The Space Pioneers | Page 6

and the
project was approved. We are going to establish a Solar Alliance
colony on a newly discovered satellite in orbit around the sun star Wolf
359, a satellite that has been named Roald."
"Wolf 359!" exclaimed Roger. "That's more than thirteen light years
away--" He was stopped by Tom's hand clamped across his mouth.
Governor Hardy looked at Roger and smiled. "Yes, Wolf 359 is pretty
far away, especially for a colony. But preliminary expeditions have
investigated and found the satellite suitable for habitation, with fertile
soil and an atmosphere similar to our own. With the aid of a few

atmosphere booster stations, it should be as easy for a colonist to live
there as he would on Venus--or any tropical planet."
"Where are you going to get the colonists, sir?" asked Strong.
Hardy began to pace back and forth in front of Walters' desk, waving
his hands as he warmed up to his subject. "Tonight, on a special
combined audioceiver and 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 through deep space to
the stars. It is a step, which, in the thousands of years ahead, will
eventually lead to a civilization of Earthmen throughout all space!"
Tom, Roger, and Astro sat in silent awe as they listened to the plans for
man to reach toward the stars. Spacemen by nature and adventurers in
spirit, they were united in the belief that some day Earthmen would set
foot on all the stars and never stop until they had seen the last sun, the
last world, the last unexplored corner of the cosmos.
"The colonists," continued Hardy, "will come from all over the system.
One thousand of them--the strongest and sturdiest men out of the
billions that inhabit the planets around us; one thousand, to live on
Roald for a period of seven years."
Tom, his eyes bright, asked, "Won't everybody want to go, sir?"
Walters and Hardy smiled. "We expect a rush, Corbett," answered
Walters. "You three and Captain Strong have been selected to aid in
screening the applicants."
"Will there be any special tests, sir?" asked Strong. "I have to agree
with Corbett that just about everyone will want to go."
"Yes, Strong," said Hardy. "Everyone will want to go. In fact, we
estimate that there will be literally millions of applicants!"
Roger emitted a long, low whistle. "It'll take years to screen all of them,
sir."

Hardy smiled. "Not really, Manning. The psychographs will eliminate
the hundreds of thousands of misfits, the men who will want to go for
selfish reasons, who are running away from the past, or 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 each of the satellites, planets, and
asteroid colonies. I have already established the stations for the
preliminary screening. We will screen the remainder until we have the
required thousand."
"What will our part be, sir?" asked Tom.
"Once each applicant has been approved by the psychographs, his
background will be thoroughly investigated. We may find criminal
types who show the blackest of careers, but who would turn over a new
leaf if given the chance and prove to be more valuable than men with
the best of backgrounds who merely want to get away from it all. We
don't want that kind of colonist. 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 them
simple tests. An important point in any applicant's favor will be his
ability to improvise and handle three, four, or five jobs, where a less
imaginative person would do but one. Talk to them, sound them out,
and then write your report. Captain Strong will review your opinions
and make recommendations to me. I will finally approve or disapprove
the applications."
"Will this cost the applicants anything, sir?" asked Roger. "For instance,
will the rich applicants have a better chance than the poor?"
Hardy's face turned grim. "Only the people that fit our standards will be
allowed to go, Manning. Regardless."
"Yes, sir," said Roger.

"The Solar Alliance," continued Hardy, "has established a fund for this
project. Each applicant will be lent as much in material as he needs to
establish himself on Roald. If he operates an exchange, for instance,
selling clothes, equipment, or food, then the size of his exchange will
determine the size