Part 30 (1/2)

”That might take too long, Astro,” replied Strong. ”No telling how much oxygen Tom has left.”

”There's nothing else we can do, sir,” replied Astro. ”We can't brake her to land inside the _Polaris_ and we can't open the hatch to turn off the motor. We'll have to take a chance on Tom lasting until it runs out of fuel!”

Inside the roaring craft, Tom suddenly opened his eyes. He began to cough. There was a roaring in his ears. The stars overhead swam dizzily.

And then, as though through a billowing mist, he saw the jet boat ahead of him and the rope tied to his s.h.i.+p. He realized he had been rescued.

He tried to signal them. He had to let them know he needed oxygen. He tried to reach the communicator near the control panel but could not lift his arm. He fell back to the deck gasping for air; his lungs screaming for oxygen. Something, thought Tom through the haze that fogged his brain, something to signal them. Then, with the last of his strength, he raised up on one elbow and reached for the acceleration lever. His fingers trembled a few inches away from their goal. His face began to turn violent red. He strained a little more. The lever was an inch away. Finally, with the very last ounce of his strength, he touched the lever and pulled it back by the weight of his falling body.

Even before the black cloud swept over him, Tom could hear the jets become silent. He had signaled them. He had stopped the jet boat. They would know, now, how to save him.

CHAPTER 16

”... and you never picked up that static flash again, eh?” mused Strong, looking at Roger. ”Well, the only reason I can think of is that someone aboard the _Avenger_ must have discovered what was happening.”

”That's the way I figure it, sir,” replied Roger.

The Solar Guard captain studied the scanner that was now working in perfect order. ”It's a tough break that we couldn't get that fix on c.o.xine's position. I was counting on it. But at least we found Tom.

That's plenty to be thankful for.”

”How is he, sir?” asked Roger.

”He'll be all right,” replied the Solar Guard captain, his face showing the strain of the past weeks. ”We gave him pure oxygen and he came to long enough to tell us what happened aboard the _Avenger_. Get me teleceiver contact with s.p.a.ce Academy as soon as possible. I've got to send a report to Commander Walters.”

”Right, sir.”

”You've done a good job, Manning. Your work here on the radar bridge did as much toward saving Tom's life as anything.”

”Thank you, sir. After what Tom did on the _Avenger_, though, I don't feel like I've done very much. It took real courage to go aboard that s.h.i.+p with c.o.xine.”

Strong smiled wearily. ”Well, the boy is safe now and we have a good idea what part of the belt c.o.xine is operating in. With a little luck and a thorough fleet patrol, we might be able to get him before he can do any more harm.”

Strong went below to the cadet's quarters where Astro was sitting quietly, watching Tom. The cadet was sound asleep. When Strong entered, Astro held a finger to his lips and met the captain at the door.

”How is he?” whispered Strong.

”He's been sleeping since he spoke to you, sir,” said Astro. ”He's pretty weak, but I don't think there's anything seriously wrong with him. After a good rest, he'll be as good as new.”

”Thank the universe for that,” breathed Strong. He glanced at the sleeping cadet and then turned back to Astro. ”Better take your station.

He'll be all right now. I want to get back to the Academy as soon as I can.”

”Yes, sir.”

”Attention, Captain Strong,” Roger's voice crackled over the intercom loud-speaker. ”I've made contact with Commander Walters at s.p.a.ce Academy, sir. He's standing by for your report.”

Strong returned to the control deck where he saw the sharp image of the s.p.a.ce Academy commander waiting on the teleceiver screen.

He told the grim-faced senior officer of discovering the static Morse code flashes sent out by Tom from the Avenger and the race to save Tom's life. When he finished, the commander's face seemed to relax.

”When Corbett wakes up, give him my personal congratulations, Steve.