Звездный десант
Chapter 9
WesawalotmoreofCaptainFrankel,too;henowspentmostofhistimeteachingus,insteadofbehindadesk,andheknewallofusbynameandfaceandseemedtohaveacardfileinhismindofexactlywhatprogresseachmanhadmadeoneveryweapon,everypieceofequipment—nottomentionyourextra-dutystatus,medicalrecord,andwhetheryouhadhadaletterfromhomelately.
Hewasn’tasseverewithusasZimwas;hiswordsweremilderandittookareallystupidstunttotakethatfriendlygrinoffhisface—butdon’tletthatfoolyou;therewasberylarmorunderthegrin.Ineverdidfigureoutwhichonewasthebettersoldier,ZimorCaptainFrankel—Imean,ifyoutookawaytheinsigniaandthoughtofthemasprivates.Unquestionablytheywerebothbettersoldiersthananyoftheotherinstructors—butwhichwasbest?Zimdideverythingwithprecisionandstyle,asifhewereonparade;CaptainFrankeldidthesamethingwithdashandgusto,asifitwereagame.TheresultswereaboutthesameanditneverturnedouttobeaseasyasCaptainFrankelmadeitlook.
Weneededtheabundanceofinstructors.Jumpingasuit(asIhavesaid)waseasyonflatground.Well,thesuitjumpsjustashighandjustaseasilyinthemountains—butitmakesalotofdifferencewhenyouhavetojumpupaverticalgranitewall,betweentwoclose-setfirtrees,andoverrideyourjetcontrolatthelastinstant.Wehadthreemajorcasualtiesinsuitpracticeinbrokencountry,twodeadandonemedicalretirement.
