Звездный десант
Chapter 6
TimetoadmitthatIwaswrongandFatherwasright,timetoputinthatlittlepieceofpaperandslinkhomeandtellFatherthatIwasreadytogotoHarvardandthengotoworkinthebusiness—ifhewouldstillletme.TimetoseeSergeantZim,firstthinginthemorning,andtellhimthatIhadhadit.Butnotuntilmorning,becauseyoudon’twakeSergeantZimexceptforsomethingyou’recertainthathewillclassasanemergency—believeme,youdon’t!NotSergeantZim.
SergeantZim—
HeworriedmeasmuchasTed’scasedid.Afterthecourt-martialwasoverandTedhadbeentakenaway,hestayedbehindandsaidtoCaptainFrankel,"MayIspeakwiththeBattalionCommander,sir?"
"Certainly.Iwasintendingtoaskyoutostaybehindforaword.Sitdown."
ZimflickedhiseyesmywayandtheCaptainlookedatmeandIdidn’thavetobetoldtogetout;Ifaded.Therewasnobodyintheouteroffice,justacoupleofcivilianclerks.Ididn’tdaregooutsidebecausetheCaptainmightwantme;Ifoundachairbackofarowoffilesandsatdown.
Icouldhearthemtalking,throughthepartitionIhadmyheadagainst.
BHQwasabuildingratherthanatent,sinceithousedpermanentcommunicationandrecordingequipment,butitwasa"minimumfieldbuilding,"ashack;theinnerpartitionsweren’tmuch.Idoubtifthecivilianscouldhearastheyeachwerewearingtranscriberphonesandwerebentovertypers—besides,theydidn’tmatter.Ididn’tmeantoeavesdrop.Uh,well,maybeIdid.
Zimsaid:"Sir,Irequesttransfertoacombatteam."
