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"Of the thousand ships that blasted off from Earth there are only six hundred thirteen left that can be used in the construction of the first colony of Roald." Governor Hardy's voice was firm as he addressed the assembled colonists and spacemen from the air lock of a space freighter. There was a murmur among the colonists at this news.
Walters placed his finger on the many intersecting lines in the blueprint that designated streets. "Each of these streets, avenues, roads, and expressways will be named after a member of the first colonial expedition to Roald. Your names will be among them." "Ours!" exclaimed Tom. "Does that mean that " "I've been talking to Governor Hardy," Walters continued casually.
The cadets of the Polaris unit spun on their heels in unison and marched from the room in perfect order. "Attention! Attention! This is Captain Strong in rocket cruiser Orion calling central communications control, Roald! Come in, Roald! Orion to Roald! Come in!" Aboard the space cruiser, Captain Steve Strong tried again and again to contact the star colony.
"Governor," he said quietly, "I'm afraid you'll have to forget about landing on Roald until I can find the reason for the disturbance." "Then it's not caused by any malfunction aboard the ship?" Vidac broke in. Sykes shook his head. "Whatever force field caused those instruments to react the way they did came from Roald.
"Request permission to touch down, sir," said Tom. "Granted," replied Vidac. The curly-haired cadet turned back to the control board and once again checked his instruments. Behind him, Vidac and Governor Hardy watched the surface of Roald as the Polaris began to turn for her tailfirst landing. "Cut all thrust at one hundred thousand feet, Astro," ordered Tom. "Aye, aye," replied Astro.
"And here I thought Vidac was O.K. after the way he worked during the past ten days setting up Roald City." "I've been talking to some of the other men," said Logan bitterly. "They feel the same way I do. Something's got to be done about this!" "But what?" asked Roger. "And how?" chimed in Astro. "Force, by the stars!" yelled Logan.
"Well," sighed Roger, "with the confession Jeff got from Winters on the audioscriber, I guess we can consider the first civil disorder of the star satellite of Roald finished. Peace and harmony will reign. And speaking of harmony, Jane, would you like to take a walk in the starlight?" "I'm sorry, Roger," answered Jane, blushing prettily, "but I've already been invited." Roger's face fell.
"You will have to purchase the necessary material for farming from me. You will sign over one-half of your future profits to the treasurer of the Roald City Fund, or you don't farm." "What's the Roald City Fund?" demanded Isaac Tupin, a short, thin man with an uncanny knack for farming.
As the leading scientist, it was his job to evaluate every new discovery made during the trip out to the distant satellite, and later make observations on the colony itself. Scientifically, and in a sense ultimately, the success or failure of the Roald expedition would rest on his round hunched shoulders.
Dimly Tom realized that the rockets had been cut and they were safely on the surface of the satellite. He picked himself up and turned to face Vidac. The lieutenant governor was unstrapping himself from the pilot's chair. His face was ashen. He stalked out of the control deck without a word. "Touchdown!" screamed Roger from the radar deck. "We made it. We're on Roald!"
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