Звездный десант

           "

           "Carryoutyourorders,sir!"

           Heturnedtome,lookedatmyfaceandsaidsharply,"Somethingonyourmind,son?Speakup!"

           "Uh—"Iblurteditout."Sir,thattemporarythirdlieutenant—theonethatgotcashiered.HowcouldIfindoutwhathappened?"

           "Oh.Youngman,Ididn’tmeantoscarethedaylightsoutofyou;Isimplyintendedtowakeyouup.ThebattlewasononeJune1813oldstylebetweenUSFChesapeakeandHMFShannon.TrytheNavalEncyclopedia;yourshipwillhaveit."Heturnedbacktothecaseofpipsandfrowned.

           Thenhesaid,"Mr.Rico,Ihavealetterfromoneofyourhighschoolteachers,aretiredofficer,requestingthatyoubeissuedthepipsheworeasathirdlieutenant.IamsorrytosaythatImusttellhim‘No.’"

           "Sir?"IwasdelightedtohearthatColonelDuboiswasstillkeepingtrackofme—andverydisappointed,too.

           "BecauseIcan’t!Iissuedthosepipstwoyearsago—andtheynevercameback.Realestatedeal.Hmm--"Hetookabox,lookedatme."Youcouldstartanewpair.Themetalisn’timportant;theimportanceoftherequestliesinthefactthatyourteacherwantedyoutohavethem."

           "Whateveryousay,sir."

           "Or"—hecradledtheboxinhishand—"youcouldwearthese.Theyhavebeenwornfivetimes...andthelastfourcandidatestowearthemhaveallfailedofcommission--nothingdishonorablebutpeskybadluck.