Forging the Upgrade(ep19)

Staring at the scattered pieces of my fallen comrade made one tactical fact obvious: we cannot survive with standard-issue gear. I grabbed the dismantled dummy's heavy torso segment and hauled it over to my surviving soldier. We set to work. I salvaged the thick metal washer and wedged it straight into my soldier's chest seam as an impenetrable breastplate. Then, I picked up one of the severed black forearm struts and locked it onto my soldier's right wrist as an extended striking pike. My recruit snapped into a combat stance, its new bulk grounded and menacing. We lost a scout, but we gained a heavy vanguard.