Звездный десант

           Zimseparatedhimselffromtheothersandsimplywaited;Mahmudsatdownonthegroundandrolledacigarette—whichhehadtoputout;hewasthefirstonecalled.Inlessthantwentyminutesallthreeofthemhadtestified,alltellingmuchthesamestoryHendrickhad.Zimwasn’tcalledatall.

           LieutenantSpieksmasaidtoHendrick,"Doyouwishtocross-examinethewitnesses?TheCourtwillassistyou,ifyousowish."

           "No."

           "Standatattentionandsay‘sir’whenyouaddresstheCourt."

           "No,sir."Headded,"Iwantalawyer."

           "TheLawdoesnotpermitcounselinfieldcourts-martial.Doyouwishtotestifyinyourowndefense?Youarenotrequiredtodosoand,inviewoftheevidencethusfar,theCourtwilltakenojudicialnoticeifyouchoosenottodoso.Butyouarewarnedthatanytestimonythatyougivemaybeusedagainstyouandthatyouwillbesubjecttocross-examination."

           Hendrickshrugged."Ihaven’tanythingtosay.Whatgoodwoulditdome?"

           "TheCourtrepeats:Willyoutestifyinyourowndefense?"

           "Uh,no,sir."

           "TheCourtmustdemandofyouonetechnicalquestion.Wasthearticleunderwhichyouarechargedpublishedtoyoubeforethetimeoftheallegedoffenseofwhichyoustandaccused?Youmayansweryes,orno,orstandmute—butyouareresponsibleforyouranswerunderArticle9167whichrelatestoperjury."

           Theaccusedstoodmute.

           "Verywell,theCourtwillrereadthearticleofthechargealoudto

           youandagainaskyouthatquestion.