Звездный десант
Chapter 5
Buthehitmewithhishands—heknockedmedowntothegroundandyelled,‘Freeze!youstupidjackass!’Howaboutthat?"
CaptainFrankellookeddownathishands,lookedupagainatHendrick.
"Youngman,youareunderamisapprehensionverycommonamongcivilians.Youthinkthatyoursuperiorofficersarenotpermittedto‘layhandsonyou,’asyouputit.Underpurelysocialconditions,thatistrue—sayifwehappenedtorunacrosseachotherinatheaterorashop,Iwouldhavenomoreright,aslongasyoutreatedmewiththerespectduemyrank,toslapyourfacethanyouhavetoslapmine.Butinlineofdutytheruleisentirelydifferent—"
TheCaptainswungaroundinhischairandpointedatsomeloose-leafbooks."Therearethelawsunderwhichyoulive.Youcansearcheveryarticleinthosebooks,everycourt-martialcasewhichhasarisenunderthem,andyouwillnotfindonewordwhichsays,orimplies,thatyoursuperiorofficermaynot‘layhandsonyou’orstrikeyouinanyothermannerinlineofduty.Hendrick,Icouldbreakyourjaw...andIsimplywouldberesponsibletomyownsuperiorofficersastotheappropriatenecessityoftheact.ButIwouldnotberesponsibletoyou.Icoulddomorethanthat.Therearecircumstancesunderwhichasuperiorofficer,commissionedornot,isnotonlypermittedbutrequiredtokillanofficeroramanunderhim,withoutdelayandperhapswithoutwarning—and,farfrombeingpunished,becommended.Toputastoptopusillanimousconductinthefaceoftheenemy,forexample."
