Lion, Tiger, Bear | 109 Losing her robes and scarf, Bea dove in headfirst, her legs flailing. Shut the hatch! At the front, a German opened the radiomans round hatch and fired inside. Gwafa pulled an automatic pistol from a mounted holster and fired back, then squeezed his upper torso through the small gap between the front hull and the radios, shutting the lid and locking it. In a flash of inspiration, he barely managed to cock the action of the bow MG-34 and let go a few blind bursts in all directions to get the Germans undivided attention. Bur-r-r-r-r-r-r-p. Yah-h-h-h-h-h! He then squirmed back into his seat. After thirty agonizing seconds of priming, he twisted the T-handle key two clicks, adjusted the red ball choke, pushed the starter button, and one engine fired up in a loud, smooth rumble, its coupled generator producing voltage. The dial flickered. 1500 rpm. 400 amps. Nein-ne-e-e-einl In the cloud of thick exhaust, undaunted Germans hopped up on the 101 tank and began pulling at the hatch. Saboteur^. Kommandos Kill these fucking rat vermin! Takuta and Bea pulled at the latch handle with all their strength, but there were three Germans pulling outside in a tug of war. More troops arrived, shouting, screaming. The other engine fired. Full electrical power. Interior lights went on, vent fans whirred to life. The radio hummed, tubes warming. Yar-r-r-rg! Using all his formidable strength and bracing his legs on the low ceiling, Takuta summoned the power of his ancestors and almost closed the hatch, but a yelling German was trying to insert a rifle barrel. He fired, and the round nicked Takutas arm and ricocheted around the interior, finally grazing Beas left breast. Hell, mum! Bea pushed the end tip of her submachineguns barrel against the Germans invading barrel; she fired a three-round burst, clearing the threat. Nice try, but no nippleY But Takuta still struggled, strained. Tm losing the tug! Hold on! She rummaged around the beige-painted interior. Stielhandgranate, where? She found one in the small arms bin, quickly unlocked the small rectangular loaders hatch near Takuta and pulled the ceramic ball on the cord. One, two, three… She pushed up the hatch six inches and plopped it our, the Potato-Masher grenade went off the instant she shut it, sweeping the top and rear deck of screaming troops. Locking the hatch, she mumbled: Thats a little present from a former Shieldmaiden. Takuta secured the commanders hatch, the rubber seal engaged. Were in,