Звездный десант

           SometimesMigliacciowoulddowncheckasuit,Jellywouldconfirmit,andtheship’sweaponsengineer,LieutenantFarley,woulddecidethathecouldn’tcureitshortofbasefacilities—whereuponanewsuitwouldhavetobebrokenoutofstoresandbroughtfrom"cold"to"hot,"anexactingprocessrequiringtwenty-sixman-hoursnotcountingthetimeofthemantowhomitwasbeingfitted.

           Wekeptbusy.

           Butwehadfun,too.Therewerealwaysseveralcompetitionsgoingon,fromacey-deucytoHonorSquad,andwehadthebestjazzbandinseveralcubiclight-years(well,theonlyone,maybe),withSergeantJohnsononthetrumpetleadingthemmellowandsweetforhymnsortearingthesteelrightoffthebulkheads,astheoccasionrequired.Afterthatmasterful(orshoulditbe"mistressful"?)retrievalrendezvouswithoutaprogrammedballistic,theplatoon’smetalsmith,PFCArchieCampbell,madeamodeloftheRodgerYoungfortheSkipperandweallsignedandArchieengravedoursignaturesonabaseplate:ToHotPilotYvetteDeladrier,withthanksfromRasczak’sRoughnecks,andweinvitedherafttoeatwithusandtheRoughneckDownbeatComboplayedduringdinnerandthenthejuniorprivatepresentedittoher.Shegottearsandkissedhim—andkissedJellyaswellandheblushedpurple.

           AfterIgotmychevronsIsimplyhadtogetthingsstraightwithAce,becauseJellykeptmeonasassistantsectionleader.Thisisnotgood.