Звездный десант

           "Yes,sir!"

           "‘Yes’what?"

           "Itdoesn’tmatterwhetherit’sathousand--orjustone,sir.Youfight."

           "Aha!Thenumberofprisonersisirrelevant.Good.Nowproveyouranswer."

           Iwasstuck.Iknewitwastherightanswer.ButIdidn’tknowwhy.Hekepthoundingme."Speakup,Mr.Rico.Thisisanexactscience.Youhavemadeamathematicalstatement;youmustgiveproof.Someonemayclaimthatyouhaveasserted,byanalogy,thatonepotatoisworththesameprice,nomore,noless,asonethousandpotatoes.No?"

           "No,sir!"

           "Whynot?Proveit."

           "Menarenotpotatoes."

           "Good,good,Mr.Rico!Ithinkwehavestrainedyourtiredbrainenoughforoneday.Bringtoclasstomorrowawrittenproof,insymboliclogic,ofyouranswertomyoriginalquestion.I’llgiveyouahint.Seereferencesevenintoday’schapter.Mr.Salomon!HowdidthepresentpoliticalorganizationevolveoutoftheDisorders?Andwhatisitsmoraljustification?"

           Sallystumbledthroughthefirstpart.However,nobodycandescribeaccuratelyhowtheFederationcameabout;itjustgrew.WithnationalgovernmentsincollapseattheendoftheXXthcentury,somethinghadtofillthevacuum,andinmanycasesitwasreturnedveterans.Theyhadlostawar,mostofthemhadnojobs,manyweresoreascouldbeoverthetermsoftheTreatyofNewDelhi,especiallytheP.O.W.foul-up—andtheyknewhowtofight.