Stand by for Mars! - Carey Rockwell (reading in the dark txt) 📗

others. The lines of bewildered faces satisfied him that his old trick of using one of the cadets as an example was a success. He turned back to Corbett.

“The only reason I’m not logging you now is because you’re not a Space Cadet yet⁠—and won’t be, until you’ve taken the Academy oath!”

“Yes, sir!”

McKenny walked down the line and across the platform to an open teleceiver booth. The ranks were quiet and motionless, and as he made his call, McKenny smiled. Finally, when the tension seemed unbearable, he roared, “At ease!” and closed the door of the booth.

The ranks melted immediately and the boys fell into chattering clusters, their voices low, and they occasionally peered over their shoulders at Corbett as if he had suddenly been stricken with a horrible plague.

Brooding over the seeming ill-fortune that had called McKenny’s attention to him at the wrong time, Tom sat down on his suitcase to adjust his boot. He shook his head slowly. He had heard Space Academy was tough, tougher than any other school in the world, but he didn’t expect the stern discipline to begin so soon.

“This could be the beginning of the end,” drawled a lazy voice in back of Tom, “for some of the more enthusiastic cadets.” Someone laughed.

Tom turned to see a boy about his own age, weight and height, with close-cropped blond hair that stood up brushlike all over his head. He was lounging idly against a pillar, luggage piled high around his feet. Tom recognized him immediately as Roger Manning, and his pleasant features twisted into a scowl.

“About what I’d expect from that character,” he thought, “after the trick he pulled on Astro, that big fellow from Venus.”

Tom’s thoughts were of the night before, when the connecting links of transportation from all over the Solar Alliance had deposited the boys in the Central Station at Atom City where they were to board the monorail express for the final lap to Space Academy.

Manning, as Tom remembered it, had taken advantage of the huge Venusian by tricking him into carrying his luggage. Reasoning that since the gravity of Venus was considerably less than that of Earth, he convinced Astro that he needed the extra weight to maintain his balance. It had been a cheap trick, but no one had wanted to challenge the sharpness of Manning’s tongue and come to Astro’s rescue. Tom had wanted to, but refrained when he saw that Astro didn’t mind.

Finishing his conversation on the teleceiver, McKenny stepped out of the booth and faced the boys again.

“All right,” he bawled. “They’re all set for you at the Academy! Pick up your gear and follow me!” With a quick light step, he hopped on the rolling slidewalk at the edge of the platform and started moving away.

“Hey, Astro!” Roger Manning stopped the huge boy about to step over. “Going to carry my bags?”

The Venusian, a full head taller, hesitated and looked doubtfully at the four suitcases at Roger’s feet.

“Come on,” prodded Roger in a tone of mock good nature. “The gravity around here is the same as in Atom City. It’s the same all over the face of the Earth. Wouldn’t want you to just fly away.” He snickered and looked around, winking broadly.

Astro still hesitated, “I don’t know, Manning. I⁠—uhh⁠—”

“By the rings of Saturn! What’s going on here?” Suddenly from outside the ring of boys that had gathered around, McKenny came roaring in, bulling his way to the center of the group to face Roger and Astro.

“I have a strained wrist, sir,” began Roger smoothly.

“And this cadet candidate”⁠—he nodded casually toward Astro⁠—“offered to carry my luggage. Now he refuses.”

Mike glared at Astro. “Did you agree to carry this man’s luggage?”

“Well⁠—I⁠—ah⁠—” fumbled Astro.

“Well? Did you or didn’t you?”

“I guess I sorta did, sir,” replied Astro, his face turning a slow red.

“I don’t hold with anyone doing another man’s work, but if a Solar Guard officer, a Space Cadet, or even a cadet candidate gives his word he’ll do something, he does it!” McKenny shook a finger in Astro’s face, reaching up to do it. “Is that clear?”

“Yes, sir,” was the embarrassed reply.

McKenny turned to Manning who stood listening, a faint smile playing on his lips.

“What’s your name, Mister?”

“Manning. Roger Manning,” he answered easily.

“So you’ve got a strained wrist, have you?” asked Mike mockingly while sending a sweeping glance from top to bottom of the gaudy colored clothes.

“Yes, sir.”

“Can’t carry your own luggage, eh?”

“Yes,” answered Roger evenly. “I could carry my own luggage. I thought the candidate from Venus might give me a helping hand. Nothing more. I certainly didn’t intend for him to become a marked man for a simple gesture of comradeship.” He glanced past McKenny toward the other boys and added softly, “And comradeship is the spirit of Space Academy, isn’t it, sir?”

His face suddenly crimson, McKenny spluttered, searching for a ready answer, then turned away abruptly.

“What are you all standing around for?” he roared. “Get your gear and yourselves over on that slidewalk! Blast!” He turned once again to the rolling platform. Manning smiled at Astro and hopped nimbly onto the slidewalk after McKenny, leaving his luggage in a heap in front of Astro.

“And be careful with that small case, Astro,” he called as he drifted away.

“Here, Astro,” said Tom. “I’ll give you a hand.”

“Never mind,” replied Astro grimly. “I can carry ’em.”

“No, let me help.” Tom bent over⁠—then suddenly straightened. “By the way, we haven’t introduced ourselves. My name’s Corbett⁠—Tom Corbett.” He stuck out his hand. Astro hesitated, sizing up the curly-headed boy in front of him, who stood smiling and offering friendship. Finally he pushed out his own hand and smiled back at Tom.

“Astro, but you know that by now.”

“That sure was a dirty deal Manning gave you.”

“Ah, I don’t mind carrying his bags. It’s just that I wanted to tell him he’s going to have to send it all back. They don’t allow a candidate to keep more than a toothbrush at the Academy.”

“Guess he’ll find out the hard