Part 5 (1/2)

Listening to their voices on the control deck, Tom grinned and waited expectantly. He wasn't disappointed.

”Ape!” came a bull-like roar from the power deck. ”Why, you skinny moth-eaten piece of s.p.a.ce junk--”

”Cadet Astro!”

”Yes, sir?” Astro was suddenly meek.

”If you say one more word, I'll bury you in demerits!”

”But, sir--”

”No _buts_!” roared Connel. ”And you, Manning--!”

”Yes, sir?” chimed in Roger innocently.

”Keep your mouth shut!”

”Very well, sir,” said Roger.

”Corbett?”

”Yes, sir?”

”I'm putting you in charge of monitoring the intercom. If those two s.p.a.ce idiots start jabbering again, call me. That's an order! I'll be in my quarters working.” Connel switched off abruptly.

”You hear that, fellows?” said Tom. ”Knock it off.”

”O.K., Tom,” replied Roger, ”just keep him out of my sight.”

”That goes for me, too,” added Astro. ”Ape! Just wait till I--”

”Astro!” Tom interrupted sharply.

”O.K., O.K.,” groaned the big cadet.

Glancing over the panel once more and satisfying himself that the s.h.i.+p was functioning smoothly, Tom sighed and settled back in his seat, enjoying the temporary peace and solitude. It had been a tough year, filled with intensive study in the quest for an officer's commission in the Solar Guard. s.p.a.ce Academy was the finest school in the world, but it was also the toughest. The young cadet shook his head, remembering a six-weeks' grind he, Roger, and Astro had gone through on a nuclear project. Knowing how to operate an atomic rocket motor was one thing, but understanding what went on inside the reactant pile was something else entirely. Never had the three cadets worked harder, or more closely together. But Astro's thorough, practical knowledge of basic nucleonics, combined with Roger's native wizardry at higher mathematics, and his own understanding of the theory, had enabled them to pull through with a grade of seventy-two, the highest average ever made by a cadet unit not specializing in physics.

As the s.h.i.+p rocketed smoothly through the airless void of s.p.a.ce toward the misty planet of Venus, Tom made another quick but thorough check of the panel, and then returned to his reflections on the past term. It had been particularly difficult since they had missed many valuable hours of cla.s.sroom work and study because of their adventure on the new colony of Roald (as described in _The s.p.a.ce Pioneers_), but they had come through somehow. He shook his head wondering how they had made it. Forty-two units had washed out during the term. Instead of getting easier, the courses of study were getting more difficult all the time, and in his speech on the parade grounds, Commander Walters had promised--

”Emergency!”

Roger's voice over the intercom brought Tom out of his reverie sharply.

”All hands,” continued the cadet on the radar bridge hurriedly, ”secure your stations and get to the jet-boat deck on the double! Emergency!”

As the sharp clang of the emergency alarm rang out, Tom did not stop to question Roger's sudden order. Neutralizing all controls, he leaped for the hatch leading below. Taking the ladder four steps at a time, Tom saw Major Connel tear out of his quarters. The elder s.p.a.ceman dived for the ladder himself, not stopping to ask questions. He was automatic in his reliance on the judgment of others. The few seconds spent in talk could mean the difference between life and death in s.p.a.ce where you seldom got a second chance.

Tom and Connel arrived on the jet-boat deck to find Astro already preparing the small s.p.a.ce craft for launching. As they struggled into s.p.a.ce suits, Roger appeared. In answer to their questioning looks, he explained laconically, ”Unidentifiable object attached to s.h.i.+p on fin parallel to steering vanes. Thought we'd better go outside first and examine later.”

Connel nodded his mute agreement, and thirty seconds later the tiny jet boat was blasting out of the escape lock into s.p.a.ce.