Danger in Deep Space | Page 4

he say, Roger?"

"He's happy to see you," Roger translated.
"Well, in that case," beamed Astro, "I'm happy to see you too, Alfie!"
"What's the latest space dope around the Academy, Alfie?" asked Tom.
"What's this?" he indicated the paper in Alfie's hand.
"By the sheerest of coincidences I happen to have a copy of your new
assignment!" replied Alfie.
Tom, Roger, and Astro looked at each other in surprise.
"Well, come on, spaceman," urged Roger. "Give us the inside info.
Where are we going?"
Alfie tucked the paper in his inside pocket and faced Roger. He cleared
his throat and spoke in measured tones. "Manning, I have high regard
for your personality, your capabilities, and your knowledge, all of
which makes you an outstanding cadet. But even you know that I
occupy a position of trust as cadet courier for Commander Walters and
the administrative staff. I am not at liberty to mention anything that I
would have occasion to observe while in the presence of Commander
Walters or the staff. Therefore, you will please refrain from questioning
me any further regarding the contents of these papers!"
Roger's jaw dropped. "Why, you human calculator, you were the one
who brought it up in the first place! I oughta knock off that big head of
yours!"
Tom and Astro laughed.
"Lay off, Roger," said Tom. "You ought to know Alfie couldn't talk if
he wanted to! We'll just have to wait until Captain Strong is ready to
tell us what our next assignment will be!"
By this time the slidewalk had carried them to the front of the main
dormitory, and the wide doors were crowded with members of the
Space Academy Corps heading in for the evening meal. From all

corners of the quadrangle, the slidewalks carried Earthworms in their
green uniforms, upper-class cadets in deep blue, enlisted spacemen in
scarlet red, and Solar Guard officers in their striking uniforms of black
and gold. Chatting and laughing, they all were entering the great
building.
The Polaris unit was well known among other cadet units, and they
were greeted heartily from all sides. As Astro and Roger joked with
various cadet units, forming up in front of the slidestairs leading down
to the mess halls, Alfie turned to take a slidestairs going up. Suddenly
he stopped, grabbed Tom by the shoulders, and whispered in his ear.
Just as abruptly he turned and raced up the ascending slidestairs.
"What was that about?" asked Roger, as Tom stood staring after the
little cadet.
"Roger--he--he said our next assignment would be one of the great
experiments in space history. Something to be done that--that hasn't
ever been done before!"
"Well, blast my jets!" said Astro. "What do you suppose it is?"
"Ahhh," sneered Roger, "I'll bet it's nothing more than taking some
guinea pigs to see how they react to Jovian gravity. That's never been
done before either! Why can't we get something exciting for a change?"
Tom laughed. "Come on, you bloodthirsty adventurer, I'm starved!"
But Tom knew that Alfie Higgins didn't get excited easily, and his eyes
were wide and his voice trembled when he had whispered his secret to
Tom.
The Polaris unit was due to embark on a great new adventure!
[Illustration]
CHAPTER 2

"All O.K. here on the relay circuit," yelled Astro through the intercom
from the power deck.
"O.K.," answered Tom. "Now try out the automatic blowers for the
main tubes!"
"Wanta give me a little juice for the radar antenna, Astro?" called
Roger from the radar deck.
"In a minute, Manning, in a minute," growled Astro. "Only got two
hands, you know."
"You should learn to use your feet," quipped Roger. "Any normal
Venusian can do just as much with his toes as he can with his fingers!"
Back and forth the bantering had gone for twelve hours, while the three
members of the Polaris unit tested, checked, adjusted, and rechecked
the many different circuits, relays, junction boxes, and terminals in the
miles of delicate wiring woven through the ship. Now, as dawn began
to creep pink and gray over the eastern horizon, they made their
last-minute search through the cavernous spaceship for any doubtful
connections. Satisfied there were none, the three weary cadets
assembled on the control deck and sipped the hot tea that Manning had
thoughtfully prepared.
[Illustration: The three weary cadets assembled on the control deck]
"You know, by the time we get out of the Academy I don't think there'll
be a single inch of this space wagon that I haven't inspected with my
nose," commented Roger in a tired voice.
"You know you love it, Manning," said Astro, who, though as tired as
Tom and Roger, could still continue to work if necessary. His love for
the mighty atomic rocket motors, and his ability