Formation Check

Stiffness left my limbs. I tilted my rifle barrel downward and felt real weight shift in my hands. Around me stood nine unmoving black silhouettes, rigid and fixed in place. I stepped forward, tapping the flat base of the figure beside me. Solid wood echoed back. I adjusted my posture, turning toward the open lid to inspect the perimeter. My boots moved freely across the green surface. I am operational.