Звездный десант

           Iwasalmostcorrect--eventuallyIlearnedthatFatherhadplannedtogowithherbutsomethinghadcomeupandhestayedovertosettleit,intendingtocomealongthenextday.ButAuntEleanoradidnottellmethis.

           AcoupleofhourslatertheLieutenantsentformeandaskedmeverygentlyifIwouldliketotakeleaveatSanctuarywhiletheshipwentoutonhernextpatrol—hepointedoutthatIhadplentyofaccumulatedR&Randmightaswellusesomeofit.Idon’tknowhowheknewthatIhadlostamemberofmyfamily,butheobviouslydid.Isaidno,thankyou,sir;IpreferredtowaituntiltheoutfitalltookR&Rtogether.

           I’mgladIdiditthatway,becauseifIhadn’t,Iwouldn’thavebeenalongwhentheLieutenantboughtit...andthatwouldhavebeenjusttoomuchtobeborne.Ithappenedveryfastandjustbeforeretrieval.Amaninthethirdsquadwaswounded,notbadlybuthewasdown;theassistantsectionleadermovedintopickup--andboughtasmallpieceofithimself.TheLieutenant,asusual,waswatchingeverythingatonce--nodoubthehadcheckedphysicalsoneachofthembyremote,butwe’llneverknow.Whathedidwastomakesurethattheassistantsectionleaderwasstillalive;thenmadepickuponbothofthemhimself,oneineacharmofhissuit.

           Hethrewthemthelasttwentyfeetandtheywerepassedintotheretrievalboat--andwitheverybodyelsein,theshieldgoneandnointerdiction,washitanddiedinstantly