Danger in Deep Space

ourse is one-nine-seven-corrected. Reduce speed to minimum thrust

the control room. In less than two weeks he had mastered the difficult traffic-control procedure to the point where Captain

ior?" asked Roger

. "What are you foolin

, I've got the emergency alarm on." He wiped his fore

aid Tom, his eyes s

ng. Think of that lovely space doll Helen Ashton al

"And doing it well, or Major Connel wouldn't leave us al

hecked the circuits once, and knew it inside ou

rked for years on something small, compact, powerful enoug

thinking. Trying to figure out some way of gett

get on the Pola

hyperdrive unit for the big hop to Tara. So ma

ed a teleceiver

y. "Say!" He snapped his fingers suddenly

? What are you

-rocket idea! See ya later!" And

head in amused despair. Roger, he told himself, mi

ck to the monitors by the warning

pace-station traffic control ..." the m

eplied Tom. "You are cleared for landing at port eleven-repeat-eleven. Ma

saw Major Connel enter the room. He sn

returning Tom's salute. "Getting

t fifty departures." Tom brought his fist up, with the thumb extended and wiped it across his chest in th

" He watched the monitor screen as the liner S

sfaction and turned to leave. At the door he suddenl

r," repl

. How about his standard ch

-he may be plotting s

ort, regardless of

Roger anyway, he thought, forgetting t

find out if anything

an excuse for his shipmate. "I'm sure Roger wo

!" And the irascible officer thundered th

and put on that space

led Mason. "I'm worki

'd ever figure the Annie Jones would blast off

nough fuel to get 'em off the surface, so they'll be light while they're blasting out

ay off the lecture! Just get t

tell me one thing. If we bail out of this tu

ailing out!"

n what are we s

nie Jones'll make contact with traffic control. Only instead of talking

they'll be suspiciou

got an extra-heavy load. Then they won't let us land. We follow their orders and blast o

to a scowl. "Sounds awful

g, "but you don't hit the jackpo

made careful preparations. Checking their weapons, they opened their way toward the freight

Bangs, his first officer, were preparin

ty soon," said Bangs. "Better take her off automatic c

pick up. I'll check the cargo and make sure it's lashed down for l

ght line for the man-made satellite. Jardine got up from the freighter's dual-control

n's he reaches us." There was a sharp clank as th

swung the heavy paralo-

the startled spacema

ing's gun landed on the side of his

lot's call. The burly redheaded spaceman saw at

oward him, holdi

he grated. "Hold it or

at Jardine who was slumped on the deck

his?" dema

'You've got it and I take it.' And if you don't like it, yo

O.K. But how about letting me ta

" said Loring. "He'll com

n, "I can't figure

down on the deck, and then, keeping the gun trained on the redheaded s

hem while I figur

a decent ship," grumbled Mason

ys," said the other. He began to mutter to himself

saw his two attackers bending over the board. He saw that Bangs was lying on the deck facing him. Jardine winked at Bangs, who

-them. You-take-big-fell

out either?" asked Mason, l

al burner. These controls are old as the s

over there," s

o grasp it, turning a

he fell, he reached for the acceleration control lever. He wrenched it out of its socket and brought it down on Bang's head, and the officer slid to the floor. Jard

thing we had on these space suits, or we'd have been

you to keep an eye on them! If they'd nabbed

mbling finger at the thrust indicator. "We're bla

"I must've jammed the thrust when I ya

shen with fear. Loring jumped to the control board and with

otta pile outta here! We're headi

ld!" shouted Mason. He ran toward the open hatch leading to the co

Loring. "Keep going. We can

er, her powerful rockets wide open, arrowed straight t

the microphone on the main control pa

pet! Smart, huh? Now remember we have a date as soon as I get back from this important and secret mission. I could've g

nfuriated roar echoed

d interrupted him. He suddenly gulped and turned pale. "Oh

ing, Major Conne

n here, Manning

ng, sir," re

! But talki

hom,

Connel's voice dropped to a d

alking to E

business,

al-like here on

station, Manning," replied C

, s

rter-hour check to the traff

ll realization of what he had do

d Connel. With a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach, Roger noticed the majo

d Roger, "I changed

ss of your negligence, Manning?

ss so, sir," s

dar so that it can be u

s,

are ships in flight depending o

quickly, "I'd like the major to know, sir, t

I see no reason to think you couldn't have done it before or that you might not do it again!" The officer's face was now almost p

med out of the room, slamming

circuits, the radar scanner glowed into life and the hair-thin line of light swept around the dull green surface of the scope. It had been left on a setting covering two hundred miles around the space

orehead as he grabbed for t

om! Tom! There's a ship heading right for the station! Bearing 098! D

space freighter easing out of the station when Rog

ed. "Give me th

8-full thrust! Range

houted Tom, "why didn't you

guy and tell him to change cour

s voice quivering, the young cadet spoke quickly and urgently into the microphone. "Space station to spaceship

d or course. He realized that any action, even now, would bring the craft dangerously close to the station. Without hesitatio

landing ports five, six, seven, eight, and nine-decks A, B, and C-evacuate immediately to opposite side of th

ent the great man-made satellite was prepared for disaster. On t

rsonnel prepare for crash! Al