The Space Pioneers

g Space Cadet. "Boot that screwy

, a plastic sphere with a vial of mercury inside. At the opposite end of the field, thre

ke a blazing rocket, while his two unit mates flanked him, ready to

y. The two teams closed. Roger threw a perfect block on his opposing wingman and the two boys went down in a heap. Tom side-stepped the Arcturus cadet on his side and sent him sprawling

three Polaris cadets congratulated each oth

said Roger. "You sucked him in beautifully. I thoug

ents from Roger were

ht, fellas, let's see if we can't take these space bu

just long enough for the Arcturus cadet to dump him to the ground and then race for Astro. Tom, covering Astro on the left wing, saw the cadet sweeping in and lunged in a desperate attempt to stop him. But he missed, leaving Astro unprotected against the three members of the Arcturus unit. With his defense gone, Astro kicked at the ball frantically but just grazed the side of it. The mercury inside the ball began to pla

!" yelled Roger. "Can't you tell the d

he three jogged back to their

m. "How come you didn't g

replied the

owled Astro good-naturedly, "with

ger. "Come on! Let's show those space

d to a screeching stop at the edge of the field and a scarlet-clad enlisted Solar Guardsman jumped out and

, Joe?" as

f the Academy but had re-enlisted in the Solar Guard, smiled.

out?" as

for new assignments,"

e can get out of here. I've been doing so blamed much

e're going, J

ed away, then stopped, and called ba

p. "How about finishing the game, Tom? It's been so long since we've had su

units had played together, but orders were orders.

wipe up these space joker

gathered to watch the game and cheered lustily as the players tore up and down the field. Finally, when both teams were nearly exhausted, the game was over and the score was eight to seven in favor of the Polaris unit. Roger had made the final point after T

red, and dressed in their senior cadet uniforms of vivid blue, then raced to the nea

ple method of transportation in and around the Academy grounds, To

on in the next breath. "I don't know. But anything to get out of

p in the wide, high, and deep again," he

the differential potential between chemical-burning rocket fue

tro earlier had gained firsthand experience in commercial rocket ships as an able spaceman and later had been accepted in the Academy for cadet training. The son of colonists on Venus, the misty plane

r crystal mined on Titan, satellite of Saturn, the Tower rose over the smaller buildings like a giant shimmering jewel. Housing the administration offices of the Sol

had been at the Academy all of his life and that it was his home. In the struggle to develop into a well-knit dependable rocket team, composed of an astrogator, power-deck cadet, and a command cadet, Tom had

lidewalks carried enlisted guardsmen in their red uniforms, and the officers of the Solar Guard in magnificent black and gold, across the quadrangle to the various dormitories, laboratories, lecture rooms, mess halls, and research rooms. Space Academy was a beehive of activity, with the

d to his unit mates. "Think we might get assigned to that radar pro

his hands on that new scanner Dr. Dale j

almost a year building that thing, with the help of the leading electronic scien

," complained Roger

errupted Astro. "I can read your thoughts as

explain that thrust problem the other night?" He turned to Tom, shrugging his shoulders in mock despair. "Honestly, Tom, if I didn't know th

but the wiry cadet dashed along the slidewalk out of reach an

m by the arm and he turned to see Mike McKenny, Chief Warrant Officer in the enlisted Sol

hose two space crawlers still actin

derly spaceman. "Yes, sir," he said. "B

s eyes twinkled. "I've been hearing some mighty fine things about you three space bongos, Tommy. It's a

rom you that compliment

indicating Roger and Astro, who at the moment were racing back and forth along th

building, hopped to the walkway, waving a cheery good-by to Mike. "Blast over to o

t hours in Astro's life?"

ing carried to the upper floors of the crystal structure by a spiraling band of moving plastic that stretched from the top of the Tower to the ma

he said to Roger and Astro. "Hope

," said Roge

"I only just finished working off

ion before a massive desk, flanked by two wall windows of clear sheet crystal reaching from ceiling to floor. Standing at the window, Captain Steve Strong, P

orders, sir," said Tom. The

you?" he growled. "I've been watching you from this window. I saw the messenger deliver my orders to you, and then

Roger star

nning!" snapped Strong.

mmered the blon

ent you to Commander Walters' office on the double, do

om. "Yes, sir!" The other

ommander Walters for your assignments.

m, and the three ca

ed Strong, "

ce more, the three cad

tely was not in a good

im so angry!" said

thing to do with our as

e's only one way to find out. That's to get

ungry for excitement. Already having participated in three outstanding adve