Грань будущего

           Hewasthekindofguythatlikedtopullrankonyouoverthestupidestshit,ortellyouwho’ddoneitinawhodunitbeforeyou’dfinishedthefirstchapter. Buthedidn’tdeservetodie. 

           Myplatoon-146menfromthe17thCompany,3rdBattalion,12thRegiment,301stArmoredInfantryDivision-wassentintoreinforcethenorthernendofKotoiushiIsland. Theyliftedusinbychoppertoambushtheenemy’sleftflankfromtherear.Ourjobwastowipeouttherunnerswhenthefrontalassaultinevitablystartedtopushthemback. 

           Somuchforinevitable. 

           Yonabarudiedbeforethefightingevenstarted. 

           Iwonderedifhesufferedmuch. 

           BythetimeIrealizedwhatwasgoingon,myplatoonwassmackdabinthemiddleofthebattle. Wewerecatchingfirefromtheenemyandourowntroopsboth. AllIcouldhearwerescreams,sobbing,and"Fuck!"Fuck!Fuck!Fuck!Theprofanitieswereflyingasthickasthebullets.Oursquadleaderwasdead.Oursergeantwasdead. Thewhiroftherotorsonthesupportchopperswaslonggone.Commswerecutoff.Ourcompanyhadbeentorntoshreds. 

           TheonlyreasonIwasstillalivewasbecauseI’dbeentakingcoverwhenYonabaruboughtit. 

           Whiletheothersstoodtheirgroundandfought,IwashidingintheshellofmyJacket,shakinglikealeaf.ThesepowersuitsaremadeofaJapanesecompositearmorplatingthat’stheenvyoftheworld. Theycoveryoulikewhiteonrice.Ifiguredthatifashelldidmakeitpastthefirstlayer,it’dnevermakeitpastthesecond.