Звездный десант
Chapter 11
"Uh,Sarge—ImeanLieutenant,we’vebeenthinking—"
"Withwhat?"
"Well,theboyshavesortofbeentalkingitoverandtheythink—well,theysaytheoutfitoughttocallitself:‘Jelly’sJaguars.’"
"Theydo,eh?Howmanyof‘emfavorthatname?"
"It’sunanimous,"Johnsonsaidsimply.
"So?Fifty-twoayes...andoneno.Thenoeshaveit."Nobodyeverbroughtupthesubjectagain.
ShortlyafterthatweorbitedatSanctuary.Iwasgladtobethere,astheship’sinternalpseudo-gravityfieldhadbeenoffformostoftwodaysbeforethat,whiletheChiefEngineertinkeredwithit,leavingusinfreefall--whichIhate.I’llneverbearealspaceman.Dirtunderfootfeltgood.Theentireplatoonwentontendays’rest&recreationandtransferredtoaccommodationbarracksattheBase.
Ineverhavelearnedtheco-ordinatesofSanctuary,northenameorcataloguenumberofthestaritorbits—becausewhatyoudon’tknow,youcan’tspill;thelocationisultra-top-secret,knownonlytoships’captains,pilotingofficers,andsuch...and,Iunderstand,witheachofthemunderordersandhypnoticcompulsiontosuicideifnecessarytoavoidcapture.SoIdon’twanttoknow.WiththepossibilitythatLunaBasemightbetakenandTerraherselfoccupied,theFederationkeptasmuchofitsbeefaspossibleatSanctuary,sothatadisasterbackhomewouldnotnecessarilymeancapitulation.
