Грань будущего

           Ritadidn’tcaremuchforthismanandhisnever-saw-a-speck-ofbattlefield-mudrunningshoes.PeoplelikehimandShastacouldmeetandtalkintotalsafetywheneverthemoodtookthem.Hiswordswereneverlimnedwiththedreadofknowingyouwouldhavetowatchyourfriendsdieinthenextbattle.Itwasthatdread,thatcertainty,thatkeptRitaawayfromhersquadmates,theonlyfamilyshehadleft.Nothingthisramblingfoolwouldeverhavetodealwithinhisentirelife.

           "That’dbeashameaftercomingallthewayuphere,"Murdochsaid."Ihappeneduponaninterestingpieceofnews,andIthoughtI’dshareitwithyou."

           "SendittotheNewYorkTimes.I’llbehappytoreadallaboutit."

           "Trustme,you’llwannahearthis."

           "I’mnotallthatinterestedinwhatyoufindinteresting."

           "TheJapanesetroopsaregoingtohavesomePT.Punishmentfortroublemakinglastnight."

           "Iaskedyoutoleave.I’mneverinagoodmoodbeforebattle."

           "Don’tyouwanttocomewatch?They’regoingtodosomesortofsamurai-styletraining.I’dlovetoheartheValkyrie’stakeonthewholeaffair."

           "Yourmothermusthavebeendisappointedwhentheabortiononlykilledyourconscience,"Ritasaid.

           "Suchtalkfromanice,sweetgirllikeyou."

           "I’dsayitnexttimetoo,butIcan’tbebothered."

           "Comeagain?"

           "Believeme,I’drathernot."

           Murdochraisedaneyebrow."Okay,soyoutalktrashandnonsense.Twoforone."

           "Iguessitmustbecatching"