Звездный десант

           Wecaptroopersarelikeaviatorsoftheearliermechanizedwars;alongandbusymilitarycareercouldcontainonlyafewhoursofactualcombatfacingtheenemy,therestbeing:train,getready,goout—thencomeback,cleanupthemess,getreadyforanotherone,andpractice,practice,practice,inbetween.Wedidn’tmakeanotherdropforalmostthreeweeksandthatonadifferentplanetaroundanotherstar—aBugcolony.EvenwithCherenkovdrive,starsarefarapart.

           InthemeantimeIgotmycorporal’sstripes,nominatedbyJellyandconfirmedbyCaptainDeladrierintheabsenceofacommissionedofficerofourown.TheoreticallytherankwouldnotbepermanentuntilapprovedagainstvacancybytheFleetM.I.repple-depple,butthatmeantnothing,asthecasualtyratewassuchthattherewerealwaysmorevacanciesintheT.

           O.thantherewerewarmbodiestofillthem.IwasacorporalwhenJellysaidIwasacorporal;therestwasredtape.

           Butthegunnerwasnotquitecorrectabout"loafing";therewerefifty-threesuitsofpoweredarmortocheck,service,andrepairbetweeneachdrop,nottomentionweaponsandspecialequipment.