By sunset, the field east of the ruined watchtower no longer resembled farmland.
Atlas trucks had formed a rough perimeter around the chosen site, their heavy bodies positioned to block the narrow approaches while leaving enough space for personnel and equipment to move between them. Portable floodlights stood at each corner, still dark while daylight remained, and engineers had already begun laying cables between generators, communication posts, and the temporary command tent at the center. Infantry squads occupied shallow defensive positions facing the tower, the road, and the surrounding fields, while Cedric's riders maintained a wider cordon to keep curious villagers away.
The speed of the transformation unsettled Captain Garran.
