Звездный десант
Chapter 6
Youunderstand?
Athousandkissestomybaby,
YOURMOTHER
Iunderstood,allright—andifFathercouldnotcry,Icould.Idid.
AndatlastIgottosleep...andwasawakenedatoncebyanalert.Webouncedouttothebombingrange,thewholeregiment,andranthroughasimulatedexercise,withoutammo.Wewerewearingfullunarmoredkitotherwise,includingear-plugreceivers,andwehadnomorethanextendedwhenthewordcametofreeze.
Weheldthatfreezeforatleastanhour—andImeanweheldit,barelybreathing.Amousetiptoeingpastwouldhavesoundednoisy.Somethingdidgopastandranrightoverme,acoyoteIthink.Inevertwitched.Wegotawfullycoldholdingthatfreeze,butIdidn’tcare;Iknewitwasmylast.
Ididn’tevenhearreveillethenextmorning;forthefirsttimeinweeksIhadtobewhackedoutofmysackandbarelymadeformationformorningjerks.Therewasnopointintryingtoresignbeforebreakfastanyhow,sinceIhadtoseeZimasthefirststep.Buthewasn’tatbreakfast.IdidaskBronski’spermissiontoseetheC.C.andhesaid,"Sure.Helpyourself,"anddidn’taskmewhy.
Butyoucan’tseeamanwhoisn’tthere.WestartedaroutemarchafterbreakfastandIstillhadn’tlaideyesonhim.Itwasanout-and-back,withlunchfetchedouttousbycopter—anunexpectedluxury,sincefailuretoissuefieldrationsbeforemarchingusuallymeantpracticestarvationexceptforwhateveryouhadcached...andIhadn’t;toomuchonmymind.
