“Ain’t nobody said I wouldn’t give it to you,” said C. H. He swung his feet off the desk and sat up straight in the chair. “But you do have to give me all the right paperwork, cap’n’s orders or not. Now, for starters, where’s your Form SL-951-C-4? Can’t give out strategic supplies without that one, in triplicate.”
“Man, nobody told us we needed no forms,” said Do-Wop, a look of dismay on his face. “Can you give me the wire and the forms, and I’ll bring ’em back later?”
Chocolate Harry shook his head gravely. “Not unless I want to get in a heap of trouble, myself. This new major’s a stickler for routine. Forms first, then your copper. That’s definitely strategic supplies. Unless maybe you’re gonna use it for some nondesignated strategic purpose, in which case maybe I can dispense with the SL-951-C-4. But I gotta know up front.”
“Uh, yeah, nondesignated strategic purpose, that’s the ticket,” said Do-Wop, grinning. “Got yer strategic purpose right here. Soosh tells me, he’s gonna set up a biomass detector to search for the Hidden Ones the lizards have been trying so hard to catch, which they ain’t seen hide nor hair of ’em except their comm signals.”
“Biomass detector?” The supply sergeant frowned. “With two whole reels of copper wire; you oughta be able to track a stray geefle bug halfway across the galaxy. What do you clowns think you’re looking for?”
“All we know is it’s too hard to find by bare eyeball,” said Do-Wop. “That’s why Soosh decided to rig something special. He dug out the designs from some old program, and he’s doin’ some custom mods…”