Звездный десант

           Whichwasthewayitshouldbe,ofcoursewhy,iftheylettheRoughnecksvote,theidiotsmightvotenottomakeadrop.Can’thavethat.

           NeverthelessIhadsignedupinordertowinavote.

           OrhadI?

           HadIevercaredaboutvoting?No,itwastheprestige,thepride,thestatus...ofbeingacitizen.

           Orwasit?

           Icouldn’ttosavemyliferememberwhyIhadsignedup.Anyhow,itwasn’ttheprocessofvotingthatmadeacitizen—theLieutenanthadbeenacitizeninthetruestsenseoftheword,eventhoughhehadnotlivedlongenoughevertocastaballot.Hehad"voted"everytimehemadeadrop.

           AndsohadI!

           IcouldhearColonelDuboisinmymind:"Citizenshipisanattitude,a

           stateofmind,anemotionalconvictionthatthewholeisgreaterthanthepart...andthatthepartshouldbehumblyproudtosacrificeitselfthatthewholemaylive."

           Istilldidn’tknowwhetherIyearnedtoplacemyone-and-onlybody"betweenmylovedhomeandthewar’sdesolation"—Istillgottheshakeseverydropandthat"desolation"couldbeprettydesolate.ButneverthelessIknewatlastwhatColonelDuboishadbeentalkingabout.TheM.I.wasmineandIwastheirs.IfthatwaswhattheM.I.didtobreakthemonotony,thenthatwaswhatIdid.Patriotismwasabitesotericforme,toolarge-scaletosee.ButtheM.I.wasmygang,Ibelonged.