Звездный десант
Chapter 1
IwastemptedtogohigherbutIrememberedwhatMigliacciohadsaidaboutnottryingforamedal,andstucktodoctrine.IsettheY-racklauncheronautomaticandletitlobacoupleoflittlebombseverytimeIhit.Isetfiretothingsmoreorlessatrandominbetween,andtriedtofindthewaterworks,orsomeotherworth-whiletarget.
Well,therewassomethingupthereattheproperrange—waterworksorwhatever,itwasbig.SoIhoppedontopofthetallestbuildingnearme,tookabeadonit,andletfly.AsIbounceddownIheardJelly:"Johnnie!Red!Startbendingintheflanks."
IacknowledgedandheardRedacknowledgeandswitchedmybeacontoblinkersothatRedcouldpickmeoutforcertain,tookarangeandbearingonhisblinkerwhileIcalledout,"SecondSection!Curveinandenvelop!Squadleadersacknowledge!"
FourthandFifthsquadsanswered,"Wilco";Acesaid,"We’realreadydoin’it—pickupyourfeet."
Red’sbeaconshowedtherightflanktobealmostaheadofmeandagoodfifteenmilesaway.Golly!Acewasright;IwouldhavetopickupmyfeetorIwouldneverclosethegapintime—andmewithacoupleofhundredweightofammoandsundrynastinessstillonmethatIjusthadtofindtimetouseup.WehadlandedinaVformation,withJellyatthebottomoftheVandRedandmyselfattheendsofthetwoarms;nowwehadtocloseitintoacirclearoundtheretrievalrendezvous...whichmeantthatRedandIeachhadtocovermoregroundthantheothersandstilldoourfullshareofdamage.
