"Joe Haldeman - We Were Very Happy" - читать интересную книгу автора (Haldeman Joe)

it felt like less than two. Time dilation, of course. Even with the collapsar jumps, traveling from star to star
eats up the calendar. After this raid, I would probably be eligible for retirement, with full pay. If I lived
through the raid, and if they didnтАЩt change the rules on us. Me a twenty-year man, and only twenty-five
years old.

Stott was summing up when there was a knock on the door, a single loud rap. тАЬEnter,тАЭ he said.
An ensign I knew vaguely walked in casually and handed Stott a slip of paper, without saying a word. He
stood there while Stott read it, slumping with just the right degree of insolence. Technically, Stott was out
of his chain of command; everybody in the Navy disliked him anyhow.

Stott handed the paper back to the ensign and looked through him.

тАЬYou will alert your squads that preliminary evasive manoeuvres will commence at 2010, fifty-eight
minutes from now.тАЭ He hadnтАЩt looked at his watch. тАЬAll personnel will be in acceleration shells by 2000.
TenchтАж hut!тАЭ

We rose and, without enthusiasm, chorused, тАЬHump you, sir.тАЭ Idiotic.

Stott strode out of the room and the ensign followed, smirking.

I turned my ring to position four, my assistant squad leaderтАЩs channel, and talked into it: тАЬTate, this is
Mandella.тАЭ Everyone else in the room was doing the same.

A tinny voice came out of the ring. тАЬTate here. WhatтАЩs up?тАЭ

тАЬGet hold of the men and tell them we have to be in the shells by 2000. Evasive manoeuvres.тАЭ

тАЬCrap. They told us itтАЩd be days.тАЭ

тАЬI guess something new came up. Maybe the commodore has a bright idea.тАЭ

тАЬThe commodore can stuff it. You up in the lounge?тАЭ

тАЬYeah.тАЭ

тАЬBring me back a cup when you come, O. K.? Little bit of sugar?тАЭ

тАЬO. K. Be down in half an hour.тАЭ

тАЬThanks. IтАЩll round тАШem up.тАЭ

There was a general movement toward the soya machine. I got in line behind Corporal Potter.

тАЬWhat do you think, Marygay?тАЭ

тАЬIтАЩm just a corporal, Sarge. IтАЩm not paid toтАФтАЭ

тАЬSure, sure. Seriously.тАЭ

тАЬWell, It doesnтАЩt have to be very complicated. Maybe the commodore just wants us to try out the shells