Звездный десант
Chapter 4
Thesheeptrickworks,too;ourwholesection,threesquads,didittogether.Idon’trecommenditasawaytosleep;youareeitherintheouterlayer,frozenononesideandtryingtowormyourwayinside,oryouareinside,fairlywarmbutwitheverybodyelsetryingtoshovehiselbows,feet,andhalitosisonyou.YoumigratefromoneconditiontotheotherallnightlonginsortofaBrownianmovement,neverquitewakingupandneverreallysoundasleep.Allthismakesanightaboutahundredyearslong.
Weturnedoutatdawntothefamiliarshoutof:"Upyoucome!Onthebounce!"encouragedbyinstructors’batonsappliedsmartlyonfundamentsstickingoutofthepiles...andthenwedidsetting-upexercises.Ifeltlikeacorpseanddidn’tseehowIcouldtouchmytoes.ButIdid,thoughithurt,andtwentyminuteslaterwhenwehitthetrailImerelyfeltelderly.SergeantZimwasn’tevenmussedandsomehowthescoundrelhadmanagedtoshave.
TheSunwarmedourbacksaswemarchedandZimstartedussinging,oldiesatfirst,like"LeRegimentdeSambreetMeuse"and"Caissons"and"HallsofMontezuma"andthenourown"CapTrooper’sPolka"whichmovesyouintoquickstepandpullsyouonintoatrot.SergeantZimcouldn’tcarryatuneinasack;allhehadwasaloudvoice.ButBreckinridgehadasure,strongleadandcouldholdtherestofusintheteethofZim’sterriblefalsenotes.Weallfeltcockyandcoveredwithspines.
Butwedidn’tfeelcockyfiftymileslater.
