Звездный десант

           Anythingbutthattin-soldieract."

           Itried...andgrinnedsheepishlyasIdiscoveredthatbreakingahabitisnoteasy.Leaningwasharderworkthanstandingatattention.CaptainBlackstonestudiedme."Practiceit,"hesaid."Anofficercan’tlookscaredortense;it’scontagious.Nowtellme,Johnnie,whatyourplatoonneeds.Nevermindthepiddlin’stuff;I’mnotinterestedinwhetheramanhastheregulationnumberofsocksinhislocker."

           Ithoughtrapidly."Uh...doyouhappentoknowifLieutenantSilvaintendedtoputBrumbyupforsergeant?"

           "Idohappentoknow.What’syouropinion?"

           "Well...therecordshowsthathehasbeenactingsectionleaderthepasttwomonths.Hisefficiencymarksaregood."

           "Iaskedforyourrecommendation,Mister."

           "Well,s--Sorry.I’veneverseenhimworkontheground,soIcan’thavearealopinion;anybodycansoldierinthedroproom.ButthewayIseeit,he’sbeenactingsergeanttoolongtobusthimbacktochaserandpromoteasquadleaderoverhim.Heoughttogetthatthirdchevronbeforewedroporheoughttobetransferredwhenwegetback.Sooner,ifthere’sachanceforaspacesidetransfer."

           Blackiegrunted."You’reprettygenerousingivingawaymyBlackguardsforathirdlieutenant."

           Iturnedred."Justthesame,it’sasoftspotinmyplatoon.Brumbyoughttobepromoted,ortransferred.