Грань будущего

           Theyspokebriefly,thegeneralseeminglybemusedandRita’sstanceandbodylanguagewell-practiced.ThenRitareturnedtothefield,walkingpasttheranksofmenwhoseemedtobowbeforeher.Shechoseaspotbesidethesoldierwho’dbeenstaringdaggersatherandstartedherisopush-up.Shecouldfeeltheheatofhisbodyradiatingthroughthechillairbetweenthem.

           Thesoldierdidn’tmove.Ritadidn’tmove.Thesunhunghighinthesky,slowlyroastingtheirskin.Ritaspokeinalowvoiceonlythesoldierbesidehercouldhear:

           "DoIhavesomethingonmyface?"

           "NotthatIcansee."

           Otherthanaslightlyoddintonation,thesoldier’sBurstwasclearandeasytounderstand.NothinglikebackinNorthAfrica.PeoplefromtheformerFrenchcoloniescouldn’tspeakBursttosavetheirlives.

           BurstEnglish,orsimplyBurst,wasalanguagecreatedtodealwiththeproblemofcommunicationinanarmycomprisedofsoldiersfromdozensofcountries.Ithadapared-downvocabularyandasfewgrammaticalirregularitiesaspossible.Whentheydraftedthelanguage,theydeliberatelystruckalltheprofanitiesfromtheofficialvocabularylist,butyoucouldn’tkeepabunchofsoldiersfromadding"fuck"initsvariousnoun,verb,andadjectiveformstoeverythinganyway.

           "You’vebeenstaringatmeforawhilenow."

           "IguessIhave,"hesaid.

           "Theresomethingyouwantfromme?"

           "NothingIwanttodiscusslikethis."

           "Thenlet’swaituntilthisisdone."

           "Shit-for-brainsKiriya!You’reslipping!"thelieutenantbarked.