Грань будущего

           Notsosloppyastobeinsulting,butnotsostiffyoucouldhearanythingcracking,either.AfittingsalutefortheFullMetalBitch.

           ThebrigadiergeneralcastadoubtfulglanceatRita.Ritawasasergeantmajor.Inthemilitaryhierarchy,thedifferencebetweenabrigadiergeneralandasergeantmajorwasaboutthesameasthedifferencebetweenafour-coursemealatasnootyrestaurantandanall-you-can-eatbuffet.Recruitslikemewerestrictlyfastfood,completewithanoversizedsideoffries.Butitwasn’tthatsimple.Itneverwas.RitawasU.S.military,thelinchpinoftheupcomingoperation,andoneofthemostimportantsoldiersonthefaceoftheplanet.Rankaside,itwashardtosaywhichoneofthemreallyheldmorepower.

           Ritastoodinsilence.Thebrigadiergeneralwasthefirsttospeak.

           "Yes,Sergeant?"

           "Sir,woulditbepossibleformetojointhePT,sir."

           Thesamehighvoicefrommydream,speakinginperfectlyintonedBurst.

           "Youhaveamajoroperationcominguptomorrow."

           "Sodothey,sir.MysquadhasneverparticipatedinthisformofPT,sir.Ibelievemyparticipationcouldbevitalinensuringthesuccessfulcoordinationandexecutionoftomorrow’sjointoperation."

           Thegeneralwasatalossforwords.TheU.S.SpecialForcesaroundthefieldstartedtowhoopandcheer.

           "RequestpermissiontoparticipateinthePT,sir,"shesaid.

           "Granted."

           "Sir,thankyou,sir!"

           Sheflashedaquicksalute.Doinganabout-face,sheslippedamongtherowsofmenstaringintentlyintotheground.