Звездный десант
Chapter 12
hasnothingtodowithcombatandhowtoleadaplatoon;itsconnectionwithwar(whereitisconnected)isinwhytofight--amatteralreadysettledforanycandidatelongbeforehereachesO.C.S.AnM.I.fightsbecauseheisM.I.
Idecidedthatthecoursemustbearepeatforthebenefitofthoseofus(maybeathird)whohadneverhaditinschool.Over20percentofmycadetclasswerenotfromTerra(amuchhigherpercentageofcolonialssignuptoservethandopeoplebornonEarth—sometimesitmakesyouwonder)andofthethreequartersorsofromTerra,somewerefromassociatedterritoriesandotherplaceswhereH.&M.P.mightnotbetaught.SoIfigureditforacinchcoursewhichwouldgivemealittlerestfromtoughcourses,theoneswithdecimalpoints.
Wrongagain.Unlikemyhighschoolcourse,youhadtopassit.Notbyexamination,however.Thecourseincludedexaminationsandpreparedpapersandquizzesandsuch--butnomarks.Whatyouhadtohavewastheinstructor’sopinionthatyouwereworthyofcommission.
Ifhegaveyouadowncheck,aboardsatonyou,questioningnotmerelywhetheryoucouldbeanofficerbutwhetheryoubelongedintheArmyatanyrank,nomatterhowfastyoumightbewithweapons—decidingwhethertogiveyouextrainstruction...orjustkickyououtandletyoubeacivilian.
HistoryandMoralPhilosophyworkslikeadelayed-actionbomb.
