"Harry Harrison - Bill, The Galactic Hero" - читать интересную книгу автора (Harrison Harry)

grasping a stylo and was about to sign the form that the recruiting sergeant
held before him.
"No," Bill said, a little amazed at his own firmness of mind. "I don't really
want to. Technical Fertilizer Operator . . ."
"And not only will you receive this lovely uniform, an enlistment bonus, and
a free medical examination, but you will be awarded these handsome medals."
The sergeant took a flat box, offered to him on cue by a robot, and opened it
to display a glittering array of ribbons and bangles. "This is the Honorable
Enlistment Award," he intoned gravely, pinning a jewel-encrusted nebula,
pendant on chartreuse, to Bill's wide chest. "And the Emperor's Congratulatory
Gilded Horn, the Forward to Victory Starburst, the Praise Be Given Salutation
of the Mothers of the Victorious Fallen, and the Everflowing Cornucopia which
does not mean anything but looks nice and can be used to carry contraceptives."
He stepped back and admired Bill's chest; which was now adangle with ribbons,
shining metal, and gleaming paste gems.
"I just couldn't," Bill said. "Thank you anyway for the offer, but . . . "
The sergeant smiled, prepared even for this eleventh-hour resistance, and
pressed the button on his belt that actuated the programed hypno-coil in the
heel of Bill's new boot. The powerful neural current surged through the
contacts and Bill's hand twitched and jumped, and when the momentary fog had
lifted from his eyes he saw that he had signed his name.
"But...'
"Welcome to the Space Troopers;" the sergeant boomed, smacking him on the
back (trapezius like rock) and relieving him of the stylo. "FALL IN!" he called
in a larger voice, and the recruits stumbled from the tavern.
"What have they done to my sonl" Bill's mother screeched, coming into the
market square, clutching at her bosom with one hand and towing his baby brother
Charlie with the other. Charlie began to cry and wet his pants.
"Your son is now a trooper for the greater glory of the Emperor," the



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sergeant said, pushing his slack-jawed and round-shouldered recruit squad into
line.
"No! it can't be . . ." Bill's mother sobbed, tearing at her graying hair.
"I'm a poor widow, he's my sole support . . . you cannot . . . I"
"Mother. . ." Bill said, but the sergeant shoved him back into the ranks.'
"Be brave, madam," he said. "There can be no greater glory for a mother."
He dropped a large and newly minted coin into her hand. "Here is the enlistment
bonus, the Emperor's shilling. I know he wants you to have it. ATTENTION!"
With a clash of heels the graceless recruits braced their shoulders and
lifted their chins. Much to his surprise, so did Bill.
"RIGHT TURN!"
In a single, graceful motion they turned, as the command robot relayed the
order to the hypno-coil in every boot. "FORWARD MARCH!" And they did, in
perfect rhythm, so well under control that, try as hard as he could, Bill could
neither turn his head nor wave a last good-by to his mother. She vanished