Major Mandella, 2458-3142 A.D., Chapter 2 Summary

The next day, Mandella meets his company for the first time. Since conception and birth no longer take place on Earth as a result of mating and pregnancy, all 112 of them are what he would consider "test-tube babies." Mandella reflects on how similar most of them look to one another, and how things have changed in the last 450 years. Every single person on the planet is drafted into the service at age twenty and serves at least five years. Those with the highest genetic ratings are encouraged to become combat soldiers and extend the mandatory five years to ten. Turning down such an honor is considered "sociopathic" in present-day society. Although no one has ever made it through all ten years alive, people continue to sign up. Looking over his soldiers, he is...