Steve Perry

Truth is the first casualty in war, but communications is the second.

Civilization didn’t like surprises...

It wasn’t a death wish. It was a see-how-close-you-can-get-and-live wish.

Young soldiers had a lot of expectations and fantasies about how it would be and what they would do and feel. Invariably wrong, those expectations.

“You ready to fly, Nancy?” Jo asked.

“Honey, I’m always ready to fly.”

“Might get shot at.”

“I been shot at. Not a problem if they don’t hit me. I am allowed to dodge, right?”

“You cheated!”

“Hell yes, I did. I learned a long time ago, better you learn to fight smarter, not harder.”

“If you had not had the pistol—”

“Then I’d have used some other tool. Knife, stick, a chair, whatever. Fighting fair gets you killed unless the other guy also fights fair and you are better than him and lucky. First rule: Don’t do it.

Shoot at us, we will nuke you all and let God sort out your radioactive dust.

Nobody is a born killer. And nobody ever forgets the first time they get laid, nor the first time they spike somebody.