Звездный десант

           "

           "Isee."Iwasn’tsurethatIdid,butIunderstoodmypart:rearrangemylisteningposts;lethalfmyplatoonsleep.ThenaBughunt—onthesurfaceifwewerelucky,undergroundifwehadto.

           "Haveyourflankmakecontactwiththatsappercompanywhenitarrives.

           Help‘emiftheywanthelp."

           "Right,Cap’n,"Iagreedheartily.Combatengineersarealmostasgoodanoutfitastheinfantry;it’sapleasuretoworkwiththem.Inapinchtheyfight,maybenotexpertlybutbravely.Ortheygoaheadwiththeirwork,notevenliftingtheirheads,whileabattleragesaroundthem.Theyhaveanunofficial,verycynicalandveryancientmotto:"Firstwedig‘em,thenwediein‘em,"tosupplementtheirofficialmotto:"Cando!"Bothmottoesareliteraltruth.

           "Getonit,son."

           TwelvelisteningpostsmeantthatIcouldputahalfsquadateachpost,eitheracorporalorhislance,plusthreeprivates,thenallowtwoofeachgroupoffourtosleepwhiletheothertwotookturnslistening.Navarreandtheothersectionchasercouldwatchthecraterandsleep,turnabout,whilesectionsergeantscouldtaketurnsinchargeoftheplatoon.TheredispositiontooknomorethantenminutesonceIhaddetailedtheplanandgivenoutbearingstothesergeants;nobodyhadtomoveveryfar.Iwarnedeverybodytokeepeyesopenforacompanyofengineers.