United States or Pakistan ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
As the boys stepped on the slidestairs that would take them to Commander Walters' office, each of them was very much aware that this was the first step to a new adventure in space. And though the three realized that they could expect danger, the special assignment meant that they were going to hit the high, wide, and deep again. And that was all they asked of life.
Returning from a difficult afternoon of endless marching in the hot sun with the prospect of an evening of free-fall wrestling before them, the three cadets dragged themselves wearily onto the slidestairs leading to their quarters, their muscles screaming for rest. "Another day like this," began Astro listlessly, "and I'm going to melt down to nothing. Doesn't McKenny have a heart?"
In a few moments the three were being carried to the upper floors of the crystal structure by a spiraling band of moving plastic that stretched from the top of the Tower to the many floors below surface level. Tom glanced at his wrist chronograph as they stepped off the slidestairs and headed for Captain Strong's quarters. "We're about twenty minutes late," he said to Roger and Astro.
Boy, I'd sure like to see her!" Without waiting for the others to agree, the huge candidate stepped off the slidestairs. "Hey, Astro!" yelled Tom. "Wait! I don't think " His voice trailed off as the moving stair carried him up to the next floor. But then a curious thing happened.
"Here's your photoelectric light key for room 2305 F. That's on the two hundred thirtieth floor." Tom took the light key and turned toward the slidestairs where Astro was holding Roger firmly, despite his frantic squirming. "Hey, Tom," cried Roger, "tell this Venusian ape to let me go!" "Promise to behave yourself?" asked Tom. "We came here to have fun, didn't we?" demanded Roger.
Like a clap of thunder Warrant Officer McKenny's voice jarred the boys out of their silence. He stepped forward like a bantam rooster and faced the startled group of boys. "I wanna know just one thing! Who stepped off that slidestairs first?" The boys all hesitated. "I guess I was the first, sir," said Astro, stepping forward. "Oh, you guess you were, eh?" roared McKenny.
The two spacemen and Jane left the laboratory and raced down the slidestairs and through the halls of the Administration Building to the double doors that opened onto the Plaza. They stepped into view just as the colonists were about to spread out and search the city. One of the men was standing on the steps shouting orders. Jeff recognized him as Joe, the man who had stopped him on the highway.
"Let's go," urged Tom in a sharp whisper, and they all raced silently toward the slidestairs. Seconds later, the three cadets of the Polaris unit were down in the main hallway of the dormitory building, tiptoeing toward the front portal. Pausing only to look into the O.D.'s office to make sure the officer wouldn't spot them, they reached the portal and ducked out.
Word Of The Day