"Gordon R. Dickson - Childe Cycle 04 - Tactics of Mistake" - читать интересную книгу автора (Dickson Gordon R)

right?"
"Yes, sir," said Cletus.
"And you"тАФBat flipped papers with a thick forefinger, scowling a little down at themтАФ"got that bad
knee in the Three-Month War on Java seven years ago? тАж Medal of Honor, too?"
"Yes," said Cletus.
"Since then"тАФBat flipped the folder shut and raised his eyes to stare unwaveringly once more across
it at Cletus' faceтАФ"you've been on the Academy staff. Except for three months of active duty, in short,
you've done nothing in the Army but pound tactics into the heads of cadets."
"I've also," said Cletus, carefully, "been writing a comprehensive 'Theory of Tactics and Strategical
Considerations.' "
"Yes," said Bat, grimly. "That's in there, too. Three months in the field and you're going to write
twenty volumes."
"Sir?" said Cletus.
Bat threw himself back heavily in his chair. "All right," he said. "You're supposed to be here on special
assignment to act as my tactical adviser." The black eyebrows drew together in a scowl and rippled like
battle flags in the wind. "I don't suppose I've got you because you heard some rumor they were going to
clean out all the dead wood at the Academy and you pulled strings to be sent to some nice soft job
where there's nothing for you to do?"
"No, sir," said Cletus, quietly. "I may have pulled a string or two to get sent here. But, with the
General's permission, it wasn't because I thought this a soft job. I've got to do a great deal out here."
"I hope not, Colonel. I hope not," said Bat. "It just happens I put in a request for a dozen
jungle-breaker tanks three months ago тАж You're what I got instead. Now, I don't give a damn what the
Academy wants to do with its Tactics Department. The kids just have to come out here into the field and
relearn it all over again under practical conditions, anyway. But I needed those tanks. I still need them."
"Possibly," said Cletus, "I can come up with some means to help the General get along without them."
"I don't think so," said Bat, grimly. "What I think is that you're going to hang around here for a couple
of months or so and turn out not to be particularly useful. Then I'm going to mention that fact to Alliance
HQ back on Earth and ask for my jungle-breakers again. I'll get them, and you'll be transferred back to
EarthтАФif with no commendations, at least without any black marks on your record тАж That's if
everything goes smoothly, Colonel. And"тАФBat reached across to a corner of his desk and pulled a single
sheet of paper toward himтАФ"speaking of the way things go, I've got a report here that you got drunk
your first night out, on the ship headed here, and made a fool of yourself in front of the Outworld's
Secretary for the Coalition, who was aboard."
"That's fast reporting," said Cletus, "considering that, when our party for Bakhalla left the ship, the
phones aboard were all still tied up by Coalition people. I take it this report to the General comes from
one of them?"
"It's none of your business who made the report!" rumbled Bat. "As a matter of fact, it comes from
the captain of the spaceship."
Cletus laughed.
"What's the joke, Colonel?" Bat's voice rose.
"The idea, sir," said Cletus, "of a civilian ship commander reporting on the fitness of an Alliance
officer."
"You won't find it all that funny if I have the information entered in your record, Colonel," said Bat. He
stared at Cletus, at first grimly, and then a trifle disconcertedly, when Cletus did not seem greatly sobered
by this threat. "But, never mind the Coalition or any civilian shipmaster. I'm your commanding officer,
and I'm asking for an explanation of your drunkenness."
"There isn't any explanation тАж " began Cletus.
"Oh?" said Bat.
"No explanation, I was going to say," continued Cletus, "because no explanation's necessary. I've
never been drunk in my life. I'm afraid the ship's captain was wrongly advisedтАФor drew the wrong