United States or Colombia ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
The sounds of Bootstrap were distinctive by night. Footsteps, and the jangling of bicycle bells, and voices, and a radio blaring somewhere and a record-shop loud-speaker somewhere else, and a sort of underriding noise of festivity. There was a sharp rap on the glass by Joe's window. He started and looked out.
"I just have, sir," replied Roger in a strained voice. "But it's " "Let me talk to that lame brain of a skipper," interrupted Connel. "By the stars, I'll teach him to " "It's no use, Connel," said a gruff voice over the control-deck loud-speaker. "Even if you duck this torpedo, I've got ten more!" "Who is this?" roared Connel. "Don't you know, Connel? Why, I'm surprised!"
"Listen, you curly-haired twerp!" roared Astro, and it seemed to Tom that he could hear his friend without the loud-speaker. "We're going to give you the hottest run of your lives when we get going!" "O.K., Astro," said Tom. "If you can contact Roger, tell him to get in touch with Captain Strong right away. He's probably blasted off on the Polaris by now." "Right, Tom. End transmission."
Static spluttered over the loud-speaker and then a clear, harsh voice that was a perfect imitation, answered, "I read you, Ross," it said. "Where are you?" Tom watched as Miles made a hasty check on the astrogation chart. "Space quadrant four," he replied. "Chart C for Charley! Where are you?" "Same space quadrant, but on chart B for Baker," came the reply.
The Deimos tower operator's voice droned over the loud-speaker on the control deck of the Space Lance " ... minus five, four, three, two, one" then the breath-taking pause before the climactic "zero!" The ship shot spaceward, rockets roaring loudly in the thin atmosphere of the small satellite.
"Emergency air lock open!" The tall, broad-shouldered officer, wearing the magnificent black-and-gold uniform of the Solar Guard, spoke into a small microphone and waited for an acknowledgment. It came almost immediately. "Cadet Corbett ready for testing," a voice crackled thinly over the loud-speaker. "Very well. Proceed."
Observe standard cruise procedure!" "Power deck, aye!" was Astro's blasting answer over the loud-speaker. "Yeeeoooww! Out where we belong at last." "Radar bridge here," Roger's voice chimed in softly on the speaker. "Everything under control. And, Astro, you belong in a zoo if you're going to bellow like that!" "Ahhh rocket off, bubblehead!" The big Venusian's reply was good-natured.
He opened the inner hatch and stepped into the control deck to see Roger staring at the teleceiver in openmouthed astonishment. A harsh voice was coming over the loud-speaker. "... Order you to cut all power and stand by for a boarding party, or I'll open fire immediately!"
The voice boomed over the loud-speaker system; and as the long, gleaming line of monorail cars eased to a stop with a soft hissing of brakes, the three cadets of the Polaris unit moved eagerly in that direction. "Atom City, here we come," cried Astro. "We and a lot of others with the same idea," said Tom. And, in fact, there were only a few civilians in the crowd pressing toward the car doors.
The loud-speaker was silent except for the continuous flow of static. "By the stars," breathed Strong, "I'm sure glad to hear that." Walters put his arm around the captain's shoulder. "I'm glad too, Steve. I know how you feel about those three boys." "And that Astro," said Strong, beaming. "Wouldn't you know he'd be the one to rescue Tom."
Word Of The Day