Звездный десант

           Heneverinterrupted--therewasastandingordernottoshout"Attention!"Butit’sdisconcerting.Thereseemedtobeaboutsixofhim.

           TheCommandanthadapermanentrankoffleetgeneral(yes,thatNielssen);hisrankascolonelwastemporary,pendingsecondretirement,topermithimtobeCommandant.Ioncequestionedapaymasteraboutthisandconfirmedwhattheregulationsseemedtosay:TheCommandantgotonlythepayofacolonel—butwouldreverttothepayofafleetgeneralonthedayhedecidedtoretireagain.

           Well,asAcesays,ittakesallsorts—Ican’timaginechoosinghalfpayfortheprivilegeofridingherdoncadets.

           ColonelNielssenlookedupandsaid,"Morning,gentlemen.Makeyourselvescomfortable."Isatdownbutwasn’tcomfortable.Heglidedovertoacoffeemachine,drewfourcups,andHassanhelpedhimdealthemout.Ididn’twantcoffeebutacadetdoesn’trefusetheCommandant’shospitality.

           Hetookasip."Ihaveyourorders,gentlemen,"heannounced,"andyourtemporarycommissions."Hewenton,"ButIwanttobesureyouunderstandyourstatus."

           Wehadalreadybeenlecturedaboutthis.Weweregoingtobeofficersjustenoughforinstructionandtesting—"supernumerary,probationary,andtemporary."Veryjunior,quitesuperfluous,ongoodbehavior,andextremelytemporary;wewouldreverttocadetwhenwegotbackandcouldbebustedatanytimebytheofficersexaminingus.