JOST A MON

The idle ramblings of a Jack of some trades, Master of none

In Joe Haldeman's tough Vietnam-War-Set-in-Outer-Space novel The Forever Wa, William Mandella is alienated from Earth. Every time he goes off on a military mission to the stars, relativistic dilation means decades have passed in the home world, and nothing is the same when he returns on furlough. Here he has been assigned command of an assault force, and is sitting around getting sozzled.
Kynock finished his drink and asked the private to get him - I swear to God - a 'rum Antares.' 
... 
The rum Antares was a tall slender glass with a little ice floating at the top, filled with pale amber liquid. At the bottom was a bright red globule about the size of a thumbnail; crimson filaments waved up from it. 
'What's that red stuff?' 
'Cinnamon. Oh, some ester with cinnamon in it. Quite good .... want a taste?' 
'No, I'll stick to beer, thanks.'

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