Звездный десант

           IadmitittakestheNavytoplaceuswherewefight;however,anM.I.strikeforce,eveninacorvette,isatleastthreetimesaslargeasthetransport’sNavycrew.Italsotakescivilianstosupplyandserviceus;about10percentofusareonR&Ratanytime;andafewoftheverybestofusarerotatedtoinstructatbootcamps.

           WhileafewM.I.areondeskjobsyouwillalwaysfindthattheyareshyanarmorleg,orsomesuch.Thesearetheones—theSergeantHosandtheColonelNielssens--whorefusetoretire,andtheyreallyoughttocounttwicesincetheyreleaseable-bodiedM.I.byfillingjobswhichrequirefightingspiritbutnotphysicalperfection.Theydoworkthatcivilianscan’tdoorwewouldhirecivilians.Civiliansarelikebeans;youbuy‘emasneededforanyjobwhichmerelyrequiresskillandsavvy.

           Butyoucan’tbuyfightingspirit.

           It’sscarce.Weuseallofit,wastenone.TheM.I.isthesmallestarmyinhistoryforthesizeofthepopulationitguards.Youcan’tbuyanM.I.,youcan’tconscripthim,youcan’tcoercehim—youcan’tevenkeephimifhewantstoleave.Hecanquitthirtysecondsbeforeadrop,losehisnerveandnotgetintohiscapsule,andallthathappensisthatheispaidoffandcannevervote.

           AtO.C.S.westudiedarmiesinhistorythatweredrivenlikegalleyslaves.ButtheM.I.