Dust Devils - A Girls Und Panzer Story

Chapter 9

Barstow

January 7th, 2013

A new year. A new semester for the students of Mojave Rose. In the early morning hours, before the early bird students made their arrival, Redwood was at the garage inspecting the new vehicles. Over the winter break, they had been transported from the abandoned mine shaft to the garage. Also during that time, Redwood had ordered all the necessary equipment for the Jumbo and SU-14 so that the new crews can immediately familiarize themselves. However, they may be. As of now, those vehicles have no crew to operate. Thankfully, finding students to crew them will not be an issue at all. For weeks, Redwood has students ask him repeatedly when will more space be on the team will be available. And for weeks, Redwood told them the same thing. Soon. Well, soon is now. He departed the garage and headed for his office in the administration building. He had a crew to recruit.

Students began arriving on campus. Some were mingling outside braving the mild winter weather. Yet in one of the buildings in a hallway flanked on either side by classrooms, was a display. Behind the glass was all the achievements the school had earned over the years. Within were two new additions, the trophies the tankery team had won. Students were going out of their way to seem them. Whenever Valarie would walk down that hall when going to class, she would often pause and look at the trophies. She had held them. She knew what they weighed and how they felt. The sunlight from the windows made them glisten. They were polished recently so Valarie could make out her reflection. Inside the display was room for more rewards, the empty space just beside the trophies. Nothing would please her more to see that display filled to the brim.

At her final class of the day, Valarie was reading her textbook when a student from across the room walked over to her.

"Hello, you're Valarie? Captain of the tankery team?"

Valarie set aside her book.

"Yeah, what's up?"

"Well, I'd just thought to let you know that my friends and I will be joining the team today."

Valarie found this surprising.

"Oh?" But, we don't have room on the team right now...last I remember

"That's not what Mr. Redwood told me. He found me during lunch and offered the chance to join."

Now that was something Valarie could relate too.

"There must be new vehicles then." Valarie with a tinge of excitement.

"What's your name, by the way."

The girl smiled and extended a hand.

"Jacqueline."

They shook hands. Valarie wined slightly as Jacqueline give a firm handshake, more than she had ever received thus far. Soon after, the dismissal bell rang.

"Let's head to the meeting."

The two girls headed to Room 34. Even just a few minutes after the school day had ended and already was most of the team there, including the new recruits. Valarie and Jacqueline went to their respective groups. With her crew, Valarie conversed.

"What's with the new people?" Emma asked

"Looks like we got some new tanks. Can't wait to see what they are." Valarie responded.

Heather looked at the new crew members. She saw how they were in groups. One with four people, another with seven. The latter is what drew the most curiosity from her.

"What vehicle needs seven people to use?" she questioned internally

She thought about the matter. Ever since joining the team, Heather has been teaching herself all the potential vehicles that the team could encounter. It was still a work-in-progress as it is astounding just how many vehicles were designed during World War II and their more numerous variants. Yet what she did know is that vehicles that have crews as much as seven are not the standard tanks. She shuddered. She didn't want to believe it but knew that it can't be anything else.