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Updated: June 4, 2025
They adjusted the valves regulating the oxygen supply in their suits, and Stefens slipped back the sliding top of the jet boat. Out on the hull he secured a line to a projecting ring, and ordering Tom to stand by, he pushed himself off the ship into the bottomless void of space. The line trailing behind him, Stefens drifted toward the two helpless figures.
In less than two weeks he had mastered the difficult traffic-control procedure to the point where Captain Stefens had allowed him to handle the midnight shift. He checked the monitors and turned to see Roger walk through the door. "Working hard, Junior?" asked Roger in his casual drawl. "Roger!" exclaimed Tom. "What are you fooling around down here for?"
"That's the man you're going to work for." Scott walked over to the circular desk and spoke rapidly to the officer inside. As Tom approached, Stefens gave him a quick, sharp glance. It sent a shiver down the cadet's spine. Scott waved to him to come over. "Captain Stefens, this is Cadet Tom Corbett." Tom came to attention.
The crew could have abandoned ship, but they chose to remain with it and were blown to atoms. It could have happened to the station. That night he got a three-day pass from the station and went to Venusport." Scott shook his head. "I've heard Venusport will never be the same after that three-day pass of Captain Stefens." The young officer looked at Corbett quizzically.
Stefens gave Scott a fleeting smile and turned back to his constant keen-eyed inspection of the monitors. The radar watch was reporting the approach of a ship. Stefens began his cold, precise orders. "Monitor seven, take freighter out of station on port sixty-six; monitor twelve, stand by for identification signal of jet liner coming in from Mars. Watch her closely.
From one side of the circular dais, Tom saw Major Connel enter the room. He snapped to attention and saluted smartly. "Morning, Corbett," said Connel, returning Tom's salute. "Getting into the swing of the operation?" "Yes, sir," said Tom. "I've handled about twenty approaches since Captain Stefens left me alone, and about fifty departures."
On the control deck, Tom stayed at his station, sounding the warning. "Emergency! Emergency! All personnel prepare for crash! All personnel prepare for crash!" "There there!" shouted Captain Stefens into the mike aboard the jet boat circling around the station. "I think I see something bearing about seventy degrees to my left and up about twenty on the ecliptic! Do you see it, Scotty?"
"By the rings of Saturn," swore Loring softly, "Jardine and Bangs were brave men. They practically forced us to pile out when they saw they were going to crack up." He turned to Mason. "Didn't they, Al?" "Yeah, yeah, sure brave men," Al Mason agreed. "Nothing to be done for them now, of course," said Stefens. "What happened?"
He did that for all approaching ships contacted them, got the recognition signal, found out the ship's destination, its weight, and its cargo or passenger load. Then the connection was relayed to one of the secondary control officers at the monitoring boards. "That's Captain Stefens," said Scott in a whisper. "Toughest officer on the station. He has to be.
"All right, Corbett," said Stefens, speaking like a man who had a lot to do, knew how to do it, liked to do it, and was losing time. "Stand up here with me and keep your mouth shut. Remember any questions you want to ask, and when I have a spare moment, ask them. And by the rings of Saturn, be sure I'm free to answer. Take my attention at the wrong moment and we could have a bad accident."
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