“Do you think anything ever changes, soldier? To this regime, the one before it, and even the next, we are weapons! That hasn’t changed for centuries—believe me, old man. Working conditions change. The authorities’ attitude changes. But the essence of our work? No. It stays the same. There will always be enemies waiting for us on the other side.”

“But… but how?”

His vacant stare meant only one thing: he was losing his faith. His personality was collapsing here and now; the illusions that had replaced his Will were crumbling to dust…