Звездный десант

           WhiletheValleyForgwasstillatLunaBase,Ihappenedtocomeacrossmysectionleaderjustashewasabouttohitdirt,allslickedupindressuniform.Hewaswearinginhisleftearlobearathersmallearring,atinygoldskullbeautifullymadeandunderit,insteadoftheconventionalcrossedbonesoftheancientJollyRogerdesign,wasawholebundleoflittlegoldbones,almosttoosmalltosee.

           Backhome,IhadalwayswornearringsandotherjewelrywhenIwentoutonadate--Ihadsomebeautifulearclips,rubiesasbigastheendofmylittlefingerwhichhadbelongedtomymother’sgrandfather.IlikejewelryandhadratherresentedbeingrequiredtoleaveitallbehindwhenIwenttoBasic...butherewasatypeofjewelrywhichwasapparentlyokaytowearwithuniform.Myearsweren’tpierced—mymotherdidn’tapproveofit,forboys—butIcouldhavethejewelermountitonaclip...andIstillhadsomemoneyleftfrompaycallatgraduationandwasanxioustospenditbeforeitmildewed."Unh,Sergeant?Wheredoyougetearringslikethatone?Prettyneat."

           Hedidn’tlookscornful,hedidn’tevensmile.Hejustsaid,"Youlikeit?"

           "Icertainlydo!"Theplainrawgoldpointedupthegoldbraidandpipingoftheuniformevenbetterthangemswouldhavedone.Iwasthinkingthatapairwouldbestillhandsomer,withjustcrossbonesinsteadofallthatconfusionatthebottom."DoesthebasePXcarrythem?"

           "No,thePXhereneversellsthem.