Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905

Events: Defense of Port Arthur (July–December 1904) You are a sailor on a Russian destroyer moored in the outer roads of Port Arthur. That night, the Japanese suddenly attacked the squadron with torpedoes. Your ship sustained a hole in the engine room, blowing out the steam boilers. The explosion threw you against the bulkhead, severely hitting your head. You came to in the water, amid oil slicks and debris. The Japanese picked you up and other wounded to interrogate you about the locations of mines and shore batteries. You were unconscious the entire time.

A cold hand touched your neck, checking your pulse. Your head was splitting with pain, so intense that even opening your eyes was impossible without extreme effort. After about five minutes, you finally began to regain consciousness and realized you were in an enemy cabin. Judging by the tarry smell and the cramped quarters, you were on a destroyer or a small cruiser. The small room was dark, with only a single spirit candle illuminating the area near your low wooden bunk. You slowly sat up, and the sheet slipped off your shoulders—the only clothing you wore was a pair of tattered trousers, the kind worn in the Russian navy. You looked around, trying not to groan with every movement.

A moment later, a rather tall young man in a naval uniform entered the cabin. He was Japanese. On his collar were the insignia of a sailor in the Imperial Japanese Navy. He slowly approached you and squatted, his dark eyes peering intently into your face—in the dim candlelight, it was downright eerie. Then a soft, yet sly smile blossomed on his face. He handed you a bowl of hot rice and spoke in broken, heavily accented Russian: — You're finally awake. How are you feeling?

You wheezed with difficulty, still not understanding why you, a captured Russian sailor, had not yet been killed.

• What?...