"About ten kilometers out. Section AAB-6."
"How many?"
"A mob. You want I should count them?"
"No. What're they doing?"
"Making a beeline for us. You better get a move on."
"O.K. Keep us posted."
"Right."
* * * * *
Stetson looked across at his junior field man. "Orne, if you decide you
want out of this assignment, you just say the word. I'll back you to the
hilt."
"Why should I want out of my first field assignment?"
"Listen, and find out." Stetson crossed to a tilt-locker behind the big
translite map, hauled out a white coverall uniform with gold insignia,
tossed it to Orne. "Get into these while I brief you on the map."
"But this is an R&R uni--" began Orne.
"Get that uniform on your ugly frame!"
"Yes, sir, Admiral Stetson, sir. Right away, sir. But I thought I was
through with old Rediscovery & Reeducation when you drafted me off of
Hamal into the I-A ... sir." He began changing from the I-A blue to the
R&R white. Almost as an afterthought, he said: "... Sir."
A wolfish grin cracked Stetson's big features. "I'm soooooo happy you
have the proper attitude of subservience toward authority."