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Meantime, Roger, see if you can't get that patrol ship to give us a lift to Venusport. Tell the C.O. I'm aboard and on urgent official business." "Yes, sir," said Roger. "And," continued the spaceman, noticing the downcast looks of Tom and Astro, "it wouldn't hurt if you two started repairing as much as you can. So when the maintenance crew arrives, they won't find her in such a mess."
"Three priority orders for seats aboard a Venusport Atom City express were stolen. Before a check could be made, the ship had made its run and the people using the priorities were gone. They must have been the ones that bumped you off your seats." "How do you think that ties in with the bomb on the Polaris, sir?" "We're trying to figure that out now," said Connel.
"Well, now that we've sweated the old girl through the crisis," asserted Roger, "how's about us concentrating on our vacation?" "Great," agreed Tom. "This is your party, Astro. Lead the way." The three cadets left the spaceport in a jet cab and rode happily into the city of Venusport.
"In Venusport?" demanded Connel, following Tom around the deck. "Yes, sir " "Before or after your trip into the jungle?" "Uhh before, I think," Tom replied hesitantly. "No. No. It was after we came back." "Well, out with it, Corbett!" exploded the major. "When? Where? You didn't do that much visiting! You were too tired to move!" "That's just it, sir," said Tom, shaking his head.
Captain Duarte had flown the first leg of the race from Earth to the Moon in record time." The Solar Guard officer snapped off the microphone and turned to Tom, Roger, and Astro. "It's hard to believe that the French Chicken won't be shuttling from Paris to Venusport any more," he murmured. "Are there any details, sir?" asked Tom.
The ship they had captured proved to be a freighter with no name and all identifying marks removed. They had asked the Solar Guard ship registry in Venusport to check on the vessel's title but so far had received no answer. Now blasting back to Venusport at full speed, Connel told the boys the real nature of his mission to Venus.
Tom quickly told him of the emergency signal from the Lady Venus. "Lady Venus " said the big cadet, rolling the name on his tongue, "I know her. She's one of the Martian City Venusport jobs an old-timer. Converted from a chemical burner to atomic reaction about three years ago!" "Any ideas what the trouble might be?" asked Tom. "I don't know," replied Astro.
"Watch yourself, Tom," cautioned George. "We aren't afraid for ourselves, but you've got to get to Venusport!" "If he's left the power deck alone, everything will be O.K." The young cadet stretched out a trembling hand and switched on the automatic firing control. Then, crossing his fingers, he flipped on the main generator and breathed easier as the steady hum surged through the ship.
"Last time I was on Mars," said Astro to Tom and Roger over a cup of tea, "was about two years ago. I was bucking rockets on an old tub called the Space Plunger. It was on a shuttle run from the Martian south pole to Venusport, hauling vegetables. What a life! Burning up on Venus and then freezing half to death at the south pole on Mars."
"How would you get the meat to Venusport?" asked Roger, who, for all his braggadocio, was awed by his unit mate's calm bravery and skill as a hunter. "The restaurant that bought it would send a jet boat out for it and I'd ride back with it. After a while the restaurant owners got to know me and would give me regular orders. I was trying to fill a special order on that last hunt."
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