When you wake up the next morning, sun just climbing over the horizon, Lily was doing the finishing touches on her uniform. She wore the pants and boots already, and say with thread and needle probably fixing something on the jacket.

>Good morning Anon. Please wash up and get in some clean clothes. We should have had breakfast in 25 minute and be ready for the briefing
“Good morning. And if you're so straight on business, guess I should be as well. I don't have your uni-”
>Just the jeans and the leather jacket will have to do. Just make sure it's clean

Lily was not in a playing mood. Nothing good would come from arguing with her. Not that she was wrong, it was a very important day after all. So straight into the shower, which due to the temperature was very fast. Out, get dressed, eat some bread and coffee and then to the garages.

Lily stood up and went over the plan once more, how the bug tanks would be placed, where the machine guns would be placed, how the cars would make sure all the tanks had fuel and so on.

Scouts placed on the flats and the surrounding mountains had not seen any astronomical activity. But the reports all said it would be today. Around midday.

And with the briefing over, Lily started doing the final preparations to the Jagdtiger. Most importantly, the gun. Even if the engine was shot and barely moving, it could be pushed and pulled to the line. But without the gun, it was just a 75 ton pillbox.

But there was one thing you had to speak to her about. Something you had to know

“Excuse me”
>What is it? 

Lily looks around, keeping a formal tone because there are people around

“Your plan was indeed very detailed, but I have yet to be assigned a un-”
>You think you will go anywhere that isn't the Jagdtiger? 
“I thought you had a new crew”
>Technically, yes. There is one who thinks he's the TC. I could make him disappear or tell him to go fuck himself in front of everyone. But it's an excellent opportunity for you to get more respect
She reacted immediately as someone else approached and raised her voice

>You! Finish up with the engine. We’re leaving in 15 minutes

As Lily instructed, you jump up on the engine cover. The very same you cut up almost a year ago. The engine was in great condition, Lily had taken as good care of it as possible. After a quick of a check as time allowed, Lily was gone, and wasn’t back until just a few minutes before the departure.

>You, Anon, Commanders seat. We’re moving out
"Wait, i thought i would take care of him?"
>Yes, but i haven't properly threatened anyone in ages. Let's go


And since no one dared question Lily, you went up on the tank. It had been long, way too long. At your command, the engine started. It was a feeling you had missed, the thundering vibrations and noise of the big engine waking to like. Without the driver even knowing it, Lily gave it a much richer fuel mixture as long as it was cold, sending the occasional flame out of the short exhausts

The feeling of invincibility was back as well. The Jagdtiger was great, and you couldn’t keep yourself from smiling

The driving was almost perfect. Turning, the gears, all of it. Which was probably because Lily was doing it, without the driver actually having a clue he wasn’t driving the tank. Behind the Jagdtiger followed 65 tons of Elefant and almost 200 tons of Maus. It didn’t take long to get to the defensive line just east of the city. And there, it all died down. As much as a defensive line weighing north of 700 tons. Apart from the germans, there were 3 IS-tanks, the Conqueror. And up on the hill stood 4 medium tanks.

In front of all of this, the tanks, the fighting holes, the barricades and fortifications, stood the M60A2. Miranda knew what would happen. When they land, the starship would go as close as possible before throwing away one of the warheads.
And then came the silence. The engines shut down, not to burn away all fuel. The MG crews leaned back and trash talked and people who had the fortune of being near a guntruck retreated inside it for the luxury of a heater

But Lily stayed out on top. And soon after called you out as well. Unusually, she closed her hatch after her, and asked you to do the same

>I’d like you to listen to me for a minute
“Yeah, of course”
>When i mean listen, i mean listen under silence. What i say has no value, it is only information. I don’t mean to imply anything-
“Just inform, i get it. I have a head on my own”
>The probability of me surviving if the Jagdtiger gets destroyed is very small. It will not be like Grey who lived what, two months? No, my bond to the machine is particularly strong. Combine that with how slow this is, and how they probably know to focus their fire on me… If we don’t hold the line, I die.
“Ah”
>The second piece of information. From here to the garage where the Lamborghini and the Mercedes 65 is, there is about 1350 meters. I think that is about zero point eight miles, to you. If you life depended on it, you can do that is maybe six and a half minutes
“Lily…”
>That’s all. You have the information you need. Use it as you want
“Fuck it. You’ve given me that, i want something else from you”
>I’ve given you everything you need for it
“But not what i want. If it comes to that, how do i get you out”
>When the time com-
“Lily. The time is now. Tell me”

She sighs heavily

>Then it’s me? Because if you get me out and then leave me i’ll probably end up like Grey. That would mean for the first time, ever, i completely put my life in someone else’s hands
“I’ll take care of you”
>Even if it is you, i detest the idea of completely trusting my life to someone else. But…
“Yeah?”
>If you want… If you really want, i guess you can.

She fishes out a tiny red bag from the pocket on the inside of her jacket and hand it over to you
“...a ring?”
>Yes. Taken from the steel from this vehicle. 
“Wait, has it, since day one, been as simple as a ring?”
>A ring is a symbol of a promise, isn’t it?
“Yeah, i guess so”
>So, you get a ring made from Jagdtiger steel. And i get one graciously taken from Natalya’s old IS-3
“Why would we need that?”
>Old traditions, i suppose. Proving my worth
“So, what do i need to do? Some ritual? Blood sacrifice?”
>I’m not sure if you are- augh, never mind. No, i can’t find anything on that. Just… make sure the rings are on and… love me?
“I can do that Lily. With or without our impending doom”
>Thank you

She waits and sighs a little

>Thank you

And then it was starting to become a moment. Lily shuffled over to you, and you could wrap your arm around her. It could give her a little zone of comfort. Especially after what she said. Lily clearly stated that what she said had no value is it, but it was essentially a very long way of saying “If we're screwed, run”

That did however not mean you weren't planning something else

However, Lily tensed up all of a sudden. Sat up as if she saw a ghost, eyes to the sky

“What's goi-”
>Shush. Listen

You couldn’t hear anything at all from the ordinary

“Lily…”
>Jabo
“As in an airplane?”

She closes her eyes and listen. It’s amazing she had any hearing at all left after being in something as noisy as a tank, let alone hear things you couldn't.

>I don’t recognize that sound. Not a Mustang, a thunderbolt or one of the british planes either
“You can tell that from the sound?”

By now, you could actually hear something very faint.

>Learning allied planes is just as important as the tanks

She shudders

>I hate those planes

As the plane came into view, Lily made sure to get a good look at it. Single propeller engine, non-retractable landing gear and a high mounted wing. She reached for her radio immediately
>Starship, come

She waited a second for Miranda to respond

+ Go for Starship
>You have an internet connection. Look up if there FAA registry for November three-six-four-six Uniform please

Miranda returns a few minutes later

+ N3646U is a Cessna 182 Skylane, registered to some skydiving school
>Thanks

She turned the radio off and handed it over to you

>Too small to be any serious danger to us
“I doubt it will shoot rockets at us or something, even if it carried rockets”
>Hmpf

Lily watched the little airplane circle overhead. She really disliked airplanes, and made sure the trusty M240 wasn’t out of arm's reach. But the little airplane showed no harmful intentions, and landed a few hundred yards ahead of the defensive line. A minute after the engine shuts down, a man exits. One you recognize.

“Oh, i know who that is. I’ll be right back”

The man waited by the airplane as he saw you running over to it. It was Eric, the unfortunate pilot who had to emergency land his Mustang after engine issues

“Fancy meeting you here”
‘Shit, Anon, right?’
“Yeah, i helped you-”
‘Patch Holly up, as if i would forget that!’
“Happy to see her fly”
‘So, about that, me and the lads has-’

He looks out over the line of rag tag tanks, trying in vain to find two that look alike

“Are there more planes than the Mustang?”
‘Yeah’
“Case is we have nukes. One goes as soon as they land. I sugg-”
‘What. Stop stopstopstop. Nukes?’
“Yeah. Not any Tsar bomba stuff though, small ones, but probably big enough to cause discomfort to anything flying”
‘Holy shit…’
“Treat that as a starting gun then, fire up the engines as soon as we blow that”
‘I’ll… inform the lads. But, i can’t help but notice you said nukes, in plural’
“We may blow another one today. Gimme some frequencies so we can warn you if we do”
‘Yeah’
Eric gives you a single short wave frequency, claiming at least one of them would listen to that

‘You know what, just give me a call when we can go. I ain’t taking no chances’
“Sure. But consider leaving the ground as it starts trembling”
‘Fucking hell, you scare me. Saying you might blow one like it’s a firecracker. A nuke, man. Think about that!’

Eric turns around and walks back to the Cessna. The, for comparison, pitifully small engine woke to life, and not long after the little aircraft takes to the skies and heads south west. You jog back to the Starship, positioned a little forwards of the other tanks

“Miranda, look for an airport south west of here, inside maybe about two fifths of that airplanes range, and report it back to me, can you do that?”
+ O-okay, I’ll try! I’ll do my best!
“Thanks Miranda, you’re the business!”

The little girl blushes slightly from the compliment and then crawls down into the tank again. Back on the Jagdtiger, Lily meets you with a questioning glare

>Who was that?
“Eric, a guy a ran into a month or so ago. I think he has your least favourite thing in the whole world”
>What…?
“A Mustang. And i don’t mean the Ford”

Lily shudders

>What could he possibly want from you
“I suppose they are doing what we are, but with planes? Gathered up some merry band of pilots and just… do what they can?”
>That’s hardly anything unique for us. The amount of civilians that have picked up arms is large.
“Yeah. And just like us, a pilot would probably fly if he could”
>I don’t know if our adversaries feel fear like we do, but i can tell you nothing scared me like the Jabos did. Nothing
“Well, the birds are with us today”

And then, the radio woke to life

+ Hunter, come

Lily picks up the little device

>This is the hunter
+ A-anon asked for the airport

You nod to Lily, and she hands the radio over
“Please, you have something for me?”
+ Y-yeah! There is one airport that matches what you said, Nephi Municipal airport
“Lovely, how far away is it?”
+ One hundred and thirty five miles
“Thanks”

The radio falls silent again

“That’s just over 200 kilometers to you, sweetie”
>not here Anon...
“You’re right. Not the time right now. Little dinky cessna can do what, 150?”
>250, in correct units. Kilometers per hour
“Okay then, The Cessna can do 200 kilometers in-”
>48 minutes
“Ah, machine head. So say an hour even with landing and all that. A proper airplane can do that in 30”
>Why are you counting this?
“I just like to know”

And then the radio woke to life with a signal that made it clear this was the IS-7 contacting everyone. It was the one time anything that wasn’t the lead tank was allowed to make a call to everyone. Meaning the message was delivered before it even was sent. But despite that, Natalya’s voice carried calmness and authority

¤ All callsigns. Our friends at NASA just came out with a statement. Make your final preparations, we have 30 minutes


=======


What can one do in 30 minutes? Time had never moved as slowly as it did now. A thirty minute countdown to destiny.

>Exciting, isn’t it?
“Interesting choice of words”
>And it’s not an interesting time we have in front of us?
“It’s not uninteresting, i can’t say that”

Lily looks out to the frigid salt flat

>It’s my second time i’m doing this
“What exactly?”
>Well, i don’t think I have the best chance of seeing sundown. That has happened before
“You said I. Not we”
>Ah, yes. I’m stuck to this. You’re not
“Suggesting i should leave you?”
>As i said, i’m not suggesting or implying anything. You are the master of your own fate
“I kinda like this jagdtiger”
>If that is what you wish
“Cheer up. I want us to get out of this alive. And unhurt, if possible”
>Then we must kill everything in front of us
“As much as i like the parts of you that want to look at the stars and drools in your sleep, that’s more like you. Think you can bring a little of the old Lily back for today?”
>About that… Let me tell you a story. My father became very religious after coming home after the great war. A lot of talk about the devil and how he would appear in people and appear in things and all of that. Then of course, he got lost in his mind and succumbed from the wounds of war. Not the physical ones, still going on about the devil. And what i should do if he appeared. I’ve been able to split him in half from a kilometer away for many, many years. And since two nights ago, i’ve been able to set fire to the halves
“That’s… inspiring”
>Oh yes. And that is before we include nuclear hellfire
“Speaking of, how do we do that?”
>As soon as they land, starship goes just until it’s within range, fires and heads back. And then it will fall in behind us.
It was a little hard to make small talk at this point

“When do we engage?”
>4000 meters with chemical projectiles, 2000 with kinetic. Unless you mean “get engaged”, in which case the answer is as soon as you get down on your knee
“Getting brave, are we?”
>I have a history of getting things done…

She clears her throat

>With a bit of your help, as of late
“I’m sure you could have refurbished this thing on your own”
>Why would I? What did I have to fight for a year ago?
“I guess you have a point there”

You stopped talking for a bit as Lily looked away. At two men hoisting two massive speakers on top of one of the G-wagens. A few electric contacts, could be powered by the engine, no problem. With a bit of ingenuity and tenacity they managed to connect an MP3 player to the speakers. The whole defensive line was greeted to the flowing notes of Frank Sinatra’s “My Way”

And even those who never had heard it before could connect to it, understand it. Music had that power. It could connect people. Express a feeling that otherwise would be very hard to express. What was this song trying to say? You couldn’t really tell. But it did but a smile on peoples faces.

>They’re wasting fuel
“It’s diesel. We got lots of diesel”
>And little time. 17 minutes. 
“Hm. We should see them soon then?”
>Maybe. I don’t know from which range you will see them, honestly. Astronomy wasn’t something i studied
“Can’t be best at everything”
>I’m really not. I’m very good at being old me. And old me is great at… this. War.
“So, what exactly do you think you are missing, that i look for in a woman? And you’re above selling yourself short”
>...
“Did i do it? Did i actually make Lily Nibelung speechless?”
>Oh shut it
“Did i get my point across? I did come back, didn’t I? Many would have argued that was a stupid move. know why i did?”
>I thought you came to mock me. With the dress. As a final nail in the coffin
“Half of me had that idea as well, i even-”
>Let’s not go there, shall we? I think this relationship is more about the following few hours
“Nothing more?”
>Psh, you don’t have a monopoly on thinking
“No. I don’t. Just didn’t thought you, uhm-”
>Weren’t interested in you? I thought you knew better
“Maybe i should…”

A few radio checks go back and forth, as does a little chatter. It got on Lily’s nerves as she was much too disciplined to, but she also realized it was basically no point in trying to make them quiet. It’s not like they harmed anyone

You got a few moments of blissful rest as Lily inched towards and leaned on you. It all ended as Lily raised her hand towards the sky

>Think that's it? 

For a moment there was nothing. But if you knew you were looking for something in this general part of the sky, something eventually showed up. A glimmer of light somewhere far up there. Was that really them? You had seen aliens before, this is what they were after all. But never a ship.

>You know… I missed the Normandie invasion with several months. Think I can make up for it here? 
“Sure”

You expected her to reply, or maybe stay silent for a while. But she didn’t. She started whistling. You had heard her whistle before, but never a melody. Whistling could sound absolutely awful, but Lily sounded so homely doing it. And after a little while you started recognizing the melody. This tune was something you remembered, something you had heard before. Something Lily had sang?
“Lily, that song…”
>i knew you’d remember. It’s about you actually
“You’ve made me a song?”
>No, this is a song written in the late 19th century. Got it’s melody in 1919.
“How is it written about me when it’s made like… before me. And you said written, that was just melody”
>It gets even better. It tells the tale of a man who died in 1525
“What?”
>Shhh…

And she sang. It was in german, and with the words, the melody came back to you. She had been humming this earlier. A tidbit here and there, and here it all came together. She sings for a minute? Three?

“And that is about me?”
>Yes. Wir sind der Gayer Schwarzer Haufen
“That’s the name of the song?”
>Yes. About Florian Geyer, a lower knight who fought in the… German peasant war, directly translated
“Uhm… i’m not following you”
>Then listen. He commanded a Company, called Der Schwarze Haufen, means like, the Black heap, the black bunch. What is unique about this is they were very likely the only group that was on the peasant side of an uprising that had heavy cavalry
“Peasant heavy cavalry, huh…”
>What are we doing if not 21st century version of that?
“Civilians in tanks. I mean, the analogy is there”
>Florian Geyer was raised as a national hero under the Nazi rule, but he was always an important figure in their history”
>Thier? Fuck, right Austria and Germany, sorry
>Hihi, you’re getting slapped next time you miss that

You narrow your eyes

“Was that a giggle?”
>You must be hearing things. Back to the topic on hand, i am not the only one to have made that connection. There is a reason you haven’t been thrown off this thing, Or shot
“I assumed that was because they didn’t wanna mess with you?”
>That as well. But Russian and american tanks or not, you don’t mess with someone who contributed a lot to this even being a thing.They respect you
“Can’t let them down then. And it looks like out guests are getting closer”
>Yeah… 
“Augh, I must digress. What happened with Geyer?”
>The war was going against the favor of the peasants. His Black company was ambushed, and was forced into a castle that was burned to the ground. He fled and was later stabbed in the back in the Bavarian woods
“I survived the knife, I should survive this as well”

That wasn't a good thing to say. Lily visibly tensed up, and almost cringed. In regret. That had happened before. What was new was the horrifying creaking sound coming from the 75 tons of steel beneath you

“Shit, you okay Lily?”

You try to take her in your arms, but she won't move, won't bulge. She was so tensed up it feels like she is frozen solid. Three? Five? Ten seconds pass. A light stream of clear red blood pours from her nose

This was something completely new, and without actually knowing what to do you lift her up, place her in your lap and hold her down. Tightly.

She is tense for another fleeing moment as she keeps coloring your once grey jacket inte deep red. Slowly her starkness faded away and she gained the composure of a wet rag

“Lily, speak to me. What's happening? Are you okay?”

She lets out a low, slow groan

>Fuuuuuck...
“Lily, what’s going on?”
>Ughhhhh, let me lie down a minute…
“You alright?”
>Just… Get me water and something to sort this mess out. Please

Down into the tank, fish out the first aid kit and some water. Lily’s uniform was almost completely unstained, which couldn't be said for your clothes. You gave her a little water, which she happily accepted and then did your best washing the blood away from her face
“Right, mind telling me what-”
>I have no idea. It’s not like this is a well documented thing. Think of it as an epileptic shock, or something
“Okay…”
>If it happens while in combat, stay well clear of the gun and hit me in the back with a closed fist
“Lily…”
>It will only hurt me a little and it might save your life. Don’t even consider not doing it. I had these back in the war as well, and they get worse and worse
“Right”
>Look

She sits up and points to the sky. Up there, way up there and rapidly approaching was a bright burning light. Seemingly a meteor hurtling towards the earth. It looked like it moved really slowly. As if it just hung up there, staring down.

>I just came to think, we should probably put something over the gun, i don't want dirt in it

It became a 3 minute job that was done with a cut out bit of tarpoleum and a ratchet strap. There wasn’t much time for anything else. The object seemingly accelerated downwards, surrounded and followed by fire until it broke through the clouds. It started glowing in an entirely new way, and started slowing down. It headed for the northern end of the flats, an area much smaller than the part south of the I-80

>GET DOWN!

If Lily screamed something like that, arguing was unwise. You throw yourself down the commander’s hatch and slam it shut. Not three seconds later the whole Jagdtiger is shaken by a shockwave

“Everyone okay?”
>I’m good

Four other voices from inside the tank confirm injuries are non-existant or minimal. Ant foot mobiles had dug fighting pits and were mostly unharmed
The starship fired up immediately, heading for it’s target. Get within 15 kilometers, fire and then run away. Surprisingly, the IS-7 also roared to life and took chase. Perhaps a little unnecessary, but it would provide the lighter tank with some extra protection

>Great, those are the two best we have at gathering intel
“My concern is that the salt won’t support the weight of the tanks”
>Your biggest concern for the next half hour is making sure you don’t look at the blast
“You’re going to do it”
>I’ve never seen an atomic explosion in person
“Think i have?”
>Do you have shades?
“I do. Think they will help much?”
>A little maybe. But they look cool

And just as Lily said, it was all quiet for half an hour. The people that did get wounded was patched up, and the defensive positions were finished up

+ Lily!

Miranda was screaming on the radio, ignoring any and all protocols. It most likely had something to do with her being terrified

>I hear you
+ I fired it! The bomb! It’s in the air! There are hundreds of them! Hundreds!
>I Understand. Come back here, we will be waiting

Lily puts the radio away and looks over at you

>45 seconds, tops

You smile back at her and sit down with just your eyes peeking over the commander’s hatch. Maybe it was only a small nuke, but you were actually going to see an explosion. Just a shame about what would come afterwards