Звездный десант

           Ihaven’tmentionedthenamesoftheprivateandoftheassistantsectionleaderonpurpose.TheLieutenantwasmakingpickuponallofus,withhislastbreath.MaybeIwastheprivate.Itdoesn’tmatterwhohewas.Whatdidmatterwasthatourfamilyhadhaditsheadchoppedoff.Theheadofthefamilyfromwhichwetookourname,thefatherwhomadeuswhatwewere.

           AftertheLieutenanthadtoleaveusCaptainDeladrierinvitedSergeantJelaltoeatforward,withtheotherheadsofdepartments.Buthebeggedtobeexcused.Haveyoueverseenawidowwithsterncharacterkeepherfamilytogetherbybehavingasiftheheadofthefamilyhadsimplysteppedoutandwouldreturnatanymoment?That’swhatJellydid.Hewasjustatouchmorestrictwithusthaneverandifheeverhadtosay:"TheLieutenantwouldn’tlikethat,"itwasalmostmorethanamancouldtake.Jellydidn’tsayitveryoften.

           Heleftourcombatteamorganizationalmostunchanged;insteadofshiftingeverybodyaround,hemovedtheassistantsectionleaderofthesecondsectionoverintothe(nominal)platoonsergeantspot,leavinghissectionleaderswheretheywereneeded--withtheirsections--andhemovedmefromlanceandassistantsquadleaderintoactingcorporalasalargelyornamentalassistantsectionleader.ThenhehimselfbehavedasiftheLieutenantweremerelyoutofsightandthathewasjustpassingontheLieutenant’sorders,asusual.

           Itsavedus.