Chapter 36: Major change, part 1.
12:30
After about 4 hours of various training (including an exercise at the shooting range) the Yorktown girls found themselves in the canteen of their base, a large room with a black and white checkered floor; various posters were hung on the walls, some of Fallout, others were propaganda posters from World War II, including the famous Uncle Sam poster and one depicting a boot with a swastika engraved on it trampling Independence Hall, a historic landmark in Philadelphia , in which on July 4, 1776 the founding fathers of the United States of America had signed the declaration of independence. The students were intent on having lunch, consuming a meal of hamburgers, cheeseburgers, fries and tacos, and conversing with each other.
"A hearty meal is what you need, after hours spent training!"
"If there's one thing I hate it's the weeks before the finals… Training is more demanding and stressful!"
"Fortunately, the Foreign Legion only has to take the field in the European championships, which take place every 4 years."
"On the other hand, only the main team participates in the German leagues. It's a little frustrating…"
"Why?"
"Because the German tankers cover themselves in glory every year, and the foreigners have to sit on the bench twiddling their thumbs, fighting only once every 4 years. It's unfair!"
Kay was having lunch with her new teammates.
"You were truly amazing!" Kristin complimented her.
"Yeah, that's right! You demonstrated impeccable leadership skills as well as great charisma!" She backed Chloe up.
The girl smiled, flattered by that compliment.
"I told you, I'm not a rookie. I have already commanded a team in the past." She stated, biting into her burger.
"You must have been very popular with your companions." Lois said.
Kay sipped a can of Coke, which she placed on the table, before answering:
"Yes… From all of them."
And to tell the truth, I kinda miss them… Naomi, Alisa and the others. There I was known and loved by all, but here I'll have to sweat 7 shirts to gain the trust and respect of my classmates, even if Eva's rescue earned me a positive reputation in the school.
"I don't understand…Then why did you move here?" Allison asked, puzzled.
"Yeah, with the skills you have, you would have made a great commander-in-chief for your old team. You may not even be commander of Yorktown here." Chloe stated.
Damn… If I tell them the truth they'll think she's a joker, at best; a liar or a fool at worst.
"Why not?" She asked.
"Because Dwight has already designated Samantha to succeed her when she goes to college." Kristin answered her.
"The Texan, right?"
Lois nodded.
"She is the most suitable, according to the current commander." She said.
Kay nodded, then she ate a handful of chips.
"You don't like it very much, do you?" She asked, noticing the expressions of the other four girls.
Initially none of them answered. Then Chloe said:
"She…Damn it, I don't know how to explain it."
"I'll try… You see, Patton, Samantha is a very severe and serious girl: she never smiles, the only occasions in which she expresses happiness is on the occasion of a victory by the Dallas Cowboys and the US national soccer team. And what's worse, she's a hothead. She loses her temper easily, and is always ready to beat up anyone who, for one reason or another, makes her angry. Even if it's a simple refusal or other trivial things." Lois explained.
A brawler, in short.
"And… did she do it?"
"Not with us, but when you look at her you can tell she's no stranger to brawls and fisticuffs."
"We would prefer Clark to be the new commander, she is kinder and more cheerful than Samantha."
The former Saunders captain sighed.
"She doesn't surprise me. What do you know about her? Maybe there's a reason for this grumpy attitude of hers."
"Very little… She comes from Texas, daughter of a wealthy oil tycoon, owner of a large company. She's a football fan." Allison replied.
Kay snorted, disconsolate.
"Poor information…" She said.
"She Unfortunately she doesn't confide in anyone, not even her closest friends, like Dwight." Kristin stated.
Very introverted…
The blonde thought.
"Why don't you try talking to Dwight about it directly? I only arrived today, he wouldn't listen to me."
"We will, after the final, though." Lois said.
At the same time El was having lunch in the canteen of the Rodrigo de Vivar division, a room with white walls and floors, furnished with tables, chairs and a counter where meals were served, in this case paella, potato tortillas and other typical dishes of the Spanish and Latin American cuisine. El was in the company of her teammates, intent on eating a plate of paella.
Sure, they eat well here!
She thought, satisfied.
"You were truly amazing!" Teresa exclaimed, sitting next to her.
The former Blue Division commander turned to look at her.
"You say?" She asked.
" You have a natural gift for leadership!" Was the answer.
"You did well indeed… You didn't show any signs of indecision or nervousness, as a true leader would." Veronica said.
El giggled, embarrassed.
"I told you, before I came here I was a tank commander at the Invincible Armada. One of the best."
"What prompted you to move here to the Black Sun?" Aurora asked her.
"Because it is the most prestigious school in Europe, as well as the strongest. I have always dreamed of being part of his panzerfahren team." She replied, trying to feign enthusiasm.
I certainly can't tell them that I found myself catapulted here from the future…
At that answer, the four girls frown.
"Then you had better stay at the Invincible Armada." Penelope stated.
"Why?" El asked, surprised.
"The Foreign Legion participates only and exclusively in the European championships, which take place every 4 years."
"And the national tournaments… Did I mean German?"
"Those take place every year, but only the core team takes part in them. We stay on the bench."
El was amazed by this revelation.
"But… It's unfair! So you girls take the field once every four years?"
"Occasionally they request our assistance in some friendly match, but it rarely happens." Teresa explained.
But what are the speeches? So after the 2018 Europeans I have to stay idle until 2022?
El thought, furious.
At that moment a voice was heard from some loudspeakers:
"To all students! Our führer, Hilda Breisgau, is giving a live televised/streamed speech! Viewing is mandatory!"
At Yorktown all the students gathered in the cafeteria reached out to their smartphones and iPhones, including Kay, logging on to Youtube.
"Where does the Live take place?" She asked.
"Look for the official school channel, Offizieller Kanal von Schwarze Sonne."
Kay found the channel immediately.
"12 million subscribers? Twice as Yuka Kinoshita!" She exclaimed, amazed.
"Yuka who?" Allison asked her.
"Yuka Kinoshita, she is a Japanese youtuber who has a channel with 6 million subscribers." Chloe answered.
Kristin was amazed.
"What kind of channel is hers?" she asked.
"Culinary. She prepares exquisite dishes and eats them. This genre is called Mukbang."
" So she binge eats?"
Chloe glared at her.
"She is a very good chef, she cooks delicious food with ingredients bought from her pocket. I love it!"
With that she shook Kay's hand warmly.
"Now that I know that you are a fan of the great Yuka my esteem towards you has doubled, indeed, tripled!"
"Come on, ban the chatter! Patton, subscribe to the channel and go to the Live!"
The girl obeyed, first clicking Sign Up and then, having entered the home, clicking on the Live in progress.
Luckily I still remember my Youtube password.
Hilda appeared on the screen, in full uniform, behind a podium with a microphone. Next to her stood Himmler and Göring.
"Meine lieben Studenten, I have an important announcement to make to you." She began, in a calm and solemn tone.
What will it be about?
Kay wondered.
"Starting today, the structure of the Panzerfahren team will be reorganized, in order to make it more efficient. I guess you are wondering what new features there will be… Well, I will list them for you: the first is that the team will be divided into three divisions: light tanks, led by Eva; medium tanks led by Himmler; heavy tanks, led by Göring."
She paused.
"The second is that the office of Oberster Kommandant will be introduced, which will obviously belong to the undersigned; the three division commanders (Divisionskommandanten) will report directly to me, and will have to nominate two deputy commanders, chosen from among the tank commanders; if the division commander is eliminated during a match, one of the two deputies will have to take her place and appoint another deputy, so that the chain of command remains intact. Likewise, if the supreme commander is eliminated, one of the division commanders shall take her place, and shall appoint one of her two deputies as the new commander, and the latter shall appoint a new deputy."
"A complicated system…." El commented.
"But effective." Veronica stated.
"That way the chain of command won't go into crisis." Penelope explained.
"Another novelty concerns the Foreign Legion. Since the foundation of the Black Sun, it has only been allowed to participate in the European championships. This policy has been judged unfair and often criticized, as in this way the foreign students would have had a very small role in the panzerfahren. Well, I want to inform you that from today onwards, students of the Legion will also be allowed to participate in the national tournament."
That news surprised El and the others not a little.
"W-what… It's a joke, right?" Allison asked, amazed.
"Hilda doesn't joke about certain things…" Lois replied.
"Why are you so amazed?" Kay asked.
"Because the decision to exclude foreign students from participating in the German championships dates back to the very beginning of the school… Many of her criticized it, because they considered it a sort of Apartheid. And honestly speaking, I never expected to see this (unwritten) rule abolished!" Chloe answered.
"I understand…"
Well, all the better for me… I won't have to twirl my thumbs until the next European tournament.
Kay thought, relieved.