Chapter 8

           Attempt#158:

           I’vefinallymasteredthetungstencarbidebattleaxe.IcanripthroughaMimic’sendoskeletonwithaflickofthewrist.

           Todefeatresilientfoes,mankinddevelopedbladesthatvibrateatultra-highfrequencies,piledriversthatfirespikesatvelocitiesoffifteenhundredmeterspersecond,andexplosivemeleeweaponsthatutilizedtheMonroeEffect.Butprojectileweaponsranoutofammo.Theyjammed.Theybrokedown.Ifyoustruckaslenderbladeatthewrongangle,itwouldshatter.AndsoRitaVrataskireintroducedwartothesimple,yethighlyeffective,axe.

           Itwasanelegantsolution.Everylastkilogram-meterpersecondofmomentumgeneratedbytheJacket’sactuatorswasconvertedtopuredestructiveforce.Theaxemightbendorchip,butitsutilityasaweaponwouldbeundiminished.Inbattle,weaponsyoucouldusetobludgeonyourenemyweremorereliable.Weaponsthathadbeenhonedtoafineedge,suchasthekatana,wouldcutsodeepthey’dgetwedgedinyourenemy’sbodyandyoucouldn’tpullthemout.Therewereevenstoriesofwarriorswhodulledtheirbladeswithastonebeforebattletopreventthatfromhappening.Rita’saxehadprovenitsworthtimeandagain.

           MyplatooncrawledtowardthenortherntipofKotoiushiIsland,Jacketsinsleepmode.Itwasfiveminutesbeforeourplatooncommanderwouldgivethesignalforthestartofthebattle.NomatterhowmanytimesIexperiencedit,thiswaswhenmytensionranhighest.IcouldseewhyYonabarulethismouthrunwithwhateverbullshitcameout.