Звездный десант
Chapter 2
Heshovedhischairawayfromhisdesk."SoI’llseeyouatnoondayaftertomorrow.IfIseeyou.Fetchyourpersonaleffects."
Itwasacrumbyleave.Fatherstormedatme,thenquitspeakingtome;
Mothertooktoherbed.WhenIfinallyleft,anhourearlierthanIhadto,nobodysawmeoffbutthemorningcookandthehouseboys.
Istoppedinfrontoftherecruitingsergeant’sdesk,thoughtaboutsalutinganddecidedIdidn’tknowhow.Helookedup."Oh.Hereareyourpapers.Takethemuptoroom201;they’llstartyouthroughthemill.Knockandwalkin."
TwodayslaterIknewIwasnotgoingtobeapilot.Someofthethingstheexaminerswroteaboutmewere:insufficientintuitivegraspofspatialrelationships...insufficientmathematicaltalent...deficientmathematicalpreparation...reactiontimeadequate...eyesightgood.I’mgladtheyputinthoselasttwo;Iwasbeginningtofeelthatcountingonmyfingerswasmyspeed.
Theplacementofficerletmelistmylesserpreferences,inorder,andIcaughtfourmoredaysofthewildestaptitudetestsI’veeverheardof.Imeantosay,whatdotheyfindoutwhenastenographerjumpsonherchairandscreams,"Snakes!"Therewasnosnake,justaharmlesspieceofplastichose.
Thewrittenandoraltestsweremostlyjustassilly,buttheyseemedhappywiththem,soItookthem.ThethingIdidmostcarefullywastolistmypreferences.
