The Space Pioneers

lar Alliance with regard to further expansion, Governor Hardy," said Commander Walters to the man s

od straight in his black-and-gold senior officer's uniform, and casually toyed with a paper cutter o

nd I certainly don't foresee anything that can prevent the expedition from being a c

reply. He opened the switch to the interoffice teleceiver behind his d

, Bill?" as

ir," replied the enlisted guardsman.

off the teleceiver, he turned back to Governor Ha

, can't say that I have." He smiled. "From the look

rained here at the Academy in the last twenty years, these three lads are jus

s hand in mock protest.

tinctive ability to do the right thing at the right time and that indefinable something that m

e rolled back and Tom, Roger, and Astro stepped in br

uty, sir," said Tom. "Cadets

," said

r who had watched their entrance with interest. Walters c

you to meet Go

nor's achievements in establishing the first colony on Ganymede, an

ear-by couch. "Governor Hardy will explain thi

ng in a few moments,

e to repeat yourself." He turned to Astro but not before he saw a grimace of annoyance

Venusian, "I'm doing all ri

sed a smile and

Academy, Governor," began Walters, returning to his desk, "is for the

who shuffled his feet in embarrassm

ract-scientific concepts. Yet he is capable of handling practically any situ

be difficult if he ever came face to face with a situation where his h

r individual psychograph personality charts and is passed and failed as a unit, even though a boy like Cadet Astro might make a failing grade, his unit mates,

re or less, to depend on

er on, the cadets learn for themselves that i

ers' desk chimed and he turned to s

here, sir," repeate

Seconds later the door slid back an

captain had taken a seat with his cadet unit, Commander W

pointed by the Solar Council to head one of the mos

e couch and listened intently for w

tell you about it himself," concluded Wal

to face the governor, who rose and looked

e for the future. It might mean the beginning of an entirely new era in the development of mankind." He paused again. "The Solar A

lony!" gas

ered excitedly

ny arguments pro and con. A week ago a secret vote was taken, and the project was approved. We are going to establish a Solar

han thirteen light years away-" He was stop

ve investigated and found the satellite suitable for habitation, with fertile soil and an atmosphere similar to our own. With the aid

to get the colonist

nd teleceiver broadcast to all parts of the Solar Alliance, the president of the Solar Council will ask for volunteers-men who will take man's first step th

by nature and adventurers in spirit, they were united in the belief that some day Earthmen would set foot on all t

and of them-the strongest and sturdiest men out of the billions that inhabit the

asked, "Won't everyb

," answered Walters. "You three and Captain Strong h

ked Strong. "I have to agree with Corbett

want to go. In fact, we estimate that ther

histle. "It'll take years t

r are dissatisfied with their lack of success in life and embittered because of failure. We can expect many criminal types. Those will be eliminated easily. We have set a specific quota from e

r part be, si

. We want people who have faith in the project; people who are not afraid of work and hardships. Your screening job will be simple. Each of you has a special talent which Commander Walters feels is outstanding. Corbett in leadership, administration, and command; Manning in electronics; Astro in atomic power and propulsion. You will talk to the applicants and give th

" asked Roger. "For instance, will the rich a

people that fit our standards will b

ir," sa

for instance, selling clothes, equipment, or food, then the size of his exchange will determine the size of the loan. He will repay the Solar Alliance by returning one-fourth of his profits over a per

om, "and all the rest. Will the

ies. Of course we wouldn't take a man who had been a sh

sand colonists include wome

en who can produce. However, a man may take his family," Hardy went on, adding, "providi

ct was staggering, and as Strong, Hardy, and Commander Walters began to disc

appened since Jon Builker made his t

d Astro, "but

hat?" as

ity of saying No to a f

ied and Tom attempted to explai

. "You just ask the applicant about his experience with

rned as they all turned to Commander Walters, who had finished the

n many cases your decisions might mean the difference between success or failure in this mission. See that you make good decisions, and when you've made them, stick by them. You will be unde

y, and after shaking hands with

eld, where the mighty fleet of the Solar Guard was based, they could see the rows of rocket cruisers, destroyers, scouts, and various types of merchant space craft, and in the center, on a launching platform, the silhouette of the rocket cruiser Po

ward, the Polaris wa

scrambled through the air lock into t

l panel. One by one, he tested the dials, gauges, and indicator

a checking sight on the Pole Star to make sure the instrument was in true alignment. Then turning to the radar s

and tools slung around his hips, tuned up the mighty atomic engines. He took longer than usual, making sure t

over the intercom, "Control d

came Roger's reply. "

is booming voice echoing through

the logbook and jotted down the time in the ship's journal. The

and Governor Hardy climbed aboard and

pped on the teleceiver. "Rocket cruiser Polaris to spaceport con

ered immediately. "Control tower to Polaris. You are cl

the intercom and began snapping out orders

s began to scream through the ship. Tom watched the pressure indicato

rward and up!"

far below on the power deck, Astro began to fe

k. They strapped themselves into acceleration cushions and watched the red second han

om, "minus five-four-

l rockets deflected against the concrete surface. Then, poised delicately on the roaring

re against his body, Tom Corbett thought about his new adventure. And as the ship hurtled into the black velvet dept