Звездный десант

           "Icaughtananswerrightoutofthebookandparrotedit."I’lltakecommandandactascircumstancespermit,sir,accordingtothetacticalsituationasIseeit."

           "Youwill,eh?"TheColonelgrunted."Andyou’llbuyafarmtoothat’sallanybodycandowithafoul-uplikethat.ButIhopeyou’llgodownswinging—andshoutingorderstosomebody,whethertheymakesenseornot.Wedon’texpectkittenstofightwildcatsandwin—wemerelyexpectthemtotry.Allright,standup.Putupyourrighthands."

           Hestruggledtohisfeet.Thirtysecondslaterwewereofficers—"temporary,probationary,andsupernumerary."

           Ithoughthewouldgiveusourshoulderpipsandletusgo.Wearen’tsupposedtobuythem—they’realoan,likethetemporarycommissiontheyrepresent.Insteadheloungedbackandlookedalmosthuman.

           "Seehere,lads—Igaveyouatalkonhowroughit’sgoingtobe.Iwantyoutoworryaboutit,doingitinadvance,planningwhatstepsyoumighttakeagainstanycombinationofbadnewsthatcancomeyourway,keenlyawarethatyourlifebelongstoyourmenandisnotyourstothrowawayinasuicidalreachforglory...andthatyourlifeisn’tyourstosave,either,ifthesituationrequiresthatyouexpendit.Iwantyoutoworryyourselfsickbeforeadrop,sothatyoucanbeunruffledwhenthetroublestarts.

           "Impossible,ofcourse.Exceptforonething.