Звездный десант

           Thehistorianscan’tseemtosettlewhethertocallthisone"TheThirdSpaceWar"(orthe"Fourth"),orwhether"TheFirstInterstellarWar"fitsitbetter.Wejustcallit"TheBugWar"ifwecallitanything,whichweusuallydon’t,andinanycasethehistoriansdatethebeginningof"war"afterthetimeIjoinedmyfirstoutfitandship.Everythinguptothenandstilllaterwere"incidents,""patrols,"or"policeactions."However,youarejustasdeadifyoubuyafarminan"incident"asyouareifyoubuyitinadeclaredwar.

           But,totellthetruth,asoldierdoesn’tnoticeawarmuchmorethanaciviliandoes,excepthisowntinypieceofitandthatjustonthedaysitishappening.Therestofthetimeheismuchmoreconcernedwithsacktime,thevagariesofsergeants,andthechancesofwheedlingthecookbetweenmeals.However,whenKittenSmithandAlJenkinsandIjoinedthematLunaBase,eachofWillie’sWildcatshadmademorethanonecombatdrop;theyweresoldiersandwewerenot.Weweren’thazedforit—atleastIwasnot--andthesergeantsandcorporalswereamazinglyeasytodealwithafterthecalculatedfrightfulnessofinstructors.

           Ittookalittlewhiletodiscoverthatthiscomparativelygentletreatmentsimplymeantthatwewerenobody,hardlyworthchewingout,untilwehadprovedinadrop--arealdrop—thatwemightpossiblyreplacerealWildcatswhohadfoughtandboughtitandwhosebunkswenowoccupied.

           LetmetellyouhowgreenIwas.