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           Itwashardduty,andtheywerealwayslookingformorewarmbodiestofillthespotsleftbyalltheKIAs.

           Infact,Rita’sunitturnedouttobeasquadfullofbattle-hardenedvets.Ifyoumelteddownallthemedalsearnedinthatsquad,youcouldhavemadeonehellofanOlympic-classweightliftingbarbell.

           ThesquadwasfullofbadasseswhohadbeenthroughHellandbacksomanytimestheywereonafirstnamebasiswiththeDevil.Whenshitstartedflying,theystartedtellingjokes.Notthekindofjokesyoutoldyourmotheroverdinner,either.Contrarytotheirreputation,however,thereweresomegoodguysinthebunch.Ritatooktohernewcomradesimmediately.

           AfirstlieutenantbythenameofArthurHendricksheldthesquadtogether.Hehadgleamingblondhair,piercingblueeyes,andabeautifulwifesodelicateyouhadtobecarefulnottobreakherwhengivingherahug.Nomatterhowminortheoperation,Hendrickswouldalwaysgivehiswifeacallbeforehand,forwhichhewasconstantlyderidedbytherestofthesquad.

           Inasquadwhereeveryone,menandwomenboth,usedlanguagethatwouldhavesentanunintocardiacarrest,Hendrickswastheonlymanwhoneverutteredasingleprofanity.AtfirsthetreatedRitalikealittlesister,muchtoherconsternation.She’dneveradmitit,butshegrewtolikeit.

           Ritahadbeeninthesquadforabouthalfayearwhenshebecametrappedinthetimeloopthathaddictatedtherhythmofherlifeeversince.ThebattlethatwouldturnRitaVrataskiintotheValkyriewasaspecialoperationevenbyU.S.