Звездный десант
Chapter 7
ButIrememberedsharplyhowTedHendrickhadtalkedhimselfintoone;Isaidnothing.
MajorMalloysaidatotaloffivewordstome.AfterhearingSergeantZim,hesaidthreeofthem:"Isthatcorrect?"
Isaid,"Yes,sir,"whichendedmypartofit.
MajorMalloysaid,toCaptainFrankel:"Isthereanypossibilityofsalvagingthisman?"
CaptainFrankelanswered,"Ibelieveso,sir."
MajorMalloysaid,"Thenwe’lltryadministrativepunishment,"turnedtomeandsaid:
"Fivelashes."
Well,theycertainlydidn’tkeepmedangling.FifteenminuteslaterthedoctorhadcompletedcheckingmyheartandtheSergeantoftheGuardwasoutfittingmewiththatspecialshirtwhichcomesoffwithouthavingtobepulledoverthehands—zipperedfromtheneckdownthearms.Assemblyforparadehadjustsounded.Iwasfeelingdetached,unreal...whichIhavelearnedisonewayofbeingscaredrightoutofyoursenses.Thenightmarehallucination—
Zimcameintotheguardtentjustasthecallended.HeglancedattheSergeantoftheGuard—CorporalJones—andJoneswentout.Zimsteppeduptome,slippedsomethingintomyhand."Biteonthat,"hesaidquietly."Ithelps.Iknow."
Itwasarubbermouthpiecesuchasweusedtoavoidbrokenteethinhand-to-handcombatdrill.Zimleft.Iputitinmymouth.Thentheyhandcuffedmeandmarchedmeout.
Theorderread:"—insimulatedcombat,grossnegligencewhichwouldinactionhavecausedthedeathofateammate."Thentheypeeledoffmyshirtandstrungmeup
