Звездный десант
Chapter 2
Buthecaughtmyeyeandrecognizedme."Evening!"hesaidbriskly.
"Youhaven’tshippedoutyet?"
AndthenIrecognizedhim—theFleetSergeantwhohadswornusin.Iguessmychindropped;thismanwasincivilianclothes,waswalkingaroundontwolegsandhadtwoarms."Uh,goodevening,Sergeant,"Imumbled.
Heunderstoodmyexpressionperfectly,glanceddownathimselfandsmiledeasily."Relax,lad.Idon’thavetoputonmyhorrorshowafterworkinghours—andIdon’t.Youhaven’tbeenplacedyet?"
"Ijustgotmyorders."
"Forwhat?"
"MobileInfantry."
Hisfacebrokeinabiggrinofdelightandheshovedouthishand."Myoutfit!Shake,son!We’llmakeamanofyou—orkillyoutrying.Maybeboth."
"It’sagoodchoice?"Isaiddoubtfully.
"‘Agoodchoice’?Son,it’stheonlychoice.TheMobileInfantryistheArmy.Alltheothersareeitherbuttonpushersorprofessors,alongmerelytohandusthesaw;wedothework."Heshookhandsagainandadded,"Dropmeacard—‘FleetSergeantHo,FederalBuilding,’that’llreachme.Goodluck!Andhewasoff,shouldersback,heelsclicking,headup.
Ilookedatmyhand.Thehandhehadofferedmewastheonethatwasn’tthere—hisrighthand.Yetithadfeltlikefleshandhadshakenminefirmly.Ihadreadaboutthesepoweredprosthetics,butitisstartlingwhenyoufirstrunacrossthem.
Iwentbacktothehotelwhererecruitsweretemporarilybilletedduringplacement—wedidn’tevenhaveuniformsyet,justplaincoverallsweworeduringthedayandourownclothesafterhours
