�So� do you think it�s still down there?� she heard broadcast across the audio processing unit of her armor. �Do you really think an Esper would still be alive after all these years, buried in one of those mines?�
The voice of one of her companions sounded shrill and anxious, artificially recreated through the machinery that surrounded her and punctuated with sharp hisses and crackles of static. There was no sign of movement on her part as she sat perfectly still, listening to the conversation playing overhead. Her eyes did not blink.
�That�s why we�re here, soldier. We�ve got a mission to complete and we�ve got our orders,� was the reply, self-assured and dominant and she recognized the voice's owner as the captain. His armored vehicle was visible from the girl�s perspective, standing at the very edge of the precipice, peering intently at the village below. The mechanical bearings of the machine�s torso swiveled in a half-circle and the vehicle�s two jointed legs began to propel the large monstrosity forward in bird-like steps.
�And what of the girl? What�s she got to do with this, sir? I heard she fried fifty of our best soldiers in less than a minute!� the first soldier exclaimed. �What could she possibly be doing here with us?�
His insecurity was quite evident to the young girl and the echo of his voice within the confines of her armor would have been quite annoying, had she the capability of being annoyed. No emotion was elicited, however, and none would be permitted. A small, sharp tug at the edge of her consciousness slipped into the emptiness of her mind and she shifted position a little, allowing blood to flow to her numbing legs. These little nudges were quite familiar to her, the only bit of movement allowed by the ghastly device upon her head. Then, she sat still again.
�Don�t you worry. That slave crown on her head keeps her under control and she�ll follow commands no matter what,� the captain chirped. �We have nothing to worry about, so let�s just focus on our task, soldier.�
The girl stared blankly through the tinted visor of the armor�s front shield, unwillingly observing the exchange. The deep, bass thrums of another machine�s movement preceded the emergence of the second, smaller armored contraption into her field of vision.
�Aye sir,� replied the young soldier, eager to play his role in whatever battle ensued, turning full circle to face his superior. �I serve the Empire!�
�Long live the Emperor,� the captain replied reflexively. �Flank west, soldier, and the girl will be on point. No sense rushing into this blindly. Once the town�s defense is immobilized, we�ll move in and secure the target.� The larger machine now pistoned upwards on hydraulics, gaining almost fifteen additional feet in height, and began to morph its external structure. The transparent, tinted face-shield suddenly became opaque as hidden weaponry now emerged from their slumber about the lower half of the machine. The smaller of the two began its morph as well and soon, a pair of very menacing and destructive devices stood before the immobilized girl, as she soon realized her own machine had just completed its own enarmorment protocol. A tiny, almost forgotten blossom of emotion appeared within her dulled psyche, like a pin-point of light seen from deep within a dark and gloomy cave.
�Ok, soldiers! Move out!� shouted across the interior of her metal prison. Without warning, all three Magitech Machines roared into life and began sprinting along the steeply inclined face of the mountain, precisely gauged maneuvers keeping the vehicles in motion and balanced. Her smooth journey down the mountainside was broken by a sudden, jarring revelation. The budding emotion she was feeling, spurred by the oncoming massacre she knew was about to take place, was despair.
