Звездный десант

           Theyarearthropodswhohappentolooklikeamadman’sconceptionofagiant,intelligentspider,buttheirorganization,psychologicalandeconomic,ismorelikethatofantsortermites;theyarecommunalentities,theultimatedictatorshipofthehive.Blastingthesurfaceoftheirplanetwouldhavekilledsoldiersandworkers;itwouldnothavekilledthebraincasteandthequeens—IdoubtifanybodycanbecertainthatevenadirecthitwithaburrowingH-rocketwouldkillaqueen;wedon’tknowhowfardowntheyare.NoramIanxioustofindout;noneoftheboyswhowentdownthoseholescameupagain.

           SosupposewedidruintheproductivesurfaceofKlendathu?Theystillwouldhaveshipsandcoloniesandotherplanets,sameaswehave,andtheirHQisstillintact--sounlesstheysurrender,thewarisn’tover.Wedidn’thavenovabombsatthattime;wecouldn’tcrackKlendathuopen.Iftheyabsorbedthepunishmentanddidn’tsurrender,thewarwasstillon.

           Iftheycansurrender—

           Theirsoldierscan’t.Theirworkerscan’tfight(andyoucanwastealotoftimeandammoshootingupworkerswhowouldn’tsayboo!)andtheirsoldiercastecan’tsurrender.Butdon’tmakethemistakeofthinkingthattheBugsarejuststupidinsectsbecausetheylookthewaytheydoanddon’tknowhowtosurrender.Theirwarriorsaresmart,skilled,andaggressive—smarterthanyouare,bytheonlyuniversalrule,iftheBugshootsfirst.