Sabotage in Space

al

aralo-ray rifle from his shoulder, bringing it around to fi

. Even the ai

n of the guardhouse where he knew there was a communicator to the sergeant of the guard. Should he call for help? He de

packing cases piled outside the newly constructed hangar, he saw a shadowy movement

nized," he said over

ooo-w

between two boxes and ran to his feet, pu

reached down to pick the kitten up in his arms. He began stroking its fur and ma

d Roger, nuzzling the kitten against

! Stan

ind him, his battered and beaten face clouded with rage

run free and it dashed away into a cr

not attending to your duty, I will bring you up on charges of negle

under his breath, shouldering his rifle and

hours a day on guard duty, eight to ten hours a day in classroom work, and the rest of the time studying. They only avera

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 sma

artly, and in so doing came face to face with Ast

said Astro quietly. "D

und a kitten and he walked u

ed if that pocket-sized giant didn't

tro, in his patrol, came in

with that chapter on space law.

That little fireman's got his rockets

suddenly, looking off into t

e in his hands, ready to fi

saw something move inside the hangar." He pointed to a la

you s

rse I'm

. You get Tom and

and raced down the pat

d 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

from one end of the huge dark chamber to the other. Then, taking a deep breath, he rose and st

d was about to fire when he realized that the light he saw was Tom opening the door on the opposite side. He breathed easi

he was not sure of his way around, but gradually, the moonlight filtering in through th

ng up into the shadows of the cavernous hangar, was the gleaming hull of a huge rocket ship. Two hundred feet l

to stare at the giant spaceship, and the

asked Tom. "Astro s

said Roger in an exasperated whi

baby. I never saw one with lines like that before. Lo

ger. "I just he

e slightest sound in the huge hangar. They heard

om inside the s

er port," said Roger.

r, if there's any trouble, shoo

he

ide of the ship. Slinging the rifle over his shoulder,

ally 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,

the outline of Roger's head and shoulders. Between them, a man was bending over a makeshift desk, copying information from

you so hard it'll take a summer on the Ve

toward Tom, keeping his eyes on Roger. He backed into the barre

en caught himself. "How dare y

ed Tom. "What ar

business," t

, pressing the gun into the man's back.

entification-" He brought his hands down and reached into his jacket, but Roger stepped over quickly and brou

do that for?

's jacket and pulled out a small paralo-ray gun stuck in the

ishly. "Let's search him. May

und of footsteps clattering up the ladders to the ports. Seconds later, Astro, followed by Tim Rush and a s

om and Roger. "You space-blasted idiots!" he shouted. "You good-for-

her in amazement. Astro, standi

. "We found this guy in here copying secrets

ou ding-blasted idiots, that's Dave Barre

n to help him up. Just then, there was a bellow of rage from the hatch. Maj

and a half waiting for Dave Barret to come back with vital information, so we could get on

ciplined for this-this-outrage, but believe me, Cadets"-his voice sounded like thunder in

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,

ll right," he said finally. "I guess it's just a case of misjudgment. But," he added scat

he ship by the guards, Connel turn

s,

dets don't cause a

s,

d," snapp

brats," bellowed Rush,

angar. Just before they separated to resume their endless march around the ha

ason to give them to us," sneered Roger.

greed Ast

nd legs leaden, and their desire to become successful Space Cadets more determined than eve