Armored Jammer

The tank moves forward in the wild expanse. The ground trembles with each step, and a little voice inside me is wondering if the Kraken can hear us. I look over my shoulder. The Rampart of Asgartha is now just a thin line silhouetted against the horizon and far behind us. I would never have guessed I'd be out here one day… OK, stay focused on the mission, Bash. Our role is simple, and if everything goes well, we won't be too exposed. I certainly don't want to find myself face to face with a gigantic Leviathan with tentacles and a mouth crammed with sharp teeth… So I'm happy to deploy these shielded Jammers to repel the Tumult and cover the advance of the Ordis and Bravos troops. Being on the front line and rushing headlong into danger? Yeah, no thanks. I'll leave that to others.

Treyst glances at me from the cockpit. I nod at him from my position to let him know that there's no danger ahead of him. For this mission, he swapped his mechanical spider for this metal colossus, and in a way I feel he made the right choice. I feel a bit naked next to the vehicle, without all those hardened steel plates to protect me. I reflect on the fact we both signed up to be part of the Axiom vanguard. What was I thinking? Did I have delusions of grandeur? Did I need to prove something to myself? Had I maybe been drinking? I jump over a drooping tree trunk, and the Jammer climbs over it after me. What's my problem? Don't I want a peaceful retirement? I smile under my lowered visor. If I'd wanted a simple life, I'd have known that a long time ago.

Subhash

392 AC