The Tank Crew

past the rocks

After around two more hours of work, Mike finally called, "This should be enough of pass over it with our tanks!"

Everyone gets into their tank positions, and the three tank motors roared for the first time in days.

Thomas called up to mike "shit Mike! The fuel, we need to get refuelled if we want to make it home."

Mike slams his fist on the roof of the tank. "SHIT! We can't go back. We have to go forward and hope we find fuel somewhere. How long until we are empty?"

Thomas thinks for a few seconds, "This should get us to the village in the hills behind the mountains."

"Then let's drive!" Mike commands.
The FTV-9 starts moving, and the other two tanks follow

"Hey, Mike, do the FTV-8 have enough fuel to follow us?" James asks

Mike nods, "Yes, they are more fuel efficient they can drive further than we can."

To this, james nods. James sits next to Mike on top of the tank while Mike stands out of the commanders hatch.
Joseph sits down next to the barrel where thomas head sticks out of the drivers hatch. Joseph wears his usual expression of no clear emotion, and thomas looks releaved to be away from the landslide. For a while, they all move in silence.

After 30 minutes, thomas asks Joseph
"Hey joe, if you build an orphanage, can i work with you there? I don't know what to do in the future anyway."

This surprises Joseph but makes him have a little smile. "Yeah, why not. 'Joseph and Thomas orphanage'."

Thomas laughs, "we will have to work on a good name."

Joseph gives a short laugh
"Yeah, we do."

James seems very down, and Mike asks him, "Hey, short king. Are you doing alright? You look even worse than me."

James looks at Mike and explains, "I'm scared. What if i never see my child. They could already be born. The estimated time of birth is actually the end of the week. And i may never see the child. Teach them to walk, how to play sports, to drive, and i will maybe never hear him say Dada or Daddy to me."

Mike is trying to come up with words to say. After two or three seconds, he says,
"Hey, short king. We are going to survive this understood? Nothing will stop us! We are way to strong for those monarcists sons of bitches to kill us."

Mike tries hard to keep his voice motivational. This does seem to have worked slightly for james. "Yeah, you got a point there, boss. We have the best gunner in the whole nation, one of the fastest loaders i have ever seen, a driver who may be a wuss, but he is the perfect driver. And we have our great commander Mike Woodcutter, who had the eyes of an Eagle. But Mike, even though we are, if we are metal swords, a thick wodem stick that is thick enough can break it. even our crew isn't invincible."

Mike raises an eyebrow, "Where did you get that from. Metal sword and wooden stick?"

James replies, "Just made it up."

Mike sighs, "doesn't  make much sense. i mean, a good sword should be able to cut spears and not become dull."

James nods "well yes true but you know what i mean."

Mike replies, "Yes, i know what you mean, short king."

The day progresses without further incidents while they drive eastward.