Excerpt: My Faith Is My Shield

“Combat is forever changing.” Captain Henderson said, his voice ringing out across the White Guards’ training grounds. His hands were tucked behind his back, and as he spoke his one remaining eye swept across the line of soldiers in front of him, closely scrutinising each of them. “In the space of ten years, men can find themselves being forced to fight in ways they never imagined possible before. Entire doctrines can become obsolete because of a single decisive innovation. Fellow brothers and sisters of the New Faith, we are about to innovate.” Behind him there was a large object a good head taller than the average person, covered in a tarpaulin. Two First Riflemen tore the tarp away, and Claire’s mouth fell open. She was never normally one to be impressed by technology, but the thing under the tarp was something more.
It was a heavy-looking, bulky suit of armour, tall and imposing. Claire’s first comparison was that of a medieval knight, but aside from the basic concept the two looked entirely different. The thing behind Henderson had ribbed chest armour, a rounded head, and optical lenses that were narrow and empty, like those of a monster. It was coloured a dirty swampwater green.
Claire liked it. Just like the Red Guard jumpsuits. If the Church’s soldiers looked less than human, then Her enemies would die with even more fear in their hearts.
“This is an Armour Shell.” Henderson said. “A suit of armour, powered by a back-mounted reactor, that will make you stronger, faster, and a better shot. With one of these, I can guarantee that you will be immune to small-arms fire. Now that’s quite a boon. The problem is...” His eye flickered from person to person, scanning each of them in turn for even the slightest sign of nervousness. “That doesn’t mean a thing when you can’t move it properly. You’re probably all thinking it won’t be so hard. After all, it’s just armour, right? Wrong! A Shell is a second set of muscles as well. Even the slightest twitch could break down a wall whilst you’re wearing one of these. A single misstep could break one of your legs. So, with that in mind...” Henderson grinned wolfishly. “Who would like to try her out?”