Chapter 39:

Black Sea, 3.00 pm

The Panzers of the Black Sun (Tiger I/II, Panzer IV, Panther cc.) moved across the training ground, a plain dotted with some rare trees. The air was torn by the cannon fire of the tanks and the noise of their tracks. Hilda was in command of her Tiger I, she was giving orders to the rest of the team.

"Panther, better adjust the shot of the cannon; Tiger II, increases speed; Hawk team, you need to coordinate better!" She communicated by radio.

When a final is at stake, be it German or European, Hilda becomes stricter and more fussy.

Her driver thought, a girl with short black hair and eyes of the same color.

"Goebbels, real commanders don't complain! If you lose your temper, the entire crew of your tank will be affected, is that clear or not?" Hilda asked nervously, then snorted.

Verdammt… Of course the role of commander in chief is really complicated! Everyone depends on me!

"Greta, stop for a moment!" She ordered to the driver.

"Ja, mein führer!" The girl answered.

When the vehicle stopped Hilda climbed into the turret and opened the door, looking out. She put her hand to the binoculars she was carrying with her, starting to observe the maneuvers of the other tanks.

Well, despite some small mistakes the crews behave flawlessly.

She thought, satisfied.

Suddenly someone grabbed her by the hem of her skirt.

But what the f…

She dropped into the turret and noticed that it was Brünhild, her gunner, a girl with long dark brown hair and brown eyes that had pulled her skirt.

"What the fuck do you want?" She asked, annoyed.

"Excuse me, mein fuhrer, but weren't we supposed to organize a banquet in honor of the new students?" Was Brünhild's answer.

Hilda thought about, and then exclaimed:

"Scheisse*, I forgot! We will organize it for tonight! Warn the school staff that they are having a small reception!"

Greta looked at her confused.

"Mein führer, isn't it a bit late? And then it's less than 6 days until…" She tried to say, but she was cut off.

"It's not late at all, get on your cell phone and warn them via Facebook!"

"Right away!"

At the same time, in another part of the field, the M4 Shermans of the Yorktown division were practicing at the shooting range. The roar of the 75mm guns rent the air. Dwight was giving orders to her subordinates.

"Massachusetts, turn the cannon an inch to the right… South Carolina, you are doing well… Georgia, take better aim…"

She snorted.

Damn… These workouts are exhausting and deafening.

She thought, annoyed.

Down in the turret she addressed her gunner, a girl with long straight brown hair and black eyes.

"Fix your shot a little better, the last shot missed."

"Yes, ma'am!" The latter replied, then returning to use the cannon.

Dwight got out again.

"They are doing well, eh commander?" The driver, a girl with long, straight hair that fell to her back and gray eyes, asked.

"Yes… I hope they do just as well on the field, against the Russians." She replied, not concealing her skepticism.

"We'll be fine, you'll see!"

Sarah looked at her.

"Tell me, Lucy, how long have we been going to the Black Sun?"

"About… One, two years."

"And the last European championships took place in…?"

"2015."

"You know what that means, don't you?"

The girl named Lucy thought about her.

"That this is the first European championship we are taking part in?"

"Exact. We will have to face Kursk, the second strongest team in Europe. It's not like the national leagues in our homeland, nor like the European teams we faced in this tournament. We better not take them lightly, trust me." She warned her, serious.

"As far as I'm concerned, I assure you that I will not let my guard down. I promise you." The dark-haired girl said, performing a military salute.

Dwight smiled, and kissed her cheek, making her blush.

Meanwhile, Rodrigo de Vivar's tanks advanced along the field heading east. Leading them was Francisca, in command of the Verdeja, who gave orders to the team via radio.

"Keep a distance of at least one meter between you! I don't want bumps, okay?" She said.

"¡Si Señora!" Her subordinates answered, almost in chorus.

Inside her Panzer IV, El was as focused as ever. Despite being simple workouts she couldn't afford the slightest distraction.

I have to prove to Francisca… Indeed, to all my companions that the trust they place in me is well placed.

She thought.

"Mierda*... At this hour I'd rather have a siesta than hang around in a tank!" Veronica stated, earning a glare from her commander.

"If you want to take a siesta, sign up for the lazy's class!" El exclaimed, annoyed.

"C-calm down, Grandes…" The driver tried to say, but was interrupted.

"Call me commander during training (and matches)!" El ordered to her.

"Calm down, commander… This is not a complaint. It is simply tiring to train hours and hours with Panzers."

El glared at her, but then she looked more relaxed.

"Tiring, but necessary. We can't come unprepared to a match, or the opponents will tear us to shreds." She reminded to her.

"Well said, commander!" Teresa backed her up.

"Team Hernan Cortes! Do you receive me?" Francisca's voice asked, coming from the radio.

It was Grandes/El who answered her:

"Tell me, Francis!"

"First of all, don't call me Francis! Call me commander during training and matches! And second… Why are you ignoring my instructions?"

Damn…

El thought, embarrassed.

"Sorry, commander… The girls and I were chatting a bit and…"

She was interrupted (and almost deafened) by the voice of her interlocutor, who shouted:

"RULE NUMBER 1: during training and matches, don't get distracted or chat! Have I been clear?"

Her tone didn't allow for a reply, and El only replied:

"Yes, commander."

"Woe to you if you don't answer my messages, putas estúpidas!**"

Having said that, communication was cut off.

"Damn, she's really strict! She doesn't even look like the friendly girl she was just now!" El commented, wondering if the girl who had just threatened them on the radio was really the same one that she had welcomed her so warmly.

"Francisca hates scrubbers… And when she gets angry she becomes worse than Samantha." Teresa confided to her.

"Come on, let's focus on training, or at the end of the day Francisca will kick our ass like this." Veronica stated.

*shit.

**stupid whores.