Звездный десант
Chapter 2
Wewatchedwhenyouturnedthecorneronadolescenceandstartednoticingthatgirlsweredifferent—andwonderful."
Hesighedagain."Allnormalstages.Andthelastone,rightattheendofadolescence,iswhenaboydecidestojoinupandwearaprettyuniform.Ordecidesthatheisinlove,lovesuchasnomaneverexperiencedbefore,andthathejusthastogetmarriedrightaway.Orboth."Hesmiledgrimly."Withmeitwasboth.ButIgotovereachofthemintimenottomakeafoolofmyselfandruinmylife."
"But,Father,Iwouldn’truinmylife.Justatermofservice—notcareer."
"Let’stablethat,shallwe?Listen,andletmetellyouwhatyouaregoingtodo—becauseyouwantto.Inthefirstplacethisfamilyhasstayedoutofpoliticsandcultivateditsowngardenforoverahundredyears—Iseenoreasonforyoutobreakthatfinerecord.Isupposeit’stheinfluenceofthatfellowatyourhighschool—what’shisname?YouknowtheoneImean."
HemeantourinstructorinHistoryandMoralPhilosophy—aveteran,naturally."Mr.Dubois."
"Hmmph,asillyname—itsuitshim.Foreigner,nodoubt.Itoughttobeagainstthelawtousetheschoolsasundercoverrecruitingstations.IthinkI’mgoingtowriteaprettysharpletteraboutit—ataxpayerhassomerights!"
"But,Father,hedoesn’tdothatatall!He—"Istopped,notknowinghowtodescribeit.Mr.Duboishadasnotty,superiormanner;heactedasifnoneofuswasreallygoodenoughtovolunteerforservice.Ididn’tlikehim."Uh,ifanything,hediscouragesit."
