Звездный десант

           Frankelanswered:"Ican’thearyou,Charlie.Mytinearisbotheringmeagain."

           Zim:"I’mquiteserious,sir.Thisisn’tmysortofduty."

           Frankelsaidtestily,"Quitbellyachingyourtroublestome,Sergeant.Atleastwaituntilwe’vedisposedofdutymatters.Whatintheworldhappened?"

           Zimsaidstiffly,"Captain,thatboydoesn’tratetenlashes."

           Frankelanswered,"Ofcoursehedoesn’t.Youknowwhogoofed—andsodoI."

           "Yes,sir.Iknow."

           "Well?YouknowevenbetterthanIdothatthesekidsarewildanimalsatthisstage.Youknowwhenit’ssafetoturnyourbackonthemandwhenitisn’t.Youknowthedoctrineandthestandingordersaboutarticlenine-oh-eight-oh—youmustnevergivethemachancetoviolateit.Ofcoursesomeofthemaregoingtotryit—iftheyweren’taggressivetheywouldn’tbematerialfortheM.I.They’redocileinranks;it’ssafeenoughtoturnyourbackwhenthey’reeating,orsleeping,orsittingontheirtailsandbeinglectured.Butgetthemoutinthefieldinacombatexercise,oranythingthatgetsthemkeyedupandfullofadrenaline,andthey’reasexplosiveasahatfulofmercuryfulminate.Youknowthat,allyouinstructorsknowthat;you’retrained—trainedtowatchforit,trainedtosnuffitoutbeforeithappens.Explaintomehowitwaspossibleforanuntrainedrecruittohangamouseonyoureye?Heshouldneverhavelaidahandonyou;youshouldhaveknockedhimcoldwhenyousawwhathewasupto.