at do you weigh, Max?"

Max's face soured. "About one twenty."

"Did you check out on semaphore in school?"

"Well, sure. I'm Category Food, Sub-division Cooking, Branch Chef, but,
like I say, I took basic military training, like most everybody else."

"I'm Captain Joe Mauser. How'd you like to be my batman?"

Max screwed up his already not overly handsome face. "Gee, I don't know.
I kinda joined up to see some action. Get into the dill. You know what I
mean."

Joe said dryly, "See here, Mainz, you'll probably find more pickled
situations next to me than you'll want--and you'll come out alive."

The recruiting sergeant looked up from the desk. It was Max Mainz's turn
to be processed. The sergeant said, "Lad, take a good opportunity when
it drops in your lap. The captain is one of the best in the field.
You'll learn more, get better chances for promotion, if you stick with
him."

Joe couldn't remember ever having run into the sergeant before, but he
said, "Thanks, sergeant."

The other said, evidently realizing Joe didn't recognize him, "We were
together on the Chihuahua Reservation, on the jurisdictional fracas
between the United Miners and the Teamsters, sir."

It had been almost fifteen years ago. About all that Joe Mauser
remembered of that fracas was the abnormal number of casualties they'd
taken. His side had lost, but from this distance in time Joe couldn't
even remember what force he'd been with. But now he said, "That's right.
I thought I recognized you, sergeant."

"It was my first fracas, sir." The sergeant went businesslike. "If you
want I should hustle this lad though, captain--"

"Please do, sergeant." Joe added to Max, "I'm not sure where my billet
will be. When you're through all this, locate the officer's mess and
wait there for me."

"Well, O.K.," Max said doubtfully, still scowling but evidently a
servant of an officer, if he wanted to be or not.

"Sir," the sergeant added ominously. "If you've had basic, you know
enough how to address an officer."

"Well, yessir," Max said hurriedly.

Joe began to turn away, but then spotted the man immediately behind Max
Mainz. He was one of the three with whom Joe had tangled earlier, the
one who'd obviously had previous combat experience. He pointed the man
out to the sergeant. "You'd better give this lad at least temporary rank
of corporal. He's a veteran and we're short of veterans."

The sergeant said, "Yes, sir. We sure are." Joe's former f