>>34277377
>> “… maybe.”

>>34277377
> “I don’t know what you’re talking about!”

>>34277377
> “… maybe.”

>>34277377
> “… maybe.”
But that's not really the point here Daphne

>>34277377
>“… maybe.”
They were robbed!

File: ShockedRita Repulsa.gif (1.75 MB, 300x225)

1.75 MB GIF

>>34277377
>“… maybe.”

>the entire flight of the Wrights could fit inside the An-225's cargo hold

File: Daphne Fairbanks.jpg (164 KB, 595x832)

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> “… maybe.”

You huff and puff, placing the book down on your bed. “… maybe, but that’s not the point!”

Daphne places her hands on your shoulders then smiles. “Then what is?”

“The point is that the Wright Sisters made powered flight a possibility in our lifetime! Why, they went from wooden canvas gliders in 1908, and we came down to metal prop planes, and even jets in less than a century! That’s… that’s amazing!” You squeal a bit. “The Wright Sisters are the best thing ever!”

“Even better than Commander Bucholz?” You twitch again. What is it with you, Daphne?

“Yes,” you say. “Maybe even a little better than Commander Bucholz, but that’s another thing entirely.”

Right now, you are aboard the USS Macon, en route behind enemy lines to a local resistance cell. You’re not there yet, and you certainly won’t be there for at least several hours or so. So it helps to try and occupy yourself with something to do.

What should you do?

> Get dressed into your uniform. You’re barely decent in nothing but your nightgown.
> Talk to Daphne a bit.
> Go for some breakfast.
> Explore the Ship a little bit. The Macon is still a little unfamiliar to you.
> Write in

>>34277619
>> Get dressed into your uniform. You’re barely decent in nothing but your nightgown.
>> Talk to Daphne a bit.

>>34277619
>> Get dressed into your uniform. You’re barely decent in nothing but your nightgown.
>> Talk to Daphne a bit.
Where's Daphne from again?

>>34277619
>> Get dressed into your uniform. You’re barely decent in nothing but your nightgown.
>>Go for some breakfast.

>>34277647
Faraway Land, if I recall. That is, Canada.

>>34277619
> Explore the Ship a little bit. The Macon is still a little unfamiliar to you.
Maybe Rookie will have an illicit encounter with the Commander! Nah

>>34277647
She's from the Strike Witches equivalent of Canada, Faraway Land. She moved down to Britannia though and enlisted with the RAF.

Yes, I'm aware Faraway Land is a strange name.

>>34277619
>> Get dressed into your uniform. You’re barely decent in nothing but your nightgown.
>> Talk to Daphne a bit.
Daphne, regale us with tales of what it's like to be best girl.

>>34277667
>>34277742
> Faraway Land
Strike Witches has some great names

>>34277755
But best girl is Hermine.

>>34277742
Yes, what a silly name for a place, I mean it's almost as bad as Newfoundland!

>>34277742
So she's not part of the RFLAF?

> Get dressed into your uniform. You’re barely decent in nothing but your nightgown.
> Talk to Daphne a bit.

As you dress up, Daphne simply lies forward on your bed, dreamily looking at you, or your hair rather. You begin sliding your good casual trousers on and say, “So, Daphne. You’re not Britannian?”

Daphne shrugs a bit, kicking her feet up. “Oh… well. Not by birth. When the Blitz happened, I decided to take the first ferry to Britannia from the good land of Faraway Land, eh. My parents weren’t exactly supportive, but they certainly didn’t stop me either. They know the duties of us witches.” She wags her finger, shutting her eyes as she begins a lecture. “As the only people on this good Earth that can survive the miasma and the lasers of Neuroi with any kind of regularity, we witches have a responsibility to defend this Earth in any way we can! That’s what my recruiter told me at least.”

You chuckle a bit. “Ohoho~… recruiters are always the best aren’t they?”

“Indeed! Though my recruiter was a very handsome man in the Royal Air Force and he had the most lovely haircut I’d ever seen!” Of course. Daphne sighs. “It was so silky and smooth! I could tell he was using Dapper Dan Hair Pomade, that’s probably one of the better hair jellies, eh.”

[1/2]

File: Macon.jpg (78 KB, 740x615)

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>>34277999
[2/2]

You nod. “Figured.” There’s a knock at your room’s door. You open it up to see Captain Jenna Caldwell, commander of the USS Macon, at your door. She looks down on you, puffing a bit of cigarette smoke in your face. You wave it away and quickly salute her. “Captain!”

“Meet me down in the launch bay in about an hour. I need to discuss launch procedures with y’all,” she says simply.

Daphne says, “Isn’t it unsafe to smoke cigarettes in-“

“Helium gasbags,” says Captain Caldwell simply. “I’ll only say that once, and if you ask that again, I will not respond to you.” With that, she nods to you and Daphne, then walks down the tight halls of the Macon.

“She seems… nice, eh?” says Daphne quietly.

> Get Breakfast
> Explore the Macon
> Report to the Launch Bay
> Write in

>>34278017
>> Get Breakfast
Let's see if everyone else is eating too

>>34278017
>> Get Breakfast
Git fed.

>>34278017
>> Get Breakfast
Food.

File: dtCHHRE.png (221 KB, 500x282)

221 KB PNG

>>34278017
> Get Breakfast
Dammit Caldwell, do you want to blow us all up?!

>>34278017
> Get Breakfast

>>34278017
>> Get Breakfast

>>34278076
It is Helium. It won't blow up even if you tried really really hard.

>>34277999
So Daphne is hair sexual?

What if another girl with more luxurious locks comes along and steals her from us?

>>34278333
Then Rookie will wish her well and be glad she's not being molested anymore.

>>34278333
All the reason to continue the pursuit of Bucholz.

File: Graf.png (285 KB, 1000x1000)

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> Get Breakfast

Slap went the hard but soft and very weird gruel slapped on your plate. The cook himself looks so salty that you could probably use him to season your chips or something. You and Daphne carefully step over crewmembers and the like in the crowded mess hall. It wasn’t crowded because there were a lot of people mind you, there are only about thirty crewmembers in total including the Captain. What made it crowded was the fact that the space inside a Zeppelin was premium, and most of it went to cargo and the launch bay.

Hell, it was loud too, the engine nacelles weren’t helping matters either. No wonder countries never adopted airborne aircraft carriers.

You squish down between Daphne and Vera. The rest of the 509th minus Commander Bucholz sits around a round table, barely able to move their arms.

“This sucks!” yells Rachel.

“What!?” screams Daisy as she’s smushed between Rachel and Hermine.

“I SAID!” Rachel yells into Daisy’s ear. “THIS SUCKS!”

Daisy flinches away, poking at her ear. “Don’t need to shout.”

You sigh, carefully eating your food and oh my god blue cheese! You look at it on the plate, and carefully reach out to it-

Hermine Graf takes it in hand and smiles, then takes a huge bite out of it. AAAAAHHHHHH- She looks at you, blinking and smiling. “Oh, you want some, honey?”

You reach out for it again. Bite or no, it’s bleu de gex, you-

“Too slow!” She retracts her hand. She holds it out for you, and the process repeats. “Ah! Too slow!”

> “GIVE ME THAT CHEESE OR I’LL BITE YOUR HEAD OFF!”
> “DAMN IT STOP TEASING ME!”
> Wrestle the Cheese from her
> Write in

>>34278384
> Wrestle the Cheese from her

Goddamnit Graf so help me god...

>>34278384
> Keep trying
>Cry a little

>>34278384
> Walk away, find the commander and bring her breakfast.
Fuck Graf.

>>34278384
>pouts at her

>>34278384
>> Wrestle the Cheese from her
Don't mess with Rookie's cheese, it might be the only thing she loves more than Commander

>>34278422
>>34278436
She just wants Rookie's attention on her instead of the bloody cheese.

>>34278468
Then don't give her the attention.

>>34278384
>> Wrestle the Cheese from her
>pout
Pouting is good

>>34278384
>Wrestle the Cheese from her
There are times to push the Rookies buttons for fun and camaraderie. This is not one of those times, and you are not one of those button pushers, Graf.
Still love her.

>>34278528
Wrestling the cheese away from her IS letting Graf push her buttons. And she's still a terrible character, and this is one of the reasons why: her character is so inconsistent. It's like every thread her personality is randomly determined. If it was on purpose because she's trying to figure out how to get along with people then that's fine, but judging by German's ask.fm it's more because he doesn't know what he's doing with her.

>>34278384
>> Wrestle the Cheese from her

>>34278528
Stop giving Daphne ideas Gouf.

>>34278568
>>34278528
Guys, calm down.

It is only food. In the banquet we did not murder Jockey over eating our blue cheese.

Gauf is one of these old time friends who came back after a long period of absence. What do you do? You know all of their buttons. Of course you push them for nostalgia.

>>34278642
She isn't a friend, though. She's a nuisance. I just want her to go into the background where everyone else we're not paying attention to are and leave as quickly as possible.

>>34278676
I hope she get's more screentime
Not even joking

>>34278676
Aren't you overreacting a little bit?

>>34278730
You're not the only one.

File: rach and danny.jpg (86 KB, 850x499)

86 KB JPG

> Wrestle the Cheese from her

You jump up and try to reach over the table. THAT CHEESE WILL BE wait, this table is a lot big bigger than you thought it was.

You go face first into Rachel’s food. You can hear the three of them laughing. They’ve turned from Abbot and Costello into the Three Stooges. You lift your head up and pout at her, the leaky brown gruel sliding off your face. Rachel and Daisy cover their faces, shaking with chortling and giggling while Hermine finishes off the last of the cheese.

Damn it.

Graf slides her finger on her face, getting a bit of gruel and then popping it into her mouth. She smiles. “Ahaha~, you taste good, honey!”

Rachel pushes you back into your seat, where Daphne and Carla quickly begin to wipe down your face. “Ah, sit down, Rook. No use crying over a bit of blue cheese anyway.”

YOU WILL CRY OVER THIS DAMN IT.

Graf says, “That’s right!” She pops a bit of food into her mouth then begins talking again. “I don’t really see what’s so special about blue cheese anyway.”

“Don’t talk with your mouth full, Graf, honestly!” You cross your arms, huffing. “That is so rude and disgusting, I don’t even know where to begin!”

Karen sits on Carla’s lap, carefully eating and observing while Carla says, “Oh, lighten up, Rookie. In fact, Graf was just telling us about her escapades with you and her back in the Academy.” Oh no.

Graf smiles. “Well, I wouldn’t necessarily call them escapades. It was more her teaching me a bit of history and the arts, I never was good with that,” she says. Ah, let her praise you all she wants, she’ll get hers you reckon!

> Finish up your food quickly
> Talk with a member of the 509th (Graf, Rachel, Daisy, Carla, Karen, Daphne, Vera)
> Write in

>>34278384
>bite her head off and eat that instead

>>34278776
>> Finish up your food quickly
That was pretty pointless. Let's just blow something up already.

>>34278757
No, because poorly designed characters shouldn't be encouraged.

>>34278776
> Reminisce about the good old days at the Academy
I'll admit I'm curious about it.

>>34278776
>> Finish up your food quickly
I kinda want to see what's going to happen, plus I can't think of anything to talk about

>>34278776
>> Finish up your food quickly

>>34278776
>> Finish up your food quickly

>>34278776
>Finish up your food.

Anyone else a little tired of rookie being very competent in the air and then a complete cluster on the ground?

>>34278862
I am for this.

>>34278776
>> Talk with a member of the 509th (Graf)
Academy stories!

>>34279018
She's not a Tank Witch.

What are you expecting? The Race Bannon of witches?

>>34278568
>Wrestling the cheese away from her IS letting Graf push her buttons.
That was the joke.

>she's trying to figure out how to get along with people
She's been hanging out with the yanks. They have been teaching her things.

>>34278730
Same.

>>34279093
>She's not a Tank Witch.

;_;

>>34279093
No, just...things going her way perhaps?

I dunno.

It's just, enh. Maybe it's the blue cheese thing, getting old for me.

I'm not the QM though so it doesn't matter, just voicing my opinion.

> Finish up your food quickly

You quickly shovel down your food and stand up.

“… and it stank like a schwein on the farm.” Graf smiles as the entire 509th save for you laugh. “Eh, right honey?” She blinks. “Honey?”

“It sure did!” you say happily. “The Professor was not happy with you Graf, nor was he happy with the class, and he was especially not happy with me considering I was the Class Representative and I let it happen even though it wasn’t my fault.”

Daisy says, “Funny joke though!”

You sigh, continuing on down out of the mess hall. “I’m going for a walk.”

Carla says, “Not gonna stay?”

“Well, considering the Macon is a valuable asset in this mission,” you say. “I figure I must familiarize myself with it!” You pat your chest. “Next time you see me, I will know this ship like the back of my hand.”

Daisy says, “Or like Foobs knows the locks of your hair.” Daphne blushes intensely as the pair of Lieutenants laugh all of her dignity down the drain.

[1/2[

>>34279411
[2/2]

…

…

You end up in the Cargo Bay, right next to the Launch Bay where the Flying Trapeze system is set in place. For the mission, it’s not just your Striker Units and your weapons you’ll be carrying. One Dodge WC52 car and two Mack NO trucks were assigned as well, for towing the Strikers. It’s not like you’re going to carry them all day.

Though, you are worried that they might make you drive. Hopefully they come with manuals or something-

You hear a bumping noise. Huh? You look behind one of the Mack trucks, and find…

The Jeep Jockey? He’s busy eating from a chocolate bar. He’s not supposed to be here. “Hey,” you say.

He looks over, then his eyes bug out. “AH! ROOKIE!”

“I HAVE A NAME!” you shout. “What are you doing here!?”

“Uh…” he looks around nervously. “… I wanted to be in the Merchant Marines instead of the Army Air Corps?”

> “I’m telling the Commander.”
> “Why did you sneak on board? How did you sneak on board!?”
> “Uh… I’ll just leave you there.”
> Write in

>>34279429
> “I’m telling the Commander.”
Time to be a snitch!

>>34279198

I like it better this way. Rookie's more likable and easy to bully when she's not ultra competent at anything and everything.

>>34279429
> “I’m telling the Commander.”

We already established that Rookie is a no good snitch who will get shown what's what someday.

>>34279429
>“Uh… I’ll just leave you there.”
We didn't see anything, ANYTHING.

>>34279429
>> “Why did you sneak on board? How did you sneak on board!?”

>>34279429
>> “Why did you sneak on board? How did you sneak on board!?”

>>34279429
>“Why did you sneak on board? How did you sneak on board!?”

>>34279429
>> “Why did you sneak on board? How did you sneak on board!?”
Did you seduce someone?

>>34279449
I find it amusing to imagine the difference between the view we get of Rookie, what the squadron sees, and what everyone else gets to see.

>room for 30+ people, one car, two trucks and several Striker units
Just how big is this place? And that's without mentioning the bloon holding all that aloft.

>>34279466
>>34279448
Now that's not fair, she only told the truth when the commander was right there in front of them, that's not even really snitching.

>>34279731
It's still fun to imagine her as a snitch.

>>34279613
The Macon was originally designed as an airborne aircraft carrier and reconnaissance flyer. To that end, it had enough cargo space to hold about five F9C Sparrowhawk biplanes. It's also one of the largest Zeppelins, behind the Hindenburg.

Due to the pressing need for transports and the fact that in this history, the Macon and the Akron never went down in storms, both of them have been modified extensively for troop transport and cargo capability. They also have three 75mm on each side, modified from the Pack Howitzer design.

Because the Gondola is attached to the envelope containing the gasbags, some of the construction is built into the envelope itself, but because space is at a premium, it's quite cramped.

>>34279747
The world bullies Rookie enough as it is, you don't need to help it.

> “I’m telling the Commander.”
> “Why did you sneak on board? How did you sneak on board!?”

You blink. “I’m telling.” You quickly turn around, but the Jeep Jockey quickly grabs you from behind and covers your mouth.

“WAIT!” he yells. You struggle and fight against him, your Witch strength is helping along with that. “Listen! I- AAAHHH!” You bite down hard on his hand. He pulls away and you break off. “AH! YOU BIT ME!”

“What was I supposed to do!?” you yell. “You grabbed me!”

“Okay! Okay…” He checks over his hand a bit. “Jeez, I think you drew blood. Look, that wasn’t smart of me.”

“Clearly.” You sigh, crossing your arms. “What is a Rear Echelon troop like you doing in a place like this, how did you even get aboard?”

“Oh, I just bribed the crew,” he says. “They’ll do anything for a pack of smokes and a bit of Carla’s cooking.” You can understand the cooking part at least. “Anyway, please, just don’t tell on me, alright? I-“

“I’m so telling.”

“Don’t!” He takes off his jeep cap and washes back his dirty red hair. “Seriously, Rookie. Look.” He steps closer to you, a bit cautiously. He seems to want to level with you. “I’ll level with you, alright? Look at me. I’m… not what you would call the soldier type. I think that one time with the air raid is pretty much the only time I’ve held a gun since Basic and…” You frown a bit, and he noticeably refuses to meet your gaze. “And… yeah. Look, I just don’t want to spend the war driving a jeep all the time. I want to be on the Frontline too. I want to help.”

…

“So you snuck onboard the Macon, somehow expecting us to take you with us on this top secret mission.” You’re not one to pull punches.

“I am not a smart man,” he says.

“You don’t need to say it, that was quite obvious.”

> Turn yourself in, Jeep Jockey
> I’m still telling
> Fine, I won’t tell.
> Write in

>>34279784
Making Rookie cry is just a form of affection and love.

>>34279851
> I’m still telling
Because really, JJ, this wasn't the best move at all.

>>34279851
>Turn yourself in, Jeep Jockey
On the one hand this was supremely stupid and the commander needs to know. On the other hand, I don't want to make the Jeep Jockey cry.

>>34279851
> Fine, I won't tell.
> Turn yourself in, Jeep Jockey.

>>34279851
>> Fine, I won’t tell.
I won't say anything, but damn it Jeep Jockey don't go getting yourself killed like this

>>34279851
Jeep Jockey is definitely with the intelligence corp and is one of the people sent to keep a close eye on the witches on this top secret mission.

Let him be.

>>34279851
>Turn yourself in, Jeep Jockey
Because "This man grabbed me in a dark room, covered my mouth and told me never to tell" sounds way worse then whatever it is he's trying to actually do.

>>34279851
>> Fine, I won’t tell.

>>34279851
Changing >>34279878 to
>Turn yourself in, Jeep Jockey

>>34279931
No, that's just stupid.

> Fine, I won’t tell.
> Turn yourself in, Jeep Jockey

You sigh. “Fine, I won’t tell.” He smiles, wiping his forehead of nervous sweatdrops. “You’ll tell.” His forehead immediately breaks out with nervous sweatdrops.

“Why me?!” he shouts.

“Because you should own up to this,” you say. “If you wanted to come with us, you should have volunteered, not come in and potentially compromise our mission just because you’re hungry for glory.”

The Jeep Jockey huffs. “I ain’t suffering Custer Syndrome. And you ain’t exactly perfect either, Rookie.”

“The point is,” you say. “You’ve dug yourself into a hole, and your only shovel is being held by the people up top.” He blinks, silent. “Please, for goodness sakes. I don’t want you to die or nothing, just tell the Commander.”

…

The Jeep Jockey groans, banging his head against the Mack truck. “Fine! Jeez.”

You smile. “Good! The Commander will understand your intention.”

[1/2]

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137 KB JPG

>>34280210
[2/2]

…

…

“Of all the things I have ever heard or seen in my days, this has to be the stupidest thing I have witnessed!”

The 509th Joint Fighter Wing has assembled in the launch bay, and you all plus Captain Caldwell watch on as Commander Bucholz chews the Jeep Jockey out. His stoic expression is clearly failing to hide his anger and sadness and Commander Bucholz paces around him, yelling. “A good soldier follows orders, and never deserts his post! I understand this, considering you are a Liberion, I imagine discipline is more lax there in the states, but if you were a Karlslander I would have you flogged for this blatant dereliction of duty! Do you understand how sensitive this mission is?”

“No, ma’am,” says the Jeep Jockey. Ah, he’s still clueless about what the mission actually is.

“This came from some of the Top Brass of the United Nations,” she says. “If word gets out to the Neuroi, perhaps we can say goodbye to this, to everything! Do you understand that?”

“Yes, ma’am,” he says.

Rachel whispers, “Jeez. I knew the Jeep Jockey was stupid but I didn’t think he was this stupid.”

Carla says, “Why would he sneak onto the front? All the soldiers I know want to get away from it.”

> Remain quiet.
> “He just wants to help.”
> “This is stupid.”
> Write in

>>34280231
> “He's an idiot, but he just wants to help.”
Throw him a bone.

>>34280231
> Remain quiet.
Too soon to let on that we know something.

>>34280231
>> “He just wants to help.”
He's a good guy at heart, just not smart like Rookie is

>>34280231
>> “He just wants to help.”

>>34280231
>Write in
"He's an alien spy, I'm sure of it."

>>34280306
That's actually a really serious allegation in this world, chap.

>>34280231
>> Remain quiet.

The only viable option since everything we do outside of a mission blows up in our face.

>>34280326
you calling me a liar?

roll

>>34280357
Yes.

>>34280231
>> “He just wants to help.”
It's not like Rookie doesn't understand

>>34280231
>“He just wants to help.”

>>34280386
That's alien spy talk, son.

>>34280231
He wants to help.

> “He just wants to help.”

You sigh. “He just wants to help.” Everyone looks at you. “That is… I think he just wants to help.”

Graf smiles. “Well, I admire the Corporal’s spirit! It’s misplaced in a Liberion, if we had a hundred Karlslanders like him, the Fatherland would have never had fallen.”

Rachel says, “The Jeep Jockey isn’t a smart guy, Graf, that’s why he’s a Jeep Jockey and not a pilot or anything.”

“What’s his name?” asks Graf.

…

Daisy says, “Hell if we know.” You all shrug at that. You’re ashamed to admit it, but even you don’t know his name either.

Commander Bucholz finally gets to the point, “… and that is why you are a stupid idiot. But at the same time, we cannot go back just because of one person. Thusly, you will come with us.” The Jeep Jockey nods.

Wait. You all lean in a bit, surprised. What?

“Yes, ma’am,” he says.

“You will drive one of the Mack Trucks.” She snaps her finger. “And you will obey my orders, understand?”

“Yes, ma’am!” he says.

“Good, now wait in the cargo bay until you are needed.” The Jeep Jockey salutes sharply, then marches off, leaving you all with Captain Caldwell and Commander Bucholz. “Alright, the Jeep Jockey will be going with us. I will hear no protests about it, it is my decision and you will respect that. Understand?” You all nod, Rachel and Daisy mutter a bit. “I’ll take that as a yes, Lieutenants.”

[1/2]

>>34280636
[2/2]

Captain Caldwell says, “The Launch system is fairly simple. It works on the principle of a flying trapeze. We simply take your Strikers, hook them up onto the trapeze, slide you over the edge, then you drop and fly. We catch the same you, you just grab onto the thing, then we pull you in. A monkey could do it.” She tosses away her spent cigarette.

Karen raises her hand. “Um, excuse me, Caldwell-sama but…” She points to one of the ready Strikers, Graf’s Focke-Wulfe 190. “Are you dropping us head first?”

“Yes,” she says. “That’s the fastest way to drop you.”

Commander Bucholz says, “We will be on alert until we approach the designated loading area. For now, I want two of you out and about. Any volunteers?”

> Take the first watch
>> Volunteer someone to go with you
> Remain quiet
> Write in

>>34280656
> Take the first watch
>> Ask if the Commander would like to get out and stretch her strikers. Otherwise, Daphne.

Why not toss him out of an airlock? He can leave his mark in history (and the ground) as the inventor of the High Altitude No Opening jump.
Yeah, there were some problems with the landing, but I'm sure they're working on those kinks.

>>34280656
> Take the first watch
> Volunteer someone to go with you
Daphne let's go

>>34280656
>Take the first watch
>>Volunteer someone to go with you (Vera)

>>34280656
>> Take the first watch

>>34280656
Change >>34280694 from
>> Ask if the Commander would like to get out and stretch her strikers. Otherwise, Daphne.

to

>> Ask if the Commander would like to get out and stretch her strikers. Otherwise, Vera.

The zeppelin should be slow enough that Vera can actually keep up.

>>34280656
>Take the first watch


>>34280716
Don't bully the Jeep Jockey, nameless characters have to stick together.

>>34280879
Nameless characters need to not be a liability to a top-secret mission.

>Trapeze
>Rookie asks the Commander if she wants to go for a swing

> Take the first watch
>> Volunteer someone to go with you

You raise your hand. “I’ll take watch!” You look over. “Vera will come too!”

Vera snaps awake. “What? Huh?”

Commander Bucholz smiles, then nods. “Very well. Attend to your Strikers. You launch in five.”

…

…

For once in her life, Vera has found something that she can actually keep up with. Her Po-2 Striker Units are working at their median speed with the USS Macon, and she’s all too excited about it. “I love zeppelins! They are so slow! I should have been Zeppelin master!”

You and her fly above the Macon, with her on the left side and you on the right side. You keep to the shortwaves. “Enjoy it while it lasts, okay, Vera?”

She nods, her Bazookas holstered on her back as she keeps an eye out with binoculars.

Your ears twitch. Neuroi. “Commander, I’m detecting Neuroi.”

Commander Bucholz and Captain Caldwell are on the bridge, listening in. “Very well, where are they?”

You browse the skies. Clear blue, not a cloud, and not a black dot or anything. Could be on the ground, which is covered in forest at the moment. “I… I don’t see them.”

“They have to be somewhere,” says Captain Caldwell.

> Stay above the Macon, you’ve got good view of the area anyway.
> Head below the Macon, you’re probably dealing with AA Neuroi.
> Write in

>>34281097
> Stay above the Macon while Vera swings below the Macon.

>>34281097
>> Head below the Macon, you’re probably dealing with AA Neuroi.

>>34281097
>>34281123
Sure, there are two of us for a reason

>>34281097
>split up, one down each side of the Macon
One draws fire, the other provides counter-battery.

>>34281097
>Head below the Macon, you’re probably dealing with AA Neuroi.
All these mentions to Vera's speed make me think that she's actually a VTOL.

>>34281097
>> Head below the Macon, you’re probably dealing with AA Neuroi.
Maybe have Vera cover the top so we don't leave either place open, I'm pretty suspicious of stealth aliens

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>>34281181
I think the idea is to spot them before they can fire at the big, slow, helium filled zeppelin.

>>34281097
>Head below the Macon, you’re probably dealing with AA Neuroi.

>>34281097
[x] Head on top

We are effectively the scout, the airborne radar with our ear.

You don't stick your radar on the bottom. You stick it as high up as possible for maximum detection range.

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>>34281211
No, it's just really old and slow. She can't get nearly enough juice to be VTOL.

> Head below the Macon, you’re probably dealing with AA Neuroi.

You signal for Vera to remain where she is, and she gives you the okay. You drop down below the Macon and start scanning the area. Your ear twitches more and more. There are more Neuroi in this area than you think, probably heavies of the Klaus variant. You close your eyes.

In your now blackened vision, the twitches of the ear and the general location of the Neuroi become sort of faint red dots, in the general direction. There’s one to the left getting closer, one to the right getting more closer as well, and there’s a whole lot approaching as in front.

But they aren’t firing. “Commander,” you say. “There’s a lot of Neuroi between us and the unloading area.”

“How many?” she asks.

“I’m getting at least seventeen heavies, probably Klaus AA.” The Klaus AA Heavy resembles a Panzer IV, unique to Hive K-2 because they are actually Panzer IVs. Their turrets are ripped off and replaced with a dome superstructure, with four red spots, and these red spots can generate sixteen small beams each. Soldiers tend to refer to them as, “Whirlwinds”.

“That’s a lot of lasers,” says Captain Caldwell.

“We’ll deploy the entire 509th,” says Commander Bucholz. “Clear a path for the Macon. Stand by.”

You wonder why they haven’t fired yet, do they not see you? Is it a trap?

> Remain with the Macon. They probably don’t see you.
> Stride forward. It’s a trap, time to spring it.
> Write in

>>34281478
>> Remain with the Macon. They probably don’t see you.

Bucholz put us on standby until the rest of the sq. can be scrambled.

>>34281478
[x] Stay where you are.

Springing the trap is for when everyone gets here to hit the trapper.

>>34281478
> Remain with the Macon. They probably don’t see you.
Super nervous about this

>>34281478
>> Stride forward. It’s a trap, time to spring it.
We've been ordered to, and better get their attention than let them attack the squadron when they're not deployed.

>>34281478
>Remain with the Macon. They probably don’t see you.
How the hell do Neuroi sense stuff anyways?

>>34281695
Magic.

>>34281580
>We've been ordered to
Our order was to stand by. Let's not pull a Jeep Jockey.

File: Butcher.jpg (55 KB, 800x450)

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> Remain with the Macon. They probably don’t see you.

You sigh, waiting for the 509th to catch up. First out is Rachel and Daisy. “Finally, some action!” yells Rachel.

Then out comes Daphne. “Hello, darling, hello everybody! Time to give them the old two, eh?”

Then along comes Graf. “Stand back and learn from the best, girls!”

Then comes Carla and Karen. Carla says, “Let’s get this over with! I was in the middle of cooking lunch!”

And finally, Commander Bucholz. “509th, assemble!” You form into a flying V and follow Commander Bucholz when she takes the point. You’re only about 1,000 feet in the air at the moment, but that’s never stopped AA Neuroi.

And it won’t stop them now, the sky suddenly fills with beams and rays of all kinds. Your shields deflect them all away, with ease mind you. But there’s quite a few of them, spilling right over the edges of your shields and out towards the Macon.

“Hey, careful, we can’t take too much out here,” says Captain Caldwell.

Suddenly, out of the trees pop out Butchers. They start flying at the Macon. “Lieutenants! After them!” Rachel and Daisy break off, flying after those small and fast flyers. “Rest of you, get to work on Klaus!”

> Remain above the trees. Snipe them when you can see them.
> Close in, get to knife fighting range.
> Write in

>>34281808
Sorry, the way her order was phrased was really awkward and I misinterpreted it first time around.

>>34281819
>> Close in, get to knife fighting range.
Get right up in there

>>34281819
> Remain above the trees. Snipe them when you can see them.
Insert M2 masturbation here.

>>34281819
>> Close in, get to knife fighting range.

>>34281819
Why would you lose air superiority to duke it out in a knife fighting brawl?

[x] snipe

>>34281819
>> Remain above the trees. Snipe them when you can see them.
Look for where the cluster of (friggin) laser beams are emerging from.

>>34281819
>Remain above the trees. Snipe them when you can see them.

>>34281918
I have no idea, considering that the M2 is a long range weapon with heavy hitting power made even more ridiculous when wielded by a witch. We're better sitting up high looking for targets than flying in, fighting, then having to fly back up to find another target.

>>34282000
Oh, another thought: Rookie (being a radar witch) + M2 is an ungodly good combination. Rookie doesn't even need to necessarily SEE her target, she just needs to know its general area and fire: with how big some of these Neuroi are, she's going to hit SOMETHING hard.

>>34282086
As well, never charge your radar into the front line frey. Same as not sending your AWAC into the front line.

>>34282138
It's a little different for witches. Remember that Minna's power revolved around being super command and control, and she still got into the thick of things.

> Remain above the trees. Snipe them when you can see them.

You fiddle around in your satchel then pull out a scope. It’s time for sniper duties. You quickly attach it to the top, then sight it in on the nearest cluster of lasers. You shut your eyes again, letting the red fill your vision, and let you know where exactly they are.

You fire once. That cluster stops completely. “I got one!” It’s probably going to be a probable kill, not included in confirmed, but you’re not worried now.

Daphne, Vera, Bucholz, Carla, Graf, and Karen meanwhile simply blast away at the forest, using up their ammunition. You sigh at them, then continue giving precise shots. You fire another single shot. Nope, not dead yet, another shot. Nope, again. The M2 is a lot less intimidating firing only single shots, but that doesn’t make it any less powerful.

You blink again, the red signals are moving away now.

“Bucky, it’s Rachel!” Her voice crackles over the radio. “Roy’s backing off from the Macon, they’re retreating!”

Graf says, “Neuroi never retreat.”

“Hive K-2 is not like most Neuroi,” says Bucholz.

> We should pursue!
> Wait for the Commander’s word.
> We should regroup and consolidate
> Write in

>>34282194
> Wait for the Commander’s word.
Commander's gonna command.

>>34282194
>> Wait for the Commander’s word.
Rookie is a good girl.

>>34282194
>> We should pursue!

>>34282194
>> Wait for the Commander’s word.

>>34282194
Neuroi communication is not by word of mouth. If they want mother base to know mother base knew already.

[x] Do not pursue LuiBei.

> Wait for the Commander’s word.

“Alright, we’ll continue escort of the Macon to our destination. Daphne, Hermine, I want you two to start pursuit, but go no further than a kilometer. Once they are gone, report back. Everyone understand?”

“Yes, ma’am!”

“Good.” She looks over at you. “Sergeant.” She gives a thumbs up. “Good shooting, nice idea with the scope.”

Well… you did it have lying around and it wasn’t like it would see much use if you just used it like a spare binocular. You smile sheepishly at that, but then return to formation as Daphne and Graf fly over to pursue the retreating Neuroi.

[1/2]

>>34282604
[2/2]

…

…

As it turned out, the Neuroi really did beat a hasty retreat. Graf and Daphne couldn’t catch them before they disappeared into the forest again. Thusly, they returned, and the rest of the trip became rather uneventful. Though, you did not return inside the Zeppelin, and instead you continued escort duties until finally the clearing was found and the Macon made a safe landing to drop off the cargo.

You all land as Captain Caldwell directs operations. “Good on you, girls,” she says without the faintest hint of a smile. “Not a scratch on the Macon. We’ve dropped your trucks and your supplies, and we’ll be off.”

Commander Bucholz says, “Just like that?”

“Just like that, P-47s will be by to escort us to Venezian airspace,” she says. Commander Bucholz stares at her, smiling. “Do you need something?”

“I was just wondering…” says Commander Bucholz. “I mean uh…” The Lieutenants tilt their heads sidelongingly, curiously. “You used to do the coolest acrobatics, with your Curtiss JN-4 Striker. It was amazing and I-“

“That’s behind me now,” says Captain Caldwell. “Do you ACTUALLY need something?”

“Well, no, but-“

“Good,” says Captain Caldwell. “I’ll take my leave then.” She turns around walks away without another word. Rude.

…

“Right!” Commander Bucholz says, “Girls, dismount.” You plant the legs of your Strikers down on the ground, then activate landing gyros which keep the Strikers upright long enough for you to step out of them. “We have three vehicles. The Dodge will take the lead with the Mack Trucks going behind. Put the Strikers in the Mack truck. The Corporal and the Sergeant will be driving.”

Oh. Oh boy. “Sergeant.” Commander Bucholz and the rest of the 509th look at you expectantly. “Take any vehicle you’d like.”

> Dodge WC52 “Berlin”
> Mack NO “Munich”
> Mack NO “Brandenburg”

>>34282625
>Mack NO “Brandenburg”

>>34282625
>> Mack NO “Munich”
>> Mack NO “Brandenburg”
Whichever is trailing

>>34282625
Fuck, they're ALL manual stick.

> Sigh, and choose Berlin since it's the smallest.

>>34282625
>> Dodge WC52 “Berlin”

>>34282676
No matter what we're going to be slowing down the convoy, so might as well be the one we'll least likely get too stuck in a ditch.

>>34282625
> Mack NO “Brandenburg”
Why do they not consult us on this ahead of time? Surely everyone knows of Rook's driving by now.

>>34282674
>>34282676
>>34282818
... Really guys? It wasn't enough last time, now you want to do it again on a mission with a 6x6 cargo truck?

>>34282911
What do you suggest?

>>34282925
The Dodge WC52. It's still a manual shift, but it's half the size. I'm pretty sure it's what Rookie has already driven, in fact.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dodge_WC_series#WC52

>>34282979
I am Ok with that. I vote for this then.

>>34282818
Oh, I'm sure they all know, they just don't care because bullying Rookie is the national sport.

>>34283004
Olympic sport by now.

> Mack NO “Brandenburg”

You pat the Mack NO marked “Brandenburg.” Huge truck, very huge in fact. Makes you look like a child in comparison. “Need a hand?” says the Jeep Jockey, smiling.

You frown at him. “Shut up. I’m not the one who thought that sneaking onto this mission was a good idea.” He chuckles at that, placing his hands on his hips, ready to watch you fail. You try to raise yourself up into the cab, only to fail and nearly fall backwards, he catches you then.

“Whoa, careful!” He pushes you back up onto the cab, where you cling to the door. “Listen, are you sure you want to try driving a truck? They’re manual like a jeep.”

You giggle a bit. “Ohoho~, well in my spare time, Rookie, I have actually read up on the transmission and clutch of a standard Willys MB Jeep. I know how to work its clutch, just well, a truck shouldn’t be any different!”

“Um.” The Jeep Jockey smiles nervously. You open up the door and…

No. Oh lord.

“Listen,” he says. No. No. “It’s… it’s 5-speed.”

AAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!

…

…

Daphne and Graf sit in the cab with you as struggle to get your legs down on the gas. At the very least now, you’ve got this thing in third gear and Commander Bucholz appears to driving forward very sensibly through the dirt roads. You’re going no more than twenty miles an hour. The M2 Browning in the ring mount at least is keeping Graf busy so at least you don’t have to put up with her.

You sigh. When did you become a driving jockey damn it.

Daphne says, “You drive really well, darling!”

“Thank you, Daphne,” you say. You smile at that. That’s something at least.

> Could one of you put some tea or something?
> Recall Graf from the Machine Gun, you should talk to her at some point
> I can teach you if you’d like, Daphne
> Write in

>>34283034
It's fun and all, but there's a time and a place, and while on a mission trying to not destroy the strikers in the bed of the truck isn't the time for that shit. Seriously.

>>34283046
>> Recall Graf from the Machine Gun, you should talk to her at some point
Graf tell Rookie how pretty she is

>>34283046
[x] I can teach you if you’d like, Daphne

When being bullied, go for the max.

>>34283046
> > Could one of you put some tea or something?
No, keep Graf away dammit.

>>34283046
>> I can teach you if you’d like, Daphne

>>34283046
Actually change >>34283087 to
> I can teach you if you'd like, Daphne.

>>34283046
>Could one of you put some tea or something?

> Could one of you put some tea or something?

You could really use some Darjeeling right now. That would be heavenly. “Um, could you one of you get me some tea or something?”

Daphne nods. “I’ll go. I think the cooker is in the back!” She starts climbing out of the cab, getting face to face with Graf’s black trousers, then the climbs out the window into the bed. You hope she comes out fine.

Graf says, “I hope she gets me tea too. I’m kind of thirsty.” Yeah, no one cares.

Suddenly, you grind the Mack to a halt, right before it collides with the truck in front of you. You poke your head out of the window and yell, “Why have we stopped?”

Commander Bucholz steps onto the side of the road and says, “Fallen tree!”

Oh great.

> Get out and help move it
> Stay in the truck
> Write in

>>34283306
> Get out and help move it

... Three votes for teaching Daphne, and one for tea, and tea wins?

>>34283306
>> Get out and help move it

>>34283306
>> Get out and help move it
Make sure Graf keeps an eye out, this smells ambush-y

>>34283322
My bad. I must have misread the posts.

>>34283387
It really doesn't matter, I guess.

>another strike witches quest

Another one to toss on the filter.

>>34283306
>Get out and help move it

>>34283463
Go ahead, not like anybody will miss you.

>>34283306
>> Stay in the truck

Someone needs to drive.

> Get out and help move it

You hop out of the truck and stretch your legs. Might as well give the Commander a show of good old Witch strength. Graf remains on the M2 Mount, as does Carla on her truck. Daisy, Rachel, Vera, and Bucholz stand around the tree. “Right, we’ll do it altogether, Rookie, come on.”

You bend over and grab the shaft with everyone else. “On three!” says Daisy. “One, two, three!” You all pick up the old, moldy, tree, and start hauling it off to the side of the road.

Then your ears perk up a bit. You look around. “Wait. Hold up.” You quickly drop the tree down in a ditch, then look around.

“Roy?” asks Rachel. You nod. She and Daisy quickly run to the Dodge to grab the guns. Commander Bucholz and Vera pull out their sidearms as you try and detect this sneaky little guy.

Then the trees explode as it bursts out. It’s small, tankette small in fact, with eight spindly spider legs. Adapted from the Panzer I with a revolving central ball in the body allowing it to shoot either under or above it, it’s another Hive K-2 invention. The Raphael. You duck down and try to run for the Dodge while Vera and the Commander fire at it. The shots rip through it. The holes regenerate in a flash.

It tosses the Commander aside, right into a tree. “Commander!” you scream. She falls limp, resting on the ground.

It’s about to leap on Vera. Then it gets shredded by .45 ACP from Rachel’s M1928 Thompson. Daisy hands you an M1 Carbine and fires away with her BAR.

> Shoot at the Ambusher
> Help the Commander
> Write in

>>34283638
> Help the Commander

>>34283638
>> Shoot at the Ambusher
Kill that thing first

>>34283638
>Shoot at the Ambusher

>>34283638
> Shoot at the Ambusher
Worry about the Commander AFTER the threat is dealt with. Common sense, people.

>>34283638
>> Shoot at the Ambusher
SHOOT DANGIT.

>>34283638
>> Help the Commander

>>34283726
Yeah, I think we learned our lesson after a certain SU-152 debacle.

>>34283694
>>34283726

But from schteels writing, its already getting shredded by fire.

>>34283772
Until someone hits the core, that doesn't really matter. More bullets makes that more likely.

>>34283638
Help the commander. Gotta become her shield since she is knocked out.

>>34283772
Then we'll helpt it shredded faster.

>>34283828
Honestly, both are just fine: the first is the logical thing and doctrinally correct thing to do, but the second is very much in character with Rookie.

>>34283913
Or Rookie goes berserk seeing Commander wounded and goes rambo.

> Shoot at the Ambusher

You grit your teeth and start firing at Raphael. Even Carla and Graf’s M2s start blasting away. Raphel screams a distorted scream. Its legs fly off, and it becomes swiss-cheesed, but it won’t die. It regenerates them as fast as you can shoot them, and before you know it, the guns are empty. It shoots up and leap at the Dodge, crushing the engine block.

“Shit!” yells Rachel as she tosses the empty magazine away.

“Eat this you lead-brained mother!” Carla blasts away it, fling it away from the Dodge and back onto the ground. Before you can react again with a fresh magazine, it scurries around the side at Carla’s Mack.

“Carla!” Daisy fires at it, blast it off the side of the truck. It screams as it skitters up a tree.

“Goddamn it, why won’t it die!?” screams Daisy.

It jumps from branch to branch, tanking every shot until it hangs over you. It leaps at you.

Then it blows into white mist before your eyes.

…

You laugh. “Wow! That was a nice shot!” you yell. “Ohoho~ That was close, but a nice shot!”

Rachel blinks. “That wasn’t any of us.” Then, you hear rustling in the bushes. You all raise your guns again.

[1/2]

File: Hessler.jpg (99 KB, 850x499)

99 KB JPG

>>34283997
[2/2]

…

“Friendly?” says Rachel.

“Yes!” A woman answers back. A woman in Karlslander military dress stands up, with white hair and cat ears, carrying a Kar 98k. Accompanying her are a man in Ranger gear, and another two in Britanian commando get up. “That was a recon element,” she says. “We were wondering if it would come, that must have been it.” Rachel and Daisy quickly run over to tend to Commander Bucholz. “Are you the 509th?”

You nod. “Who are you?”

“Oberst Hessler, 500th Schwerer Panzer Abteilung,” she’s quick to introduce herself. “These men are Commandos from the West.”

The Brittanian nods. “Lee, Captain. SAS attached to SOE.”

“Doyle, Sergeant, SOE.”

“Mike Powell, OSS.”

> “We’re glad to have found you.”
> “Are we near your base?”
> Quickly tend to Commander Bucholz
> Write in

>>34284017
>> Quickly tend to Commander Bucholz
Go go go

File: whydidthemoviemakeyoshika(...).gif (1.83 MB, 400x225)

1.83 MB GIF

>>34284017
> Quickly tend to Commander Bucholz
Tend to wounded first.

>>34283969
Picture related.

>>34284017
>> Quickly tend to Commander Bucholz

>>34284017
>> Quickly tend to Commander Bucholz

File: tumblr_mi87l3bYv41qec398o1_500.jpg (47 KB, 498x562)

47 KB JPG

>>34284026
Oh and yeah I guess we're meeting Christopher Lee. Isn't he supposed to be in Romagna, though?

>>34284084
And the quote for the archive, most likely:

> "I've seen many men die right in front of me - so many in fact that I've become almost hardened to it. Having seen the worst that human beings can do to each other, the results of torture, mutilation and seeing someone blown to pieces by a bomb, you develop a kind of shell. But you had to. You had to. Otherwise we would never have won."

Christopher Lee is kind of awesome.

CAPTCHA: 666 That's the mark of the BEAST.

> Quickly tend to Commander Bucholz

You blink and turn back. The Commander. You break from the Colonel and her men and kneel down next to Commander Bucholz, who sits next to a worried looking Rachel and Daisy. “Are you okay?” you ask. “Commander?”

“I’m fine,” she says. “It’s nothing.” She dusts her immaculate uniform off then, stands with the help of Daisy. “Did you say Hessler?” she asks. Colonel Hessler walks over, nodding. “I’ve heard of you. Aren’t you supposed to be with the Noble Witches in Gallia?”

Hessler nods, relaxing her posture while the commandos keep watch. “Ja, I was. But I was told there was an opportunity to assist the soldiers still in Karlsland, so I took a ship to the North Sea, and walked with General Blaskowitz, fought my way down to General Heinrici.” She smiles, faintly. “Glad to see a fellow Karlslander.”

Commander Bucholz nods as Daphne, Karen, and Graf run over. “Commander, are you okay?” asks Graf worriedly.

Hesser blinks, looking at Graf. “Are you Hermine Graf?” Graf looks over, surprised. “It’s nice to meet you, I have heard of your exploits.”

Oh, do we need to do this now. “Listen, should we still be out here?” you ask.

“Right, can you lead us back to your headquarters, so that we can be debriefed?” asks Commander Bucholz. Hessler nods.

“The Flak Tower is not too far from here. You will have to leave the Dodge, are your Strikers with you?” You all nod. “Sehr gut. Just follow us.”

[1/2]

>>34284303
[2/2]

…

…

The Commandos took the lead for most of the trip. You’re still stuck driving the back Mack NO, since the Dodge had to be abandoned, that meant more passengers. In this case, you were now stuck with the Lieutenants, Daphne, and Graf. “It’s a little cramped in here,” says Rachel.

“Maybe you shouldn’t have gotten the Dodge crushed,” you say.

“Ah, buzz off,” says Rachel in return. One of the Commandos walks next to you, the Liberion, Mike Powell. “Hey!” Rachel calls out to him. “You’re OSS?”

He shrugs. “2nd Rangers technically, but yeah, OSS. Why?”

“Are you like a spy or something?”

He chuckles. “Something like that, hehehe.”

Captain Lee walks next to him. “Did they send you girls to help us?”

> “Yeah.”
> “No, they sent us to do your job.”
> “No, we were just passing by.”
> Write in

>>34284329
> “Yeah.”

>>34284329
>> “Yeah.”
>>other
Hows the resistance effort? Linked up with any Fallschirmjager?

>>34284329
>> “Yeah.”
I'm pretty sure at least

>>34284377
Ah, yeah, keep an ear out for the Commander's brother.

>>34284329
>> “Yeah.”

>>34284329
>In this case, you were now stuck with the Lieutenants, Daphne, and Graf. “It’s a little cramped in here,” says Rachel.
People need to start doubling up, lieutenants sit in each other's laps and Daphne in ours

>>34284377
this

>>34284438
I'm pretty sure Daphne's bigger than Rookie, that'd make it hard to drive.

>>34284472
She can sit side saddle

> “Yeah.”

You nod. “Yeah. They said they lost contact with you a while ago.”

Captain Lee nods. “Most of the group was captured by Neuroi a few months ago. The attacks have been getting more sporadic however but they’ve started intercepting most of our communications across the border. We sent a group of Fallschirmjaeger several weeks back and since the response was a lot of bombing near our heads, they must have gotten through.” You nod. “Ah, quite. I see.”

Rachel says, “How’s the Resistance doing these days anyway?”

“Well…” Captain Lee rubs his forehead, putting his commando beret up a bit. “I’d say poorly, at least General Heinrici’s cell. Blaskowitz’s boys up north are better supplied than we are thanks to the North Sea route on top of the air drops. We just get what we can, food, ammo, but it’s getting scarce. Our manpower is being sucked up too by Neuroi raids.”

“How many strong?”

[1/2]

>>34284631
[2/2]

“About ten-thousand.” He shrugs. “Spread through the area, but centered around the Flak Tower.”

“Speaking of Fallschirmjaeger,” you say. “Are there any at the Flak Tower?”

“Plenty,” says Lieutenant Powell. “Why do you ask?”

You blink, then look ahead. “Just curious.”

Up ahead is a massive clearing. You pass by rows of Flak 88s and other heavier anti-aircraft and artillery batteries, manned by tired and weary looking men, women, and children in helmets and coats. Tanks lie parked in hull-down holes, and trucks are lined up in zig-zag as you pass on by. Finally, you drive into the shadow of a massive concrete modern day castle. It bristles with guns and artillery from nearly every window.

The Flak Tower.

You put it in park and step out. The 509th plus the Jeep Jockey, along with Colonel Hessler and her Commandos. Hessler says, “General Heinrici will want to know you have arrived, Maxine. You will come with me and the Commandos. The rest of you relax until you have further orders, ja?” You all nod. “Sehr gut.”

With that, she leads Commander Bucholz away, along with the Commandos.

“Whooo…” Rachel raises her arms, yawning a bit. “What a day!”

> Rest until orders come by
> Talk to Someone (Specify)
> Walk around, see what’s what
> Write in

>>34284653
>> Walk around, see what’s what
Let's get exploring

>>34284653
>> Walk around, see what’s what

>>34284653
> Talk to Someone (Lt Powell: Can you show me where the Fallschirmjaegers are?)

>>34284684
Oh, wait, they left. Change that to Sgt Doyle, then.

>>34284653
>> Walk around, see what’s what
Investigate the surroundings.

>>34284684

Yes

>>34284653
>> Walk around, see what’s what
and>>34284684

> Walk around, see what’s what

“Here you go,” says Daphne. She hands you a metal tin, with a bit of Darjeeling tea in it. “Didn’t have time to make more, considering the attack and all.” She smiles warmly at you.

“Oh, you didn’t have to,” you say. “Are you okay, Daphne?”

“I’ll be fine!” she sits in the bed of the Mack NO, next to her Striker Unit. You feel a little bad now, but once you take that sip of tea, you don’t feel so anymore. Daphne knows how to make her tea at least.

You decide to take a walk around. You already see Graf get mobbed by Youth Corps boys and girls who ask her for autographs and advice. Graf, surprisingly, is actually quite gentle with all of them. “Listen, everyone experiences fear. But what makes you brave is going in despite your fears, not the conquest or complete absence of it. If anything, you all deserve my Cross just for being here, and surviving this long.”

You smile a little at that. You take a walk to one of the slit trenches, to find a group of Fallschirmjaeger soldiers playing cards. One of them looks up at you, “Hey, Deinhard. It’s a witch.” The other looks at you, an eyepatch over his left eye and a very nasty scar over his cheek. He smiles. “Finally! They sent us witches!”

One of them says, “Hey, did you want to play cards with us? We don’t mind.”

> Sure
> No thank you
> Write in

>>34284938
> No thank you, but have you seen a man named Bucholz?

>>34284938
>>34284957
this

>>34284938
>> Sure

Rookie's the best at cards

>>34284938
>> Sure
I bet Rookie is super good at cards
Just like driving and not being a snitch

>>34284938
>> Sure
Participation is the best way to pick up on information.

>>34284938
>> Sure

File: 1407546016471.png (450 KB, 812x720)

450 KB PNG

>>34284974

>>34284938
>> Sure
>write in
Ask about the commander's brother while we're at it

>>34284938
> Sure

> Sure

You drop down into the trench with them and sit down. “Sure. What are we playing?”

“Just Poker. Got anything to bet?” asks Deinhard.

You reach into your pocket and pull out a chocolate bar. “Will this do?” They immediately swipe it from your hand and place it on the ground. “Okay.” Another few Fallschirmjaeger come in, intent on playing with a witch.

“Say, don’t use your witch powers or anything to cheat on us, okay?” asks one.

“Ah, Rudy, you’re bad enough at cards anyway, cheating would just be pissing in the wind.” The group laughs, and you can’t help but giggle at his expense as well. He takes it well enough in stride though. Deinhard says, “So, girl, how is it back home? What is going in Neue Karlsland?”

“Well…” you scratch your chin. “A new force of Karlslander soldiers landed with Army Group South a month or so back. The Emperor has told us that he intends on making the Neuroi extinct by at least 1945.”

“Pipe dream,” says Rudy. They all nod somberly.

You get your two cards. “So uh… do any of you know a Johannes Bucholz?” They look at you, confused. “He’s… he’s the brother of my Commander.”

Deinhard says, “Yes. Actually. Huge man, all muscle, blonde hair, blue eyes and everything. Carried around our MG-42 like it was a rifle.” You smile. Yes, this is- “Neuroi got him a week ago.”

… oh.

> “Define, got him.”
> “Actually, nevermind, I don’t want to play.”
> “That’s a shame.”
> Write in

>>34285215
> “Actually, nevermind, I don’t want to play.”
> “Define, got him.”
What.

>>34285215
> “Define, got him.”

>>34285215
Ah now I'm sad

>>34285215
>> “Define, got him.”

>>34285215
> “Define, got him.”
>Write in
We might have to tear up a bit here. Build up to a full blown water works crying.

>>34285215
>> “Define, got him.”

>>34285215
> “Define, got him.”

What's out secret mission again?

>>34285215
> “Define, got him.”

>>34285215
>> “Define, got him.”
> Write in: Play to Win

> “Define, got him.”

Deinhard says, “You were smiling just then, you just stopped.”

You blink, leaning back a bit and sighing heavily. “Well um… d-define ‘got him’.”

Rudy takes a peak at his own cards and says, “Neuroi attack last week. One of the small ones sucked him up and ran off with him and a few of our brothers and children. They do that occasionally, and probably take them to the Nest.”

“The Nest?”

“Hive K-2’s Nest, it’s in the Mountains to the South just near Innsbruck. We usually declare anyone who gets sent there gone for good, no way we could mount any kind of rescue operation in that terrain with our numbers,” he says.

“Well…” You take a look at your cards, a pair of twos. You have no idea if that’s good or not. “Has anyone come back? I mean- why even take humans and bring them there.”

Deinhard shakes his head. “Nobody knows. And we’d rather not talk further about it. The speculation is what makes it horrifying. Who knows what happens in the Nest.”

You nod.

> Play your hand
> Fold
> Walk away
> Write in

>>34285428
>> Play your hand
>>Finish the game, thank the men for it and leave.

>>34285428
>> Play your hand
> Write in: All In

To the bold go the spoils

>>34285428
>> Play your hand
Why not

>>34285442
Seconded.

>>34285428
> Play your hand

>>34285428
> All in, then leave.

> Play your hand

…

…

You laugh as you present your hand. “Ohoho~, so is a pair of twos good?” All the Fallschirmjaeger grumble as they slide their winnings over to you, lots of cigarettes, packets of gum, and even a grenade. Ah, so a pair of twos was good. “Oh, you don’t have to-“

“Keep it!” says Deinhard. “You’ve more than earned it anyway, you’re practically our little angels up there. You smile as you decide to take it all up in your arms.

“Anyway, I must go now,” you say. “But thank you for the game!”

They wave goodbye, smiling as you step out of the trench with your earnings.

“Yo, Rookie!” Rachel and Daisy slide in. “Are those cigarettes, mind if we have some?” You try to force them away, causing a few to slip and fall out of your grasp as they claw at them. “Come on, Officer privileges!”

“Go away, Lieutenants!” You huff and puff at them, almost about ready to blow their houses in if they don’t back off. “This is stuff I won fair and square!”

“Hmph,” says Rachel as she fingers a cigarette. “You don’t smoke.”

“It’s the thought that counts.” You walk over to the Mack trucks where Bucholz has assembled the 509th Joint Fighter Wing.

Commander Bucholz says, “Right. We’re staying on base for now, if we launch, we might draw Neuroi towards the flak tower. We’ll move out at dawn tomorrow. General Heinrici tells me he suspects it to be somewhere east. Apparently, in the retreat, they attempted to disguise the Schwerer Gustav as a forest.”

Lieutenant Rachel says, “That’s stupid.”

“They didn’t say if it didn’t work, just that they don’t know if it’s been absorbed by Neuroi. We’ll find out soon. Go get some rest, the Strikers will be unloaded, and the Mack truck will be our bed for now.” Commander Bucholz looks at you. “Sergeant, you look like you have something to say.”

> “Well, regarding your brother.”
> “Nothing, ma’am.”
> Write in

>>34285792
>> Write in
Can I speak to you privately ma'am?

>>34285792
> “Well, regarding your brother.”
As much as I'd love to do a suicidal one witch mission to rescue her brother and the rest of the hostages... wait, no, that's dumb. Tell her what we know, she's strong enough to accept it, probably be worried as shit, then do something about it.

>>34285792
Would you like some spoils?

Wait to talk to her in person.

>>34285792
>> Write in
Maybe in a more private setting

>>34285792
> “Nothing, ma’am.”

Now is not the time guys.

>>34285824
>>34285819
And preface it with that, that's a good idea.

>>34285824
Think of it this way - if it was Daphne that was kidnapped, what would the squad do?

>>34285819
>>34285824
these

>>34285852
No WItch left behind.

>>34285904
We all wish for that, but we are at war with an enemy we could not hope to defeat.

>>34285819
>>34285824
These two. This is good.

>>34285852
Have a planned, organized assault with all witches in sync in order to burst in, rescue Daphne, and get out with all girls accounted for?

>>34285929
Certainly not with that attitude.

>>34285819
This.

> “Well… regarding your brother.”
> Write in

You look at everyone, even the Jeep Jockey is present for some reason. As you frown, you say, “Can I talk to you privately, ma’am?”

Commander Bucholz quirks her brow. “Sergeant?”

Lieutenant Rachel smirks. “What? Gonna confess your love to her?” You stomp your foot, pouting at her. How dare she!?

“Lieutenant.” Commander Bucholz is quick to quieten you both down. “Sure, Sergeant.” She leads you on into the Flak Tower. In the dark rooms, where the only ears on are the spotters and the gunners, you have the chat. “What is it?”

“It’s your brother, I found out more,” you say.

Commander Bucholz sighs, but she smiles at that. “Sergeant, are you crushing on my brother?” Oh boy. “I mean, he is handsome, he was popular with the women before the war but he was actually quite bad with women honestly.” She pats your shoulder. “Listen, my brother is irrelevant right now, we have a job to-“

“Commander.” You interrupt her. She steps back in surprise. You can’t remember EVER interrupting her. But you need to do it now. “Your brother Johannes… the Neuroi got him.” Commander Bucholz’s eyes widen, and she steps back, biting her lip. “Not like that- they… they took him to a Nest, south of here near Innsbruck. It’s deep in the mountains, probably covered in Miasma so bombers can’t get it and…” You’re not sure what else to say.

[1/2]

>>34286131
[2/2]

“I-…” Commander Bucholz swallows, hard. “Um…” She looks down at the ground, placing her hands on her hips as she begins walking. You follow behind her. “This uh… this is new. Sergeant,” she says, you can detect a hint of shaking in her voice. “I-I… th-thank you, sergeant I…”

She barely makes it out of the Flak Tower, to the sight of the 509th waiting. They all look at her, seeing her stare off into the sky. You walk past her and look upon her face. She’s trying desperately to stay neutral, but the tears running down her cheeks say otherwise.

Then she simply collapses, you catch her as the 509th runs over to her. “Commander!”

She breaks down. “No! NO!” She screams like a child, crying into your arms. “No…! No! No!”

Rachel yells, “What happen!?”

> “Nothing.”
> “Her brother.”
> Write in

>>34286156
> “Her brother.”
> Apply hugs.
Not unexpected. Just keep her away from her strikers tonight, and tomorrow she'll be focused.

Maybe.

>>34286156
>somebody set us up the bomb

>>34286156
> “Her brother.”
>Comfort

>>34286156
>> “Her brother.”
>>Write in
Hold her tightly, hug

>>34286186

Have to make sure shes not alone. Sleep with her tonight.

>>34286156
>> “Her brother.”

>>34286156
>“Her brother.”

> “Her brother.”

You cradle her head on your chest, hugging her tightly as she continues sobbing. “It was her brother. He was captured by the Neuroi.”

Rachel stands there, a little more understanding. Daisy too nods as well, as does Graf. Rachel then kneels down. “Hey, Bucky… Maxine. Listen, it’s okay.” Commander Bucholz shakes, her head moving from side to side. “I mean we’ve all lost people too. War takes something from everyone.”

Daisy nods, kneeling down as well. “We lost almost all of our squadron in the Doolittle Raid, a good friend of ours was killed at Pearl. And… I lost my parents to the First Neuroi War. Don’t let this eat at you, we know what it’s like, we understand.”

Rachel says, “We’ll find him. Hell, we can do it now, he’s not too far right?” You nod. “We can-“

“No.” Bucholz withdraws from your grasp, her eyes puffy and wet from the crying and her cheeks burning red. You’ve never seen her like this. “No. No.” She sniffles a bit. “We have to think about the mission. We-… we can’t go off on some suicide mission for him.”

Rachel glares at her. “You don’t think he’s alive. You don’t know he’s dead either. For all we know, he’s probably planning some big escape or something! We can-“

“Lieutenant.” Commander Bucholz grits her teeth. “Our orders are to find that gun. Not to free my family.” She pushes away from you, and then hurriedly stands up and dusts herself down. “I’m… I’m going to sleep. You all- You all should get rest. It will be a long day tomorrow.” She starts off to leave.

> Go after her
> Let her go
> Write in

>>34286429
>> Go after her

>>34286429
[x] Go after her, cuddle for the night.

>>34286429
>> Let her go
Planning time behind he back

>>34286429
> Go after her
She's level headed, but she shouldn't be alone.

>>34286429
>> Let her go

>>34286429
>> Go after her

>>34286429
>Let her go
Give her some space.

> Go after her

You walk after her. “Commander.”

“Go away,” says Commander Bucholz. What? You blink, catching up to her. “Sergeant. I need time alone. Just, please go.”

“But… Commander.” You grab her hand, stopping her. “Please, I-“

She pulls it away. “Sergeant. Leave me alone. That is an order.” She glares at you, then sighs and with a shake of her head, she walks away into the Flak Tower. You stand there, then Carla puts her hand on your shoulder.

“Let her go.” Carla adjusts her peaked cap a bit.

“I don’t want to,” you say.

…

…

A late night dinner inside the Mack Truck is served. A canvas is set over the bed as you all settle in tight close up with another one. Carla sets about serving some gruel, delicious gruel, but gruel nonetheless. She cooks it in a spare stahlhelm and stirs it with a stick she found lying on the ground. “Now, now,” she says as everyone presents a plate or a bowl to her. “There’s enough to go around.” She pours some on everyone’s plate.

“Come on,” says Daisy. “I’m starving here, Carla.”

“Yeah, so is everyone else,” says Carla. With a smirk, she says, “But they don’t complain.” She pours a little less for Daisy, who can do nothing but grumble at her share.

Carla pours your share as you’re squeezed in between Daphne and Vera, sharing a blanket between the three of them. Graf as shares hers with Daisy and Karen, but as for Carla, she’d probably be sharing with Rachel.

“Where’s Lieutenant McCawlay?” you ask.

“Don’t you remember, she had to use the lady’s room,” says Daisy. “Now that you mention it, she has been gone for a while now.” You sigh at that.

> “I’ll go see if I can find her.”
> Eat your dinner
> Talk to a member of the 509th (Specify)
> Write in

>>34286744
>“I’ll go see if I can find her.”

>>34286429
> Go after her

>>34286744
>> “I’ll go see if I can find her.”
We could use a walk

>>34286744
>> “I’ll go see if I can find her.”

What if this Hive realizes the Witches are the OPFOR's greatest weapon and disassembles the humans it captured to produce Witches of its own?

>>34286744
>> Eat your dinner

>>34286744
> “I’ll go see if I can find her.”
Commander stop breaking Rookie's heart.

>>34286843
Time wasn't right. But yeah, Commander does look a bit too shaken.
As in "unable to fulfill her duties" shaken.

> “I’ll go see if I can find her.”

You sigh. “I’ll go see if I can find her. Maybe she fell in or something.” The group laughs a little at that.

Daisy says, “Don’t take too long, alright.”

“Yeah, your dinners gonna get cold,” says Carla. “That is unless Hermine eats it.”

“Too late,” says Graf. She immediately slurps up your gruel. You glare at her, to which she simply states, “A strong witch needs her meals.” It’s a wonder she’s not fat yet.

Daphne smiles at you. “Good night!”

You step out of the bed and into the cold night air. You shiver a bit as you walk around. The night watch are out, with serious light discipline being enforced. Not even a cigarette is to be lit. You look around, your stomach growls. Ah, maybe you should have ate first. Oh well, she can’t be is that her in that Kubelwagon, what?

“Lieutenant?”

You meet with Rachel and the Jeep Jockey, packing things up in a Kubelwagon. Rachel looks up at you, zipping up her leather jacket. “Oh, Rookie. Hey.”

“What are you doing?” you ask. Please don’t say they’re going to rescue her brother.

The Jeep Jockey says, “We’re going to rescue the Commander’s brother.”

Damn it. “Well… why is he going?” you ask.

Rachel sighs. “I needed someone who could drive a car.” She looks at you sternly and says, “Now, don’t try and stop us. I’m a better witch than you, Rook. I’ll respect you if you want to stay, in fact I’m mostly going to keep the rest of the Wing out of this, I don’t want to risk them or anything.” She pauses as she steps into the car. “But… I would be grateful if you’d come along.”

> “I’ll go.”
> “We should get the Wing for this.”
> “You can’t go.”
> Write in

>>34287006
>> “You can’t go.”
>> Write in
"Not Alone."

>>34287006
>> “I’ll go.”

>>34287006
>“I’ll go.”

>>34287006
>> “You can’t go.”
>> Write in
"Not Alone."

Okay, I guess I was wrong about doing a planned attack and all that jazz.

>>34287006
> “I’ll go.”
Scoot over

>>34287006
>> “I’ll go.”