Звездный десант
Chapter 1
WeheardJelly’srelaxedgrowltotheentireplatoon:"Circleisclosed,butthebeaconisnotdownyet.Moveforwardslowlyandmillaround,makealittlemoretrouble—butmindtheladoneachsideofyou;don’tmaketroubleforhim.Goodjob,sofar—don’tspoilit.Platoon!Bysections...Muster!"
Itlookedlikeagoodjobtome,too;muchofthecitywasburningand,althoughitwasalmostfulllightnow,itwashardtotellwhetherbareeyeswerebetterthansnoopers,thesmokewassothick.
Johnson,oursectionleader,soundedoff:"Secondsection,calloff!"
Iechoed,"Squadsfour,five,andsix—calloffandreport!"Theassortmentofsafecircuitswehadavailableinthenewmodelcommunitscertainlyspeededthingsup;Jellycouldtalktoanybodyortohissectionleaders;asectionleadercouldcallhiswholesection,orhisnon-coms;andtheplatooncouldmustertwiceasfast,whensecondsmatter.IlistenedtothefourthsquadcalloffwhileIinventoriedmyremainingfirepowerandlobbedonebombtowardaskinnywhopokedhisheadaroundacorner.HeleftandsodidI—"Millaround,"thebossmanhadsaid.
ThefourthsquadbumbledthecalloffuntilthesquadleaderrememberedtofillinwithJenkins’number;thefifthsquadclickedofflikeanabacusandIbegantofeelgood...whenthecalloffstoppedafternumberfourinAce’ssquad.Icalledout,"Ace,where’sDizzy?"
"Shutup,"hesaid."Numbersix!Calloff!"
"Six!"Smithanswered.
"Seven!"
"Sixthsquad,Floresmissing,"Acecompletedit."Squadleaderoutforpickup."
