Звездный десант
Chapter 5
IdiscoveredthatCaptainFrankeldidn’twantzeal;hewantedmetositstill,saynothing,andnotbotherhim.Thisleftmetimetosympathizewithmyself,forIdidn’tdaregotosleep.
Thensuddenly,shortlyafterlunch,Iwasn’tabitsleepy;SergeantZimcamein,followedbythreemen.ZimwassmartandneatasusualbuttheexpressiononhisfacemadehimlooklikeDeathonapalehorseandhehadamarkonhisrighteyethatlookedasifitmightbeshapingupintoashinerwhichwasimpossible,ofcourse.Oftheotherthree,theoneinthemiddlewasTedHendrick.Hewasdirty—well,thecompanyhadbeenonafieldexercise;theydon’tscrubthoseprairiesandyouspendalotofyourtimesnugglinguptothedirt.Buthislipwassplitandtherewasbloodonhischinandonhisshirtandhiscapwasmissing.Helookedwild-eyed.
Themenoneachsideofhimwereboots.Theyeachhadrifles;Hendrickdidnot.Oneofthemwasfrommysquad,akidnamedLeivy.Heseemedexcitedandpleased,andslippedmeawinkwhennobodywaslooking.
CaptainFrankellookedsurprised."Whatisthis,Sergeant?"
Zimstoodfrozenstraightandspokeasifhewererecitingsomethingbyrote."Sir,HCompanyCommanderreportstotheBattalionCommander.Discipline.Articlenine-one-oh-seven.Disregardoftacticalcommandanddoctrine,theteambeinginsimulatedcombat.Articlenine-one-two-oh.Disobedienceoforders,sameconditions."
CaptainFrankellookedpuzzled.
