Звездный десант

           isafreeman;allthatdriveshimcomesfrominside--thatself-respectandneedfortherespectofhismatesandhisprideinbeingoneofthemcalledmorale,orespritdecorps.

           Therootofourmoraleis:"Everybodyworks,everybodyfights."AnM.

           I.doesn’tpullstringstogetasoft,safejob;therearen’tany.Oh,atrooperwillgetawaywithwhathecan;anyprivatewithenoughsavvytomarktimetomusiccanthinkupreasonswhyheshouldnotcleancompartmentsorbreakoutstores;thisisasoldier’sancientright.

           Butall"soft,safe"jobsarefilledbycivilians;thatgoldbrickingprivateclimbsintohiscapsulecertainthateverybody,fromgeneraltoprivate,isdoingitwithhim.Light-yearsawayandonadifferentday,ormaybeanhourorsolater---nomatter.Whatdoesmatteristhateverybodydrops.Thisiswhyheentersthecapsule,eventhoughhemaynotbeconsciousofit.

           Ifweeverdeviatefromthis,theM.I.willgotopieces.Allthatholdsustogetherisanidea-onethatbindsmorestronglythansteelbutitsmagicpowerdependsonkeepingitintact.

           Itisthis"everybodyfights"rulethatletstheM.I.getbywithsofewofficers.

           IknowmoreaboutthisthanIwantto,becauseIaskedafoolishquestioninMilitaryHistoryandgotstuckwithanassignmentwhichforcedmetodigupstuffrangingfromDeBelloGallicotoTsing’sclassicCollapseofTheGoldenHegemony.ConsideranidealM.I.