Звездный десант

           WewereRasczak’sRoughnecks,thebestunprintableoutfitinthewholeexpurgatedM.I.;weclimbedintoourcapsulesbecauseJellytoldusitwastimetodosoandwefoughtwhenwegotdowntherebecausethatiswhatRasczak’sRoughnecksdo.

           Wecertainlydidn’tknowthatwewerelosing.

           ThoseBugslayeggs.Theynotonlylaythem,theyholdtheminreserve,hatchthemasneeded.Ifwekilledawarrior--orathousand,ortenthousand—hisortheirreplacementswerehatchedandondutyalmostbeforewecouldgetbacktobase.Youcanimagine,ifyoulike,someBugsupervisorofpopulationflashingaphonetosomewheredowninsideandsaying,"Joe,warmuptenthousandwarriorsandhave‘emreadybyWednesday...andtellengineeringtoactivatereserveincubatorsN,O,P,Q,andR;thedemandispickingup."

           Idon’tsaytheydidexactlythat,butthoseweretheresults.Butdon’tmakethemistakeofthinkingthattheyactedpurelyfrominstinct,liketermitesorants;theiractionswereasintelligentasours(stupidracesdon’tbuildspaceships!)andweremuchbettercoordinated.Ittakesaminimumofayeartotrainaprivatetofightandtomeshhisfightinginwithhismates;aBugwarriorishatchedabletodothis.

           EverytimewekilledathousandBugsatacostofoneM.I.itwasanetvictoryfortheBugs.