Panzer x Bak

Chapter One

Kenneth nodded and pressed his thumb and forefinger against his chin in thought. Eventually he reached a conclusion within his mind.

"I'm taking it out for a drive alone, then."

The engineer shrugged.

"That's what you want me to tell your crew, then?"

"Yes. Please do."

The engineer nodded and began walking towards his tools, which were resting on a sheet of blue plastic.

"Should I make up another stupid ass story about how you fixed that thing?"

Kenneth chuckled just a little bit.

"Was just about to ask you to."

The tank commander climbed onto the steel frame, and entered into the vehicle through the hatch swiftly, jumping behind the drivers wheel. The maneuvering system had been redesigned in order to allow for even new recruits to operate Germanian tanks. Kenneth had also learned to use the stick shift system, but preferred this new method much like many other soldiers did.

Without the rest of his crew he wouldn't be combat ready, but his goal wasn't to fight at this time. Kenneth flipped the power switch within the vehicle and took hold of the wheel and pedals, maneuvering the medium tank towards the darkening forest to the west and driving towards it, cloaked in a small cloud of dust. The vehicle's inside was rather silent, which was standard for the more well made Germanian tanks. Noise cancellation also allowed for one to hear sounds coming from outside quite effectively as well.

There was only the dull hum of the engine and faint clickity clack of the drive wheels and treads working to propel the tank forward. Being alone within the tank certainly felt rather odd, and almost eerie in a sense. All he had to do, however was peer into the small bulletproof glass viewport mounted into the hull in front of him. The landscape began to fly by as the tank gained momentum, the treeline soon approaching him as the sun sank below the distant hills and fields that made up the majority of Prokhorovka. After around fifteen more minutes of travel Kenneth drove into the small forest, lessening his pressure on the drive pedal and coming to a slow halt in a little clearing. He brought the vehicle to a halt within the concealment of the darkness, cutting the engine and climbing out, jumping from the turret and landing beside the Panther on a dense bed of dark green foliage with a dull thud.

Kenneth brushed himself off and grinned almost giddily, removing a glowing blue stone from his coat. He held it in front of his crimson pupils and observed it in wonder. This was was his secret power that would help him create a new society. And all he needed to do was command it.

"Regenerate what is before you."

Kenneth spoke, holding the stone towards the tank and waiting. As soon as the words left his mouth, a blue tendril of energy reached forth from the stone and connected with the gray metal hull of the Panther. It was soon followed by another, and another, before about a dozen were touching the tank, surrounding it with a glaring blue light and emanating a loud crackling noise. The light completely covered it, and Kenneth shielded his eyes with his gray coat sleeve. The shine and noise continued for around a minute before slowly dying down.

At last, Kenneth withdrew the now completely transparent stone from the position he had been holding it in, and returned it to his coat in one swift motion. The tank that stood before the commander now looked as if it was fresh off of the factory, with no more dirt or scratches from deflected shots and no more brittle armor from exposure to the elements.

The stone that the commander held had reverted the vehicle back to the state it was when it had just been created, also returning all of the lost ammunition and fuel. Kenneth was clueless as to how the object worked, but did not question such a useful artifact. Only a chosen few knew of it, and they were Kenneth's most trusted comrades and friends. From what Kenneth could gather, it only responded to the word 'regenerate,' and could do nothing else. It also did not work on any living beings. Only objects.