A night passed since the Regime had attacked the fort.
Job-khon, Finjac and their Boltjacks dug graves in the courtyard after the battle with the help of the stronger and more able refugees for their fallen; Weylion, his Boltjacks, and those refugees that didn't survive the assault.
They were shallow, and covered in a mixture of rock and dirt. The dry, cracked ground didn't allow for much depth.
Rites were held and words said. Each tribe said and practiced their own burial customs in the late afternoon shadow of the fort walls and the powered down ELUs.
Repairs to Broad Dog and Tail-ripper took until dusk.
A night of nightmares and terrors fell on the fort denizens. Jakabi dreamed about the Commander; he dreamed his own limbs being severed and replaced with cabling. He dreamed of the terrifying, ethereal screams of the ELU. When he awoke, he only half remembered them.
In the morning, Jaulf and Dune-sprinter returned with the other six Protectors that were stationed at Eondai. They left their settlement vulnerable in order to make this evacuation possible; it was immensely important to the Order of Protectors not to let these people die, as no doubt the Regime would simply send more of their hounds once the Commander and his retinue failed to return on schedule.
Finjac met with Sub-commander Geold in the courtyard after he disembarked from Snap Streak; Geold was his second in command and best friend who was in charge of defence in Finjac's absence. He was a taller dark-skinned man, bald headed and bald faced.
They shared a hearty hug and laugh.
Geold addressed him in his booming voice "how are you doing, my friend?"
"Always could be doing better than I am now."
They both laughed again. Their greeting was always the same.
Geold sighed and asked "what would you have us do?" He motioned to the six ELUs accompanying Snap Streak.
"I want you to strip whatever you can from these ELUs," Finjac pointed at all the carnage throughout the fort, "then I need you to divide the refugees amongst us and we'll be carrying them back to Eondai along with the reserve of water and whatever else we can carry. Jaulf will be our runner, and make sure the way is clear as we won't be able to defend ourselves with all of this extra weight. He won't be carrying anyone or anything. Make sure you pass this on to all the pilots; I'll go and get the refugees sorted."
Geold nodded and turned to the assembly of Protectors both outside their ELUs and those just popping out of their access hatches.
They divvied up their gasoline reserves as Boltjacks went to work stripping the downed ELUs.
Jakabi worked on salvaging what was left of Sprawler.
He was ripped apart by the salvo of the Commander; parts of him were spread all throughout the fort and it would be near impossible to gather it all. Little was left.
A scream. They all turned towards the wreck of the Commander as a Pilot ran from it's access hatch to puke his rations down the side of the hull.
Finjac jogged over there as the pilot stumbled to the ground; a hushed conversation followed. The Pilot took a break as Finjac stayed and gave Jakabi a knowing look across the courtyard that they both shared.
Jakabi got the others around him back to work.
After awhile, Finjac came behind Jakabi.
"Come on, Jak, we gotta talk."
Jakabi's throat caught.
"Am I in trouble?"
"Just come on. You two," he pointed at the other two Boltjacks, "get back to work."
The Boltjacks quickly went back to trying to salvage the shoulder mounted SMG of Sprawler as Finjac led Jakabi away to a building.
Finjac went in first, and Jakabi looked in through the bent metal frame of the doorway.
Inside were Geold, Job-khon and Jaulf; the most senior Protectors aside Finjac.
A piece of debris had blown a hole in the roof, allowing a thick stream of sunlight into the otherwise dimmed single-roomed squat building. They had moved the piece of rubble aside and dusted the floor caught in the light. They all stood equidistant around the makeshift spotlight.
"What is...this?" Jakabi was confused.
"What you did yesterday; downing the Commander," Finjac began, "you did it single handedly. A feat few can say they've matched, or could match. You have a strong spirit Jakabi, and a strong will. I've convened with my three seniors, and we all have decided after I described your deeds that you have what it takes to be lifted to the rank of Pilot; a Protector of Eondai."
Jakabi was struck dumbfounded. This was every Boltjack's dream.
The rite of Ascension.
Geold chuckled, "I remember the feeling. You better close your mouth before you get stuck like that, Jakabi."
Jakabi quickly closed his slack jaw.
"I- I am so honoured, but how did I...earn this? I was so scared and afterwards I-"
He stammered to an awkward silence.
Job-khon came up to him, kneeling slightly and putting his hand on his shoulder. He gave him a serious and gentle look.
"After my Ascension-Worthy deed... I shat my pants."
Jakabi stifled a chuckle, "what?"
Jaulf came up beside Job-khon; "I couldn't stand straight after mine for about a week. Sometimes my legs still get shaky."
Geold laughed harder than Jakabi ever heard from him before.
"I remember what Finjac went through after his! Oh you shoulda seen him-"
Finjac cut in "alright that's enough!"
He turned to Jakabi as Jaulf and Job-khon went back to their positions and Geold kept chuckling to himself, unable to contain it for a bit.
"The point of an Ascension-Worthy deed is to measure your bravery. You have that in ample measure, Jakabi. Bravery doesn't mean the lack of fear; it is the strength to defy your fear and trudge on despite it. You have what it takes to undergo the Rite of Ascension."
Jakabi was dumbstruck once more. He always thought that the Pilots were these fearless bastions of hope and strength... but they were just as terrified as he was. Perhaps more.
Finjac assumed his position, and a look of deadly seriousness revealed itself on the four pilots' faces.
"Enter the sunlight, Jakabi" Finjac commanded.
Jakabi stood in the light; his eyes straining to see beyond into the building's darkness.
"Kneel."
Jakabi knelt.
"Do you swear to keep this rite a secret, Jakabi, to those who have not undergone it?"
Jakabi paused as he stared at his knee.
"Do you swear?" Geold firmly repeated.
"I swear."
Job-khon said "do you swear to put the needs of others before your own?"
"I swear." Jakabi's position was an uncomfortable one, though he stayed as still as possible with his head bowed as he was bathed in the light of the sun.
Jaulf asked him "do you swear your loyalty to the Order of Protectors third, Master Protector Finjac second, and Eondai and it's people first?"
"I swear."
Finjac asked him "do you swear to be the first one into the storm, and the last one out?"
"I swear."
The four pilots asked in unison; "do you swear, Jakabi, Son of Fallion, to lay down your life in service to the Order of the Protectors of Eondai? To the people of your blood?"
"I swear." Sweat dropped down his brow and stained the floor.
"With every ounce of breath?"
"I swear."
"With every muscle, tendon and drop of blood in your body?"
"I swear."
"With your very spirit?"
"I swear!"
A pause as the four shared a nod.
"We dub thee Protector Jakabi. Go and serve until your demise. The Dust Takes All, the Rust Eats All; as is our collective fate."
They approached Jakabi and gave him congratulatory slaps on the back and hand shakes. Jakabi couldn't believe it. He'd done it!
He was a Protector of Eondai! He'd get his own ELU! His own weapon! His own Boltjacks!
His smile faded as he looked out of the shelter and saw the caved-in gate.
The four seniors took notice.
"What's wrong Jakabi?" Geold said.
Jakabi turned to look him in the eye, but quickly looked down.
"Keppian, my friend, made a bet with me. Whoever made Protector first had to have his ELU cleaned for a year by the loser."
He looked back at the collapsed gate.
"He rests there now."
Geold nodded, then put his hand on Jakabi's shoulder and stood beside him. The other Pilots gathered around the doorway and looked out towards the gate.
They didn't repeat the motto that Finjac had told him. They knew that Jak knew it.
It never lessened the pain of losing a true friend.
They remained quiet. Jakabi appreciated the caring silence.
"Come on, Protector Jakabi," Geold said after a moment, "we gotta get back to Eondai to get these people and supplies to safety, as well as get to work on your ELU and your Protector's weapon."
Jakabi suddenly remembered.
"I actually already have chosen my... Protectors Weapon."
He looked up to Geold who gave Finjac a confused look.
Finjac shrugged, "a pistol he found in the Commander. Dropped by one of the crew. He insisted on keeping it as a trophy but now he knows that he's going to be a Protector."
Geold looked down at Jakabi.
"A fine weapon for a fine Protector." He smiled his approval along with a playful jostle.
Finjac led them outside so they could finish their work around the fort with the rest of the Protectors, Boltjacks and refugees.
Jakabi would be glad to leave this place behind.
Around midday, the supplies, salvaged materials and the refugees were all packed, stowed away and riding the now nine ELUs as they left the fort behind.
Jakabi rode outside Broad Dog. The stuffiness of the ELU was sometimes too uncomfortable to bear. He sat beside some of the refugees as the unsteady Broad Dog marched west back to the haven of Eondai; scrap screeching beneath the heavy thudding footsteps.
He looked back at the rock fort. He thought of the ELU hulls, too big to carry, being left behind to rust and bake. He thought of the corpses of the Regime, left to fester and feed the carrion birds.
He thought of Keppian, buried and crushed beneath tonnes of rock. How he was left behind alongside the buried and honoured dead.
Stories would be told, songs sung, but this location will never match up to the glory of the future retellings. It will always be darker by comparison.
To Jakabi, it will always remain a hated place.
On they trudged, and the sun followed.