Vietnam or Thailand ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
Updated: May 17, 2025
"And I like to have a power deck clean enough to eat off the deck plates!" "Yes, sir," stuttered Astro, growing more and more confused. "You like to eat off the deck plates, sir!" "By the craters of Luna, no! I don't like to eat off the deck plates, but I want them clean enough to eat there if I want to!" "Yes, sir!" Astro's voice was hardly above a whisper.
With Astro's help, Tom was soon free and clear, standing beside Astro on the jet-boat deck. "Phoooeeeey!" said Tom, spitting out the sand that had filtered into his mouth. "I never want to do that again!" He dusted himself off and flashed his emergency light around the deck. "Look at that!" he said in amazement.
There's nothing available in the shop right now. I'd lend you my Beetle, but one of the boys has it out on a three-day repair job." Astro's face fell. "Oh, that's too bad." He turned to Tom and Roger. "Well, we could drop in from a stratosphere cruiser and then work our way back to the nearest colony in three or four weeks." "Wait a minute!" exclaimed Keene. "I've got an idea."
The space torpedo had destroyed the stern of the vessel, and if it hadn't been for Astro's quick action in sealing off the aftersection of the ship, all the air might have been lost and the crew dead of suffocation. A moment later the emergency lights glowed weakly and Connel and the big Venusian cadet began a quick inspection of the ship. The power deck was a total loss.
When more weight is taken aboard, or weight leaves the station, we have to adjust the gyro's speed." They entered the power deck of the great ball-like satellite. Astro's eyes glowed with pleasure as he glanced approvingly from one massive machine to another.
"When they converted this tub, they had standard exhausts, so it must have the same layout as the Polaris. Suppose I climb in the main exhaust, between the tube and the outer hull, and cut away the cleats that hold the tube to the ship?" "Why, then everything would come out in one piece!" Astro's face lit up. "Reactant mass, tube, control box the works!"
"Very clear, sir!" gulped Roger. Connel turned to Astro. "And you're the home-grown atomic-rocket genius, Venusian style, eh?" "Yes, sir," choked Astro. "I'm from Venus." "Bucked rockets on the old chemical burners as a kid before entering the Academy, eh?" asked Connel. There was less than an inch and a half between Astro's face and Major Connel's jaw.
Reasoning that since the gravity of Venus was considerably less than that of Earth, he convinced Astro that he needed the extra weight to maintain his balance. It had been a cheap trick, but no one had wanted to challenge the sharpness of Manning's tongue and come to Astro's rescue. Tom had wanted to, but refrained when he saw that Astro didn't mind.
"Blast over to our mess and have dinner with us some night, Mike!" he yelled to the departing figure. "And interrupt the happiest hours in Astro's life?" bawled Mike. "No thank you!" Tom laughed and turned to the huge open doorway of the Tower where Roger and Astro waited for him impatiently.
"I don't hold with anyone doing another man's work, but if a Solar Guard officer, a Space Cadet, or even a cadet candidate gives his word he'll do something, he does it!" McKenny shook a finger in Astro's face, reaching up to do it. "Is that clear?" "Yes, sir," was the embarrassed reply. McKenny turned to Manning who stood listening, a faint smile playing on his lips. "What's your name, Mister?"
Word Of The Day
Others Looking