Danger in Deep Space

rcuit," yelled Astro through t

w try out the automatic b

or the radar antenna, Astro?" c

minute," growled Astro. "O

Roger. "Any normal Venusian can do just as mu

es, and terminals in the miles of delicate wiring woven through the ship. Now, as dawn began to creep pink and gray over the eastern horizon, they made their last-minute search through the c

nk there'll be a single inch of this space wagon that I have

adets assembled o

work if necessary. His love for the mighty atomic rocket motors, and his ability to repair anything mechanic

in Strong," said Tom. "He might have us blasting off right away, and

had to say," said Roger. "You know,

ut it?" a

kind of overhaul for just a

be something deeper?

Astro and Roger followed him out, and once again they boarded the slidewalk for the trip back to the main dormitory

apers. He had just reread, for the fifth time, a petition for reinstatement of space papers for Al Mason and Bill Loring. It wasn't easy, as Strong well knew, to depri

gradually become the only effective means of controlling the vast expanding force of men who made space flight their life's work. With the establishment of the Spaceman's Code a hundred years

edition to Tara, a planet in orbit around the sun star Alpha Centauri, they had taken a rocket scout and blasted off without permission from Major Connel, the commander of the mission, who, in this case, was authorized traffic-control officer. Connel had recom

or the rules and there was no evidence to support the suspended spacemen's charge that they had been unjustly ac

gan sorting through the day's orders and reports. On the top of the pile of papers was a sealed envelope, bord

ain Stev

rvisor, Po

gnated as POLARIS unit; i.e., Cadets Tom Corbett, Roger Manning, and Astro, and the command of the rocket cruise

, life, and gene

ations transmi

bove-mentioned t

of deep s

ake place on the

tau

ormation relative to above-mentioned miss

d: Wa

nt, Spac

He smiled. "The cadets of the Polaris unit are in for a little surprise

his elbow. He pressed a button immediately below the screen and it glo

ain Strong

nit," Strong ordered. "Have them

aye,

e enlisted man added, "By the way, sir, Al

" Strong

ou've reached any decision regardin

urse. Very well

aye,

desk slid back, and Loring and Mason stepped into the office. They shamb

ced over it briefly even though he knew its contents by heart

ly on the edge of their chairs and waited expec

y broke the h

ing was a heavy-set man, in his middle forties. He needed a sha

d, seated, his feet hardly reached the floor. His eyes darted nervously about

oked at both of them with a steady cold stare. "I've decided to sustain Major C

nged his fist down on the desk and leaned over, hi

move. "I can," he said

ine. "But space flight is al

hair to get away from the foul odor of L

tion and made an unauthorized flight while on Tara," Strong replied. "You're luc

Major Connel is so blasted space happy he forgot he gave us p

y proof of that

his finger in Strong's face. "You haven't any right to take away our papers just

desk, Loring!" barked Stron

d to backtrack. "Well, I apologize for that. B

and was commissioned as an officer of the Solar Guard in space during an emergency. He qualifies higher than any other spaceman, and he has never been found to be unjust! He's one of the finest spacemen ever to hit the wide, deep, and high!" Strong stopped, c

for twelve Earth months. Any further petitio

snapped Loring. "Does this mean w

Solar Alliance have been denied you, except that of

the teleceiver screen glowed again. "Cadets Corbett, Manning, and Astro

nd some punk kids out on the next trip to Tara and lea

cadets who entered quietly. His whole attention was focus

e, if they were to be assigned, they'd do a better job than you 'experienced' spacemen who are disrespectful of your superior officers and break regulations! If either of you m

etreating, but with a sneer on his lips.

we do, I hope you've taken

rved, had been listening and watching their skipper in action. When Loring and Ma

ing for duty, sir!"

trong. "Did you h

d. "And believe me, you really g

think even you could do much for Lo

ng. "I suppose you heard the

assumed looks o

ar a thing, s

," Strong laughed. "All right, sit do

ats and waited for t

range of a new long-range audio transmitter." Strong paused, the

ly beamed their ent

und the sun star Alpha Centauri. You'll take the Polaris directly to the Venus space station, whe

interrupted Tom, "

read over the faces of the three boys. "You're not going alone! You'll have a commanding officer, all right. In fact, you'll have the nearest thing to the perfect comman

the three cadets

t-off' Connel?" utter

. "It's the best thing in the un

permission to be dismissed from this mission on

o what?" asked

nnel, sir,"

aused and stood up. "Well, that's it. It's close to eleven A.M. and you're to repor

ht, sir," said Tom.

shape than we a

immediately. Your papers have been tran

id soberly. "See that you give Major Connel all the support I know you're capable of giving. He'll n