Звездный десант

           Theyhaven’tyetlearnedtothink,theywon’tread,andtheyrarelylisten—buttheycansee...andyoungHendrick’smisfortunemaysaveoneofhismates,someday,fromswingingbytheneckuntilhe’sdead,dead,dead.ButI’msorrytheobjectlessonhadtocomefrommybattalionandIcertainlydon’tintendtoletthisbattalionsupplyanotherone.Yougetyourinstructorstogetherandwarnthem.Forabouttwenty-fourhoursthosekidswillbeinastateofshock.Thenthey’llturnsullenandthetensionwillbuild.AlongaboutThursdayorFridaysomeboywhoisabouttoflunkoutanyhowwillstartthinkingoverthefactthatHendrickdidn’tgetsoverymuch,noteventhenumberoflashesfordrunkendriving...andhe’sgoingtostartbroodingthatitmightbeworthit,totakeaswingattheinstructorhehatesworst.Sergeant—thatblowmustneverland!Understandme?"

           "Yes,sir."

           "Iwantthemtobeeighttimesascautiousastheyhavebeen.Iwantthemtokeeptheirdistance,Iwantthemtohaveeyesinthebacksoftheirheads.Iwantthemtobeasalertasamouseatacatshow.Bronski—youhaveaspecialwordwithBronski;hehasatendencytofraternize."

           "I’llstraightenBronskiout,sir."

           "Seethatyoudo.Becausewhenthenextkidstartsswinging,it’sgottobestop-punched—notmuffed,liketoday.TheboyhasgottobeknockedcoldandtheinstructormustdosowithouteverbeingtouchedhimselforI’lldamnedwellbreakhimforincompetence.Letthemknowthat.