Звездный десант
Chapter 13
BennieMontez,aclassmateofmine,andIwereattheFleetlandingfieldthedayaftergraduation,waitingtogouptoourships.Wewerestillsuchbrand-newsecondlieutenantsthatbeingsalutedmadeusnervousandIwascoveringitbyreadingthelistofshipsinorbitaroundSanctuary—alistsolongthatitwasclearthatsomethingbigwasstirring,eventhoughtheyhadn’tseenfittomentionittome.Ifeltexcited.Ihadmytwodearestwishes,inonepackage—postedtomyoldoutfitandwhilemyfatherwasstillthere,too.Andnowthis,whateveritwas,meantthatIwasabouttohavethepolishputonmeby"makee-learnee"underLieutenantJelal,withsomeimportantdropcomingup.
IwassofullofitallthatIcouldn’ttalkaboutit,soIstudiedthelists.Whew,whatalotofships!Theywerepostedbytypes,toomanytolocateotherwise.Istartedreadingoffthetroopcarriers,theonlyonesthatmattertoanM.I.
TherewastheMennerheim!AnychanceofseeingCarmen?Probablynot,butIcouldsendadispatchandfindout.
Bigships--thenewValleyForgeandthenewYpres,Merathon,ElAlamein,Iwo,Gallipoli,Leyte,Marne,Tours,Gettysburg,Hastings,Alamo,Waterloo—allplaceswheremudfeethadmadetheirnamestoshine.
