losing hope for victory.
As the two vehicles sat in silence, both gunners and commanders observing intensely for any movement or sound, Virtanen worried over just who they were fighting. 'Had she let her ally be defeated to lure Knight and Kaiser into a false sense of security? Was that honest smile really so devious? Kaiser had warned them…' Virtanen let a small chuckle out. "Look at me psyching myself out" he muttered.
Time slowly began to tick by as Virtanen felt his dry eyes and once again tense muscles beg for a reprieve. Eventually, he decided to risk repairing his vehicle in the lull of battle. Slowly he opened his hatch. Nothing. As he threw it open a shell landed 10 meters past his vehicle. As he took a nervous breath back inside he pieced together the new information.
The inaccurate shot either meant they were on the move and keeping an eye or increasing their distance. Perhaps both. His attempt at repairs forced them to fire early. So as to not violate any rules of injuring students outside a vehicle and to prevent their possible escape. Observing the impact spot of the last shell, Virtanen ordered his gunner to aim high as he radioed Knight. "The enemy has relocated beyond our immediate proximity, They are northwest, high, and in the distance!"
Both the Panzer IV and the Panther spun their turrets north. The even higher and sparsely forested mountainside was the only possible place that the enemy could gain sight at a distance and have such a high impacting angle. The limited brush revealed the perpetrator nearly two kilometers away.
It was clear their enemy intended to settle in and fire two well-aimed shots but had made a hasty decision. The Pershing stood out from the thin bushes and trees that littered the mountainside. Though angled with the slope due to its lack of road, they still had made such a precise shot. Despite their accuracy and front armor being shown to them, Virtanen could see its lower glacis clearly. Both vehicles fired. The panther's shot skidded along the Pershings flank whistling into the side of the mountain while the Panzer IVs, thanks to its lack of suspension, missed completely landing in the dirt.
The Pershing held its fire as it received two more blows, both showing no effect. Unfazed, the Pershing steadily adjusted its aim. A single shot rang out. From the significant distance, they watched as it whirled into the Panzer IV, the closer of the two and blowing the Barrel's compensator off. The round caught it as it was reversing, a shot intended for the top of its turret no doubt. Now ineffective a small white flag appeared from its turret. Virtanen could only imagine his junior's distress as he heard a quiet shout before ensuing static over the radio.
Virtanen looked at the Pershing, lost at what to do. If he could do anything. Their foes barrel inched just enough he knew it was at him. His crew was still scrambling to resist, even his RO was firing the machine gun in an effort to disrupt the next shot. 'And here I thought I was over my pessimistic defeatism' he quietly criticized of himself
"Miss me?" rang a familiar voice over the headset. Virtanen blinked in surprise, astounded to hear the familiar voice in his headset. A shot was fired far from the rear of his vehicle, as it screeched overhead he watched it impact the front right tread of the Pershing. The unmistakable 88mm round tore through the steal even at range and busted the hidden gears. The Pershing fired a moment after the impact, the resulting round going slightly high and scraping the back of his chassis tearing a hole in one of the ventilation fans.
After the impact, Virtanen saw another round impact under the Pershings intact tract. The Heavy vehicle slowly began to lose its purchase on the uneven earth. Virtanen blinked in awe a the newfound opportunity as the Pershing began to show its flank amid its struggle for traction. "What are you waiting for?! Return fire!" he shouted to his crew who were just as dumbfounded as he a moment ago.
The Panther's 75 lowered slightly and hit low. What seemed to be no effect showed itself as the Pershing's left track now coming undone as it continued its slow descent. As the chassis was no longer in any shape to resist the turret made a last stand. Its 90mm had found the Panther in its sights once more and fired. The final, desperate round screeched at the Panther as Virtanen gave a reactionary order.
"Forward!" The Panther jerked to lief and crawled forward with its one good track as the 90mm round impacted against the commander's cupola, onto the engine, and into the nearby woods.
Quickly he looked up again to continue the fight. His eyes were greeted with a bright flash as he saw the Pershing's barrel go limp from a blow to its exposed side and a triumphant buzzer sounding off in the distance. Those three rounds had just saved him and the match.
In the Tiger, perched up high on the adjacent mountainside beneath a small cluster of trees, Kaiser leaned relaxed onto the seat before him, closing his eyes. "I almost thought we wouldn't make it. With our weight I thought we'd have to dump Westhoffen along the way" he quipped.
His crew seemed exhausted as they slumped in their seats. Even Westhoffen didn't respond to the jab. Only a quiet voice next to him called his attention. "U-Uhm, Sir" stuttered Belle, a panicked expression tinged with red was across her face. She nervously awaited him to move as he was nearly cheek to cheek with her.
With a grunt like an old man moving, he returned to his seat. "Sorry, sorry." he apologized. "Didn't mean to put pressure on you like that. I do trust your skill but I wanted to make sure those shots of yours hit. As you can see it saved us there."
"N-no it's fine," she replied waving her hands in dismissal, shooing the topic away.
"Although I should congratulate you. Not every day you make a twenty-two hundred meter kill, on a heavy no less.
Belle gave a polite smile "Sir, I don't think I would have made the first shot without your directions and adjustments." she responded.
"Still your kill" he shrugged. With a glance to his watch, he gave a choice to his crew. "Shall we head back? Or shall we go and tow the poor commander and his crew" he asked. Concerned glances were exchanged between his crew as they silently spoke with their eyes.
His four crewmembers lethargically nodded as Laura spoke up. "It's only a track sir, and they're faster than us. I'm sure they wouldn't mind if we head back first."
"That tired?" he scoffed with a raised eyebrow. "Alright, you all performed wonderfully. Let's get you back." The Tigers engine roared to life and they began to descend from their elevated position and towards the starting grounds. On their way back they saw the retrieval vehicles going out for the last tanks. A little guilt was taken off of his crew from their reasonably selfish request.
-End Chapter-
