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. That was a hand-weapons job. Messy."
"Maybe you would have had the sense not to volunteer."
"Stinky, even you would volunteer, fat and lazy as you are -- if Baslim asked for volunteers."
"I'm not lazy, I'm efficient. But riddle me this: what was a C.O. doing leading a landing party?"
"The Old Man followed regulations only when he agreed with them. He wanted a crack at slavers with his own hands -- he hated slavers with a cold passion. So he comes back a hero and what can the Department do? Wait until he gets out of the hospital and court-martial him? Stinky, even top brass can be sensible when they have their noses rubbed in it So they cited him for above-and-beyond under unique circumstances and put him on limited duty. But from here on, when 'unique circumstances' arise, every commanding officer knows that he can't thumb through the book for an alibi. It'll be up to him to continue the example."
"Not me," Stancke said firmly.
"You. When you're a C.O. and comes time to do something unpleasant, there you'll be, trying to get your tummy to and your chest out, with your chubby little face set in hero lines. You won't be able to help it. The Baslim conditioned-reflex will hit you."
Around dawn they got to bed. Brisby intended to sleep late but long habit took him to his desk only minutes late. He was not surprised to find his professedly-lazy Exec already at work
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