Звездный десант

           Enjoyingyourselves?"

           Iquicklyreadtheribbonsonhischestandwasimpressed."Yes,sir!"

           "Youdon’thavetosay‘sir’tome.Notmuchtodohere.Whydon’tyougotothehospitalitycenter?"Hegaveustheaddress,pointedthedirectionandwestartedthatway—PatLeivy,"Kitten"Smith,andmyself.Hecalledafterus,"Haveagoodtime,boys...andstayoutoftrouble."WhichwasexactlywhatSergeantZimhadsaidtousasweclimbedintotheshuttle.

           Butwedidn’tgothere.PatLeivyhadlivedinSeattlewhenhewasasmallboyandwantedtotakealookathisoldhometown.Hehadmoneyandofferedtopayourshuttlefaresifwewouldgowithhim.Ididn’tmindanditwasallright;shuttlesraneverytwentyminutesandourpasseswerenotrestrictedtoVancouver.Smithdecidedtogoalong,too.

           Seattlewasn’tsoverydifferentfromVancouverandthegirlswerejustasplentiful;Ienjoyedit.ButSeattlewasn’tquiteasusedtohavingM.I.aroundindrovesandwepickedapoorspottoeatdinner,onewhereweweren’tquitesowelcomeabar-restaurant,downbythedocks.

           Now,look,weweren’tdrinking.Well,KittenSmithhadhadonerepeatonebeerwithhisdinnerbuthewasneveranythingbutfriendlyandnice.Thatishowhegothisname;thefirsttimewehadhand-to-handcombatdrillCorporalJoneshadsaidtohimdisgustedly:"Akittenwouldhavehitmeharderthanthat!"Thenicknamestuck.

           Weweretheonlyuniformsintheplace;mostoftheothercustomersweremerchantmarinesailors—Seattlehandlesanawfullotofsurfacetonnage.