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           Shedidn’tmakeit,either."

           "Oh."

           "It’snotyourfault,butthathardlymattersatatimelikethis.Youknow,yougaveYonabaru’sladyfriendquiteakick.Amongothers."

           "Others?"

           "Others."

           AddFerrelltothelistofpeopleI’dwalkedalloverinthebattle.WhoknewwhatelseI’ddone.Icouldn’trememberadamnthing,butitwasclearIhadbeenahomicidalmaniaconthebattlefield.MaybeIwastheonewho’dputYonabaru’sgirlfriend’sarminthatsling.Nowonderhewassopissed.AkickfromaJacketwouldbemorethanenoughtodothat.Hell,youcouldliquefyinternalorganswithease.

           IhopedYonabaruwouldrememberthatfear.Itwouldhelpkeephimaliveinthenextbattle.Hemaynothavethoughtofmeasafriendanymore,buthewasstillafriendtome.

           "I’msorry."

           "Forgetit."Ferrelldefinitelywasn’tangry.Ifanything,heseemedgrateful."WhotaughtyoutopilotaJacketlikethat?"

           "Youdid,Sergeant."

           "I’mserious,son.Ifweweretalkin’formationdrillsthatwouldbeonething,butthere’snotasoldierintheentireJapaneseCorpswhocouldteachyoutofightlikethat."

           SergeantBartolomeFerrellhadmorebattlesunderhisbeltthanalmostanyoneintheUDF.Heknewwhatawarriorwas.HeunderstoodthatifIhadn’tkickedhimoutoftheway,he’dbedead.Heknewthatthegreenrecruitstandinginfrontofhimwasabetterwarriorthanhecouldeverhopetobecome.Andheknewthatinbattle,theonlyrankthatmatteredwashowgoodyouwere.