46 lines
1.8 KiB
Plaintext
46 lines
1.8 KiB
Plaintext
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"BLASTERS TO THE READY!"
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by William E. Collins
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The Gunny yelled "BLASTERS TO THE READY!" I popped the ejection
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button, took my ammo cassette out, flipped it over and re-inserted. At
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the same time I was slamming the loading door closed, I brought my
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blaster to my right shoulder, cross arm saluted and returned to the
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ready.
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Today was the day. While marching to battle I'd get my first chance to
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use my weapon for the good of mankind. I'd been practicing for
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months just for this day. It seemed as though my whole life was in
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preparation for today. I wondered if I'd succeed or fail.
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Thoughts of Roman Legions, Christians and Lions, Foreign Legionnaires,
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of life, love and happiness filled my mind. Would there be any at the end
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of the day? Would I be one of the ones to fall?
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Then it was my turn. I readied my blaster, turning it from stun to max...
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I can see thousands of them out there. What will this outcome be?
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I ready my blaster...
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place my finger on the button...
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then I press... There is a roar so loud that my knees
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quiver. I feel I want to wet my pants. The roar
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is getting louder as I play my blaster over the
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thousands of people in front of me...
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With a squeal the final assault is coming... the
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roar abates a bit and I can hear the immortal
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words...
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"JIMI HENDRIX!"
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With a squeal and a roar the blaster puts out the only known surviving
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recording of Jimi Hendrix performing "The Star Spangled Banner." I own
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it and, and, like my father before me, I will play it once a year at the
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World Series for others to hear.
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