The Space Pioneers

's voice crackled over the power-deck loud-

e giant Venusian into the int

aid Tom. "Roger's picked up a m

in over the intercom. "Three degrees up on the p

om. "Stand by for one-quarte

power-deck cadet and turned to the mas

oger. "Relay the pickup to the control-deck scanner, R

green surface of the screen, picking out the blip that marked the meteor. Tom watched

ng sure the course change would take them out

d into his seat as the Polaris quickly accelerated and curve

deck. Glancing quickly at the scanner screen, he saw the white bl

s back on course as soon as you can. Governor Hard

to pour on extra thr

ce speed. No need to use emergency p

ir," sa

ouldn't find anything to complain about. Past experience had taught him that the three cadets kept a tigh

atched Tom operate the great control panel. "Your cadet

arned since I've become an instructor at the Academy and that is you can't make

messages to send out, Captain. I'd li

e Solar Guard captain pointed to the ladder leading to the rada

the governor, turn

the forthcoming screening operations on Venusport, they were su

" inquired Strong. "I thought you were

said he'd handle it. Said the messages were top secret and that he wouldn't

. "What could be so secret a

the Solar Council made the other night, the whole Alliance must know

g. Now, why wouldn't a man in charge of a project as large as this have

sir," he said. "I guess I

ret messages to the governor," joked Strong. "And any time you get too suspicious, just r

cadets ran the ship, ate, slept, and spent their few remaining spare hours attending to their classroom work with the aid of soundscribers and story spools. Each of them was working

d passed through a swarm of small meteorites, each less than a tenth of an inch in diameter but traveling at high

ce and was soon hovering over Venusport, nose up toward space, ready for a touchdown at the municipal spaceport. As the braking rockets quickl

meanwhile talking into the intercom and directing Astro in the careful reduction of thrust. On the radar deck Roger ke

Roger over the intercom. "Ni

e half!" called Tom.

slightly. Tom quickly adjusted the stabilizer trim tabs to keep the ship perpendicular to the ground,

olled Roger in more slow and measur

k at the concrete ramp, then splash its surface until it was compl

er's voice was tense no

quick order. "B

e sudden acceleration battled the force of gravity. The ship's descent slowed perceptibly unt

d later there was a deafening silence, followed by a heavy muffled thud

one the gauges and dials registered zero or empty. The cadet stood up, noticed the time on

t Venus, at exactly 1543, sir,

bett," he said. "You handled her as though

Well," he said, "we're back on the planet where

atch from the power deck. "One more crack like that and I'll st

wn Venusian ape," re

advancing on the smalle

e craters of Luna, one minute you act like hot-shot spaceme

per turned to see Governor Hardy standing on the radar-bridge ladder, brief c

emen like you, I'm all for it. Congratulati

u, sir,"

Council building and get things set up for the screening. I i

ttention and saluted, Governor Har

hat you're spacemen. Report to the Administration Building in one hou

tests. Endlessly, from early morning until late at night, they questioned the eager applicants. Ninety-nine out of one hundred were refused. And when they were, they all had diffe

e suddenly drifting in space, in danger, and found that you ha

tself was a perfect vacuum and could be substituted for

t juice, a highly potent drink that was not outlawed in the solar system, but was looked on with strong disfavor. When Tom turned down his application, the man tr

pathized with the applicants when they were unable to tear down a small reactor unit and rebuild it blindfolded. Painfully, sometimes with

red and fifty-three applications approved by them Strong did not re

thick shock of iron-gray hair and ruddy, weather-beaten features Logan looked as though he was used to working in the outdoors. Flank

children?" aske

d a low musical voice,

Logan, a slender, pretty girl whose open, friendly features were framed by neatly combed reddish blond hair. Roger sat staring a

lance at the young girl, but Billy saw him and winked. Roger flus

gan. "I'm a farmer. Bee

go to Roald, Mr. L

sort of lost heart in this place. I figured maybe that new satellite will give me a start again. You'll have to have farmers to feed the people. And I can farm anything from chemicals to natural

umbled Roger. "I don't think the

He stamped the application and indicated the door to Tom's screening room, following the girl wistfully with his eyes. He m

ng, standing in the doorway from the hall, "we'd probab

Roger, jerking himself to attentio

" declared Strong, "you'

ed. "I hope

and the curly-haired cadet wal

he said, "could I

ny trouble?"

Strong read the sheet and turned to Tom. "You know w

g different about this fellow. Astro passed him with flying colors. Sai

Roger. Strong han

id Roger. "That guy real

om. "How do you fe

d experience handling men and he's been in deep space before.

er and studied it again. "Looks to me as

all that experience, want to bury himself on Roald? He could

ure. He handed the application back to Tom. "I think I see what you mean, Tom. It does look too good. Better not take a chance. Se

application has been