The Tank Crew

another Village

As they continue to move through the mountains, the mountains get smaller and smaller, signalling that they are getting near the end of the mountain range.

"Hey Mike, how likley is it that the village has fuel?" James asks Mike curiously.

Mike answers after turning his head to james' "well, although it is just a village, it is very important and large it became prosperous after the Pinekea took over the ither side of the mountains because it lies at the only passage through the mountains carriages fit through so it became a very important city for trade. Thus, a lot of fuel is stored here for vehicles that make the journey through the pass and back to deliver goods from one to the other side. And they deliver the fuel itself too. So it is very likely that they have fuel there."

"Uff Mike, you seem to know a lot." James says, astounded.

Before Mike can reply, Thomas calls up ,"Hey boss, the fuel is as good empty should i switch to external fuel tanks?"

Mike calls back, "Yeah, do that."
And turns to james again.
"we are lucky they built FTV-8 and 9 with long-distance travel in mind. I heard that the enemy has tanks that run out after 3 hours at a constant speed of 35km/h, plus we have external fuel tanks added on for the Mission."

James nods "yeah but i heard the newer heavier models can't go that far i heard they traded a lot of fuel capacity for more armour which makes sense after seeing what cannons the enemies start to bring to battle."

"I tell you one day there will be cannons on tanks so powerful that we stop even trying to get more armour." Mike tells james.

But james thinks differently and says to Mike, "i think in the future tanks will become useless and everything will be artillery and planes i tell you."

Mike holds put his hand to james, "Let's make a deal. In 40 years, we meet in the capital, and if i am right, you get me an expensive wine. "

James takes mikes hand firmly, "and if i win, you buy me an expensive whiskey."

"Deal," Mike says like he already knows he's right.

They shake hands.

Joseph leans on the turret his head above it so he can see the two "I think that after this war there won't be any more wars i think this war is the war to end all wars." He holds out his hand, "if i win, you get me the best beer in town."

Both mike and james lean to him to shake his hand and afterwards he sits down next to thomas hatch again leaning against the turret and he then says to thomas, "I wish i had a good pillow right about now this metal is not good for my back."

This makes thomas laugh.

Joseph cuckles a bit. "You laugh like a pig," he tells thomas, "Why do you make those noises in your laughs? You sound like a madman."

Thomas laughs for a few more seconds and then replies, "i just do it this way. i can't control it much."

For a bit, the crews spirits are higher than they have been the last few days, and for those hours, they forgot that they were in danger of encirlement. After a bit, they saw the village emerge in the distance and the end of the mountains was near.
Far in the distance in the northern sky where pillars of smoke.

"That must be the distant battles," Mike sighs.

but then joseph yells, "Mike, those are way too close to be the northern front. I know they are still distant, but this means they have breached the main defensive lines!"

Mike slams his fist against the roof of the tank. "BLOODY BITCHES OF HELL! FUCKING MONARCISTS! I SWEAR ALL THOSE MONARCISTS ARE BASTARDS OF HELL!"

After cursing mike breathes heavily and

james looks flabbergasted,
"Godam'n mike i didn't know you are a cursing factory." 

This breaks mikes anger imidiatly and makes hin chuckle before going serious again. After 20 minutes, they make it to the village. The outer buildings are more modern for the time the further you go to the centre the older the buildings are you can really see how fast the village grew over the years. A large medival looking church stands near the centre of the village with its tower being the highest point of the village. Near that stand two old medival windwills, one of them seems to be built later than the other one. In a different style and less wood. They arrive at a large storage building with fuel pumps in front of it.
Mike and his crew get out of the tank and walk towards the storage.

"There should be tank fuel inside," Mike tells them, "plus some other supplies as it has been used as small logical Hub for the people on the other side. It seems like the village had been evacuated too, though there is nobody in sight."

They enter the building and see a lot of crates and boxes in ordered piles, a lot of them empty.

james sighs, "Yeah, it makes sense that they took moast stuff with them if the enemy would take the land."

Mike replies, "No, they haven't look there is a lot of closed crates and jerry cans."

He gets closer to them "and a sign that reads 'for general davis. Have a good journey.' i knew that they would leave some stuff for the convoy."

They take each two jerry cans except thomas, who even struggles carrying one jerry can with both hands

"Hey thomas," james mockingly says, "Who did you pay to pass the strength test at the military training."

Thomas sets the jerry can on the ground, looking at his red hands
"What the heck do you mean these are 20 litre!? How can you guys carry two?!"

jams sets his jerry cans down too and starts flexing his arm muscles and proudly says, "i may be short, but my muscles make me a dangerous dwarf. There is a reason why King is in my nickname, "

Before thomas can say anything back, Mike walks past them to get some more jerry cans, "the king part is because you are as stupid as those monarcists shortking. Now get that fuel to the tanks if you please while the other crews put it in the tanks."

Thomas laughs loudly. And then, with struggles, he carries the fuel to the commander of R3, who takes it.