Грань будущего

           Itdidn’tgetmuchmorefuckedupthanthat.ThesameloopthathadmademeintothewarriorIhadbecomewasgoingtokillme.

           "Ifhumanityisgoingtowin,weneedsomeonewhocanbreaktheloop."Rita’svoicewascoolandlevel.

           "Wait,therehastobe-"

           "NowwefindoutwhetherthatsomeoneisRitaVrataskiorKeijiKiriya."

           Ritacharged.

           Ithrewdownmyrifle;thetimeneededtotakeaimandsqueezethetriggerwastimeIdidn’thaveagainsttheFullMetalBitch.Igrippedmybattleaxewithbothhands.

           Ourfightunfoldedacrosstheentirebase.WemovedfromtheNo.3TrainingFieldtothefieldwe’dusedforPT,tramplingtheremainsofthetentthegeneralhadusedtotakeshelterfromthescorchingmiddaysun.Wepassedthesmolderingremainsofthe17thCompanybarracksandcrossedaxesinfrontofthehangar.Ourbladesslidpasteachother.Iduckedtoavoidthestrikeandkeptrunning.

           Theothersoldiersstoppedandstaredaswepassed.Theirhelmetshidtheirexpressions,butnottheirshock.Andwhynot?Icouldn’tbelievethiswashappeningeither.Mymindwasindenial,butmybodycontinuedtofunction,oblivious,likethewell-oiledmachineithadbecome.Withmovementshonedtoperfection,Ipressedtheattack.

           AsweapproachedtheU.S.troopline,agreenlightonmyHUDwinkedon-incomingcommforRita.ThelinkbetweenourJacketsrelayedthetransmissiontome.

           "ChiefBreedertoCalamityDog."Aman’svoice.Ritaslowedalmostimperceptibly.Itooktheopportunitytowidenthespacebetweenus.