Stand by for Mars! | Page 9

failed too, thought Tom grimly. It was poor solace for the misery he felt.
Dr. Dale stepped forward again.
"Will the cadets holding green slips return to their quarters. Those with red slips will remain in their seats," she announced.
Tom found himself moving with difficulty. As he walked through the door, Astro joined him. A look more eloquent than words passed between them and they made their way silently up the slidestairs back to their quarters.
Lying in his bunk, hands under his head, eyes staring into space, Tom asked, "What happens now?"
Sprawled on his bunk, Astro didn't answer right away. He merely gulped and swallowed hard.
"I--I don't know," he finally stammered. "I just don't know."
"What'll you do?"
"It's back to the hold of a Venusport freighter, I guess. I don't know." Astro paused and looked at Tom. "What'll you do?"
"Go home," said Tom simply. "Go home and--and find a job."
"Ever think about the enlisted Solar Guard? Look at McKenny--"
"Yeah--but--"
"I know how you feel," sighed Astro. "Being in the enlisted section--is like--well, being a passenger--almost."
The door was suddenly flung open.
"Haul off them bunks, you blasted Earthworms!"
McKenny stood in the doorway in his usual aggressive pose, and Tom and Astro hit the floor together to stand at attention.
"Where's the other cadet?"
"He went with Captain Strong, sir," answered Tom.
"Oh?" said Mike. And in a surprisingly soft tone he added, "You two pulled green slips, eh?"
"Yes, sir," they replied together.
"Well, I don't know how you did it, but congratulations. You passed the classification tests. Both of you."
Tom just looked at the scarlet-clad, stumpy warrant officer. He couldn't believe his ears. Suddenly he felt as if he had been lifted off his feet. And then he realized that he was off his feet. Astro was holding him over his head. Then he dumped him in his bunk as easily as if he had been a child. And at the same time, the big Venusian let out a loud, long, earsplitting yell.
McKenny matched him with his bull-like roar.
"Plug that foghorn, you blasted Earthworm. You'll have the whole Academy in here thinking there's a murder."
By this time Tom was on his feet again, standing in front of McKenny.
"You mean, we made it? We're really in? We're cadets?"
"That's right." McKenny looked at a clip board in his hand and read, "Cadet Corbett, Tom. Qualified for control deck. Cadet Astro. Power deck."
Astro took a deep breath and started another yell, but before he could let go, McKenny clamped a big hand over his mouth.
"You bellow like that again and I'll make meteor dust out of you!"
Astro gulped and then matched Tom's grin with one that spread from ear to ear.
"What happened to Philip Morgan?" asked Tom.
"What color slip did he have?"
"Blue."
"Anything besides green washed out," replied Mike quickly. "Now let's see, you have a replacement for Morgan in this unit. An astrogator."
"Greetings, gentlemen," drawled a voice that Tom recognized without even looking. "Allow me to introduce myself to my new unit-mates. My name is Manning--Roger Manning. But then, we're old friends, aren't we?"
"Stow that rocket wash, Manning," snapped Mike. He glanced at the clock over the door. "You have an hour and forty-five minutes until lunch time. I suggest you take a walk around the Academy and familiarize yourselves with the arrangement of the buildings."
And then, for the first time, Tom saw the hard little spaceman smile.
"I'm glad you made it, boys. All three of you." He paused and looked at each of them in turn. "And I can honestly say I'm looking forward to the day when I can serve under you!"
He snapped his back straight, gave the three startled boys a crisp salute, executed a perfect about-face and marched out of the room.
"And that," drawled Roger, strolling to the bunk nearest the window, "is the corniest bit of space gas I've ever heard."
"Listen, Manning!" growled Astro, spinning around quickly to face him.
"Yeah," purred Roger, his eyes drawn to fine points, hands hanging loosely at his sides. "What would you like me to listen to, Cadet Astro?"
The hulking cadet lunged at Manning, but Tom quickly stepped between them.
"Stow it, both of you!" he shouted. "We're in this room together, so we might as well make the best of it."
"Of course, Corbett--of course," replied Manning easily. He turned his back on Astro, who stood, feet wide apart, neck muscles tight and hands clenched in hamlike fists.
"One of these days I'll break you in two, Manning. I'll close that fast-talking mouth of yours for good!"
Astro's voice was a low growl. Roger stood near the window port and appeared to have forgotten the incident.
The light shining in from the hallway darkened, and Tom turned to see three blue-clad senior cadets arranged in a row just inside the door.
"Congratulations, gentlemen. You're now qualified cadets of Space Academy," said a redheaded lad about twenty-one. "My name