Грань будущего

           Daysliketodaycanmakeevenasteel-and-rivetsairplanelooklikeadaVinci."

           Ritasnorted."Youdoingfineartphotographynow?"

           "That’shardlyanywaytospeaktotheonlyembeddedphotojournalistintheJapanexpedition.ItakegreatprideintheroleIplayconveyingthetruthsofthiswartothepublic.Ofcourse,90percentofthetruthislighting."

           "Prettyslicktalk.TheymustloveyouoveratPR.Howmanytonguesyoufigureyouhave?"

           "OnlytheonetheLordsawfittobestowAmericanswith.ThoughIhearRussiansandCretanshavetwo."

           "WellIhearthere’saJapanesegodwhopullsoutthetonguesofliars.Don’tdoanythingtogetyoursintrouble."

           "Perishthethought."

           ThecornerofthetrainingfieldRitaandthephotographerwerestandingoncaughtthefullforceofthewindcomingofftheocean.Inthemiddleofthegiantfield,146menfromthe17thCompanyofthe301stJapaneseArmoredInfantryDivisionwerefrozeninneatrowsalongtheground.Itwasakindoftrainingcalledisopush-ups.Ritahadn’tseenitbefore.

           TherestofRita’ssquadstoodashortdistanceaway,theirthick,bristlyarmsjuttingoutbeforethem.Theywerebusydoingwhatsoldiersdidbest,whichwasmockingthoselessfortunatethanthemselves.Maybethisishowtheypracticebowing?Hey,samurai!Trypickingupaswordafteranhourofthat!

           NoneofRita’ssquadmateswouldgonearherwithinthirtyhoursofanattack.Itwasanunspokenrule.