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SEQUESTER
A group of desperate bandits wring
what little worth they can from the surivivors
that spot the dust-blasted wastes along the
Urals. They descend from higher ground, beating
scavenged drums and taking cover in the shadow
of their bullet-spewing saintly idol: the Sequester.
Completely silent but cooperative in the raids,
the Sequester only takes regular infusions of
water and canned food in exchange for its presence;
something that has effectively turned the bandit
group into a incontrovertable force of nature
that strips everything to the bone and leaves
only human misery in its path. It is devoutly
worshipped by most of the bandits as some sort
of nomadic holy site; a walking bulletproof
Tabernacle. Some, under the influence of drink
have discussed amongst themselves their theories
on its nature as a military robot in service
before the missiles fell, now aimlessly fighting
according to some gameplan devised by its long
gone original directors. Recently there had
been a man who had joined the bandits briefly
and was struck aghast when he first witnessed
the Sequester. He spouted long and detailed
stories about what the robot actually was, that
the Sequester was a NATO QAPS unit, or Quadruple
Amputee Power Suit, not a robot, and he desperately
ran his hands over it looking for some access
panel. He stammered that it appeared to be running
autonomously, keeping its pilot cut off from
the outside world, but still taking in food
and water to keep him alive. His heretical calls
for help in "cracking open the damned thing
to save the poor bastard inside" were completely
rejected, and the more pious bandits hastily
had him broken on a wheel and left for dead.
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