Звездный десант

           Birdieadded,"Youcouldbeworseoff.TheAssassintooknotonlyhismathbooksbuttwoothersubjects."

           Birdieundoubtedlyknewandhehadnotbeenshowingoffwhenheofferedtocoachme;hewasaprofessortypeexceptthathisribbonsprovedthathewasasoldiertoo.

           InsteadofstudyingmathBirdietaughtit.Oneperiodeachdayhewasafacultymember,thewaylittleShujumitaughtjudoatCampCurrie.TheM.I.doesn’twasteanything;wecan’taffordto.BirdiehadaB.S.inmathonhiseighteenthbirthday,sonaturallyhewasassignedextradutyasinstructor—whichdidn’tkeephimfrombeingchewedoutatotherhours.

           Notthathegotchewedoutmuch.Birdiehadthatrarecomboofbrilliantintellect,solideducation,commonsense,andguts,whichgetsacadetmarkedasapotentialgeneral.Wefiguredhewasacinchtocommandabrigadebythetimehewasthirty,whatwiththewar.

           Butmyambitionsdidn’tsoarthathigh."Itwouldbeadirty,rottenshame,"Isaid,"iftheAssassinflunkedout,"whilethinkingthatitwouldbeadirty,rottenshameifIflunkedout.

           "Hewon’t,"Birdieansweredcheerfully."They’llsweathimthroughtherestiftheyhavetoputhiminahypnoboothandfeedhimthroughatube.Anyhow,"headded,"Hassancouldflunkoutandgetpromotedforit."

           "Huh?"

           "Didn’tyouknow?TheAssassin’spermanentrankisfirstlieutenant—fieldcommission,naturally.Herevertstoitifheflunksout.