Звездный десант
Chapter 13
HesawthattheircounterattackmadefromBugtownwasnotinsufficientforce,andconcludedthattheenemydidnothavemanyreserves—anddecidedthat,atthisonegoldenmoment,onemanactingalonemighthaveachanceofraiding,finding"royalty"andcapturingit.Remember,thatwasthewholepurposeoftheoperation;wehadplentyofforcesimplytosterilizePlanetP,butourobjectwastocaptureroyaltycastesandtolearnhowtogodownin.Sohetriedit,snatchedthatonemoment—andsucceededonbothcounts.
Itmadeit"missionaccomplished"fortheFirstPlatoonoftheBlackguards.Notverymanyotherplatoons,outofmany,manyhundreds,couldsaythat;noqueenswerecaptured(theBugskilledthemfirst)andonlysixbrains.Noneofthesixwereeverexchanged,theydidn’tlivelongenough.ButthePsychWarfareboysdidgetlivespecimens,soIsupposeOperationRoyaltywasasuccess.
Myplatoonsergeantgotafieldcommission.Iwasnotofferedone(andwouldnothaveaccepted)--butIwasnotsurprisedwhenIlearnedthathehadbeencommissioned.Cap’nBlackiehadtoldmethatIwasgetting"thebestsergeantinthefleet"andIhadneverhadanydoubtthatBlackie’sopinionwascorrect.Ihadmetmyplatoonsergeantbefore.Idon’tthinkanyotherBlackguardknewthis—notfrommeandcertainlynotfromhim.IdoubtifBlackiehimselfknewit.ButIhadknownmyplatoonsergeantsincemyfirstdayasaboot.
HisnameisZim.
