Sabotage in Space

off, Co

cruiser Polaris, Major Connel bellowed the order into the in

eported Tom over the intercom fro

uchdown," repeate

his many years in the Solar Guard and thousands of space flights, landing a rocket ship was still a thrill to the veter

yelled Tom ove

d at the same time opened the nose braking

feet to touchd

the dials spinn

fifty feet to touch

bett!" yelled Conne

hundre

and again opened the main drive rockets as the sh

came the warning cal

wed the spaceport below. The concrete runways and platforms were

feet! Stand by

es, flipping levers, and turning dials in an effort to bring the ship to a

n!" roare

pun around in his chair, and noted the time on the astra

iately noted the time of arrival in the logbook. He turned ar

in. I know it's unusual to have the senior officer take over the ship, but once in a while I

t heart and now he was certain. But he would never tell anyone, not even Roger and Astro about this incident. It was something he knew that he himself would feel

d, sir," sai

Tom Corbett had proven beyond the shadow of a doubt that he had the stuff true spacemen are made of, and because of this, Connel could feel as close to him as a man

saw that the ground crews were already checking over the afterburners and exhaust tubes of the ship.

at your service, s

ed Connel, "your u

officer. "But I was overhauling a firing unit thi

work, sir," stated Conne

mmered. "Well, sir, once in a

had uttered just a few minutes before. Connel cleared his throat, and with a sidelong glance at T

ath so easily. It was not too long ago that he had been a cadet at the Acad

d with Connel seated beside him, he sent the sleek little vehicle

f the spaceport commander, Captain Jim Arnold. He and Connel knew each other well, and after quick greetin

ompleted the receiver ramps for the test. As soon as your shi

hy, Jim, that's the most amazing news I've ev

and the efforts of a young officer nam

"I just bawled him out fo

. "And what's more, those receivers can be taken ap

I've got to see those things r

drive off to the opposite end of the field when they heard someone shout to them. T

the Solar Guard officer enthusiast

are you doing here?"

. You wouldn't, by any chance, be going back soon, would you? I saw the Solar Guard cruiser c

Get in. We're just going over to inspect th

r and Tom headed across the b

vers? Some young officer here at Marsport has worked out a way to assem

y much to see them." He looked at Tom and sa

unit. No doubt you've heard of them. He and his unit mates manage t

ugh to know that when he says something like th

plied Tom, not knowi

was following directions given him by Jim Arnold to reach the testing grounds and this made it necessary for Tom to dri

hort, stubby-nosed spaceship was loading cargo, and beneath the vessel, two huge jet trucks were backing into position. Tom steered the car up to the gate and stopped a

drew Connel to one side. "I'm sorry, sir," he said, just out of T

d Connel. "I'll

ers in, but not Cadet Corbett." He showed Connel a list of names: Connel, Str

turned to Tom. "You'll have to stay here, C

ed Tom and hopped

ed by Slick, had disappeared behind a blockhouse inside the restricted area, Tom casually walked over to watch the loading ope

of the men. "Sure wish I cou

I hear from morning until night

tions about the training school of the Solar Guard, they continued working. A

in there," said one of the men. "But

by security," replied

fore, climbing out of one of the huge jet trucks parked near the gate. "Wh

ay that?" ask

of the first men Tom had spoken to. "They'r

ise. "But how did y

ge and at Sloppy Sam's, the jet-truckers hangout," replied the truc

have anything trucked any more. Cargo'll be loaded into a projectile and shot off into space to a pass

sked Tom. "It is one of the Solar Gu

he truck driver with a derisive

the gate was rolling forward slowly. As Tom and the men watched in horror, the giant

Major Connel and Devers standing near several receivers lined up outside a blockhouse. The truck was rolling straight toward them. Hearing the shouts of alarm, the two men turned and saw their danger. Devers immediately ju

e distance between the huge machine and Connel was narrowing rapidly. Tom clenched his teeth and urged the little car on faster.

. He braced himself for what he knew would be instant death, and then to his

et car in front o

o

ll scream of skidding tires, climaxed by a t

e overturned truck and the tangle of twisted metal that w

tt! Co