Chapter 17

Homedale was abuzz with activity. The six high school teams were hard at work with preparations for their departure and subsequent campaign into the south, towards Hoja City, towards Darjeeling and Davis, and an end to the fighting. The tanks had been brought out of their grounds and the boys and girls of Homedale checked and packed all they could. Munitions, food, water, materials, and more. All in preparation for their goal.

"Get the Stuarts over to the right flank!" yelled one of South Texas's officers.

"Engine's looking good, clear for fueling." One of LA's boys said.

"I got HE rounds coming down, grab what you need!" Announced one of Washingtons boys driving a tractor hauling a large trailer filled with HE tank rounds.

"Freshly made food all packed up and ready to go, get some before their gone!" yelled Pepperoni as she and some of the Anzio girls passed out food rations.

"Treads are good, give us a test!"

"I need a quarter tank of fuel for a Wolverine!"

"Supplies fastened and secured!"

"We're all loaded up!

"Squadron seven is good! We're moving towards the rally point outside town!"

Moose stood on top of a balcony over looking the field of tanks and tankers. His arms crossed over his chest as he watched and admired the enthusiasm he saw in his fellows. Several tanks being loaded up, checked and prepared while many others were already moving towards the open plains outside town where the rallying point was. George Washington Boys Academy, South Texas High School, Los Angeles High School of Tankery History, B.C. Freedom, Anzio, Chi Ha Tan, as well as many of the S.T. Gloriana girls and Virginia boys who made their way from Hoja City. All of them were set on moving south and ending the fighting once and for all.

"Our path takes us right in the middle of the fighting where Uncle Sam and Kuromorimine are. We'll need to either go around or through them and I don't know which is the best idea." Ogin said behind Moose, leaning on a table overlooking a map of the southern part of the island.

"We'll go through." Moose said turning and walking over to stand next to Ogin and look at the map. He pointed to a position just North of those mountain where the two schools would be located. "We'll attack from here and push both schools into a bind. We take out both Edward and Maho at once and push the two schools for a surrender. Edward wont expect an attack from his supposed allies so we boys will take him, while Kuromorimine is all about line warfare and bombardment. The girls will ambush them and Maho wont be able to properly counter with her straight tactics."

"We'll do our best, but their tanks are tough." Ogin said.

"We only need to surround them and force a surrender. I intend to get both schools on our side by the time we reach the mountains. Edward's number two guy, Hans, is in those mountains with his squadrons holding off Pravda, he'll be able to convince the rest of his team to stand down and Maho should be able to get Katyusha to cease her wrath, at least for a while." Moose said.

"After Edward and Maho are brought in we move into the mountains where, hopefully, the two can get the other up there to join us. Then we descend the mountains and cross over into Hoja City using this bridge here and confront Davis and Darjeeling." Moose finished. "Hopefully this will be enough to end the fighting, and that maybe someone can get ahold of Rivers and Montana. They've been MIA for a while now."

Before either of the two could continue their conversation the door to the balcony opened and Ezio came out with two people behind him.

"Moose, there's some people wanting to see you." He said nodding to the two behind him. Moose looked at them before recognition reached his eyes. One of them was Colonel Blake Abernathy, one of the Legends of American Tankery, the second person, a woman, Moose didn't know.

"Colonel Abernathy? What are you doing here?" Moose asked. The Colonel smiled before taking a look over the balcony's edge and saw the army Moose had amassed for himself.

"I had heard there was a place here at Homedale where the fighting was nonexistent, but it seems like you guys are preparing for war anyway." Abernathy said turning to look back at Moose. "I've come to inform you that there is an independent third party on the island who is actively sabotaging the wargame. Targeting the students of the schools and making things get way out of proportion. I don't know when, but I suspect they'll try to get you as well."

"Why do you say that?" Ogin asked. The woman accompanying Abernathy spoke.

"We found their camp, as well as a map that had Homedale listed as a problem. We suspect it was because of the peace you had created here."

"This is Akari Adachi, she is the Commander of the Federation forces here on the island, and she, as well as the Federation itself, has allied with us in the Association, in order to find and capture this third party." Abernathy said.

"Are they that dangerous?" Moose asked.

"More so then previously perceived. Which is why I came to warn you. What is your plan anyway, with this little army you've recruited?" Abernathy asked.

"Word is Captain Davis of Virginia is off his rudder. We're going to relieve him of command and stop the fighting in Hoja City all together. Its bad down there sir, our friends need us." Ogin said with a desperate look in her eye. Colonel Abernathy nodded his understanding and smiled.

"Then if you have a plan go for it. The Association will help you with resources if you need them, radio channel 103.7 is our frequency, call us if you need any help." Abernathy said. Moose and Ogin smiled before nodding their thanks.

"Thank you sir. This means a lot." Moose said.

"Think nothing of it. Just get the fighting to end and we'll call it even." Abernathy and Akari were about to leave before Moose thought of something.

"Sir!" He called stopping the two adults. "Can I ask that you look out for Rivers Pines and Montana? They went North to a small nonimportant fishing village called Houston and we haven't heard from him in weeks."

"We'll keep our eyes open, and you do the same. No telling when or where disaster might strike." Abernathy said as he and Akari left the balcony and went back to their tanks. Moose sighed and sat down on a chair, Ogin seated besides him with a small smile.

"Finally, things seem to be going our way." She said.

"Lets not start digging for gold yet, not every red X is where the treasure is buried." Moose said utilizing her sailor/pirate lingo on her, to which she gave an amused smirk in response. "Alright, lets get moving. War awaits us."

Ogin nodded and followed him off of the balcony as he stood up and went to the door. His own M10 Wolverine and her MK IV Male were parked next to the building and as Moose jumped onto his tank Ogin saw her crew standing outside the large landship talking with their three temporary members.

Andrew, Rukuriri, and Mako, who has since gotten better, had all joined up with them to crew the MK IV Male for the duration of this little campaign of theirs. Mako had taken Rums place as the primary driver while Flint would remain as the secondary driver, Murakami and Rukuriri teamed up as the starboard side loader and gunner respectively while on the port side Cutlass remained as the gunner while Andrew worked as the loader. Rum would take over the entire radio set for the MK 4 and Ogin, of course, remained the landships captain.

"Are we good to cast off?" Ogin asked as she approached the crew.

"We are!" Andrew said giving a nod. "All shells stored, food and water loaded, and the tank is fueled up. We're ready and willing."

Ogin nodded before looking at Mako. There was a stiff determination in the girls eyes, as she was dead set on returning to save her friends.

"You doing ok Mako?" Ogin asked as the others looked at her, their eyes drooped a little in concern. Mako looked up at all of them before, uncharacteristically, giving a big toothy smile.

"I'm good." Her response was simple, but strong and honest. The others smiled as well. No one would doubt her commitment to this, not with so much at stake.

"Then all aboard ladies and Gent, we set sail for Hoja City!" Ogin ordered, getting a cheer out of her crew as they all climbed abord the tank.

Blake and Akari had returned to Captain Faun, Chika and Pierre, who were just outside the town, and procured a map of the island again. Blake placed it in front of Pierre again hoping to get the man to think on where his former teammates would set up their new operations.

"Think on where they would go. I need you to think on where they would set up." Blake said to him. The man nodded and marked three places on the map with a red marker.

"I was thinking about that since we left your HQ. These three places were marked on the original plans for our hideouts and with all the gear and even the tank with them these three places are the only places I know where they could be hiding." Pierre explained. "But if they found a new place then I'm afraid I won't be much help."

"That won't be a problem. You're taking a great deal going against Anderson like this. Anyone back in the states would understand that you're helping us as much as you can. So long as we find them and put a stop to Andersons plot I'm sure the Association would be more lenient on you and your crewmates." Blake said.

"Colonel." Faun said gaining his attention. "I got young Commander Johnathon on the radio, we put out a call for Rivers Pines or any of his team, but they aren't responding. Edison is requesting to go north and look for them."

"Granted. Maybe a more recognizable face will help with putting a hold on the fighting, if there is any still going on up there." Blake said.

"Its Montana, I'd be surprised If they stopped fighting let alone making a deal with Saunders." Faun said before returning to the radio to relay the Colonels permission.

"So what is our plan?" Akari asked Blake.

"We'll go visit these three marked places, but I'll send Pierre back to Glendale. It's the most secure place and all my men know only to let the specially selected people I chose to interact with Pierre so there is no chance of a spy or infiltrator." Blake said. Akari nodded and moved to board her Challenger, while Chika boarded hers. Blake stepped up and entered his M60 Patton before giving the go ahead, all those who were with him right here, Four Pattons and four Challengers, Faun, Chika, and Akari included, all began moving north westward in search of the Vermont Alumni.