JACKAL

Low

Some time had passed as the Americans had begun to settle into the town. The Infantry had caught up with the Armored Platoons and the JACKAL crew were disposing the corpse of the headless soldier. This had left Sakhari with some time to herself.

Sakhari remained in the house where Simmons had killed the German officer. The huntress had removed her mask and had been cleaning herself. Her belt had a fresh looking spine and skull from the German soldier she had killed. Sakhari stopped trying to clean herself, she was covered in blood. She remembered a river nearby and formed the idea she could wash off the blood there, and cool off since it wasn't getting any cooler.

Upon making her way to the lake Sakhari had looked around to make sure nobody was around before stripping off her armor to reveal a black leather loincloth and bra that blended in with her skin. One foot in front of the other the water reached her feet, then her knees, then her hips. The blood and bits of brain matter had almost instantaneously disappeared in the river as Sakhari began to wash off the blood. After dunking her head underwater all the blood was gone, and so were her bandages. After unwrinkling her dreadlocks, Sakhari would leave the river and put back on her armor. 

Sakhari found herself back where she had before. She thought about finding Orville, fron what she could hear on Simmons's radio during the fight she had never heard him the way she did in combat. The more Sakhari thought about it, she should get to know the other four tankers. And so she set off to meet the Driver.

Low had been scrubbing the engine deck restless. There was blood and guts on the turret, the tarps, the crates, the tools, even their bags. Like his fellow crewmen who stripped their jackets, Low had removed his jacket and shirt, revealing a white t-shirt underneath. Without his helmet Low had dirt-covered but pomaded blond hair. After wiping the blood off of his overalls he retched when he saw a fillet of skin with part of the soldier's lips and mouth. The tanker had covered his mouth as he picked up the piece of skin with a rag and plopped it into a bucket. As Low climbed down he was met with Sakhari standing right next to him like a serial killer in a horror movie. The tanker had jumped back before realizing it was just the yautja. "Mein gott...you gave me a fright." Low scolded. "Was ist los?"

"I did not mean to scare you." Sakhari apologized. "I have nothing to do so I decided to acquaint myself with the other oomans of this metal beast. I am already acquainted the one you call Orville."

"I noticed." Low said with some snark in his tone. "If you wish to 'acquaint' yourself with me you can start by helping me clean der soldat's brain off the tank. Put that height und muscle of yours to work." Low tossed Sakhari a damped hankerchief and got back to scrubbing. Sakhari followed and used the hankerchief to scrub off the blood. Whilst scrubbing she felt an aching sensation in her arm and torso. It was only now she realized her bandages had come undone. The huntress brushed this off and pushed through the pain.

"Your tribal conflict is interesting." Sakhari said to break the silence. Low shifted his head. He was on the opposite side of the tank as Sakhari. "As Old Blood and Guts said: We're not just gonna shoot the sons-of-bitches, we're gonna rip out their living goddammed guts and use them to grease the treads of our tanks." Low said quoting General Patton's exact words. Sakhari cocked her head to the side, unfamiliar with who Old Blood and Guts was. "Forget it." Low said.

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After meeting up with 2nd Platoon, Simmons had simply asked the town residents for a bucket of water so that he could wash his face. His shirt and holster to the side, Simmons had stood out in the open bare-chested. His back seemed rather clean compared to his hands, face, and neck. Simmons washed the dirt and grime off of his face, his dog tags jingling as he did so. When he opened his eyes he had seen the great big gash on the palm of his right hand. The voices from the past had returned.