Звездный десант

           Idon’twantanyheroesinthisoutfit;theLieutenantwouldn’tlikeit.Yougotajobtodo,yougodown,youdoit,youkeepyourearsopenforrecall,youshowupforretrievalonthebounceandbythenumbers.Getme?"

           Heglaredagain."You’resupposedtoknowtheplan.Butsomeofyouain’tgotanymindstohypnotizesoI’llsketchitout.You’llbedroppedintwoskirmishlines,calculatedtwo-thousand-yardintervals.Getyourbearingonmeassoonasyouhit,getyourbearinganddistanceonyoursquadmates,bothsides,whileyoutakecover.You’vewastedtensecondsalready,soyousmash-and-destroywhatever’sathanduntiltheflankershitdirt."(Hewastalkingaboutme—asassistantsectionleaderIwasgoingtobeleftflanker,withnobodyatmyelbow.Ibegantotremble.)

           "Oncetheyhit—straightenoutthoselines!—equalizethoseintervals!Dropwhatyou’redoinganddoit!Twelveseconds.Thenadvancebyleapfrog,oddandeven,assistantsectionleadersmindingthecountandguidingtheenvelopment."Helookedatme."Ifyou’vedonethisproperly—whichIdoubt—theflankswillmakecontactasrecallsounds...atwhichtime,homeyougo.Anyquestions?"

           Thereweren’tany;thereneverwere.Hewenton,"Onemoreword—Thisisjustaraid,notabattle.It’sademonstrationoffirepowerandfrightfulness.Ourmissionistolettheenemyknowthatwecouldhavedestroyedtheircity—butdidn’t—butthattheyaren’tsafeeventhoughwerefrainfromtotalbombing.You’lltakenoprisoners.