Звездный десант

           Iwasn’treallyanon-com,anymorethanJellywasreallyanofficer.

           "Justthis,Johnnie.Don’tbuyafarm.Youknowyourjob;doit.Justdoit.Don’ttrytowinamedal."

           "Uh,thanks,Padre.Ishan’t."

           HeaddedsomethinggentlyinalanguageIdon’tknow,pattedmeonthe

           shoulder,andhurriedbacktohissection.Jellycalledout,"Tenn...shut!"andweallsnappedto.

           "Platoon!"

           "Section!"MigliaccioandJohnsonechoed.

           "Bysections-portandstarboard-preparefordrop!"

           "Section!Manyourcapsules!Move!"

           "Squad!"—IhadtowaitwhilesquadsfourandfivemannedtheircapsulesandmovedondownthefiringtubebeforemycapsuleshowedupontheporttrackandIcouldclimbintoit.Iwonderedifthoseold-timersgottheshakesastheyclimbedintotheTrojanHorse?Orwasitjustme?Jellycheckedeachmanashewassealedinandhesealedmeinhimself.Ashedidso,heleanedtowardmeandsaid,"Don’tgoofoff,Johnnie.Thisisjustlikeadrill."

           ThetopclosedonmeandIwasalone."Justlikeadrill,"hesays!Ibegantoshakeuncontrollably.

           Then,inmyearphones,IheardJellyfromthecenter-linetube:

           "Bridge!Rasczak’sRoughnecks...readyfordrop!"

           "Seventeenseconds,Lieutenant!"Iheardtheshipcaptain’scheerfulcontraltoreplying—andresentedhercallingJelly"Lieutenant."Tobesure,ourlieutenantwasdeadandmaybeJellywouldgethiscommission...butwewerestill"Rasczak’sRoughnecks."

           Sheadded,"Goodluck,boys!"

           "Thanks,Captain."

           "Braceyourselves!Fiveseconds."

           Iwasstrappedallover-belly,forehead,shins.