Звездный десант
Chapter 3
Afterthattheycircledaroundeachotherinahalfcrouch,makingtentativepasseswiththeirhands,andlookinglikeacoupleofroosters.
Suddenlytheytouched—andthelittlechapwasdownonthegroundandSergeantZimwasflyingthroughtheairoverhishead.Buthedidn’tlandwiththedull,breath-paralyzingthudthatMeyerhad;helitrollingandwasonhisfeetasfastasShujumiwasandfacinghim."Banzai!"Zimyelledandgrinned.
"Arigato,"Shujumiansweredandgrinnedback.
TheytouchedagainalmostwithoutapauseandIthoughttheSergeantwasgoingtoflyagain.Hedidn’t;heslitheredstraightin,therewasaconfusionofarmsandlegsandwhenthemotionsloweddownyoucouldseethatZimwastuckingShujumi’sleftfootinhisrightear—apoorfit.
Shujumislappedthegroundwithafreehand;Zimlethimupatonce.
Theyagainbowedtoeachother.
"Anotherfall,sir?"
"Sorry.We’vegotworktodo.Someothertime,eh?Forfun...andhonor.PerhapsIshouldhavetoldyou;yourhonorablefathertrainedme."
"SoIhadalreadysurmised,sir.Anothertimeitis."
Zimslappedhimhardontheshoulder."Backinranks,soldier.C’pnee!"
Then,fortwentyminutes,wewentthroughcalisthenicsthatleftmeasdrippinghotasIhadbeenshiveringcold.Zimledithimself,doingitallwithusandshoutingthecount.Hehadn’tbeenmussedthatIcouldsee;hewasn’tbreathinghardaswefinished.
