Звездный десант
Chapter 13
SoIgotsullenandtoldhimtoputhisordersinwriting—withacertifiedcopysothatIcouldkeeptheoriginalandendorsethecopyovertotheteamcommander.
Rustyangrilybackeddown--evenasecondlieutenantisn’tstupidenoughtoputsuchordersinwriting.Iwasn’thappyeitherasRustywasmyroommateandwasthenstillmytutorinmath,butweheldthesightinventory.IgotchewedoutbyLieutenantWarrenforbeingstupidlyofficiousbutheopenedhissafeandletmecheckhisregisteredpublications.CaptainBlackstoneopenedhiswithnocommentandIcouldn’ttellwhetherheapprovedofmysightinventoryornot.
Publicationswereokaybutaccountablepropertywasnot.PoorRusty!Hehadacceptedhispredecessor’scountandnowthecountwasshort—andtheotherofficerwasnotmerelygone,hewasdead.Rustyspentarestlessnight(andsodidI!),thenwenttoBlackieandtoldhimthetruth.
Blackiechewedhimout,thenwentoverthemissingitems,foundwaystoexpendmostofthemas"lostincombat."ItreducedRusty’sshortagestoafewdays’pay—butBlackiehadhimkeepthejob,therebypostponingthecashreckoningindefinitely.
Notall"George"jobscausedthatmuchheadache.Therewerenocourts-martial;goodcombatteamsdon’thavethem.TherewasnomailtocensorastheshipwasinCherenkovdrive.Sameforwelfareloansforsimilarreasons.AthleticsIdelegatedtoBrumby;refereewas"ifandwhen.
