“It’s looking good!” Sigrun stepped out from behind the tank, her walkaround inspection complete. “There’s a few plants in weird places, and at least two bird-nests--abandoned, I think--but I saw no visible rust. You Danes sure build your army vehicles to last!”
As usual, Sigrun’s unexpected compliment filled Mikkel with an unexpected warmth. Still, he kept his expression serious as he said, “Well, it’s only been five years.”
“It’s great that it’s not very rusty,” said Emil, “but it’s much smaller than I remembered.”
“Oh, Emil, was that a complaint?” Mikkel could not resist. “I distinctly remember you saying that if we managed to reach the tank before the VAH Expeditions team, you would never complain again as long as you live.”
“How was my statement a complaint? It was a plain fact.”
“A weird fact,” said Lalli. “I remember it exactly the same size. How can you be so bad at remembering?”
“Because I am not–”
“Oi, twigs!” Sigrun took a break from poking at the treads with a stick. “Why are you out here? Shouldn’t you be inside, checking for danger?”
“I was, but two mages checking is enough. Also,” Lalli added under his breath, “they are being disgusting.”
“Hmm.” Sigrun strode over to the front door and started knocking on it. “Mages! Be disgusting on your own time! We’re all out here waiting!”
The door opened almost at once.
“It’s clear!” Onni declared in Icelandic as he stepped out, before adding something in Finnish.
“Kiitos!” said Emil with some satisfaction. “See, Mikkel, the tank’s smallness is a plain, unadorned fact. Even Onni noticed it.”
Before Mikkel could reply, a distinctive noise filled the air: the sound of Reynir squeeing as he ran out of the tank. “Eee! There’s fox cubs in the bunkroom! They’re so adorable, you all have to come see!”
“No, they don't,” said Onni. “The foxes won’t like it.”
“Oh!” Reynir’s excitement turned to concern “So what should we do?”
Once more, Mikkel could not help himself. “Clearly, we must forego our plan of reclaiming the tank, and leave it to the foxes. It is the only way.”
Reynir’s eyes widened in shock “But… We’ve come so far…”
"Excuse me!" Sigrun elbowed her way into the group, clearly annoyed by all the Icelandic conversation. While Mikkel rubbed at his ribs, she asked him, “Do we have a problem?”
“Maybe,” replied Mikkel. “Apparently, the tank has been claimed by wild foxes, and thus is not actually abandoned. I am now wondering whether this fact interferes with the legal status of our salvage operation.”
“What?” Emil had followed Sigrun. “Is this a Danish law thing? Because I am sure that my aunt and uncle will not care. In fact, if their team ever finds this place, and tells them about the foxes, they’ll probably try to employ them. For a pittance. As… engineers or cooks or accountants or something.”
“Or babysitters,” said Lalli ominously, over his shoulder.
“Right,” said Sigrun. “We can’t let any of that happen. So, who here is the best at emergency fox relocation?”
In the silence that followed, Mikkel decided against translating the question into Icelandic and simply turned towards Lalli. “Do you think you could find a new place for the foxes? And move them there?”
Lalli thought for a moment, then nodded.
“Good man!” Sigrun grinned. “Okay, while the scout moves the foxes, let’s all get started on cleaning. Non-immunes indoors, pretty boy and me out here where we can keep an eye on the woods. Mikkel, you’d better take a look at the inside too, to make sure the new engine will fit.”
“I am sure it will,” said Mikkel. “But I will check. And afterwards, I might also check if any of the books we had to leave behind are salvageable.”
“I do hope so. We worked so hard for these. Hey!” Sigrun shouted suddenly, in Onni’s direction. “Where are you going? Mikkel, tell him he’s supposed to be cleaning, not running off into the woods with his cousin.”
Mikkel did, and listened to the response, before translating. “He says he wants Lalli to take him to his sister’s cairn, just for a moment.”
“Oh. By all means.” Somber for once, Sigrun gave Onni a nod. “I’ll go myself, but later. Give them some space. And hey, maybe they’ll even find a spot for the foxes, around there somewhere? I think she would have liked that, almost as much as our Icelander.”
Mikkel could only agree.
