\u201cDefeat, when it came, was like a pall of smoke hanging over our heads, lowering our horizons,\u201d Yeltsin said, one boot on the boxwood table in the centre of the otherwise empty room. He lit a cigarette and took a deep draught, the livid scar near his mouth pinching into a white line as he inhaled. \u201cThat\u2019s why we did the things we did. You would too.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYou think we are not so different?\u201d Major Rostowski said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYeah. We are,\u201d Yeltsin insisted. He lowered his foot, leaned forward, and drew a circle with his finger in the dust on the tabletop. \u201cThe Zjheeks had us surrounded. It would have been a turkey shoot.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
\u201cHow many?\u201d Rostowski demanded. \u201cHow many, corporal?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI dunno, major,\u201d Yeltsin sat back in his chair and took another long drag on his cigarette. \u201cPerhaps twenty-five.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThen what happened?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cOne of the Zjheeks came down the slope,\u201d Yeltsin said. \u201cIt was carrying one of those translator boxes.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhat did it say?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt told us to take our clothes off and throw them in a pile with our weapons.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The major took up his gaze. \u201cAnd?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cTom, Private Allen, refused and started shouting.\u201d Yeltsin said. \u201cSo, they lasered him. Clean through the forehead. No warning. Just blam, and he was gone.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cSo, what did you do?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe sensible thing,\u201d Yeltsin replied. \u201cI stripped.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThen what happened?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe Zjheek carrying the translator box climbs up the slope and throws his sword into the ground about three feet from me,\u201d Yeltsin spread his hands. \u201cThen all the rest do the same. He looks at me and says, only one gets out. So, I dived for his sword.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThen you started fighting?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYeah, no-one hesitated. We\u2019d heard about these gladiator contests. It\u2019s kill or be killed,\u201d Yeltsin said. He shrugged and stubbed out his cigarette on the table.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYour comrades?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYeah,\u201d Yeltsin said. \u201cCaptain Wright was the last. He came at me like a banshee.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cBut you overpowered and killed him? Then what?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe Zjheeks started that rattling noise, like they were applauding,\u201d Yeltsin said. \u201cAnd then they just left.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cDo you know anything about Captain Wright? The man you killed?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cNothing really,\u201d Yeltsin admitted. \u201cLike, he was a good commander, and there were rumours about his preferences, if you know what I mean. He didn\u2019t like girls. But that was okay with me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Rostowski stood and fixed Yeltsin with a glare. He said, \u201cCaptain Paul Wright was born in Tucksville, Ohio, in 2234. He attended Tucksville High, where he graduated with a football scholarship to Ohio State University. After studying law and economics, he graduated summa cum laude. When hostilities broke out with the Zjheeks, he joined the Terran Marines and was three weeks away from an honourable discharge when he was captured and killed. We were to be married when we returned to Earth.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cLook,\u201d Yeltsin stammered. \u201cI had no choice, man. It was me or him.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt should have been him,\u201d Rostowski said quietly, and drew his sidearm.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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