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Updated: August 17, 2024
"Lay off, Richards," said Tom. "We haven't time for gags now. Astro's going to take his power-deck manual in a few minutes and we're cramming with him." "O.K. O.K. don't blow your jets," said Richards. "I just wanted to see if there were any bets on which unit would cop honors in the manuals this afternoon." "I suppose you think your Unit 77-K will finish on top?" drawled Roger.
Connel considered this a moment. "Do what you can, Astro. I have absolute faith in you." "Aye, aye, sir," said Astro. "And thank you. If this wagon holds together, I'll get her off." Connel turned to Tom who stood ready at the control panel. "All set, sir," said Tom. "Roger's given me a clear trajectory forward and up. All we need is Astro's push!"
Jogging back toward their own goal line, the three Polaris cadets congratulated each other. Astro's kick had tied the score, two-all. "That was some feint you pulled on Richards, Tom," said Roger. "You sucked him in beautifully. I thought he was going to tear up the field with his nose!" Tom grinned. Compliments from Roger were few and far between.
They were just leaving the crystal city behind them and winding through the hill section surrounding the flat plain. Astro's handling of the jet car was perfect as he took the curves in the road at full throttle. They still had a long way to go to reach the spaceport that had been built on the other side of the hills. "You sure did a fine job of conversion on these jet boats," said Tom to Astro.
Quickly Roger, Connel, and Tom spread out over the trampled area, searching the underbrush for Astro's paralo-ray pistol or shock rifle. Connel examined the underbrush and vines closely for scorch marks made by the blaster. Finding none, he rejoined the boys. "Well?" he asked. "Nothing, sir," replied Roger. "Can't find them, Major," said Tom. Connel smacked his fists together and spoke excitedly.
But Astro's thorough, practical knowledge of basic nucleonics, combined with Roger's native wizardry at higher mathematics, and his own understanding of the theory, had enabled them to pull through with a grade of seventy-two, the highest average ever made by a cadet unit not specializing in physics.
This manual operations test of the control board, like Manning's on the radar bridge and Astro's on the power deck, is designed to test you under simulated space conditions. If you pass this test, your next step is real space." "Yes, sir." "I warn you, it isn't easy.
"That's all I thought my chances were worth." At that moment the Solar Guard major in command of the Deimos spaceport entered, followed by Kit Barnard and Sid. After greeting Tom with enthusiasm that matched Astro's, Kit and Sid stood to one side quietly and listened while Tom gave his preliminary report to the major who held a recorder microphone in front of him. "Thanks, sir.
"The Solar Guard sent us here to find this base. If we don't return, or send some sort of message back within a reasonable time, this jungle will be swarming with guardsmen!" Carson looked a little disappointed. "We shall see," he said. There were three things on Astro's mind as twilight darkened into night over the canyon.
"We found him about a thousand yards away from the warehouse, Commander," said the guardsman. "He looks pretty beat and his clothes are burned a little. I think he must have been caught in the blast of that ship we heard take off." Walters looked down at Astro's big frame, sprawled on the ground, and then at the medical corpsman who was giving him a quick examination.
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