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+The Project Gutenberg EBook of Sabotage in Space, by Carey Rockwell
+
+This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with
+almost no restrictions whatsoever.  You may copy it, give it away or
+re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included
+with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org
+
+
+Title: Sabotage in Space
+
+Author: Carey Rockwell
+
+Illustrator: Louis Glanzman
+
+Release Date: June 6, 2006 [EBook #18520]
+
+Language: English
+
+Character set encoding: ASCII
+
+*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK SABOTAGE IN SPACE ***
+
+
+
+
+Produced by Greg Weeks, LN Yaddanapudi and the Online
+Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+SABOTAGE IN SPACE
+
+
+
+
+THE TOM CORBETT SPACE CADET STORIES
+
+By Carey Rockwell
+
+
+STAND BY FOR MARS!
+
+DANGER IN DEEP SPACE
+
+ON THE TRAIL OF THE SPACE PIRATES
+
+THE SPACE PIONEERS
+
+THE REVOLT ON VENUS
+
+TREACHERY IN OUTER SPACE
+
+SABOTAGE IN SPACE
+
+THE ROBOT ROCKET
+
+[Illustration: Frontispiece]
+
+
+
+
+A TOM CORBETT Space Cadet Adventure
+
+
+SABOTAGE IN SPACE
+
+By CAREY ROCKWELL
+
+WILLY LEY _Technical Adviser_
+
+
+GROSSET & DUNLAP _Publishers_ New York
+
+
+
+
+COPYRIGHT, 1955, BY
+ROCKHILL RADIO
+
+
+COPYRIGHT ROCKHILL RADIO 1955
+
+
+ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
+ILLUSTRATIONS BY LOUIS GLANZMAN
+
+
+PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
+
+
++--------------------------------------------------------------+
+| Transcriber's Note                                           |
+|                                                              |
+| Extensive search has failed to uncover any evidence of       |
+| renewal of copyright of this work.                           |
+|                                                              |
++--------------------------------------------------------------+
+
+
+
+
+ILLUSTRATIONS
+
+
+_Frontispiece_
+
+Tom shot a hard right to his opponent's stomach               13
+
+Tom swerved the jet car in front of the runaway truck         81
+
+The men inside were tough-looking and steely-eyed             89
+
+Tom saw that the Space Marines were watching the passengers
+very closely                                                 137
+
+"He's hanging on to the cleat over the main tube!"           185
+
+"The projectiles blew Devers' ship into rocket dust!"        209
+
+
+
+
+SABOTAGE IN SPACE
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER 1
+
+
+"_Bong-g-g! Bong-g-g! Bong-g-g!--_"
+
+With a hollow booming sound reminiscent of old eighteenth-and
+nineteenth-century clock towers, the electronic time tone rang out from
+the Tower of Galileo, chiming the hour of nine. As the notes
+reverberated over the vast expanse of Space Academy, U.S.A., the lights
+in the windows of the cadet dormitories began to wink out and the
+slidewalks that crisscrossed the campus, connecting the various
+buildings, rumbled to a halt. When the last mournful note had rolled
+away to die in the distant hills, the school was dark and still. The
+only movement to be seen was the slow pacing of the cadet watch
+officers, patrolling their beats; the only sound, the measured clicking
+of their boots on the metal strips of the slidewalks.
+
+On the north side of the quadrangle near the Tower, a young watch
+officer paused in front of one of the dormitories and scanned the
+darkened windows of the durasteel and crystal building. Satisfied that
+all was in order, he continued on his lonely way. A moment later a
+shadowy figure rose out of the bushes opposite the dormitory entrance
+and stepped forward quickly and cautiously. Pausing on the slidewalk to
+stare after the disappearing watch officer, the figure was illuminated
+by the dim light from the entrance hall. He was a young man wearing the
+royal-blue uniform of a Space Cadet. Tall and wiry, with square features
+topped by a shock of close-cropped blond hair, he stood poised on the
+balls of his feet, ready to move quickly should another watch officer
+appear.
+
+After a quick glance at his wrist chronometer, the young cadet darted
+across the slidewalk toward the transparent crystal portal of the
+dormitory. Hesitating only long enough to make certain that the inner
+hallway was clear, he slid the portal open, ducked inside, and sprinted
+down the hall toward a large black panel on the wall near the foot of
+the slidestairs. On the panel, in five long columns, were the name
+plates of every cadet quartered in the dormitory and beside each plate
+were two words, IN and OUT, with a small tab that fitted over one of the
+words.
+
+Out of the one hundred and fifty cadets in the dormitory, one hundred
+and forty-nine were marked IN. The slender, blond-haired cadet quickly
+made it unanimous, reaching up to the tab next to the name of Roger
+Manning and sliding it over to cover the word OUT. With a last final
+look around, he raced up the slidestairs, smiling in secret triumph.
+
+In Room 512 on the fifth floor of the dormitory, Tom Corbett and Astro,
+the two other cadets who, with Roger Manning, made up the famed
+_Polaris_ unit of the Space Cadet Corps, were deep in their studies.
+Though the lights-out order had been given over the dormitory
+loud-speaker system, the desk lamp burned brightly and there was a
+blanket thrown over the window. The boys of the _Polaris_ unit weren't
+alone in their disobedience. All over the dormitory, lights were on and
+cadets were studying secretly. But they all felt fairly safe, for the
+cadet watch officers on each floor were anxious to study themselves and
+turned a blind eye. Even the Solar Guard officer of the day, in charge
+of the entire dormitory, was sympathetic to their efforts and made a
+great deal of unnecessary noise while on his evening rounds.
+
+His brown curly hair falling over his forehead, Tom Corbett frowned in
+concentration as he kept the earphones of his study machine clamped
+tightly to his ears and listened to a recorded lecture on astrophysics
+as it unreeled from the spinning study spool. As command cadet of the
+_Polaris_ unit, Tom was required to know more than merely his particular
+duty as pilot of a rocket ship. He had to be familiar with every phase
+of space travel, with a working knowledge of the duties of all his unit
+mates.
+
+Astro, the power-deck officer of the unit, paced back and forth between
+the bunks like a huge, hulking bear, muttering to himself as he tried to
+memorize the table of reaction times for rocket motors. Though the huge
+Venusian cadet was a genius at all mechanical tasks, and able to work
+with tools the way a surgeon worked with instruments, he had great
+difficulty in learning the theories and scientific reasons for all the
+things he did instinctively. Suddenly Astro stopped, looked at his
+chronometer, then turned to Tom.
+
+"Hey, Tom!" he called. "Where's that jerk, Manning?"
+
+"Huh?" replied Tom, lifting one of the earphones from his ears. "What
+did you say, Astro?"
+
+"Where's Manning?" reiterated Astro. "It's ten minutes after lights
+out."
+
+"He was going to get those study spools for us, wasn't he?" mused Tom.
+
+"He should've been back by now," grunted the Venusian. "The library
+closed an hour ago. Besides, he couldn't have gotten those spools. Every
+other cadet in the Academy is after them."
+
+"Well, he's a pretty resourceful joker," sighed Tom, turning back to the
+study machine. "When he goes after something, he gets it by hook or
+crook."
+
+"It's the crook part that bothers me," grumbled Astro. "Besides, if the
+O.D. catches him out of quarters, he'll be doing his studying while he's
+polishing up the mess hall."
+
+Suddenly the door to the room burst open and slammed closed. Tom and
+Astro whirled to see their missing unit mate lounging against the
+doorframe, grinning broadly.
+
+"Roger!"
+
+"Where've you been, blast you?"
+
+Tom and Astro both jumped forward and spoke at the same time. The
+blond-haired cadet merely looked at them lazily and then sauntered
+forward, pulling six small study spools from his pockets.
+
+"You wanted these study spools, didn't you?" he drawled, giving his unit
+mates three apiece. "Be my guest and study like mad."
+
+Tom and Astro quickly read the titles of the spools and then looked at
+Roger in amazement. They were the ones the unit needed for their
+end-term exams, the ones all the cadets needed.
+
+"Roger," Tom demanded, "how did you get these spools? The library was
+out of them this afternoon. Did you take them from another unit's
+quarters?"
+
+"I did not!" said Roger stoutly. "And I don't like your insinuations
+that I would." He grinned. "Relax! We have them and we can breeze
+through them in the morning and have them back where they belong by noon
+tomorrow."
+
+"Where they belong!" Tom exclaimed. "Then you have no right to them."
+
+"Listen, hot-shot!" growled Astro. "I want to know where you got these
+spools and how."
+
+"Well, if that isn't gratitude for you!" muttered Roger. "I go out and
+risk my neck for my dear beloved unit mates and they stand around
+arguing instead of buckling down to study."
+
+"This is no joke, Roger," said Tom seriously. "Now for the last time,
+will you tell us how you got them?"
+
+Roger thought a moment and then shrugged his shoulders. "All right," he
+said finally. "When I went down to the library to see if it was our turn
+for them yet, I found that we were still twenty-seventh in line."
+
+"Twenty-seventh?" gasped Astro.
+
+"That's right, spaceboy!" snorted Roger. "So I tried to con that little
+space doll of a librarian into moving our names up on the list, but just
+then an Earthworm cadet came in with an order from Tony Richards of the
+_Capella_ unit, an order for the very spools we needed."
+
+"You mean, you took them from an Earthworm?" queried Tom.
+
+"Well, I didn't take them exactly," replied Roger. "I waited for him out
+on the quadrangle and I told him he was wanted in the cadet dispatcher's
+office right away and that I would take the spools on up to Tony."
+
+"And you brought them here!" howled Astro.
+
+"Yup." Roger grinned. "Do you think that squirt will know who I am? Not
+in a million years. And by the time Tony and the others do find out who
+has them, we'll be finished. Get it?"
+
+"I get it, all right, you crummy little chiseler," growled Astro. "Tom,
+we gotta give these back to Tony."
+
+Tom nodded. "You're right," he said.
+
+"Now wait a minute!" said Roger angrily. "I went to a lot of trouble to
+get these things for you--"
+
+"Look, Roger," Tom interrupted, "I would rather have one night with
+those spools than a two-week leave in Atom City right now. But the
+_Capella_ unit is having a tough time making the Spring passing lists.
+They need those spools more than we do."
+
+"Yeah," said Astro. "We could probably take the tests now and pass, but
+they really have to study. I'm for getting them back to the _Capella_
+unit right now. How about you, Tom?"
+
+The young cadet nodded and turned to Roger who stood there, frowning.
+"Roger," said Tom, "both Astro and I really appreciate it. But you
+wouldn't want the _Capella_ unit to flunk out of the Academy, would
+you?"
+
+Roger gnawed at his thumbnail and then looked at his two unit mates
+sheepishly. "You're right, fellas," he said. "It was kind of a dirty
+trick. Give me the spools. I'll take them back to Tony right now."
+
+"Wait a minute!" exclaimed Astro. "It's after hours. We're not supposed
+to be out of the dorm."
+
+For a second the three boys looked at each other hesitantly. Then, as
+though they had telepathically conveyed their individual decisions to
+each other, they turned toward the door. Tom opened it and stepped out
+into the hall cautiously, then turned back and nodded. Roger and Astro
+followed him quickly.
+
+As Roger closed the door behind him, he murmured, "There's no reason for
+all of us to go. I was the one who took the spools, so I should bring
+them back. Why should you two guys risk getting caught?"
+
+Astro punched him in the shoulder fondly. "We always work together,
+don't we?" he declared. "If one's gonna get into trouble, we all
+should."
+
+"Let's go," urged Tom in a sharp whisper, and they all raced silently
+toward the slidestairs.
+
+Seconds later, the three cadets of the _Polaris_ unit were down in the
+main hallway of the dormitory building, tiptoeing toward the front
+portal. Pausing only to look into the O.D.'s office to make sure the
+officer wouldn't spot them, they reached the portal and ducked out.
+Pausing again to scan the immediate area for any watch officers, they
+darted across the slidewalk and into the shadows of the shrubbery.
+
+Quickly and soundlessly, they raced across the green lawn of the
+quadrangle toward the dormitory where the _Capella_ unit was quartered.
+Once they sprawled headlong on the turf and lay still as a watch officer
+suddenly appeared out of the darkness at the base of the Tower of
+Galileo. But he walked past without seeing them and they continued on
+across the quadrangle.
+
+Reaching another clump of shrubbery right opposite the _Capella_ unit's
+dormitory, the boys stopped and discussed their final move.
+
+"This is getting ridiculous," whispered Roger. "I shouldn't have let you
+two come with me. But I'm going the rest of the way myself."
+
+"We came this far, Roger," asserted Tom. "We'll go the rest of the way
+and help you explain."
+
+"And you've got a space-blasting lot to explain."
+
+The three cadets whirled as a familiar voice snarled out of the darkness
+behind them. They saw three figures, all in cadet uniforms, wearing the
+insigne of the _Capella_ unit. In the forefront was Tony Richards
+scowling angrily.
+
+"Tony!" gasped Tom. "What are you doing out here?"
+
+"We were on our way over to your dorm, Corbett," growled Tony Richards.
+"We saw you three sneaking across the quadrangle."
+
+"Coming to pay us a visit, fellas?" asked Roger blandly.
+
+"You know blasted well why we were coming," snapped McAvoy, the second
+member of the _Capella_ crew.
+
+Davison, the third member of the unit, stepped forward. "Give us back
+our study spools," he demanded.
+
+"Take it easy," said Tom in a calm voice. "We were bringing them back to
+you."
+
+"I'll bet," snapped McAvoy.
+
+"Relax," growled Astro. "Tom said we were returning them. We admit it
+was a dirty trick, but you haven't lost much time. Half an hour maybe."
+
+"Don't try to cover for Manning, Astro," said Tony heatedly. "It's a
+shame you two guys are stuck with a bad rocket like Manning in your
+unit."
+
+"Bad rocket!" exclaimed Roger.
+
+"Now, wait a minute, Tony," Tom said, advancing toward the
+broad-shouldered cadet. "We are returning the spools, and we apologize
+for yanking them from the Earthworm. But that doesn't mean we'll listen
+to that kind of talk about Roger."
+
+"He stole them, didn't he?" retorted Davison.
+
+Roger stepped forward. "Davy, my boy," he said in a low controlled tone,
+"I don't like that remark. I've got a notion to make you eat that word."
+
+"I don't think you can, Manning," replied the angry cadet.
+
+Tom stepped between them quickly. "Listen, fellows, we don't want any
+trouble. Here are the spools." He held them out.
+
+"That's what I mean, Corbett," said McAvoy sarcastically. "Manning gets
+you in trouble and then you and the big boy have to bail him out."
+
+"We've apologized," retorted Astro angrily. "You're getting the spools
+back. So no more cracks about Roger."
+
+"I can take care of myself, Astro," said Roger.
+
+"Here, take the spools and get back to your dorm," growled Tom. He
+handed the pile of spools over, but as Tony extended his hands, one of
+the spools dropped to the grass. No one made a move to pick it up.
+
+"There are the spools," said Tom icily. "Now beat it."
+
+"Let's go," said Davison, leaning over to pick up the spool. "The air is
+beginning to stink around here."
+
+Red-faced, Roger stepped forward and put his foot on the spool just as
+Davison reached for it. "That's enough, Davison," he snarled.
+
+"Why, you dirty space crawler--" Davison straightened up and swung
+wildly. Roger ducked the blow easily, then spun the heavy-set cadet
+around and pushed him back into the bushes.
+
+Tony Richards stepped forward and Astro turned to him threateningly, but
+Tom quickly shoved them aside and faced Richards.
+
+"Listen, Tony," he said. "We're all out after hours, and if a watch
+officer spots us, we've had it. We don't want any trouble." He glanced
+at Davison, who was being restrained by McAvoy. "We apologize. Now get
+out of here before we're all logged."
+
+Richards nodded and started to turn to his unit mates when suddenly
+Davison jerked free and lunged at Roger. The blond-haired cadet was not
+caught unawares. He stepped aside and threw a quick jolting right
+straight to the _Capella_ cadet's jaw. Davison staggered back and fell
+to the ground. He shook his head, jumped to his feet again, and charged
+back with a roar.
+
+Both Tom and Astro and Tony Richards and McAvoy grabbed at their
+respective unit mates and tried to restrain them. In the struggle to
+keep Roger and Davison apart, Astro accidentally pushed Richards to one
+side.
+
+"What in blazes--!" yelled Richards. He suddenly released Davison and
+gave Astro a shove that sent the big cadet sprawling. And then, without
+warning, McAvoy swung at Tom. The curly-haired cadet saw the blow coming
+a fraction of a second too late and caught it on the side of his head.
+He fell back into the bushes.
+
+Roger yelled in anger at the sudden attack, and grabbing Davison by the
+front of his tunic, slammed a hard right into the cadet's stomach.
+Richards grabbed Roger, holding him around the head and neck, as McAvoy
+swung at him viciously. Seeing their unit mate pommeled, Tom and Astro
+charged back and the battle was on. The two units forgot about the watch
+officers and the strong possibility of being caught and slugged it out
+in the darkness of the quadrangle. The fight seemed to be the climax of
+a long-standing feud. The _Polaris_ crew had first come to grips with
+Richards and his unit mates when they were assigned to the old rocket
+cruiser _Arcturus_. When the ship was scrapped, the cadets were
+transferred to the _Capella_, but the rivalry continued stronger than
+before. Time and time again, the two crack units had competed for hours
+on the athletic fields, in space flight tests, and in the classroom. The
+_Polaris_ unit had constantly come out ahead, often by no more than a
+fraction of points, but their superiority was clear, and the _Capella_
+unit could not repress its resentment and jealousy.
+
+Tony Richards and Tom had squared off and were boxing with lightninglike
+thrusts of their fists, each waiting for an opening. In back of them,
+Roger and Davison were simply hammering away at each other's
+mid-sections, and Astro and McAvoy were rolling around on the ground
+like bears, growling and tugging. It was brute strength against brute
+strength.
+
+Tom danced away from Richards' rapierlike left, weaved low, and shot a
+hard right to his opponent's stomach that left him gasping. Richards
+doubled over and stepped in to bring up a solid right, then hesitated.
+Richards was through. The blow to the mid-section had taken all the
+fight out of him. Tom refused to pursue his advantage while the other
+could not fight back. His anger cooling rapidly, Tom realized that the
+whole fight was nothing more than a misunderstanding. As Richards sank
+to the grass helpless and gasping for breath, Tom turned to break up the
+other two fights. But Roger was just finishing his battle with Davison.
+Feinting to the mid-section and pulling Davison's guard down, Roger
+hooked his left cleanly to the jaw, following immediately with a
+haymaker right. Davison dropped to the turf, out cold.
+
+Meanwhile, Astro had rolled on top of the last cadet of the _Capella_
+unit, and with his great strength, clamped McAvoy's arms to his side.
+Face to face, the two cadets glared at each other. The muscles tightened
+in Astro's arms, and beads of sweat popped out on his face.
+
+"Give up!" demanded the Venusian, tightening his grip.
+
+[Illustration: _Tom shot a hard right to his opponent's stomach_]
+
+Slowly McAvoy sagged under the pressure Astro was applying and his face
+began to redden.
+
+"He'll break his back," whispered Roger to Tom.
+
+Tom nodded and stepped forward. "Let him go, Astro. He's finished."
+
+Astro did not let go. His face was white with anger. McAvoy bent further
+back. "Give up," demanded Astro.
+
+"Grab him," said Tom to Roger. "Get him off Mac before he breaks his
+back."
+
+Tom and Roger jumped to Astro's side and each grabbed one of the
+powerful arms encircling McAvoy. It took all their strength to break the
+viselike hold the giant Venusian had on the other cadet, but slowly they
+pulled the muscular arms back and McAvoy slumped to the grass.
+
+The three victorious cadets paused and looked down at the beaten
+_Capella_ crew, then looked at each other.
+
+"Well," sighed Roger, "I suppose that the least we can do now is get
+them back to their dorm."
+
+Tom and Astro nodded. As the three boys started forward they were
+stopped by a voice behind them--a voice that roared like an atomic
+blast.
+
+"_Stand to!_"
+
+Whirling around in surprise for the second time within a space of ten
+minutes, Tom, Astro, and Roger saw a menacing sight standing behind
+them, his balled fists jammed on his hips, his booted legs widespread,
+and his massive head thrust forward. It was Major Lou Connel, more
+familiarly known as "Blast-off" Connel, a Senior Line Officer of the
+Solar Guard and the sternest disciplinarian in the whole Academy. Behind
+him stood a short, thin man, whom none of the boys recognized.
+
+Connel stepped forward slowly and menacingly, glaring at the three boys.
+
+"Out a little late, aren't you, boys?" he asked with a mildness that
+sent a chill down their spines.
+
+"Y-yes sir," replied Tom, a slight tremor in his voice.
+
+"On official business, I presume?" The major's voice was still as smooth
+as silk.
+
+Tom gulped and then shook his head. "N-no, sir," he quavered.
+
+Connel's eyes widened in mock horror. "Why, Corbett," he exclaimed,
+"didn't anyone ever tell you the rules of Space Academy? Or perhaps you
+didn't know what time it was?"
+
+Tom bit his lip. He knew that he and his unit mates were caught in a
+hopeless trap and that Connel was simply baiting them. "I knew what time
+it was, sir," he said. "We're out after hours."
+
+Suddenly there was a movement in the brush behind Tom as McAvoy stumbled
+to his feet. Richards also sat up groggily.
+
+"Major!" It was the man behind Connel who spoke. "Who are they?"
+
+As though in answer, Davison stood up too and the three members of the
+_Capella_ unit were suddenly and horribly aware of the presence of
+Connel. They immediately braced themselves, their faces white with
+sudden fear.
+
+"So!" Now the major's voice began to roar again. "Fighting, eh? Well,
+now we really have something here."
+
+"Sir," began Richards tremulously, "if you'll let us explain--"
+
+"I'll let you explain all right," thundered Connel. "Out after hours,
+fighting, you'll have a great time explaining to an inquiry."
+
+"An inquiry!" Tom exclaimed involuntarily.
+
+"Did you expect anything less?" roared Connel. "You are all under arrest
+and confined to quarters."
+
+The six cadets all trembled but said nothing, standing at rigid
+attention, eyes straight ahead.
+
+"Return to your quarters immediately."
+
+As one, the cadets wheeled and marched off. Tom, Astro, and Roger walked
+across the quadrangle back to their dorm, and the _Capella_ unit took
+the slidewalk that led to their quarters. Connel watched them go, a
+ferocious scowl on his craggy features.
+
+"Little rough on them, weren't you, Major?" asked the man who stood
+beside the Solar Guard officer.
+
+"Rules are meant to be obeyed, Professor Hemmingwell," retorted Connel
+stiffly.
+
+"Perhaps you're right," mused the stranger. "But what's this about an
+inquiry?"
+
+"A trial, Professor. A trial conducted by the cadets themselves to see
+whether or not the accused should be kicked out of the Academy."
+
+"Kicked out?" exclaimed the professor. "You certainly do believe in
+discipline."
+
+"These boys are to be Solar Guardsmen," replied Connel shortly. "If they
+can't obey orders now, they never will."
+
+"Well, it's all very unimportant really, Major," Hemmingwell said with
+a shrug. "We have many more vital things to think about now than mere
+cadets. Shall we go? Commander Walters is waiting for us."
+
+As the little man in civilian clothes walked away, Connel stifled a
+blistering retort. True, his mission here at the Academy was of great
+importance. But cadets were important too. And he was afraid. The
+_Polaris_ unit was in grave trouble, grave enough to cause expulsion
+from the Academy.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER 2
+
+
+Space Academy, U.S.A.!
+
+This was the dream and goal of every boy in the thrilling year 2354,
+when mankind had reached out beyond the bounds of Earth and had
+conquered space, colonizing planets and blazing trails to distant worlds
+deep in the black void of the outer universe. To support the
+ever-growing need for trained spacemen to man the rocket ships that
+linked the planets and distant satellite outposts, the Solar Alliance,
+the government of the solar system, had erected Space Academy. It was
+there that the most promising boys were trained to become members of the
+Solar Guard to patrol the space lanes and keep peace in the universe.
+
+Organized into tight, hard-hitting units of three, the Academy cadets
+were trained to work together under the most severe conditions. Their
+waking hours were spent in one of two places; in powerful rocket
+cruisers, blasting through space on endless training missions, or at the
+Academy in classrooms and lecture halls, where they studied everything
+from the theory of space flight to the application of space laws. A very
+important course of study was the theory of government. For, above all
+else, the Solar Alliance was a government of the people. And to assure
+the survival and continuance of that democratic system, the officers of
+the Solar Guard functioned as the watchdogs of the space democracy,
+entrusted with the vital mission of making sure the government reflected
+the will of the people.
+
+As a practical approach to this course, the Academy officials had
+established a Cadet Council for the settlement of disputes and
+infractions of rules by the cadets. It was to this cadet governing body
+that the fight between the _Polaris_ and the _Capella_ units was
+referred by Major Connel.
+
+The Academy had buzzed with talk since the fight, and sides were drawn
+hard and fast. Both units were extremely popular and the arguments raged
+through the dormitories as to which unit was at fault.
+
+Meanwhile, the Cadet Council decided to have a full trial to give each
+unit a fair chance to defend itself against the charges. A judge and
+jury were selected and lawyers appointed for each side. Finally a date
+was set for the trial.
+
+During this time, Tom, Roger, and Astro were confined to their quarters.
+They did not talk much, each conscious of the fact that should the Cadet
+Council decide against them, they might be expelled from the Academy.
+The same was true about the _Capella_ unit, of course, but the Council
+might decide the _Polaris_ had instigated the whole affair. Roger was
+particularly silent, since his actions in obtaining the study spools
+had started the whole chain of disastrous events.
+
+The boys did not know which cadet would be appointed to defend them
+until late the following afternoon when there was a knock on the door,
+and a small, thin cadet, wearing a thick pair of eyeglasses that gave
+him a decided owllike look, entered the room.
+
+"Alfie Higgins!" cried Tom.
+
+"The Brain!" yelled Astro.
+
+"Glad to see you, pal!" shouted Roger.
+
+The three cadets surrounded little Alfie and pommeled him playfully in
+their joy at seeing another cadet. Alfie merely looked at them gravely.
+
+"Hello, Tom, Roger, Astro," he said somberly.
+
+"What are you doing here?" asked Tom. "We're not allowed visitors."
+
+"I'm not a visitor, Tom," replied the little cadet. "I'm your defense
+lawyer." He glanced at Roger and Astro. "I hope that will be
+satisfactory to you."
+
+"Satisfactory!" exclaimed Tom. "Alfie, we couldn't ask for anyone
+better."
+
+"That's right, Brain," said Roger. "You're the boy for us."
+
+Astro grunted his approval. "Yeah."
+
+"Well, in that case," said Alfie, opening his brief case, "I would
+suggest that we get right down to the facts. The trial is tomorrow."
+
+"All right, Alfie, we're ready," said Tom. "I suppose you want to hear
+the whole thing."
+
+"If you don't mind," said Alfie, adjusting his eyeglasses. "You start,
+Roger."
+
+Sitting around the room, relaxed, yet concerned, the four cadets
+discussed the details of the case. Alfie took copious notes,
+occasionally interrupting Tom or Roger or Astro to ask a pointed
+question.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+They talked for nearly four hours before Alfie was finally satisfied
+that he knew all the facts. He left them with the same somber attitude
+he had when he first arrived, and when the boys were alone, they each
+felt a chill of fear. The full meaning of a defense lawyer hit them.
+They were in serious trouble. After a few moments of silence, Tom rose
+and went into the bathroom to take a shower. Astro flopped on his back
+in his bunk and went to sleep. Roger began throwing darts idly at his
+"solar system" over his bunk. It was a map of his own design depicting
+the planets revolving around the sun, only each planet was represented
+by a picture of a girl, and his own grinning countenance was the sun. He
+was known to have made dates by throwing a dart at the map blindly and
+taking out the girl whose picture he had hit.
+
+When Tom returned a few minutes later, he looked at his unit mates and
+shook his head. Never, in all the adventures they had shared or all the
+tough situations they had been in, had either Roger or Astro given up as
+they seemed to be doing now.
+
+"And," thought Tom miserably, "with good reason too! I feel like tossing
+in the sponge myself."
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+The huge Space Academy gymnasium had been converted into a temporary
+courtroom, and at ten A.M. the following day the cavernous chamber was
+packed with all the cadets who could get off duty, in addition to a
+liberal sprinkling of Solar Guard officers and instructors who were
+keenly interested in their pupils' handling of orderly democratic
+procedure.
+
+As the cadet judge opened the proceedings, Commander Walters, Major
+Connel, Captain Strong, and Lieutenant Wolchek, unit commander of the
+_Capella_ crew, watched intently from their seats in the back of the
+gym. Up forward, at two small tables immediately in front of the
+Council's platform, the _Polaris_ and _Capella_ units sat rigidly, while
+their defense lawyers arranged papers and data on the table for quick
+reference. Little Alfie Higgins didn't say a word to Tom, Roger, or
+Astro, merely studied his opponent, Cadet Benjy Edwards, who was acting
+as attorney for the _Capella_ unit. Edwards, a beefy boy with a florid
+face, looked across the chamber and sneered at Tom. The young cadet
+repressed a quick shudder of anger. There was bad blood between the two.
+Once, Tom had found Edwards bullying a helpless group of Earthworm
+cadets, forcing them to march and exercise under a broiling Martian sun
+for no reason at all, and Tom had put a stop to it. Edwards had taken
+every opportunity to get back at Tom, and now he had his best chance.
+
+From the beginning, the trial was argued bitterly. Though the issues
+were clear-cut--illegal possession of the study spools, out on the
+quadrangle after hours, and fighting--Edwards tried to accuse the
+_Polaris_ unit of irrelevant infractions. But Alfie Higgins was his
+equal. From the beginning, he admitted that the _Polaris_ unit was
+guilty of the first charge, but made a strong claim that they had more
+than made up for the infraction by risking censure to return the spools
+to their rightful owners. In addition, he forced Tony Richards to admit
+that he had accepted Roger's apology. The Council agreed to drop that
+charge and to hold the second charge in abeyance, since both units
+seemed to have had good reason for being out after hours. Benjy Edwards
+scowled but could find no reason to object to the Council's decision.
+Alfie, on the other hand, broke into a smile for the first time that
+morning. He turned to the Council and announced that the only point of
+issue was the fight and who struck the first blow.
+
+In the back of the room, Connel turned to Strong. "I, personally, am
+going to sign the pass for a week's leave for Alfie when this is over,"
+he said. "I never saw such a ding-blasted brain in operation in all my
+life."
+
+"He really slipped one over on Benjy Edwards all right," muttered
+Strong, his voice tinged with pride.
+
+In front of the Council platform, Alfie turned to the judge.
+
+"I would like to call to the stand, if the court please," he said in a
+clear voice, "Cadet Tom Corbett."
+
+Tom walked to the chair, was sworn in, and sat down, facing Alfie.
+
+"Cadet Corbett," Higgins paused, and then asked almost casually, "did
+you strike the first blow?"
+
+"No," replied Tom.
+
+"Dismissed," said Higgins suddenly. "Call Roger Manning to the stand,
+please."
+
+Roger rose, and passing Tom on the way back, took his place on the stand
+and repeated the oath.
+
+Alfie looked at Roger calmly and in a clear voice asked, "Cadet Manning,
+did you strike the first blow?"
+
+"No."
+
+"Dismissed," said Alfie. "Please call Cadet Astro to the stand."
+
+The cadet audience began to murmur and sit forward tensely.
+
+"What the devil is he doing?" growled Connel.
+
+Strong grinned. "Blast me if I know, Lou," he said. "But wait and see.
+I'll bet you ten credits it's a lulu."
+
+Astro was sworn in and Alfie waited for the room to become quiet.
+
+"Cadet Astro," he said finally, "you have heard the other members of the
+_Polaris_ unit state, under solemn oath, that they did not strike the
+first blow. Now, I ask you to consider carefully your answer. Did you,
+Cadet Astro"--Alfie paused dramatically, and nearly shouted the final
+part of the question--"strike the first blow?"
+
+"No!" bellowed Astro.
+
+"Dismissed," said Alfie quickly, turning to the Council. "Gentlemen," he
+said, "he did not strike the first blow, nor did Cadet Corbett, nor
+Cadet Manning. And I will not insist that the three members of the
+_Capella_ unit be asked the same question, since I concede that they are
+three impeccable gentlemen who could _not_ strike the first blow in a
+common fight."
+
+As the audience in the courtroom burst into a roar, Benjy Edwards jumped
+to his feet.
+
+"Your honor," he appealed, "I insist that the _Capella_ unit be allowed
+to take the stand and deny the charge--"
+
+"Your honor," interrupted Alfie, "the _Polaris_ unit makes no charge.
+They freely admit that the _Capella_ unit could not, I repeat, sir,
+could not have struck the first blow. And the _Polaris_ unit--"
+
+"Your honor--!" cried Edwards. "I insist."
+
+The cadet judge rapped his gavel. "_Polaris_ counsel will speak."
+
+"Thank you, your honor. I just wanted to say that the members of the
+_Polaris_ unit defer to the _Capella_ unit. I submit, your honor, that
+it was nothing more than a misunderstanding and that both sides should
+be punished or freed."
+
+"Is that all?" asked the cadet judge.
+
+"Yes, sir," said Alfie.
+
+"Counsel for the _Capella_ unit may speak now. Do you insist on having
+your defendants brought to the stand to swear they did not start the
+fight?"
+
+"Your honor--" began Benjy. But Alfie had already planted the seed.
+There were shouts of "Give it to both of them" from the gym.
+
+Red-faced, Edwards held up his hand and appealed for quiet. "Your
+honor," he began at last, "after consultation with the members of the
+_Capella_ unit, they have directed me to state that they are willing to
+abide by the suggestion of the _Polaris_ counsel."
+
+As the cadets in the courtroom roared their approval, the cadet judge
+consulted quickly with the members of the Council. A decision was
+reached quickly. A verdict of conduct unbecoming cadets was brought
+against both units, with orders for a strong reprimand to be placed on
+their individual official records. In addition, each unit was denied
+leaves and week-end passes from the Academy until the end of the term,
+four weeks away. All spare time was to be spent on guard duty.
+
+"You are to report to Chief Warrant Officer Timothy Rush for further
+orders on all time not actually accountable for in Academy schedules,"
+concluded the cadet judge. "Dismissed."
+
+The case was closed with a loud roar of approval from the entire cadet
+audience, who had seen justice done and democracy in action. Tom, Astro,
+and Roger looked at each other and smiled. They were still Space
+Cadets.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER 3
+
+
+"Where is Captain Strong?"
+
+Startled, Commander Walters glanced up to see Major Connel enter his
+office, accompanied by Professor Hemmingwell. The thin little man
+scowled with irritation as he walked right up to the commander's desk.
+
+"I wanted Captain Strong here for this meeting," the professor
+continued.
+
+"Of course," replied Walters. "Captain Strong _should_ be here." He
+turned to Connel. "Have you seen him, Connel?"
+
+As Connel lowered his bulk into a soft chair, he sighed. "Steve is with
+his unit, chewing them out over that fight with the _Capella_ unit."
+
+Walters grinned. "You heard about our trial, Professor?"
+
+"Yes," replied Hemmingwell stiffly. "Frankly, I cannot see how Captain
+Strong can ignore this meeting to hold hands with those infantile
+cadets."
+
+Connel's face turned red and he glanced quickly at Walters, whose face
+was approaching the same color. Neither expected such a comment from a
+scientist.
+
+"Professor," said Connel heavily, leaning forward in his chair, "I
+assure you Steve Strong is _not_ holding their hands. In fact, I would
+hate to be in those cadets' shoes right now."
+
+Hemmingwell grunted and drew back from Connel's burning glare. "Be that
+as it may," he said. "I cannot see that the staff of this institution
+has done anything constructive for the last three days. So far as I'm
+concerned, this childish talk about a common fight has been a complete
+waste of time."
+
+"Professor Hemmingwell," said Commander Walters, rising from his chair,
+"if there had to be a choice between your project, as valuable as it may
+be, and the valuable lesson learned today by my cadets, I'll tell you
+right now that the lesson would come first. This was a very important
+issue. The cadets had their real taste of democracy in action today,
+down on a level where they could understand it. And, I dare say, there
+are quite a few boys who heard that childish talk, as you put it, and
+will remember it some time in the future when they are called on to act
+as officers of the Solar Alliance."
+
+Connel cleared his throat noisily. "I think we'd better get on with the
+meeting," he said. "Do you have the plans and specifications,
+Hemmingwell?"
+
+But the wiry professor refused to be dissuaded. He faced Commander
+Walters and wagged his finger under the spaceman's nose.
+
+"You have a perfect right to your own ideas concerning the education of
+your cadets!" he shouted. "But I have a right to my ideas regarding my
+space projectile operations. I've devoted a good part of my life to this
+plan, and I will not allow anything, or anyone, to stand in my way."
+
+Before Walters could reply, Connel jumped up and growled.
+
+"All right! Now that we've got the speeches out of the way, let's get
+down to work."
+
+Walters and the professor suddenly stopped short and grinned at the
+brusque line officer, who, for all his bullying tactics, knew how to
+take the edge off a touchy situation. Walters sat down again and
+Hemmingwell spread out several large maps on Walters' desk. He pointed
+to a location on the chart of the area surrounding Space Academy.
+
+"This is the area here," he said, placing his finger on the map. "I
+think it is best suited for our purpose. Dave Barret and Carter Devers
+concur--"
+
+"Someone mention my name?"
+
+The sliding door to the commander's office opened and a tall,
+distinguished man with iron-gray hair entered, followed by a handsome,
+younger man.
+
+"Devers!" exclaimed Hemmingwell in obvious delight. "I didn't expect you
+until this evening."
+
+"Got away earlier than I figured," replied the elder man, who then
+turned to the two Solar Guard officers. "Hello, Commander Walters, Major
+Connel. Meet Dave Barret, my assistant." He gestured toward the young
+man beside him and they shook hands in turn.
+
+"Well," said Devers, "have we missed anything?"
+
+"Just starting," replied Walters.
+
+"Fine," said Devers. "Oh, by the way, I want it understood, Commander,
+that while I am lending Dave to you to work on the operation with the
+professor, I'm not even going to let you pay him. He remains on my
+payroll, so you can't take him away from me. The Jilolo Spaceways would
+be lost without him."
+
+Walters smiled. "All right with me," he said.
+
+"I don't care _who_ pays him, as long as he's with me on this,
+Commander," said Hemmingwell, wiping his glasses carefully. "That young
+man has a mind equipped with a built-in calculator."
+
+Dave Barret grinned in obvious embarrassment. "If Mr. Devers can devote
+his time to you for one credit a year as salary, I have no objections to
+working on this project," he said. "In fact, I told Mr. Devers that if
+he didn't let me come down here, I'd quit and come, anyway."
+
+Hemmingwell beamed. "Well, now, if Captain Strong were only here, we
+could get along with the business at hand."
+
+Devers frowned. "Why is he so important?" he asked.
+
+"Steve has been placed in charge of procurement for the construction of
+the hangar and getting the spur line in from the monorail station,"
+replied Connel. "And that reminds me, Professor," he continued. "Where
+is your hangar going to be? And where is that spur coming in from? Are
+we going to have a lot of building to do to get that blasted thing
+snaked over those hills?" Connel pointed to the protective ring of high
+rugged peaks that surrounded the Academy.
+
+"That's why Dave Barret here is so important," replied Hemmingwell. "He
+figured out a way of tunneling through this section here"--he pointed to
+a particularly rugged section of the hills--"at half the cost of
+bringing it straight in on that plain there."
+
+Connel and Walters studied the map closely. "Very good," said Walters.
+
+"You think you can do it, Dave?" asked Connel.
+
+"I'm sure I can, sir," replied the young man.
+
+"And save time?" growled Connel.
+
+"I'll have that line through, and in operation, bringing in the first
+haul of hangar material in three weeks."
+
+Impressed by the young man's confidence, Connel turned to Commander
+Walters and nodded.
+
+"Well, if you can do that, Barret," said Walters, "Professor Hemmingwell
+will have to begin his operations now, won't you, Professor?"
+
+"That's right," said the wiry old man. "Right now, this very minute."
+
+Devers suddenly spoke up. "I would like to have one thing explained,
+Commander, unless, of course, it's a breach of security, but--" He
+hesitated.
+
+"What is it?" asked Connel.
+
+"I've been going along with you for some time now," explained Devers.
+"But I still don't know the exact nature of the projectile you propose
+to build. What's the purpose of it?"
+
+"You certainly deserve an answer to that question," said Commander
+Walters warmly. "You've contributed your services to this operation
+absolutely blindly. Now you should know everything." He paused and
+looked at Hemmingwell and Connel, who nodded in return. "Carter," he
+resumed, "we are going to create a spaceship that can launch a large
+projectile filled with cargo and send it to any small area."
+
+Carter Devers' face lighted up. "You mean, you are going to fire
+payloads from space freighters instead of landing with them?"
+
+"Exactly," said Walters. "These freighters will deliver mail and
+supplies to out-of-the-way settlements that do not have a spaceport
+large enough to handle the giant freighters and have to depend on
+surface transport from the larger cities."
+
+Carter Devers shook his head slowly. "This is the most amazing thing
+I've ever heard of in my life."
+
+"I thought you'd be surprised, Carter," said Walters, his face glowing
+with pleasure. "The big item, of course, is to lick the problem of
+standardizing the receivers for the projectiles. They must be
+lightweight, easily assembled, and precision made, since it's going to
+have an electronic gismo inside for the projectile to 'home' on."
+
+Professor Hemmingwell grunted. "That electronic gismo, as you call it,
+is the real idea behind the whole operation."
+
+"How is that, Professor?" asked Devers.
+
+"Well, it works on this principle," began Hemmingwell. "The receiver
+will send out a distinctive radar beam. In the spaceship, the projectile
+designated for that receiver will be tuned in to the frequency of that
+beam and fired from the ship. A homing device, built into the projectile
+will take over, guiding it right down the beam to its destination."
+
+"And how does that radar beam work?" asked Devers.
+
+"That," said Connel stiffly, "is a military secret."
+
+"Of course," nodded Devers, smiling. "I was just curious."
+
+"Well, now that we're agreed on a site for the operation," said
+Professor Hemmingwell, "is there anything else you want to discuss,
+Commander?"
+
+"Not for the moment, Professor," replied the commandant of Space
+Academy. "You have any more questions, Major Connel?"
+
+When Connel shook his head, Devers spoke up again.
+
+"There is something else I would like to know, if it isn't a breach of
+military secrecy," he said with a smile at Connel. "I don't remember
+seeing anything about this project in the bills sent before the Solar
+Council. When was it authorized?"
+
+"It wasn't," snapped Hemmingwell. "It was blocked before it came to a
+vote. So I ran around the whole Solar Alliance, begging and borrowing
+the money to finance the project myself."
+
+"And the Solar Guard is just lending technical assistance and
+facilities," supplied Walters. "Of course, should the project succeed,
+we will go before the Solar Council with an emergency request to
+incorporate the idea into the defense of all Solar Guard outposts."
+
+"Private capital, eh?" said Devers, turning to look at the professor
+admiringly. "You are a very brave man, Professor Hemmingwell, to risk so
+much. And, I might add, you must be an excellent salesman to sell Solar
+Alliance bankers your ideas."
+
+"Common sense," snorted the professor. "Plain horse sense."
+
+"Still," insisted Devers, "most of the bankers with whom I've ever tried
+to talk common sense _were_ horses." As everyone laughed, he turned to
+Walters. "Now, just what do you want me to do, Commander?"
+
+"Carter, you've done so much for this project already that I'm going to
+give you a rest," said Walters.
+
+"I don't understand."
+
+"From now on," Major Connel broke in, "the project will be in the hands
+of the professor. If he needs anything, he'll tell Steve Strong. If
+Strong can't fulfill the request, he'll pass it on to Commander Walters,
+and if the commander feels it necessary to have your help, he will
+contact you."
+
+"You understand, of course," said Walters, trying to soften the major's
+flat statement.
+
+"Of course," replied Devers easily. "Still, if you need my help on this
+thing at all, don't fail to call me."
+
+"Thank you, Carter," said Walters. "You've been a great help already."
+
+Shaking hands all around and wishing them well, Devers left the office.
+Dave Barret, Commander Walters, and Professor Hemmingwell turned to
+their study of the map, but Major Connel remained where he was, rubbing
+his chin thoughtfully. He shook his head as if to brush an impossible
+idea out of his mind and then turned to the map.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+Tom Corbett, Roger Manning, and Astro stood at rigid attention in their
+dormitory room, backs ramrod straight, eyes front, hands stiffly at
+their sides. Captain Steve Strong, his face red and voice hoarse, strode
+up and down in front of them.
+
+"And another thing!" he roared. "This court reprimand goes on your
+official records, and you're going to spend your time on guard duty like
+any common Earthworm that doesn't know its rocket from its pocket!" For
+nearly half an hour the cadets had listened to their unit instructor
+bawl them out. "When I think," he continued, "when I _think_ of how
+close you three space brats came to getting kicked out of the Academy--"
+Words seemed to fail the young captain momentarily and he slumped on one
+of the bunks and looked at the row of cadets, shaking his head. "Why, in
+the name of Saturn, I ever accepted the responsibility of making you
+three bird brains into cadets is beyond me. And to think that when you
+first came here, I thought you had that special something to make you an
+outstanding unit. I even went out on a limb for you. And now you pull a
+stunt like this."
+
+Behind them, the door opened and a short man, no more than five feet
+tall, but with the bulging muscles of a tiny giant stretching his
+bright-red enlisted man's uniform, stepped inside. He saluted Strong
+smartly.
+
+"Chief Petty Officer Rush here to assign the _Polaris_ unit to guard
+duty, sir," he announced.
+
+"All right, Firehouse," said Strong, using the man's nickname. "Give it
+to them. Show them no mercy. By the rings of Saturn, they've got to be
+made to realize their responsibilities!"
+
+"Yes, sir," said the thick little man.
+
+Strong walked out of the room without another word, nor even a backward
+glance at the cadets.
+
+As soon as the door closed, Timothy "Firehouse" Rush faced the three
+cadets, his beaten and battered face glowing with anticipation.
+
+"Get this!" he growled. "When you're assigned to guard duty with the
+E.M.'s of the Solar Guard, you leave your immunity as cadets here in the
+Academy. From now on, you belong to me. And I'll tell you right now,
+there isn't anything in space that I hate more, or think less of, than
+Space Cadets. You get special privileges you don't deserve because you
+wear that uniform. You get a chance to learn to be a spaceman and most
+of you muff it. I've got E.M.'s in my outfit that could blast circles
+around either of you--guys that deserve the chance you've got, and
+fouled out because they can't spell or don't know how to hold a cup of
+tea with their fingers the right way. When you come to me, it means
+you've done something bad. You're on your way out. And I'm going to try
+my best to see that you make it--_out_." He took a step forward and
+glared at them. "Report to me at 1800 hours and"--his voice dropped to a
+gravelly roar--"you better not be late--and you better not be early."
+
+He spun on his heels in a perfect about-face and left the room.
+
+"There is only one consolation," sighed Tom. "The _Capella_ unit is
+getting the same thing we're getting."
+
+"Here we go!" breathed Roger slowly.
+
+"I've been thinking about quitting the Academy, anyway," growled Astro.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER 4
+
+
+"Halt!"
+
+Roger growled the order into the darkness and unslung the paralo-ray
+rifle from his shoulder, bringing it around to firing position. "Advance
+and be recognized," he said flatly.
+
+Nothing moved. Even the air seemed still.
+
+"Advance and be recognized," Roger ordered again. Still nothing moved.
+The cadet glanced around quickly in the direction of the guardhouse
+where he knew there was a communicator to the sergeant of the guard.
+Should he call for help? He decided against it and moved forward toward
+the noise he had heard, his finger poised on the trigger of the
+paralo-ray gun.
+
+"Advance and be recognized," he called again. As he walked slowly
+between the huge packing cases piled outside the newly constructed
+hangar, he saw a shadowy movement to his left. He raised the deadly ray
+gun, and his finger tightened on the trigger.
+
+"Advance and be recognized," he said over the sights of the gun.
+
+"_Mee-ooo-wwww!_"
+
+A tiny white kitten flashed out of a gap between two boxes and ran to
+his feet, purring, rubbing up against his space boots.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+"Well, blast my rockets!" Roger laughed. He slung the gun over his
+shoulder and reached down to pick the kitten up in his arms. He began
+stroking its fur and making little soothing noises. He started back to
+the other end of his patrol post.
+
+"You're a cute little fella," murmured Roger, nuzzling the kitten
+against his chin. "But you almost got blasted."
+
+"Guard! Stand to!"
+
+Startled, Roger whirled around to see Firehouse Tim behind him, his
+battered and beaten face clouded with rage. "Drop that animal at once,"
+the petty officer roared.
+
+Roger stooped over to let the kitten run free and it dashed away into a
+crack between the boxes and disappeared.
+
+"Manning," began the enlisted spaceman, "the next time I catch you not
+attending to your duty, I will bring you up on charges of neglect! Carry
+on!" Rush spun on his heel and vanished into the darkness.
+
+"Blasted muscle-bound squirt!" sneered Roger under his breath,
+shouldering his rifle and resuming his slow patrol outside the hangar.
+
+For three weeks, Tom, Roger, and Astro, along with the three members of
+the _Capella_ unit, had been spending close to eight hours a day on
+guard duty, eight to ten hours a day in classroom work, and the rest of
+the time studying. They only averaged some two to three hours of sleep
+per day. They were dead tired but they stuck to their task doggedly,
+without complaint.
+
+Around them, the work on Professor Hemmingwell's project had proceeded
+with amazing speed. The tunnel promised by Dave Barret had been finished
+in less than five days, with the rail for the monorail spur installed
+overhead as each yard of the shaft was completed. In the second week,
+scores of cars loaded with building materials began rolling into the
+deserted plain several miles away from Space Academy. Then, one morning,
+nearly a thousand construction workers arrived and built a hangar in
+thirty-six hours. No sooner had the huge building been completed than a
+tight guard had been placed around it. Specially designed
+identification tags were issued to the guards and workers on the
+project. Gradually the huge store of cases and boxes outside the hangar
+had been moved inside, with all but a few of the smaller ones remaining
+outside. The secret work inside the hangar was advancing rapidly, but
+this did not enter into the thoughts of the three cadets of the
+_Polaris_ unit, nor of the _Capella_ unit. The harsh discipline
+instituted by Tim Rush and the extra study necessary for the end-of-year
+exams had forced the cadets into a round-the-clock struggle not only to
+keep awake but to make the class promotion lists.
+
+Roger paced off the required distance, wheeled smartly, and in so doing
+came face to face with Astro, who was patrolling another side of the
+hangar.
+
+"I just saw Firehouse," said Astro quietly. "Did he catch you goofing?"
+
+"Yeah," growled Roger. "I found a kitten and he walked up just as I was
+holding it."
+
+Astro grinned. "I wouldn't be surprised if that pocket-sized giant
+didn't send that cat down there to tempt you."
+
+"How's Tom?" asked Roger. Astro, in his patrol, came in contact with
+both unit mates.
+
+"Sleepy. He's having a tough time with that chapter on space law. He
+didn't sleep at all last night."
+
+"He better keep awake," said Roger. "That little fireman's got his
+rockets hot tonight. He'll blast Tom sure if--"
+
+"Wait a minute," said Astro suddenly, looking off into the darkness.
+"What was that?"
+
+Roger spun around, his rifle in his hands, ready to fire. "What is it?"
+he asked.
+
+"I don't know," replied Astro in a whisper. "I thought I saw something
+move inside the hangar." He pointed to a large window. "Sort of a shadow
+against the frosted glass."
+
+"Are you sure?"
+
+"Of course I'm sure."
+
+"I'll investigate. You get Tom and call Firehouse."
+
+"Right," replied Astro, and raced down the path, alongside the hangar.
+
+Grasping his rifle firmly, Roger inched toward a nearby door. He opened
+it a crack, then flattened himself against the wall and watched Astro
+run toward the other end of the hangar. He saw the big Venusian say a
+few quick words to Tom and then rush off toward the guardhouse and the
+communicator. Tom waved to Roger, indicating that he would enter the
+opposite door of the hangar.
+
+Roger dropped to his hands and knees and poked his head through the open
+door, peering around from one end of the huge dark chamber to the other.
+Then, taking a deep breath, he rose and stepped quickly inside. He
+closed the door behind him and stood still, listening for some sound.
+
+Suddenly there was a flash of light from the opposite wall. Roger
+brought the paralo-ray gun up to his shoulder quickly and was about to
+fire when he realized that the light he saw was Tom opening the door on
+the opposite side. He breathed easier and waited until he could
+distinguish Tom's moving figure clearly, and then walked stealthily
+forward on a parallel line.
+
+It was the first time Roger had been inside the hangar since it had been
+constructed and he was not sure of his way around, but gradually, the
+moonlight filtering in through the frosted plates of Titan crystal
+illuminated the huge forms of the machines around him.
+
+He stopped and gasped. Without even realizing it, he emitted a long
+whistle of astonishment. Before him, reaching up into the shadows of the
+cavernous hangar, was the gleaming hull of a huge rocket ship. Two
+hundred feet long, the space vessel stood on its stabilizer fins,
+ladders and cables running into the open ports on both sides.
+
+Roger waved to Tom, who had also stopped to stare at the giant
+spaceship, and the two of them met beneath the gleaming hull.
+
+"What's the matter?" asked Tom. "Astro said you saw someone."
+
+"_I_ didn't see a blasted thing," said Roger in an exasperated whisper.
+"That big goof said _he_ did."
+
+"Wow!" said Tom, looking up at the ship. "This is some baby. I never saw
+one with lines like that before. Look at the funny bulges on the lower
+side of the hull."
+
+"Sh!" hissed Roger. "I just heard something."
+
+The two cadets stood silently, ears cocked for the slightest sound in
+the huge hangar. They heard a distinct tapping sound from somewhere
+above them.
+
+"It's coming from inside the ship!" said Tom.
+
+"You climb in the other port," said Roger. "I'll take this one."
+
+"Right," said Tom. "And remember, if there's any trouble, shoot first
+and ask questions later."
+
+"Check."
+
+Tom slipped away from Roger and moved to the opposite side of the ship.
+Slinging the rifle over his shoulder, he climbed up the ladder silently
+toward the open port.
+
+Making his way noiselessly through the air lock, he entered the huge
+main deck of the ship and was able to see his way around by the faint
+glow of the emergency reflectors in the bulkheads. Tiny, sparkling
+gemlike pieces of specially coated Titan crystal, they glowed with
+steady intensity for many hours after having been exposed to any form of
+light. The deck was a mass of cables, boxes, tools, and equipment. Tom
+noticed curious-looking machines behind, what he judged to be, the odd
+bulges on the outside of the hull. Ahead of him, a hatch was partially
+open and he could see light streaking through the opening. He gripped
+his rifle tightly, finger on the trigger, and moved forward.
+
+At the hatch he paused and looked into the next compartment. From the
+opposite side, he saw another hatch partially open and the outline of
+Roger's head and shoulders. Between them, a man was bending over a
+makeshift desk, copying information from a calculator and a set of
+blueprints. Tom nodded across to Roger and they both stepped into the
+compartment at the same time.
+
+"Put up your hands, mister, or I'll freeze you so hard it'll take a
+summer on the Venus equator to warm you up," Roger drawled.
+
+The man jerked upright, stumbled back from the desk, and moved toward
+Tom, keeping his eyes on Roger. He backed into the barrel of Tom's ray
+gun and stopped, terrified. He threw up his hands.
+
+"What--wh--" he stammered and then caught himself. "How dare you do this
+to me?" he demanded.
+
+"Shut up!" snapped Tom. "What are you doing here?"
+
+"None of your business," the man replied.
+
+"I'm making it my business," snapped Tom, pressing the gun into the
+man's back. "Who are you and how did you get in here?"
+
+The man turned and looked Tom in the eye. "I have a right to be here,"
+he stated coldly. "I'll show you my identification--" He brought his
+hands down and reached into his jacket, but Roger stepped over quickly
+and brought the barrel of his gun down sharply on the man's head. He
+slumped to the floor with a groan and was still.
+
+"What did you do that for?" growled Tom.
+
+Roger didn't reply. He reached down into the unconscious man's jacket
+and pulled out a small paralo-ray gun stuck in the top of his waistband.
+"Some identification," Roger drawled.
+
+"Thanks, pal," said Tom sheepishly. "Let's search him. Maybe we can find
+out who he is."
+
+As Roger bent over the fallen man, there was a commotion in the hangar
+outside the ship, followed by the sound of footsteps clattering up the
+ladders to the ports. Seconds later, Astro, followed by Tim Rush and a
+squad of enlisted spacemen, surged into the compartment. Rush stopped
+short when he saw the man on the floor.
+
+"Great jumping Jupiter," gasped the petty officer, then whirled on Tom
+and Roger. "You space-blasted idiots!" he shouted. "You good-for-nothing
+harebrained, moronic dumbbells! Do you know what you've done?"
+
+Tom and Roger stared at each other in amazement. Astro, standing to one
+side, looked confused.
+
+"Sure we know what we've done," declared Tom. "We found this guy in here
+copying secrets from some blueprints there on the desk and--"
+
+"Copying secrets!" screamed Rush. "Why, you ding-blasted idiots, that's
+Dave Barret, the supervisor of this whole project!"
+
+The man on the floor stirred and Firehouse ordered the squad of enlisted
+men to help him up. Just then, there was a bellow of rage from the
+hatch. Major Connel stepped into the compartment, his face a mask of
+disgust and anger.
+
+"By the rings of Saturn!" he roared. "I've been sitting in the
+laboratory for the last hour and a half waiting for Dave Barret to come
+back with vital information, so we could get on with our experiments,
+and I find that you--you--" Connel was so furious, he could hardly talk.
+
+He faced the three cadets. "There isn't anything in the books that says
+you should be disciplined for this--this--outrage, but believe me,
+Cadets"--his voice sounded like thunder in the small compartment--"this
+is the very last time I'll stand for this kind of stupidity."
+
+Tom gulped but stepped forward bravely. "Sir," he said clearly, "I would
+like respectfully to submit the facts for the major's honest
+consideration. Neither of us has ever seen this man before and we found
+him copying information from these blueprints. When I challenged him,
+he said he was going to show us his identification. He put his hands in
+his jacket to get it, but Roger saw a gun in his belt, and thinking he
+was going to use it, Roger hit him on the head." Tom stopped, clamped
+his mouth shut, and stared the major in the eye. "That's all, sir."
+
+Connel returned the stare, his eyes meeting those of the cadet for a
+full half minute. "All right," he said finally. "I guess it's just a
+case of misjudgment. But," he added scathingly, "in the face of the
+_Polaris_ unit's record, you can understand my initial opinion."
+
+As Dave Barret was assisted from the ship by the guards, Connel turned
+to Rush. "Firehouse!" he barked.
+
+"Yes, sir?"
+
+"See that these cadets don't cause any more mischief."
+
+"Yes, _sir_."
+
+"Dismissed," snapped Connel.
+
+"All right, you space brats," bellowed Rush, "back to your patrol!"
+
+Tom, Roger, and Astro left the ship and returned to their posts outside
+the hangar. Just before they separated to resume their endless march
+around the hangar, Tom winked at his unit mates. "At least we didn't get
+demerits," he said.
+
+"Only because Connel couldn't find any reason to give them to us,"
+sneered Roger. "What a busted rocket he's getting to be!"
+
+"Yeah," agreed Astro quietly.
+
+The three cadets began their round again, their eyes heavy with lack of
+sleep, their arms and legs leaden, and their desire to become successful
+Space Cadets more determined than ever. But they didn't know they had
+started a chain reaction that would affect their very lives.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER 5
+
+
+"We passed!"
+
+Tom turned away from the lists posted on the dormitory bulletin board
+and with his arms around Astro and Roger pushed through the knot of
+cadets.
+
+"Yeow!" bellowed Astro.
+
+"We made it," murmured Roger with a note of disbelief in his voice. "We
+made it!" And then, with the realization that he was still a Space Cadet
+for at least another term, he turned and began pounding Astro on the
+back. "You big Venusian ape, we made it."
+
+Arm in arm, the three cadets strolled across the quadrangle and shouted
+to friends they passed. Occasionally they fell silent when they saw a
+boy carrying his gear to the supply building. These had failed to pass
+the rigid examinations.
+
+Near the Tower of Galileo, the cadets came face to face with Tony
+Richards, McAvoy, and Davison. The two units looked at each other
+silently, remembering what had happened only four short weeks before.
+Then they all smiled and pounded each other on the back, congratulating
+each other on passing. Neither of the units had made top honors as a
+result of their fight and the trial, and having to spend so much time on
+guard duty, but they had passed and that was the most important thing.
+The boys all adjourned to the credit exchange and gorged themselves on
+Martian fruit pies covered with ice cream. Finally the party broke up
+when Tom remembered that he and his unit mates had to go on guard duty
+in half an hour.
+
+"Well," said Tony Richards, rising, "we relieve you guys at midnight, so
+we might as well hit the sack right now. I've been waiting for this
+night for a long time."
+
+"No study," sighed Davison. "What heaven! I feel as if I've been
+pardoned from prison."
+
+The three boys of the _Capella_ crew said good-by to Tom, Roger, and
+Astro, and walked off. Tom settled back in his chair and sighed. "Sure
+wish I was in their boots," he said. "I don't see how I'm going to get
+through tonight."
+
+"Don't think about it," said Roger. "Only seven more days to go, and
+then we go on summer cruise with the _Polaris_."
+
+"I can't wait to get back on that power deck," said Astro. "It'll be
+like going home."
+
+Later, riding the new slidewalk to the area where the huge hangar had
+been built, they saw Captain Strong returning from the restricted area
+on the other slidewalk. They hopped off their walk and waited for the
+young officer.
+
+"I'm happy that you passed the exams, boys," he said. "And I want you to
+know Commander Walters and Major Connel think a lot more of you, though
+they wouldn't admit it, for the way you worked to make it."
+
+"Thank you, sir," said Astro respectfully.
+
+"You'll have to excuse us, sir," said Tom. "We've got to get out to the
+hangar and go on guard."
+
+"Yes, and you'd better hurry," said Strong. "After that mix-up with Dave
+Barret, Firehouse Tim has his eye on you. Barret put up quite a fuss
+about it."
+
+"I still don't see how Mr. Barret got in there," said Tom. "The fourth
+side of the hangar faces the hills, and we three covered the other three
+sides."
+
+"However he got in," interrupted Strong, "he had a right to be there.
+And he also had a right to carry sidearms."
+
+"Captain Strong," said Roger, "we've talked about it a lot, the three of
+us. And we decided that regardless of what Major Connel or Firehouse or
+Barret have said, we'd do the same thing, in the same way again."
+
+"I think you're perfectly right, Manning. But don't quote me," said
+Strong, his voice serious. "This is one of the most important projects
+I've ever been connected with and--" He stopped suddenly. "Well, I can't
+tell you any more. That's how tight the security is on it."
+
+"But everyone knows that it's a projectile that will home on a target,
+sir," said Tom.
+
+"Yes, that was given to the stereos for general news release, but there
+are other factors involved, factors so important that they could
+revolutionize the whole concept of space flight."
+
+"Wow!" said Tom. "No wonder they have this place so well guarded."
+
+"Humph," snorted Roger. "I'd give up the opportunity of guarding this
+revolutionary secret for one night's good sleep."
+
+"You'll get that tomorrow when we go off duty," said Tom. "And please,
+Roger, no blunders tonight, eh? Let's not take any chances of losing the
+summer cruise in the _Polaris_."
+
+"Listen! You want to talk to the Venusian hick about that, not me,"
+declared Roger. "He's the one that spotted Barret."
+
+"But you hit him on the head," growled Astro. "You and your catlike
+reflexes." The big cadet referred to a recent letter he had seen in
+which one of the blond-haired cadet's many space dolls referred to his
+sensitivity as being that of a poet, and his dancing as smooth as the
+reflexes of a cat.
+
+Roger spun on the big cadet. "You blasted throwback to a Venusian ape!"
+he roared. "If I ever catch you reading my mail again--"
+
+"You'll what?" growled Astro. "You'll do just exactly what?" He grabbed
+Roger by the arm and held him straight out, so that he looked as if he
+were hanging from a tree.
+
+Strong laughed and shook his head. "I give you three to the loving,
+tender care of Firehouse Tim," he said, hopping over on the moving
+slidewalk, back to the Academy.
+
+"Put me down, you overgrown idiot," Roger howled.
+
+"Not until you promise not to threaten me with violence again," said
+Astro with a wink at Tom. The young curly-haired cadet doubled up with
+laughter. Finally Roger was lowered to the ground, and, though he
+rubbed his shoulder and grumbled, he was really pleased that Astro felt
+like roughhousing with him. The events of the last few weeks had so
+tired all of them that there had been no energy left for play.
+
+Lightheartedly they stepped over to the slidewalk and were back on their
+way to the secret project.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+Two huge wire fences had been built around the hangar area now, fences
+carrying a surge of paralyzing power ready to greet anyone that dared
+touch it. More than twenty feet high, the outer fence was buried six
+feet into the ground and was some hundred yards away from the hangar
+building itself, and fifty yards away from the second fence. The entire
+area was also guarded by radar. Should any unauthorized person or object
+be found in that area, an automatic alarm sounded and in fifteen seconds
+a hundred fully armed guards were ready for action. The men who had been
+cleared by security to work in and around the restricted area wore
+specially designed belts of sensitized metal that offset the effects of
+the radar. But the fence was still the untouchable for everyone.
+
+Tom, Roger, and Astro had now been moved inside the hangar itself, to
+stand guard over the only three doors in the cavernous structure. They
+were armed with powerful heat blasters. These rifles were different from
+the paralo-ray guns they had used previously. A beam of light from the
+ray guns would only paralyze a human being, while the blaster destroyed
+anything it touched, burning it to a crisp.
+
+As soon as the three cadets saw the change in armament, they knew they
+were guarding something so secret that human life, if it interfered with
+the project, would be disintegrated. Only once before, on a hunting trip
+to Venus, had they ever used the blasters, but they knew the deadly
+power of the weapons.
+
+Nothing was said to them. Firehouse Tim had not posted any special
+orders or given them any special instructions. Each man who worked
+inside the hangar had to pass a simple but telling test of
+identification. On a table at each entrance to the hangar was a small
+box with a hole in the top. Each worker, guard, and person that entered
+the hangar had to insert a key into the hole and it made contact with a
+highly sensitive electronic device inside. The keys were issued only by
+Major Connel or Captain Strong, and should anyone attempt to enter the
+hangar without it, or should the key not make the proper contact,
+lighting up a small bulb on the top of the box, Tom, Roger, and Astro
+had simple instructions: Shoot to kill.
+
+This form of identification had been employed for some time now, even
+before the wire fence had been installed, but the really spectacular
+change was in the heat blasters each guard carried. This, more than
+anything else, impressed on everyone connected with the project, that to
+move the wrong way, to say the wrong thing, or to act in any suspicious
+manner might result in instant death.
+
+It was a mark of trust that Tom, Roger, and Astro had been placed in
+such a highly sensitive position. They could kill a man and simply
+explain, "The light didn't go on!" and that would be the end of it.
+Neither of them knew that Connel had specifically requested that they be
+assigned to the day shift, when the hangar would be crowded with
+workers, who, intent on their assigned jobs, might be careless and leave
+themselves open to instant action on the part of the guards. Connel
+reasoned that Tom, Roger, and Astro, aside from their occasional antics
+in the Academy, would be more responsible than rough enlisted spacemen.
+The orders were specific: shoot to kill, but there was almost always one
+poor human being who would forget. In spite of the necessity for tight
+security, Connel felt he had to allow for that one percent of human
+failure. Secretly he was very happy that he had a crack unit like the
+_Polaris_ to place in such a job. And the _Capella_ unit had been
+entrusted with the same responsibility.
+
+It was under such tight conditions that Astro, watching the least busy
+of the three entrances and exits, saw Dave Barret walk to a nearby
+public teleceiver booth, and, with the door ajar, place a transspace
+call to Venusport.
+
+The booth was used often by the workers and Astro did not think much of
+it, until he accidentally overheard Barret's conversation.
+
+"... Yeah, I know, but things are so tight, I can't even begin to get at
+it." Barret had his mouth close to the transmitter and his voice was
+low, but Astro could still hear him. "Yeah, I know how important it is
+to you, but I can be burned to a cinder if I make one false move. You'll
+just have to wait until I find an opening somewhere. Good-by!"
+
+Barret switched off the teleceiver set and stepped out of the booth to
+face the muzzle of Astro's blaster. "Stand where you are!" growled the
+big cadet.
+
+"What, why you--" Barret clamped his mouth shut. There was a difference
+between being frozen and being blasted into a crisp.
+
+Astro reached over and touched the button that would alert a squad of
+guards, Major Connel, and Tim Rush. In a flash the alarm sounded
+throughout the hangar and troopers stormed in brandishing their guns.
+Firehouse Tim and Connel arrived seconds later. They skidded to a stop
+when they saw Barret with his hands in the air and Astro's finger on the
+trigger of the blaster.
+
+"By the blessed rings of Saturn!" roared Connel. "Not again."
+
+"Put down that gun," demanded Rush, stepping forward quickly. Astro
+lowered the gun and Barret dropped his hands.
+
+"What's the meaning of this?" demanded Connel, his face reddening with
+rage.
+
+Astro turned and looked the major right in the eye. "Major," he said
+calmly, "this man just made a teleceiver call--a transspace call to
+Venusport."
+
+"Well, what about it?" cried Barret.
+
+"Sir," said Astro, unruffled by Barret's screaming protest, "this man
+spoke of getting at something, and that he was unable to do so, because
+he might be burned to a cinder. And the other party would have to wait
+until he found an opening."
+
+"What!" exclaimed Connel, turning to look at Barret. "What is the
+meaning of this, Barret?"
+
+"Why, that knuckle-headed baboon!" yelled Barret. "Sure, I made a
+transspace call to Venusport--to the Venusian Atomic By-Products
+Corporation."
+
+"What was the call about?" demanded Connel.
+
+The guards had not moved and the workers in the hangar were now
+gathering around the small knot of men by the teleceiver booth.
+
+"Why--I--"
+
+"Come on, man!" shouted Connel. "Out with it."
+
+"I called about getting a new timer for the projectile fuel-injection
+system," snapped Barret. "The timer is too slow for our needs. I wanted
+to adjust it myself, but the projectile is so compact, I can't get at it
+without taking a chance of getting doused by the fuel."
+
+"What about that remark about finding an opening?" growled Connel.
+
+"What's going on here?" called Professor Hemmingwell as he bustled up to
+the group. "Why aren't these men working? Dave, why aren't you up
+there--?"
+
+"Just a minute, Professor!" Connel barked, and turned back to Barret.
+"Go ahead, Barret."
+
+"They can't make a new timer until I find a way of installing it without
+taking apart the whole projectile," said Barret, adding sarcastically,
+"in other words, Major--finding an opening."
+
+"All right," barked Connel. "That's enough." He turned to the assembled
+workers. "Get back to work, all of you." The men moved away and
+Firehouse Tim led the guards back to their quarters. Professor
+Hemmingwell, Barret, and Astro remained where they were.
+
+Connel turned to Astro. "Good work, you dumb Venusian," he snorted.
+"But so help me, if you had burned this man, I, personally, would've
+buried you on a prison rock." The major then turned to Barret. "As for
+you--" he snarled.
+
+"Yes?" asked Barret coolly.
+
+"You make one more call like that over a public teleceiver," Connel
+roared, "especially a transspace call that's monitored by the idiots in
+the teleceiver company, and I'll send _you_ to a prison asteroid!"
+
+"Now, Major," said Hemmingwell testily, "I don't think you should speak
+to Dave that way. After all, he's a very valuable man in this project."
+
+"How valuable would he be if this cadet had gone ahead and blasted him?"
+snarled Connel.
+
+"It's just another example of how these stupid boys have obstructed my
+work here," replied Hemmingwell angrily. "I can't see why they have to
+interfere this way. And they always pick on poor Dave."
+
+"Yes," snarled Barret. "I'm getting pretty tired of being a clay pigeon
+for a bunch of brats." He turned to Astro. "You'll have a head full of
+socket wrench if you mess with me again."
+
+"You'll get a receipt, Barret," growled Astro. "Paid in full."
+
+"All right, break it up," growled Connel. "Back to your post, Astro. And
+you get back to work, Barret, and remember what I said about using that
+public teleceiver."
+
+Barret and Hemmingwell walked off, with the little professor talking
+rapidly to the younger scientist, trying to calm his anger.
+
+Astro, Tom, and Roger were extraordinarily strict about the exit of the
+workers that night and there was angry muttering in the ranks of the men
+who wanted to get home. But the three cadets refused to be hurried and
+made each man perform the ritual of getting out to the letter. Still
+later, after they had been relieved by the _Capella_ unit and had told
+them of the incident between Astro and Barret, they headed back to the
+Academy dormitory more tired than they had ever been before in their
+lives. Thirty seconds after reaching their room, they were asleep in
+their bunks, without undressing or washing. Like whipped dogs, they
+sprawled on their bunks, dead to the world.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER 6
+
+
+Sabotage!
+
+Major Connel, Commander Walters, Captain Strong, Professor Hemmingwell,
+and Dave Barret stared unbelievingly at the tangle of wires and smashed
+tubes on the main deck of the sleek spaceship.
+
+"Get every man that has been in this hangar during the last twenty-four
+hours and have him brought under guard to the laboratory for
+psychographs." Commander Walters' face was grim as he snapped out the
+order.
+
+Professor Hemmingwell and Barret got down on their hands and knees and
+examined the wrecked firing device carefully. After a long period of
+silence, while Strong, Walters, and Connel watched them pawing through
+the tangle of wires and broken connections, Hemmingwell stood up.
+
+"It can be replaced in twelve hours," he announced. "I believe that
+whoever did this either didn't know what he was doing, or it was an
+accident."
+
+"Explain that, will you, Professor?" asked Strong. "I don't
+understand."
+
+"This is an important unit," Hemmingwell replied, indicating the
+wreckage, "but not the most important part of the whole unit. Anyone who
+really knew what he was doing and wanted to delay the project could have
+done so much more easily by simply destroying this." Hemmingwell held
+out a small metallic-looking cylinder.
+
+"What is that, Professor?" asked Barret.
+
+"Don't you know?" asked Connel.
+
+"No, he doesn't," snapped Professor Hemmingwell. "This is something I
+developed that only the commander and myself know about."
+
+[Illustration]
+
+"So, if you and Commander Walters are the only ones that know about it,"
+said Steve Strong slowly, "then a saboteur would have thought it
+unimportant and concentrated on the rest of the mechanism."
+
+"Looks that way," mused Connel. "But there is still the possibility that
+it was an accident, as the professor said."
+
+Strong looked at Connel questioningly and then back to the wreckage. The
+unit had been hurled from the upper deck of the spaceship, down to the
+main deck, and it looked as if someone had trampled on its delicate
+works.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+"I'll have a crew put right to work on this," said Hemmingwell.
+
+"Commander," Connel suddenly announced, "I'm going ahead with my trip to
+Mars to inspect the testing receivers. I don't think this incident is
+serious enough for me to delay leaving, and if Professor Hemmingwell and
+his men can get this unit back in operation in twelve hours, then
+there's very little time lost and we can go ahead with the tests on
+schedule."
+
+"All right, Lou," said Walters. "Do whatever you think best. I'll have a
+ship made ready for you at the Academy spaceport any time you want to
+leave."
+
+Connel nodded his thanks. "I think I'll take the _Polaris_, with Cadet
+Corbett along as second pilot," he said. "I'm getting too old to make a
+solo hop in a scout all the way to Mars. I need my rest." He grinned
+slyly at Walters.
+
+"Rest," Walters snorted. "If I know you, Lou Connel, you'll be up all
+night working out standard operational procedures for the space
+projectiles." He turned to Strong. "He's so sure this will work that
+he's already writing a preliminary handbook for the enlisted personnel."
+
+Strong turned and looked at the major, amazed. Every day he learned more
+and more about the space-hardened veteran.
+
+Connel turned to Strong. "Will you give Corbett the order to be ready at
+0600 hours tomorrow morning, Steve?" he asked.
+
+"Certainly, Lou," replied Strong.
+
+As the major turned away, Walters called after him, "Take it easy."
+
+Leaving Hemmingwell and Barret to take care of clearing away the
+wreckage, Strong and Walters climbed out of the ship, left the hangar,
+and headed for the Academy.
+
+"Do you think it was sabotage, sir?" asked Strong, as they rode on the
+slidewalk.
+
+"I don't know, Steve," said the commander. "If that special unit of
+Hemmingwell's had been damaged, I would say it might have been an
+accident. But the things that were damaged would have put the whole
+works out of commission if we didn't have that unit."
+
+"Yes, sir," said Strong grimly. "So the man who did it thought he was
+doing a complete job."
+
+"Right," said Walters. "Assuming that it was sabotage."
+
+"Anyone you suspect?"
+
+"Not a living soul," replied Walters. "Every man in that hangar has been
+carefully screened by our Security Section. Background, history,
+everything. No, I think it really was an accident."
+
+"Yes, sir," replied Strong, but not with the conviction he would like to
+have felt.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+Pat Troy had been Professor Hemmingwell's foreman for nearly two years.
+It was his job to read the complicated blueprints and keep the
+construction and installation work proceeding on schedule. Troy lacked a
+formal education, but nevertheless he could read and interpret the
+complicated plans which the professor and his assistants drew up, and
+transform their ideas into actual mechanical devices. Professor
+Hemmingwell considered himself fortunate to have a man of Troy's ability
+not only as a co-worker, but as a close friend.
+
+But Dave Barret did not like Troy, and he made this dislike obvious by
+giving Troy as much work as possible, mainly tasks that were beneath his
+ability, claiming he only trusted the trained scientists. Barret put the
+professor in the position of having to defend one to the other. He
+needed both men, both being excellent in their respective fields, and
+found it more and more difficult to maintain any kind of peaceful
+relationship between them. Barret, as Hemmingwell's chief assistant and
+supervisor of the project, was naturally superior in rank to Troy, and
+made the most of it. A placid, easy-going man, Troy took Barret's gibes
+and caustic comments in silence, doing his work and getting it finished
+on time. But occasionally he had difficulty in controlling his
+resentment.
+
+The day after the accident, or sabotage attempt on the firing unit, the
+hangar was quiet, most of the workers still being psychographed. Troy,
+one of the first to be graphed, had been detained by the technicians
+longer than usual, but was now back at his bench, working on the unit.
+This incident gave Barret the opportunity he was looking for, and as he
+and Professor Hemmingwell strode through the hangar, he commented
+casually, "I hate to say this, sir, but I don't like the way Troy has
+been acting lately."
+
+"What do you mean, Dave?" asked Hemmingwell.
+
+"I depend a great deal on instinct," replied Barret. "And as good as
+Troy's work has been, I feel the man is hiding something."
+
+"Come now, Dave," snorted the professor. "I've known him a long time. I
+think you're being a little harsh."
+
+As Barret shrugged and didn't reply, a troubled expression crossed
+Hemmingwell's face. "But at the same time," he said slowly, "if you have
+any reservations, I don't suppose it would hurt to keep an eye on him."
+
+"Yes!" agreed Barret eagerly. "That's just what I was thinking."
+
+They reached the workbench where Troy, a small man with powerful arms
+and shoulders, was working on a complicated array of wires and vacuum
+tubes. He looked up, nodded casually at the two men, and indicated the
+instrument.
+
+"Here it is, Professor," he said. "All ready to go. But I had a little
+trouble fitting that coil where the blueprints called for it."
+
+"Why?" Barret demanded. "I designed that coil myself. Isn't it a little
+odd that a coil I designed, and the professor O.K.'d, should not fit?"
+
+"I don't care who designed it," said Troy easily. "It didn't fit where
+the blueprint indicated. I had to redesign it."
+
+"Now, now," said Professor Hemmingwell, sensing trouble. "Take it easy,
+boys."
+
+"Professor," Barret exploded, "I insist that you fire this man!"
+
+"Fire me!" exclaimed Troy angrily. "Why, you space crawler, you're the
+one who should be fired. I saw you come back to the hangar the other
+night alone and...."
+
+"Of course I did!" snapped Barret. "I was sent down here to get
+information about--" He stopped suddenly and eyed Troy. "Wait a minute.
+How could you see me down here? What were you doing here?"
+
+"Why--I--" Troy hesitated. "I came down to check over some equipment."
+
+"Why were you detained at the psychograph tests this morning?" demanded
+Barret.
+
+"None of your business!" shouted Troy. "I was doing my job. That's all."
+
+"I'll bet," snapped Barret. "Professor, here is your sabotage agent. Who
+are you working for, Troy?"
+
+"None of your business," stammered Troy, seemingly confused. "I mean,
+I'm not working for anyone."
+
+"There! You see, Professor!" shouted Barret.
+
+"I think you'd better explain yourself, Pat," said the professor,
+looking troubled and suspicious. "Why were you detained so long this
+morning?"
+
+"They were asking me questions."
+
+"What kind of questions?" demanded Barret.
+
+"I'm not allowed to tell you."
+
+"What were you doing here the other night?" pursued Barret. "The night
+you saw me here."
+
+"I came down to check our supplies. I knew that we were running short on
+certain equipment."
+
+"What kind of things?" demanded the professor.
+
+"Well, the timers on the oscillators," Troy replied. "I knew we would
+need them for the new units you and Commander Walters were planning."
+
+"Guard!" shouted Barret suddenly. "Guard!" He turned and called to Roger
+and Astro, who were standing guard at the doors. They both came running
+up, their blasters held at ready.
+
+"What is it?" demanded Astro. "What's going on here?"
+
+"Arrest that man!" shouted Barret. Astro and Roger looked questioningly
+at Troy. They did not know him personally but had seen him around the
+hangar and knew that he worked closely with the professor and Barret.
+
+Still vaguely distrustful of Barret's behavior, Astro turned to
+Hemmingwell. "How about it, Professor?" he asked. "Do we haul this guy
+in?"
+
+Hemmingwell looked at Troy steadily. "Pat, you knew about that new unit
+I was building?"
+
+"Yes, sir," replied Troy forthrightly. "I accidentally overheard you and
+Commander Walters discussing it. From what you said about it, I knew you
+would need new timers for the oscillators--"
+
+Roger and Astro had heard about the vital unit that had not been
+destroyed, and realized that Troy was admitting to knowledge he
+shouldn't have had. Roger raised the blaster menacingly. "All right,
+buster!" he growled. "Move this way and move slowly."
+
+"Professor," exclaimed Troy, "you're not going to let them--!"
+
+"I'm sorry, Pat," said the professor, a dejected look in his eyes. "I
+have nothing to do with it now. You should have told me that you knew
+about the new unit. And the fact that you were here the night it was
+destroyed, well--" He shrugged meaningfully and turned away.
+
+"All right, buster," growled Astro, "do you move or do I move you? It
+makes no difference to me."
+
+Troy took a look at the blasters leveled at him and silently walked
+between them to the hangar door. Barret and Professor Hemmingwell
+remained at the workbench, following the trio with their eyes.
+
+Later, after Troy had been safely locked in the Academy brig, Firehouse
+Tim Rush sat at his desk in the small security shack taking down the two
+cadets' reports.
+
+"... And upon the orders of Dave Barret and Professor Hummingbird--"
+Roger was saying.
+
+"Hemmingwell," snapped Firehouse. "_Hemmingwell_."
+
+"--Hemmingwell"--nodded Roger with a wink at Astro--"we brought the
+suspect to the officer of the guard, Firehouse Tim Rush."
+
+"Can that Firehouse, ya squirt!" growled Rush. "Only my friends can call
+me that. And you two are not in that classification."
+
+"O.K., Fireman," said Roger. "I can call you Fireman, can't I? After
+all, you are a pretty hot rocket, and--"
+
+"Get back to your posts!" roared Firehouse Tim in his loudest voice.
+
+Roger and Astro grinned and hurried out of the small building. Before
+resuming their posts in the hangar, the two cadets stopped at an
+automatic soda dispenser. As they drank slowly, they looked around the
+hangar. The project was back in full operation now. The workers that
+had been cleared had heard about the arrest of their foreman, and there
+seemed to be more talk than work.
+
+Dave Barret walked over to Roger and Astro. Nodding in a surprisingly
+friendly fashion, he said, "I want to commend you two boys on your good
+work a while ago. I think that traitor would have tried anything if you
+hadn't been there. He might even have tried to kill me or the
+professor."
+
+Roger and Astro mumbled curt thanks for the compliment.
+
+Barret looked at them quizzically. "No need for us to be angry with each
+other," he said smoothly. "I realize that when we had our two little
+run-ins you were carrying out your duties, and I apologize for behaving
+the way I did. How about it? Can we shake and forget it?" He held out
+his hand. Astro and Roger looked at each other and shrugged, each in
+turn, taking the young man's hand.
+
+"You know," said Barret, "I've heard a lot about you three cadets of the
+_Polaris_ unit. Especially you, Manning. I understand that you know
+almost as much about electronics as your instructor at the Academy."
+
+Roger grinned shyly. "I like my work."
+
+"Well, blast my jets!" roared Astro. "That's the first time I have ever
+heard Manning accept a compliment gracefully." The big Venusian turned
+to Barret. "He is not only the finest astrogator in the whole high,
+wide, and deep," he said sincerely, "but he could have had a wonderful
+career in electronics if he didn't want to be a rocket jockey with me
+and Corbett."
+
+"Is that so?" murmured Barret politely. "Well, Manning, you must have
+some ideas about the work that's going on here."
+
+"I sure have," said Roger. "And I see a lot of things here that could be
+done a lot easier."
+
+"Hum," mused Barret. "You know something. I think I might be able to
+relieve you two of guard duty. After all, if Corbett can get out of it,
+I don't see why I can't put your talents to work for us here. How about
+it?"
+
+Both boys almost jumped straight up in the air.
+
+"That would be terrific, Mr. Barret!" exclaimed Astro.
+
+"Call me Dave, Astro. We're friends now, remember?"
+
+"Sure, Dave," stuttered Astro. "But listen, we'd do anything to be taken
+off this detail and get Firehouse off our necks."
+
+Barret smiled. "All right. I'll see what I can do." He turned and walked
+off, giving them a friendly wave in parting.
+
+Astro and Roger could hardly believe their luck. They returned to their
+posts and took up guard duty again with light hearts.
+
+In his small private office, Barret watched them through the open door
+to the hangar and then turned to his desk, to pick up the recently
+installed private audioceiver. He asked for a private number in a small
+city on Mars, and then admonished the operator, "This is a security
+call, miss. Disconnect your circuit and do not listen in. Failure to
+comply will result in your immediate dismissal and possible criminal
+prosecution."
+
+"Yes, sir," replied the operator respectfully.
+
+There was a distinct click and Barret heard a gruff voice.
+
+"Hello?"
+
+"This is Barret," the young designer whispered. "Everything's going fine
+down here. I just had the foreman arrested to throw them off the track,
+and I have a plan to get rid of two of these nosy cadets." Barret
+listened a minute and then continued. "Connel and the other cadet,
+Corbett, have gone to Mars to inspect the receivers. Don't worry about a
+thing. This ship will never get off the ground. And if it does, it will
+never fire a projectile."
+
+Barret hung up and returned to the open door. He waved at Roger and
+Astro on the other side of the hangar and the two cadets waved back.
+
+"Like lambs to the slaughter," he said to himself.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER 7
+
+
+"Sound off, Corbett!"
+
+Seated in the pilot's chair on the control deck of the rocket cruiser
+_Polaris_, Major Connel bellowed the order into the intercom as he
+scanned the many dials on the huge control board.
+
+"One minute to touchdown, sir," reported Tom over the intercom from the
+radar bridge of the _Polaris_.
+
+"One minute to touchdown," repeated Connel. "Right!"
+
+Connel reached for the switches and levers that would bring the giant
+ship to rest on the red planet of Mars. Even after his many years in the
+Solar Guard and thousands of space flights, landing a rocket ship was
+still a thrill to the veteran spaceman, and knowing that he had a good
+man on the radar deck made it even more exciting and demanding of his
+skill.
+
+"Decelerate!" yelled Tom over the intercom.
+
+Connel shut down the main drive rockets and at the same time opened the
+nose braking rockets. "Braking rockets on!" he yelled.
+
+"One thousand feet to touchdown," said Tom.
+
+Connel watched the dials spinning before him.
+
+"Seven hundred and fifty feet to touchdown," reported Tom.
+
+"Keep counting, Corbett!" yelled Connel enthusiastically.
+
+"Five hundred feet!"
+
+Connel quickly cut back the nose braking rockets and again opened the
+main drive rockets as the ship plummeted tailfirst toward the surface of
+Mars.
+
+"Two hundred feet!" came the warning call over the intercom.
+
+Connel glanced up at the teleceiver screen over his head that showed the
+spaceport below. The concrete runways and platforms were rushing up to
+meet the giant ship. He opened the main rockets full.
+
+"Seventy-five feet! Stand by!" yelled Tom.
+
+Connel's hands flashed over the control panel of the ship, snapping
+switches, flipping levers, and turning dials in an effort to bring the
+ship to a smooth landing. There was a sudden roar of rockets and then a
+gentle bump.
+
+"Touchdown!" roared Connel.
+
+He flipped off the main switches on the control board, spun around in
+his chair, and noted the time on the astral chronometer. "Touchdown
+Marsport, 2117!" he announced.
+
+Tom clambered down the ladder from the radar bridge and immediately
+noted the time of arrival in the logbook. He turned around and saluted
+the major sharply. "All secure, sir," he said.
+
+"Congratulations on a smooth trip, Corbett," Connel said. "And thanks
+for letting me take her in. I know it's unusual to have the senior
+officer take over the ship, but once in a while I get the urge to put my
+hands on those controls and--well--" Connel paused, fumbling for words.
+
+Tom was so startled by the major's stumbling attempt to explain his
+feelings, he felt himself blush. He had always suspected the major of
+being a rocket jockey at heart and now he was certain. But he would
+never tell anyone, not even Roger and Astro about this incident. It was
+something he knew that he himself would feel if he ever got to be as old
+as Major Connel and had reached his position. There passed between the
+officer and the cadet a sudden feeling of mutual understanding.
+
+"I understand, sir," said Tom quietly.
+
+"Dismissed!" roared Connel, recovering his composure again, and very
+conscious that he had exposed his innermost feelings to the cadet. But
+he didn't mind too much. Tom Corbett had proven beyond the shadow of a
+doubt that he had the stuff true spacemen are made of, and because of
+this, Connel could feel as close to him as a man near his own age. There
+was never a breed of men who were drawn so close together in their love
+of work as the spacemen and there was no need for further explanation.
+
+When they had climbed out of the _Polaris_ and stepped on the landing
+ramp at Marsport, Connel and Tom saw that the ground crews were already
+checking over the afterburners and exhaust tubes of the ship. A young
+Solar Guard lieutenant, wearing a decidedly greasy uniform, snapped to
+attention before Connel.
+
+"Lieutenant Slick at your service, sir," he announced.
+
+"Lieutenant," bawled Connel, "your uniform is filthy!"
+
+"Yes, sir, I know it is, sir," replied the young officer. "But I was
+overhauling a firing unit this morning, sir, and I guess I got a little
+dirty."
+
+"That is enlisted man's work, sir," stated Connel. "You are an officer."
+
+"I know, sir, but--" Slick stammered. "Well, sir, once in a while I like
+to do it myself."
+
+Tom turned away, hiding a smile. The young officer was expressing the
+same feelings Connel himself had uttered just a few minutes before.
+Connel cleared his throat, and with a sidelong glance at Tom and a wink,
+dismissed the young officer, ordering him to have a jet car sent for
+them right away.
+
+"Take mine, sir," said the young officer, happy to have escaped Connel's
+wrath so easily. It was not too long ago that he had been a cadet at the
+Academy and he remembered all too clearly what Connel could do when he
+was mad.
+
+When the jet car was brought up, Tom slipped behind the wheel, and with
+Connel seated beside him, he sent the sleek little vehicle roaring
+across the spaceport to the main administration building.
+
+Inside the gleaming crystal building, Connel and Tom were escorted by a
+Space Marine guard to the office of the spaceport commander, Captain Jim
+Arnold. He and Connel knew each other well, and after quick greetings
+and the introduction of the young cadet, Connel asked for the latest
+reports on the projectile receivers.
+
+"Lou, I've got good news for you," announced Arnold. "We've completed
+the receiver ramps for the test. As soon as your ship is ready to fire
+her cargo projectiles, we can receive them."
+
+Connel's face showed the surprise he felt. "Why, Jim, that's the most
+amazing news I've ever heard!" he exclaimed. "How did you do it?"
+
+"Through hard work," replied Arnold, "and the efforts of a young officer
+named Slick. He handled the whole thing."
+
+"Slick!" exclaimed Connel. "I just bawled him out for wearing a dirty
+uniform."
+
+"He's responsible for our success," asserted Arnold. "And what's more,
+those receivers can be taken apart and reassembled again in less than
+ten minutes."
+
+"Incredible," gasped Connel. "I've got to see those things right away.
+Come along, Corbett."
+
+Tom followed the major out of the office and back to the jet car. They
+were about to drive off to the opposite end of the field when they heard
+someone shout to them. Tom stopped the speedy little car and Connel
+turned around to see who had called them.
+
+Carter Devers rushed up and greeted the Solar Guard officer
+enthusiastically. "Major, this is a surprise."
+
+"Hello, Carter. What are you doing here?" Connel asked bluntly.
+
+"Had some business here on Mars," said Devers. "I've finished and I'm
+on my way back to Earth. You wouldn't, by any chance, be going back
+soon, would you? I saw the Solar Guard cruiser come in and one of the
+attendants told me that they were preparing it for immediate
+blast-off--"
+
+"Of course, Carter," Connel said briskly. "Get in. We're just going over
+to inspect the receivers and then we'll be heading back."
+
+Devers jumped into the jet car and Tom headed across the broad expanse
+of the spaceport.
+
+Connel turned to Devers and said enthusiastically, "Can you imagine,
+Devers? Some young officer here at Marsport has worked out a way to
+assemble and transport the receivers in a fantastically small amount of
+time."
+
+"That's amazing," said Devers. "I'd like very much to see them." He
+looked at Tom and said, "Incidentally, who is your young friend?"
+
+"Oh, sorry," replied Connel. "This is Cadet Corbett of the _Polaris_
+unit. No doubt you've heard of them. He and his unit mates manage to get
+into more trouble than all the monkeys in the Venusian jungle."
+
+Carter laughed. "I've known Lou Connel long enough to know that when he
+says something like that about you, son, he thinks very highly of you."
+
+"Thank you, sir," replied Tom, not knowing what else to say.
+
+While Connel and Devers talked of the problems surrounding the
+projectile operation, Tom concentrated on his driving. He was following
+directions given him by Jim Arnold to reach the testing grounds and this
+made it necessary for Tom to drive right through the center of the
+spaceport, weaving in and out of the dozens of spaceships parked on the
+concrete ramps.
+
+Tom swept past them, driving expertly, heading toward a group of
+concrete blockhouses enclosed by a fence which he knew would be the
+testing area. Beside the fence, a short, stubby-nosed spaceship was
+loading cargo, and beneath the vessel, two huge jet trucks were backing
+into position. Tom steered the car up to the gate and stopped at the
+signal of an armed guard. Connel, Devers, and Tom stepped out of the car
+and waited for a minute, and then young Lieutenant Slick appeared,
+wearing a clean uniform.
+
+Slick checked their names off against a list he carried and then drew
+Connel to one side. "I'm sorry, sir," he said, just out of Tom and
+Dever's hearing, "I can't allow the cadet inside this area."
+
+"Why not?" asked Connel. "I'll vouch for him."
+
+"I'm sorry, sir," said Slick. "Those are my orders. I can let you and
+Mr. Devers in, but not Cadet Corbett." He showed Connel a list of names:
+Connel, Strong, Hemmingwell, Walters, Devers, and Barret. They were the
+only names on it.
+
+Connel nodded. "I understand," he said and turned to Tom. "You'll have
+to stay here, Corbett," he called. "Wait for me in the car."
+
+"Yes, sir," replied Tom and hopped back in the jet.
+
+He backed out through the gate, pulling up alongside the fence near the
+stubby-nosed freighter. When Connel and Devers, escorted by Slick, had
+disappeared behind a blockhouse inside the restricted area, Tom
+casually walked over to watch the loading operation of the spaceship. A
+few of the workers stopped when he walked up, and recognizing his cadet
+uniform, greeted him warmly.
+
+"Space Cadet, eh?" said one of the men. "Sure wish I could get my boy in
+the Academy."
+
+"Me too," said another man. "All I hear from morning until night is
+Space Academy--Space Academy."
+
+Tom smiled his appreciation of their admiration. While he answered their
+questions about the training school of the Solar Guard, they continued
+working. After a while the conversation turned to the restricted area
+behind the fence.
+
+"Some pretty important work going on in there," said one of the men.
+"But how come they wouldn't let you go in?"
+
+"I haven't been cleared by security," replied Tom. "It's top secret."
+
+"Secret," said a man who had just joined the group. Tom had noticed him
+before, climbing out of one of the huge jet trucks parked near the gate.
+"Why, there ain't nothing secret about what's going on in there," he
+continued.
+
+"Why do you say that?" asked Tom alertly.
+
+"Why, we all know about it, Cadet," said one of the first men Tom had
+spoken to. "They're building receivers for cargo projectiles."
+
+Tom gulped in surprise. "But how did you know?" he asked.
+
+"Why, it's the only thing we've been talking about down at the garage
+and at Sloppy Sam's, the jet-truckers hangout," replied the trucker.
+"If this thing works, surface transportation will be finished."
+
+"That's right," asserted another worker. "The whole industry will be
+wiped out overnight. Nobody will have anything trucked any more.
+Cargo'll be loaded into a projectile and shot off into space to a
+passing freighter. Then the freighter carries it to its destination and
+shoots it back down to a receiver."
+
+"But how could you know all this?" asked Tom. "It is one of the Solar
+Guard's most closely guarded secrets."
+
+"It's all over Mars," declared the truck driver with a derisive laugh.
+"Why, everybody knows it."
+
+Suddenly one of the men yelled and pointed toward the fence. The jet
+truck parked near the gate was rolling forward slowly. As Tom and the
+men watched in horror, the giant vehicle crashed through the fence and
+rolled into the restricted area, picking up speed.
+
+In a flash Tom was inside the jet car, driving right through the hole in
+the fence and speeding after the huge machine. Around him, guards were
+running after the truck, shouting frantic warnings. Far ahead of him,
+Tom saw Major Connel and Devers standing near several receivers lined up
+outside a blockhouse. The truck was rolling straight toward them.
+Hearing the shouts of alarm, the two men turned and saw their danger.
+Devers immediately jumped into the safety of the blockhouse, but Connel
+stumbled and fell heavily. Tom's blood ran cold. He saw that the major
+had struck his head against one of the receivers and he lay on the
+ground, dazed and unable to move.
+
+Tom jammed the accelerator of the tiny jet car to the floor and shot
+ahead like a rocket. He was alongside the truck now, but the distance
+between the huge machine and Connel was narrowing rapidly. Tom clenched
+his teeth and urged the little car on faster. He knew that there was not
+enough time for him to jump into the truck and pull the brake. There
+was only one thing he could do.
+
+Regaining his senses, Connel tried to crawl to safety, but there was no
+time. He braced himself for what he knew would be instant death, and
+then to his amazement he saw Tom's jet car swerve sharply in front of
+the runaway truck.
+
+[Illustration: _Tom swerved the jet car in front of the runaway truck_]
+
+There was a wrenching crash of metal, a shrill scream of skidding tires,
+climaxed by a thunderous roar. After that, deathly silence.
+
+For a second Connel stood frozen in horror, staring at the overturned
+truck and the tangle of twisted metal that was the jet car. Then he
+lunged forward with a frantic cry.
+
+"Corbett! Corbett!"
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER 8
+
+
+"Tom! Tom!"
+
+Connel knelt beside the limp form of the Space Cadet, calling
+frantically, praying that the boy would be miraculously unhurt, yet
+fearing the worst. A few moments later Tom groaned and opened his eyes.
+
+"Did I--did I stop the truck?" he asked weakly.
+
+"You sure did, son!" said Connel, breathing a sigh of relief. "And thank
+the lucky spaceman's stars that you're all right. I don't see how you
+got out alive."
+
+Tom sat up. "I jumped from the jet car at the last minute," he said. "I
+guess I must have bumped my head." He looked down at his torn uniform.
+"Wow," he said. "Look at me."
+
+"Don't worry about it." Connel laughed. He turned to Lieutenant Slick
+who had just rushed up.
+
+"Lieutenant, I want a complete check on the men who were standing
+outside the fence when that truck ran away."
+
+"Yes, sir." The young lieutenant patted Tom on the shoulder. "Good
+work, Cadet," he said and started away.
+
+Tom grinned his thanks at the young officer and struggled to his feet.
+"Sir," he said to Connel, "I think I should explain something about that
+truck."
+
+"The truck!" cried Connel. He turned and called, "Lieutenant, come back
+here." The young officer turned back. "Go ahead, Tom," said Connel.
+
+While Tom told his story of the truck having been parked near the gate,
+and having started to roll by itself, Connel and Slick listened
+intently. Quietly Devers joined them. Finally, when Tom had finished,
+Connel rubbed his chin thoughtfully and stared at the truck which was
+being examined by a swarm of guards.
+
+A few moments later the sergeant in command reported to Connel that they
+had found a worn clutch plate that could have slipped and caused the
+truck to roll of its own accord, especially if the motor was turning
+over.
+
+Connel nodded and then ordered, "Get the driver over here."
+
+The man that had spoken to Tom about the secret project came forward
+under guard. He was thoroughly frightened and Connel was aware of it.
+"Relax, friend," he said. "I just want to ask you one question."
+
+"Yes, sir," gulped the truck driver.
+
+"Was there anything wrong with your truck?" demanded Connel.
+
+"Yes, sir," replied the driver. "I had a slipping clutch."
+
+Connel turned abruptly to Lieutenant Slick. "All right, Slick, release
+this man and get that fence back up. I'm satisfied that it was an
+accident."
+
+"Yes, sir," replied Slick, and left the group with the grateful driver.
+
+Connel relaxed for the first time and turned to Carter Devers who had
+been standing by silently. "Well, Carter," he said, "see what I meant
+about the _Polaris_ unit getting into trouble! Blast it, if they don't
+start it, they sure can finish it." He turned to Tom. "Son, you deserve
+some time off. Go back to the Spacelanes Hotel in Marsport and get
+yourself a room. Just forget everything and relax. And get a new
+uniform, too."
+
+"And send the bill to me," Devers suddenly spoke up. "It's the least I
+can do."
+
+"Thank you, sir," said Tom. "I could sure use a little sleep."
+
+Hitching a ride on a jet sled, Tom rode over to the administration
+building where he managed to clean up enough to make himself presentable
+at the hotel. Later, as he rode along the curving canal in a jet cab
+into the main section of Marsport, he relaxed for the first time and
+enjoyed the sights.
+
+The city of Marsport was built in a hurry--at least, the old section of
+the city was. Like many other planets, when first colonized by the early
+great conquerors of space several hundred years before, the city grew
+out of immediate need, with no formalized plan.
+
+Years later, when the Solar Alliance was formed and there was uniform
+government all over the solar system, the citizens of Mars began to
+regard their ugly little capital with distaste. A major effort was made
+to clean up its squalid appearance and huge cargoes of Titan crystal
+were shipped to Mars for modern construction. Now, as Tom Corbett rode
+in comfort along a speedway bordering one of the ancient canals, he
+approached the city with a vague feeling of awe. Gleaming towers,
+reflecting the last rays of the setting sun, loomed just ahead of him,
+and the wavy lines of heat rising out of the sandy deserts seemed to
+make the buildings dance. It was a sunset ballet that never failed to
+thrill even the oldest Martian citizen.
+
+At the magnificent Spacelanes Hotel, Tom was greeted with the greatest
+respect. Already his feat of stopping the runaway truck had been
+announced over the stereo newscasts, and when he asked the location of
+the nearest supply store to buy a uniform, one was immediately brought
+to his room by the manager.
+
+"But how did you know?" asked Tom, astounded.
+
+The manager showed Tom a photograph of himself in his ragged clothes,
+taken while he was talking to Connel. In the background was the remains
+of the jet car.
+
+"Major Connel called and said you would be staying here," said the
+manager. "From the looks of you in this picture, we knew you would need
+a new uniform."
+
+"And you've got my size!" exclaimed Tom, holding up the gleaming new
+blouse.
+
+"We called the Academy." The manager smiled. "We wanted to be sure.
+Incidentally, there is a message for you." The manager handed Tom a
+typed space-o-gram and left. The cadet ripped it open and smiled as he
+read:
+
+     TRYING TO HOG ALL THE STEREO SPACE YOU CAN WHILE YOU LEAVE THE REAL
+     COMPETITION AT HOME, YOU RAT! CONGRATULATIONS!
+
+     ASTRO AND ROGER
+
+Laughing to himself, Tom left the message on the desk, stripped off his
+torn, dirty clothes, and stepped into a hot, refreshing shower. Half an
+hour later he was digging into a thick steak with French fried potatoes.
+
+After a third helping of dessert, the cadet stretched out on the bed and
+closed his eyes. But sleep would not come. The incidents at the
+spaceport that afternoon kept flashing through his mind. He tossed
+restlessly, something he couldn't quite remember was tugging at the back
+of his mind.
+
+He retraced the events of the day, beginning with the landing of the
+_Polaris_ and ending with the crash of the jet truck.
+
+Suddenly he sat up straight. Then quickly he jumped out of bed,
+hurriedly threw on the new uniform, and rammed his feet into the soft
+space boots.
+
+Ten minutes later, having used the service elevator to avoid the lobby,
+he stood on the corner of Lowell Lane and Builker Avenue. He hailed a
+passing jet cab, and climbing in, asked the driver, "Do you know a
+restaurant or a bar called Sloppy Sam's?"
+
+"Sure," said the driver. "That where you want to go?"
+
+"As fast as this wagon will get me there," replied Tom.
+
+"Why?" asked the driver strangely. "You look like a nice kid. That
+joint's for--for--well, it ain't for a Space Cadet," he concluded
+lamely.
+
+"The first thing they teach us at the Academy, buddy," said Tom
+impatiently, "is how to take care of ourselves, and the second thing is
+to mind our own business."
+
+"Right," said the driver, tight-lipped. He slammed the car into motion
+and the force hurled Tom back in his seat.
+
+Tom grinned. He hadn't meant to sound so tough. He leaned over and
+apologized. "I'm looking for an old friend. Someone told me he drives a
+truck and he might be there."
+
+"Forget it, kid," said the driver. "I wouldn't want you in my cab if you
+couldn't take care of yourself. We pay taxes to teach guys like you how
+to protect us. A lot of good it would do if you were scared of a taxi
+driver."
+
+Tom laughed and settled back in his seat to watch the city flash past.
+
+A half hour later the curly-haired cadet became aware of the change from
+the magnificent crystal buildings to the dirty and streaked buildings of
+the poorer section of the city. And with the change, Tom noticed a
+difference in the people who walked the streets. Here were men who wore
+their coat collars high and their caps pulled low, and who would duck
+into the shadows at the approach of the cab and then watch it with dark,
+silent eyes.
+
+"Here ya are, Cadet," the driver announced, stopping in front of a
+small, dirty building. "Sloppy Sam's."
+
+Tom looked out. The door was open and he could see inside. Sawdust
+covered the floor, and the tables and chairs were old and rickety. The
+men inside were the same as those he had seen on the street,
+tough-looking, hard, steely-eyed. Tom looked at the faded sign over the
+door. "That says _Bad_ Sam's," he protested.
+
+[Illustration: _The men inside were tough-looking and steely-eyed_]
+
+"Used to be called Bad Sam's," replied the driver. "As a matter of fact,
+I think it's still officially Bad Sam's. You see, Sam used to be a real
+tough fella. Then one day a fella came along that was tougher than he
+was and beat the exhaust out of him. Sam went to pot after that. He got
+fat and lazy, and his place here got dirtier and dirtier. Finally
+everybody started calling him Sloppy Sam and it stuck."
+
+"Quite a story." Tom laughed. "What happened to the fellow that took Sam
+over the hurdles?"
+
+"He's got a joint on the other side of town called Bad Richard's. But
+they're friends now. Get along fine."
+
+Tom paid the driver and stood on the sidewalk, watching the silver cab
+shoot away into the darkness. Then he took a deep breath and slowly
+moved toward the open door of Sloppy Sam's.
+
+Inside, Tom saw that most of the customers were lined up at the bar,
+drinking rocket juice, a dark foul-tasting liquid that Tom had sipped
+once and vowed he would never try again. But as he looked around, he
+didn't think it was the type of place you could order anything milder,
+so he walked up to the bar and ordered loudly, "A bucket of juice."
+
+Some of the men at the bar turned away from the stereo screen to look at
+the newcomer. They eyed the crisp, clean uniform narrowly, and then
+turned silently back to the play on the screen.
+
+The husky bartender placed the small glass of dark liquid in front of
+Tom. "Twenty credits," he announced in a hoarse voice.
+
+"Twenty!" exclaimed Tom. "Don't give me that rocket wash! It's five
+credits a shot."
+
+"To a Space Cadet that wants to keep his reputation, Corbett," replied
+the burly man, "it's twenty."
+
+Tom realized that the man had seen his picture on the stereo news that
+afternoon and that it would be impossible to get out of paying this
+blatant form of blackmail. He handed over the money and picked up the
+glass. He sipped it to keep up appearances but even the few drops he
+allowed to trickle down his throat almost made him gag. He gasped for
+breath. Whatever information he might be able to get here, it wasn't
+worth another swallow of that stuff.
+
+He stood at the bar for nearly half an hour, watching the stereo and
+waiting. When the show was over, the men turned back to the serious
+business of drinking. Two of them drifted over close to Tom and looked
+him up and down. After a whispered conversation, they turned to him and
+pointed to his drink, the same one he had bought and had not touched
+since.
+
+"Drink up, mate," said the nearest man, a tall, heavy-shouldered man
+with a dark beard, "then join us in another one."
+
+"No, thanks," said Tom. "One's my limit."
+
+The two men laughed. "Well, I'll say this for you, lad, you're honest
+about it," said the tall one. "Most squirts coming in here try to put on
+they can take the stuff and then they wind up in the gutter."
+
+"That's right, Cag!" said the other man, laughing.
+
+"What are you doing in here, Cadet?" asked the man called Cag.
+
+"Looking for a guy."
+
+"What's his name? Maybe we know him."
+
+"Yeah, we might," chimed in the other. "We know just about everybody
+that comes in here."
+
+"Maybe he don't want to tell us, Monty," said Cag.
+
+"I don't know his name," said Tom. "I just met him today and he
+mentioned this place. I wanted to talk to him about something."
+
+"Where did you see him?"
+
+Tom paused. It was only a chance remark that the driver of the jet truck
+had made and it was a slim chance that these two men might know him. He
+decided to risk it. "He's a jet trucker. I saw him out at the spaceport
+today."
+
+The two men looked at each other. "Little guy, with a sort of funny
+twitch in his eye?" asked Cag.
+
+"Yes," replied Tom. "That's him. Know him?"
+
+"He hangs out in a joint across the street," said Monty. "Come on
+outside. I'll show you where it is. And his name's Pistol, in case you
+want to know."
+
+"Pistol," said Tom. "That's an odd name."
+
+"Not when you consider he carries a pistol all the time," snorted Cag.
+
+Tom and the two men walked to the door and out into the street.
+
+"What do you want to see him about, anyway?" asked Monty, as they walked
+to the corner.
+
+"Just wanted to talk to him about the jet-trucking business."
+
+"What about it? We're truckers, me and Cag, we could probably tell you a
+lot more than Pistol."
+
+"Maybe," said Tom. "But I want to talk to Pistol."
+
+They stopped at the corner and Monty stepped off the curb into the
+street. "See that light down there," he said, pointing down the block,
+"the one just above the door?"
+
+Tom turned to look. "Where--?"
+
+He suddenly felt a sharp jolting pain in the back of his head and then
+everything went black.
+
+"Nice work, Cag," commented Monty.
+
+"What'll we do with him?" asked Cag.
+
+"Throw him in the back of the truck and get outta here," said Monty,
+pulling Tom's limp form into the shadows of an alley. "I'll get in touch
+with the boss and tell him what's happened. And you better send out word
+to get Pistol. He must know something."
+
+"Right," said Cag. "Gee, Corbett's getting his nice clean uniform messed
+up."
+
+Dirty gutter water flowed over Tom in the dark Martian alley as the boy
+lay deathly still.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER 9
+
+
+"What!" exclaimed Major Connel. "Give me that again."
+
+The messenger from the Solar Guard headquarters on Mars repeated the
+message. "Cadet Corbett has not been in his hotel since last night,
+sir," he said. "He was seen leaving the service entrance at about 2100
+hours. There is no report as to his whereabouts, sir."
+
+Standing at the foot of the ladder leading to the main air lock of the
+_Polaris_, Major Connel turned to Carter Devers angrily.
+
+"This is the end!" he shouted. "I've had as much of this foolishness as
+I'm going to take. When that young space brat comes back, I'm going to
+throw the book at him."
+
+"Now, now, Major," said Devers. "I wouldn't be too hard on the lad. How
+do you know that he isn't in some kind of trouble?"
+
+"That's just it," growled Connel. "One of those three is always in
+trouble."
+
+"He saved your life," reminded Devers.
+
+"I'm well aware of that," replied Connel stiffly. "But it's a personal
+debt. It has nothing to do with his behavior as a cadet. I ordered him
+to go to that hotel and rest, not go skylarking all over Marsport. This
+is typical of the whole unit's attitude."
+
+"But you said that they were the best crew you ever had," insisted
+Devers.
+
+"I know, but what's worse is that _they_ know it! Blast it, Carter, it
+isn't easy to say the things I've said about Corbett! He's a fine lad.
+But look at it this way. I have to return to Atom City immediately.
+Corbett may be in trouble, right?" Devers nodded. "Well, how do you
+think I feel, blasting off and leaving him?"
+
+Devers nodded his understanding as Connel continued furiously, "And
+furthermore, I have more important things to think about than
+wet-nursing a cadet."
+
+At that moment Connel noticed a jet car racing across the spaceport
+toward the _Polaris_. As it drew near, he saw the insigne of the Solar
+Guard on the hood. His eyes widened hopefully for a second. "Humph," he
+grunted, "this may be him now!"
+
+"If it is," cautioned Devers, "go easy on the boy."
+
+"We'll see, we'll see."
+
+The car screamed to a stop in front of them, the plastic blister was
+thrown back, and another Solar Guard messenger climbed out, saluting
+Connel smartly.
+
+"Message from Solar Guard headquarters, Major Connel," he said.
+
+Connel took the paper and ripped it open. "Excuse me, Carter," he
+muttered and stepped to one side to read the note hurriedly.
+
+     HEMMINGWELL'S CHIEF FOREMAN ARRESTED AS SABOTEUR. ADVISE YOU RETURN
+     IMMEDIATELY. WALTERS
+
+Dashing up the metal ladder, Connel roared the order to the waiting
+ground crew. "Stand by to blast off."
+
+Carter Devers scrambled up into the giant ship after the Solar Guard
+officer, and in less than a minute later, all ports were sealed and the
+_Polaris_ was ready for space. In the pilot's chair, Connel called
+traffic control for blast-off, and at the same time prepared to raise
+ship.
+
+By the time Devers had strapped himself into the copilot's chair next to
+Connel, the ship was quivering with leashed power. Suddenly Connel
+roared the familiar call for space.
+
+"Blast off, minus five, four, three, two, one, _zero_!"
+
+The great ship literally exploded off the ground, and within seconds,
+was rocketing through the thin atmosphere above Mars on course for
+Earth, far across the deep black velvet void of space, but leaving Tom
+Corbett, her true commander, behind.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+Captain Steve Strong and Commander Walters watched grimly as the
+_Polaris_ landed on the Academy spaceport. They had been in contact with
+Connel during his trip back to Earth and had already told the bluff
+major of still another incident that had taken place at the Academy
+while he was gone.
+
+Roger and Astro had stolen a rocket scout and disappeared.
+
+"I don't get it, sir," sighed Strong. "Manning and Astro blowing wide
+open, Corbett disappearing--" He shook his head. "It doesn't make
+sense."
+
+"Perhaps not," said Walters. "But those three are really in trouble now.
+Connel won't stand for this kind of behavior."
+
+"Do you think that he'll go so far as to ask for a court-martial?"
+
+Walters hesitated. "I hate to say this, Steve," he said finally, "but if
+Major Connel doesn't, I will be forced to. No other unit has had more of
+an opportunity to prove itself than the _Polaris_ unit. And every time,
+something like this happens."
+
+"But suppose they have good explanations," insisted Strong.
+
+"It would have to be better than anything they've had before," replied
+Walters. "Frankly, I cannot see how that is possible."
+
+Walters climbed into his jet car and Strong followed, biting his lip.
+
+The car shot across the field to the now grounded _Polaris_, pulling
+alongside it just as Major Connel and Carter Devers climbed out of the
+open hatch. Without even the courtesy of a greeting, Connel roared,
+"What's this about those two cadets stealing a ship?"
+
+"Let's talk about that later, Lou," said Walters. "Climb in. We've got
+something more important to discuss. The saboteur."
+
+Devers stepped forward. "This is no place for me, I know," he said.
+"I'll leave you here. And thanks for the lift, Major."
+
+Connel grunted his acknowledgment and climbed into the car as Strong
+turned to Devers.
+
+"There was a message for you, Mr. Devers," said the Solar Guard captain.
+"You're to get in touch with your Atom City office immediately."
+
+"Thanks, Steve," said Devers, and with a wave of his hand to the others
+walked away.
+
+As the jet car raced back to the Tower of Galileo, Walters brought
+Connel up to date on the incident at the hangar leading to the arrest of
+Pat Troy. When they reached Walters' office, high in the tower, Troy was
+ushered in by two guards.
+
+"Sit down!" barked Connel, taking command of the situation.
+
+Troy walked to the center of the room and sat down in the indicated
+chair, facing Walters, Connel, and Strong.
+
+"We'd like to get to the bottom of this as soon as possible, Troy,"
+began Connel. "So I suggest that you tell us the truth and save us the
+trouble of pulling it out of you.
+
+"I will answer all of your questions to the best of my ability, sir,"
+said Troy calmly. "And I will tell the truth at all times."
+
+"Very well," snorted Connel. "Now, who are you working for?"
+
+"Professor Hemmingwell," replied Troy.
+
+"Stow that," snarled Connel. "Who paid you to sabotage the ship?"
+
+"I have not committed any sabotage for anyone, sir."
+
+"Then you deny that you wrecked that firing unit?"
+
+"Yes."
+
+Walters suddenly leaned forward. "But you do not deny that you knew
+about the special unit that Professor Hemmingwell had created," he said.
+"A unit that only he and I knew about?"
+
+"I knew about the unit--yes, sir," replied Troy.
+
+"How could you?" demanded Walters.
+
+"I overheard you both discussing it one day."
+
+"Where?"
+
+"In the hangar," said Troy. "You and Professor Hemmingwell were talking
+on the main deck while I was inside--what will be the radar
+deck--working. I heard you talking about the unit, and after you left, I
+happened to find a blueprint on the table. It coincided with what you
+had been talking about. I looked at it and then thought nothing of it. A
+few minutes later the professor came running in and took the blueprint
+away."
+
+"Did he ask you if you had read the print?" asked Connel.
+
+"No, sir," replied Troy. "If he had, I would have told him that I had."
+
+"Now," said Connel, "did you have anything to do with the so-called
+accident to the oscillating timing device?"
+
+"No, sir."
+
+"Do you know who did?"
+
+"No, sir."
+
+"We can put you under drugs, you know, and get the truth out of you,"
+warned Connel.
+
+"You'll get the same answer, sir," Troy calmly replied.
+
+Walters, Strong, and Connel moved to one side of the room and talked in
+low tones while Troy remained seated.
+
+"Well," said Walters, "do we give him drugs or not?"
+
+"I may be sticking my neck out, Commander," said Steve, "but I think
+that he's telling the truth."
+
+"Same here," said Connel. "I would suggest that we let him loose, and
+even let him go back to work, but keep an eye on him."
+
+"And you wouldn't give him drugs now?"
+
+"No. I'd give the benefit of the doubt to a man any time," said the
+hardened space major.
+
+"All right," said Walters. He turned back and told Troy he was free, but
+that he was not to leave the restricted area. And he was only permitted
+to work on less critical projects. "Do you have anything to say?"
+Walters asked.
+
+Troy smiled at them and shook his head. "No, sir. That's fine with me,"
+he said. "And I'll keep my eye open for the real saboteur--"
+
+"That won't be necessary!" snapped Connel. "We're capable of handling
+our own detective work."
+
+Troy grinned again. "Very well, sir," he said.
+
+Connel dismissed the guards and the foreman walked out of the office a
+free man.
+
+Connel and Walters turned to discussing the installation of the
+receivers on Mars, with Connel lauding young Lieutenant Slick highly.
+"That boy deserves a promotion in rank," he stated.
+
+Walters nodded. "I'll put his name on the list at the end of the year,"
+he said. "If he has done everything you say he has, he deserves it."
+
+Steve Strong stood to one side, waiting impatiently for the two older
+men to finish their conversation before asking about Tom Corbett. At the
+same time, he was a little fearful of bringing up the subject of the
+_Polaris_ unit, in the face of what Astro and Roger had just done. It
+was not an easy thing to do, but at the first opportunity he broke into
+the conversation with a direct question to Connel.
+
+"Major, is there any doubt in your mind about Corbett's disappearance
+being an accident or do you--"
+
+Connel cut him off. "Do I think he's AWOL?"
+
+Strong nodded silently.
+
+"Steve," said Connel patiently, "I know how you feel about those three
+boys, but tell me, how long can this go on? They constantly take off on
+their own, without authorization--"
+
+"But they usually have a good reason," Strong interrupted quickly.
+
+"Then why don't they give us the reason first?" Connel shot back.
+
+"What Lou is trying to say," interjected Walters quietly, "is that
+Corbett, Manning, and Astro have time and time again committed us to
+take action, to get them out of situations that they initiated. It's
+time they were stopped! They are only one unit in this Academy, not the
+whole works."
+
+"Then I guess you mean"--Strong hesitated, a lump in his throat--"it
+will be the end of the unit when they get back?"
+
+"If they get back," snapped Connel, "I intend to see that all three
+receive solid disciplinary action."
+
+"Very well, Major," said Strong. He rose and addressed the commander. "I
+request permission for emergency leave, sir, commencing now."
+
+[Illustration]
+
+"Permission denied!" said Walters. "This is exactly what I've been
+talking about, Steve. You want to leave to go to Mars and look for Tom
+when we need you here on the project."
+
+Strong's face suddenly turned white. And then, for the first time in his
+career, he ignored military courtesy and turned to leave without the
+courtesy of a salute or permission to do so. Connel almost called him
+back, but Commander Walters put a restraining hand on the major's arm.
+
+"Think of it this way, Lou," he said. "If you wanted something you
+believed to be right, and it was denied you, how would you feel?"
+
+"I'd very likely do the same thing," snapped the major. "And I'd get my
+rockets busted for it by my commanding officer!"
+
+Walters grinned and pulled the major back to the desk where they
+continued their discussion of the receivers on Mars.
+
+They had no sooner begun their discussion when the sliding door opened
+and Professor Hemmingwell burst into the room, his smock flying behind
+him, his hair ruffled and eyes wide with fright.
+
+"The ship! The ship!" he cried out. "Someone has blown up the whole
+control panel of the ship!"
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER 10
+
+
+"It will take weeks to repair it!"
+
+Professor Hemmingwell stood on the main deck of the giant spaceship
+staring sadly at the mess of wires and tubes, controls and gauges,
+switches and filaments, all shattered and useless.
+
+"When did it happen?" demanded Connel.
+
+"Less than half an hour ago," replied Dave Barret. "Professor
+Hemmingwell and I were down at the far end of the hangar. The men had
+just left for the day and we were planning the work for tomorrow."
+
+"Then what happened?" demanded Connel. "Wait, don't answer yet!" He
+stopped himself and turned to a Space Marine standing nearby. "You! Can
+you work an audio recorder?"
+
+"Yes, sir," replied the Marine.
+
+"Then get a machine up here on the double and take down everything
+that's said."
+
+"Yes, sir," said the Marine and left the ship. Connel silently began
+inspecting the wreckage. It was ten times as serious as the first
+sabotage attempt.
+
+Barret, Commander Walters, Professor Hemmingwell, and Captain Strong
+watched the major, their teeth clenched, eyes clouded with anger. Where
+the destruction of the first unit could have been called an accident,
+here was tangible evidence of a deliberate attempt to stop the whole
+project. The Space Marine, accompanied by Firehouse Tim Rush, returned
+five minutes later with the audio recorder and set it up for operation.
+
+Connel took the small needlelike microphone in his hand and spoke into
+it as the reel of sound tape unwound slowly.
+
+"This is a preliminary inquiry into the sabotage of the control deck of
+spaceship XX, Operation Space Projectile," he said. "This is Major Lou
+Connel, interrogator!" He paused and nodded to Barret who stepped
+forward. "My first witness will be Dave Barret." Holding the microphone
+close to the young engineer's mouth, Connel said, "Tell us everything
+you know of this incident."
+
+Barret spoke slowly and carefully, describing how he and Professor
+Hemmingwell had been at the other end of the hangar when the explosion
+had occurred. Professor Hemmingwell had immediately run out of the
+hangar to inform Commander Walters, leaving Barret alone to check the
+damage. "Then you and Commander Walters and the Space Marines showed up,
+sir," he concluded. "That's all I know."
+
+"All right," said Connel and turned to the professor. "Your statement,
+Professor Hemmingwell."
+
+"It happened just about the way Dave said," Hemmingwell began. "Except
+for one thing. I cannot see why there weren't any guards at their posts
+this afternoon. We were without any men at the entrances for nearly an
+hour. Anyone could have slipped into the hangar and planted the bomb."
+
+"Why weren't the entrances guarded?" snapped Connel, looking directly at
+Firehouse Tim Rush.
+
+"Cadets Manning and Astro left their posts without leave, sir," reported
+the stocky little spaceman.
+
+Captain Strong took an involuntary step forward, his face drained of all
+color. Connel looked at him, steely-eyed. "Did you hear that, Strong?"
+he growled.
+
+Strong nodded. "I--I did," he stammered.
+
+"So those two idiots not only stole a rocket scout, but they left their
+posts."
+
+Strong could only shake his head in utter disbelief. Commander Walters
+looked at him pityingly.
+
+"I knew they had taken the scout," said Walters, his voice hard and
+tight. "But I didn't think they were foolish enough to leave their
+posts."
+
+"Well, they did, sir," declared Rush. "They left about four hours before
+they were to be relieved. I was making the rounds when I discovered that
+they were gone. I put two other men on guard right away, but the doors
+were unguarded for at least an hour. Anyone could have walked in without
+the slightest trouble."
+
+Connel turned back to Walters. "This is the end! Those two cadets are
+going up before a general court-martial."
+
+"Commander," protested Strong, "you can't--!"
+
+"Shut up, Steve!" barked Connel. "There's a limit to how long you can
+defend your unit. Face it, man, those three boys have gone off their
+rockers. They're too cocky. This is the last straw." He turned away
+from the young Solar Guard officer and faced the others. "Let's get on
+with the interrogation. Firehouse! What have you got to say about this?"
+
+The tough little enlisted guard stepped up and reported clearly and
+rapidly and without pause. When he was finished, Connel turned to the
+guards that had replaced Roger and Astro and each one repeated the story
+told by Firehouse Tim.
+
+Over and over, Connel heard the same story. No one seemed to have been
+around the ship when the explosion took place. And it seemed that the
+only time when a saboteur could have gotten into the hangar and planted
+the bomb was during the hour the doors were unguarded.
+
+Finally, the interrogation was over and Connel declared, "One thing to
+remember when you are dealing with sabotage is this: if the saboteur
+fails, he might return. If our enemy does not know the extent of the
+damage, then he might return and make another attempt. So, not a word
+about this to anyone. And that includes your mothers."
+
+"Major, there is one thing I'd like to add," said Barret, stepping
+forward.
+
+"What's that?" asked Connel.
+
+"It's about the cadets," said Barret. "I talked to them just before they
+blasted off in the scout. They had a lot to say about your taking
+Corbett with you on the trip to Mars. They seemed disgruntled and
+dissatisfied."
+
+Steve Strong whirled on the young engineer. "What did they say?" he
+demanded.
+
+"Simply that they didn't feel that they were getting a fair deal with
+Tom being taken off guard duty, since he was actually responsible for
+them having it in the first place.
+
+"They said that!" exclaimed Strong. "But how could that--" He suddenly
+closed his mouth and turned away, frowning.
+
+"But how could what, Steve?" asked Walters.
+
+"Nothing, sir," said Strong. "You have already reprimanded me too often
+as it is for speaking up in their behalf."
+
+Walters lifted his eyebrows. "It appears to me that you're getting a
+little touchy!" he barked. "Watch yourself, Steve. Don't let your
+feelings for those boys get out of hand."
+
+"Blast it!" exclaimed Professor Hemmingwell. "While you continue talking
+about those stupid cadets, you're just wasting my time. There's plenty
+of work to do and precious little time to do it in." He turned to
+Barret. "Come on, Dave, let's get this mess cleared away."
+
+"Yes, sir," said Dave Barret.
+
+As Hemmingwell and Barret turned their attention to the wrecked control
+panel, Connel, Walters, and Strong climbed out of the ship and left the
+hangar. On the slidewalk, headed back to the Academy, Commander Walters
+looked at Connel inquiringly.
+
+"What now, Lou?" he asked.
+
+"I have an idea, Commander," said Connel. "I'm going to spend the rest
+of the night listening to this audiotape over again. Then I'm going to
+do a little digging around."
+
+"All right," said Walters. "And I suppose you'll want to talk to Manning
+and Astro when they get back."
+
+Connel looked at Captain Strong grimly. "I want to talk to them so
+badly, I would crawl on my hands and knees to get to them right now."
+
+Strong flushed angrily but said nothing, and as soon as the three
+officers arrived at the Academy grounds, he excused himself. He walked
+slowly and thoughtfully along, looking at the dormitories with unseeing
+eyes and hearing with deaf ears the noise of the cadets getting ready
+for bed. He could not believe that Roger or Astro had abandoned their
+posts, or that Tom would run off to disappear on Mars, just for the sake
+of disappearing. In all his years at the Academy, Strong had never met
+three boys who so exemplified the true spirit of Space Cadets. Something
+was wrong somewhere. But what?
+
+Strong paused outside the huge recreation hall, watching the cadets.
+Tony Richards and the _Capella_ unit walked by, and returning their
+salutes, Strong could only see Tom, Roger, and Astro.
+
+A figure dressed in the black-and-gold uniform of an officer in the
+Solar Guard walked toward him. Strong's eyes lighted up with
+recognition.
+
+"Joan!" he exclaimed. "What are you doing here?"
+
+"Looking for you," she said. She had some papers in her hand and held
+them out to him.
+
+"What's this?" he asked, glancing at them in the light reflected from
+the hall, and then back to the serious face of the brilliant young
+physicist, Dr. Joan Dale, who, in spite of being a woman, had been
+placed in charge of the Academy laboratories, the largest and most
+complete in the entire Solar Alliance.
+
+"Steve," she began, "I was in charge of the psychograph tests taken of
+all the workers at the projectile operation after the first mishap--"
+
+"How did you know about the second?" Strong interrupted quickly,
+remembering Connel's admonition about keeping the incident quiet.
+
+"I was ordered to go over the graphs again, to look for any possible
+clue in a worker's mental make-up that would lead him to a criminal
+act." She paused and looked up at him squarely. "Do you suspect me too?"
+
+"I'm sorry, Joan," said the young captain. "But this whole business is
+getting me down. Tom, disappearing on Mars, Roger and Astro walking off
+guard duty and stealing a scout, and now this latest sabotage attempt."
+He sighed and shook his head. "I'm tired I guess."
+
+She smiled. "I understand, Steve, and regardless of what Major Connel
+and Commander Walters have said, I'll bet my last credit there's a good
+reason for what the boys have done."
+
+Strong looked down at the pretty physicist and smiled. "Thanks, Joan,"
+he said. "Now, what about these papers?"
+
+"It's about the report on Pat Troy," she replied. "When we asked him if
+he was working with anyone other than the professor, he lied."
+
+She produced a sheet of paper from among those she held and handed it to
+Strong. The young captain took it and scanned it quickly. The paper was
+ordinary graph paper with a series of small, wavy lines on it in red
+ink. Near the bottom of the paper, there was a jagged peak in the wavy
+line. "What does this mean?" he asked, pointing to the peak.
+
+"That was his reaction when he was asked if he worked for anyone else."
+
+"Does that mean it's a lie?"
+
+"Yes. All the waves that you see," she continued, pointing to the line,
+"represent answers to questions about his personal life. Does he shave
+in the morning? Does he brush his teeth at night, and so forth. They're
+comparison questions to show his reaction when he tells the truth. That
+peak indicates a lie."
+
+"Then," said Strong thoughtfully, "he might be the saboteur."
+
+"Or know who it is," said Joan.
+
+"I've got to get this information to Connel right away!" said Strong.
+"Can I have this paper?"
+
+"Yes. I made copies. I was just going to take one to the commander when
+I saw you."
+
+"I'll try to locate Major Connel and you go on and tell the commander
+what you've found. And Joan--" Strong hesitated.
+
+"Yes?"
+
+"Put in a good word for the cadets, will you?" Strong pleaded. "Both
+Connel and Commander Walters are all set to blast them right out of the
+service."
+
+"I'll do what I can--" Suddenly Dr. Dale stopped, her eyes widening with
+fright. She pointed down the walk behind Strong.
+
+Steve turned around and gasped. Connel was striding toward them grimly,
+followed by four guards carrying a stretcher covered by a blanket.
+Strong quickly recognized the outline of a human form beneath the
+blanket.
+
+"Major," exclaimed Steve, "what--who--?"
+
+"It's getting thicker by the hour, Steve!" said Connel in a low voice.
+"This is the first time in the history of the Academy that there has
+been what looks like"--he paused and turned to look at the draped body
+being carried past them--"an attempt at murder," he finished.
+
+"Murder!" said Strong. "But--"
+
+"Who is it?" demanded Joan.
+
+"A little man who can tell us a great deal if and when he regains
+consciousness! Pat Troy!"
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER 11
+
+
+"Vroom-m-m!"
+
+As the shattering blast of noise pounded against his eardrums, Tom
+Corbett opened his eyes, blinked, and stared around him. By the dim
+light from a small window in the wall over his head, he saw that he was
+in some sort of metal enclosure. Suddenly the floor trembled and again
+the shocking, shattering noises rang through his aching head. He tried
+to sit up but found that his hands were tied behind his back. The ropes
+were so tight, his hands were almost completely numb. Slowly he clenched
+his fingers, then opened them again, repeating the process over and over
+again while needlelike pains shot through his hands. Finally there was
+feeling in his fingers again and he struggled to a sitting position.
+
+Again the metal enclosure vibrated and there was another thunderous
+blast. This time Tom recognized the sound.
+
+"A jet!" exclaimed the cadet aloud. "I'm in the van of a jet truck."
+
+When Tom tried to stand up, he found that his feet were bound. Again he
+went through the slow, painful process of restoring circulation in his
+legs and feet, gritting his teeth against the needles of pain. Finally
+he felt strong enough to push his back against the wall and inch his way
+upright.
+
+The noise around him continued. Again and again, he could hear the
+shattering explosions of the exhausts and the screaming whine of the
+jets. Looking around carefully for the first time, he saw that the van
+was empty except for a pile of heavy quilted rugs in one corner which he
+knew were used to protect and cushion cargo.
+
+Hopping to the corner, he flopped down on the blankets and, one by one,
+he began dragging them out. There was nothing else in the van that would
+aid him in cutting the thick ropes around his wrists and he hoped to
+find something under the heap.
+
+Suddenly he felt something hard and boxlike under the last blanket and
+he tore it off quickly.
+
+He nearly screamed for joy when he recognized a heavy metal toolbox.
+Sitting on the floor of the van, he maneuvered the top open, then spun
+around and hopefully looked inside. There was nothing in the box but a
+dirty cloth, and Tom slumped back in bitter disappointment.
+
+Suddenly the cadet became aware of the intense heat inside the van. He
+was sweating, and he found it difficult to breath. He inched over to the
+side of the huge truck and touched the metal paneling. It was
+blisteringly hot.
+
+"The New Sahara," he thought, a vision of the desolate sun-baked
+wasteland of the Martian desert flashing through his mind.
+
+He looked around again desperately. The only thing in the van that might
+cut through the rope was the edge of the toolbox. He inched his way back
+to the box and began rubbing the rope across the edge of the box, but it
+was too smooth.
+
+Tom knew that he would have to roughen the edge of the box, so that it
+would cut the thick fibers of the rope, and in sudden inspiration, he
+inspected the floor of the van. The heavy-gauge metal was scarred and
+roughened from the many heavy loads dragged across it. He turned the box
+over, and with great difficulty, rubbed it back and forth across the
+floor. Every few minutes he tested the edge of the box with his finger.
+It was losing its slick surface, but there was a long way to go.
+
+It got hotter inside the van and Tom's uniform was soaked with sweat. He
+found it difficult to breathe and the continuous roar of the jets
+tortured his ears.
+
+He did not know how long he had worked, but eventually, he felt that the
+edge of the box was sufficiently rough to try to cut the ropes. He
+righted the box, placed the ropes on the edge again and, with a silent
+prayer, began scraping them across the metal.
+
+After a few minutes there was a tug at the bonds. The cadet pushed
+harder. There was another tug and the rope seemed to give a little.
+Working frantically, he sawed back and forth. The sweat poured from his
+forehead, his arms and back ached unbearably, and soon he felt
+something warm and wet begin to trickle down the palms of his hands. He
+knew it was blood, but he kept on grimly, and suddenly he was rewarded.
+With a snap, the ropes parted. His hands were free!
+
+Tom hastily untied his feet, and giving the toolbox an affectionate pat,
+rose to his feet to begin the next step in his plan to escape.
+
+The young cadet examined the entire surface of the inside paneling of
+the van with his finger tips. He could find no opening other than the
+back door, which he knew was locked by an electronic beam. Without the
+proper light-key adjustment, the door could not be opened. And the vent
+high in the wall was much too small to help him.
+
+He sat down, disheartened. He was still no better off than before. And
+there was no way of telling where he was, whether it was day or night,
+and how long he had been riding in the jet truck.
+
+He rested on the floor of the van, the bumpy ride cushioned by the soft
+blankets, and tried to recall the events that had led him into this
+trap. He remembered the two men, Cag and Monty, and grimly vowed to
+repay them if he ever met them again.
+
+Suddenly remembering something more immediate, Tom sat bolt upright. He
+got up and went to the front of the huge van. There he knelt down in one
+corner and felt the floor with his hands. He found exactly what he had
+been hoping for. A large grate, and it was cool! He jumped up, grinning,
+grabbed the heavy toolbox and carried it back to the corner where he let
+it drop on the grate. It sagged slightly, near the corner. He picked up
+the box and dropped it again. The grate sagged a little more. Tom got
+down on his knees and felt along the edge of the floor. The grate was
+giving way.
+
+He really began to hammer in earnest then. And each time the heavy box
+thudded on the grate, he thanked his lucky stars that he had lived near
+a garage when he was a boy back in New Chicago. Time and time again, he
+had slipped inside the huge vans after the produce had been taken out,
+to find a piece of fruit. He had gotten into the sealed vans, through
+the refrigerating compartment, a huge unit beneath the van and connected
+to the cab. Opening the outside hatch to the unit, he had squeezed
+inside and then unscrewed the grate from the bottom.
+
+With a final hard smash, the grate gave way, clattering into the
+recesses of the refrigerating unit. Now Tom was grateful for the roar of
+the jets. It covered the sound of his escape.
+
+Quickly reaching down into the unit, Tom began tearing the mechanism
+apart; ripping out coils of copper tubing and rubber connections.
+Disconnecting a pipe, he used it to pry apart the rest of the unit, and
+finally, after removing the broken parts, there was room enough for his
+body.
+
+Stuffing the heavy pipe in his tunic, Tom dropped into the unit and
+opened the outside hatch. A blast of cool air struck him. The sun was
+setting and the cadet knew that soon the near-zero temperatures of night
+would settle over the desert. Tom poked his head out and the air stream
+hit him like a solid wall. He looked back past the spinning wheels and
+saw a long stretch of deserted road bordering a canal. His view forward
+was blocked by the overhanging cab of the truck. The small step up to
+the cab was a foot away. Tom eased back into the compartment again and
+sat back against the wall to consider his next move. He would have a
+better chance of not being seen if he waited for darkness. On the other
+hand, they might reach their destination before that and he would be
+caught. Tom made up his mind quickly.
+
+Moving back to the hatch, he eased himself through the opening. There
+was a ticklish moment when he had to let go of the side of the
+compartment and swing over on the step. He took a deep breath and
+lurched forward.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+Behind him, the huge thick wheels spun over the road. A slip now would
+mean instant, crushing death. His fingers reached for and grasped the
+door handle. Seconds later, he stood balanced on the step, swaying in
+the wind.
+
+He dared a glance into the window of the cab, wondering why he had not
+been noticed before. He saw Cag and Monty inside, Cag driving and Monty
+asleep. The driver was on the opposite side from Tom, and Monty was
+slumped against the door.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+Tom realized that if he opened the door, Monty would fall out and
+probably be killed, but he had no choice. He reached up for the handle
+and tested it gently before swinging down on it to make sure it would
+open. It gave a little. Then bracing himself, he pulled hard.
+
+The door swung open and Monty fell out, hitting the pavement and rolling
+off into the sand to lie still. Tom paid no attention to him. With a
+mighty effort, he swung into the cab and confronted a startled,
+wild-eyed Cag.
+
+"You!" cried Cag.
+
+"Stop this crate, or so help me, I'll break your head!" Tom shouted,
+brandishing the short length of pipe.
+
+In reply, Cag suddenly swerved the big truck to one side of the road,
+hoping to throw Tom out of the open door. Tom managed to grab hold just
+in time. He swung back into the cab and struck out with the pipe.
+
+Cag ducked and swung the heavy truck to the opposite side of the road,
+trying to throw Tom off balance, but the cadet was not to be denied. He
+swung the heavy pipe again and again, landing hard, telling blows on the
+arms and shoulders of the burly truck driver. Finally a solid blow
+caught Cag on the side of the head and he slumped over unconscious. Tom
+leaned over him, grabbed the wheel, and maneuvered the big truck back
+onto a straightaway course. A minute later he brought the truck to a
+stop.
+
+Tom jumped out and pulled Cag after him, taking a bottle of water from
+the small compartment behind the driver's seat. He splashed some on the
+man's face, and while Cag moaned and came to, Tom drank his fill. He
+hadn't realized that he was so thirsty.
+
+"Cag," said Tom coldly, when he knew the man could understand him,
+"I'll beat your ears off if you don't tell me who put you up to this!"
+
+Cag was silent. Tom stepped in and slapped the man across the face.
+
+"Come on! Talk!" he snarled.
+
+Dirty, his clothes ripped, his hands bloody, Cadet Tom Corbett did not
+look like the carefree young cadet that Cag had met a few hours ago. He
+was frightened and began to whine.
+
+"Talk or I'll slap you silly!" Tom growled.
+
+Cag saw the wild rage in Tom's eyes and began to stutter.
+
+"The trucking outfit! Just find out who owns this trucking outfit and
+who would gain if the projectiles failed."
+
+Tom was back in the cab in a flash. He started the mighty jets and began
+to engage the clutch.
+
+Cag leaped up. "You can't leave me here in the desert! I'll die."
+
+Tom looked at the man, threw out the rest of the food and water from the
+compartment, and gunned the huge truck down the highway.
+
+Eight hours later Tom rolled into Marsport, stopping the big truck at
+the first Solar Guard substation he could find.
+
+He raced inside without cutting the jets of the truck and reported to a
+sergeant seated behind the desk, reading.
+
+"I'm Cadet Tom Corbett!" he shouted. "I've got to get in touch with
+Commander Walters at the Academy right away."
+
+"Stand where you are, Corbett!" said the sergeant, jumping up and
+leveling a paralo-ray gun at him. "You're under arrest!"
+
+Tom stared, and then, spinning on his heels, dashed out of the station,
+the guard's ray blasts spitting at his heels. Jumping into the truck, he
+gunned the jets and roared off into the dark Martian night.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER 12
+
+
+"Aw, shut your big Venusian mouth!"
+
+As Roger's voice roared over the intercom loud-speaker of the speedy
+rocket scout, down on the power deck Astro's face turned red.
+
+"Manning," he growled into the intercom microphone, "if I didn't need
+you to get me back to Mother Earth, I'd come up there and take you
+apart!"
+
+For four days the two cadets had been aboard the rocket scout, circling
+in an orbit between Mars and Earth, conducting equipment tests for Dave
+Barret. They had become bored with the routine work and spent most of
+their time needling each other, but as Roger said, at least they were in
+space.
+
+"O.K., let's knock off the space gas!" called Roger over the intercom.
+"It's time to run another test. Want to come up topside and take a
+hand?"
+
+"Be right there, Roger!" said Astro. He set the power-deck controls on
+automatic, and then, with a quick look around to make sure everything
+was shipshape, he climbed the ladder to the control deck.
+
+Roger was standing at the chart table, audiophones on his ears,
+listening for the automatic astral chronometer time-check broadcast on a
+suprahigh-frequency audio channel from the giant electronic clock in the
+Tower of Galileo. All spaceship chronometers were checked against this
+huge clock regularly, in order to maintain constant uniform time so
+necessary for the delicate art of astrogation between celestial bodies.
+
+Astro started to speak to the blond-haired cadet, but Roger waved him
+off, listening for the signal. Suddenly he looked up at their own
+chronometer above the control board and took off the audiophones,
+smiling his satisfaction.
+
+"Right on the split second, Astro," he said.
+
+"O.K.," replied the big Venusian. "Then let's run that test and get it
+over with."
+
+"Right," said Roger, turning back to the control panel. "Do you want to
+go outside this time?"
+
+"I might as well," replied Astro. "Give me a change of scenery."
+
+The big Venusian turned to a locker, pulled out a bulky space suit, and
+climbed into it quickly. Adjusting the space helmet, he nodded at Roger
+and stepped into the air-lock chamber, pulling the hatch closed behind
+him. While waiting for the oxygen in the small chamber to be pumped back
+into the ship and the pressure to be equalized with the vacuum of space
+outside, he checked his helmet intercom to insure a clear line of
+communication with Roger.
+
+The red hand closed on the _zero_ of the gauge over the door and Astro
+moved to the outer hatch. He unlocked it, swung the door open, and
+slowly climbed out into the fantastic beauty of endless space. No
+sooner was he outside than the synthetic gravity generators lost their
+pull on his body and he started into space. Tightly grasping two metal
+handles in the hull, the big cadet performed a quick somersault and
+planted his feet firmly on the hull. His magnetic-soled space boots held
+him fast and he called Roger over his helmet intercom.
+
+"I'm outside, Roger," he reported. "On my way down to the exhaust."
+
+"Right," came Roger's voice over the intercom. "Let me know when you're
+ready."
+
+Without replying, Astro made his way slowly and carefully down the
+length of the rocket scout toward the main drive rocket assembly.
+Stopping at the trailing edge of the hull, where it enclosed the four
+rockets, the big Venusian squatted on his heels, making certain the
+soles of his space boots stayed in contact with the metal of the hull.
+He peered over the edge and braced himself in a position where he could
+observe the individual rocket exhausts.
+
+"O.K., Roger!" he called into his intercom. "Open up number one."
+
+"Number one, aye," replied Roger. "And watch yourself, you big baboon.
+Don't burn your nose!"
+
+"Go ahead, go ahead!" growled Astro in reply.
+
+A long tongue of flame shot out of the exhaust of the number one tube
+and, after drawing back momentarily, Astro watched the tube keenly.
+
+"You know," he commented idly as he kept his eyes fixed on the tube, "I
+still can't figure out what's so different about these tubes. They're
+exactly the same as any others I've ever seen."
+
+[Illustration]
+
+"That's how much you know, Astro," snorted Roger. "Dave Barret said they
+were using a new duralumin alloy in the tubes."
+
+"Still doesn't look any different to me," persisted Astro. "And for us
+to spend four whole days out here testing them"--he paused and shook his
+head--"seems like an awful waste of time," he concluded.
+
+"What do you care? We're out in space, aren't we? Or would you rather be
+back on guard duty?"
+
+"No, of course not," replied Astro. "But even space gets dull after a
+while with nothing to do. Barret sure gave us an old crate. Not even a
+long-range receiver aboard."
+
+"What do you want to listen to?" snorted Roger. "Flight orders and all
+the rest of that rocket wash?"
+
+"Be a relief to listen to somebody else beside you for a change,"
+snapped Astro. "Anyhow, suppose something important happened. Suppose
+our orders were changed. How would we know about it?"
+
+"What difference does it make?" replied Roger. "We've got our
+orders--straight from Barret. As long as we follow them, we won't get
+into trouble."
+
+"For a change," murmured Astro.
+
+"Now cut the griping and finish up out there!"
+
+"O.K.," sighed Astro. "That's enough on number one. Give me number two."
+
+The ship bucked slightly as one rocket tube was cut out and another
+flared at full power, but Astro clung to the hull tightly, continuing
+his observations. With troubled eyes he watched all four rocket tubes in
+operation, unable to understand the difference between these tubes and
+the standard makes. Finally he shrugged his shoulders, and rising to his
+feet, called Roger again.
+
+"That's enough, pal," he said. "I'm coming in."
+
+"O.K.," replied Roger from the control deck. "And don't fall all over
+your big feet."
+
+In five minutes the Venusian cadet was inside the air lock again, and as
+the pressure was boosted to equalize with the interior of the ship, he
+removed his space suit and helmet. He opened the inner hatch and stepped
+into the control deck to see Roger staring at the teleceiver in
+openmouthed astonishment. A harsh voice was coming over the
+loud-speaker.
+
+"... Order you to cut all power and stand by for a boarding party, or
+I'll open fire immediately!"
+
+With an exclamation of startled surprise, Astro rushed to the teleceiver
+screen and saw a man in the uniform of the Solar Guard, his face grim
+and purposeful. Just as Astro was about to speak, the officer spoke
+again.
+
+"Did you hear me? This is Captain Newton aboard the cruiser _Regulus_! I
+order you to cut all power and stand by or I'll open fire! Acknowledge!"
+
+"Roger," gasped Astro, "what's this all about?"
+
+"I--I don't know," stammered the blond-haired cadet. He grabbed the
+teleceiver microphone and called into it rapidly.
+
+"Rocket scout 4J9 to _Regulus_. This is Space Cadet Roger Manning. There
+must be some mistake, sir. Cadet Astro and I are out here on special
+assignment for the Space Projectile project."
+
+"I know who you are!" shouted Newton. "If you don't stand by, I'll open
+fire! This is your last warning!"
+
+Astro grabbed the mike from Roger's hand.
+
+"All right!" he bellowed. "We don't know what it's all about, but for
+the love of Saturn's rings, don't start shooting."
+
+Captain Newton nodded grimly. "Very well," he said. "Bring your ship to
+a dead stop in space and open your starboard air lock. I will send a
+jet boat over to you."
+
+"Aye, aye, sir," said Astro.
+
+When the Solar Guard captain signed off and his image faded from the
+teleceiver screen, Astro and Roger numbly complied with Newton's abrupt
+orders, bringing the ship to a dead stop in space and opening the
+starboard air lock. Then the two cadets sat in the main deck of the
+small scout and waited, their faces showing their concern. Neither felt
+like talking. They were so confused that they didn't know what to say.
+Finally Roger got up and in a daze walked to the chart table to note the
+time of the tests in the log. Then he automatically logged the time of
+Newton's order.
+
+Suddenly he threw the pencil down and turned to Astro.
+
+"Blast it!" he shouted. "What's this all about?"
+
+Astro merely grunted, shrugged his shoulders, and slumped further down
+in his chair. The big cadet was worried. Anything that threatened his
+career at the Space Academy made him literally tremble with fear. In his
+whole life there was never anything that he wanted more than to be an
+officer in the Solar Guard. And the only way that could be accomplished
+was by being a Space Cadet. Now he was under arrest. He didn't stop to
+reason why. All he knew was that it was a direct threat to his future as
+a power-deck officer in the Solar Guard.
+
+The two boys felt the metallic thump of something hitting the hull of
+their rocket scout. They realized immediately that it was the sound of
+the jet boat coupling on their ship and they turned to face the
+air-lock hatch.
+
+Captain Newton was the first to step through the air-lock hatch and he
+was followed by six Space Marines, holding their ray guns leveled.
+
+"I am Captain Newton of the Solar Guard, in command of the rocket
+cruiser _Regulus_," he announced. "I arrest you in the name of the Solar
+Alliance." The officer handed over the standard warrant that was used by
+the Solar Guard.
+
+Roger read it slowly. It was a simple warrant for their arrest, on the
+grounds of desertion, taking a Solar Guard vessel without permission,
+and being absent without leave from Space Academy. Stunned, the cadet
+handed it to Astro who had been reading it over his shoulder, his face
+white with shock.
+
+"And I warn you, Cadet Manning," continued Newton, "that anything you
+say from now on may be used against you."
+
+"I understand, sir," said Roger, dazed.
+
+"Then do I have your word," said Newton, "on your honor as Space Cadets,
+that you will not make any attempt to escape or in any way jeopardize my
+authority over you?"
+
+"Yes, sir," nodded Roger.
+
+"On my honor, sir," said Astro, gulping, "as a Space Cadet."
+
+"All right," said Newton. "Then I'll let you take the scout back to the
+Academy yourselves. I'll escort you in the _Regulus_."
+
+He turned to the squad of Space Marines and nodded. They filed into the
+air lock and Newton followed slowly. He paused in the hatch and looked
+back at the two cadets, a momentary gleam of sympathy in his eyes.
+
+"You'd better be prepared for a rough time, boys," he said. "Major
+Connel is going to haul you in front of a court-martial as soon as you
+land."
+
+"But what've we done?" Astro suddenly exploded.
+
+"The charges are listed in the warrant, Cadet Astro!"
+
+"But that's all wrong!" protested Astro. "We were ordered to--"
+
+"Hold it, Astro," Roger interrupted. "Let's stop and figure this out
+first. We can tell our side at the court-martial!"
+
+Captain Newton looked at the two boys piercingly for a second, then
+turned and entered the air lock, slamming the hatch closed behind him.
+Slowly and thoughtfully, Astro and Roger prepared to get their ship
+under way. They were still stunned by the sudden turn of events.
+
+They had no idea what had happened. But they knew Dave Barret was at the
+heart of their troubles. They vowed silently that he wouldn't get away
+with it!
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+This time it was not a cadet court that Roger and Astro faced. It was a
+five-man board of Solar Guard officers, consisting of four captains and
+one major, who conducted the court-martial in closed session. Only the
+defendants and the complaining witnesses were allowed to be present. The
+evidence the board heard was as damaging to the boys as it was
+bewildering. Major Connel testified to their being absent without leave
+and taking a Solar Guard space vessel without permission. Firehouse Tim
+Rush stated that they had deserted their stations. When Roger was called
+to the stand, he entered the only defense he could, stating that he and
+Astro had been operating under Dave Barret's orders. The board
+immediately called Barret in to testify and his words blasted the
+cadets' case to smithereens.
+
+"... I have no idea what they were doing out in that rocket scout," he
+stated calmly. "I certainly didn't send them up on any such ridiculous
+tests. If you will examine the exhaust tubes of that ship, you'll see
+that they're made of standard materials used in all Solar Guard ships."
+He turned to the board, casually. "No, gentlemen," he continued, "I
+don't know what these boys are talking about. You can call Professor
+Hemmingwell in, if you like. I'm sure he'll vouch for what I've said."
+
+As Barret stepped down from the stand, Astro lunged toward him, blind
+with anger and shouting his fury. It took six Space Marines to force him
+back to his chair. Roger merely sat, staring blankly into space, a wry
+smile curling his lips. He clearly saw the trap into which he and his
+unit mate had fallen, and there was no way out.
+
+The board didn't deliberate very long after the last testimony was
+taken. When they returned to the chamber, the presiding officer
+addressed Roger and Astro directly, asking formally whether they had
+anything to say before sentence was passed. Roger stepped forward.
+
+"I have something to say, sir," he said in a quiet but firm voice.
+
+"Very well," nodded the major.
+
+"Sir," began Roger, with a glance at Astro, "this is not a plea for
+mercy but understanding. We are, it is true, nothing but boys in
+training to become officers of the Solar Guard. One of the most
+important parts of our training is how to take orders without question.
+Now at this trial, we have been accused of three specific instances of
+misconduct. We can offer no other defense than what we have already
+claimed. Major Connel and Warrant Officer Rush have stated that we
+should have cleared Barret's orders with them first, since Barret is
+only a civilian and has no right to give us orders. That may very well
+be true. But I submit this for your consideration, gentlemen--" Roger
+paused and looked up and down the line of stony-faced officers. "What
+would have been your judgment," he resumed, "if Dave Barret had asked us
+to do these things and we had refused? Would you have been less hard on
+us? That's all, sir."
+
+Roger stepped back abruptly and the officers stirred uncomfortably. They
+recognized the merit in Roger's statement, and had not the decision been
+made, there was more than one who might have reconsidered, remembering
+their own difficulties as Space Cadets. However, the presiding officer
+picked up a sheet of paper and addressed the boys coldly.
+
+"While I must compliment Cadet Manning for his admirable statement," he
+said, "it does not change the decision of this board. Normally, these
+offenses would be punished by immediate dismissal from the Cadet Corps.
+However, in view of their past record at the Academy, it is the decision
+of this board to exercise some lenience. Cadet Roger Manning, Cadet
+Astro, you are sentenced to serve on the enlisted man's work gangs here
+at Space Academy for a period of exactly six months. All pay and
+privileges to be denied during that time. Case is closed!"
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER 13
+
+
+"Atom City rocket liner now loading on Ramp Two!"
+
+The metallic voice of the dispatcher echoed through the waiting room of
+the subspaceport on the outskirts of Marsport and the passengers began
+moving toward the field gate, where the stewards of the ship checked
+each ticket against the liner's seating plan. Near them, a squad of four
+Space Marines scrutinized all passengers carefully as they boarded the
+waiting jet cars that would take them to the ship far out in the middle
+of the field.
+
+Tom Corbett sat at the refreshment stand in the waiting room, sipping a
+glass of milk thoughtfully and eying the squad of Space Marines. He wore
+a big-billed hat pulled low over his face and a tight-fitting black
+jacket, the standard uniform of a merchant spaceman.
+
+"Anything else?" asked the pretty waitress behind the counter.
+
+"Yeah," growled Tom. "Gimme another glass of milk and another of these
+crummy sandwiches."
+
+"Well, you don't have to be rude about it!" snapped the girl. "Somebody
+should teach you space tramps some manners!"
+
+As she flounced off angrily the young cadet smiled. He knew his disguise
+must be good indeed to fool this young girl, who met hundreds of people
+at the spaceport every day and could easily recognize a person for what
+he truly was. Now his only hope was that the disguise would fool the
+squad of Marines at the gate.
+
+After having abandoned the jet truck, Tom had moved through the
+glittering city of Marsport carefully, keeping to the dark alleys and
+shadows. Gradually he had worked his way back to the area around Sloppy
+Sam's where, for a few credits, he had been able to buy a merchant
+spaceman's clothes with no questions asked. He buried his cadet uniform
+in the loose ground near a construction project.
+
+Then, staying in the area, he wandered in and out of the dingy bars and
+restaurants looking for the man he had seen at the spaceport, the driver
+of the truck that had crashed the fence.
+
+He spent three days in his search, not daring to ask questions, simply
+keeping his eyes open for the man. Finally he had been forced to abandon
+the search when he saw a stereo newscast reporting that the missing
+cadet, Tom Corbett, had been traced to Skid Row. He decided that it was
+time to leave Mars and went to the huge main spaceport, hoping to get
+aboard a ship bound for Earth. But the Space Marines were stationed at
+every gate, examining each departing passenger carefully, and Tom knew
+it would be impossible to get past them. Then he noticed a poster
+advertising special non-scheduled flights to Atom City, Earth, at
+reduced rates, that would blast off from a subspaceport on the outskirts
+of the city. With renewed hope, he had gone there immediately and bought
+a ticket. Space Marines were on guard here too, but only a small squad.
+The cadet resolved to make his break here. He had no other choice.
+
+"Here's your milk!" said the waitress, slopping it down on the counter
+before the cadet. "And your sandwich!"
+
+[Illustration: _Tom saw that the Space Marines were watching the
+passengers very closely_]
+
+Tom paid for the order and took his time about chewing the stale
+sandwich. He knew he had to get aboard the ship that was loading now,
+but the Space Marines were watching the passengers very closely.
+Suddenly Tom saw a spaceport attendant race up to the squad and hand a
+message to the sergeant in command of the squad. Leaving the counter,
+Tom walked quickly to a newsstand near the gate, where he could stand
+close to the Marines. The sergeant read the message quickly and turned
+to his squad. Tom strained his ears to listen.
+
+"We have to move out of here or we'll never get out," he said. "There's
+a Martian sandstorm coming this way. It should hit in about fifteen
+minutes. This will be the last flight. Then nothing will get off the
+ground until it blows over. May last for days."
+
+"But what about that cadet?" asked the man nearest to the sergeant.
+"What if he shows up?"
+
+"Just about all the passengers for this flight are aboard now," growled
+the sergeant. "Besides, do you see him anywhere?"
+
+Tom turned his back to the troopers quickly and heard the Marine reply,
+"Naw."
+
+"Then get your gear and pile on the truck outside," ordered the
+sergeant, "or we'll be living in this station for a couple of days."
+
+The Marines quickly marched away from the gate, through the waiting
+room, and out the door.
+
+Tom dug into his pocket for the ticket to Atom City and stepped quickly
+to the gate, presenting his ticket to the steward. "Spaceman Wilson!"
+Tom growled.
+
+The steward checked his ticket casually and announced, "Seat fourteen,
+berth twelve!"
+
+Tom walked through the gate, trying to look casual.
+
+"Hey you!" There was a sudden cry of alarm behind Tom and for a moment
+he was tempted to run. But he turned slowly and looked back. The man at
+the newsstand was shouting at him.
+
+"Ya tryin' to steal my paper?" he yelled.
+
+Tom looked down and saw that he was still holding the paper he had
+picked up to hide his face from the Marines. He smiled, reached into his
+pocket for a coin, and flipped it back to the man.
+
+"Sorry," he called and walked on.
+
+He hurried through a tunnel to the open area of the field where the
+other passengers were waiting in jet cars. He slipped into the nearest
+one and settled down beside a fat woman. She looked at him archly,
+sniffed audibly, and turned to stare out the window. Tom merely grinned
+and settled deeper in the seat. In a moment the jet cab was speeding
+across the small field to the waiting passenger ship.
+
+Safely inside the ship, Tom sank into his assigned seat, buckled his
+acceleration belt, and listened to the voice of the skipper counting off
+the seconds until blast off.
+
+"Five, four, three, two, one, _zero_!"
+
+There was very little acceleration shock, since this was a vessel
+designed for the comfort of the passengers. In fact, Tom found it
+difficult to determine just exactly when it left the ground. The force
+of the drive pushed him deep in his seat, to be sure, but it was a
+gradual pressure and not at all like the sudden violent jerk that came
+when he gunned the _Polaris_.
+
+He smiled. There was considerably less power in this ship than in the
+_Polaris_!
+
+The thought of the giant rocket cruiser made him think about Roger and
+Astro. He wondered what they were doing and if they had stayed out of
+trouble.
+
+During the trip back to Atom City, Tom kept to himself, avoiding the
+other passengers on the ship as much as possible, taking his meals in
+his berth. The cadet had a lot of thinking to do. Though temporarily
+safe, he knew he couldn't dodge the Solar Guard forever. He kept track
+of his pursuit by stereo newscasts which the ship picked up from both
+Mars and Earth, and he was pleased to learn that the Marines and Solar
+Guardsmen were still searching for him in Marsport.
+
+There was one bit of information that was general news to the others on
+the ship, but of particular interest to Tom. He had sat up in his berth
+and listened.
+
+"... The report of a sabotage attempt on a highly secret project now in
+progress at Space Academy was denied today by project officials and
+Commander Walters. The commander said there was no basis for the report
+that the entire control panel of a new type ship had been destroyed."
+
+Tom switched off his set and settled back in his bunk. He saw through
+the denial by Commander Walters. There was no need to upset the public
+and, more important, let the saboteur know how successful he had been.
+
+Though Tom knew who was responsible, this knowledge did not mean much
+while he was still a fugitive. He would have to have proof. He would
+have to have more than just _his_ word and accusation to make his
+charges stick. But how to get it?
+
+"Attention," boomed the voice of the captain over the ship's
+loud-speaker. "Fasten your deceleration belts, please! We land at Atom
+City in thirty minutes. Fasten your deceleration belts, please!"
+
+Certain he wouldn't be seen by the passengers and crew strapped in for
+the landing, Tom slipped out of his berth and down the companionway to
+the luggage compartment. Safely inside, he examined the contents of
+several expensive-looking bags, opening them by springing the locks with
+his knife. Finally he found a set of civilian clothes that would fit
+him. Leaving a hundred credits in the suitcase, more than the clothes
+were worth, he returned to his berth where he quickly washed, shaved,
+and dressed in the stolen clothes, steadying himself against the
+lurching of the ship as it made its landing approach.
+
+When the ship finally touched down at the Atom City spaceport, Tom
+waited in his berth until he was sure most of the passengers had left.
+Then he walked quickly out of the ship, head down and hat pulled low
+over his face, to lose himself in the crowded spaceport.
+
+Safe for the time being, at least until the Solar Guard traced him to
+Earth, Tom moved openly through the streets of Atom City and went
+directly to the monorail station where he purchased a ticket for Space
+Academy. He boarded a local train instead of the express and rode the
+jet-propelled train in the comfort of the dining car where he had a huge
+meal.
+
+The stop before the Academy was a small village that catered to the
+wants of the hundreds of civilian workers at the Academy spaceport. Tom
+had been there many times with Astro and Roger, and knew of a small
+hotel where he could hide out until he could contact his unit mates.
+
+It was early evening when Tom registered at the hotel under the name of
+Joseph Cazippi, an engineer from Titan Colony. Safely in his room, Tom
+turned to the window and stared longingly at the Tower of Galileo in the
+distance, as it caught the last of the sun's rays and gleamed proudly
+against the gathering night sky.
+
+He whirled away from the window and froze as someone knocked on the door
+and a young voice called:
+
+"Lemme in, Tom!"
+
+The young cadet gulped in fear. Someone had recognized him! He wondered
+if he should open the door or slip out of the window and leave.
+
+"Hey, Tom!" the voice called. "This is Tiny! Come on, lemme in."
+
+"Tiny!" shouted Tom in swift relief. He opened the door and a small boy
+of about twelve stepped inside.
+
+"Hiya, Tom," greeted the boy enthusiastically.
+
+Tom grinned his welcome. He and Roger and Astro had met the youngster on
+several of their trips to the village and had become great friends. They
+always had to tell him stories about the Cadet Corps.
+
+"How did you know I was here, Tiny?" asked Tom.
+
+"I followed you from the monorail station," replied the boy. "You
+couldn't fool me in those civvies. Where's your uniform?"
+
+"Never mind that now," said Tom, kneeling before him. "Look, Tiny, can
+you keep a secret?"
+
+"Sure!" said the boy gleefully. "Sure I can, Tom."
+
+"Well, I'm on a secret assignment, see?" whispered the cadet with a
+conspiratorial air. "And I need someone like you to help me. But you
+can't tell anyone I'm here!"
+
+"Sure, I understand, Tom. Whatcha want me to do?"
+
+"Go to the Academy and find Astro and Roger. Tell them to come here at
+nine o'clock tonight. But remember, don't talk to anyone else!"
+
+"O.K.!" replied the youngster. "I getcha! You going to catch spies,
+Tom?"
+
+"I don't know yet, Tiny. But you do what I told you and then hurry right
+back to me and tell me what they said!"
+
+The boy nodded and hurried off. From the window, Tom watched him climb
+on his jet bike and roar off into the gathering darkness toward the
+Academy.
+
+It was nearly two hours before he heard the jet bike return and he
+hurried to the door, waiting impatiently for the boy to come in. When
+the door opened and Tiny stepped in, Tom sensed immediately that
+something was wrong.
+
+"Tom!" gasped Tiny, his eyes wide with shock. "You know what happened?"
+
+"What?"
+
+"Roger and Astro--" the boy stopped, seemingly unable to go on.
+
+"Didn't you see them?" demanded Tom.
+
+"Naw, I couldn't. They wouldn't let me."
+
+"Who wouldn't let you?"
+
+"The guards."
+
+"What guards? What are you talking about, Tiny?"
+
+"The guards at the jail! Roger and Astro are on the enlisted man's work
+gang for six months!" said Tiny.
+
+Hiding his shocked surprise, Tom hurriedly gave the boy a ten-credit
+note and swore him to silence.
+
+"Now you hurry home, Tiny, and don't tell anyone you've seen me!" he
+said.
+
+"O.K., Tom," replied the boy. "But what does it all mean?"
+
+"I wish I knew," said Tom grimly. "And when I find out, Tiny, I promise
+you I'll let you know."
+
+When Tom was finally alone, he stood at the window, staring at the
+gleaming tower, now lighted and shining brilliantly in the darkness. He
+suddenly felt that he would never see the tower again.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER 14
+
+
+"Stand clear!"
+
+Professor Hemmingwell's voice rang over the roar of activity in the
+hangar as the huge new control panel was lifted along the hull to a
+large hole that had been cut into the side of the experimental ship at
+the control-deck level.
+
+"Easy does it!" called the professor, standing on the deck and peering
+through the hole. "Careful now!"
+
+Now even with the hole, the panel was slowly pulled into the ship by the
+workers. Even Major Connel and Steve Strong lent a hand, setting it into
+place. When it had been securely anchored, a team of technicians swarmed
+over the panel to begin the intricate work of connecting all the
+controls to the various parts of the ship, and Hemmingwell and the two
+Solar Guard officers stepped back to watch them.
+
+"This puts us back on schedule now," said the professor, turning,
+red-eyed and tired, to Connel and Strong. "It was a good idea of yours,
+Steve, to prefabricate the panel and have it put into position all at
+once. If we had tried to install it piece by piece, we'd be weeks
+behind."
+
+"Good work, Steve," Connel chimed in.
+
+Strong merely nodded his thanks. He was tired. More tired than he had
+ever been in his life. Not only had he supervised the construction of
+the new control panel, but he had been working on a special report to
+present to the Solar Guard Review Board requesting another trial for
+Astro and Roger. And he had spent every spare minute haunting the MP
+headquarters of the Solar Guard for word of Tom. So, he accepted the
+compliments of Connel and Professor Hemmingwell with little enthusiasm.
+
+"You better get some rest, Steve," said Connel, aware of Strong's
+attitude. "I know how hard you've been working these past few days. So
+knock off and I want your word that you will go back to your quarters
+and get some sleep!"
+
+"Sorry, Major," replied Strong, "I can't give you my word about that."
+
+Connel's face darkened with anger. "All right! Then do what you want.
+Get out!" he shouted.
+
+Strong merely nodded and left the ship.
+
+Outside the hangar, he stopped suddenly when he saw Dave Barret step off
+the slidewalk from the Academy and stride toward him. The young captain
+clenched his teeth in sudden anger. He had talked to Astro and Roger
+many times since they had been put on the work gang and they swore that
+their story of their ill-fated flight was true. Strong could not believe
+that they would lie. He had been too close to them and had, many times,
+put his very life into their hands. But there seemed to be no way to
+break Barret's story. He waited for the man to pass him.
+
+"Good morning, Strong," said Barret, as though surprised. "Well, how's
+the genius? Get the control panel in this morning?"
+
+Barret was annoyed that Strong's plan to replace the control panel had
+been accepted over his own. The captain returned his cold stare and
+nodded.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+"It's in," he said, and then added, "I would like to ask you a few
+questions, Barret."
+
+"Sorry, haven't got time!" replied Barret curtly as he tried to brush
+past Strong. But the young captain grabbed him by the arm and spun him
+around.
+
+"Make time!" he snarled. "I want the straight story about that so-called
+test flight!"
+
+Barret glared at Strong. "I suggest that you let go of my arm, Captain,"
+he threatened, "or I will be forced to bring charges of assault against
+you!"
+
+Realizing an open fight would be useless, Strong released his grip on
+the man's arm and turned away quickly. Barret's mocking laugh echoed in
+his ears as he stepped on the slidewalk and glided away toward the
+Academy. Behind him, the big hangar buzzed with the sound of men working
+in high gear again. The mighty ship and its specially designed equipment
+seemed at last to be ready for testing. But Strong felt none of the
+excitement. It mattered little to the Solar Guard captain whether the
+project was a success or failure. His thoughts were of the three cadets
+in his unit, who were, first and foremost, his responsibility.
+
+With double guards around the hangar area and even tighter security
+restrictions than before, the unknown saboteur was unable to attack the
+precious ship again. But he struck elsewhere. The single track monorail
+that Barret had run into the area was blocked by an explosion in the
+mouth of the tunnel. Nearly a thousand tons of rock and earth had fallen
+on the hangar side, blocking delivery of vital equipment.
+
+With powerful earth-moving machinery, the tunnel was cleared of the
+heavy rocks and dirt, and all that remained was a general cleaning up,
+and the enlisted man's work gangs had been assigned to that job.
+
+Nearly a hundred tough, battle-scarred spacemen from the enlisted ranks
+of the Solar Guard worked in the area, stripped to the waist, their
+bodies burned brown from the sun. Sent to the work gang for petty
+offenses, rather than for criminal acts, the enlisted men as a whole did
+not mind the work. They were under guard, watched by a squad of Space
+Marines armed with paralo-ray guns, but there was no attempt to make the
+men feel as if they were criminals. Most of the sentences were short,
+usually running from five to thirty days, with some extreme cases
+serving as long as three months. But no one had ever remembered a Space
+Cadet working on the squad, and particularly for six months! It was an
+extraordinary situation and the guards, as well as the men on the work
+details, sympathized with Roger and Astro. They realized that nothing
+really serious had been done, or the boys would have been sent to the
+prison asteroid, where all true criminals were sent. So a true spirit of
+comradeship developed between the cadets and the enlisted men.
+
+When Captain Strong arrived to speak to Roger and Astro, he found them
+in the tunnel, working as a team of a shoveler and a sweeper. Roger
+would sweep up a little pile of dirt and Astro would shovel it into a
+handcart nearby.
+
+"All right, you Venusian pug!" bawled Roger. "Police the joint!"
+
+Astro scooped up the little pile of dirt neatly and deposited it in the
+truck.
+
+"Manning, what made the spaceship cross to Pluto?" he asked.
+
+"To get to the other side of the universe," said Roger.
+
+"All right," interrupted Strong. "If you two will cut out the comedy,
+I'd like to talk to you."
+
+"Captain Strong!" yelled Roger. "Hey, fellas! Look!" He turned to the
+other men on the work gang. "We're special characters! See? We have
+visitors during working hours!"
+
+Strong laughed with the others, and then motioning for Roger and Astro
+to follow him, walked to an isolated corner of the tunnel.
+
+"How is it going?" he asked.
+
+"Fine, sir," said Roger. "We have no complaints."
+
+"Yeah," chimed in Astro with a grin. "The food is better here than at
+the Academy!"
+
+"Give this Venusian bum a good kitchen and he'd go to the Rock!" Roger
+laughed.
+
+Strong noted their lean, brown bodies and decided that a little work in
+the sun with a pick and shovel had done them good. But six months of it
+would interfere with their work at the Academy and could hold them back.
+
+He told them of the work he had been doing to have their case renewed by
+the Solar Guard Review Board and asked them for any special details in
+their relationship with Barret that might lend weight to his plea for
+outright pardon, rather than just a commutation of sentence. He wanted
+it clear on their records that they had been accused unjustly, and that,
+therefore, their sentence was an error.
+
+But neither Astro nor Roger could add anything to what the young captain
+already knew. He finally turned to leave, cautioning them both to stay
+out of trouble, especially Roger.
+
+"Manning," he warned, "your mouth is your big weakness. I'm detailing
+Astro to make sure it stays closed!"
+
+"You see?" gloated Astro. "You see who the captain trusts!"
+
+"Listen, you big bum!" began Roger angrily, then stopped and grinned.
+"O.K., Captain Strong, I'll keep on the ball."
+
+"You'd better," Astro interrupted, "or I'll stand you on your head!"
+
+With a pat on the back, Strong left them. Just as he was about to leave
+the tunnel, Roger called after him:
+
+"Have you heard anything about Tom, sir?"
+
+"Not a word," replied Strong grimly. "So far as I know, he's still on
+Mars."
+
+"A--a fugitive?" asked Astro.
+
+"Yes, Astro. The Solar Guard is still looking for him."
+
+Strong watched the two cadets turn back to their work dejectedly, and
+then, sighing with weariness, he headed back to the slidewalk. In the
+morning he would check the reports of the Security Section for word of
+Tom. Then he squared his shoulders determinedly. He would check them
+now!
+
+He could not go to bed yet. Not while Tom was still missing and while
+Astro and Roger were on the work gang. He would not sleep until they
+were free and the _Polaris_ unit was together again out in space!
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+Tom Corbett was also unable to sleep. He had spent the night in the
+village hotel tossing and turning, his mind seething with plans to aid
+Roger and Astro.
+
+Finally, at dawn, he got up and sneaked out of the hotel. Avoiding the
+convenience of the monorail, he struck out on foot over the rugged
+countryside for Space Academy. He had a plan, but the plan required that
+he talk to Roger and Astro first, and then to Captain Strong, but it had
+to be done secretly. He realized that his knowledge of the identity of
+the saboteur would be a more effective weapon if everyone still believed
+he was on Mars.
+
+After getting close enough to the Academy to use the slidewalk system
+crisscrossing the huge area, he loitered on the crowded platforms which
+connected the hangar, the Academy, and the spaceport. He kept his coat
+collar high and his civilian hat pulled low over his eyes.
+
+He was on the main slidewalk, moving toward the Tower building, when his
+eyes picked out the familiar close-cropped blond hair of Roger and the
+unmistakable bulk of Astro on the walk leading to the hangar. Changing
+at the slidewalk intersection, he took off after them, hoping he would
+not be noticed in the crowd of civilian workers. Roger and Astro were
+carrying tools over their shoulders and were lagging behind the main
+body of workers moving toward a huge tunnel opening. Tom saw his chance
+and moved up quickly beside them.
+
+"Keep walking and don't show surprise!" he whispered sharply.
+
+But it was too much to ask. Astro and Roger jumped in surprise and let
+out involuntary shouts of joy, which attracted the attention of the
+guards. They noticed the stranger in civilian clothes and stared at
+him.
+
+"Tom!" exclaimed Roger. "What the devil are you--?"
+
+"Sh!" hissed Tom. "We haven't got much time." He saw one of the guards
+turn and stare at him. "Listen to me," he continued quickly. "I've got
+important dope about the saboteur!"
+
+"How?" gasped Astro.
+
+"Never mind," replied Tom. "Now, to nail him, I've got to get him into
+the act! I need proof!"
+
+"But who is it?" asked Roger.
+
+"I can't tell you now. Here comes the guard. Are you going to be working
+around here long?"
+
+"At least another three days," said Roger. "But who--?"
+
+Roger noticed the guard move up to them and he suddenly straightened up
+and snorted derisively, "Yeah. But why a guy should want to join the
+Solar Guard is more than I can see. You must be wacky, mister!"
+
+He and Astro walked away, and after a hesitant look at Tom, the guard
+followed the two cadets. Tom boarded the slidewalk heading back toward
+the Academy. So far, so good. He knew where his unit mates were, but up
+ahead, in the gleaming Tower of Galileo, was his second target, Captain
+Strong. His skipper had to listen to him, had to be sympathetic and help
+him catch the saboteur. It was the only way Tom could clear his own name
+and free Roger and Astro.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER 15
+
+
+"Scott!"
+
+"Here!" bellowed a grizzled spaceman in reply to Major Connel's call.
+
+"Augutino!"
+
+"Here!"
+
+"Jones!
+
+"Present!"
+
+"Smith!"
+
+"Here!"
+
+"Albert!"
+
+"Here!"
+
+Connel checked the last name on the clipboard and turned to Professor
+Hemmingwell standing beside him at the base of the ship. "All present
+and ready, sir."
+
+"Fine!" said the professor. He turned and looked around. "Where is
+Dave?"
+
+"Here he comes now," said Connel.
+
+They both watched Barret stride toward them, his arms loaded with gear.
+
+"This is the stuff I told you about, Professor," he said as Hemmingwell
+looked at it curiously.
+
+"What stuff?" asked Connel.
+
+"Portable heaters for the crew's space suits, just in case--" Barret
+paused meaningfully.
+
+"In case of what?" growled Connel.
+
+"Why, ask them!" replied Barret, gesturing toward the group of civilian
+crewmen who had been selected for the test flight of the spaceship.
+
+Connel turned to look at them, then back at Barret. "Ask them what?" he
+barked.
+
+"How they feel about making this flight," said Barret.
+
+Connel scowled and turned to the men. "Is there anything to what he
+says?" he demanded.
+
+The men shuffled their feet nervously but did not reply.
+
+"Well?" exploded Connel.
+
+"See, they're afraid of you, Connel," said Barret, deliberately omitting
+the courtesy of using the major's title.
+
+Ignoring Barret's thrust, Connel continued to face the men. "Is that
+right, men?" he shouted. "Are you afraid of me?"
+
+There was a mumble from the group and then the man named Scott, a
+thick-set individual with black flashing eyes, stepped forward.
+
+"Speaking for myself," he said, looking straight at the major, "I'm not
+afraid of anything that walks. And that includes you, Major Connel. No
+offense meant, it's just a statement of fact." He paused and drew a deep
+breath. Then he added, "But I am afraid of this ship."
+
+"Why?" demanded Connel, who could not help admiring the man for his
+straightforward approach.
+
+"She's junk-jinxed," said the man, using the expression of spacemen who
+believed a ship with a suspicious accident record should be junked
+because it was jinxed.
+
+"Junk-jinxed!" cried Connel, amazed.
+
+"Preposterous," snorted Professor Hemmingwell. "Why, you helped build
+this ship, Scotty! Do you doubt the work you've put into her? Or the
+work of your friends?"
+
+"That has nothing to do with it," replied Scott stubbornly. "The others
+feel the same way I do."
+
+Barret stepped forward. Arrogantly and before Connel could stop him, he
+began addressing the men. "Listen, you men!" he shouted. "You're being
+childish! Why, you built this ship! How can you possibly allow
+yourselves to be so stupid as to believe in an idiotic thing like a
+jinx. Now, why don't you just get aboard and stop being so ridiculously
+superstitious!"
+
+Connel could have reached out with one of his big hands and squeezed
+Barret's neck to shut him up. Instead of allaying their fears, which
+even he would admit were real enough, the man was creating further
+resentment with his attack on their pride as thinking, reasoning men.
+
+"All right, all right!" he bellowed. "That's enough for now, _Mister_
+Barret!" He turned to the men and he could tell by the expressions on
+their faces that he had lost them. They would not take the ship aloft.
+But he had to try.
+
+"Now listen," he growled. "This is a very important project and someone
+has been trying to get us to wash out the whole idea. If you don't come
+through, he'll succeed. You are the best men in your fields, and if
+each of you attend to your particular job, then the ship will blast off
+and be a success! Now, how about it?"
+
+He was met with the stony faces of men who were afraid. Nothing he could
+say or offer them would get them to take the ship off the ground. He
+tried a new tack. "I'm offering you _double wages_!" he roared.
+
+The men were silent.
+
+"Double wages _and_ a bonus!"
+
+Silence.
+
+"All right! Beat it!" he growled. "Don't ever show your faces around
+here again!"
+
+Connel turned to Professor Hemmingwell. "I'll see if I can't muster a
+crew from the ranks of the Solar Guard," he said.
+
+"Major," said the professor, his face worn and haggard from the long
+ordeal of completing the project, "I wouldn't want men _ordered_ to man
+this vessel."
+
+"They're in the Solar Guard and they take orders," said Connel.
+
+"No," persisted Hemmingwell. "I will not let a man on that ship that
+does not want to go. Remember, Major, it is still my personal property."
+
+"All right," said Connel grimly. "I'll see if I can recruit a crew from
+the civilian workers around the Academy."
+
+But Major Connel encountered the same superstitious dread everywhere.
+The word had spread that the projectile ship was jinxed. Old tales of
+other ships that had gone out into space, never to be heard of again,
+were recalled, and the men found instances of similar prelaunching
+happenings on the projectile ship. Very little of it was true, of
+course. The stories were half-truths and legends that had been handed
+down through generations of spacemen, but they seemed to have special
+significance now.
+
+Connel fumed and ranted, threatened and cajoled, begged and pleaded, but
+it was no use. There was not a man in the Academy who would set foot
+inside the "jinxed" ship. Finally, in a last desperate attempt, he
+ignored Hemmingwell's order and appealed to Commander Walters.
+
+"No, Lou. I cannot order men to take that ship up," Commander Walters
+replied, "and you know it!"
+
+"Why not?" argued Connel. "You're the commander, aren't you?"
+
+"I most certainly am," asserted Walters, "and if I want to get other
+things done in the Solar Guard, I can't order men to take a jinxed ship
+off the ground." He looked at Connel narrowly. "Do you remember the old
+freighter, the _Spaceglow_?" he asked.
+
+Connel frowned but didn't reply.
+
+"You were mate on that ship before you enlisted in the Solar Guard,"
+persisted Walters. "And I read the log of your first trip when you
+wrote, and I quote, 'There seems to be some mysterious and unanswerable
+condition aboard this vessel that makes her behave as if she had human
+intelligence....'"
+
+"That has nothing to do with _this_ situation!" roared Connel.
+
+"They're alike! You couldn't get a crew on that wagon in any port of
+call from Venus to Jupiter!"
+
+"But we found out what was wrong with her eventually!"
+
+"Yes, but the legend still exists that the _Spaceglow_ had intelligence
+of its own!" asserted Walters.
+
+"All right," snorted Connel. "So we have to fight superstition! But,
+blast it, Commander, we're faced with a saboteur. There's nothing
+supernatural or mysterious about a man with a bomb!"
+
+Connel turned abruptly and walked out of the commander's office, more
+furious than Walters had ever seen him.
+
+Back at the hangar, Connel faced the professor. It was a tough thing to
+tell the elderly man, and Connel, for all his hard exterior, could
+easily appreciate the professor's feelings. After many years of struggle
+to convince die-hard bankers of the soundness of his Space Projectile
+plan, followed by sabotage and costly work stoppages, it was
+heart-rending to have a "jinx" finally stop him.
+
+"I'm sorry," said Connel, "but that's the way things are, Professor."
+
+"I understand, Major," replied Hemmingwell wearily. He turned away,
+shoulders slumping, and walked back to his tiny office in the shadow of
+the mighty ship that was anchored on the ground.
+
+"May I speak to you a moment, Major?" a voice broke the silence in the
+hangar.
+
+Connel turned around slowly. "You!" he exclaimed. "If it hadn't been for
+you and your big mouth, this ship might be in space right now!"
+
+"Stop blowing your jets!" snapped Dave Barret. "I want to see this ship
+in space as badly as you do. Perhaps even more so. But listen, I'm not
+afraid of the jinx. Neither are you, nor is Professor Hemmingwell. We're
+spacemen. And we know the operation of every piece of equipment on that
+ship. What's to prevent us from taking her up?"
+
+Connel looked at the young man, immediately recognizing the value of his
+suggestion. He nodded his head curtly. "All right," he said. "I'll take
+you up on that."
+
+Barret grinned, stuck out his hand, and after a friendly shake turned
+and ran to the professor's office. Connel walked back to the outside of
+the hangar and began bellowing orders for the giant ship to be brought
+out to the blast ramp and prepared for the blast-off.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+But Dave Barret did not go directly to Professor Hemmingwell's office.
+He made one stop. Looking around quickly to make sure that he was not
+observed, he slipped into the teleceiver booth and made a hurried call
+to an Atom City number. When a gruff voice answered, he merely said
+three words:
+
+"It's all set!"
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+Roger and Astro were some distance away from the main gang, working at
+the tunnel mouth overlooking the hangar area.
+
+"Look, Astro," said Roger. "They're bringing out the ship. They must be
+ready to blast off!"
+
+[Illustration]
+
+Astro stopped his work momentarily and stared as the huge ship was
+inched out of the hangar, resting on her tail fins, her nose pointing
+skyward.
+
+"I'd sure like to be bucking the power deck on that baby," sighed Astro.
+
+"Yeah, and I'd give my eyeteeth to see that radar deck," said Roger. "It
+must be really something with all the gear to control those projectiles
+when they're released."
+
+"Do you believe any of that talk about her being jinxed?" asked Astro.
+
+"Stop being a Venusian lunkhead!" snorted Roger. "The only thing wrong
+with that ship is a rocket-blasting clever saboteur."
+
+"You know," said Astro, "I've been thinking."
+
+"Don't strain yourself," snorted Roger. But when Astro failed to reply
+in kind, the blond-haired cadet realized he was serious. "What is it?"
+he asked.
+
+"Why, in the name of the moons of Mars, would Barret want to do the
+things he did to us?"
+
+"Simple," said Roger, beginning to sweep industriously as he saw the
+guard walking toward them. "He didn't like the way we manhandled him."
+
+"You think he was just getting even with us?" asked Astro, also resuming
+work.
+
+"What else?" asked Roger. "We made him look pretty silly. And that was
+no love tap I gave him that night we caught him in the hangar."
+
+"That's what I mean," said Astro. "I know Major Connel said he was
+supposed to be there. But with that teleceiver conversation I overheard
+and all the rest--well, I just don't get it," he concluded lamely.
+
+"You'll get it in the neck if you don't watch out," said Roger. "Here
+comes Spike and he doesn't like to see us loafing!"
+
+The two cadets worked steadily for ten minutes, and when the guard
+finally walked away, they paused to watch the big ship again.
+
+"I wonder what Tom is up to?" said Roger thoughtfully. "He said he knew
+who the saboteur was, but he needed help to prove it."
+
+"I'd give a full year's leave just to get my hands on that guy for ten
+minutes," said Astro.
+
+"Yeah," grunted Roger. "Well, come on, hot-shot, we still got a lot of
+cleaning to do."
+
+They returned to their work, but even then, as they watched the
+preparations for the take-off of the big ship, they both thought about
+Tom. They knew his problems were as difficult as their own, and with
+much more at stake. If Tom failed in his efforts to catch the saboteur,
+it could very well mean the end of the _Polaris_ unit.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER 16
+
+
+"_Bump-ty--bump-ty--bump-ty--_"
+
+Tom Corbett's heart beat with such rapid, heavy drumming that the young
+cadet felt as though it was going to tear itself right out of his chest.
+
+For nearly six hours Tom had lain in wait in Galaxy Hall, the museum of
+Space Academy, on the second floor of the Tower building. He was hiding
+in the tail section of the _Space Queen_, the first rocket ship to
+breach space safely, blasting from Earth to Luna and back again. He had
+kept watch through a crack in the hull of the old ship, waiting for the
+lights to go out, a signal that the Academy had bedded down for the
+night.
+
+Now, in the silence of the museum, surrounded by the ancient objects
+that traced man's progress to the stars, Tom felt like crying. For as
+long as he had been at the Academy, he had revered these crude, frail
+objects and wondered if he would ever match the bravery of the men who
+used them. Now, unless his plan was successful, he would be finished as
+a cadet and the dream of being an officer in the Solar Guard would
+vanish forever.
+
+The Tower building had been quiet for over an hour. Tom had not heard
+any voices or movement other than the evenly paced steps of the guards
+patrolling their lonely beats outside.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+He slipped out of the antiquated ship, and staying well in the shadows,
+moved out into the corridor to the head of the slidestairs. He peered
+over the railing to the main floor below and saw Warrant Officer Mike
+McKenny through the open door of a small office, seated at his desk,
+watching an evening stereo program. The young cadet jumped on the stairs
+quickly and rode the moving belt of plastic to the upper floors where
+the officers' quarters were located.
+
+Tom was in great danger of discovery. No civilian was allowed on Academy
+grounds after taps. And he was still wearing the civilian clothes he had
+taken from the suitcase on the passenger ship from Mars. Silently but
+swiftly, he made his way from level to level toward the seventy-fifth
+floor.
+
+He knew that there would be a guard stationed in the halls outside the
+officers' apartments and it would be impossible to elude him. He would
+simply have to brazen it out.
+
+At the seventy-fifth floor the young cadet stepped off the slidestairs
+noisily, his heels clicking on the dark crystal floor, and strode down
+the hall. He was immediately seen by the guard who advanced to meet him,
+his ray gun at the ready. Tom was prepared.
+
+"Guard!" he yelled.
+
+The guard stopped in front of him, a puzzled look on his face. "Yes?" he
+replied.
+
+"Sir!" snapped Tom. "Show me where Captain Strong's quarters are and be
+quick about it!"
+
+"But who are--?" The guard started to protest, but Tom did not give him
+the chance to finish.
+
+"Don't stand there like an idiot, man! _Move!_"
+
+"Uhh--yes, sir," stammered the guard, obviously taken aback.
+
+"Lead the way," continued Tom loudly. "I haven't much time."
+
+"Yes, sir, but would you mind lowering your voice, sir? Some of the
+officers are asleep, sir."
+
+"Well, get on then and stop jabbering!"
+
+The guard turned quickly and started down the hall. Tom followed,
+hardly able to keep from smiling at the man's frustration and confusion.
+
+They stopped at the door to Captain Strong's quarters and the guard
+rapped softly.
+
+"Yes?" came a muffled voice from inside.
+
+"Someone to see you, sir," called the guard.
+
+"Just a moment."
+
+The guard stepped to one side and stood at rigid attention. When the
+door opened and Captain Strong was revealed, Tom brushed past the guard
+and stepped into the room, talking quickly.
+
+"My name is Hinkleworth, Captain," he announced. "I am here at the
+request of Commissioner Jessup to discuss the installation of new radar
+equipment on all Solar Guard rocket cruisers!"
+
+Tom slammed the door closed behind him and turned to face the astonished
+Solar Guard officer.
+
+"What in the star-blazing--?" Strong began angrily.
+
+"It's me, Captain Strong!" Tom said quickly, pulling his hat off and
+lowering his collar.
+
+"Corbett!" gasped Strong, taking an involuntary step back, his face
+mirroring his disbelief.
+
+"Sh!" whispered the boy, motioning to the door. Recovering his
+composure, Strong swept past him, opened the door, and found the guard
+still standing there at attention.
+
+"All right, Corporal," said Strong. "Resume your station."
+
+"Yes, sir," replied the guard and walked down the hall. Strong watched
+him for a moment, then turned back into his room, closing and locking
+the door behind him. He faced the young cadet, who grinned back at him
+weakly.
+
+"All right, spaceboy," said Strong, flopping in the nearest chair.
+"Start at the beginning and give it to me. _All of it!_"
+
+Tom began his story with the incident of the runaway truck at Marsport,
+told of his abduction and escape from the two truckers, Cag and Monty,
+his efforts to reach Space Academy, and finally revealed the identity of
+the man he thought was responsible for the whole effort to stop the
+projectile operation.
+
+At this, Strong jumped to his feet. "That's the most fantastic thing
+I've ever heard, Corbett!" he snapped. "What kind of proof do you have?"
+
+"None, sir," replied Tom. "The only reason I came here tonight is to ask
+you to help me get that proof."
+
+When Strong was silent, shaking his head, Tom tried again.
+
+"Sir, you do believe me, don't you?" asked the boy with a sinking
+feeling in his heart. "What about all the things that have happened to
+me and to Roger and Astro?"
+
+"I can explain them away just as easily as you can explain your theory,"
+replied Strong. He walked over and patted the cadet on the shoulder
+sympathetically. "I'm sorry, Tom," he said gently. "Your story is just
+too fantastic and you haven't even the slightest shred of evidence. Just
+a few words an unreliable witness said under duress."
+
+"I realize that, sir," replied the cadet. "But don't you see? This is
+the only way to clear my name."
+
+Strong turned to the window, looked out thoughtfully for a moment, and
+then turned back to the boy. "How do you think I can help you?" he said,
+a more sympathetic note in his voice.
+
+His eyes bright with hope again, Tom spoke quickly and eagerly. The
+Solar Guard captain calmly packed his pipe and lighted it, stopping the
+boy now and then to ask a question. Finally, when Tom was finished,
+Strong nodded and silently puffed at his pipe.
+
+"Well, sir?" asked Tom eagerly.
+
+"I don't know, Tom," replied Strong. "It's a pretty wild idea. And it
+leaves me way out on a limb."
+
+"Only if we fail, sir," said Tom.
+
+"Which is more than likely," Strong commented dryly.
+
+"Captain Strong," said Tom, "if you really don't think it can work, then
+I suggest that you call the guard and turn me in. I've put you in enough
+trouble already." Tom moved to the door.
+
+"Stop playing the hero, Corbett," said Strong. "I didn't say I wouldn't
+help you. But we have to think this thing out."
+
+Tom sat down, eying Strong hopefully.
+
+"Now, let me get this straight," said Strong. "First you want me to help
+Astro and Roger escape from the work gang. All right, that may work
+easily enough. But why?"
+
+"So we can get aboard the projectile ship and go through her tests with
+her."
+
+"I suppose you've heard that Connel, Professor Hemmingwell, and Dave
+Barret are going to take her up."
+
+"Yes, sir," Tom replied, grinning. "That's why I want to go along. To
+make sure no more accidents happen."
+
+"I could send a squad of Space Marines for that kind of job," mused
+Strong.
+
+"But that would alert Barret," protested Tom. "He might not try
+anything. If he doesn't suspect he's being watched, we may be able to
+catch him in the act. And he certainly wouldn't think the three of us
+are aboard."
+
+"Hum. Maybe you're right," nodded Strong. "Then after I get you three on
+the ship, I'm supposed to spend my time trailing your prize suspect,
+right?"
+
+"Yes, sir," nodded the young cadet.
+
+"I'll have to give it consideration, Tom," said Strong after a momentary
+pause. "As much as I admire your plan and as much as I want to help you,
+this places me in a highly untenable position. Have you stopped to think
+what would happen to me if it were ever known that I had sheltered you
+here in my quarters and aided in the escape of two convicted cadets from
+the work gang?"
+
+"Yes, sir," replied Tom soberly. "And--all I can say is I'll do whatever
+you think is best."
+
+"Well, get some sleep now," sighed Strong. "I've got to make a tour of
+the guard."
+
+Without another word, Tom went into Captain Strong's bedroom and fell
+asleep thirty seconds after his head hit the pillow. His last waking
+thought was that if his plan had any merit Captain Strong would help
+him.
+
+Steve Strong did not leave his quarters immediately. He sat in the easy
+chair and puffed thoughtfully on his pipe until there was nothing left
+in the burnt and charred bowl. Then he rose and left the room to make
+his rounds. He walked slowly through the hollow, empty hallways of the
+Tower building, riding up and down the slidestairs, speaking curtly to
+the guards, and finally walked out on the wide steps facing the grassy
+quadrangle.
+
+Strong glanced up at the sky. He counted the stars he could see and he
+remembered that as a boy of eight he knew the names and positions of
+every one. He recalled his entrance to the Academy as a cadet and how
+his unit instructor had guided him and taught him the many things a
+spaceman must know. He thought of his long tour as a line officer in the
+Solar Guard fleet under Commander Walters, then a major, and he
+remembered his brother officers, many of whom were now dead. There was
+one thing they all had in common, one thing that overshadowed all
+personal differences. One thing that was almost like a religion.
+Comradeship. A feeling of belonging, a knowledge that there was _always_
+someone who would believe in you and your ideas.
+
+One thing. Friendship.
+
+Captain Strong spun on his heel, walked back into the Tower, and rode
+the slidestairs back to his quarters. He had made up his mind.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER 17
+
+
+"_Stand by to raise ship!_"
+
+Connel's bull-throated roar blasted through the intercom of the gleaming
+projectile ship from the power deck where Dave Barret was stationed, up
+to the radar bridge where Professor Hemmingwell waited anxiously.
+
+On the main deck, seated at the controls, Connel spoke rapidly into the
+audioceiver microphone. "Projectile vessel to spaceport traffic
+control," he called. "Request blast-off clearance!"
+
+"Spaceport traffic control to Connel," came a voice in reply over the
+audioceiver. "You are cleared. Your time is two minutes to zero!"
+
+Connel began snapping the many levers and switches on the control panel
+in proper sequence, keeping a wary eye on the astral chronometer over
+his head as one of its red hands ticked off the seconds to blast-off.
+
+The teleceiver screen to his right showed a view of the stern of the
+vessel and Connel could see some of the ground crew slowly rolling away
+the boarding equipment. Flipping on the switch that opened a circuit to
+an outside loud-speaker, he bellowed an order for the area to be
+cleared. The crew scurried back behind the blast deflectors and watched
+the ship through the thick crystal viewports.
+
+"Power deck," Connel called into the intercom, "check in!"
+
+"Power deck, aye!" reported Barret.
+
+"Radar deck, check in!"
+
+"Radar deck, aye!" Professor Hemmingwell acknowledged in a thin voice.
+
+"Feed reactant!" Connel ordered.
+
+"Reactant feeding at D-9 rate," said Barret after a split-second pause.
+
+"Energize cooling pumps!"
+
+"Cooling pumps, aye!"
+
+"Cut in take-off gyros!"
+
+"Gyros on," repeated Barret.
+
+"All clear forward and up!" replied the elderly man.
+
+"Right!" bawled Major Connel. "Stand by!"
+
+Tensely he watched the red hand crawl up the face of the chronometer and
+he gripped the intercom microphone tightly. "Blast off," he began,
+"minus five, four, three, two, one, _zero_!"
+
+Connel slammed home the master control switch and in an instant the
+silver ship trembled under a tremendous surge of power. Flame and smoke
+poured out of its exhaust and slowly it began to reach for sky,
+straining as if to break invisible bonds holding it to Earth. Her jets
+shrieking torturously, the ship picked up speed and then suddenly,
+as though shot from a cannon, it blasted up through the
+atmosphere--spacebound.
+
+A moment later, on the control deck of the ship, Major Connel swung
+forward in his chair, shook off the effects of the tremendous
+acceleration, and called into the intercom, "Switch on the gravity
+generators!"
+
+As soon as the artificial gravity was in effect, the officer put the
+ship on standard cruising speed, changed course slightly to put them on
+a direct heading to Mars, and then ordered Barret and Hemmingwell to the
+control deck.
+
+"Well, Professor," he said as he gave the old man a hearty handshake,
+"so far so good. She handles like a baby carriage. If the projectiles
+work half as well, you'll really have yourself something!"
+
+Professor Hemmingwell smiled appreciatively and turned to Barret, who
+was just climbing through the hatch from the power deck. "You've done as
+much as anyone to help this ship get into space, Dave," he said. "Thank
+you!"
+
+"Think nothing of it, Professor," replied Barret airily.
+
+"Well, shall we begin the first series of tests?" asked Connel.
+
+"By all means!" said the professor enthusiastically. "If you and Dave
+will check the firing stations, I'll take care of the paper work!"
+
+"Right," replied Connel. "Let's go, Barret!"
+
+"I'll work outside, Major," said Barret, turning toward the air lock.
+"You see that all the firing chambers are properly loaded."
+
+"Anything you say, Barret."
+
+The two men turned away from the smiling professor and left the control
+deck. They separated in the companionway, Connel hurrying to the
+starboard firing chambers and Barret going to the midships air lock
+where he put on a space suit for his task out on the hull.
+
+In two minutes the young scientist was out on the odd-looking blisters
+that marked the exterior of the firing chambers ringing the hull.
+
+At each blister Barret examined the hollow firing tube carefully. In
+several he made delicate adjustments to a small metallic ring extending
+from the opening of the tube. The ring was one of the most important
+parts of the firing unit, emitting the long-range electronic beam
+controlling the flight of the projectile.
+
+Meanwhile, inside the ship, Connel checked the loading of each of the
+chambers, making certain that each of the ten-foot-long torpedolike
+projectiles was properly secured in its blasting cradle. After fifteen
+minutes and a complete trip around the ship, the major was satisfied
+that all was in readiness. He returned to the control deck, meeting
+Barret on the way, and they found Professor Hemmingwell just completing
+his calculations for the initial test. He turned to them, waving a paper
+in front of their eyes.
+
+"Gentlemen," he said proudly, "we are almost ready. If you will adjust
+course fifteen degrees to port, we'll be in proper position for the
+test!"
+
+"Right," nodded Connel. "Stand by below, Barret."
+
+"On my way," replied Barret, disappearing through the hatch.
+
+"Well, Professor," said Connel, walking to the controls, "this is the
+big moment!"
+
+"Yes," nodded Hemmingwell. "If these rocket projectiles prove workable
+now, there's nothing to stop us from carrying on with our test of the
+ground receivers on Mars immediately."
+
+"Power deck to control deck, check in!" Barret's voice suddenly crackled
+over the intercom.
+
+"Control deck, aye," replied Connel. "Ready to blast?"
+
+"All set!"
+
+"Give me a ten-second burst on the starboard steering rockets," ordered
+Connel, gripping the steering vane control tightly.
+
+"Coming up!"
+
+There was a sudden, jolting blast from the stern and Connel and
+Hemmingwell hung on grimly as the mighty ship turned in space. Watching
+the control panel instruments carefully, Connel slammed home the switch
+that opened the powerful nose braking rockets and brought the ship to a
+dead stop in space.
+
+"On course, Professor, ready to fire!" Connel announced triumphantly,
+and Hemmingwell took his station before the giant projectile control
+board.
+
+"Stand by to fire one!" said the professor, making a minute adjustment
+on the panel. Behind him, Connel unconsciously crossed his fingers.
+
+"Fire one!" shouted Hemmingwell.
+
+Connel pressed a red button on the panel and waited, holding his breath.
+There was a distinct hissing and then the great ship lurched slightly.
+On the teleceiver overhead a white flash appeared, streaked across the
+screen, and then disappeared in the darkness of space.
+
+"Fire two!"
+
+Again there was a hissing sound and another white burst of light faded
+into the millions of other pinpoints of lights in the black void.
+
+Over and over again, at one-minute intervals, the projectiles were
+fired, until all twelve of the firing chambers had discharged their
+fire-tailed missiles.
+
+The professor sat back and smiled weakly at Connel. The gruff major
+winked encouragingly and they both turned to watch the teleceiver screen
+anxiously. The gyros on each projectile had been preset for a circular
+flight of fifteen minutes' duration. Soon they would be returning and
+the delicate job of bringing them safely aboard would begin.
+
+"Here comes number one," shouted Connel, as a small pinpoint of light
+appeared on the screen.
+
+"I'm ready!" said the professor. He watched the teleceiver screen
+carefully, made a minute adjustment of the dial controlling the
+directional beam emitted by the ring in the number-one firing chamber,
+and at the last possible moment, snapped the remote-control switch that
+cut the power in the approaching test projectile. It hung dead in space,
+immediately over the chamber. Gently the professor increased the power
+of the electro-magnetic ring and pulled the projectile back into the
+chamber as easily as slipping a hand in a glove.
+
+"Success!" Connel shouted. "Professor, you've done it!"
+
+"Congratulations, sir," Dave Barret called over the intercom from the
+power deck.
+
+"Here comes number two," said Professor Hemmingwell excitedly, and began
+to repeat the process to draw the approaching projectiles back into the
+ship.
+
+One after another, five projectiles were taken aboard successfully.
+Then, as he worked on the sixth, the professor began to frown. He
+rechecked his instruments and then shook his head, obviously disturbed.
+
+"What's the trouble?" growled Connel, noticing Hemmingwell's growing
+nervousness.
+
+"The homing ring on number six tube isn't working properly," replied
+Hemmingwell. "I can't control the projectile."
+
+"Any idea what's wrong?" the Solar Guard officer asked.
+
+"The settings on the ring must be wrong." The professor picked up the
+intercom mike. "Dave," he called, "check in!"
+
+"Yes, sir?" replied Barret immediately.
+
+"Did you check the settings on all the rings in the firing chambers?"
+
+"Yes, sir," reported Barret. "They looked O.K. to me. Why don't you
+check with Connel? He supervised their installation."
+
+"That's true," said the major. "I'll go outside and look them over."
+
+Connel turned on his heel and hurried to the air-lock chamber. Moving
+with amazing speed for a big man, he donned the space suit in the
+chamber while the pressure was being equalized. As soon as the air-lock
+portal opened, he scrambled out on the hull and made his way forward to
+the bulging firing chambers. Stooping over the empty tube of number six,
+he examined the ring carefully and began to frown. Moving on to number
+seven, his frown deepened. By the time he checked the rings of eight and
+nine, his face was a grim mask of anger.
+
+"Professor," he called into his helmet microphone, "check in."
+
+[Illustration]
+
+"Yes, Major," replied Hemmingwell from the control deck. "Have you found
+the trouble?"
+
+"I sure have," Connel growled. "It's sabotage! And now I think I know
+who--"
+
+Connel never finished. There was a sudden burst of power from the great
+ship and the officer was hurled into space.
+
+"Major!" cried Hemmingwell. "Barret! What have you done? Connel is
+outside!"
+
+"I couldn't help it, Professor," replied Barret from the power deck. "My
+hand slipped and--"
+
+"Don't talk!" shouted Hemmingwell. "Stop the ship!"
+
+"I can't! The control is jammed!"
+
+As the ship surged through space and the professor and Barret yelled at
+each other over the intercom, three Space Cadets rose from their hiding
+place in the hold of the ship.
+
+Tom Corbett nudged Roger and Astro. "You hear that?" he said grimly.
+
+"Yeah!" replied Roger.
+
+"Let's go!" growled Astro.
+
+Without another word, they opened the hatch and made their way quickly
+through the rocketing ship, each going to their separate stations,
+according to the prearranged plan. Roger climbed up to the radar bridge,
+Tom entered the control deck, and Astro burst into the power deck.
+
+"You!" Barret cried out, his eyes wide with sudden fear as the huge
+Venusian advanced on him menacingly.
+
+"Get away from those controls," growled the big cadet. "If you don't, so
+help me, I'll break you in two!"
+
+Barret backed away, his face white, hands pawing the air frantically as
+if he were trying to push the big cadet back.
+
+"Get over there," said Astro. "Sit down and keep your mouth shut!"
+
+On the control deck, Tom was strapping himself into the pilot's chair
+and calling frantically into the intercom, "Give me a course, Roger!"
+
+"One-seventy-degree turn to starboard," replied Roger, "and full ahead!
+I've got the major on my scanner."
+
+"Pour on the power, Astro!" shouted Tom, gripping the controls firmly.
+
+As the mighty ship blasted in a long, sweeping arc, Professor
+Hemmingwell sat numbly in his chair, aware only that the three cadets
+were taking the vessel back into the area where the remaining
+projectiles, completely out of control, were buzzing around in space
+like maddened hornets.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER 18
+
+
+"There he is!"
+
+Roger's voice rose to a triumphant shout on the intercom. "Put the
+brakes on this wagon!"
+
+"Check!" retorted Astro from the power deck, his fingers flying over the
+switches of the control panel and bringing the ship to a sudden blasting
+stop.
+
+On the control deck, Tom turned to Professor Hemmingwell. "I'm going
+outside to get Major Connel, sir," he said. "Do you think you'll be all
+right?"
+
+The old man nodded absently, still dazed by the sudden turn of events.
+Tom hurried past him and met Roger coming down from the radar bridge.
+"I'm going too!" the blond-haired cadet announced.
+
+"You tell Astro?"
+
+"Yeah. He's got Barret locked in the power-deck storeroom and he'll take
+over the control deck. Wonder if they have a jet boat aboard?"
+
+"I doubt it. Not on a test flight."
+
+"We'll have to hurry," said Roger as they reached the air lock and began
+to scramble into space suits.
+
+"Yes," replied Tom. "He probably doesn't have much oxygen."
+
+"There's another reason," grunted Roger.
+
+"What?"
+
+"Those projectiles. We're right back in the middle of them. Any one of
+them could wreck the ship."
+
+"I see what you mean," said Tom. "Guess it's up to Astro to keep dodging
+them."
+
+"Never thought I'd be out in space ducking hot projectiles to save old
+Blast-off Connel's hide."
+
+"Neither did I," said Tom. "But here we are."
+
+Stepping into the air lock, they quickly equalized the pressure and a
+moment later climbed out on the hull.
+
+"See him, Roger?" asked Tom over the helmet intercom.
+
+"Not yet," replied Roger.
+
+"I see him," called Astro from the control deck. "I got him spotted on
+the teleceiver. Go aft, about a thousand, maybe fifteen hundred yards.
+I'll direct you from there."
+
+"Right!" snapped Roger. "And listen, you Venusian bonehead! Make it
+good. I don't like being a clay pigeon for this crazy shooting gallery
+out here!"
+
+"Aw, damp your tubes and get to work," drawled Astro. "Honestly, Tom,
+did you ever hear him _not_ complain?"
+
+Tom did not answer. He was busy fastening two oxygen tanks to the front
+of his space suit and Roger's. When he had finished, he checked the
+pressure and, satisfied, nodded to his unit mate.
+
+Opening the nozzles of the bottles, they shot away from the ship into
+the nothingness of space.
+
+"You have to go about fifteen degrees to your starboard and five degrees
+up on the ecliptic," called Astro from the control deck. "You'll hit
+Connel right on the nose!"
+
+"Right!" replied Tom, turning the nozzle of the oxygen bottle to the
+left and immediately shooting off in the indicated direction. Roger
+followed quickly and expertly.
+
+"See him?" called Tom.
+
+"No," replied Roger. "Are you sure, you big clunk?"
+
+"He's right above you!" snorted Astro over the intercom. Then his voice
+rose in alarm. "No! That isn't--"
+
+"Duck, Tom!" cried Roger.
+
+Tom opened the nozzle of his oxygen bottle wide and turned it. As he
+shot away, a projectile roared through the area he had just left.
+
+Roger had done the same thing, flipping over and shooting up and away
+from the moving object.
+
+"Whew!" exclaimed Tom. "That was close!"
+
+"You blockhead!" roared Roger. "What are you trying to do to us? Set us
+up for coffins?"
+
+"For you, that's not a bad idea, Manning!" snorted Astro. "Just damp
+your tubes. I made a mistake."
+
+"Some mistake!" growled Roger.
+
+Tom and Roger maneuvered back together, and locking arms so they would
+not drift apart, scanned the void around them for Connel. Suddenly Tom
+jerked free. "Roger!" he cried.
+
+"What is it?" replied the cadet. "Do you see him?"
+
+"There!" Tom pointed back to the ship. "On the stern! He's hanging on to
+the cleat over the main tubes!"
+
+[Illustration: "_He's hanging on to the cleat over the main tube!_"]
+
+"Astro," Roger called, "we're coming back in. We've spotted him."
+
+"I heard you!" said Astro. "Must've come back on his own steam. Go get
+him, quick!"
+
+Turning the nozzles of their oxygen tanks, the two cadets shot toward
+the ship. They quickly clambered onto the stern where Connel lay
+stretched out on the side of the hull, arms extended, his gloved hands
+gripping the small cleat on the side of the hull.
+
+In a matter of minutes, the two boys had the Solar Guard officer safely
+inside the air-lock chamber and had removed his space helmet and suit.
+His eyes were closed, and his face was deathly white. Tom immediately
+clapped an oxygen mask over his mouth and nose, while Roger applied
+heating units to the wrists and neck.
+
+Astro burst into the chamber, followed by the professor. "Will he be all
+right?" Hemmingwell asked anxiously.
+
+"Think nothing of it, Professor Hummingbird," said Roger. "The old major
+will come around any second, and when he does, stand back. The first
+thing he'll do is yell."
+
+"Roger, the name is Hemmingwell," hissed Tom.
+
+"Oh, yeah, sure," nodded Roger, and then turned to Astro. "Is Barret
+still locked up?"
+
+"Yeah," replied the Venusian. "And I hid the key, so Connel can't get to
+him until he cools off."
+
+"The major is coming around," said Tom.
+
+As they watched, Connel stirred, coughed several times, and then opened
+his eyes. He stared in amazement at Tom, then turned to blink
+unbelievingly at Roger and Astro. "What in the star-blazing--?"
+
+"It's us all right, sir!" Tom assured him.
+
+"Yeah," chimed in Roger. "And you're not in heaven or--er--any place
+else either."
+
+As Connel suddenly flushed with anger and sat up, Hemmingwell spoke
+quickly. "They saved your life, Major," he said.
+
+"They did?" Connel's face clouded in confusion. "I don't understand. How
+did you three get aboard, anyway?"
+
+"It's a long story, sir," said Tom. "Right now, maybe we'd better--"
+
+Before the cadet could finish, there was a loud crashing and a series of
+jolting bumps as the ship lurched.
+
+"What the blue blazes!" roared Connel, jumping to his feet in alarm.
+
+"The projectiles!" exclaimed Roger. "We've got to get out of here!"
+
+"By the craters of Luna!" cried Astro. "I forgot all about them!"
+
+Tom, Roger, Astro, Hemmingwell, and Connel raced out of the air lock to
+their stations. Astro poured on the power without waiting for an order
+from the control deck and soon they were rocketing into the safety of
+space.
+
+Watching the wildly flying missiles on the teleceiver screen, Connel
+breathed a sigh of relief.
+
+"Wow!" he snorted. "Glad we're out of that mess."
+
+"But what are we going to do about them, sir," asked Tom, a worried
+frown wrinkling his forehead as he watched the screen. "We can't just
+leave those things there. Some other ship may--"
+
+"Don't worry about it," Connel broke in brusquely. "The projectiles will
+run out of fuel in a few minutes and they'll just drift. They can be
+fished out any time."
+
+"We can go back and get them ourselves," said the young cadet eagerly.
+"Roger and I can--"
+
+"We've got more important things to do now!" thundered Connel. Switching
+on the intercom, he ordered Roger and Astro to report to the control
+deck. They appeared within seconds of his order and he faced the three
+cadets grimly.
+
+"Well, boys," he asked, "what's the story?"
+
+"I guess we'd better explain, sir," said Tom.
+
+"I guess you'd better," nodded Connel.
+
+Tom quickly ran over the chain of events, beginning with his abduction
+on Mars to their appearance on the ship, including the part Barret had
+played in tricking Roger and Astro into taking the scout. As he spoke,
+Connel looked more and more amazed, and when Tom finally uttered the
+name of the man he thought was responsible for all the sabotage, Connel
+jumped out of his chair.
+
+"I can't believe it!" he exclaimed.
+
+"You were nearly killed a few minutes ago, sir," said Tom. "And who
+sabotaged the rings? Barret! Who was around every time something
+happened? Who incited the crew to keep from taking this ship into space?
+Who spread the rumor that it was jinxed? The answer to every one of
+those questions, sir, is Barret. And Dave Barret is working for--"
+
+"Let me at that sniveling space pup!" interrupted Connel, snarling his
+rage. "I'll tear him apart and throw him to the buzzards!"
+
+The enraged major jumped to the hatch but Astro and Tom barred his way,
+with Roger stepping quickly in back of him, a heavy wrench in his hand,
+ready to assist in any manner necessary to subdue the howling officer.
+
+"Try to kill me!" Connel howled. "Why, I'll--I'll--"
+
+"No, Major!" shouted Tom. "He's the only one that can help us convict
+Carter Devers!"
+
+Connel stopped. He stared at Astro's bulk and then turned to see Roger
+trying to hide the wrench. "Were you going to hit me with that thing,
+Manning?" he growled.
+
+Roger gulped. "Yes, sir," he said. "If it was necessary to keep you away
+from Barret, sir. I'm sorry, sir."
+
+Connel spun back to face Tom. "Corbett, you must have a plan," he said.
+"Let's have it quick."
+
+Tom grinned. "All right, sir," he began. Suddenly, out of the corner of
+his eyes, he saw Professor Hemmingwell slump to the deck.
+
+Hurriedly they picked up the old man and eased him gently to the nearby
+acceleration couch. After gulping some water that Roger poured for him,
+the old man smiled weakly. "I'm afraid I don't have the strength to
+withstand all this excitement," he said. "But now I understand why
+things were never easy for me. Carter Devers--he did this to me. He
+blocked the proposals every time that they were submitted to the Solar
+delegations. He--" Hemmingwell's head fell back. Roger had put a
+sedative into the water and the old man was now unconscious.
+
+"It's just fatigue," said Connel. "He'll be all right in a little
+while." He turned to Tom. "All right, Corbett, carry on!"
+
+Tom hurriedly concluded his story of the events leading up to their
+startling appearance on the ship, and as he spoke, he saw the major's
+frown change to a glowing grin. When Tom finished, Connel suddenly
+extended his hand in a gesture of friendship.
+
+"I have to admit it, Corbett," he said. "You've done a good job. And,"
+he added with a twinkle in his eye, "by going along with you, I am an
+accomplice with Captain Strong in the aiding of three fugitives from the
+Solar Guard."
+
+Tom, Astro, and Roger grinned. "Now, let's get Barret up here and ask
+him a few questions," continued Connel. "And, Manning, if I can't
+restrain myself, you have my permission to hit me with that wrench! But
+so help me, if you belt me before the time comes, I'll bend that wrench
+over your skull!"
+
+While Astro and Roger went below to get Barret, Connel and Tom reviewed
+their plan.
+
+"Better keep the news quiet for a while," said Connel. "If we telecast
+it back to the Academy, Devers might get wise."
+
+"Good idea, sir," acknowledged Tom.
+
+"But I can't understand Devers' motive," said Connel. "What does he
+stand to gain if this project is a failure?"
+
+"He'll lose plenty if it's a success," Tom asserted.
+
+"Devers owns Jilolo Spaceways, the parent company of Universal Jet
+Trucking and Surface Transportation! If the projectiles worked, surface
+cargo delivery would be wiped out."
+
+Before Connel could comment on Tom's startling revelation, they heard
+the sound of angry voices just outside the control-deck hatch.
+
+"That must be Astro and Roger bringing in Barret," said Tom with a grin.
+
+The hatch clanked open and Astro appeared, carrying Roger under one arm
+and Barret under the other. He dropped them both unceremoniously on the
+deck, but when they jumped to their feet, Roger charged forward quickly
+and landed a stinging right to Barret's jaw. The man dropped to the deck
+again like a stone.
+
+"Manning!" roared Connel. "What was the idea?"
+
+"I wanted to make sure I got in my licks before the Solar Guard got hold
+of him," replied Roger, rubbing his knuckles and looking down at
+Barret's inert form.
+
+Astro grinned sheepishly. "I tried to stop him, sir!" he said.
+
+"I'll just bet you tried to stop him!" bellowed Connel. "Cadet Manning,
+you put that man to sleep, now you wake him up!"
+
+"Yes, sir!" said Roger, and while Connel, Astro, and Tom roared with
+laughter, he poured an entire bottle of water on Barret's face.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER 19
+
+
+"I don't know what you're talking about!"
+
+Shouting angrily, Barret sat in one of the pilot's chairs, flanked by
+Roger and Astro, while Connel and Tom stood in front of him firing
+questions.
+
+"Barret," said Connel, "I have enough evidence on you now to send you to
+a prison asteroid for ten years at least!"
+
+"On what charge?" demanded the young man.
+
+"Trying to kill an officer of the Solar Guard."
+
+"Where is your proof?" demanded Barret.
+
+"Right there!" snorted Major Connel, pointing to the sleeping figure of
+Professor Hemmingwell.
+
+"What do you mean?" demanded Barret.
+
+"He'll swear that you deliberately sent this ship into full drive while
+I was out on the hull checking the rings."
+
+"He can't," protested Barret. "He was on the bridge! He couldn't have
+seen a thing!"
+
+Tom shook his head gently. "Barret, after what you've done to his ship
+and the projectile operation," he said, "Hemmingwell will swear to
+anything."
+
+"It's a frame-up!" shouted Barret.
+
+"And what do you think you did to us?" snarled Roger.
+
+Barret flushed and turned away. "You can't scare me," he muttered. "Go
+ahead. Let him swear to whatever he wants."
+
+Connel stepped back grimly and turned to Astro and Roger. "All right,
+boys," he said. "Take him below and see if you can't get some different
+answers out of him." The hardened spaceman turned his back and walked to
+the viewport.
+
+"Why, you dirty space rat!" screamed Barret. "You wouldn't dare!"
+
+"Oh, wouldn't he!" retorted Roger. "Listen, pal, he figures we owe you
+plenty for what you did to us, and he's just giving us a chance to pay
+you back!" He faced Barret grimly. "Mister, you're going to get the
+works! Come on, Astro!"
+
+As the giant Venusian advanced on Barret, the man shrank back in his
+chair, eyes widening in sudden fear. When Astro stretched out his huge
+hand and grabbed him by the front of his jacket, he screamed in fright.
+
+"All right, all right!" he cried out. "I'll talk! Devers did it! He made
+me do it! He's responsible for the whole thing!"
+
+"Turn on that audiograph, Corbett!" shouted Connel.
+
+Tom snapped on the machine and brought the microphone over to Barret,
+holding it in front of his trembling mouth.
+
+"All right, talk!" Connel growled. "And tell it all."
+
+Barret had hardly uttered the first stumbling words when Roger let out a
+shout of alarm. "Hey! The scanner!" he cried.
+
+They all turned to the teleceiver screen. To their horror, they saw a
+menacing shape blasting toward them. They recognized it instantly--a
+space torpedo!
+
+Astro dove through the power-deck hatch while Roger raced for the
+radar-bridge ladder. Tom hurled himself into the copilot's chair, and
+with Connel beside him in the command position, he waited for Astro to
+supply power. Suddenly the ship trembled violently and then shot forward
+as, far below, the jet exhausts screamed under the full thrust of all
+the atomic reactors. Tom rode the controls hard and kept his eye on the
+scanner screen.
+
+"It's a magnetic gyrofish!" he cried as he saw the torpedo curve after
+them. "Roger, can you plot her for me?"
+
+"Working on it now, Tom!" yelled Roger over the intercom.
+
+"How in blazes did that thing get out here?" muttered Connel.
+
+"We'll have to worry about that later, I'm afraid, sir," replied Tom.
+"We're going to have our hands full getting away from her. With that
+magnetic warhead, she'll follow us all over space unless we can throw
+her off."
+
+"Which will take some doing!" grunted Connel, frowning in deep concern.
+
+"Hey, Tom!" Roger's voice called over the intercom. "It's blasting on
+maximum thrust now. We have a pretty good chance. Use that idea we
+worked out. Make a series of left turns and always on the up-plane of
+the ecliptic!"
+
+"Right!" said Tom, clutching the master manual-control lever and
+beginning to fly the giant ship through space by "feel."
+
+"What in blazes are you doing, Corbett?" shouted Connel in sudden alarm.
+
+"Just hang on and watch, sir," replied Tom, keeping his eyes on the
+scanner where he could see the space torpedo trailing them. Over and
+over, Tom kept slamming the ship into sharp left turns, while the
+torpedo followed in an ever-narrowing circle.
+
+"All right, Tom!" yelled Roger again. "Give it the same thing on the
+right and the down-plane of the ecliptic!"
+
+"Check!" answered Tom, reversing his controls and sending the ship
+corkscrewing through space on an opposite course.
+
+Connel grabbed the arms of his chair and gasped, "You kids are space
+happy!"
+
+"Those gyros are so perfect, sir," said Tom, working the controls
+quickly and smoothly, "that the only way you can throw them off balance
+is to confuse them."
+
+"Confuse them!" exclaimed Connel.
+
+"Yes, sir," said Tom. "It's a theory Roger and I worked out together. No
+gyro is perfect, and if you can get it bouncing back and forth in
+extreme turns, it will be thrown out of balance. Then all we have to do
+is make the torpedo miss once and it won't come back."
+
+"Heaven help us all!" was Connel's groaning reply.
+
+"On the ball, Tom!" cried Roger. "She's closing in on us!"
+
+"I see her," replied Tom calmly. "Hang on, everybody. I'm going to turn
+this ship inside out!"
+
+Jerking the controls, Tom threw the ship into a mad, whirling spin,
+subjecting the vessel to the most severe strain tests it would ever
+undergo. The hull groaned and creaked, and badly fitted equipment tore
+loose and clattered across the deck. Suddenly the young cadet leveled
+the ship.
+
+"Nose braking rockets, Astro!" he called.
+
+"Braking rockets, aye!" acknowledged the Venusian over the intercom.
+
+On the power deck, Astro jammed the forward drive closed and slammed
+open the nose rockets. The ship trembled, bucked, and finally came to a
+shuddering stop before it started a reverse course, accelerating
+quickly.
+
+"Here it comes!" yelled Roger.
+
+As Connel and Tom watched tensely, the space torpedo loomed large and
+menacing on the scanner, and then, as they held their breaths, it
+whistled past the silvery hull of the ship, with less than two feet to
+spare!
+
+Sighing deeply, Tom brought the ship back to level flight. "We're O.K.
+now, sir," he said. "Her gyros are out. She won't come back."
+
+"By the craters of Luna!" Connel suddenly exploded. "The Solar Guard
+spends a fortune to develop a foolproof space torpedo and two hot-shot
+cadets come along and get away from the blasted thing! Why haven't you
+told this to anyone before?"
+
+"Why--er--" stammered Tom, "we've never had the chance to prove it,
+sir."
+
+Behind them, the power-deck hatch suddenly opened and Astro stepped in.
+"Nice work, Tom!" he called.
+
+"And as for you, you Venusian ape," roared Connel, "don't you realize
+that you can blow a reactor tube by throwing so much power into a ship
+without energizing the cooling pumps first?"
+
+Astro smiled. "Not if you open the by-pass, sir," he said, "and feed
+directly off the pump reservoir. The gas cools the tube and at the same
+time expands itself and adds to the power thrust."
+
+At Astro's easy reply Connel could only stand openmouthed in
+amazement. Again, one of the three cadets of the _Polaris_ unit had
+developed a revolutionary procedure that even top rocket scientists
+would be proud to call their own.
+
+Winking at Tom, Astro turned away and suddenly noticed Barret sprawled
+on the deck, unconscious.
+
+"What happened to him?" asked the big Venusian.
+
+"Oh, I forgot all about him," said Tom. "Guess he didn't get into an
+acceleration chair in time. Better get some more water."
+
+"We haven't time for him now!" snapped Connel. "Strap him in good and
+tight. We've got to find out where that torpedo came from."
+
+As though in answer to the major's order, there was a sudden call over
+the ship's intercom.
+
+"Radar bridge to control deck, check in!" There was a note of alarm in
+Roger's voice.
+
+Tom jumped to the control panel to reply.
+
+"Control deck, aye!" he snapped into the microphone.
+
+"There's a spaceship to starboard!" called Roger. "Distance twenty
+miles, fifteen degrees up on the plane of the ecliptic. And I swear
+she's maneuvering to fire another torpedo!"
+
+"Stand by action stations!" roared Connel, diving into his chair before
+the control panel. Tom strapped in next to him, while Astro made a
+headlong dash for the power deck.
+
+"Yes!" shouted Roger. "She's fired a torpedo!"
+
+"Raise her! Raise her!" bellowed Connel. "Tell them who we are!" He
+turned to Tom. "Go into your act, Corbett," he said, "and make it good!"
+
+As Tom manipulated the controls again, the silver ship plunged through
+space, turning and gyrating in the same series of maneuvers it had
+performed to escape the first torpedo. But this time the distance
+separating them was not as great and the torpedo closed in quickly.
+
+"Can't you raise that ship yet, Manning?" Connel roared into the
+intercom.
+
+"I just have, sir," replied Roger in a strained voice. "But it's--"
+
+"Let me talk to that lame brain of a skipper," interrupted Connel. "By
+the stars, I'll teach him to--"
+
+"It's no use, Connel," said a gruff voice over the control-deck
+loud-speaker. "Even if you duck this torpedo, I've got ten more!"
+
+"Who is this?" roared Connel.
+
+"Don't you know, Connel? Why, I'm surprised!"
+
+The teleceiver screen glowed into life and Tom and Connel stared in
+horror as they recognized the images of three men. The one in the
+foreground smiled mockingly and said, "Remember me, Connel?"
+
+"Devers!" Connel roared.
+
+"And the other two behind him--" stuttered Tom. "Cag and Monty!"
+
+"Why, you dirty space crawler," cried Connel, "I'll get you if it's the
+last thing I do!"
+
+[Illustration]
+
+"No, you won't, Major." Devers laughed. "The last thing you'll do is
+kiss a space torpedo. Then no more Major Blast-off Connel, no more
+whimpering Professor Hemmingwell, and most important, no more projectile
+ship!"
+
+And as Devers laughed loudly, Tom threw the ship into another violent
+turn and cried, "It's no use, Major. I can't duck this one!"
+
+"All hands brace for torpedo!" warned Connel.
+
+Suddenly there was an explosion aft. The ship lurched and shuddered
+violently, spinning through space, and as Tom fought the controls,
+everything went black. The ship drifted helplessly, out of control.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER 20
+
+
+"Turn on the lights! Cut in the emergency batteries!"
+
+Connel's bull-throated roar carried through the ship as he stood on the
+power deck with Astro and shouted to Tom on the control deck. The space
+torpedo had destroyed the stern of the vessel, and if it hadn't been for
+Astro's quick action in sealing off the aftersection of the ship, all
+the air might have been lost and the crew dead of suffocation.
+
+A moment later the emergency lights glowed weakly and Connel and the big
+Venusian cadet began a quick inspection of the ship. The power deck was
+a total loss. The ship would never get under way again.
+
+Up on the radar bridge, Roger was about to turn on the radar scanner
+when Tom appeared and stopped him.
+
+"Wait a while, Roger," he said. "We may need the power for something
+else."
+
+"What, for instance?" snorted Roger.
+
+"That ship is still out there, probably closing in for the kill."
+
+"A blasted lot we can do about it," Roger growled.
+
+"I've got a plan that might work," said Tom half-heartedly. "It's about
+the only thing I can think of, unless Connel and Astro have a better
+idea."
+
+"What is it? Whatever it is, it's better than sitting here like a dead
+duck, waiting for that rat to come in and finish us off!" said Roger.
+"Look, I've just got to see what he's doing out there." He flipped on
+the scanner switch and while he waited for the set to warm up he turned
+back to Tom. "What's your idea?"
+
+"Well," began Tom, "the only thing we've got on board that we can use to
+fight back with are those projectiles."
+
+"How can we fight with projectiles?" demanded Roger. "They don't carry
+warheads!"
+
+"No," agreed Tom. "But they're big and heavy. They pack a wallop if they
+hit anything."
+
+Roger's eyes brightened suddenly. "Say, I think--"
+
+The scanner began to beep and Roger turned his attention to the screen.
+Tom leaned over his shoulder and watched eagerly. They both saw Devers'
+ship flying in a slow circle around them.
+
+"Probably looking to see which would be the best way to let us have it!"
+snarled Roger.
+
+At that moment Major Connel climbed into the radar bridge, followed by
+Astro.
+
+"Time to go," announced the officer.
+
+"Go where?" demanded Roger.
+
+"We have to abandon ship," declared Connel. "The power deck is shot.
+We'll never get under way, and we're just sitting ducks if we stay
+aboard."
+
+"What's to prevent Devers from picking us off while we're outside?"
+asked Roger.
+
+"Nothing," said Connel. "But he'll have a harder job and maybe he won't
+get all of us."
+
+"Then, sir," said Tom with a glance at Roger, "I have an idea."
+
+"Let's have it," said Connel.
+
+"The projectiles, sir," replied Tom.
+
+"What about them?"
+
+"We can still fire them off the emergency batteries, sir."
+
+"Will you get to the point, Corbett?" growled Connel. "Devers is liable
+to send another torpedo our way any second and--" Connel suddenly
+stopped and his eyes widened. "A torpedo!" he gasped.
+
+"Exactly, sir!" exclaimed Tom. "We have five projectiles! We can use
+them as torpedoes!"
+
+"Jumping Jupiter!" exclaimed Astro. "What a terrific idea!"
+
+"What a terrific pipe dream!" snapped Connel. "Those projectiles don't
+have any warheads!"
+
+"They could still do a lot of damage if they hit that ship," asserted
+Tom.
+
+"And how do you expect to aim them?" demanded Connel. "There's not
+enough juice in the batteries to steer them!"
+
+"We'll just fire them straight ahead, sir," broke in Roger. "Look!" he
+continued, pointing to the scanner screen. "Devers' ship is just
+circling us now. And he's on the same plane of the ecliptic. If he holds
+that course--"
+
+"He'll cross our bow!" exclaimed Astro excitedly. "A perfect shot!"
+
+"Ridiculous!" shouted Connel. "Preposterous! It'll never work in a
+million light years! He'll fire another torpedo and we'll be blasted
+into space dust!"
+
+"But we can try it, can't we, sir?" asked Tom, grinning.
+
+"Of course we can!" roared Connel. "I've never given up a battle yet
+and, by the stars, I'm not going to now!"
+
+Forgetting rank and protocol, the three cadets danced around the major,
+slapping him on the back and howling their enthusiasm. Connel could not
+restrain a momentary grin and then his features assumed his usual
+bulldog look.
+
+"Knock it off!" he shouted. "We've got work to do. Manning!"
+
+"Yes, sir?"
+
+"Keep your eyes nailed to that scanner!" Connel bellowed. "Sing out if
+Devers changes course by so much as a hair!"
+
+"Aye, aye, sir!"
+
+"Astro!"
+
+"Sir?"
+
+"Put space suits on Professor Hemmingwell and Barret and stand by with
+them on the control deck."
+
+"Aye, aye, sir!"
+
+"Corbett, you and I will check the projectiles. Make sure they're in
+firing order!"
+
+Spinning on his heel, Connel left the radar bridge. Alone for just an
+instant, the three cadets of the _Polaris_ unit clasped hands in silent
+determination and then plunged into their various assignments.
+
+Five minutes later, Connel and Tom returned to the control deck to find
+Astro waiting for them. Professor Hemmingwell and Barret, both in space
+suits, were seated on acceleration couches. As Connel walked up to him,
+Hemmingwell raised his head slowly, still under the effects of the
+sedative.
+
+"What's--what's happening, Major?" he asked haltingly.
+
+"Professor," said Connel, "one of two things is going to happen. Either
+your ship will be blown to space dust or Carter Devers will be finished
+and we'll bring your ship back to Earth!"
+
+"Good, good," murmured Hemmingwell.
+
+"And as for you, Barret"--Connel turned toward the man angrily--"now you
+can see what kind of thanks you get for your dirty work! Your boss is
+just as willing to get rid of you as he is to destroy this project!"
+
+Barret flushed under Connel's glare and turned away.
+
+At the control panel, Tom opened the circuits to the five loaded firing
+chambers and then turned to Connel. "All set to fire, sir!" he called.
+
+
+"Any word from Manning?" asked Connel.
+
+"Not while I've been here," replied Astro.
+
+Connel picked up the intercom microphone. "Hello, Manning!" he shouted.
+"What's the story?"
+
+"Coming up to the last chapter," replied Roger over the intercom.
+"Devers is holding course. Should cross our bow in two minutes!"
+
+"Good," replied Connel. "Keep us posted!"
+
+Replacing the microphone, he turned to Tom. "Stupid fool!" he snorted.
+"He should've fired another torpedo and wiped us out. What's the matter
+with him?" Connel abhorred stupidity, even in an adversary.
+
+"Maybe he thinks we've already had it," suggested Astro. "With our stern
+blasted away, he might figure all the air's gone out of the ship."
+
+"Let's hope he keeps on figuring that way," said Connel. "Everything
+ready to fire, Corbett?"
+
+"All set, sir," the young cadet replied. "I've hooked up all circuits to
+this button." He pointed to a button on the control panel. "We'll blast
+in salvo."
+
+"Oh, we will, will we?" exclaimed Connel.
+
+"If you think it's advisable," Tom amended hurriedly.
+
+"Of course it's advisable!" snorted Connel. "We're almost aiming blind
+as it is. A salvo will give us a bigger spread. Besides," he added,
+"with a whole barrel of luck, we might hit him with two of the
+projectiles. That would really do some damage."
+
+"I'd like just a little potful of luck," murmured Astro, "and be able to
+land one."
+
+"Heads up, down there!" Roger's voice suddenly sang out on the intercom.
+
+"Devers crossing our bow yet?" asked Tom.
+
+"He's still holding course," said Roger. "But he's training his number
+one starboard tube this way. He's going to blast us again!"
+
+"How long do we have to wait for that bow shot?" demanded Connel.
+
+"Another forty-five seconds at least!" came Roger's reply.
+
+"Blast it!" muttered Connel. "Plenty of time for him to fire."
+
+Barret suddenly rose from his acceleration couch, screaming, "You can't
+keep me here! Let me go!"
+
+Astro grabbed him quickly and threw him back down. "Stay put," he
+growled.
+
+"No," cried Barret, frantic with fear. "It's murder! Let me go!"
+
+"Relax and enjoy it, Barret," snorted Connel. "It's your boss who's
+doing it!"
+
+"What about Professor Hemmingwell, sir?" asked Tom. "Shouldn't we--?"
+
+"No," Hemmingwell spoke up from his daze. "I want to stay with my ship."
+
+"Hey!" Roger cried over the intercom. "We're getting company!"
+
+"Company?" exclaimed Tom. "What're you talking about?"
+
+"A Solar Guard cruiser," replied Roger. "Coming up to port. About five
+hundred miles away. Hey! It's the _Polaris_!"
+
+"It must be Captain Strong!" shouted Tom.
+
+"He won't do us much good now," muttered Connel. "How much time do we
+have, Roger?"
+
+"Get set down there. Only another ten seconds and Devers will be right
+on our bow."
+
+"On the ball, Tom!" ordered Connel.
+
+"Ready, sir."
+
+The seconds ticked by slowly. One--two--three--four--Beads of sweat
+appeared on Connel's brow. Astro clenched and unclenched his fists.
+Hemmingwell closed his eyes calmly and waited. Barret slumped back in
+his couch, almost paralyzed with fear.
+
+"Coming up, Tom!" cried Roger.
+
+Tom didn't reply. He kept his fingers poised on the firing button. And
+the seconds ticked off slowly, maddeningly. Seven--eight--nine--!
+
+"They've fired," Roger shouted. "Point-blank! We're going to get it!"
+
+"Fire, Tom!" shouted Connel.
+
+Even as Connel spoke, Tom's finger pressed down hard on the firing
+button. The ship quivered as five projectiles blasted from the firing
+chambers and winged their deadly way through space. The control room of
+the ship was silent, everyone waiting for the impact of the torpedo and
+praying that somehow, someway, they could know whether their own attack
+had succeeded even if they lost their own lives in the attempt to
+destroy Devers' ship.
+
+There was a sudden, blasting roar and a brilliant white flash of light
+filled the cabin. The deck heaved violently, then dropped sickeningly.
+Under the force of the explosion, everyone was thrown to the deck and
+lay deathly still.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+In the wardroom of the rocket cruiser _Polaris_, Captain Strong, Major
+Connel, Professor Hemmingwell, and Roger and Astro were sipping tea and
+calmly discussing the events of the past hour.
+
+"Your ship wasn't too badly damaged, Professor," said Strong. "We'll
+take her in tow and bring her back to Space Academy. She'll be good as
+new."
+
+"I'm afraid you'll have to do without the services of Dave Barret
+though, sir," commented Connel dryly. "He's got a previous engagement on
+a prison asteroid and it's going to take him a long time."
+
+"I can do very well without him," said Hemmingwell. "As a matter of
+fact, I would have done extremely well without him before." He paused
+and shook his head. "I feel so ashamed of myself when I think of the
+things I said to those boys." He nodded toward Astro and Roger. "And all
+the time they were right."
+
+Astro grinned shyly. Roger was about to open his mouth and make a
+typically flip remark when the hatch opened and Tom appeared, a bandage
+covering his head. The two cadets jumped toward him and snowed him under
+with affectionate slaps on the back.
+
+"Wait a minute!" cried Tom. "I'm injured. Look at my head!"
+
+"You couldn't have hit the control panel with anything better!" snorted
+Connel.
+
+"But what happened?" asked Tom.
+
+"Two of the projectiles hit Devers' ship," said Roger. "One of them on
+the power deck. Must've smashed the reaction tanks and made the stuff
+wildcat, because it blew him into rocket dust!"
+
+[Illustration: "_The projectiles blew Devers' ship into rocket
+dust!_"]
+
+"But his torpedo! He fired at the same time!" said Tom.
+
+"This unit is the luckiest in the universe," said Roger proudly. "One of
+the other projectiles smacked the torpedo and exploded the warhead. We
+were bounced around by the shock wave but that's all!"
+
+"Well, I'll be a Martian mouse," sighed Tom. "Then everything is O.K.
+now?"
+
+"So far as you three are concerned, it's perfect," said Strong. "Barret
+has spilled everything. You're cleared of all charges!"
+
+"What about Pat Troy?" asked Tom.
+
+"He's in the clear, too," said Strong. "You may remember that he refused
+to tell us who he was working for besides Professor Hemmingwell and that
+made us suspicious of him. Well, we found out, when he regained
+consciousness a short time ago, that he is a security agent for the
+Solar Alliance Council. He had been assigned to work with the professor
+and to help protect him. Barret has admitted that he tried to murder
+Troy."
+
+"Humph!" snorted Connel, suddenly rising.
+
+The room was intensely quiet and Tom, Astro, and Roger felt that there
+was something coming. Strong could hardly suppress a grin as Connel took
+a paper from his tunic.
+
+"This message was received just fifteen minutes ago," he said. "It
+reads, quote, Major Connel, Solar Guard. With reference to Operation
+Space Projectile, information has come to us that the Space Cadet unit,
+known as the _Polaris_ unit, has contributed in an outstanding and
+extraordinary way to the successful completion of this highly valuable
+project. As Senior Line Officer of the Academy, it is hereby requested
+that you bestow upon this unit some form of expression of the gratitude
+of this Council for their remarkable and inspired behavior in the face
+of relentless odds. Signed, Secretary General, Solar Council, Venusport,
+Venus. Fourteenth of June, 2354, end quote."
+
+Connel slipped the paper inside his tunic and faced the three cadets.
+
+"All right, you heard it!" he growled. "And you deserve it. You have
+three weeks' leave. But when you come back," he added, "watch out!"
+
+"Oh, for the life of a Space Cadet!" said Tom, grinning at his unit
+mates. "It's wonderful!"
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
++--------------------------------------------------------------+
+| Transcriber's Notes                                          |
+|                                                              |
+|                                                              |
+| The following typos have been corrected.                     |
+|                                                              |
+| particularly              particular                         |
+| stomach. That             stomach that                       |
+| I"ll                      I'll                               |
+| an attempt at murder,"    "an attempt at murder,"            |
++--------------------------------------------------------------+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Sabotage in Space, by Carey Rockwell
+
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