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Updated: June 9, 2025
"Nothing simpler. I merely showed Mr. What's-his-name that he was making an ass of himself. I've spent a fortune here; know the owners, too. Nice chap, that manager, but he has no business running a hotel, and I so informed him. He'll probably annoy you to death with his attentions. He'll let you play 'shinny' in the halls if you want to. Now wait!"
"You're Roger Manning, Space Cadet! Breach of honor and violation of the Spaceman's Oath. Escaped from the Venus space station on a jet liner. But one of the best men on a radar scanner and astrogation prism in the whole alliance!" Shinny related the information rapidly. "He had known all the time," thought Roger. "He was testing me." Roger wondered why.
Shinny, too, his merry eyes shining bright, watched the needle jerk back and forth and finally reach the eight-hundred mark. "Eight hundred, sir," bellowed Astro. "Fire all stern rockets!" roared Connel. Astro threw the switch. On the control board, Connel saw a red light flash on. He jammed the master switch down hard. It was the last thing he remembered. Tom stirred.
"I'm interested," said Roger. "Keep talking." Briefly Loring described the copper satellite, its potential value, and what they expected to get out of it. Roger listened without comment. When Loring had finished, Shinny told him about the ship and its condition. When Shinny finished, Loring turned to Roger. "Well, Manning," he asked, "how do you like the setup?"
Al Mason looked at Shinny and back at Loring. "Say! What is this?" he demanded. "O.K., O.K.," said Loring between clenched teeth. "So we've got a strike out in the deep, but one word outta line from you and I'll blast you with my heater!" "Not a word," said Shinny, "not a word. I'll only charge you a little to keep your secret." Mason looked at Loring. "How much?" he demanded.
"I was ready to blast off without a rocket ship!" Shinny laughed again. "Good lad! Well, you won't mind if I have just a little one?" He paused and wiped his lips. "On you, of course!" "One" Roger held up his finger "on me, of course!" "Hey, there!" yelled Shinny. "You, with the asteroid head! Gimme a short bucket of that juice and bring a bottle of Martian fizz along with it!"
I know you were just prospecting and you've proved yourself to be a true spaceman. But what will happen to you now?" "I'll tell you what's going to happen to me," snapped Shinny. "You're going to re-enlist me in the Solar Guard, right here! Right now!" "What?" exploded Connel. "And then you're going to retire me, right here, right now, with a full pension!"
"Fifteen years ago a freighter was forced down in the jungles right near Venusport," said Shinny. "I was prospecting near by for pitchblende, back when everybody thought Venus was loaded with it. I saw the crew leave in jet boats. Soon as they was out of sight I went over to take a look. I wanted to see if there was any grub I could swipe and save myself a trip back to Venusport for more supplies.
"That could be Tom and Astro in that jet boat," said Roger softly to himself. "I guess I'd better stand by the power deck while we maneuver," said Shinny. "We wanta stay hidden until Loring and Mason get that thing ready." Roger nodded, and Shinny disappeared. Maneuvering cautiously, Roger brought the Space Devil around to the night side of Tara opposite to the landing site of the Polaris.
Your true lineman has a daredevil way with the women, as have all men whose calling is a hazardous one. Chet was a crack workman. He could shinny up a pole, strap his emergency belt, open his tool kit, wield his pliers with expert deftness, and climb down again in record time.
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