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diff --git a/19027-8.txt b/19027-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..02a43b7 --- /dev/null +++ b/19027-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,7456 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Revolt on Venus, by Carey Rockwell + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Revolt on Venus + +Author: Carey Rockwell + +Illustrator: Louis Glanzman + +Release Date: August 11, 2006 [EBook #19027] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE REVOLT ON VENUS *** + + + + +Produced by Greg Weeks, LN Yaddanapudi and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + + +THE REVOLT ON VENUS + +THE TOM CORBETT +SPACE CADET STORIES + +By Carey Rockwell + +STAND BY FOR MARS! +DANGER IN DEEP SPACE +ON THE TRAIL OF THE SPACE PIRATES +THE SPACE PIONEERS +THE REVOLT ON VENUS + +[Illustration: Frontispiece] + +A TOM CORBETT Space Cadet Adventure + +THE REVOLT ON VENUS + +By CAREY ROCKWELL + +WILLY LEY _Technical Adviser_ + +GROSSET & DUNLAP _Publishers_ New York + + +COPYRIGHT, 1954, BY +ROCKHILL RADIO + + +ALL RIGHTS RESERVED +ILLUSTRATIONS BY LOUIS GLANZMAN + +PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA + + +--------------------------------------------------------------+ + | | + | Transcriber's Note | + | | + | The DP team has failed to uncover any evidence that the | + | copyright on this work was renewed. | + | | + +--------------------------------------------------------------+ + + + + +ILLUSTRATIONS + + +_Frontispiece_ + +"She tried to get farther into the cave" 54 + +They were completely surrounded by the jungle 57 + +Astro kept his blaster aimed at the monsters 107 + +His eyes probed the jungle for further movement 115 + +"Mr. Sinclair!" cried Tom, suddenly relieved 161 + +The Solar Guard troops landed on the rim of the canyon 189 + +Sinclair wasn't able to get clear in time 210 + + + + +THE REVOLT ON VENUS + + + + +CHAPTER 1 + + +"Emergency air lock open!" + +The tall, broad-shouldered officer, wearing the magnificent +black-and-gold uniform of the Solar Guard, spoke into a small microphone +and waited for an acknowledgment. It came almost immediately. + +"Cadet Corbett ready for testing," a voice crackled thinly over the +loud-speaker. + +"Very well. Proceed." + +Seated in front of the scanner screen on the control deck of the rocket +cruiser _Polaris_, Captain Steve Strong replaced the microphone in its +slot and watched a bulky figure in a space suit step out of the air lock +and drift away from the side of the ship. Behind him, five boys, all +dressed in the vivid blue uniforms of the Space Cadet Corps, strained +forward to watch the lone figure adjust the nozzles of the jet unit on +the back of his space suit. + +"Come on, Tom!" said the biggest of the five boys, his voice a low, +powerful rumble as he rooted for his unit mate. + +"If Tom makes this one," crowed the cadet next to him, a slender boy +with a thick shock of close-cropped blond hair, "the _Polaris_ unit is +home free!" + +"This is the last test, Manning," replied one of the remaining three +cadets, the insigne of the _Arcturus_ unit on the sleeve of his uniform. +"_If_ Corbett makes this one, you fellows deserve to win." + +Aboard the rocket cruiser _Polaris_, blasting through the black void of +space two hundred miles above Earth, six Space Cadets and a Solar Guard +officer were conducting the final test for unit honors for the term. All +other Academy units had been eliminated in open competition. Now, the +results of the individual space orientation test would decide whether +the three cadets of the _Arcturus_ unit or the three cadets of the +_Polaris_ unit would win final top unit honors. + +Roger Manning and Astro kept their eyes glued to the telescanner screen, +watching their unit mate, Tom Corbett, drift slowly through space toward +his starting position. The young cadet's task was basically simple; with +his space helmet blacked out so that he could not see in any direction, +he was to make his way back to the ship from a point a mile away, guided +only by the audio orders from the examining officer aboard the ship. His +score was measured by the time elapsed, and the amount of corrections +and orders given by the examining officer. It was an exercise designed +to test a cadet's steadiness under emergency conditions of space. + +The three members of the _Arcturus_ unit had completed their runs and +had returned to the ship in excellent time. Roger and Astro had also +taken their tests and now it depended on Tom. If he could return to the +_Polaris_ in less than ten minutes, with no more than three corrections, +the _Polaris_ unit would be victorious. + +Seated directly in front of the scanner, Captain Steve Strong, the +examining officer, watched the space-suited figure dwindle to a mere +speck on the screen. As the regular skipper of the _Polaris_ crew, he +could not help secretly rooting for Tom, but he was determined to be +fair, even to the extent of declaring the _Arcturus_ unit the winner, +should the decision be very close. He leaned forward to adjust the focus +on the scanner, bringing the drifting figure into a close-up view, and +then lifted the microphone to his lips. + +"Stand by, Corbett!" he called. "You're getting close to range." + +"Very well, sir," replied Tom. "Standing by." + +Behind Strong, Roger and Astro looked at each other and turned back to +the screen. As one, they crossed the fingers of both hands. + +"Ready, Corbett!" called Strong. "You'll be clocked from the second +you're on range. One hundred feet--seventy-five--fifty--twenty-five +--ten--_time_!" + +As the signal echoed in his blacked-out space helmet, Tom jerked his +body around in a sudden violent move, and grasping the valve of the jet +unit on his back, he opened it halfway. He waited, holding his breath, +expecting to hear Captain Strong correct his course. He counted to ten +slowly, and when no correction came over the headphones, he opened the +valve wide and blindly shot through space. + +Aboard the Polaris, Astro and Roger shouted with joy and Strong could +not repress a grin. The tiny figure on the scanner was hurtling straight +for the side of the _Polaris_! + +As the image grew larger and larger, anxious eyes swiveled back and +forth from the scanner screen to the steady sweeping hand of the +chronometer. Roger bit his lip nervously, and Astro's hands trembled. + +When Tom reached a point five hundred feet away from the ship, Strong +flipped open the audio circuit and issued his first order. + +"Range five hundred feet," he called. "Cut jets!" + +"You're already here, spaceboy!" yelled Roger into the mike, leaning +over Strong's shoulder. The captain silenced him with a glare. No one +could speak to the examinee but the testing officer. + +Tom closed the valve of his jet unit and blindly jerked himself around +again to drift feet first toward the ship. Strong watched this approach +closely, silently admiring the effortless way the cadet handled himself +in weightless space. When Tom was fifty feet away from the ship, and +still traveling quite fast, Strong gave the second order to break his +speed. Tom opened the valve again and felt the tug of the jets braking +his acceleration. He drifted slower and slower, and realizing that he +was close to the hull of the ship, he stretched his legs, striving to +make contact. Seconds later he felt a heavy thump at the soles of his +feet, and within the ship there was the muffled clank of metal boot +weights hitting the metal skin of the hull. + +"_Time!_" roared Strong and glanced at the astral chronometer over his +head. The boys crowded around as the Solar Guard captain quickly +computed Tom's score. "Nine minutes, fifty-one seconds, and two +corrections," he announced, unable to keep the pride out of his voice. + +"We win! We win!" roared Roger. "Term honors go to the _Polaris_!" + +Roger turned around and began pounding Astro on the chest, and the giant +Venusian picked him up and waltzed him around the deck. The three +members of the _Arcturus_ unit waited until the first flush of victory +died away and then crowded around the two boys to congratulate them. + +"Don't forget the cadet who did it," commented Strong dryly, and the +five cadets rushed below to the jet-boat deck to wait for Tom. + +When Tom emerged from the air lock a few moments later, Roger and Astro +swarmed all over him, and another wild dance began. Finally, shaking +free of his well-meaning but violent unit mates, he grinned and gasped, +"Well, from that reception, I guess I did it." + +"Spaceboy"--Roger smiled--"you made the _Arcturus_ unit look like three +old men in a washtub counting toes!" + +"Congratulations, Corbett," said Tony Richards of the _Arcturus_ crew, +offering his hand. "That was really fast maneuvering out there." + +"Thanks, Tony." Tom grinned, running his hand through his brown curly +hair. "But I have to admit I was a little scared. Wow! What a creepy +feeling to know you're out in space alone and not able to see anything." + +Their excitement was interrupted by Strong's voice over the ship's +intercom. "Stand by, all stations!" + +"Here we go!" shouted Roger. "Back to the Academy--and leave!" + +"_Yeeeeooooow!_" Astro's bull-like roar echoed through the ship as the +cadets hurried to their flight stations. + +As command cadet of the _Polaris_, Tom climbed up to the control deck, +and strapping himself into the command pilot's seat, prepared to get +under way. Astro, the power-deck cadet who could "take apart a rocket +engine and put it back together again with his thumbs," thundered below +to the atomic rockets he loved more than anything else in the universe. +Roger Manning, the third member of the famed _Polaris_ unit, raced up +the narrow ladder leading to the radar bridge to take command of +astrogation and communications. + +While Captain Strong and the members of the _Arcturus_ unit strapped +themselves into acceleration cushions, Tom conducted a routine check of +the many gauges on the great control panel before him. Satisfied, he +flipped open the intercom and called, "All stations, check in!" + +"Radar deck, aye!" drawled Roger's lazy voice. + +"Power deck, aye!" rumbled Astro. + +"Energize the cooling pumps!" ordered Tom. + +"Cooling pumps, aye!" + +The whine of the mighty pumps was suddenly heard, moaning eerily +throughout the ship. + +"Feed reactant!" + +The sharp hiss of fuel being forced into the rocket engines rose above +the whine of the pumps, and the ship trembled. + +"Stand by to blast," called Tom. "Standard space speed!" + +Instantly the _Polaris_ shot toward Earth in a long, curving arc. +Moments later, when the huge round ball of the mother planet loomed +large on the scanner screen, Roger's voice reported over the intercom, +"Academy spaceport control gives us approach orbit 074 for touchdown on +Ramp Twelve, Tom." + +"074 Ramp Twelve," repeated Tom. "Got it!" + +"Twelve!" roared Astro suddenly over the intercom. "Couldn't you make it +closer to the Academy than that, Manning? We'll have to walk two miles +to the nearest slidewalk!" + +"Too bad, Astro," retorted Roger, "but I guess if I had to carry around +as much useless muscle and bone as you do, I'd complain too!" + +"I'm just not as lucky as you, Manning," snapped Astro quickly. "I don't +have all that space gas to float me around." + +"Knock it off, fellows," interjected Tom firmly. "We're going into our +approach." + +Lying on his acceleration cushion, Strong looked over at Tony Richards +of the _Arcturus_ unit and winked. Richards winked and smiled back. +"They never stop, do they, sir?" + +"When they do," replied Strong, "I'll send all three of them to sick bay +for examination." + +"Two hundred thousand feet to Earth's surface," called Tom. "Stand by +for landing operations." + +As Tom adjusted the many controls on the complicated operations panel of +the ship, Roger and Astro followed his orders quickly and exactly. "Cut +main drive rockets and give me one-half thrust on forward braking +rockets!" ordered Tom, his eyes glued to the altimeter. + +The _Polaris_ shuddered under the sudden reverse in power, then began an +upward curve, nose pointing back toward space. Tom barked another +command. "Braking rockets full! Stand by main drive rockets!" + +The sleek ship began to settle tailfirst toward its destination--Space +Academy, U.S.A. + +In the heart of a great expanse of cleared land in the western part of +the North American continent, the cluster of buildings that marked Space +Academy gleamed brightly in the noon sun. Towering over the green grassy +quadrangle of the Academy was the magnificent Tower of Galileo, built of +pure Titan crystal which gleamed like a gigantic diamond. With smaller +buildings, including the study halls, the nucleonics laboratory, the +cadet dormitories, mess halls, recreation halls, all connected by +rolling slidewalks--and to the north, the vast area of the spaceport +with its blast-pitted ramps--the Academy was the goal of every boy in +the year A.D. 2353, the age of the conquest of space. + +Founded over a hundred years before, Space Academy trained the youth of +the Solar Alliance for service in the Solar Guard, the powerful force +created to protect the liberties of the planets. But from the beginning, +Academy standards were so high, requirements so strict, that not many +made it. Of the one thousand boys enrolled every year, it was expected +that only twenty-one of them would become officers, and of this group, +only seven would be command pilots. The great Solar Guard fleet that +patrolled the space lanes across the millions of miles between the +satellites and planets possessed the finest, yet most complicated, +equipment in the Alliance. To be an officer in the fleet required a +combination of skills and technical knowledge so demanding that eighty +per cent of the Solar Guard officers retired at the age of forty. + +High over the spaceport, the three cadets of the _Polaris_ unit, happy +over the prospect of a full month of freedom, concentrated on the task +of landing the great ship on the Academy spaceport. Watching the +teleceiver screen that gave him a view of the spaceport astern of the +ship, Tom called into the intercom, "One thousand feet to touchdown. Cut +braking rockets. Main drive full!" + +The thunderous blast of the rockets was his answer, building up into +roaring violence. Shuddering, the great cruiser eased to the ground foot +by foot, perfectly balanced on the fiery exhaust from her main tubes. + +Seconds later the giant shock absorbers crunched on the ramp and Tom +closed the master switch cutting all power. He glanced at the astral +chronometer over his head and then turned to speak into the audio log +recorder. "Rocket cruiser _Polaris_ completed space flight one-seven-six +at 1301." + +Captain Strong stepped up to Tom and clapped him on the shoulder. +"Secure the _Polaris_, Tom, and tell Astro to get the reactant pile from +the firing chamber ready for dumping when the hot-soup wagon gets here." +The Solar Guard officer referred to the lead-lined jet sled that removed +the reactant piles from all ships that were to be laid up for longer +than three days. "And you'd better get over to your dorm right away," +Strong continued. "You have to get ready for parade and full Corps +dismissal." + +Tom grinned. "Yes, sir!" + +"We're blasting off, sir," said Tony Richards, stepping forward with his +unit mates. "Congratulations again, Corbett. I still can't figure out +how you did it so quickly!" + +"Thanks, Tony," replied Tom graciously. "It was luck and the pressure of +good competition." + +Richards shook hands and then turned to Strong. "Do I have your +permission to leave the ship, sir?" he asked. + +"Permission granted," replied Strong. "And have a good leave." + +"Thank you, sir." + +The three _Arcturus_ cadets saluted and left the ship. A moment later +Roger and Astro joined Strong and Tom on the control deck. + +"Well," said Strong, "what nonsense have you three planned for your +leave? Try and see Liddy Tamal. I hear she's making a new stereo about +the Solar Guard. You might be hired as technical assistants." He smiled. +The famous actress was a favorite of the cadets. Strong waited. "Well, +is it a secret?" + +"It was your idea, Astro," said Roger. "Go ahead." + +"Yeah," said Tom. "You got us into this." + +"Well, sir," mumbled Astro, turning red with embarrassment, "we're going +to Venus." + +"What's so unusual about going to Venus?" asked Strong. + +"We're going hunting," replied Astro. + +"Hunting?" + +"Yes, sir," gulped the big Venusian. "For tyrannosaurus." + +Strong's jaw dropped and he sat down suddenly on the nearest +acceleration cushion. "I expected something a little strange from you +three whiz kids." He laughed. "It would be impossible for you to go home +and relax for a month. But this blasts me! Hunting for a tyrannosaurus! +What are you going to do with it after you catch it?" He paused and then +added, "If you do." + +"Eat it," said Astro simply. "Tyrannosaurus steak is delicious!" + +Strong doubled with laughter at the seriousness of Astro's expression. +The giant Venusian continued doggedly, "And besides, there's a bounty on +them. A thousand credits for every tyranno head brought in. They're +dangerous and destroy a lot of crops." + +Strong straightened up. "All right, all right! Go ahead! Have yourselves +a good time, but don't take any unnecessary chances. I like my cadets to +have all the arms and legs and heads they're supposed to have." He +paused and glanced at his watch. "You'd better get hopping. Astro, did +you get the pile ready for the soup wagon?" + +"Yes, sir!" + +"Very well, Tom, secure the ship." He came to attention. "Unit, +_stand--to_!" + +The three cadets stiffened and saluted sharply. + +"Unit dismissed!" + +Captain Strong turned and left the ship. + +Hurriedly, Tom, Roger, and Astro checked the great spaceship and fifteen +minutes later were racing out of the main air lock. Hitching a ride on a +jet sled to the nearest slidewalk, they were soon being whisked along +toward their quarters. Already, cadet units were standing around in +fresh blues waiting for the call for final dress parade. + +At exactly fifteen hundred, the entire Cadet Corps stepped off with +electronic precision for the final drill of the term. By threes, each +unit marching together, with the _Polaris_ unit walking behind the +standard bearers as honor unit, they passed the reviewing stand. Senior +officers of the Solar Guard, delegates from the Solar Alliance, and +staff officers of the Academy accepted their salute. Commander Walters +stood stiffly in front of the stand, his heart filled with pride as he +recognized the honor unit. He had almost washed out the _Polaris_ unit +in the beginning of their Academy training. + +Major Lou Connel, Senior Line Officer of the Solar Guard, stepped +forward when the cadets came to a stop and presented Tom, Roger, and +Astro with the emblem of their achievement, a small gold pin in the +shape of a rocket ship. He, too, had had his difficulties with the +_Polaris_ unit, and while he had never been heard to compliment anyone +on anything, expecting nothing but the best all the time, he +nevertheless congratulated them heartily as he gave them their hard-won +trophy. + +After several other awards had been presented, Commander Walters +addressed the Cadet Corps, concluding with "... each of you has had a +tough year. But when you come back in four weeks, you'll think this past +term has been a picnic. And remember, wherever you go, whatever you do, +you're Space Cadets! Act like one! But above all, have a good time! +Spaceman's luck!" + +A cadet stepped forward quickly, turned to face the line of cadets, and +held up his hands. He brought them down quickly and words of the Academy +song thundered from a thousand voices. + + "_From the rocket fields of the Academy + To the far-flung stars of outer space, + We're Space Cadets training to be + Ready for dangers we may face. + + Up in the sky, rocketing past, + Higher than high, faster than fast, + Out into space, into the sun, + Look at her go when we give her the gun. + + We are Space Cadets, and we are proud to say + Our fight for right will never cease. + Like a cosmic ray, we light the way + To interplanet peace!_" + +"_Dis_-missed!" roared Walters. Immediately the precise lines of cadets +turned into a howling mob of eager boys, everyone seemingly running in a +different direction. + +"Come on," said Roger. "I've got everything set! Let's get to the +station ahead of the mob." + +"But what about our gear?" said Tom. "We've got to get back to the +dorm." + +"I had it sent down to the station last night. I got the monorail +tickets to Atom City last week, and reserved seats on the _Venus Lark_ +two weeks ago! Come on!" + +"Only Roger could handle it so sweetly," sighed Astro. "You know, +hotshot, sometimes I think you're useful!" + +The three cadets turned and raced across the quadrangle for the nearest +slidewalk that would take them to the Academy monorail station and the +beginning of their adventure in the jungles of Venus. + +[Illustration] + + + + +CHAPTER 2 + + +"The situation may be serious and it may not, but I don't want to take +any chances." + +Commander Walters sat in his office, high up in the Tower of Galileo, +with department heads from the Academy and Solar Guard. Behind him, an +entire wall made of clear crystal offered a breath-taking view of the +Academy grounds. Before him, their faces showing their concern over a +report Walters had just read, Captain Strong, Major Connel, Dr. Joan +Dale, and Professor Sykes waited for the commanding officer of the +Academy to continue. + +"As you know," said Walters, "the resolution passed by the Council in +establishing the Solar Guard specifically states that it shall be the +duty of the Solar Guard to investigate and secure evidence for the Solar +Alliance Council of any acts by any person, or group of persons, +suspected of overt action against the Solar Constitution or the +Universal Bill of Rights. Now, based on the report I've just read to +you, I would like an opinion from each of you." + +"For what purpose, Commander?" asked Joan Dale, the young and pretty +astrophysicist. + +"To decide whether it would be advisable to have a full and open +investigation of this information from the Solar Guard attaché on +Venus." + +"Why waste time talking?" snapped Professor Sykes, the chief of the +nucleonics laboratory. "Let's investigate. That report sounds serious." + +Major Connel leveled a beady eye on the little gray-haired man. + +"Professor Sykes, an investigation is serious. When it is based on a +report like this one, it is doubly serious, and needs straight and +careful thinking. We don't want to hurt innocent people." + +Sykes shifted around in his chair and glared at the burly Solar Guard +officer. "Don't try to tell me anything about straight thinking, Connel. +I know more about the Solar Constitution and the rights of our citizens +than you'll know in ten thousand light years!" + +"Yeah?" roared Connel. "And with all your brains you'd probably find out +these people are nothing more than a harmless bunch of colonists out on +a picnic!" + +The professor shot out of his chair and waved an angry finger under +Connel's nose. "And that would be a lot more than I'm finding out right +now with that contraption of yours!" he shouted. + +Connel's face turned red. "So that's how you feel about my invention!" +he snapped. + +"Yes, that's the way I feel about your invention!" replied Sykes hotly. +"I know three cadets that could build that gadget in half the time it's +taken you just to figure out the theory!" + +Commander Walters, Captain Strong, and Joan Dale were fighting to keep +from laughing at the hot exchange between the two veteran spacemen. + +"They sound like the _Polaris_ unit," Joan whispered to Strong. + +Walters stood up. "Gentlemen! Please! We're here to discuss a report on +the activities of a secret organization on Venus. I will have to ask you +to keep to the subject at hand. Dr. Dale, do you have any comments on +the report?" He turned to the young physicist who was choking off a +laugh. + +"Well, Commander," she began, still smiling, "the report is rather +sketchy. I would like to see more information before any real decision +is made." + +Walters turned to Strong. "Steve?" + +"I think Joan has the right idea, sir," he replied. "While the report +indicates that a group of people on Venus are meeting regularly and +secretly, and wearing some silly uniform, I think we need more +information before ordering a full-scale investigation." + +"He's right, Commander," Connel broke in. "You just can't walk into an +outfit and demand a look at their records, books, and membership index, +unless you're pretty sure you'll find something." + +"Send a man from here," Strong suggested. "If you use anyone out of the +Venus office, he might be recognized." + +"Good idea," commented Sykes. + +Joan nodded. "Sounds reasonable." + +"How do you feel about it, Connel?" asked Walters. + +Connel, still furious over Sykes's comment on his spectrum recorder, +shot an angry glance at the professor. "I think it's fine," he said +bluntly. "Who're you going to send?" + +Walters paused before answering. He glanced at Strong and then back at +Connel. "What about yourself?" + +"Me?" + +"Why not?" continued Walters. "You know as much about Venus as anyone, +and you have a lot of friends there you can trust. Nose around a while, +see what you can learn, unofficially." + +"But what about my work on the spectrum recorder?" asked Connel. + +"That!" snorted Sykes derisively. "Huh, that can be completed any time +you want to listen to some plain facts about--" + +"I'll never listen to anything you have to say, you dried-up old neutron +chaser!" blasted Connel. + +"Of course not," cackled Sykes. "And it's the same bullheaded +stubbornness that'll keep you from finishing that recorder." + +"I'm sorry, gentlemen," said Walters firmly. "I cannot allow personal +discussions to interfere with the problem at hand. How about it, Connel? +Will you go to Venus?" + +Lou Connel was the oldest line officer in the Solar Guard, having +recommended the slightly younger Walters for the post of commandant of +Space Academy and the Solar Guard so that he himself could escape a desk +job and continue blasting through space where he had devoted his entire +life. While Walters had the authority to order him to accept the +assignment, Connel knew that if he begged off because of his work on the +recorder, Walters would understand and offer the assignment to Strong. +He paused and then growled, "When do I blast off?" + +Walters smiled and answered, "As soon as we contact Venus headquarters +and tell them to expect you." + +"Wouldn't it be better to let me go without any fanfare?" mused the +burly spaceman. "I could just take a ship and act as though I'm on some +kind of special detail. As a matter of fact, Higgleston at the Venusport +lab has some information I could use." + +"Anything Higgleston could tell you," interjected Sykes, "I can tell +you! You're just too stubborn to listen to me." + +Connel opened his mouth to blast the professor in return, but he caught +a sharp look from Walters and he clamped his lips together tightly. + +"I guess that's it, then," said Walters. "Anyone have any other ideas?" +He glanced around the room. "Joan? Steve?" + +Dr. Dale and Captain Strong shook their heads silently. Strong was +disappointed that he had not been given the assignment on Venus. Four +weeks at the deserted Academy would seem like living in a graveyard. +Walters sensed his feelings, and smiling, he said, "You've been going +like a hot rocket this past year, Steve. I have a specific assignment +for you." + +"Yes, sir!" Strong looked up eagerly. + +"I want you to go to the Sweet Water Lakes around New Chicago--" + +"Yes, sir?" + +"--go to my cabin--" + +"Sir?" + +"--_and go fishing_!" + +Strong grinned. "Thanks, skipper," he said quietly. "I guess I could use +a little relaxation. I was almost tempted to join Corbett, Manning, and +Astro. They're going hunting in the jungle belt of Venus for a +tyrannosaurus!" + +"Blast my jets!" roared Connel. "Those boys haven't killed themselves in +line of duty, so they go out and tangle with the biggest and most +dangerous monster in the entire solar system!" + +"Well," said Joan with a smile, "I'll put my money on Astro against a +tyranno any time, pound for pound!" + +"Hear, hear!" chimed in Sykes, and forgetting his argument with Connel, +he turned to the spaceman. "Say, Lou," he said, "when you get to Venus +tell Higgy I said to show you that magnetic ionoscope he's rigging up. +It might give you some ideas." + +"Thanks," replied Connel, also forgetting the hot exchange of a few +minutes before. He stood up. "I'll take the _Polaris_, Commander. She's +the fastest ship available with automatic controls for a solo hop." + +"She's been stripped of her reactant pile, Major," said Strong. "It'll +take a good eighteen hours to soup her up again." + +"I'll take care of it," said Connel. "Are there any specific orders, +Commander?" + +"Use your own judgment, Lou," said Walters. "You know what we want and +how far to go to get it. If you learn anything, we'll start a full-scale +investigation. If not, we'll forget the whole matter and no one will get +hurt." + +"And the Solar Guard won't get a reputation of being nosy," added +Strong. + +Connel nodded. "I'll take care of it." He shook hands all around, coming +to Sykes last. "Sorry I lost my temper, Professor," he said gruffly. + +"Forget it, Major." Sykes smiled. He really admired the gruff spaceman. + +The thick-set senior officer came to smart attention, saluted crisply, +turned, and left the office. For the time being, the mysterious trouble +on Venus was his responsibility. + + * * * * * + +"Atom City express leaving on Track Four!" + +A metallic voice boomed over the station loud-speaker, as last-minute +passengers boarded the long line of gleaming white monorail cars, +hanging from a single overhead steel rail. In the open doorway of one +of the end cars, a conductor lifted his arm, then paused and waited +patiently as three Space Cadets raced down the stairs and along the +platform in a headlong dash for the train. They piled inside, almost one +on top of the other. + +"Thanks for waiting, sir," gasped Tom Corbett. + +"Not at all, Cadet," said the conductor. "I couldn't let you waste your +leave waiting for another train." + +The elderly man flipped a switch in the narrow vestibule and the door +closed with a soft hiss of air. He inserted a light key into a near-by +socket and twisted it gently, completing a circuit that flashed the "go" +light in the engineer's cab. Almost immediately, the monorail train +eased forward, suspended on the overhead rail. By the time the last +building of Space Academy flashed past, the train was rolling along at +full speed on its dash across the plains to Atom City. + +The ride to the great metropolis of the North American continent was +filled with excitement and anticipation for the three members of the +_Polaris_ crew. The cars were crowded with cadets on leave, and while +there was a lot of joking and horseplay, the few civilian passengers +were impressed with the gentlemanly bearing of the young spacemen. Tom +and Roger finally settled down to read the latest magazines supplied by +the monorail company. But Astro headed for the dining car where he +attracted a great deal of attention by his order of a dozen eggs, +followed by two orders of waffles and a full quart of milk. Finally, +when the dining-car steward called a halt, because it was closing time, +Astro made his way back to Tom and Roger with a plastic bag of French +fried potatoes, and the three boys sat, munching them happily. The +countryside flashed by in a blur of summer color as the train roared on +at a speed of two hundred miles an hour. + +A few hours and four bags of potatoes later, Astro yawned and stretched +his enormous arms, nearly poking Roger in the eye. + +"Hey, ya big ape!" growled Roger. "Watch the eye!" + +"You'd never miss it, Manning," said Astro. "Just use your radar." + +"Never mind, I like this eye just the way it is." + +"We're almost there," called Tom. He pointed out the crystal window and +they could see the high peaks of the Rocky Mountain range looming ahead. +"We cut through the new tunnel in those mountains and we'll be in Atom +City in ten minutes!" + +There was a bustle of activity around them as other cadets roused +themselves and collected their gear. Once again conversation became +animated and excited as the train neared its destination. Flashing into +the tunnel, the line of cars began to slow down, rocking gently. + +"We'd better go right out to the spaceport," said Tom, pulling his gear +out of the recessed rack under his seat. "Our ship blasts off for Venus +in less than a half-hour." + +"Boy, it'll be a pleasure to ride a spaceship without having to +astrogate," said Roger. "I'll just sit back and take it easy. Hope there +are some good-looking space dolls aboard." + +Tom turned to Astro. "You know, Astro," he said seriously, "it's a good +thing we're along to take care of this Romeo. If he were alone, he'd +wind up in another kind of hunt." + +"I'd like to see how Manning's tactics work on a female dasypus +novemcinctur maximus," said Astro with a sly grin. + +"A female what?" yelled Roger. + +"A giant armadillo, Roger," Tom explained, laughing. "Very big and very +mean when they don't like you. Don't forget, everything on Venus grows +big because of the lighter gravity." + +"Yeah," drawled Roger, looking at Astro. "Big and dumb!" + +"What was that again?" bellowed the giant Venusian, reaching for the +flip cadet. The next moment, Roger was struggling futilely, feet kicking +wildly as Astro held him at arm's length six inches off the floor. The +cadets in the car roared with laughter. + +"Atom City!" a voice over the intercar communicator boomed and the boys +looked out the window to see the towering buildings of Atom City slowly +slide by. The train had scarcely reached a full stop when the three +cadets piled out of the door, raced up the slidestairs, and jumped into +a jet cab. Fifteen minutes later they marched up to one of the many +ticket counters of the Atom City Interplanetary Spaceport. + +"Reservations for Cadets Corbett, Manning, and Astro on the _Venus +Lark_, please," announced Tom. + +The girl behind the counter ran her finger down a passenger manifest, +nodded, and then suddenly frowned. She turned back to Tom and said, "I'm +sorry, Cadet, but your reservations have been pre-empted by a priority +listing." + +"Priority!" roared Roger. "But I made those reservations two weeks ago. +If there was a change, why didn't you tell us before?" + +"I'm sorry, sir," said the girl patiently, "but according to the +manifest, the priority call just came in a few hours ago. Someone +contacted Space Academy, but you had already left." + +"Well, is there another ship for Venusport today?" + +"Yes," she replied and picked up another manifest. Glancing at it +quickly, she shook her head. "There are no open reservations," she said. +"I'm afraid the next flight for Venusport with open reservations isn't +for four days." + +"Blast my jets!" growled Roger disgustedly. "Four days!" He sat down on +his gear and scowled. Astro leaned against the desk and stared gloomily +at the floor. At that moment a young man with a thin face and a strained +intense look pushed Tom to one side with a curt "Excuse me!" and stepped +up to the desk. + +"You're holding three reservations on the _Venus Lark_," he spoke +quickly. "Priority number four-seven-six, S.D." + +Tom, Roger, and Astro looked at him closely. They saw him nervously pay +for his tickets and then walk away quickly without another look at the +ticket girl. + +"Were those our seats, miss?" asked Tom. The girl nodded. + +The three cadets stared after the young man who had bumped them off +their ship. + +"The symbol S.D. on the priority stands for Solar Delegate," said Roger. +"Maybe he's a messenger." + +The young man was joined by two other men also dressed in Venusian +clothing, and after a few words, they all turned and stepped onto the +slidewalk rolling out to the giant passenger ship preparing to blast +off. + +"This is the most rocket-blasting bit of luck in the universe!" growled +Roger. "Four days!" + +"Cheer up, Roger," said Tom. "We can spend the four days in Atom City. +Maybe Liddy Tamal is here. We can follow Captain Strong's suggestion." + +"Even she doesn't make four days delay sound exciting," interrupted +Roger. "Come on. We might as well go back to town or we won't even get a +room." + +He picked up his gear and walked back to the jet cab-stand. Astro and +Tom followed the blond-haired cadet glumly. + +The stand was empty, but a jet cab was just pulling up to the platform +with a passenger. As the boys walked over to wait at the door, it opened +and a familiar figure in a black-and-gold uniform stepped out. + +"Captain Strong!" + +[Illustration] + +"Corbett!" exclaimed Strong. "What are you doing here? I thought you +were aboard the _Venus Lark_." + +"We were bumped out of our reservation by an S.D. priority," said Astro. + +"And we can't get out of here for another four days," added Roger +glumly. + +Strong sympathized. "That's rough, Astro." He looked at the three dour +faces and then said, "Would you consider getting a free ride to Venus?" + +The three cadets looked up hopefully. + +"Major Connel's taking the _Polaris_ to Venus to complete some work with +Professor Higgleston in the Venus lab," explained Strong. "If you can +get back to the Academy before he blasts off, he might give you a ride." + +"No, thanks!" said Roger. "I'd rather sit here." + +"Wait a minute, Roger," said Tom. "We're on leave, remember? And it's +only a short hop to Venus." + +"Yeah, hotshot," added Astro. "We'll get to Venus faster than the _Venus +Lark_, and save money besides." + +"O.K.," said Roger. "I guess I can take him for a little while." + +Strong suppressed a smile. Roger's reluctance to go with Connel was well +founded. Any cadet within hailing distance of the hard-bitten spaceman +was likely to wind up with a bookful of demerits. + +"Are you on an assignment, sir?" asked Tom. + +"Vacation," said Strong. "Four weeks of fishing at Commander Walters' +cabin at Sweet Water Lakes." + +"If you pass through New Chicago," said Tom, "you would be welcome to +stop in at my house. Mom and Dad would be mighty happy to meet you. And +I think Billy, my kid brother, would flip a rocket." + +"Thank you, Tom. I might do that if I have time." He looked at his +watch. "You three had better hurry. I'd advise taking a jetcopter back +to the Academy. You might not make it if you wait for a monorail." + +"We'll do that, sir," said Tom. + +The three boys threw their gear into the waiting cab and piled in. +Strong watched them roar away, frowning in thought. An S.D. priority, +the highest priority in space, was used only by special couriers on +important missions for one of the delegates. He shrugged it off. +"Getting to be as suspicious as an old space hen," he said to himself. +"Fishing is what I need. A good fight with a trout instead of a space +conspiracy!" + + + + +CHAPTER 3 + + +"Blast off--minus--five--four--three--two--one--_zero_!" + +As the main drive rockets blasted into life, Tom fell back in his seat +before the control panel of the _Polaris_ and felt the growing thrust as +the giant ship lifted off the ground, accelerating rapidly. He kept his +eyes on the teleceiver screen and saw Space Academy fall away behind +them. On the power deck Astro lay strapped in his acceleration cushion, +his outstretched hand on the emergency booster rocket switch should the +main rockets fail before the ship could reach the free fall of space. On +the radar bridge Roger watched the far-flung stars become brighter as +the rocket ship hurtled through the dulling layers of the atmosphere. + +As soon as the ship reached weightless space, Tom flipped on the gravity +generators and put the _Polaris_ on her course to Venus. Almost +immediately the intercom began to blast. + +"Now hear this!" Major Connel's voice roared. "Corbett, Manning, and +Astro! I don't want any of your space-blasted nonsense on this trip! Get +this ship to Venusport in the shortest possible time without burning out +the pump bearings. And, Manning--!" + +"Yes, sir," replied the blond-haired cadet. + +"If I so much as hear one wisecrack between you and that overgrown +rocket jockey, Astro, I'll log both of you twenty-five demerits!" + +"I understand, sir," acknowledged Roger lazily. "I rather appreciate +your relieving me of the necessity of speaking to that space ape!" + +Listening to their voices on the control deck, Tom grinned and waited +expectantly. He wasn't disappointed. + +"Ape!" came a bull-like roar from the power deck. "Why, you skinny +moth-eaten piece of space junk--" + +"Cadet Astro!" + +"Yes, sir?" Astro was suddenly meek. + +"If you say one more word, I'll bury you in demerits!" + +"But, sir--" + +"No _buts_!" roared Connel. "And you, Manning--!" + +"Yes, sir?" chimed in Roger innocently. + +"Keep your mouth shut!" + +"Very well, sir," said Roger. + +"Corbett?" + +"Yes, sir?" + +"I'm putting you in charge of monitoring the intercom. If those two +space idiots start jabbering again, call me. That's an order! I'll be in +my quarters working." Connel switched off abruptly. + +"You hear that, fellows?" said Tom. "Knock it off." + +"O.K., Tom," replied Roger, "just keep him out of my sight." + +"That goes for me, too," added Astro. "Ape! Just wait till I--" + +"Astro!" Tom interrupted sharply. + +"O.K., O.K.," groaned the big cadet. + +Glancing over the panel once more and satisfying himself that the ship +was functioning smoothly, Tom sighed and settled back in his seat, +enjoying the temporary peace and solitude. It had been a tough year, +filled with intensive study in the quest for an officer's commission in +the Solar Guard. Space Academy was the finest school in the world, but +it was also the toughest. The young cadet shook his head, remembering a +six-weeks' grind he, Roger, and Astro had gone through on a nuclear +project. Knowing how to operate an atomic rocket motor was one thing, +but understanding what went on inside the reactant pile was something +else entirely. Never had the three cadets worked harder, or more closely +together. 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. + +As the ship rocketed smoothly through the airless void of space toward +the misty planet of Venus, Tom made another quick but thorough check of +the panel, and then returned to his reflections on the past term. It had +been particularly difficult since they had missed many valuable hours of +classroom work and study because of their adventure on the new colony of +Roald (as described in _The Space Pioneers_), but they had come through +somehow. He shook his head wondering how they had made it. Forty-two +units had washed out during the term. Instead of getting easier, the +courses of study were getting more difficult all the time, and in his +speech on the parade grounds, Commander Walters had promised-- + +"Emergency!" + +Roger's voice over the intercom brought Tom out of his reverie sharply. + +"All hands," continued the cadet on the radar bridge hurriedly, "secure +your stations and get to the jet-boat deck on the double! Emergency!" + +As the sharp clang of the emergency alarm rang out, Tom did not stop to +question Roger's sudden order. Neutralizing all controls, he leaped for +the hatch leading below. Taking the ladder four steps at a time, Tom saw +Major Connel tear out of his quarters. The elder spaceman dived for the +ladder himself, not stopping to ask questions. He was automatic in his +reliance on the judgment of others. The few seconds spent in talk could +mean the difference between life and death in space where you seldom got +a second chance. + +Tom and Connel arrived on the jet-boat deck to find Astro already +preparing the small space craft for launching. As they struggled into +space suits, Roger appeared. In answer to their questioning looks, he +explained laconically, "Unidentifiable object attached to ship on fin +parallel to steering vanes. Thought we'd better go outside first and +examine later." + +Connel nodded his mute agreement, and thirty seconds later the tiny jet +boat was blasting out of the escape lock into space. + +Circling around the ship to the stern, the jet boat, under Major +Connel's sure touch, stopped fifty feet from the still glowing, exhaust +tubes. He and the three cadets stared out at a small metallic boxlike +object attached to the underside of the stabilizer fin. + +"What do you suppose it is?" asked Astro. + +"I don't know," replied Roger, "but it sure doesn't belong there. That's +why I rang the emergency on you." + +"You were absolutely right, Manning," asserted Connel. "If it's +harmless, we can always get back aboard and nothing's been lost except a +little time." He rose from the pilot's seat and stepped toward the +hatch. "Come with me, Corbett. We'll have a look. And bring the +radiation counter along." + +"Aye, aye, sir!" + +Tom reached into a near-by locker, and pulling out a small, rectangular +box with a round hornlike grid in its face, plunged out of the hatch +with Major Connel and blasted across the fifty-foot gap to the +stabilizer fin of the _Polaris_. + +Connel gestured toward the object on the fin. "See if she's hot, +Corbett." + +The young cadet pressed a small button on the counter and turned the +horn toward the mysterious box. Immediately the needle on the dial above +the horn jumped from white to pink and finally red, quivering against +the stop pin. + +"Hot!" exclaimed Tom. "She almost kicked the pin off!" + +"Get off the ship!" roared Connel. "It's a fission bomb with a time +fuse!" + +Tom dove at the box and tried to pull it off the stabilizer, but Major +Connel grabbed him by the arm and wrenched him out into space. + +"You space-blasted idiot!" Connel growled. "That thing's liable to go +off any second! Get away from here!" + +With a mighty shove, the spaceman sent Tom flying out toward the jet +boat and then jumped to safety himself. Within seconds he and the young +cadet were aboard the jet boat again and, not stopping to answer Astro's +or Roger's questions, he jammed his foot down hard on the acceleration +lever, sending the tiny ship blasting away from the _Polaris_. + +Not until they were two miles away from the stricken rocket ship did +Connel bring the craft to a stop. He turned and gazed helplessly at the +gleaming hull of the _Polaris_. + +"So they know," he said bitterly. "They're trying to stop me from even +reaching Venus." + +The three cadets looked at each other and then at the burly spaceman, +bewilderment in their eyes. + +"What's this all about, sir?" Roger finally asked. + +"I'm not at liberty to tell you, Manning," replied Connel. "Though I +want to thank you for your quick thinking. How did you happen to +discover the bomb?" + +"I was sighting on Regulus for a position check and Regulus was dead +astern, so when I swung the periscope scanner around, I spotted that +thing stuck to the fin. I didn't bother to think about it, I just +yelled." + +[Illustration] + +"Glad you did," nodded Connel and turned to stare at the _Polaris_ +again. "Now I'm afraid we'll just have to wait until that bomb goes +off." + +"Isn't there anything we can do?" asked Tom. + +"Not a blasted thing," replied Connel grimly. "Thank the universe we +shut off all power. If that baby had blown while the reactant was +feeding into the firing chambers, we'd have wound up a big splash of +nothing." + +"This way," commented Astro sourly, "it'll just blast a hole in the side +of the ship." + +"We might be able to repair that," said Tom hopefully. + +"There she goes!" shouted Roger. + +[Illustration] + +Staring out the windshield, they saw a sudden blinding flash of light +appear over the stern section of the _Polaris_, a white-hot blaze of +incandescence that made them flinch and crouch back. + +"By the craters of Luna!" exclaimed Connel. + +Before their eyes they saw the stabilizer fin melt and curl under the +intense heat of the bomb. There was no sound or shock wave in the vacuum +of space, but they all shuddered as though an overwhelming force had +swept over them. Within seconds the flash was gone and the _Polaris_ was +drifting in the cold blackness of space! The only outward damage visible +was the twisted stabilizer, but the boys realized that she must be a +shambles within. + +"I guess we'll have to wait a while before we go back aboard. There +might be radioactivity around the hull," Roger remarked. + +"I don't think so," said Tom. "The _Polaris_ was still coasting when we +left her. We cut out the drive rockets, but we didn't brake her. She's +probably drifted away from the radioactivity already." + +"Corbett's right," said Connel. "A hot cloud would be a hundred miles +away by now." He pressed down on the acceleration lever and the jet boat +eased toward the ship. Edging cautiously toward the stern of the +spaceship, they saw the blasted section of the fin already cooling in +the intense cold of outer space. + +"Think I'd better call a Solar Guard patrol ship, sir?" asked Roger. + +"Let's wait until we check the damage, Manning," replied Connel. + +"Yeah," chimed in Astro grimly, "if I can help it, I'm going to bring +the _Polaris_ in." He paused and then added, "If I have to carry her on +my back." + +As soon as a quick check with the radiation counter showed them that the +hull was free of radioactivity, Major Connel and the three cadets +re-entered the ship. + +While the lack of atmosphere outside had dissipated the full force of +the blast, the effect on the inside of the ship, where Earth's air +pressure was maintained, was devastating. Whole banks of delicate +machinery were torn from the walls and scattered over the decks. The +precision instruments of the inner hull showed no signs of leakage, and +the oxygen-circulating machinery could still function on an auxiliary +power hookup. + +Completing the quick survey of the ship, Major Connel realized that they +would never be able to continue their flight to Venus and instructed +Roger to contact the nearest Solar Guard patrol ship to pick them up. + +"The _Polaris_ will have to be left in space," continued Connel, "and a +maintenance crew will be sent out to see if she can be repaired. If they +decide it isn't worth the labor, they'll junk her here in space." + +The faces of the three cadets fell. + +"But there's no real damage on her power deck, sir," said Astro. "And +the hull is in good shape, except for the stabilizer fin and some of the +stern plates. Why, sometimes a green Earthworm unit will crack a fin on +their first touchdown." + +"And the radar deck can be patched up easy, sir," spoke up Roger. "With +some new tubes and a few rolls of wire I could have her back in shape in +no time." + +"That goes for the control deck, too!" said Tom doggedly. Then, after a +quick glance at his unit mates, he faced Connel squarely. "I think it +goes without saying, sir, that we'd appreciate it very much if you could +recommend that she be restored instead of junked." + +Connel allowed himself a smile in the face of such obvious love for the +ship. "You forget that to repair her out in space, the parts have to be +hauled from Venus. But I'll see what I can do. Meantime, Roger, see if +you can't get that patrol ship to give us a lift to Venusport. Tell the +C.O. I'm aboard and on urgent official business." + +"Yes, sir," said Roger. + +"And," continued the spaceman, noticing the downcast looks of Tom and +Astro, "it wouldn't hurt if you two started repairing as much as you +can. So when the maintenance crew arrives, they won't find her in such a +mess." + +"Yes, sir!" chorused the two cadets happily. + +Connel returned to his quarters and sat down heavily in the remains of +his bunk, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. Somehow, word had gotten out +that he was going to check on the secret organization on Venus and +someone had made a bold and desperate attempt to stop him before he +could get started. It infuriated him to think that anyone would +interrupt official business. As far as Connel was concerned, nothing +came before official business. And he was doubly furious at the danger +to the three cadets, who had innocently hitched a ride on what was +almost a death ship. Someone was going to pay, Connel vowed, clenching +his huge fists--and pay dearly. + +[Illustration] + + + + +CHAPTER 4 + + +"_Yeeooowww!_" + +Roaring with jubilation and jumping high in the air at every other step, +Astro raced out of the gigantic maintenance hangar at the Venusport +spaceport and charged at his two unit mates waiting on the concrete +apron. + +"Everything's O.K.," he yelled, throwing his arms around them. "The +_Polaris_ is going to be brought in for full repairs! I just saw the +audiograph report from the maintenance chief!" + +Tom and Roger broke into loud cheers and pounded each other on the back. + +"Great Jupiter," gasped Roger, "I feel as though I've been sitting up +with a sick friend!" + +"Your friend's going to make a full recovery," asserted Astro. + +"Did you see Major Connel?" asked Tom. + +"Yeah," said Astro. "I think he had a lot to do with it. I saw him +talking to the head maintenance officer." + +"Well, now that we've sweated the old girl through the crisis," asserted +Roger, "how's about us concentrating on our vacation?" + +"Great," agreed Tom. "This is your party, Astro. Lead the way." + +The three cadets left the spaceport in a jet cab and rode happily into +the city of Venusport. As they slid along the superhighway toward the +first and largest of the Venusian cities, Astro pointed out the sights. +Like slim fingers of glass, the towering Titan crystal buildings of the +city arose before them, reaching above the misty atmosphere to catch the +sunlight. + +"Where do we get our safari gear, Astro?" asked Roger. + +"In the secondhand shops along Spaceman's Row," replied the big +Venusian. "We can get good equipment down there at half the price." + +The cab turned abruptly off the main highway and began twisting through +a section of the city shunned by the average Venusian citizen. +Spaceman's Row had a long and unsavory history. For ten square blocks it +was the hide-out and refuge of the underworld of space. The grimy stores +and shadowy buildings supplied the needs of the countless shadowy +figures who lived beyond the law and moved as silently as ghosts. + +Leaving the jet cab, the three cadets walked along the streets, past the +cheaply decorated store fronts and dingy hallways, until they finally +came to a corner shop showing the universal symbol of the pawnshop: +three golden balls. Tom and Roger looked at Astro who nodded, and they +stepped inside. + +The interior of the shop was filthy. Rusted and worn space gear was +piled in heaps along the walls and on dusty counters. An old-fashioned +multiple neon light fixture cast an eerie blue glow over everything. +Roger grimaced as he looked around. "Are you sure we're in the right +place, Astro?" + +Tom winked. Roger had a reputation for being fastidious. + +"This is it," nodded Astro. "I know the old geezer that runs this +place. Nice guy. Name's Spike." He turned to the back of the shop and +bawled, "Hey, Spike! Customers!" + +Out of the gloomy darkness a figure emerged slowly. "Yeah?" The man +stepped out into the pale light. He dragged one foot as he walked. +"Whaddaya want?" + +Astro looked puzzled. "Where's Spike?" he asked. "Doesn't Spike Freyer +own this place?" + +"He died a couple months ago. I bought him out just before." The +crippled man eyed the three cadets warily. "Wanna buy something?" + +Astro looked shocked. "Spike, dead? What happened?" + +"How should I know," snarled the little man. "I bought him out and he +died a few weeks later. Now, you wanna buy something or not?" + +"We're looking for jungle gear," said Tom, puzzled by the man's strange +belligerence. + +"Jungle gear?" the man's eyes widened. "Going hunting?" + +"Yeah," supplied Roger. "We need complete outfits for three. But you +don't look like you have them. Let's go, fellas." He turned toward the +door, anxious to get out into the open air. + +"Just a minute! Just a minute, Cadet," said the proprietor eagerly. +"I've got some fine hunting gear here! A little used, but you won't mind +that! Save you at least half on anything you'd buy up in the city." He +started toward the back of the store and then paused. "Where you going +hunting?" + +"Why?" asked Tom. + +"So I'll know what kind of gear you need. Light--heavy--kind of guns--" + +"Jungle belt in the Eastern Hemisphere," supplied Astro. + +"Big game?" asked the man. + +"Yeah. Tyrannosaurus." + +"Tyranno, eh?" nodded the little man. "Well, now, you'll need heavy +stuff for that. I'd say at least three heavy-duty paralo-ray pistols for +side arms, and three shock rifles. Then you'll need camping equipment, +synthetics, and all the rest." He counted the items off on grubby little +fingers. + +"Let's take a look at the blasters," said Tom. + +[Illustration] + +"Right this way," said the man. He turned and limped to the rear of the +shop, followed by the three cadets. Opening a large cabinet, he pulled +out a heavy rifle, a shock gun that could knock out any living thing at +a range of a thousand yards, and stun the largest animal at twice the +distance. + +"This blaster will knock the scales off any tyranno that you hit," he +said, handing the weapon over to Tom who expertly broke it down and +examined it. + +As Tom checked the gun, the proprietor turned to the other cadets +casually. + +"Why would three cadets want to go into that section of the jungle +belt?" + +"We just told you," said Roger. "We're hunting tyranno." + +"Uh, yes, of course." He turned away and pulled three heavy-duty +paralo-ray pistols out of the cabinet. "Now these ray guns are the +finest money can buy. Standard Solar Guard equipment...." + +"Where did you get them?" demanded Roger sharply. + +"Well, you know how it is, Cadet." The man laughed. "One way or another, +we get a lot of gear. A man is discharged from the Solar Guard and he +can keep his equipment, then he gets hard up for a few credits and so he +comes to me." + +Tom closed the shock rifle and turned to Astro. "This gun is clean +enough. Think it can stop a tyranno, Astro?" + +"Sure," said the big cadet confidently. "Easy." + +"O.K.," announced Tom, turning back to the proprietor. "Give us the rest +of the stuff." + +"And watch your addition when you make out the bill," said Roger +blandly. "We can add, too." + +A half-hour later the three cadets stood in front of the shop with all +the gear they would need and hailed a jet cab. They stowed their newly +purchased equipment inside and started to climb in as Astro announced, +"Spaceport, driver!" + +"Huh?" Roger paused. "Why back there?" + +"How do you think we're going to get to the jungle belt?" asked Astro. +"Walk?" + +"Well, no, but--" + +"We have to rent a jet launch," said Astro. "Or try to buy a used one +that we can sell back again. Pile in, now!" + +As the cab shot away from the curb with the three cadets, the proprietor +of the pawnshop stepped out of the doorway and watched it disappear, a +puzzled frown on his face. Quickly he re-entered the shop, and limping +to a small locker in the rear, opened it, exposing the screen of a +teleceiver. He flipped on the switch, tuned it carefully, and in a +moment the screen glowed to life. + +"Hello, this is the shop," called the little man. "Lemme speak to Lactu! +This is urgent!" As he waited he stared out through the dirty window to +the street where the cadets had been a moment before and he smiled +thinly. + + * * * * * + +Arriving at the spaceport, Astro led his unit mates to a privately owned +repair hangar and dry dock where wealthier Venusian citizens kept their +space yachts, jet-powered craft, and small runabouts. Astro opened the +door to the office with a bang, and a young girl, operating an automatic +typewriter, looked up. + +"Astro!" she cried. "How wonderful to see you!" + +"Hiya, Agnes," replied Astro shyly. The big cadet was well known and +liked at the repair hangar. His early life had been spent in and around +the spaceport. First just listening to the stories of the older spacemen +and running errands for them, then lending a helping hand wherever he +could, and finally becoming a rigger and mechanic. This all preceded his +years as an enlisted spaceman and his eventual appointment to Space +Academy. His big heart and honesty, his wild enthusiasm for any kind of +rocket power had won him many friends. + +"Is Mr. Keene around?" asked Astro. + +"He's with a customer right now," replied Agnes. "He'll be out in a +minute." Her eyes swept past Astro to Tom and Roger who were standing in +the doorway. "Who are your friends?" + +"Oh, excuse me!" mumbled Astro. "These are my unit mates, Cadet Corbett +and Cadet Manning." + +Before Tom could acknowledge the introduction, Roger stepped in front of +him and sat on the edge of the desk. Looking into her eyes, he +announced, "Tell you what, Astro, you and Tom go hunting. I've found all +I could ever want to find right here. Tell me, my little space pet, are +you engaged for dinner tonight?" + +Agnes looked back into his eyes innocently. "As a matter of fact I am." +Then, grinning mischievously, she added, "But don't let that stop you." + +"I wouldn't let a tyranno stop me," bragged the blond-haired cadet. +"Tell me who your previous engagement is with and I'll get rid of him in +nothing flat!" + +The girl giggled and looked past Roger. He turned to see a tall, solidly +built man in coveralls scowling at him. + +"Friend of yours, Agnes?" the newcomer asked. + +"Friend of Astro's, Roy," said Agnes. "Cadet Manning, I'd like you to +meet my brother, Roy Keene." + +Roger jumped up and stuck out his hand. "Oh--er--ah--how do you do, +sir?" + +"Quite well, Cadet," replied Keene gruffly, but with a slight twinkle in +his eye. He turned to Astro and gripped the big cadet's hand solidly. +"Well, Astro, it's good to see you. How's everything going at Space +Academy?" + +"Swell, sir," replied Astro, and after introducing Tom and bringing +Keene up to date on his life history, he explained the purpose of their +visit. "We're on summer leave, sir, and we'd like to go hunting +tyrannosaurus. But what we need most right now is a jet boat. We'd like +to rent one, or if you've got something cheap, we'd buy it." + +Keene rubbed his chin. "I'm afraid I can't help you, Astro. There's +nothing available in the shop right now. I'd lend you my Beetle, but one +of the boys has it out on a three-day repair job." + +Astro's face fell. "Oh, that's too bad." He turned to Tom and Roger. +"Well, we could drop in from a stratosphere cruiser and then work our +way back to the nearest colony in three or four weeks." + +"Wait a minute!" exclaimed Keene. "I've got an idea." He turned and +called to a man standing on the other side of the hangar, studying a +radar scanner for private yachts. "Hey, Rex, mind coming over here a +minute." + +The man walked over. He was in his late thirties, tall and +broad-shouldered, his hair was almost snow-white, contrasting sharply +with his deeply tanned and handsome features. + +"This is the _Polaris_ unit from Space Academy, Rex," said Keene. "Boys, +meet Rex Sinclair." After the introductions were completed, Keene +explained the cadets' situation. Sinclair broke into a smile. "It would +be a pleasure to have you three boys as my guests!" + +"Guests!" exclaimed Tom. + +Sinclair nodded. "I have a plantation right on the edge of the jungle +belt. Things get pretty dull down there in the middle of the summer. I'd +be honored if you'd use my home as a base of operations while you hunt +for your tyrannosaurus. As a matter of fact, you'd be helping me out. +Those brutes destroy a lot of my crops and we have to go after them +every three or four years." + +"Well, thanks," said Tom, "but we wouldn't want to impose. We'd be happy +to pay you--" + +Sinclair held up his hand. "Wouldn't think of it. Do you have your +gear?" + +"Yes, sir," replied Astro. "Arms, synthetics, the works. Everything but +transportation." + +"Well, that's sitting out on the spaceport. That black space yacht on +Ramp Three." Sinclair smiled. "Get your gear aboard and make yourselves +at home. I'll be ready to blast off in half an hour." + +Astro turned to Keene. "Thanks a lot, sir. It was swell of you to set us +up this way." + +Keene slapped him on the shoulder. "Go on. Have a good time." + +Shaking hands all around and saying quick good-bys, the three boys +hurried out to stow their gear aboard Sinclair's luxurious space yacht. +While Roger and Tom relaxed in the comfortable main cabin, Astro hurried +below to inspect the power deck. + +Roger laughed as the big cadet disappeared down the hatch. "That guy +would rather play with a rocket tube than do anything else in the +universe!" + +"Yes," said Tom. "He's a real lucky guy." + +"How?" + +"Ever meet anyone that didn't love that big hick?" + +"Nope," said Roger with a sly grin. "And that goes for me too! But don't +you ever tell him!" + + * * * * * + +Major Connel had been waiting to see the Solar Alliance Delegate from +Venus for three hours. And Major Connel didn't like to wait for anyone +or anything. He had read every magazine in the lavish outer office atop +the Solar Guard Building in downtown Venusport, drunk ten glasses of +water, and was now wearing a path in the rug as he paced back and forth +in front of the secretary who watched him shyly. + +The buzzer on the desk finally broke the silence and the girl answered +quickly as Connel stopped and glared at her expectantly. She listened +for a second, then replacing the receiver, turned to the seething Solar +Guard officer and smiled sweetly. "Delegate James will see you now, +Major." + +"Thank you," said Connel gruffly, trying hard not to take his impatience +out on the pretty girl. He stepped toward an apparently solid wall that +suddenly slid back as he passed a light beam and entered the spacious +office of E. Philips James, Venusian Delegate to the Grand Council of +the Solar Alliance. + +E. Philips James was a small man, with small hands that were moving +nervously all the time. His head was a little too large for his narrow +body that was clothed in the latest fashion, and his tiny black mustache +was carefully trimmed. As Connel stalked into the room, James bounced +out of his chair to meet him, smiling warmly. + +"Major Connel! How delightful to see you again," he said, extending a +perfumed hand. + +"You could have seen me a lot sooner," growled Connel. "I've been +sitting outside for over three hours!" + +James lifted one eyebrow and sat down without making any comment. A true +diplomat, E. Philips James never said anything unless it was absolutely +necessary. And when he spoke, he never really said very much. He sat +back and waited patiently for Connel to cool off and get to the point of +his call. + +In typical fashion, Connel jumped to it without any idle conversational +prologue. "I'm here on a security assignment. I need confidential +information." + +"Just one moment, Major," said James. He flipped open his desk intercom +and called to his secretary outside. "Record this conversation, please." + +"Record!" roared Connel. "I just told you this was secret!" + +"It will be secret, Major," assured James softly. "The record will go +into the confidential files of the Alliance for future reference. A +precaution, Major. Standard procedure. Please go on." + +Connel hesitated, and then, shrugging his shoulders, continued, "I want +to know everything you know about an organization here on Venus known as +the Venusian Nationalists." + +James's expression changed slightly. "Specific information, Major? Or +just random bits of gossip?" + +"No rocket wash, Mr. James. Information. Everything you know!" + +"I don't know why you've come to me," replied James, visibly annoyed at +the directness of the rough spaceman. "I know really very little." + +"I'm working under direct orders of Commander Walters," said Connel +grimly, "who is also a delegate to the Solar Council. His position as +head of the Solar Guard is equal to yours in every respect. This request +comes from his office, not out of my personal curiosity." + +"Ah, yes, of course, Major," replied James. "Of course." + +The delegate rose and walked over to the window, seemingly trying to +collect his thoughts. After a moment he turned back. "Major, the +organization you speak of is, so far as I know, an innocent group of +Venusian farmers and frontier people who meet regularly to exchange +information about crops, prices, and the latest farming methods. You +see, Major"--James's voice took on a slightly singsong tone, as though +he were making a speech--"Venus is a young planet, a vast new world, +with Venusport the only large metropolis and cultural center. Out in +the wilderness, there are great tracts of cultivated land that supply +food to the planets of the Solar Alliance and her satellites. We are +becoming the breadbasket of the universe, you might say." James smiled +at Connel, who did not return the smile. + +"Great distances separate these plantations," continued James. "Life is +hard and lonely for the Venusian plantation owner. The Venusian +Nationalists are, to my knowledge, no more than a group of landowners +who have gotten together and formed a club, a fraternity. It's true they +speak the Venusian dialect, these groups have taken names from the old +Venusian explorers, but I hardly think it is worth while investigating." + +"Do they have a headquarters?" Connel asked. "A central meeting place?" + +"So far as I know, they don't. But Al Sharkey, the owner of the largest +plantation on Venus, is the president of the organization. He's a very +amiable fellow. Why don't you talk to him?" + +"Al Sharkey, eh?" Connel made a mental note of the name. + +"And there's Rex Sinclair, a rather stubborn individualist who wrote to +me recently complaining that he was being pressured into joining the +organization." + +"What kind of pressure?" asked Connel sharply. + +James held up his hand. "Don't get me wrong, Major. There was no +violence." The delegate suddenly became very businesslike. "I'm afraid +that's all the information I can give you, Major." He offered his hand. +"So nice to see you again. Please don't hesitate to call on me again for +any assistance you feel we can give you." + +"Thank you, Mr. James," said Connel gruffly and left the office, a frown +creasing his forehead. Being a straightforward person himself, Major +Connel could not understand why anyone would hesitate about answering a +direct question. He didn't for a moment consider the delegate anything +but an intelligent man. It was the rocket wash that went with being a +diplomat that annoyed the ramrod spaceman. He shrugged it off. Perhaps +he would find out something from Al Sharkey or the other plantation +owner, Rex Sinclair. + +When he crossed the slidewalk and waited at the curb for a jet cab, +Connel suddenly paused and looked around. He felt a strange excitement +in the air--a kind of tension. The faces of passing pedestrians seemed +strained, intense, their eyes were glowing, as though they all were in +on some huge secret. He saw groups of men and women sitting in open +sidewalk cafés, leaning over the table to talk to each other, their +voices low and guarded. Connel shivered. He didn't like it. Something +was happening on Venus and he had to find out what it was before it was +too late. + +[Illustration] + + + + +CHAPTER 5 + + +"Wow!" exclaimed Roger. + +"Jumping Jupiter!" commented Tom. + +"Blast my jets!" roared Astro. + +Rex Sinclair smiled as he maneuvered the sleek black space yacht in a +tight circle a thousand feet above the Titan crystal roof of his +luxurious home in the heart of the wild Venusian jungle. + +"She's built out of Venusian teak," said Sinclair. "Everything but the +roof. I wanted to keep the feeling of the jungle around me, so I used +the trees right out of the jungle there." He pointed to the sea of dense +tropical growth that surrounded the house and cleared land. + +The ship nosed up for a thousand yards and then eased back, smoothly +braked, to a concrete ramp a thousand yards from the house. The +touchdown was as gentle as a falling leaf, and when Sinclair opened the +air lock, a tall man in worn but clean fatigues was waiting for them. + +"Howdy, Mr. Sinclair," he called, a smile on his lined, weather-beaten +face. "Have a good trip?" + +"Fine trip, George," replied Sinclair, climbing out of the ship. "I want +you to meet some friends of mine. Space Cadets Tom Corbett, Roger +Manning, and Astro. They're going to stay with us during their summer +leave while they hunt for tyranno. Boys, this is my foreman, George +Hill." + +The boys shook hands with the thick-set, muscular man, who smiled +broadly. "Glad to meet you, boys. Always wanted to talk to someone from +the Academy. Wanted to go there myself but couldn't pass the physical. +Bad eyes." + +Reaching into the ship, he began lifting out their equipment. "You chaps +go on up to the house now," he said. "I'll take care of your gear." + +With Sinclair leading the way, the boys slowly walked up a flagstone +path toward the house, and they had their first chance to see a Venusian +plantation home at close range. + +The Sinclair house stood in the middle of a clearing more than five +thousand yards square. At the edges, like a solid wall of green +vegetation, the Venusian jungle rose more than two hundred feet. It was +noon and the heat was stifling. They were twenty-six million miles +closer to the sun, and on the equator of the misty planet. While Astro, +George, and Sinclair didn't seem to mind the temperature, Tom and Roger +were finding it unbearable. + +"Can you imagine what it'll be like in the house with that crystal +roof!" whispered Roger. + +"I'll bet," replied Tom. "But as soon as the sun drops out of the +zenith, it should cool off some." + +When the group stepped up onto the porch, two house servants met them +and took their gear. Then Sinclair and the foreman ushered the cadets +inside. They were surprised to feel a distinct drop in temperature. + +"Your cooling unit must be pretty large, Mr. Sinclair," commented Tom, +looking up at the crystal roof where the sun was clearly visible. + +Sinclair smiled. "That's special crystal, mined on Titan at a depth of +ten thousand feet. It's tinted, and shuts out the heat and glare of the +sun." + +George then left to lay out their gear for their first hunt the next +morning, and Sinclair took them on a tour of the house. They walked +through long corridors looking into all the rooms, eventually winding up +in the kitchen, and the three boys marveled at the simplicity yet +absolute perfection of the place. Every modern convenience was at hand +for the occupant's comfort. When the sun had dropped a little, they all +put on sunglasses with glareproof eye shields and walked around the +plantation. Sinclair showed them his prize-winning stock and the vast +fields of crops. Aside from the main house, there were only four other +buildings in the clearing. They visited the smallest, a cowshed. + +"Where do your field hands live, Mr. Sinclair?" asked Tom, as they +walked through the modern, spotless, milking room. + +"I don't have any," replied the planter. "Do most of the work with +machinery, and George and the houseboys do what has to be done by hand." + +As they left the shed and started back toward the main house they came +abreast of a small wooden structure. Thinking they were headed there, +Roger started to open the door. + +"Close that door!" snapped Sinclair. Roger jerked back. Astro and Tom +looked at the planter, startled by the sharpness in his voice. + +Sinclair smiled and explained, "We keep some experiments on different +kinds of plants in there at special low temperatures. You might have let +in hot air and ruined something." + +"I'm sorry, sir," said Roger. "I didn't know." + +"Forget it," replied the planter. "Well, let's get back to the house. +We're having an early dinner. You boys have to get started at four +o'clock in the morning." + +"Four o'clock!" exclaimed Roger. + +"Why?" asked Tom. + +"We have to go deep into the thicket," Astro explained, using the local +term for the jungle, "so that at high noon we can make camp and take a +break. You can't move out there at noon. It gets so hot you'd fall on +your face after fifteen minutes of fighting the creepers." + +"Everything stops at noon," added Sinclair. "Even the tyrannosaurus. You +have to do your traveling in the cool of the day, early and late. Six +hours or so will take you far enough away from the plantation to find +tracks, if there are any." + +"Tell me, Mr. Sinclair," asked Roger suddenly, "is this the whole +plantation?" He spread his hands in a wide arc, taking in the clearing +to the edge of the jungle. + +Sinclair grinned. "Roger, it'd take a man two weeks to go from one +corner of my property to another. This is just where I live. Three years +ago I had five hundred square miles under cultivation." + +Back in the house, they found George setting the table on the porch and +his wife busy in the kitchen. Mrs. Hill was a stout woman, with a +pleasant face and a ready smile. With very little ceremony, the cadets, +Sinclair, George, and his wife sat down to eat. The food was simple +fare, but the sure touch of Mrs. Hill's cooking and the free use of +delicate Venusian jungle spices added exotic flavor, new but immensely +satisfying to the three hungry boys, a satisfaction they demonstrated by +cleaning their plates quickly and coming back for second helpings. +Astro, of course, was not happy until he had polished off his fourth +round. Mrs. Hill beamed with pleasure at their unspoken compliment to +her cooking. + +After the meal, Mrs. Hill stacked the dishes and put them into a small +carrier concealed in the wall. Pressing a button, near the opening, she +explained, "That dingus takes them to the sink, washes them, dries them, +and puts everything in its right place. That's the kind of modern living +I like!" + +As the sun dropped behind the wall of the jungle and the sky darkened, +they all relaxed. Sinclair and George smoked contentedly, Mrs. Hill +brought out some needle point, and the three cadets rested in +comfortable contour chairs. They chatted idly, stopping only to listen +to the wild calls of birds and animals out in the jungle as George, or +Sinclair, identified them all. George told of his experiences on +tyrannosaurus hunts, and Astro described his method of hunting as a boy. + +"I was a big kid," he explained. "And since the only way of earning a +living was by working, I found I could combine business with pleasure. I +used to hitch rides over the belt and parachute in to hunt for baby +tyrannos." He grinned and added, "When I think back, I wonder how I ever +stayed in one piece." + +"Land sakes!" exclaimed Mrs. Hill. "It's a wonder you weren't eaten +alive! Those tyrannos are horrible things." + +"I was almost a meal once," confessed Astro sheepishly, and at the +urging of the others he described the incident that had cured him of +hunting alone in the jungles of Venus with only a low-powered shock +blaster. + +"If I didn't get it at the base of the brain where the nerve centers +aren't so well protected with the first shot, I was in trouble," he +said. "I took a lot of chances, but was careful not to tangle with a +mama or papa tyrannosaurus. I'd stalk the young ones. I'd wait for him +to feed and then let him have it. If I was lucky, I'd get him with one +shot, but most of the time I'd just stun him and have to finish him off +with a second blast. Then I'd skin him, take the hams and shoulders, and +get out of there fast before the wild dogs got wind of the blood. I'd +usually hunt pretty close to a settlement where I could get the meat +frozen. After that, I'd just have to call a couple of the big +restaurants in Venusport and get the best price. I used to make as much +as fifty credits on one kill." + +"How would you get the meat to Venusport?" asked Roger, who, for all his +braggadocio, was awed by his unit mate's calm bravery and skill as a +hunter. + +"The restaurant that bought it would send a jet boat out for it and I'd +ride back with it. After a while the restaurant owners got to know me +and would give me regular orders. I was trying to fill a special order +on that last hunt." + +"What happened?" asked Tom, equally impressed with Astro's life as a boy +hunter. + +"I had just about finished hunting in a section near a little settlement +on the other side of Venus," began the big cadet, "but I thought there +might be one more five-hundred-pound baby around, so I dropped in." +Astro paused and grinned. "I didn't find a baby, I found his mother! She +must have weighed twenty-five or thirty tons. Biggest tyranno I've ever +seen. She spotted me the same time I saw her and I didn't even stop to +fire. I never could have dented her hide. I started running and she came +after me. I made it to a cave and went as far back inside as I could. +She stuck her head in after me, and by the craters of Luna, she was only +about three feet away, with me backed up against a wall. She tried to +get farther in, opened her mouth, and snapped and roared like twenty +rocket cruisers going off at once." + +[Illustration: "_She tried to get farther into the cave._"] + +Tom gulped and Roger's eyes widened. + +"I figured there was only one thing to do," continued Astro. "Use the +blaster, even though it couldn't do much damage. I let her have one +right in the eye!" Astro shook his head and laughed. "You should have +seen her pull her head out of that cave! I couldn't sleep for months +after that. I used to dream that she was sticking her head in my window, +always getting closer." + +"Did the blaster do any damage at all?" asked Sinclair. + +"Oh, yes, sir," said Astro. "I was close enough for the heat charge from +the muzzle to get her on the side of the head. Nothing fatal, but she's +probably still out there in the jungle more ugly than ever with half a +face." + +The group fell silent, each thinking of how he would have reacted under +similar conditions; each silently thankful that it hadn't happened to +him. Finally Mrs. Hill rose and said good night, and George excused +himself to take a last look at the stock. Remembering their early call +for the next morning, the cadets said good night to Sinclair and retired +to their comfortable rooms. In bed at last, each boy stretched full +length on his bed and in no time was sound asleep. + +It was still dark, an hour and a half before the sun would burst over +the top of the jungle, when Sinclair went to the cadets' room to rouse +them. He found them already up and dressed in their jungle garb. Each +boy was wearing skin-tight trousers and jerseys made of double strength +space-suit cloth and colored a dark moldy green. A hunter dressed in +this manner and standing still could not be seen at twenty paces. The +snug fit of the suit was protection against thorns and snags that could +find no hold on the hard, smooth-surfaced material. + +After a hearty breakfast the three cadets collected their gear, the +paralo-ray pistols, the shock rifles, and the small shoulder packs of +synthetic food and camping equipment. Each boy also carried a two-foot +jungle knife with a compass inlaid in the handle. A helmet of clear +plastic with a small mesh-covered opening in the face covered each boy's +head. Dressed as they were, they could walk through the worst part of +the jungles and not get so much as a scratch. + +"Well," commented Sinclair, looking them over, "I guess you boys have +everything. I'd hate to be the tyranno that crosses your path!" + +The boys grinned. "Thanks for everything, sir," said Tom. "You've been a +lot of help." + +"Think nothing of it, Tom. Just bring back a pair of tyranno scalps!" + +"Where are Mr. and Mrs. Hill?" asked Astro. "We'd like to say good-by to +them." + +"They left before you got up," replied Sinclair. "They're taking a few +days off for a visit to Venusport." + +The boys pulled on their jungle boots. Knee-length and paper-thin, they +were nonetheless unpenetrable even if the boys should step on one of the +needle-sharp ground thorns. + +They waved a last good-by to their host, standing on the steps of the +big house, and moved across the clearing to the edge of the jungle wall. + +As the cadets approached the thick tangle of vines, the calls and +rustling noises from the many crawling things hidden in the forbidding +thicket slowly died down. They walked along the edge of the tangle of +jungle creepers until they found an opening and stepped through. + +[Illustration: _They were completely surrounded by the jungle_] + +After walking only ten feet they were completely surrounded by the +jungle and could not even see the clearing they had just left. It was +dark, the network of vines, the thick tree trunks and rank growing +vegetation shutting out the sun, leaving the interior of the jungle +strangely plunged in gloom. Astro moved ahead, followed by Roger, with +Tom bringing up the rear. They followed the path they had entered, as +far as it went, and then began cutting their way through the underbrush, +stopping only to cut notches in the trees to mark their passage. + +Their long-bladed knives slicing through vines and brush easily, Tom, +Roger, and Astro hacked their way deeper and deeper into the mysterious +and suffocating green world. + +[Illustration] + + + + +CHAPTER 6 + + +"I guess that's the Sharkey place over there," mumbled Major Connel to +himself, banking his jet launch over the green jungles and pointing the +speedy little craft's nose toward the clearing in the distance. The +Solar Guard officer wrenched the scout around violently in his approach. +He was still boiling over the Venusian Delegate's indifference toward +his mission. + +The launch skimmed the jungle treetops and glided to a perfect stop near +the largest of a group of farm buildings. Cutting the motors, Connel sat +and waited for someone to appear. He sat there for ten minutes but no +one came out to greet him. Finally he climbed out of the launch and +stood by the hatch, peering intently at the buildings around him, his +eyes squinting against the glare of the fiery sun overhead. The +plantation seemed deserted. Reaching back into the launch and pulling +out a paralo-ray gun, he strapped its reassuring bulk to his side and +stepped toward the building that was obviously the main house. Nothing +else moved in the hot noon sun. + +As he strode purposefully toward the house, eyes alert for any sign of +life, he thought for a moment everyone might be taking a midday nap. +Many of the Venusian colonists adapted the age-old custom of the tropics +to escape the intense heat of midday. But he dismissed the thought +immediately, realizing that his approach in the jet would have awakened +the deepest of sleepers. + +Entering the house, he stopped in the spacious front hall and called: + +"Hello! Anybody home? Halloo!" + +The only answer was the echo of his own voice, vibrating through the +large rooms. + +"Funny," muttered the spaceman. "Why is this place deserted?" + +He walked slowly through the house, opening doors and looking into all +the rooms, searching the whole place thoroughly before returning to the +clearing. Going to the nearest of the outbuildings, he opened one of the +wide doors and stared into the gloomy interior. With his experienced eye +he saw immediately that the building had been used to house a large jet +craft. There was the slightly pungent odor of jet fuel, and on the floor +the tire marks of a dolly used to roll the craft out to the launching +strip. He followed the tracks outside and around to the side of the +building where he saw the dolly. It was empty. + +Shaking his head grimly, Connel made a quick tour of the remaining +buildings. They were all deserted but the last one, which seemed to be +built a little more sturdily than the others. Unlike the others, it was +locked. He looked for a window and discovered that the walls were solid. +There were no openings except the locked door. He hesitated in front of +the door, looking down at the ground for a sign of what might have been +stored in the building. The surrounding area revealed no tracks. He +pulled out a thick-bladed pocketknife and stepped to the lock, then +suddenly stopped and grinned. + +"Great," he said to himself. "A Solar Guard officer about to break into +private property without a warrant. Fine thing to have known back at the +Academy!" + +He turned abruptly and strode back to the scout. Climbing into the +craft, he picked up the audioscriber microphone and recorded a brief +message. Removing the threadlike tape from the machine, he returned to +the house and left it on the spool of the audioscribe-replay machine +near the front door. + +A few moments later the eerie silence of the Sharkey plantation was once +again shattered by the hissing roar of jets as the launch took off and +climbed rapidly over the jungle. Air-borne, Connel glanced briefly at a +chart, changed course, and sent the launch hurtling at full speed across +the jungle toward the Sinclair plantation. + + * * * * * + +"How far do you think we've come?" asked Tom sleepily. + +Astro yawned and stretched before answering. "I'd say about fifteen +miles, Tom." + +"Seems more like a hundred and fifteen," moaned Roger who was sprawled +on the ground. "I ache all over. Start at the top of my head and work +down, and you won't find one square inch that isn't sore." + +Tom grinned. He was tired himself, but the three-day march through the +jungle had been three of the most exciting days in his life. Coming from +a large city where he had to travel two hours by monorail to get to open +green country, the curly-haired cadet found this passage through the +wildest jungle in the solar system new and fascinating. He had seen +flowers of every color in the spectrum, some as large as himself; giant +shrubs with leaves so fine that they looked like spider webs; Venusian +teakwood trees fifty to a hundred feet thick at the base with some +twisted into strange spirals as their trunks, shaded by another larger +tree, sought a clear avenue to the sun. There were bushes that grew +thorns three inches long, hard as steel and thin as needles; jungle +creepers, vines two and three feet thick, twisting around tree trunks +and strangling them. He saw animals too, all double the size of anything +on Earth because of the lighter Venusian gravity; insects the size of +rats, rats the size of dogs, and wild dogs the size of ponies. Up in the +trees, small anthropoids, cousins to the monkeys of Earth, scampered +from limb to limb, screaming at the invaders of their jungle home. +Smooth-furred animals that looked like deer, their horns curling +overhead, scampered about the cadets like puppies, nuzzling them, +nipping at their heels playfully, and barking as though in laughter when +Astro roared at them for getting in the way. + +But there were dangerous creatures in the jungle too; the beautiful but +deadly poisonous brush snakes that lurked unseen in the varicolored +foliage, striking out at anything that passed; animals resembling +chipmunks with enlarged razor-sharp fangs, whose craving for raw meat +was so great that they would attack an animal ten times its size; +lizards the size of elephants with scales like armor plate that rooted +in swampy ground for their food, but which would attack any intruder, +charging with amazing speed, their three horns poised; and, finally, +there were the monsters of Venus--giant beasts whose weights were +measured in tons, ruled over by the most horrible of them all--the +tyrannosaurus. + +Fights to death between the jungle creatures were common sights for the +boys during their march. They saw a weird soundless fight between a +forty-foot snake and a giant vulture with talons nearly two feet across +and a beak resembling a mammoth nutcracker. The vulture won, +methodically cutting the reptile's body into sections, its beak slicing +through the snake as easily as a knife going through butter. + +More than once Astro spotted a dangerous creature, and telling Roger and +Tom to stand back, he would level his shock rifle and blast it. + +So far they had seen nothing of their prey--the tyrannosaurus. Tracks +around the steaming swamps were as close as they had come. Once, late in +the evening of the second day they caught a fleeting glimpse of a +plant-eating brontosaurus lumbering through the brush. + +All three of the boys had found it difficult to sleep in the jungle. The +first two nights they had taken turns at staying on guard and tending +the campfire. Nothing had bothered them, and on the third night out, +they decided the fire would be enough to scare off the jungle animals. +It was risky, but the continual fight through the jungle underbrush had +tired the three boys to the bone and the few hours they stood guard were +sorely missed the next day, so they decided to chance it. + +Roger was already asleep. Astro had just finished checking his rifle to +be ready for instant fire, when Tom threw the last log on the campfire +and crawled into his sleeping bag. + +"Think it'll be all right, Astro?" asked Tom. "I'm not anxious to wake +up inside one of these critter's stomachs." + +"Most of them have never seen fire, Tom," Astro said reassuringly. "It +scares them. Besides, we're getting close to the big stuff now. You +might see a tyranno or a big bronto any time. And if they come along, +you'll hear 'em, believe me. They're about as quiet as a squadron of +cruisers on battle emergency blasting off from the Academy in the middle +of the night!" + +"O.K.," replied Tom. "You're the hunter in this crew." Suddenly he +laughed. "You know I really got a bang out of the way Roger jumped back +from that waddling ground bird yesterday." + +Astro grinned. "Yeah, the one thing in this place that's as ferocious as +a kitten and he pulls his ray gun like an ancient cowboy!" + +A very tired voice spoke up from the other sleeping bag. "Is that so! +Well, when you two brave men came face to face with that baby lizard on +a tree root, you were ready to finish your leave in Atom City!" Roger +unzipped the end of the bag, stuck his blond head out, and gave his unit +mates a sour look. "Sack in, will you? Your rocket wash is keeping me +awake!" + +Laughing, Astro and Tom nodded good night to each other and closed their +sleeping bags. The jungle was still, the only movement being the leaping +tongues of flame from the campfire. + +An hour later it began to rain, a light drizzle at first that increased +until it reached the steady pounding of a tropical downpour. Tom awoke +first, opening the flap of his sleeping bag only to get his face full of +slimy water that spilled in. Spluttering and coughing he sat up and saw +that the campfire was out and the campsite was already six inches deep +in water. + +"Roger, Astro!" he called and slapped the nearest sleeping bag. Astro +opened the flap a little and peered out sleepily. Instantly he rolled +out of the bag and jumped to his feet. + +"Wake Roger up!" he snapped. "We've got to get out of here!" + +"What's the matter?" Roger mumbled through the bag, not opening it. "Why +the excitement over a little rain?" + +"The fire's out, hotshot," said Astro. "It's as dark as the inside of a +cow's number-four belly. We've got to move!" + +"Why?" asked Tom, not understanding the big cadet's sudden nervous +excitement. "What's the matter with staying right where we are? Why go +trooping around in the dark?" + +"We can't light a fire anywhere," added Roger, finally sticking his head +out of his sleeping bag. + +"We've got to get on high ground!" said Astro, hurriedly packing the +camping equipment. "We're in a hollow here. The rain really comes down +on Venus, and in another hour this place will be a pond!" + +Sensing the urgency in Astro's voice, Roger began packing up his +equipment and in a few moments the three boys had their gear slung over +their shoulders and were slogging through water already knee-deep. + +"I still don't see why we have to go tracking through the jungle in the +middle of the night," grumbled Roger. "We could climb up a tree and wait +out the storm." + +"You'd have to wait long after the rain stops," replied Astro. "There is +one thing in this place nothing ever gets enough of, and that's water. +Animals know it and hang around all the water holes. If a small animal +tries to get a drink, he more than likely winds up in something's +stomach. When it rains like this, hollows fill up like the one we just +left, and everything within running, hopping, and crawling distance +heads for it to get a bellyful of water. In another hour our camp will +be like something out of a nightmare, with every animal in the jungle +coming down for a drink and starting to fight one another." + +"Then if we stayed there--" Roger stopped. + +"We'd be in the middle of it," said Astro grimly. "We wouldn't last two +minutes." + +Walking single file, with Astro in the lead, followed by Roger and then +Tom, they stumbled through the pitch-black darkness. Astro refused to +shine a light, for fear of being attacked by a desperate animal, more +eager for water than afraid of the light. They carried their shock +blasters cocked and ready to fire. The rain continued, increasing in +fury until they were enveloped in a nearly solid wall of water. In a +little while the floor of the jungle became one continuous mudhole, with +each step taking them ankle-deep into the sucking mud. Their climb was +uphill, and the water from above increased, washing down around them in +torrents. More than once one of the cadets fell, gasping for breath, +into the dirty water, only to be jerked back to more solid footing by +the other two. Stumbling, their hands groping wildly in the dark, they +pushed forward. + +They were reaching higher ground when Astro stopped suddenly. + +"Listen!" he whispered hoarsely. + +The boys stood still, the rain pounding down on their plastic headgear, +holding rifles ready and straining their ears for some sound other than +the drumming of rain. + +"I don't hear anything," said Roger. + +"_Shhh!_" hissed Astro. + +They waited, and then from a distance they heard the faint crashing of +underbrush. Gradually it became more distinct until there was no +mistaking its source. A large monster was moving through the jungle near +them! + +"What is it?" asked Tom, trying to keep his voice calm. + +"A big one," said Astro. "A real big one. And I think it's heading this +way!" + +"By the craters of Luna!" gasped Roger. "What do we do?" + +"We either run, or stay here and try to blast it." + +"Whatever you say, Astro," said Roger. "You're the boss." + +"Same here," said Tom. "Call it." + +Astro did not answer right away. He strained his ears, listening to the +movements of the advancing monster, trying to ascertain the exact +direction the beast was taking. The noise became more violent, the +crashing more sharply defined as small trees were crushed to the ground. + +"If only I knew exactly what it is!" said Astro desperately. "If it's a +tyranno, it walks on its hind legs and has its head way up in the trees, +and could pass within ten feet of us and not see us. But if it's a +bronto, it has a long snakelike neck that he pokes all around and he +wouldn't miss us at a hundred feet!" + +"Make up your mind quick, big boy," said Roger. "If that thing gets any +closer, I'm opening up with this blaster. He might eat me, but I'll sure +make his teeth rattle first!" + +The ground began to shake as the approaching monster came nearer. Astro +remained still, ears straining for some sound to indicate exactly what +was crashing down on them. + +Above them, the shrill scream of an anthropoid suddenly pierced the dark +night as its tree home was sent crashing to the ground. There was a +growing roar and the crashing stopped momentarily. + +"Let's get out of here," said Astro tensely. "That's a tyranno, but he's +down on all fours now, looking for that monkey! Keep together and make +as little noise as you can. No talking. Keep your blasters and emergency +lights ready. If he discovers us, you shine the light on his face Roger, +and Tom and I will shoot. O.K.?" + +Tom and Roger agreed. + +"All right," said Astro, "let's go--and spaceman's luck!" + + + + +CHAPTER 7 + + +"What can I do for you, Officer?" + +Connel heaved his bulk out of the jet launch and looked hard at the man +standing in front of him. "You Rex Sinclair?" + +Sinclair nodded. "That's right." + +Connel offered his hand. "Major Connel, Solar Guard." + +"Glad to meet you," replied the planter, gripping the spaceman's hand. +"Have something to cool you off." + +"Thanks," said Connel. "I can use it. Whew! Must be at least one twenty +in the shade." + +Sinclair chuckled. "This way, Major." + +They didn't say anything more until Connel was resting comfortably in a +deep chair, admiring the crystal roof of Sinclair's house. After a +pleasant exchange about crops and problems of farming on Venus, the +gruff spaceman squared his back and stared straight at his host. "Mr. +James, the Solar Delegate, told me you've resisted pressure to join the +Venusian Nationalists." + +Sinclair's expression changed slightly. His eyebrows lifting +quizzically. "Why--yes, that's true." + +"I'd like you to tell me what you know about the organization." + +"I see," mused Sinclair. "Is that an order?" he added, chuckling. + +"That's a request. I'd like to learn as much about the Nationalists as +possible." + +"For what purpose?" + +Connel paused and then said casually, "A spot check. The Solar Guard +likes to keep its eyes open for trouble." + +"Trouble?" exclaimed Sinclair. "You're not serious!" + +Connel nodded his head. "It's probably nothing but a club. However, I'd +like to get some facts on it." + +"Have you spoken to anyone else?" asked Sinclair. + +"I just came from the Sharkey plantation. It's deserted. Not a soul +around. I'll drop back by there before I return to Venusport." Connel +paused and looked squarely at Sinclair. "Well?" + +"I don't know much about them, Major," replied the planter. "It always +seemed to me nothing more than a group of planters getting together--" + +Connel cut him off. "Possibly, but why didn't you join?" + +"Well--" + +"Aren't all your friends in it?" + +"Yes, but I just don't have time. I have a big place, and there's only +me and my foreman and housekeeper now. All the field hands left some +time ago." + +"Where'd they go?" + +"Venusport, I guess. Can't get people to farm these days." + +"All right, Mr. Sinclair," declared Connel, "let's lay our cards on the +table. I know how you must feel talking about your friends, but this is +really important. Vitally important to every citizen in the Solar +Alliance. Suppose the Nationalists were really a tight organization with +a purpose--a purpose of making Venus independent of the Solar Alliance. +If they succeeded, if Venus did break away, Mercury might follow, then +Mars--the whole system fall apart--break up into independent states. And +when that happens, there's trouble--customs barriers, jealousies, +individual armies and navies, and then, ultimately, a space war. It's +more than just friendship, Sinclair, it's the smallest crack in the +solid front of the Solar Alliance, but it's a crack that _can_ be opened +further if we don't stop it now." + +Sinclair was impressed. "Very well, Major, I'll tell you everything I +know about them. And you're right, it is hard to talk about your +friends. I've grown up here in the Venusian jungle. I helped my father +clear this land where the house is built. Most of the men in the +Nationalists are friends of mine, but"--he sighed--"you're right, I +can't allow this to happen to the Solar Alliance." + +"Allow what to happen?" asked Connel. + +"Just what you said, about Venus becoming an independent state." + +"Tell me all you know," said Connel. + +"The group began to form about three years ago. Al Sharkey came over +here one night and said a group of the planters were getting together +every so often to exchange information about crops and farming +conditions. I went a few times, we all did, on this part of Venus. At +first it was fun. We even had picnics and barn dances every three or +four weeks. Then one night someone suggested we come dressed in old +costumes--the type worn by our forefathers who founded Venus." + +Connel nodded. + +"Well, one thing led to another," continued Sinclair. "They started +talking about the great history of our planet, and complaining about +paying taxes to support the Solar Alliance. Instead of opening up new +colonies like the one out on Pluto, we should develop our own planet. +We stopped dancing, the women stopped coming, and then one night we +elected a president. Al Sharkey. The first thing he did was order all +members to attend meetings in the dress of our forefathers. He gave the +organization a name, the Venusian Nationalists. Right after that, I +stopped going. I got tired of listening to speeches about the wonderful +planet we live on, and how terrible it was to be governed by men on +Earth, millions of miles away." + +"Didn't they consider that they had equal representation in the Solar +Alliance Chamber?" asked Connel. + +"No, Major. There wasn't anything you could say to any of them. If you +tried to reason with them, they called you a--a--" Sinclair stopped and +turned away. + +"What did they call you?" demanded Connel, getting madder by the minute. + +"Anyone that disagreed with them was called an Earthling." + +"And you disagreed?" asked Connel. + +"I quit," said Sinclair stoutly. "And right after that, I started losing +livestock. I found them dead in the pens, poisoned. And some of my crops +were burned." + +"Did you protest to the Solar Guard?" + +"Of course, but there wasn't any proof any one of my neighbors had done +it. They don't bother me any more, but they don't speak to me either. +It's as though I had a horrible disease. There hasn't been a guest in +this house in nearly two years. Three space cadets are the first +visitors here since I quit the organization." + +"Space Cadets?" Connel looked at the planter quizzically. + +"Yes, nice young chaps. Corbett, Manning, and a big fellow named Astro. +They're out in the jungle now hunting for tyrannosaurus. I met them +through a friend in Venusport and invited them to use my house as a base +of operations. Do you know them?" + +Connel nodded. "Very well. Finest cadet unit at the Academy. How long +have they been in the jungle?" + +"About four and a half days now." + +"Hope they get themselves a tyranno. But at the same time"--Connel +couldn't help chuckling--"if they do, Space Academy will never hear the +end of it!" + +Suddenly the hot wilting silence around the house was shattered by a +thunderous roar. Connel jumped up, followed Sinclair to the window, and +stared out over the clearing. They saw what appeared to be a +well-organized squadron of jet boats come in for a landing with near +military precision. The doors opened quickly and men poured out onto the +dusty field. They were dressed alike in coveralls with short +quarter-length space boots and round plastic crash helmets. Each man +carried a paralo-ray gun strapped to his hips. The uniforms were a +brilliant green, with a white band across the chest. The men formed +ranks, waited for a command from a man dressed in darker green, and then +marched up toward the house. + +"By the craters of Luna!" roared Connel. "Who are they?" + +"The Nationalists!" cried Sinclair. "They threatened to burn down my +house and destroy my farm if I wrote that letter to the delegate. +They've come to carry out their threat!" + +Connel pulled the paralo-ray gun from his hip and gripped it firmly. "Do +you want those men in your house?" he asked Sinclair. + +"No--no, of course not!" + +"Then you have Solar Guard protection." + +"How--?" Sinclair asked. "There are no Solar Guardsmen around here!" + +"What in blazes do you think I am, man!" roared Connel as he lunged for +the door and stepped out onto the porch. The men were within a hundred +feet of the porch when they saw Connel. The Solar Guard officer spread +his legs and stuck out his jaw, his paralo-ray gun leveled. "The first +one of you tin soldiers that puts a foot on these steps gets frozen +stiffer than a snowball on Pluto! Now stand where you are, state your +business, and then _blast off_!" + +"Halt!" The leader of the column of men held up his hand. Connel saw +that the plastic helmets were frosted over, except for a clear band +across the eye level. All of the faces were hidden. The leader stepped +forward, his hand on his paralo-ray gun. "Greetings, Major Connel." + +Connel snorted. "If you'd take off that Halloween mask, I might know who +I'm talking to!" + +"My name is Hilmarc." + +"Hilmarc?" + +"Yes. I am the leader of this detachment." + +"Leader, huh?" grunted Connel. "Leader of what? A bunch of little tin +soldiers?" + +"You shall see, Major." Hilmarc's voice was low and threatening. + +"I'm going to count to five," announced Connel grimly, lifting his +paralo-ray gun, "and if you and your playmates aren't back in your +ships, I start blasting." + +"That would be unwise," replied Hilmarc. "Your one gun against all of +ours." + +Connel grinned. "I know. It's going to be a whale of a fight, isn't it?" +Then, without pause, he shouted, "_One--two--three--four--five!_" + +He opened fire, squeezing the trigger rapidly. The first row of +green-clad men were immediately frozen. Dropping to one knee, the +spaceman again opened fire, and men in the second row stiffened as they +tried to return the fire. + +"Fire! Cut him down!" roared Hilmarc frantically. + +[Illustration] + +The men broke ranks and the area in front of Sinclair's house crackled +with paralo-ray gunfire. Darting behind a chair, Connel dropped to the +floor, his gun growing hot under the continuous discharge of paralyzing +energy. In a matter of moments the Solar Guard officer had frozen nearly +half of the attacking troop, their bodies scattered in various +positions. Suddenly his gun spit fire and began to smoke. The energy +charge was exhausted. Connel jumped to his feet and snapped to +attention. He knew from experience that if being hit was inevitable, the +best way to receive the charge was by standing at attention, taking the +strain off the heart. He faced the clearing and a dozen shots of +paralyzing energy hit him simultaneously. He became rigid and the short +furious battle was over. + +[Illustration] + +One of the green-clad men released Hilmarc from the effects of Connel's +ninth shot and he stepped forward to stare straight into Connel's eyes. +"I know you can hear me, Major. I want to compliment you on your +shooting. But your brave resistance now is as futile as the resistance +of the entire Solar Guard in the near future." Hilmarc smiled +arrogantly and stepped back. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I will attend to +the business I came here for--to take care of a weakling and an +informer!" He turned and shouted to his men. "You have your orders! Get +Sinclair and then burn everything in sight." + + * * * * * + +"Astro, Tom," gasped Roger. "I--I can't go on." + +The blond-haired cadet fell headlong to the ground, almost burying +himself in the mud. Tom and Astro turned without a word, and gripping +Roger under each arm, helped him to his feet. Behind them, the thunder +of the stalking tyrannosaurus came closer, and they forced themselves to +greater effort. For two days they had been running before the monster. +It was a wild flight through a wild jungle that offered them little +protection. And while their fears were centered on the brute behind +them, their sleepy, weary eyes sought out other dangers that lay ahead. +More than once they stopped to blast a hungry, frightened beast that +barred their path, leaving it for the tyrannosaurus and giving +themselves a momentary respite in their flight. + +Astro led the way, tirelessly slashing at the vines and creepers with +his jungle knife, opening the path for Roger and Tom. The Venusian cadet +was sure that they were near the clearing around the Sinclair +plantation. Since early morning he had seen the trail markers they had +left when they started into the jungle. The cadets knew that if they +didn't reach the clearing soon they would have to stand and fight the +terrible thing that trailed them. During the first wild night, they had +stumbled into a sinkhole, and as Tom wallowed helplessly in the +clinging, suffocating mud, Astro and Roger stood and fought the giant +beast. The shock rifles cracked against the armorlike hide of the +monster, momentarily stunning him, but in the darkness and rain, they +were unable to get a clear head shot. When Tom finally pulled himself +out of the mudhole, they struggled onward through the jungle, with only +one shot left in each blaster. + +"How much farther, Astro?" asked Tom, his voice weak with fatigue. "I'm +starting to fold too." + +"Not too far now, Tom," the big cadet assured him. "We should be hitting +the clearing soon now." He turned and looked back. "If we could only get +a clear shot at that brute's head!" + +"Hang on, Roger," said Tom. "Just a little more now." + +Roger didn't answer, merely bobbing his head in acknowledgment. + +Behind them, the crashing thunderous steps seemed to be getting closer +and Astro drove himself harder, slashing at the vines and tangled +underbrush, sometimes just bursting through by sheer driving strength. +But the heavy-footed creature still stalked them ponderously. + +Suddenly Astro stopped and sniffed the air. "Smoke!" he cried. "We're +almost there!" + +Tom and Roger smiled wanly and they pushed on. A moment later the giant +cadet pointed through the underbrush. "There! I see the clearing! +And--by the stars--there's a fire! The house is burning!" + +Forgetting the danger behind them, the three boys raced toward the +clearing. Just before they emerged from the jungle, they stopped and +stood openmouthed with astonishment, staring at the scene before them. + +"By the craters of Luna!" gasped Astro. "Look!" + +The outbuildings of the plantation were burning furiously, sending up +thick columns of smoke. The wind blew the dense fumes toward them and +they began to cough and gag. Through the smoke they saw a strange array +of jet craft in the clearing. Then suddenly their attention was jerked +back to another danger. The tyrannosaurus was nearly upon them. + +"Run!" roared Astro. He broke for the clearing, followed by Roger and +Tom. Once in the open, the boys ran several hundred yards to the nearest +jet craft, and safely in the hatch, turned to see the monster come to +the edge of the clearing and stop. They saw the brute clearly for the +first time. + +It stood up on its hind legs, standing almost a hundred feet high. It +moved its flat, triangular-shaped head in a slow arc, peering out over +the clearing. The smoke billowed around it. It snorted several times in +fear and anger. Astro looked at it, wide-eyed, and finally spoke in awed +tones. "By the rings of Saturn, it is!" + +"Is what?" asked Tom. + +"The same tyranno I blasted when I was a kid, the one that trapped me in +the cave!" + +"Impossible!" snorted Roger. "How can you tell?" + +"There on the head, the scars--and that eye. That's the mark of a +blaster!" + +"Well, I'll be a rocket-headed Earthworm!" said Tom. + +The smoke thickened at the moment, and when it cleared again, the great +beast was gone. "I guess the smoke chased him away," said Astro. +"Smoke!" He whirled around. With the threat of the tyrannosaurus gone, +they could face the strange happenings around the clearing. + +"Come on," said Tom. He started for the burning buildings in back of the +house. + +Just at that moment a group of the green-clad men came around the side +of the house. Astro grabbed Tom by the arm and pulled him back. + +"What's going on here? All these ships, buildings burning, and those men +dressed in green. What is it?" + +The three boys huddled behind the jet and studied the scene. + +"I don't get it," said Tom. "Who are those men? They almost look as if +they're soldiers of some kind, but I don't recognize the uniform." + +"Maybe it's the fire department," suggested Roger. + +"Wait a minute!" roared Tom suddenly. "There on the porch! Major +Connel!" + +"Omigosh!" said Astro. "It is, but what's the matter with him? Why is he +standing there like that?" + +"He's been paralo-rayed!" exclaimed Roger. "See how still he is! +Whatever these jokers in uniforms are, they're not friendly!" He raised +his shock rifle. "This last shot in my blaster should--" + +"Wait a minute, Roger," said Tom, "don't go off half-cocked. We can't do +much with just three shots. We'd better take over one of these ships. +There must be guns aboard." + +"Yeah," said Astro. "How about that big one over there?" He pointed to +the largest of the assembled crafts. + +"O.K.," said Tom. "Sneak around this side and make a dash for it." + +Gripping their rifles, they slipped around the stern of the small ship, +and keeping a wary eye on the milling men around the front of the +building, they dashed toward the bigger ship. + +On the porch of the main house, Major Connel, every muscle in his body +paralyzed, saw the three cadets dart across the field and his heart +skipped a beat. Immediately before him, two of the green-clad men were +holding Sinclair while Hilmarc addressed him arrogantly. + +"This is just the beginning, Sinclair. Don't try to cross us again. +Neither you nor anyone else can stop us!" He whirled around and faced +Connel. "And as for you and your Solar Guard, Major Connel, you can +tell them--" + +Hilmarc's tirade was suddenly interrupted by a shrill whistle and the +glare of a red flare overhead. There was a chorus of shouts as the men +ducked for cover. + +A voice, Connel recognized as Tom's, boomed out over the loud-speaker of +the large jet ship near the edge of the clearing. "Now hear this! You +are covered by an atomic mortar. Drop your guns and raise your hands!" + +The men stared at the ship, confused, but Hilmarc issued a curt command. +"Return to the ships!" + +"But--but he'll blast us," whined one of the men. "He'll kill us all." + +"You fool!" roared Hilmarc. "It must be a friend of Connel's or +Sinclair's. He won't dare fire an atomic shell near this house, for fear +of killing his friends! Now get aboard your ships and blast off!" + +From their ship, Tom, Roger, and Astro saw the men scatter across the +field, and realizing their bluff had failed, they opened fire with the +paralo-ray guns. But their range was too far. In a few moments the +clearing around the Sinclair home was alive with the coughing roar of +the jets blasting off. + +As soon as they were alone, Sinclair snatched up an abandoned ray gun +and released the major from the charge. Connel immediately jumped for +another gun. But then, as the jets started to take off, he saw that it +would be useless to pursue the invaders. Thankful that the cadets had +arrived in time, he trotted across the clearing to meet them as they +climbed wearily from the remaining jet ship. + +"By the craters of Luna," he roared good-naturedly, "you three +space-brained idiots had me scared! I thought you would really let go +with that mortar!" + +Tom and Roger grinned, relieved to find the spaceman unhurt, while +Astro looked off at the disappearing fleet of ships. + +"What's happened, sir?" asked Tom. "What's it all about?" + +"Haven't time to explain now," said Connel. "I just want you three to +know you got back here in time to save the rest of this man's property." +He turned toward Sinclair, who was just approaching. "Did you recognize +any of them?" he asked the planter. + +Sinclair shook his head. "I thought I did--by their voices, I mean. But +I couldn't see anyone through that frosted headgear they were wearing." + +"Well, they left a ship. We'll find out who that belongs to," said +Connel. "All right, Corbett, Manning, Astro. Stand by to blast off!" + +"Blast off?" exclaimed Roger. "But we're on leave, sir!" + +[Illustration] + +"Not any more, you're not!" snapped Connel. "You're recalled as of now! +Get this ship ready to blast off for Venusport in five minutes!" + + + + +CHAPTER 8 + + +"Are you sure they went south, Astro?" + +Major Connel was examining a map of the Southern Hemisphere of Venus. +The three cadets were grouped around him in the small control room of +the jet ship. + +"I think so, sir," replied Astro. "I watched them circle and then climb. +There would be no reason to climb unless they were going over the +mountains." + +"What do you think, Tom?" asked Connel. + +"I don't know, sir. The map doesn't show anything but jungle for about a +thousand square miles. Unless there's a secret base somewhere between +here and there"--he placed his fingers on the map where the Sharkey and +Sinclair plantations were marked--"I don't see where they could have +gone." + +"Well, that must be the answer, then," sighed the gruff spaceman. "Our +alert to the patrol ships in this area narrows it down. Nothing was +spotted in the air. And they couldn't have blasted off into space. All +their ships were low-flying stuff." + +Blasting off from the Sinclair plantation immediately, the three cadets +and the major had hoped to find the operations base of the green-clad +invaders, but the ships had disappeared. The ship they had captured +proved to be a freighter with no name and all identifying marks removed. +They had asked the Solar Guard ship registry in Venusport to check on +the vessel's title but so far had received no answer. + +Now blasting back to Venusport at full speed, Connel told the boys the +real nature of his mission to Venus. The boys were shocked, unable to +believe that anyone, or any group of persons, would dare to buck the +authority of the Solar Guard. Yet they had seen with their own eyes a +demonstration of the strength of the Nationalists. Roger had sent a +top-secret teleceiver message to Commander Walters at Space Academy, +requesting an immediate conference with Connel, and had received +confirmation within a half-hour. + +"I think Captain Strong will be along too," said Roger to Tom after +Connel had retired to a compartment with a recorder to transcribe a +report of the affair at Sinclair's. "The message said we were to prepare +a full report for consideration by Commander Walters, Professor Sykes, +and Captain Strong." + +"Boy," said the curly-haired cadet, "this thing is too big for me to +swallow. Imagine a bunch of dopes dressing up in uniforms and burning a +guy's buildings because he wrote a letter to his delegate!" + +"I'd hate to be a member of that organization when Commander Walters +gets through with them," said Roger in a slow drawl. "And particularly +the guy that ordered Connel blasted with that ray gun. Ten shots at +once! Wow! That guy must have nerves made of steel!" + +Within an hour the jet freighter was circling Venusport and was given +priority clearance for an immediate landing. Immediately upon landing, +the ship swarmed with Solar Guardsmen, grim-faced men assigned to guard +it, while technicians checked the ship for identification. The three +boys were still wearing the jungle garb when they presented themselves +to Major Connel with the request for a little sleep. + +"Take an aspirin!" roared Connel. "We've got important work to do!" + +"But, sir," said Roger, his eyes half-closed, "we're dead on our feet! +We've been out in the jungle for three days and--" + +"Manning," interrupted the spaceman, "everything you saw during that +business back at Sinclair's might be valuable. I'm sorry, but I'll have +to insist that you talk to the Solar Guard security officers first. As +tired as you are, you might forget something after a heavy sleep." + +There was little else the boys could do but follow the burly officer out +of the ship to a well-guarded jet cab which took them through the +streets of Venusport to the Solar Guard headquarters. + +They rode the elevator to the conference room in silence, each boy +feeling at any moment that he would collapse from exhaustion. In the +long corridor they passed tough-looking enlisted guardsmen who were +heavily armed, and before being allowed into the conference room, they +were scrutinized by a burly officer. Finally inside, they were allowed +to sit down in soft chairs and were given hot cups of tea to drink while +precise, careful interrogators took down the story of their first +meeting with the Venusian Nationalists. They were forced to repeat +details many times, in the hope that something new might be added. +Groggy after nearly two hours of this, the boys felt sure that the time +had come for them to be allowed to get some sleep, but after the last +question from the interrogators, they were ushered into the presence of +Commander Walters, Major Connel, Professor Sykes, Captain Strong, and +several recording secretaries. Before the conference began, Delegate E. +Philips James arrived with his personal secretary. He offered his +excuses for being late and took his place at the long table. Tom shot a +glance at the secretary. The man looked vaguely familiar to him. The +cadet tried to place him, but he was so tired that he could not think. + +"Major Connel," began Commander Walters abruptly, "what do you consider +the best possible move for the Solar Guard to make? Under the present +circumstances, do you think we should undertake a full-scale +investigation? We talked to Al Sharkey, and while he admits being head +of an organization known as the Venusian Nationalists, he denies any +knowledge of any attack on Sinclair such as you describe. And he claims +to have been in Venusport when the incident happened." + +Connel thought a moment. "I don't know about Sharkey, but I don't think +a public investigation should be made yet. I think it would arouse a lot +of speculation and achieve no results." + +"Then you think we should move against them merely on the basis of this +encounter at the Sinclair plantation," asked E. Philips James in his +smoothest manner. + +Connel shook his head. "I think our best bet is to locate their base. If +we can nail them with solid evidence, we'll have a good case to present +before the Grand Council of the Solar Alliance." + +"I agree with you, Major." James smiled. Behind him, his secretary was +busy transcribing the conversational exchange on his audioscriber. + +"What would you require to locate the base?" asked Walters. + +"I haven't worked out the details yet," said Connel, "but a small +expedition into the jungle would be better than sending a regiment of +guardsmen, or a fleet of ships." + +"Do you have any idea where the base might be?" Sykes suddenly spoke up. +"Most of those men were supposed to be planters who know the jungle +well. Isn't it possible that they might have their base well hidden and +a small party, such as you suggest, could cover too little ground?" + +Connel turned to Astro. "Astro, do you know that section of the belt?" + +"Yes, sir," replied Astro. "I hunted all over that area when I was a +boy." The big cadet went on to explain how he had become so familiar +with the jungle, and described briefly their experience with the +tyrannosaurus. All of the men at the table were impressed by his +knowledge of jungle lore. + +"I gather you plan to take these cadets on your expedition, Major," +commented James. + +"Yes, I do. They work well together and have already been in the +jungle," answered Connel. + +"What do you three boys think of the idea?" asked Walters. "I don't have +to remind you that you'll be up against two kinds of danger: the jungle +itself, and the Nationalists." + +"We understand, sir," replied Tom, without even waiting for his unit +mates' quick nods. + +"There's another factor," Captain Strong broke in. "You'll be giving up +your leave. There won't be any extra time off. Should this mission be +completed before the next term at the Academy begins, fine. But if not, +you'll have to return to work immediately." + +"We understand that too, sir," said Tom. "We're willing to do anything +we can. And if I might offer a personal opinion"--he glanced at Astro +and Roger--"I think the _Polaris_ unit appreciates the seriousness of +the situation and we agree with the major. A small party, especially +ours, since we're already established as hunters, would be less suspect +than a larger one." + +"I think we all agree that the _Polaris_ unit is qualified for the +mission, Corbett," said Walters, who saw through Tom's eagerness to be +assigned to go with the major. + +The meeting broke up soon afterward. Connel remained with Strong and +Walters to work out the details of the mission and to draft a top-secret +report to the Grand Council of the Solar Alliance. + +The three weary cadets were quartered in the finest hotel in Venusport +and had just stumbled into bed when the room teleceiver signal buzzed. +Tom shuffled over to the screen near the table where the remains of a +huge supper gave mute evidence of their hunger. Switching on the +machine, he saw Strong's face come into focus. + +"I hope you boys aren't too comfortable," announced Strong. "I'm afraid +the sleep you're so hungry for will have to wait. This is an emergency!" + +"Oh, no!" groaned Roger. "I can't understand why emergencies come up +every time I try to pound the pillow!" + +Astro fell back onto his bed with the look of a martyred saint and +groaned. + +"What is it, sir?" asked Tom, who was as tired as the others. +Nonetheless he felt the urgency in Strong's voice. + +"You blast off in half an hour," said the Solar Guard captain. "The +_Polaris_ has been refitted and you're to check her over before +returning to Sinclair's. Everything has been prepared for you. Get +dressed and you'll find a jet cab waiting for you in front of the hotel. +I had hoped to see you again before you left, but I've been ordered +back to the Academy with Commander Walters. We've got to report to the +Solar Council, personally." + +"O.K., sir," said Tom, then smiled and added, "We're sorry your fishing +was interrupted." + +"I wasn't catching anything, anyway." Strong laughed. "I've got to go. +See you back at the Academy. Spaceman's luck!" + +"Same to you, sir," replied Tom. The screen blurred and the image faded +as the connection was broken. Tom turned to face his sleepy-eyed unit +mates. "Well, I guess we'd better take another aspirin. It looks like a +hard night!" + +Hastily donning fresh jungle gear supplied the night before in +anticipation of the mission, the three cadets trouped wearily out of +their rooms and rode down to the lobby in the vacuum elevator. They +walked across the deserted lobby as though in a trance and outside to +the quiet street. A jet cab stood at the curb, the driver watching them. +He whistled sharply and waved at them. "Hey, cadets! Over here!" + +Still in a fog, the three cadets climbed into the back seat, flopping +into the soft cushions with audible groans as the cab shot away from the +hotel and sped into the main highway which led to the spaceport. + +The traffic was light and the cab zoomed along at a smooth, fast clip, +lulling the boys into a fitful doze. But they were rudely awakened when +the car spun into a small country lane and the driver slammed on the +brakes. He whirled around and grinned at them over a paralo-ray pistol. +"Sorry, boys, the ride ends here. Now climb out and start stripping." + +The three sleepy cadets came alive instantly. Without a word they moved +in three different directions simultaneously. Tom dived for one door, +Astro the other, while Roger flopped to the floor. The driver fired, +missing all of them, and before he could fire again he was jerked out +of his seat and held in a viselike grip by Astro. Tom quickly wrenched +the paralo-ray gun from his hand. + +"All right, you little space crawler," growled Astro, "start talking!" + +[Illustration] + +"Take it easy, Astro," said Tom. "How do you expect him to talk when +you've got him around the Adam's apple!" + +"Yeah, you big ape," said Roger in a slow drawl. "Find out what he has +to say before you twist his head off!" + +Astro released the man, pushing him against the cab door and pinning him +there. + +"Now let's have it," he growled. "What's this all about?" + +"I didn't mean any harm," whined the cab driver. "A guy calls me and +says for me to meet three Space Cadets." + +"What guy?" snapped Tom. + +"A guy I once knew when I was working the fields in the jungle belt. I +worked on a plantation as a digger." + +"What's his name?" asked Roger. + +"I don't know his name. He's just a guy. He calls me and says it's worth +a hundred credits to pick up three Space Cadets from the hotel and hold +'em for an hour. I figured the best way to hold you would be to make you +take your clothes off." + +"What did he look like?" asked Roger. + +"A little guy, with a bald head and a limp. That's all I know--honest." + +"A limp, eh?" asked Tom. "A little fellow?" + +"How little?" asked Astro, getting the drift of Tom's question. + +"Real little. About five feet maybe, not much more'n that!" + +The three boys looked at each other and nodded. + +"The guy we bought our jungle gear from in the pawnshop!" exclaimed +Astro. + +"Yeah," said Tom. "It sure sounds like him. But why would he want to +stop us? And more important, who told him that Captain Strong was +sending a cab for us?" + +They turned back to the cab driver for further explanation, but the man +was now actually crying with fright. + +"We won't get anything more out of this little creep," said Astro. +"Let's just turn him over to the Solar Guard at the spaceport. They'll +know how to handle him." + +"Right," Tom agreed. "We've lost enough time as it is." + +"No, no--please!" moaned the cabman. "Lemme go! Take the cab. Drive it +to the spaceport and just leave it, but please don't turn me over to +the Solar Guard. If I'm seen with them, I'll be--" Suddenly the man +darted to one side, eluded Astro's lunge, and scampered away. In a +moment he was swallowed up in the darkness. + +"Boy," breathed Astro, "he was sure scared of something!" + +"Yes," said Tom. "And I'm beginning to get a little scared myself!" + +The cadets climbed into the cab and roared off toward the spaceport, +each boy with the feeling that he was sitting on a smoldering volcano +that was suddenly starting to erupt around him. + +[Illustration] + + + + +CHAPTER 9 + + +"Rocket cruiser _Polaris_ to Solar Guard Venusport! Request emergency +relay circuit to Commander Walters en route Earth!" + +On the radar bridge of the _Polaris_, Roger Manning spoke quickly into +the teleceiver microphone. Just a few minutes before the giant spaceship +had blasted off from Venusport, heading for the Sinclair plantation, +Major Connel had ordered Roger to get in touch with Walters to report +the latest security leak. On the control deck the major paced back and +forth restlessly as Tom guided the _Polaris_ on its short flight. + +"I'll find the spy in the Solar Guard if I have to tear Venusport apart +piece by piece!" fumed Connel. + +"What about that jet freighter we took away from the Nationalists, sir?" +asked Tom. "Did you ever find out where it came from?" + +Connel nodded. "It was an old bucket on the Southern Colonial run. She +was reported lost last year. Somehow those jokers got hold of her and +armed her to the teeth." + +"You think maybe the crew could have mutinied, sir?" + +"It's highly possible, Corbett," answered Connel, and glanced around. +"If they have any other ships of that size, the _Polaris_ will be able +to handle them." + +"Yes, sir." Tom smiled. "The repair crew did a good job on her." The +cadet paused. "Do you suppose one of the Nationalists planted that bomb +on her fin?" + +"No doubt of it," replied Connel. "And it seems to tie in with a rather +strange thing that happened in the Venusian Delegate's office the day +before it happened." + +"What was that, sir?" asked Tom. + +"Three priority orders for seats aboard a Venusport--Atom City express +were stolen. Before a check could be made, the ship had made its run and +the people using the priorities were gone. They must have been the ones +that bumped you off your seats." + +"How do you think that ties in with the bomb on the _Polaris_, sir?" + +"We're trying to figure that out now," said Connel. "If only we knew +what they looked like it would help. The girl at the ticket office +doesn't remember them and neither does the ship's stewardess." + +"But we saw them, sir!" exclaimed Tom. + +"You what!" roared Connel. + +"Yes, sir. We were standing there at the ticket counter when they called +for their tickets." + +"Do you think you'd recognize them again?" + +"I'll say!" asserted Tom. "And I'm sure Astro and Roger would, too. We +were so mad, we could have blasted them on the spot." + +Connel turned to the intercom and shouted, "Manning, haven't you got +that circuit through yet?" + +"Working on it, sir." Roger's voice was smooth and unruffled over the +intercom. "I'm in contact with the commander's ship now. They're calling +him to the radar bridge now." + +Tom suddenly jumped out of his seat as though stung. "Say! I saw one of +the fellows again too!" + +Connel whirled quickly to face the young cadet. "Where?" he demanded. +"Where did you see him?" + +"I--I'm trying to remember." Tom began pacing the deck, snapping his +fingers impatiently. "It was sometime during the past few days--I know +it was!" + +"In Venusport?" demanded Connel, following Tom around the deck. + +"Yes, sir--" + +"Before or after your trip into the jungle?" + +"Uhh--before, I think," Tom replied hesitantly. "No. No. It was after we +came back." + +"Well, out with it, Corbett!" exploded the major. "When? Where? You +didn't do that much visiting! You were too tired to move!" + +"That's just it, sir," said Tom, shaking his head. "I was so tired +everything was a blur. Faces are all mixed up. I--I--" The boy stopped +and put his hands to his head as though trying to squeeze the one vital +face out of his hazy memory. + +Connel kept after him like a hungry, stalking animal. "Where, Corbett? +When?" he shouted. "You've got to remember. This is important! Think, +blast you!" + +"I'm trying, sir," replied the cadet. "But it just won't come to me." + +The buzz of the intercom suddenly sounded and Connel reluctantly left +Tom to answer it. Roger's voice crackled over the speaker. "I have +Commander Walters now, sir. Feeding him down to the control-deck +teleceiver." + +"Oh, all right," replied Connel and turned to Tom. "Come on, Corbett. I +want you to report to the commander personally." + +"Yes, sir," replied Tom, walking slowly to the teleceiver. "I'm sorry I +can't remember where I saw that man." + +"Forget it," Connel said gruffly. "It'll come to you again sometime." He +paused and then added as gently as he could, "Sorry I blasted you like +that." + +When Commander Walters' face appeared on the teleceiver screen, Connel +reported the incident of the cab driver and the news that Tom, Roger, +and Astro had seen the three men who had taken the priorities on the +_Venus Lark_. + +"Just a minute," said Walters. "I'll have a recorder take down the +descriptions." + +Connel motioned to Tom, who stepped before the screen. When he saw +Walters nod, he gave a complete description of the three men he had seen +in the Atom City spaceport. + +"Let's see, now," said Walters, after Tom had concluded his report. "The +man who asked for the tickets was young, about twenty-two, dressed in +Venusian clothing, dark, six feet tall, weighed about one hundred and +fifty pounds. Right?" + +"Yes, sir," replied Tom. + +Connel suddenly stepped before the screen to interject, "And Corbett saw +him in Venusport again sometime during the last two days." + +"Really? Where?" + +Connel glanced at Tom and then replied hurriedly, "Well, he can't be +sure, sir. We rushed him around pretty fast and he saw a lot of people. +But at least we know he's in Venusport somewhere." + +"Yes," nodded Walters. "That's something to work on, at least. And you +have nothing more to add to the descriptions of the other two, Corbett?" + +"Not anything particular, sir," said Tom. "They were dressed in +Venusian-type clothes also, but we didn't get a close look at them." + +"Very well," said Walters. "Proceed with your mission, Major. I'll have +an alert sent out for the cab driver, and I'll have the owner of the +pawnshop picked up. There must be someone on the Solar Delegate's staff +who stole those priorities. We'll start searching there first, and if we +come up with anyone who can't explain his absence from Venusport at the +time the priorities were used, and fits Corbett's description, we'll +contact you. End transmission!" + +"End transmission!" repeated Connel. The screen blanked out and Roger's +voice came over the intercom immediately. "We'll be over Sinclair's in +three minutes," he called. "Stand by." + +Tom turned to the controls and in exactly two minutes and fifty seconds +the clearing surrounding Sinclair's home and the burned outbuildings +came into view. Working effortlessly, with almost casual teamwork, the +three cadets brought the giant spaceship to rest in the middle of the +clearing. As the power was cut, the cadets saw George and Mrs. Hill +jumping into a jet car and speeding out to greet them. + +After Tom introduced Connel to the couple, the major questioned them +closely about their absence during the attack by the shock troops. + +"Mr. Sinclair often gives us time off for a trip into Venusport," +explained Hill. "It gets pretty lonely out here." + +"Is Mr. Sinclair in now?" asked Connel. + +"No, he isn't," replied the plantation foreman. "He's on his weekly trip +around the outer fields. I don't expect him back for another day or +two." + +"For goodness sakes," exclaimed Mrs. Hill, "you can ask your questions +just as easily and a darn sight more comfortably in the house! Come on. +Let's get out of the sun." + +The small group climbed into the jet car and roared off across the +clearing toward the house. The lone building left standing by the +Nationalists looked strange amid the charred ruins of the other +buildings. In the house, the three cadets busied themselves with +home-baked apple pie which the housekeeper had brought out, while Connel +was telling George of the attack on the plantation. + +[Illustration] + +"I've known about them all along, of course," said the foreman. "But I +never paid any attention to them. I just quit, like Mr. Sinclair, when +they started all that tomfoolery about wearing uniforms and stuff." + +"Well," said Connel, accepting a wedge of pie at Mrs. Hill's insistence, +"now they've made the wrong move. Burning Sinclair's property and +attacking an officer of the Solar Guard is going too far." + +"What are you going to do about it?" asked George. + +"I'm not at liberty to say, Mr. Hill," replied Connel. "But I can tell +you this. When any person, or group of persons, tries to dictate to the +Alliance, the Solar Guard steps in and puts a stop to it!" + +Suddenly the silence of the jungle clearing was shattered by the roar of +a single jet craft coming in for a landing. Without looking out the +window, George smiled and said, "There's Mr. Sinclair now! I know the +sound of his jets." + +The group crowded out onto the front porch while George took the jet car +and drove off to pick up his employer. A few moments later Sinclair was +seated before Connel, wiping his sweating brow and accepting a cool +drink from Mrs. Hill. + +"I was on my way to the north boundary when I saw your ship landing," +explained Sinclair. "At first I thought it might be those devils coming +back, but then I saw the Solar Guard insigne on the ship and figured it +might be you." He looked at Connel closely. "Anything new, Major?" + +"Not yet," replied Connel. "But you can rest assured that you won't be +bothered by them again." + +Sinclair paused, eying the major speculatively. "You know, as soon as +you left, I went over to talk to Al Sharkey. I was plenty mad and really +blasted him, but he swears that he was in Venusport at the time and +doesn't know a thing about the raid." + +Connel nodded. "That's true. We checked on him. But while he might not +have been in on the raid itself, there's nothing that says he didn't +order it done!" + +"I doubt it," said Sinclair, with a queer apologetic note in his voice. +"I'm inclined to believe that it was nothing more than a bunch of the +younger, more hotheaded kids in the organization. As a matter of fact, +Sharkey told me he was quitting as president. Seems you fellows in +Venusport scared him plenty. Not only that, but I heard him calling up +the other planters telling them what happened and every one of them is +chipping in to rebuild my plantation." + +Connel looked at the planter steely-eyed. "So you think it was done by a +bunch of kids, huh?" + +Sinclair nodded. "Wouldn't be surprised if they're not scared too!" + +"Well, you are entitled to your opinion, Mr. Sinclair. And if the other +planters are going to rebuild your buildings, that's fine and charitable +of them." Suddenly Connel's voice became harsh. "That does not, however, +erase the fact that a group of uniformed men, armed with paralo-ray guns +and with ships equipped with blasters, attacked you! Atomic blasters, +Mr. Sinclair, are not bought at the local credit exchange. They are made +exclusively for the Solar Guard! That bunch of hotheaded kids, as you +call them, are capable of attacking any community--even ships of the +Solar Guard itself! That is a threat to the peace of the solar system +and must be stopped!" + +Sinclair nodded quickly. "Oh, I agree, Major, I agree. I'm just saying +that--" + +Connel stopped him. "I understand, Mr. Sinclair. You're a peaceful man +and want to keep your life peaceful. But my job is to ensure that peace. +As long as a group of militant toughs like we had here are on the loose, +you won't have peace. You'll have pieces!" + +Tom, Roger, and Astro, sitting quietly and listening, felt like standing +up and cheering as the major finished. + +"I know you can't tell me what you're going to do, Major Connel," said +the planter, "but I hope that you'll allow me to help in any way I can." + +Connel hesitated before answering. "Thank you, Mr. Sinclair. But I'm not +here officially now." And then he added, "Nor in regard to the +Nationalists." + +Sinclair's eyes lit up slightly. "Oh?" + +"No. As you know, the cadets had quite a time with a tyrannosaurus. They +wounded it and it might still be dangerous. That is, more dangerous than +normally. I've got orders to track him down and finish him off." + +"But I thought you said you were going to put a stop to this business +with the Nationalists," said the planter. + +"I said the Solar Guard would, Sinclair." + +"Oh, yes," mumbled Sinclair, "the Solar Guard. Of course." + +Connel got up abruptly. "I would appreciate it if you would look after +our ship, though," he said. "I don't think we'll be longer than a week. +Shouldn't be hard to track a tyrannosaurus, especially if it's wounded." + +"I suppose you have all the equipment you need," said Sinclair. + +"Yes, thank you," replied Connel. Then, thanking Mrs. Hill for the +refreshments, the burly spaceman and the three cadets said good-by and +left the house. + +An hour later, ready to strike off into the jungle, the Solar Guard +officer took four of the latest model shock rifles out of the arms +locker of the _Polaris_ and gave one to each boy with extra ammunition. +"Never go after a giant with a popgun," he said. "It's a wonder you +didn't kill yourselves with those old blasters you used, let alone kill +a tyranno." + +The three cadets examined the rifles closely and with enthusiasm. + +"These are the latest Solar Guard issue," said Connel. "When you pull +that trigger, you release a force three times greater than anything put +into a rifle before." + +Then, checking the _Polaris_ and cutting all power, Connel removed the +master switch and hid it. "That's so no one will get any bright ideas +while we're gone," he explained as the boys watched curiously. + +"You think someone might try to steal her, sir?" asked Tom. + +"You never can tell, Corbett," answered Connel noncommittally. + +Once again the three boys moved across the clearing toward the jungle +wall. Astro took the lead as before, followed by Roger and Tom, and +Connel brought up the rear. They moved directly to the spot where they +had last seen the tyrannosaurus, found the trampled underbrush and +massive tracks, and moved purposefully into the dank, suffocating green +world. + +The trail was plain to see. Where the boys once had to hack their way +through the thick underbrush, the monster had created a path for them. +The three cadets felt better about being back in the jungle with more +reliable equipment and joked about what they would do to the +tyrannosaurus when they saw it again. + +"I thought you were supposed to be the home-grown Venusian hick that +could manage in the jungle like that fairy-tale character, Tarzan," +Roger teased Astro. + +"Listen, you sleepwalking space Romeo," growled Astro, "I know more +about this jungle than you could learn in ten years. And I'm not foolish +enough to battle with a tyranno with the odds on his side. I ran for a +good reason!" + +"Boy, did you run!" taunted Roger. "You were as fast as the _Polaris_ on +emergency thrust!" + +"Knock off that rocket wash!" roared Connel. "The Nationalists might +have security patrols in this area. They could hear you talking and +blast you before you could bat an eyelash! Now keep quiet and stay +alert!" + +The three cadets quieted down after that, walking carefully, stepping +around dead brush that might betray their presence. After working their +way along the tyrannosaurus's trail for several hours, Connel called a +halt, and after a quick look at his compass, motioned for them to cut +away from the monster's tracks. + +"We'll start working around in a circle," he said. "One day east, one +south, west, and north. Then we'll move in closer to the heart of the +circle, and repeat the same procedure. That should cover a lot of ground +in eight days. If anything's moving around out here, besides what should +be here, we'll find it. From now on, we'll have a scout. Astro, you know +the jungle, you take the point, about five hundred yards ahead. If you +see anything, signs of a patrol or any danger from the jungle, fall back +and report. Don't try to do anything yourself. Four guns in a good +position are better than one popping off by itself." + +"Aye, aye, sir," said Astro. With a quick nod to Tom and Roger, he moved +off through the jungle. In ten feet he was invisible. In thirty seconds +his footsteps were lost in the thousands of jungle sounds around them. + +"I'll take the lead now," said Connel. "Corbett, you bring up the rear. +All right, move out!" + +From above, in the leafy roof covering the jungle; from the side, in the +thick tangle of vines; and from below, in the thorny underbrush, the +eyes of living things, jungle things, followed the movements of the +three spacemen, perhaps wondering if these new beasts were a threat to +their lives. + + + + +CHAPTER 10 + + +"Hal-loo-ooo!" + +Astro's voice boomed out over the tops of the trees, where the birds +fluttered in sudden fright. It echoed through the darkness around him, +where smaller creatures crawled and slithered into the protection of +their holes. The voice of the big cadet was loud, but it was not loud +enough for his mates to hear. + +Astro was lost. + +He couldn't understand how it had happened. Over and over during the +past six hours he had retraced his steps mentally, trying to visualize +the trail, trying to locate the telltale marks he had made with his +jungle knife, and so find Major Connel, Tom, and Roger. It was dark now +and the big cadet had to face the dangerous jungle alone. He laughed +ironically. Connel had given him the point because he knew the jungle! +And now he was lost. + +Astro was a little frightened too. It was his frank realization of +trouble that made him afraid. He knew what was in the jungle, and though +he had been there alone before, he had never been in it as deeply as +this, nor had he ever been lost in the nightmarish place after sundown. + +While he was desperately anxious to find his unit mates, he had not +fired his rifle. The threat of exposing his position to a possible +Nationalist patrol prevented him from signaling with the blaster or even +from building a fire. During the last hours of the day, when the +suspicion that he was lost became a concrete fact, the big cadet had +been reluctant even to yell. Now, with pitch-black night closing around +him, he dared to call, hoping it would be heard and recognized by his +friends, or if not, considered the howl of a jungle beast by an enemy +patrol should one be near. + +He stood with his back against the rough bark of a teakwood tree to +protect his rear and to face out toward the pitch-black night. More than +once the big cadet felt the sudden ripple of a crawling thing moving +around him, across his toes or down the tree trunk. There was a sudden +thrashing in the underbrush near by and he brought the shock rifle up +quickly, ears tuned for the growl, or scream, or hiss of an attacking +beast. + +The luminous dial of his watch showed it to be three thirty in the +morning, two and a half hours to go before the sun would drive the +fearful darkness away. He had been calling every five minutes. And every +time he shouted, the movements in the darkness around him increased. + +"Hal-loo-ooo!" + +He waited, turning his head from one side to the other, intent on the +sounds that came from a distance; the answering call of the waddling +ground bird that had confused him at first until he recognized it; the +shrill scream of the tiny swamp hog; the distant chattering of the +monkeylike creatures in the treetops. But there was no sound from a +human throat. + +Astro called again and again. The seconds dragged by into minutes, the +minutes into an hour, and then two hours, and finally, as every muscle +in his body ached from standing backed up to the tree all night and +holding his rifle on alert, the gray murky dawn broke over the jungle +and he began to see the green of the jungle around him. When the sun at +last broke over the Venusian horizon, the night's frost on the leaves +and bushes danced and glittered like jewels. + +He washed his face in a near-by pool, careful not to drink any of the +water. He opened a can of synthetic food, and after eating his fill, +cleared away the brush down to the naked black soil and banking it high +on all sides he stretched full length on the ground. He dared not sleep. +Hungry animals were moving about freely now. A paralo-ray gun and the +rifle, both cocked and ready to fire, were held in his hands. He relaxed +as completely as he could, idly watching the mother of a brood of the +anthropoids scamper through the branches of the trees overhead, bringing +her squalling young their breakfast. An hour later, refreshed, he +started through the jungle again, eyes open for signs of recent +activity, human activity, for the big cadet wanted to return to his +comrades. + +Stopping occasionally to climb a tree, Astro searched the sky above the +treetops for smoke that would mark a campsite. He felt that sure if +there was any, he would find Roger, Tom, and Connel, since a Nationalist +patrol wouldn't advertise its presence in the jungle. But there were no +smoke signs. The top of the jungle stretched green and still as far as +he could see, steaming under the burning rays of the sun. + +Astro knew that it would be impossible to spend another night like the +first in the jungle, so after searching through the forest until three +in the afternoon, he stopped, opened another can of synthetic food, and +ate. He was used to being alone now. The first wave of fear had left +him and he was beginning to remember things he knew as a young boy; +jungle signs that warned him of dangers, the quick identification of the +animal cries, and the knowledge of the habits of the jungle creatures. + +After eating, he took his jungle knife and hacked at a long, tough vine, +yanking it down from its lofty tangle. He started weaving it into a +tight oblong basket and two hours later, just before the sun dropped +into the jungle for the night, he was finished. He had a seven-foot bag +woven tightly and pulled together with a small opening at one end. Just +before the sky darkened, the big cadet crawled into this makeshift +sleeping bag, pulled the opening closed with a tight draw cord, and in +thirty seconds was asleep. Nothing would be able to bite through the +tough vine matting, and the chances of a larger beast accidentally +stepping on him were small. Nevertheless, Astro had pulled the bag close +to a huge tree and placed it deep between the swollen roots. + +He awoke with a start. The ground was shaking violently. He was sweating +profusely and judged that it must be late in the morning with the sun +beating directly on him. Carefully he opened the end of the makeshift +sleeping bag and peered out. He gasped and reached for his shock rifle, +bringing it up into firing position. The sight that confronted him was +at once horrifying and fascinating. A hundred yards away, a giant snake, +easily a hundred feet long and five feet thick, was wrapped around a +raging tyrannosaurus. The monsters were in a fight to death. Astro +shuddered and pulled back into the bag, keeping the blaster aimed at the +two struggling beasts. + +[Illustration: _Astro kept his blaster aimed at the monsters_] + +The big cadet deduced that the snake must have been surprised in its +feeding by the tyrannosaurus, and was trying to defend itself. There +wasn't a living thing in the jungle that would deliberately attack a +tyrannosaurus. Only man, with his intelligence and deadly weapons, +could win over the brute force and cunning of the jungle giant. And even +that had failed with this monster. Astro quickly saw it was the same +beast that had chased the three cadets out of the jungle! + +With three coils wrapped around the tyrannosaurus's body, the snake was +trying to wrap a fourth around its neck and strangle it, but the monster +was too wily. Rearing back, it suddenly fell to the ground, its weight +crushing the three coils around its middle. The snake jerked +spasmodically, stunned, as the tyrannosaurus scrambled up again. The +ground trembled and branches were ripped from near-by trees. All around +the jungle had been leveled. Everything fell before the thrashing +monsters. + +Recovering, the snake's head darted in again, trying to circle the +tyrannosaurus's head and complete the last and fatal coil, but the giant +beast lunged, its massive jaws snapping, and the snake drew back. +Suddenly its tail lashed out and circled the left legs of the +tyrannosaurus. Astro could see the beast straining against the sudden +pressure, at the same time alert for the swooping head of the snake. The +pressure on the leg was too great, and the beast fell to the ground, +giving the snake a momentary advantage. Its head darted in again, but +the tyrannosaurus drew its head into its narrow shoulders, then shot out +again as the snake missed. Astro saw the snake quiver and jerk back as +the tyrannosaurus clamped its jaws closed and bit a chunk out of the +green, scaly body. + +The snake had enough. It wanted to get away, to slip to the top of the +tallest tree in the forest, out of reach of the tyrannosaurus, and wait +for the wound to heal or for death to come. It unwound in a maddened +convulsive movement and slithered toward the tree where Astro lay. But +the monster was after it, immediately grabbing it by the tail and +jerking it back. The snake was forced to turn and fight back. + +Astro knew that if the snake could get away it would head for the +teakwood above his head, the highest tree around, and the tyrannosaurus +would stamp the ground around its base into powder. He had to move! + +A hundred feet to the left was a wild thicket of ground thorns, their +needlelike tips bristling. Even the snake would stay away from them. It +was his only chance should the snake get loose from the tyrannosaurus +again. Making up his mind quickly, the cadet opened the end of the +sleeping bag and shoved his weapons out before him. Then hugging the +ground, he dashed across the clearing. This gave the tyrannosaurus its +final advantage. The snake pulled back, momentarily attracted by Astro's +move, and the tyrannosaurus struck, catching the snake just behind the +head in a grip of death. + +The thorns ripped at Astro's tight-fitting jungle dress, tearing into +his flesh as he dove into the thicket. But once inside the cadet lay +still, pointing his rifle at the tyrannosaurus who was methodically +finishing off the giant snake. In a few seconds the snake was dead and +the tyrannosaurus began to feast. + +Astro stayed in the thicket, watching the monster devour nearly all of +the dead reptile foe and then rise up and move off through the jungle. +Astro knew that in no time the scavengers of the jungle would be +swarming over the remains of the snake. Once again he had to move. + +Getting out of the thicket was painful. From every direction the thorns +jabbed at him, and but for the toughness of his jungle suit, Astro would +have been ripped to shreds. After easing his way back into the +clearing, the cadet pulled out the remains of his jungle pack. He then +saw that his suit was torn to ribbons, and the many slashes on his chest +and arms were bleeding profusely. The scent of the blood would attract +the carnivorous creatures, so he stripped off the bloody jungle suit, +dropping it back in the thicket, and hurried away. A short time later he +came to a water hole where he sponged himself off and applied medication +from his emergency kit to the scratches. Finished, he took stock. The +night's sleep had refreshed him, and except for the loss of his +protective clothing, he was in good shape. He shouldered the pack, +strapped the paralo-ray gun to his hips, and gripping the rifle tightly, +he moved off through the jungle once more. He decided to follow the +tyrannosaurus. The beast would leave a path for him, saving him the +effort of hacking his way through the vines and creepers, and should an +enemy patrol be out, it would stay away from the tyrannosaurus. Finally, +he knew Tom, Roger, and Connel would go after the beast if they saw it. + +The sun shone down on the half-naked giant moving through the jungle, a +new white-skinned animal who was braver than the rest, a creature who +dared to trail the king of the jungle. + + * * * * * + +"It's all my fault!" said Connel disgustedly. "I should have been able +to read his trail signs." + +Tom did not answer. He pulled the straps of his jungle pack tighter and +slung it over his shoulder. Roger stood to one side, watching Major +Connel. Both boys sensed what was coming. + +"Well, this is the last day we can spend searching for him," said +Connel. "We've already lost two days." + +Roger glanced at Tom and said casually, "It wouldn't hurt to keep our +eyes open for signs of him, would it, sir?" + +"Now listen, boys," said Connel firmly, "I know how you feel about +Astro. I have to admit I have a liking for the lad myself. But we've +been sent out here to locate the base of operations of the Nationalists. +The best way to do that is to work around the jungle in a given area. We +haven't done that so far. We've put all our time and effort into a +random search for Astro. We can't signal him, build a fire, shoot off a +blaster--or use any of the simple communication devices. We have to work +under cover, for fear of giving away our presence here in the jungle." +He slung his gear over his shoulder and added, "We'll continue our +search for Astro until noon and then we simply will have to abandon it. +And stop worrying about him. He's a big strong lad and he's been in this +jungle alone before. I have every confidence that he can make his way +back to Sinclair's plantation safely." + +The Solar Guard officer paused and looked at the two downcast cadets +before him. "None of that sulking business!" he growled. "You're cadets +on an urgent mission. Now move out. I'll take the point first and you +bring up the rear, Corbett." Without another word, the burly spaceman +turned and moved off through the jungle. + +Roger hung back to talk to Tom. "What do you think, Tom?" + +Tom shook his head before answering. "He's right, Roger. We're on a job. +It's the same here in the jungle as it is in space. We know that +something is liable to happen to any one of us at any time. And the +mission always comes first." + +Roger nodded. "Sure, that's the way it is in the book. But this is +real. That big hick might be hurt--or trapped. Maybe he needs our help!" + +"I know how you feel, Roger," replied Tom. "I want to take off and hunt +for Astro myself, but Connel needs us. Don't forget that bunch of guys +in uniforms back at Sinclair's. Commander Walters and the others don't +hold conferences like that one back in Venusport for the fun of it. This +is serious." + +Roger shrugged and started off after Connel, Tom following slowly +behind. Their march through the jungle was made in silence, each hoping +for a miracle. But as the sun grew higher and the deadline hour of noon +approached, they steeled themselves to the fact that they might never +see the Venusian cadet again. A short time later, when Tom was taking +his turn at cutting the trail through the brush, he broke through into a +clearing. He stopped and called out, "Major! Roger! Quick!" + +Connel and the blond-haired cadet rushed forward, stopping beside Tom to +stare in amazement. Before them, a large area of the jungle was pounded +down and lying amidst the tangle of giant creepers and uprooted bushes +was the remains of a giant snake. + +"By the rings of Saturn!" gasped Connel, walking forward to inspect the +clearing. Tom and Roger followed, breaking to the side, their rifles at +ready. The two boys had become jungle-wise quickly and knew that death +lurked behind the wall of green surrounding the cleared area. + +"It must have been some fight!" Connel pointed to the tracks of the +tyrannosaurus. "The tyranno must have stumbled on the snake while it was +feeding," said Connel. "Otherwise it would have lit out for that tree +over there." He pointed to the giant teakwood that Astro had slept +under. The three spacemen saw the makeshift sleeping bag at the same +time. + +"Major! Look!" cried Tom and raced to the base of the tree. + +"It's Astro's, all right," said Connel, examining the woven bag. "I +wonder if he was here when those two things were going after each +other." + +"Yes, sir," said Roger in a choked whisper, "he was." He pointed to the +ragged remains of Astro's jungle suit dangling on the near-by thornbush. +The blood was stiff on the material. + +The three Earthmen stared at the suit, each too horrified to speak. + +Connel's face was set in hard lines as he finally found his voice and +growled, "Our search is over. Let's get back to our job." + +[Illustration] + + + + +CHAPTER 11 + + +It was not until late the same afternoon that Astro, following the trail +of the tyrannosaurus, realized that the giant beast was seriously hurt. +At first the traces of blood on the ground and underbrush were slight, +but gradually the blood spots became more profuse and the trail was +covered with huge blotches of red. The Venusian cadet grew more +cautious. The tyrannosaurus would be ten times as dangerous now. And it +might be close by, lying in the jungle, licking its wounds. + +As the sun began to sink in the western Venusian sky, Astro began to +think about the coming night. He would have to hole up. He couldn't +chance stumbling into the beast in the dark. But it would also mean +taking time to make another sleeping bag. Suddenly he saw a movement in +the brush to his left. He dropped to the ground and aimed the shock +rifle in that direction, eyes probing the green tangle for further +movement. + +"Make one move and you'll die!" a harsh voice cut through the jungle. +Astro remained still, his eyes darting to left and right, trying to +locate the owner of the voice. + +"Throw down your gun and stand up with your hands over your head!" came +another voice, this one immediately behind him. + +[Illustration: _His eyes probed the jungle for further movement_] + +A patrol! Astro swore at himself for blindly walking into a trap and +dropped his gun. He stood up and raised his hands over his head, turning +slowly. + +"Don't turn around! Stand still!" + +Astro stopped. + +He could hear the rustle of movement in the underbrush behind him and +then someone called, "Circle around to the right. Spread out and see if +there are any others!" + +Off to the side, he could hear the crashing of footsteps moving away in +the jungle. + +"All right," continued the unknown voice, "drop that paralo-ray pistol +to the ground. But no smart tricks. We can see you and you can't see us, +so take it easy and do as we say." + +Astro lowered his hands and unbuckled the gun belt, letting it fall to +the ground. There was a sudden burst of movement behind him and powerful +arms gripped his wrists. Within seconds his hands were tied quickly and +expertly, and he was spun around to face his captors. + +There were ten men, all dressed in the same green uniforms and plastic +headgear he had seen at the Sinclair plantation. They stood in a +semicircle around him, their guns leveled at his naked chest. The leader +of the party nudged the nearest man and commented, "Never thought I'd +see any animal like this in the jungle!" The other men laughed +appreciatively. + +"Who are you?" the leader demanded. "What are you doing here?" + +"My name is Astro," replied the big cadet boldly. "I'm a Space Cadet, +_Polaris_ unit, Space Academy, U.S.A. I'm here in the jungle with the +rest of my unit hunting tyrannosaurus." + +"Tyranno, eh?" queried the man. "How long have you been trailing this +one?" + +"Just today. I saw him fight a big snake and lost my jungle gear in a +thicket where I was hiding. I was separated from my space buddies two +days ago." + +"Say, Helia," suddenly called one of the other men, "he sounds like a +Venusian." + +"Is that true?" asked the leader. "Are you from Venus?" + +Astro nodded. "Venusport." + +"Then why are you in Space Academy?" + +"I want to be a spaceman." + +"Why didn't you go to school on Venus, instead of Earth. We have good +space schools here." + +"I want a commission in the Solar Guard. You can only get that through +the Academy," replied Astro stoutly. + +"Solar Guard!" snorted the leader, and then turned to the nearest man, +speaking rapidly in a strange tongue. + +For a moment the language confused Astro, then he recognized it as the +ancient Venusian dialect. He understood it and started to answer, but +then, on second thought, he decided not to reveal his knowledge of the +language. + +The leader turned back to Astro and asked a question. + +Astro shook his head and said, "If you're talking to me, you have to +speak English. I know that's the Venusian dialect you're speaking, but I +never learned it." + +The leader's fist shot out and crashed against Astro's jaw. The big +cadet rocked back with the punch and then he lunged forward, straining +against his bonds. + +"Why, you--!" he exploded angrily. + +"That was for not being a true Venusian!" snapped the leader. "Every son +of Venus should understand his mother tongue!" + +Astro bit his lip and fell silent. + +The leader turned away, and shouting a command, started off through the +jungle. Astro knew that the patrol had been ordered to move out, but he +stood still, waiting for them to push him. They did. A hard jab in his +naked side with the butt of a gun sent him stumbling forward in the +center of the patrol. + +Well, there was one consolation, he thought grimly. At least he wouldn't +have to spend the night out in the jungle alone again! + +Astro had expected a long march, but to his surprise, he was pushed +along a well-worn jungle trail for only three hundred yards in from the +tyrannosaurus's track. Finally they stopped before a huge teakwood tree. +The leader pounded his rifle butt on the trunk three times. + +Mystified, Astro watched a small section of the trunk open to reveal a +modern vacuum-tube elevator shaft. He was pushed inside with the men of +the patrol and the tree-trunk door was closed. The leader pushed a lever +and the car dropped so suddenly that Astro nearly lost his balance. He +judged that they must have fallen two hundred feet when the car stopped +and another door opened. He was pushed out into a high-vaulted tunnel +with cement walls. + +"Hurry up!" snapped the leader. + +The big cadet moved along the tunnel, followed by the patrol, turning +from one tunnel into another, all of them slanting downhill. Astro +guessed that he was being taken to some subterranean cave. He asked his +captors where they were taking him. + +"Don't talk!" snapped one of the men at his side. + +"This jungle will be swarming with Solar Guardsmen once they discover +I'm lost," said Astro. "Who are you and what are you holding me prisoner +for?" The big cadet decided it would be better to feign ignorance of the +existence of the rebel organization. + +"Let the Solar Guard come!" snapped the leader. "They'll find something +they never expected." + +"But what do you want with _me_?" asked the cadet. + +"You'll know soon enough!" + +They had been walking for nearly an hour and the tunnels still slanted +downward but more sharply now. Turning into a much larger tunnel than +any of the rest, Astro noticed a huge door on one side. Through its +crystal-covered ports he saw racks of illegal heat blasters and +paralo-ray guns. A man stepped out of the door, and raising his hand in +a form of salute, called out a few words in the Venusian tongue. Astro +recognized it as a greeting, "Long live Venusians!" and suppressed a +smile. + +One by one, the men of the patrol handed over their rifles and ray guns, +while the man in the armory checked off their names. Then they all +removed their knee-length jungle boots and traded their plastic helmets +for others of the same design but of a lighter material. Each man turned +his back while switching helmets, obviously to avoid being recognized by +any of the others, since the new helmet was also frosted except for a +slit at eye level. Wearing the lighter headgear and common street shoes, +the men continued their march through the tunnel. They passed into a +still larger tunnel, and for the first time, Astro could see daylight. +As they drew nearer to the mouth of the tunnel, the cadet could see +outside, and the scene before him made him gasp for breath. + +A full twenty miles long and fifteen miles wide, a canyon stretched +before him. And it seemed to the big cadet that every square inch of the +canyon floor was occupied by buildings and spaceships. Hundreds of +green-clad men were moving around the ships and buildings. + +"By the craters of Luna!" gasped Astro as the patrol paused in the mouth +of the tunnel. "What--what is this?" + +"The first city of Venus. True Venus. Built by Venusians with Venusian +materials only!" said the leader proudly. "There's the answer to your +Solar Guard!" + +"I don't understand," said Astro. "What are you going to do?" + +"You'll see." The man chuckled. "You'll see. Move on!" + +As they trooped out of the tunnel and down into the canyon they passed +groups of men working on the many ships. The cadet recognized what they +were doing at once. The unmistakable outlines of gun ports were being +cut into the sides of several bulky space freighters. Elsewhere, the +steady pounding of metal and grinding of machinery told the cadet that +machine shops were going at full blast. He noticed a difference between +the men of the patrol and the workers. Neither spoke to the other. In +fact, Astro saw that it was rarely that a worker even glanced at them as +they passed by. + +Up ahead, Astro saw a huge building, wide and sprawling but only a few +stories high. It was nearly dark now and lights began to wink on in the +many windows. He guessed that he was being taken to the building and was +not surprised when the leader pulled him by the arm, guiding him toward +a small side door. There was a curious look about the building and the +cadet couldn't figure out what it was. Glancing quickly at the wall as +he passed through the door, he nearly burst out laughing. The building +was made of wood! He guessed that the rebels were using materials at +hand rather than importing anything from outside planets. And since +Venus was largely a planet of jungles and vegetation, with few large +mineral deposits, wood would be the easiest thing to use. + +The inside of the building was handsomely decorated and designed. He saw +walls covered with carvings, depicting old legends about the first +colonists. He shook his head. "Boy," he thought, "they sure go for the +Venusian stuff in a big way!" + +"All right!" snapped the leader. "Stop here!" + +Astro stood before a huge double door that had been polished to a +brilliant luster. The cadet waited for the leader to enter, but the +Nationalist stood perfectly still, eyes straight ahead. Suddenly the +doors swung open, revealing a huge chamber, at least a hundred and fifty +feet long. At the far end a man dressed in white with a green band +across his chest sat in a beautifully carved chair. Arrayed on either +side of him were fifty or more men dressed in various shades of green. +The man in white lifted his hand and the patrol leader stepped forward, +pushing Astro before him. They walked across the polished floor and +stopped ten feet away from the man in white, the patrol leader bowing +deeply. Astro glanced at the men standing at either side of the man in +white. The bulge of paralo-ray pistols was plainly visible beneath their +flowing robes. + +The man in white lifted his hand in the salute Astro had seen before. +Then the patrol leader straightened up and began to speak rapidly in the +Venusian dialect. Translating easily, Astro heard him report his +capture. When he concluded, the man in white looked at Astro closely and +spoke three words. Astro shook his head. + +"He does not speak our mother tongue, Lactu," volunteered the patrol +leader. + +The man in white nodded. "How is it," he said in English, "that you are +a native-born Venusian and do not speak the language of your planet?" + +"I was an orphan. I had very little formal education," said Astro. "And +as long as we're asking questions around here, how about my asking a +few? Who in space are you? What's the idea of holding me a prisoner?" + +"One question at a time, please, brother Venusian," said the man in +white. "And when you address me, my name is Lactu." + +"Lactu what?" asked Astro belligerently. + +"Your own name should tell you that we on Venus only have one name." + +"Never mind that rocket wash!" barked Astro. "When do I get out of +here?" + +"You will never leave here as you came," said Lactu quietly. + +"What does that mean?" demanded the cadet. + +"You have discovered the existence of our base. Ordinarily you would +have been burned to a crisp and left in the jungle. Fortunately, you are +a Venusian by birth, and therefore have the right to join our +organization." + +"What does that mean?" + +"It means," said Lactu, "that you will take an oath to fight until death +if necessary to free the planet Venus and the Venusian citizens from the +slavery of the Solar Alliance and--" + +"Awright, buster!" roared Astro. "I've had enough of that rocket wash! I +took an oath of allegiance to the Solar Guard and the Solar Alliance, to +uphold the cause of peace throughout the universe and defend the +liberties of the planets. Your idea is to destroy peace and make slaves +out of the people of Venus--like these dummies you've got here!" Astro +gestured contemptuously at the men standing on both sides of Lactu. "I +don't want any part of you, so start blasting!" continued the big cadet, +his voice booming out in the big room. "But make it good, 'cause I'm +tough!" + +There was a murmur among the men and several put their hands on the +butts of their paralo-ray guns. Even the calm expression in Lactu's eyes +changed. + +"You are not afraid of us, are you?" he asked in a low, almost surprised +tone of voice. + +"You, nor anything that crawls in the jungle like you!" shouted Astro. +"If you're not happy with the way things are run on Venus, why don't +you take your beef to the Solar Alliance?" + +"We prefer to do it our way!" snapped one of the men near Lactu. "And as +for you, a few lashes with a Venusian wet whip will teach you to keep a +civil tongue!" + +Astro turned around slowly, looking at each of the men individually. "I +promise you," he said slowly, "the first man who lays a whip on me will +die." + +"And who, pray, will do the killing?" snorted a short, stout figure in +the darkest of the green uniforms. "You? Hardly!" + +"If it isn't me"--Astro turned to face the man--"it will be any one of a +thousand Space Cadets." + +"You have a lot of confidence in yourself and your friends," said Lactu. +"Death apparently doesn't frighten you." + +"No more than it does any man of honor," said the cadet. "I've faced +death before. As for my friends"--Astro shrugged and grinned--"touch me +and wait for what happens. And by the stars, mister, you can depend on +it happening!" + +"Enough of this, Lactu!" said a man near the end of the group. "We have +important business to conduct. Take this foolish boy out and do away +with him!" + +Lactu waved his hand gently. "Observe, gentlemen, here is the true +spirit of Venus. This boy is not an Earthman, nor a Martian. He is a +Venusian--a proud Venusian who has drifted with the tides of space and +taken life where he found it. Tell me honestly, gentlemen, what would +you have thought of Astro, a Venusian, if he had acted any differently +than he has? If he had taken an oath he does not believe and groveled at +our feet? No, gentlemen, to kill this proud, freeborn Venusian would be +a crime. Tell me, Astro, do you have any skills?" + +"I can handle nuclear materials in any form." + +"We are wasting time, Lactu!" exclaimed one of the men suddenly. "Settle +with this upstart later. Now let us take a vote on the issue before us. +The ship is waiting to blast off for Mercury. Do we ask for her +assistance, or not?" + +There was a loud murmur among the assembled men, and Lactu held up his +hand. "Very well, we will vote. All in favor of asking the people of +Mercury to join our movement against the Alliance will say aye!" + +"Aye," chorused the men. + +"Against?" + +Lactu looked around, but there was no reply. + +Lactu turned back to Astro. "Well, Venusian, this is your last chance to +join forces with us and to fight for your mother planet." + +"Go blast your jets!" snapped Astro. Immediately Lactu's eyes became +hard steely points. + +"That was your last chance!" he said. "Take him out and kill him!" + +The door suddenly burst open and a green-clad trooper raced across the +bare floor, bowing hastily before Lactu. "Forgive this interruption, +Lactu," he said breathlessly. "There are men in the jungle headed for +the canyon rim. Three of them!" + +Lactu turned to Astro. "Your friends, no doubt!" He snapped an order. +"Capture them and bring them to me. And as for you, Astro, we are in +need of capable men to build war heads for our space torpedoes. To +ensure the safety of your friends, I would advise your working for us. +If not, your friends will die before another night falls." + + + + +CHAPTER 12 + + +"You're right, Tom," said Major Connel. "They must be around here +somewhere. Start looking. If they're not here, it may mean he's still +alive." + +It was Tom who had thought of looking for Astro's weapons. Refusing to +believe that his unit mate had been killed, the curly-haired cadet was +examining the torn jungle suit when the idea occurred to him. + +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. "I'm sure Astro +wouldn't be caught unawares by a couple of things like a snake or a +tyrannosaurus without putting up a fight. If he was attacked suddenly, +he would have fired at least one shot, and if it went wild, it would +have burned the vines and brush around here. You didn't find his +weapons, and there are no scorched areas. I'll stake my life on it, +Astro's alive!" + +Roger's and Tom's faces brightened. They knew Connel had no proof, but +they were willing to believe anything that would keep their hopes for +their giant unit mate alive. + +"Now," said Connel, "assuming he is not dead, and that he is somewhere +in the jungle, we have to figure out what he would do." + +Roger was thoughtful a moment. "How long would he last without his +jungle suit, sir?" + +"What do you mean?" asked Connel. + +Tom's eyes lit up. "If he's alive, sir, then he's probably following a +path or trail that would keep him away from heavy underbrush," he said. + +Connel thought a moment. "There's only one trail away from here." He +turned and pointed to the trail made by the tyrannosaurus. "That one." + +The three spacemen stared at the wide path left by the huge beast. +Connel hesitated. "It's due north," he said finally. "We've come a full +day west and should be making a turn north. We'll follow the +tyrannosaurus's trail for a full day." + +Roger and Tom grinned. They knew Connel was making every effort to find +Astro, while still keeping his mission in mind. + +The three spacemen moved along the trail quickly, eyes alert for any +sign Astro might have left. Connel saw the great bloodstains left by the +tyrannosaurus and cautioned the two cadets. "This tyranno is wounded +pretty badly. It might be heading back for its lair, but it might not +make it, and stop along the way. Be careful and keep your eyes open for +any sign that he might have--" + +Connel was stopped by Tom's sudden cry. "Major! Look!" + +Connel turned and stared. A thousand yards ahead of them on the broken +trail they saw the monstrous bulk of a tyrannosaurus emerge from the +gloom. + +"By the rings of Saturn," breathed Connel, "that's the one!" + +The great beast spotted the three Earthmen at the same instant. It +raised itself on its hind legs, and shaking its massive head in anger, +started to charge down its own trail toward them. + +"Disperse!" cried Connel. "Take cover!" + +Tom and Roger darted to one side of the trail while Connel dived for the +other. Taking cover behind a tree, the boys turned and pointed their +rifles down the trail. They saw that the tyrannosaurus had already +covered half the distance between them. + +"Aim for the legs!" shouted Connel, from his place of concealment. +"Don't try for a head shot! He's moving too fast! Give it to him in the +legs. Try to cut him down!" + +Roger and Tom lay flat on the ground and trained their rifles on the +approaching beast. + +"I'll take the right leg," said Roger. "You take the left, Tom." + +"On target!" replied Tom, squinting through the sight. + +"Ready!" Connel's voice roared across the trail. + +Only a hundred and fifty feet away the tyrannosaurus, hearing Connel's +voice, suddenly stopped. Its head weaved back and forth as though it +suspected a trap. + +"Fire!" roared Connel. + +Tom and Roger fired together, but at the same moment the monster lunged +toward Connel's position. Both shots missed, the energy charges merely +scorching its sides. + +[Illustration] + +The tyrannosaurus roared with anger and turned toward the boys, head +down and the claws of its short forelegs extended. + +At that moment Connel opened fire, aiming for the monster's vulnerable +neck. But it was well protected behind its shoulders and the spaceman +only succeeded in drawing the beast's attention back to himself. + +At this instant Tom and Roger opened fire again, sending violent shock +charges into the beast's hide. Caught in the withering cross fire, it +turned blindly on the boys and charged at them. The two cadets fired +coolly, rapidly, unable to miss the great bulk. The air became acrid +with the sharp odor of ionized air. Maddened now beyond the limits of +its endurance, hit at least twenty times and wild with pain, the great +king of the Venusian jungle bore down on the two cadets. + +[Illustration] + +Roger and Tom saw that their fire was not going to stop the +tyrannosaurus's charge. They were pouring a nearly steady stream of fire +into the monster now, while on the other side of the trail Connel was +doing the same, raking the monstrous hulk from the forelegs to the +hindquarters. + +The boys jumped back, Tom still facing the beast and firing his rifle +from the waist. But Roger stumbled in the tangle of the underbrush and +fell backward, dropping his rifle. The beast's head swooped low, jaws +open. + +Seeing Roger's danger, Tom jumped downward again without hesitation and +fired point-blank at the beast's scaly head, only ten feet away. + +The monster roared in sudden agony and pulled back, jerking his head up +against a thick branch of the tree overhead. The limb tore loose under +the impact and fell crashing to the ground on top of Roger. + +From behind, Connel stepped closer to the tyrannosaurus and fired from a +twenty-five-foot range. It wavered and stumbled back, obviously mortally +wounded. From both sides Tom and Connel poured their weapons' power into +the giant beast. Blinded, near death, the monster wavered uncertainly. +Bellowing in fear and pain, it turned and lumbered back down the trail. + +Connel and Tom watched it until they were certain it could not attack +them without warning again, and then they hurried to Roger. The heavy +tree limb had landed across his back, pinning him to the ground. + +"Roger!" yelled Tom. "Roger, are you all right?" + +The blond-haired cadet didn't answer. Grabbing a stout branch lying on +the ground near by, Connel and Tom worked it beneath the limb which lay +across Roger's body and pried it up. + +"I've got it," said Connel, holding the weight of the limb on his +shoulder. "Pull him out!" + +Tom quickly pulled the unconscious cadet clear and laid him on the +ground. Dropping the limb, Connel bent down to examine the boy. He ran +his fingers along Roger's spine, feeling the bones one by one through +the skin-tight jungle suit. Finally he straightened and shook his head. +"I can't tell anything," he said. "We'll have to take him back to +Sinclair's right away." He stood up. "I'll make a stretcher for him. +Meanwhile, you go after that tyranno and finish him off. He's pretty +far gone, but you never can tell." + +"Aye, aye, sir," replied Tom. He picked up his rifle and reloaded it, +checking it carefully. He repeated the precaution with Roger's blaster. + +"Hurry up," urged Connel, already reaching for a suitable branch. "Time +means everything now." + +"Be right back, sir," replied Tom. And as he walked away, he looked back +at the unconscious form of his unit mate. He could not help reflecting +on the bitter fact that already two members of the expedition were in +danger, and they were no closer to their goal of finding the +Nationalists' hidden base. + +Moving carefully, one of the two rifles slung over his shoulder, the +other in his hand ready for use, Tom followed the trail of the +tyrannosaurus. Two thousand yards farther along he saw a place where the +monster had fallen and then struggled back to its feet to stagger on. +Rounding a turn in the trail, Tom stopped abruptly. Before him, not a +hundred feet away, the beast lay sprawled on the ground. The area all +around was devoid of any vegetation. It was trampled down to the black +soil. Tom deduced that it was the beast's lair. He pressed forward +cautiously until he was a scant thirty feet away, and crouched between +the roots of a huge tree where he would be protected should the monster +be able to rise and fight again. + +Sighting carefully on the base of the monster's neck, he squeezed the +trigger of the shock rifle. A full energy charge hit the tyrannosaurus +in its most vulnerable spot. It jerked under the sudden blast, +involuntarily tried to rise to its feet, and then fell back, the ground +shaking under the impact of its thirty tons. Then, after one convulsive +kick with its hind legs that uprooted a near-by tree, the beast +stiffened and lay still. + +Tom waited, watching the beast for signs of life. After five minutes he +stepped forward cautiously, his rifle ready. He circled the +tyrannosaurus slowly. The great bulk towered above him, and the cadet's +eyes widened in amazement at the size of the fallen giant. Stopping at +its head, which was as wide as he was tall, Tom looked at the jaws and +teeth that had torn so many foes into bloody bits, and shook his head. +He had come to the jungle to kill just such a beast. But with Astro +missing and Roger unconscious the thrill of victory was somehow missing. +He turned and headed back down the trail. + +Connel had finished the litter by the time Tom returned, and the officer +was leaning over the blond-haired cadet, examining his back again. + +"We'd better move out right away, Tom," said Connel. "I still can't tell +what's wrong. It may be serious, and then it may be nothing more than +just shock. But we can't take a chance." + +Tom nodded. "Very well, sir." He adjusted his shoulder pack, slung both +rifles over his shoulder, and started to pick up his end of the litter +when suddenly the jungle silence was shattered by a deafening roar. +Connel jumped to his feet! + +"Corbett!" he cried. "That's a rocket ship blasting off!" + +"It sure sounded like it, sir," replied Tom. + +"And I'll stake my life it's not more than a half mile away!" + +The two men jumped out into the trail and scanned the sky. The +unmistakable roar of a spaceship echoed through the jungle. The ship was +accelerating, and the reverberations of the rocket exhaust rolled over +the treetops. Suddenly a flash of gleaming metal streaked across the sky +and Connel roared. + +"We've found it, Corbett!" He slapped the cadet on the back. "The +Nationalists' base! We've found it!" + +Tom nodded, a half-smile on his face. "We sure have, Major." He +hesitated a moment. "You know, sir, if Roger is really badly hurt we +might not make it back to Sinclair's in time, so--" He stopped. + +"I know what you're thinking, Tom," said the officer, "and I agree. But +one of us has to go back with the information." + +"You go, sir," said Tom. "I'll take Roger and--" + +"You can't carry him alone--" + +"I can make it somehow," protested Tom. + +Connel shook his head. "I'll help you." + +"You mean, you're going to allow yourself to be captured too?" +spluttered Tom. + +"Not quite." Connel smiled. "But a good intelligence agent gets as much +information as he can. And he gets correct information! I'll help you +get him to the base and you can take him on in for medical attention. +I'll get back to Sinclair's later." + +Tom tried to protest, but the burly spaceman had turned away. + + + + +CHAPTER 13 + + +"Stand where you are!" + +Tom and Major Connel stiffened and looked around, the unconscious form +of Roger stretched between them on the litter. From the jungle around +them, green-clad Nationalists suddenly emerged, brandishing their guns. + +"Put Roger down," muttered Connel quietly. "Don't try anything." + +"Very well, sir," replied Tom, and they lowered the litter to the ground +gently. + +"Raise your hands!" came the second command from a man who appeared +directly in front of them. + +Standing squarely in front of them, the little man said something in the +Venusian dialect and waited, but Connel and Tom remained silent. + +"I guess you don't speak the Venusian tongue," he sneered. "So I'll have +to use the disgusting language of Earth!" He looked down at the +unconscious form of Roger. "What happened to him?" + +"He was injured in a fight with a tyrannosaurus," replied Connel. "May I +remind you that you and these men are holding guns on an officer of the +Solar Guard. Such a crime is punishable by two years on a prison +asteroid!" + +"You'll be the one to go to prison, my stout friend!" The man laughed. +"A little work in the shops will take some of that waistline off you!" + +"Are you taking us prisoner?" + +"What do you think?" + +"I see." Connel seemed to consider for a moment. "Who are you?" he +asked. + +"I am Drifi, squad officer of the jungle patrol." + +"Connel, Senior Officer, Solar Guard," acknowledged Connel. "If we are +being held prisoner, I wish to make a request." + +"Prisoners don't make requests," said Drifi, and then added +suspiciously, "What is it?" + +"See that this man"--Connel indicated Roger--"is given medical attention +at once." + +Drifi eyed the major cautiously. + +"I make this request as one officer to another," said Connel. "A point +of honor between opponents." + +Drifi's eyes gleamed visibly at the word _officer_, and Tom almost +grinned at Connel's subtle flattery. + +"You--and you," snapped Drifi at the green-clad men around them, "see +that this man is taken to the medical center immediately!" Two men +jumped to pick up the litter. + +"Thank you," said Connel. "Now will you be so kind as to tell me what +this is all about?" + +"You'll find out soon enough. We have a special way of treating spies." + +"Spies!" roared Connel. The officer sounded so indignant that Tom was +almost fooled by his tone. "We're hunters! One of our party is lost here +in the jungle. We were searching for him when we were attacked by a +tyrannosaurus. During the fight, this man was injured. We're not spies!" + +Drifi shrugged his shoulders, and barking a command to his men, turned +into the jungle. Connel and Tom were forced to follow. + +They were taken to the giant teakwood that Astro had seen, and Tom and +Connel watched silently as the door opened, revealing the vacuum tube. +The men crowded into the car and it dropped to the lower level. + +Following the same twisting turns in the tunnels, Tom and Connel were +brought to the armory and saw the men surrender their weapons and change +their helmets and shoes. They tried desperately to get a look at the +faces of the men around them while the headgear was being changed, but, +as before, the men were careful to keep their faces averted. + +Continuing down the tunnel, Connel tried to speak to Drifi again. "I +would appreciate it greatly, sir," he said in his most formal military +manner, "if you could give me any news about the other man of our party. +Have you seen him?" + +Drifi did not answer. He marched stiffly ahead, not even bothering to +look at Connel. + +As they neared the exit, Connel drifted imperceptibly closer to Tom and +whispered out of the side of his mouth, "Keep your eyes open for ships. +Count as many as you can. How many are armed, their size, and so on. +Look for ammunition dumps. Check radar and communications installations. +Get as much information as you can, in case only one of us can escape." + +"Yes, sir," whispered Tom. "Do you think they might have Astro?" + +"It's a good guess. We were following the tyrannosaurus's trail when +they caught us, and I'm pretty sure Astro had been doing the same +thing." + +"Stop that talking!" snapped Drifi, suddenly whirling on them. "You," he +shouted at one of the guards, "get up here and keep them apart!" + +A guard stepped quickly between Tom and Connel, and the conversation +ended. + +At the exit Connel and Tom stopped involuntarily at the sight before +them. Astro had entered the canyon near twilight, but the two spacemen +got a view of the Nationalists' base under the full noon sun. Connel +gasped and muttered a space oath. Tom turned halfway to his superior and +was starting to speak when both were shoved rudely ahead. "Keep moving," +a guard growled. + +As they walked, their eyes flicked over the canyon, alert for details. +Tom counted the ships arrayed neatly on the spaceport some distance +away, then counted others outside repair shops with men scurrying over +them like so many ants. Near the center of the canyon the bare trunk of +a giant teakwood soared skyward, a gigantic communications tower. Tom +scanned the revolving antenna, and from its shape and size deduced the +power and type of radar being used at the base. He admitted to himself +that the Nationalists had the latest and best. Connel was busy too, +noting buildings of identical design scattered around the canyon floor +that were too small to be spaceship hangars or storage depots. He +guessed that they were housings for vacuum-tube elevator shafts that led +to underground caves. + +The canyon echoed with the splutter of arc welders, the slow banging of +iron workers, the cough and hissing of jet sleds, the roar of activity +that meant deadly danger to the Solar Alliance. Connel noticed as he +moved across the canyon floor that the workers were in good spirits. The +morale of the rebels, thought the space officer, was good! Too good! + +At a momentary halt in their march, when Drifi stopped to speak with a +sentry, Tom and Connel found an opportunity to speak again. + +"I've counted a dozen big converted freighters on the blast ramps, sir," +whispered Tom hurriedly. "Three more being repaired, nearly finished, +and there are about fifty smaller ships, all heavily armed." + +"That checks with my count, Tom," replied Connel hurriedly. "What do you +make of the radar?" + +"At least as good as we have!" + +"I thought so, too! If a Solar Guard squadron tried to attack this base +now, they'd be spotted and blasted out of space!" + +"What about stores, sir?" asked Tom. "I didn't see anything like a +supply depot." + +Connel told him of the small buildings which he believed housed the +elevator shafts to underground storerooms. "Only one thing is missing!" +he concluded. + +"What's that, sir?" + +"The nuclear chambers where they produce ammunition for their fleet." + +"It must be underground too, sir," said Tom. "There isn't a building in +the canyon that's made of concrete and steel." + +"Right. Either that, or it's back up there in the cliffs in one of those +tunnels!" The officer snorted. "By the stars, Corbett, this place is an +atom bomb ready to go off in the lap of the Solar Alliance." + +"What are we going to do, sir?" asked Tom. "So far, it looks as if it's +going to be tough to get out again." + +"We'll have to wait for a break, Tom," sighed Connel. + +"I hope they've taken good care of Roger," said the cadet in a low +voice. "And I hope they've got Astro." + +"Watch it," warned Connel. "Drifi's coming back. Remember, if we're +separated and you do manage to escape, get back to Sinclair's. Contact +Commander Walters and tell him everything that's happened. The code +name for direct emergency contact through Solar Guard communications +center in Venusport is Juggernaut!" + +"Juggernaut!" repeated Tom in a whisper. "Very well, sir. But I sure +hope we aren't separated." + +"Well have to take what comes. _Sh!_ Here he comes." + +"All right, let's go," said the patrol leader. + +They continued across the canyon until they reached a four-story wooden +structure without windows. Drifi opened a small door and motioned them +inside. + +"What is this?" Connel demanded. + +"This is where you'll stay until Lactu sends for you. Right now, he is +in conference with the Division Leaders." + +"Divisions of what? Ships? Men?" asked Connel offhandedly, trying not to +show any more than idle curiosity. + +"You'll find out when the Solar Guard comes looking for a fight," said +Drifi. "Now get in there!" + +Tom and Connel were shoved inside and the door closed behind them. It +was pitch black, and they couldn't see an inch in front of their faces. +But both Tom and Connel knew instantly that they were not alone. + + * * * * * + +"Come on. Gimme that wrench!" barked Astro. The little man beside him +handed up the wrench and leaned over the side of the engine casing to +watch Astro pull the nut tight. "Now get over there and throw on the +switch," snapped the big cadet. + +The little man scurried over to one side of the vast machine shop and +flipped on the wall switch. There was an audible hum of power and then +slowly the machine Astro had just worked on began to speed up, soon +revving up to ten thousand revolutions per minute. + +"Is it fixed?" demanded the shop foreman, coming up beside Astro. + +"Yeah, she's fixed. But I don't work on another job until you give me +another helper. That asteroid head you gave me doesn't know a--" Astro +stopped. Something out beyond the double doors caught his eye. It was +the sight of Tom and Connel entering the wooden building. + +"What's the matter with him?" demanded the foreman. + +"Huh? What? Oh--ah--well, he's O.K., I guess," Astro stammered. "It's +just that he's a little green, that's all." + +"Well, get to work on that heater in chamber number one. It's burned a +bearing. Change it, and hurry up about it!" + +"Sure--sure!" The big cadet grinned. + +"Say, what's the matter with you?" asked the foreman, staring at him +suspiciously. + +"I'm O.K.," replied Astro quickly. + +The foreman continued to stare at Astro as the big cadet turned to his +assistant nonchalantly. "Come on, genius, get that box of tools over to +the heater!" he shouted. As he turned away, the foreman nodded to the +green-clad guard, who followed closely behind Astro, his hand on the +butt of his paralo-ray gun. + +Seeing the little assistant struggling with the heavy box, Astro stopped +and picked it out of his arms with one hand. Grinning, he held it +straight out and then slowly brought it around in a complete circle over +his head, still holding it with only one hand. The guard's eyes widened +behind his plastic helmet at this show of strength. + +"You're very strong, Astro," he said, "but you are altogether too +contemptuous of a fellow Venusian." He nodded to the small assistant. + +"That's right," said Astro. His grin hardened and he leaned forward +slightly, balancing on the balls of his feet. "That goes for you and +every other green space monkey in this place. Drop that ray gun and I'll +tie you up in a knot!" + +Frightened, the guard pulled the paralo-ray gun out of its holster, but +Astro quickly stepped in and sank his fist deep into the guard's +stomach. The man dropped like a stone. Astro grinned and turned his back +to walk toward the heater. He heard the other workers begin to chatter +excitedly, but he didn't pay any attention to them. + +"Astro! Astro!" His little assistant ran up beside him. "You hit a +division guard!" + +"I did, huh?" replied the big cadet in an innocent tone. "What kind of a +division?" + +"Don't you know? Venus has been divided into areas called divisions. +Each division has a chief, and every Venusian citizen in that division +is under his personal jurisdiction." + +"Uh-huh," said Astro vaguely. He climbed up on to the machine and began +taking off the outer casing. + +"The best men in the division are made the Division Chief's personal +guards." + +"What happens to the second and third and fourth best men?" + +"Well, they're given jobs here according to their knowledge and +capacities." + +"What was your job before you came here?" + +"I was a field worker on my chief's plantation." + +"Why did you join?" asked Astro. "Did you think it better to have +Venusians ruling Venus, instead of belonging to the Solar Alliance?" + +"I didn't think about it at all," admitted the little man. "Besides, I +didn't join. I was recruited. My chief just put me on a ship and here I +am." + +"Well, what do you think of it, now that you're here?" asked Astro. He +began running his fingers along a few of the valves, apparently paying +no attention to the guard who was just now staggering to his feet. + +The little assistant paused and considered Astro's question. Finally he +replied weakly, "I don't know. It's all right, I guess. It's better here +in the shops than in the caves where the others go." + +"Others? What others?" + +"Those that don't like it," replied the man. "They're sent to the +caves." + +"What caves?" + +"Up in the cliff. The tunnels--" He suddenly stopped when an angry shout +echoed in the machine shop. The guard Astro had hit rushed up. He turned +to several workmen near by. "Take this blabbering idiot to the caves!" +he ordered angrily. + +Astro slowly climbed down from the machine and faced the guard +menacingly. As the guard's finger tightened on the trigger of his +paralo-ray gun, the foreman suddenly rushed up and knocked the gun out +of his hand. "You fool! You stiffen this man and we'll be held up in +production for hours!" + +"So what!" sneered the guard. + +"Lactu and your Division Chief will tell you so what!" barked the +foreman. He turned to Astro. "And as for you, if you try anything like +that again, I'll--" + +"You won't do a thing," said Astro casually. "I'm the best man you've +got and you know it. Lactu knows it too. So don't threaten me and keep +these green space jerks away from me! I'll fix your machines, because I +want to, not because you can make me!" + +The foreman eyed the big cadet curiously. "Because you want to? You've +changed your tune since you first came here." + +"Maybe," said Astro. "Maybe I like what I see around here. It all +depends." + +"Well, make up your mind later," barked the foreman. "Now get that +machine fixed!" + +"Sure," said Astro simply, turning back to the machine and starting to +whistle. Strangely enough, he was happy. He was a prisoner, but he felt +better than he had in days. Just knowing that Tom and Major Connel were +right across the canyon gave him a surge of confidence. Working over the +machine quickly, surely, the big cadet began to formulate a plan. Now +was the time! They were together again. Now was the time to escape! + +[Illustration] + + + + +CHAPTER 14 + + +"Put your back against the door, Tom!" snapped Connel. "Quickly!" + +Tom felt the powerful grip of the Solar Guard officer's fingers on his +arm as he was pulled backward. He closed his eyes, then opened them, +hoping to pierce the darkness, but he saw nothing. Beside him, he could +sense the tenseness in Connel's body. + +There was a rustle of movement to the right of them. + +"Careful, Tom," cautioned Connel. "To your right!" + +"I hear it, sir," said Tom, turning toward the noise and bracing +himself. + +"My name is Connel," the burly spaceman suddenly spoke up in loud tones. +"I'm an official in the Solar Guard! Whoever you are, speak up! Identify +yourself." + +There was a moment of silence and then a voice spoke harshly in the +darkness. + +"How do we know you're a Solar Guard officer? How do we know you're not +a spy?" + +"Do you have any kind of light?" asked Connel. + +"Yes, we have a light. But we are not going to give away our positions. +We know how to move in here. You don't." + +"Then how do you expect me to prove it?" + +"The burden of proof lies with you." + +"Have you ever heard of me?" asked Connel after a pause. + +"We know there is an officer in the Solar Guard named Connel." + +"I am that officer," asserted Connel. "I was sent into the jungle to +find this base, but one of our party was injured and we were captured by +a patrol." + +Tom and Connel heard voices whispering in the darkness and then a loud +order. + +"Lie down on the floor, both of you!" + +The two spacemen hesitated and then got down flat on their backs. + +"Close your eyes and lie still. One of us here knows what Connel looks +like. I hope for your sake that you're telling the truth. If you're +not--" The voice stopped but the threat was plain. + +"Do as they say, Tom," said Connel. + +The cadet closed his eyes and he heard the shuffle of feet around them. +Suddenly there was a flash of light on his face but he kept his eyes +tightly closed. The light moved away, but he could tell that it was +still burning. + +"It's Connel, I think," said a high-pitched voice directly over them. + +"Are you sure?" + +"Pretty sure. I met him once in Atom City at a scientific meeting. He +was making a speech with a Professor Sykes." + +"That's right," said Connel, hearing the remark. "I was there." + +"Do you remember meeting a man from Venus wearing a long red robe?" +asked the high-pitched voice. + +Connel hesitated. "No," he said. "I only remember talking to three men. +Two were from Venus and one was from Mars. But neither of the two from +Venus wore a red robe. They wore purple--" + +"He's right," acknowledged the voice. "This is Connel." + +"Open your eyes," said the first voice. + +Connel and Tom opened their eyes and in the light of a small hand torch +they saw two gaunt faces before them. The tallest of the men stuck out a +bony hand. "My name is Carson." They recognized his voice as the one +that had spoken first. "And this is Bill Jensen," he added. + +"This is Tom Corbett, Space Cadet," said Connel. He glanced around the +room, and in the weak reflected light of the torch, saw almost fifty men +crouched against the walls, each of them holding a crude weapon. + +"You'll understand our caution, Major," said Carson. "Once before we had +a plan to escape and a spy was sent in. As you see, we didn't escape." + +"Neither did the spy," commented Jensen grimly. + +"How long have you been here?" asked Connel. + +"The oldest prisoner has been here for three years," replied Carson. And +as the other men began to gather around them, Connel and Tom saw that +they were hardly more than walking skeletons. Their cheeks were hollow, +eyes sunk in their sockets, and they wore little more than rags. + +"And there's no way to escape?" asked Tom. + +"Three guards with blasters are stationed on the other side of that +door," said Carson. "There is no other entrance or exit. We tried a +tunnel, but it caved in and after that they put in a wooden floor." He +stamped on it. "Teak. Hard as steel. We couldn't cut through." + +"But why are you being held prisoners?" asked Connel. + +"All of us joined the Nationalists believing it was just a sort of +good-neighbor club, where we could get together and exchange ideas for +our own improvement. And when we found out what Lactu and the Division +Chiefs were really up to, we tried to quit. As you see, we couldn't. We +knew too much." + +"Blasted rebels!" muttered Connel. "The Solar Guard will cool them off!" + +"I'm afraid it's too late," said Carson. "They're preparing to strike +now. I've been expecting it for some time. They have enough ships and +arms to wipe out the entire Solar Guard garrison here on Venus in one +attack!" He shook his head. "After that, with Solar Guard ships and +complete control of the planet--" He paused and sighed. "It will mean a +long, bloody space war." + +Tom and Connel plied the prisoners with questions and soon began to get +a complete picture of the scope of the Nationalist movement. + +"Lactu and his commanders should be sent to a prison asteroid for life," +said Carson, "for what they have done to former Nationalists." + +"Hundreds of unsuspecting Venusians have been brought here under the +guise of helping to free Venus. But when they come and recognize what +Lactu really intends to do, they want to quit. But it's too late, and +they're sent to the caves." + +Tom looked at the gaunt man fearfully. There was something in his voice +that sent a chill down his spine. + +"They are driven like cattle into the canyon walls," continued Carson. +"There they are forced to dig the huge underground vaults for storage +dumps. They are beaten and whipped and starved." + +"Why aren't you in the caves then?" asked Connel. + +"Some of us were," replied Carson. "But each of us here owns land and it +is necessary to keep us alive to send back directives to our bankers and +foremen to give aid in one form or another to Sharkey and the Division +Chiefs." + +"I see," said Connel. "If you were to die, then your property would be +out of their reach." + +"Exactly," said Carson. + +"Is Sharkey the real leader of the movement?" + +"I don't believe so. But then, no one knows. That's the idea of the +frosted helmets. If you don't know who a man is, you can liquidate him +without conscience. He may be your closest friend, but you would never +know it." + +"The blasted space crawlers!" growled Connel. "Well, they'll pay!" + +"You have a plan?" asked Carson eagerly. + +"No," said Connel slowly, "but at least we all have more of a chance +now." + +"How?" asked Carson. + +"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. One, he had to find out why Roger wasn't with Tom and +Connel when they were taken into the building; two, he had to figure out +a way to contact Tom and Connel; and finally, he had to escape himself, +or help Tom and Connel escape. + +The big cadet finished the last job in the machine shop. It had taken +very little time, but the big cadet had lingered over it, trying to find +answers to his three problems. Around him, the workers were leaving +their benches and lathes, to be replaced by still others. A twelve-hour +shift was being used by the Nationalists in their frantic preparations +for an attack on the Venusport garrison of the Solar Guard. Astro +finally dropped the last wrench into the tool kit and straightened up. +He stretched leisurely and glanced over at his guard. The man was still +rubbing his stomach where Astro had hit him, and he watched the big +cadet with a murderous gleam in his eye. + +"All finished," said Astro. "Where and when do I eat?" + +"If I had my way, you wouldn't," sneered the guard. + +"Either I knock off and eat," said Astro confidently, "or I call the +foreman and you talk to Lactu." + +"Feeling pretty big, aren't you?" growled the guard. "I haven't +forgotten that punch in the stomach." + +"Why, I hardly touched you," said Astro in mock surprise. + +The guard glared at him, muttered an oath, and turned away. Astro could +see that he was boiling, almost out of his mind with helpless, +frustrated anger, and suddenly the young cadet realized how he would be +able to move about the base freely. Grinning, he walked arrogantly in +front of the guard and out of the shop into the dark Venusian night. It +was very warm and many of the workers had stripped down to their +trousers. He passed the open doorway of a large tool shop and glanced +inside. It was empty. The men had apparently gone to eat. He suddenly +stopped, turned to the guard, and growled, "If you want to settle our +differences now, we can step inside." + +The guard hesitated and glared at Astro. "When I settle with you, big +boy, you'll know about it." + +"What's the matter with right now?" asked Astro. "Yellow?" He turned and +walked into the tool shop without looking back. The guard rushed after +him. But the big cadet had carefully gauged the distance between them, +and when he heard the rushing steps of the guard immediately behind him, +he suddenly spun around, swinging a roundhouse right, catching the guard +in the pit of the stomach again. The man stopped dead in his tracks. His +eyes bulged and glazed, and he dropped to the floor like a stone. Astro +pulled the man to the corner of the empty shop, removed the plastic +helmet, and then tied and gagged him. He pulled the helmet over his own +head, nearly tearing one ear off, grabbed the gun and stepped back +outside. He stood in front of the door and glanced up and down the area +between the buildings. Fifty feet away a group of men were working over +a tube casing, but they didn't even look up. + +[Illustration] + +Staying in the shadows, he walked down the lane, moving carefully. The +plastic helmet would keep him from being recognized right away, but to +complete his plan, he needed one of the green uniforms of the guards. + +Deciding it would be too risky to walk around the base, he crouched +behind a huge crate of machinery at the head of the lane. Sentries were +constantly patrolling the area and he was certain that one would pass by +soon. He only hoped the man would be big enough. Fifteen minutes later +the cadet heard footsteps in a slow measured tread. He peered around the +edge of the crate and silently breathed a thankful prayer. It was a +green-clad guard, and luckily, almost as big as he was. + +Crouching in the shadow of the crate, Astro tensed for the attack. It +had to be quick and it had to be silent. He couldn't club the guard +because of his helmet. He would have to get him around the throat to +choke off any outcry. + +The slow steps came nearer and the big cadet raised himself on the balls +of his feet, ready to spring. When the guard's shadow fell across him, +Astro leaped forward like a striking tiger. + +The guard didn't have a chance. Astro's arm coiled around his throat and +the cry of alarm that welled up within him died down in a choking gasp. +Within seconds he was unconscious and the big cadet had dragged him +behind the crate. He stripped him of his uniform, bound and gagged him +with his own rags, and crammed him into the crate. Then, protected by +the helmet and green uniform and carrying the blaster, the cadet stepped +out confidently and strode down the lane. + +He went directly to the building he had seen Tom and Connel enter, and +walked boldly up to the guard lounging in front of the door. + +"You're relieved," said Astro in the Venusian dialect. "They want you up +in the caves." The cadet had no idea where the caves were, but he knew +that they couldn't be near by and it would be some time before an alarm +could be sounded. + +"The caves?" asked the guard. "Who said so?" + +"The chief. He wants you to identify somebody." + +"Me? Identify someone? I don't understand." The guard was puzzled. "What +section of the caves?" + +"The new section," said Astro quickly, figuring there must be a new and +an old section because he had heard a guard refer to the old one. + +"Up by the jungle tunnels?" + +Astro nodded. + +"Must be more of those Solar Guardsmen," said the guard, relaxing. "We +have two of them in here, another in the hospital, and one of them +working in the machine shop." + +Hospital! Astro gulped. That would be Roger. But he dared not ask too +many questions. "What's going to happen to them?" he asked casually. + +"I don't know," said the guard, "but I wish we'd hurry up and attack +Venusport. I'm getting tired of living out here in the jungle." + +"Me too," said Astro. "Well, you'd better get going." + +The guard nodded and started to walk away. Suddenly Astro stiffened. Two +other guards were rounding the corner of the building. He called to the +departing guard quickly. "Who's on duty with you tonight?" + +"Maron and Teril," replied the guard, and then strode off into the +darkness. + +"So long," said Astro, turning to face the two men walking toward him. +He would have to get rid of them. + +"Hello, Maron, Teril," he called casually. "Everything quiet?" + +"Yes," replied the shorter of the two, as they stopped in front of +Astro, "no trouble tonight." + +"Well, there's trouble now!" growled Astro. He brought up the blaster +and cocked it. "Make one wrong move, and you're dead little space birds! +Get over there and open that door!" + +Stunned, both men turned to the door without a protest and Astro took +their guns. "Open up!" he growled. + +The men slid the heavy bar back and pushed the door open. + +"Get inside!" ordered Astro. The two men stumbled inside. Astro stepped +to the door. "Tom! Major!" + +There was a cry of joy from the blackness within and Astro recognized +Tom. + +"Astro!" roared Connel, rushing up. "What in the stars--?" + +"Can't talk now," said Astro. "Here. Take these blasters and then tie +these two up. Close the door, but leave it open a crack. We can talk +while I stay outside and keep watch. If there isn't a guard out here, it +might mean trouble." + +"Right," said Connel. He took the blasters, tossing one over to Tom. +"Blast it, I never felt anything so good in my life!" He closed the +door, leaving it open an inch. + +"Why is Roger in the hospital?" asked Astro quickly. + +Connel told him of the fight with the tyrannosaurus and Roger's injury, +ending with their capture by the patrol. + +"You know what's going on here, Major?" asked Astro. + +"I sure do," said Connel. "And the sooner we blast them, the happier +I'll be." + +"One of us will have to escape and get back to the _Polaris_ to contact +Commander Walters," said Astro. "But they've got radar here as good as +ours. That has to be put out of commission or they can blast any +attacking fleet." + +"You're right," said Connel grimly, and turned back into the room. +"Tom!" he called. + +"Yes, sir," replied Tom, coming up to the door. + +"Since Astro and I speak Venusian--" said Connel, and then added when +Tom gasped, "Yes, I speak it fluently, but I kept it a secret. That +means you're the one to go. Astro and I will have more of a chance here. +You escape and return to the _Polaris_. Contact Commander Walters. Tell +him everything that's happened. We'll give you thirty-six hours to make +it. At exactly noon, day after tomorrow, we'll knock out their radar." + +"But how, sir?" asked Tom. + +"Never mind. We'll figure out something. Just get back to the _Polaris_ +and tell the Solar Guard to attack at noon, day after tomorrow. If you +don't and the fleet attacks earlier, or later, they'll be wiped out." + +"What about you, sir?" asked Tom. + +"If you get back in time, we'll be all right. If not, then this is +good-by. We'll hold out as long as we can, but that can't be forever. +We're fighting smart, determined men, Tom. And it's a fight to the +finish. Now hurry up and get into one of those uniforms." + +While Tom turned back inside to put on the uniform, Connel returned to +Astro outside the door. "Think we can do it, Astro?" + +"I don't see why not, sir," replied the big cadet. + +A moment later Tom returned, dressed in one of the guard's green uniform +and wearing a helmet. Carson was with him, similarly clad. "Astro better +show me the way out of the base," said Tom. "Carson will stand guard +until he gets back." + +"Good idea," said Connel. Tom and Carson slipped out the door. + +"All set, Astro?" asked Tom. + +"Yeah, there's only one thing wrong," replied the big cadet. + +"What's the matter?" asked Connel. + +"I don't know the way out of the base." + +[Illustration] + + + + +CHAPTER 15 + + +"I can tell you the way out of the base." + +Adjusting the plastic helmet over his head, Carson stepped up close to +Astro and Tom and spoke confidently. "It's very simple." + +"Whew!" exclaimed Tom. "I thought we'd have to go fumbling around." + +Carson pointed through the darkness. "Follow this lane straight down +until you come to a large repair lock. There's a space freighter on the +maintenance cradle outside. You can't miss it. Turn left and follow a +trail to the base of the canyon wall. There are jungle creepers and +vines growing up the side and you can climb them easily." + +Tom nodded and repeated the directions, then turned to Astro. "Maybe +you'd better stay here, Astro. I can make it alone." + +"No." Connel spoke sharply from the doorway. "Astro speaks Venusian. If +you're stopped, he can speak for you. You'd give yourself away." + +"Very well, sir," said Tom. "I guess that is best. Ready to go, Astro?" + +"Ready," replied the big cadet. + +"Good-by, Major," said Tom, reaching into the doorway to shake hands +with Connel. "I'll try my best." + +"It's a matter of life and death, Tom." Connel's voice was low and +husky. "Not our lives, or the lives of a few people, but the life and +death of the Solar Alliance." + +"I understand, sir." Tom turned to Astro and the two cadets marched off +quickly. + +They had no difficulty finding the giant ship on the cradles outside the +repair shop and quickly turned toward the base of the cliff. Twenty +minutes later they had left the center of activity and were close to the +canyon wall. They were congratulating themselves on their luck in not +being stopped or questioned when suddenly they saw a guard ahead of them +on sentry duty. + +"Ill take care of him," whispered Astro. "You hide here in the shadows, +and when I whistle, you start climbing. Then I'll cover you from there +until you get to the top. Got it?" + +"Right!" The two cadets shook hands briefly. Each knew that there was no +need to speak of their feelings. "Take care of Roger," said Tom. "We +don't know how badly he's been injured." + +"I'll see to him," said Astro. "Watch me now and wait for my whistle." +He turned away and then paused to call back softly, "Spaceman's luck, +Tom." + +"Same to you, Astro," replied Tom, and then crouched tensely in the +shadows. + +The big cadet walked casually toward the sentry, who spotted him +immediately and brought his gun up sharply, calling a challenge in the +Venusian tongue. + +"A friend," replied Astro in the same dialect. + +The sentry lowered the gun slightly. "What are you doing out here?" he +asked suspiciously. + +"Just taking a walk," said Astro. "Looking for something." + +"What?" asked the sentry. + +"Trying to make a connection." + +"A connection? What kind of connection?" + +"This kind!" said Astro suddenly, chopping the side of his hand down on +the sentry's neck, between the helmet and his uniform collar. + +The sentry fell to the ground like a poleaxed steer and lay still. Astro +grinned, then turned and went whistling off into the darkness. Twenty +feet away Tom heard the signal and hurried to the base of the cliff. He +grabbed a thick vine and pulled himself upward, hand over hand. Halfway +up he found a small ledge and stopped to rest. Below him, he could see +Astro hurrying back toward the center of the base. The dim lights and +the distant hum of activity assured him that so far his escape was +unnoticed. He resumed his climb, and fifteen minutes later the +curly-haired cadet stood on the canyon rim. After another short rest he +turned and plunged into the jungle. + +Tom knew that as long as he kept the planet of Earth over his right +shoulder, while keeping the distant star of Regulus ahead of him, he was +traveling in the right direction to Sinclair's plantation. He stopped to +check his bearings often, occasionally having to climb a tree to see +over the top of the jungle. He ignored the threat of an attack by a +jungle beast. For some reason it did not present the danger it had when +he had first entered the jungle, seemingly years before. Under pressure, +the cadet had become skilled in jungle lore and moved with amazing +speed. He kept the blaster ready to fire at the slightest movement, but +fortunately during the first night he encountered nothing more dangerous +than a few furry deerlike animals that scampered behind him off the +trail. + +Morning broke across the jungle in a sudden burst of sunlight. The air +was clear and surprisingly cool, and Tom felt that he could make the +Sinclair plantation by nightfall if he continued pushing full speed +ahead. + +He stopped once for a quick meal of the last of the synthetics that he +had stuffed in his pocket from his shoulder pack, and then continued in +a steady, ground-eating pace through the jungle. Late in the afternoon +he began to recognize signs of recent trail blazing, and once he cut +across the path Astro had made. He wondered if the trail was one Astro +had cut while he was lost, or previously. He finally decided to go ahead +on his own, since he had managed to come this far without the aid of any +guide markers. + +As the darkening shadows of night began to spread over the jungle the +young cadet began to worry. He had been allowed thirty-six hours to make +it back to the _Polaris_, communicate with Commander Walters, and tell +him the position of the base, and Tom had to allow time for the Solar +Guard fleet to assemble and blast off, so that it would arrive at the +base at exactly noon on the next day. He had to reach the Sinclair +plantation before nightfall or the fleet would never make it. + +Suddenly to his left he heard a noisy crashing of underbrush and the +roar of a large beast. Tom hesitated. He could hide; he could fight; or +he could break to his right and try to escape. The beast growled +menacingly. It had picked up his scent. Tom was sure it was a large +beast on the prowl for food, and he decided that he could not waste time +hiding, or risk being injured in a battle with the jungle prowler. He +quickly broke to his right and raced through the jungle. Behind him, the +beast picked up the chase, the ground trembling with its approach. It +began to gain on him. Tom was suddenly conscious of having lost his +bearings. He might be running away from the clearing! + +Still he ran on, legs aching and lungs burning. He charged through the +underbrush that threatened any moment to trip him. When he was almost at +the point of complete exhaustion, and ready to turn and face the beast +behind him, he saw something that renewed his spirit and sent new +strength through his body. Ahead through the vines and creepers, the +slender nose of the _Polaris_ was outlined against the twilight sky. + +Disregarding the beast behind him, he plunged through the last few feet +of jungle undergrowth and raced into the clearing around the Sinclair +home. Behind him, the beast suddenly stopped growling, and when Tom +reached the air lock of the _Polaris_, he saw that the beast had turned +back, reluctant to come out of the protection of the jungle. + +Tom pulled the air-lock port open and was about to step inside when he +heard a harsh voice coming from the shadow of the port stabilizer. + +"Just stop right where you are!" + +Tom jerked around. Rex Sinclair stepped out of the shadow, a paralo-ray +gun in his hand. + +"Mr. Sinclair!" cried Tom, suddenly relieved. "Boy, am I glad to see +you!" He jumped to the ground. "Don't you recognize me? Cadet Corbett!" + +[Illustration: _"Mr. Sinclair!" cried Tom, suddenly relieved_] + +"Yes, I recognize you," snarled Sinclair. "Get away from that air lock +or I'll blast you!" + +Tom's face expressed the confusion he felt. "But, Mr. Sinclair, you're +making a mistake. I've got to get aboard and warn--" He stopped. "What's +the idea of holding a paralo ray on me?" + +"You're not warning anybody!" Sinclair waved the gun menacingly. "Now +get over to the house and walk slowly with your hands in the air or I'll +freeze you solid!" + +Stunned by this sudden turn of events, Tom turned away from the air +lock. "So you're one of them, too," said Tom. "No wonder we were caught +in the jungle. You knew we were looking for the base." + +"Never mind that," snapped Sinclair. "Get into the house and make it +quick!" + +The young cadet walked slowly toward the house. He saw the charred +remains of the burned outbuildings and nodded. "So it was all an act, +eh? You had your buildings burned to throw us off the track. Small price +to pay to remain in the confidence of the Solar Guard." + +"Shut up!" growled Sinclair. + +"You might be able to shut me up, but it'll take a lot more than a bunch +of rabble rousers to shut up the Solar Guard!" + +"We'll see," snapped Sinclair. + +They reached the house and Tom climbed the steps slowly, hoping the +planter would come close enough for a sudden attack, but he was too +careful. They moved into the living room and Tom stopped in surprise. +George Hill and his wife were tied hand and foot to two straight-backed +chairs. + +Tom gasped. "George! Mrs. Hill!" + +George Hill strained against his bonds and mumbled something through the +gag in his mouth, but Tom couldn't understand what he was trying to say. +Mrs. Hill just looked at the planter with wide, frightened eyes. The +cadet whirled around angrily. "Why, you dirty little space rat!" + +Sinclair didn't hesitate. He squeezed the trigger of his paralo-ray gun +and Tom stiffened into rigidity. + +The planter dropped the ray gun into a chair and leisurely began to tie +the hands and feet of the immobilized cadet. + +"Since you can hear me, Corbett," said Sinclair, "and since you are +powerless to do anything about what I'm about to tell you, I'm going to +give you a full explanation. I owe it to you. You've really worked for +it." + +Unable to move a muscle, Tom nevertheless could hear the planter +clearly. He mentally chided himself at his stupidity in allowing himself +to be captured so easily. + +Sinclair continued, "My original invitation to you and your friends, to +use my home as a base for your hunting operations was sincere. I had no +idea you were in any way connected with the investigation the Solar +Guard was planning to make into the Nationalist movement." + +Tom was completely bound now, and the planter stepped back, picked up +the ray gun, and flipping on the neutralizer, released the cadet from +the effects of the ray charge. Tom shuddered involuntarily, his nerves +and muscles quivering as life suddenly flowed into them again. He +twisted at the bonds on his wrists, and to his amazement found them +slightly loose. He was sure he could work his hands free, but decided to +wait for a better opportunity. He glanced at the clock on the wall near +by and saw that it was nine in the evening. Only fifteen hours before +the Solar Guard must attack! + +Sinclair sat down casually in a chair and faced the cadet. George and +Mrs. Hill had stopped struggling and were watching their employer. + +"Do you know anything about the bomb we found on the _Polaris_ on our +trip to Venus?" asked Tom. + +"I planned that little surprise myself, Corbett," said Sinclair. +"Unfortunately our agents on Earth bungled it." + +"It seems to me that was pretty stupid. There would have been another +man sent in Major Connel's place, and we were warned that something big +was in the wind." + +"Ah, quite so, Corbett," said Sinclair. "But the destruction of the +_Polaris_ would have caused no end of speculation. There would have been +an investigation which would have temporarily removed the spotlight from +the Nationalist movement. That would have given us ample time to +complete our preparations for the attack." + +"Then you knew," said Tom bitterly, "when Major Connel, Roger, Astro, +and I left here that we were going to be captured." + +"Well, that was one of the details of the final plan. Personally, I +hoped that you and your nosy major would meet a more dramatic and +permanent end in the jungle." + +"What are you going to do with us?" asked Tom, glancing at George and +his wife. "And what do Mr. and Mrs. Hill have to do with your scheme?" + +"Unfortunately they discovered who I am, and of course had to be taken +care of. As to your eventual disposition, I haven't had time to think +about that." + +"Well, you'd better start thinking," said Tom. "And you'd better do a +good job when you attack the Solar Guard. Perhaps you don't know it, +Sinclair, but the whole pattern of the Solar Guard is one of defense. We +do not invite attack, but are prepared for it. And we have the power to +counterattack!" + +"When we get through with your Solar Guard, Corbett," sneered Sinclair, +"there won't be anything left but smoldering heaps of junk and the dead +bodies of stupid men!" + +The buzz of a teleceiver suddenly sounded in another part of the house +and Sinclair left the room quickly. When he was sure the planter was out +of earshot, Tom turned to George and whispered, "I think I can work my +hands loose. Where can I find a ray gun?" George began to mumble +frantically but Tom couldn't understand him, and the sound of returning +footsteps silenced Hill. The planter strode back into the room, +hurriedly putting on the green uniform of the Nationalists. "I've just +received word of a speed-up in the preparations for our attack," he +said. "Soon, Corbett--soon you will see what will happen to the Solar +Guard!" + +[Illustration] + + + + +CHAPTER 16 + + +"Bring that dirty little space crawler in here!" + +Captain Strong had never seen Commander Walters so angry. The cords +stood out in his neck and his face was red with fury as he paced up and +down the Solar Guard office in Venusport. "A spy," he roared. "A spy +right in the heart of our organization!" He shook his head. + +The door opened and two burly Solar Guardsmen entered, saluted, and +turned to flank the doorway, hands on their paralo-ray pistols. The +private secretary of E. Philips James shuffled in slowly, followed by +two more guards. Walters stepped up to the thin, intense young man and +glared at him. "If I had my way, I'd send you out to the deepest part of +space and leave you there!" + +The man bit his lip but said nothing. + +"Where is your secret base?" demanded Walters. + +"I don't know," replied the secretary nervously. + +"Who told you to intercept this message from Mercury?" Walters tapped a +paper on his desk. "Who gave you your orders?" + +"I receive orders on an audioceiver in my home," answered the man, a +slight quaver in his voice. "I have never seen my superior." + +"And you followed the Nationalist movement blindly, doing whatever they +told you, without question, is that it?" + +"Yes." + +"Yes, _sir_!" roared Walters. + +"Yes, sir," corrected the secretary. + +"Who told you to forge those orders for priority seats on the _Venus +Lark_?" + +"My superior," said the man. + +"How did you know Major Connel was coming here to investigate the +Nationalists?" + +"I read the decoded message sent to the Solar Delegate, Mr. James." + +"Who told you to send men to bomb the _Polaris_?" + +"My superior," said the man. + +"Your superior--your superior!" Walters' voice was edged with contempt. +"What else has your superior told you to do?" + +"A great many things," said the young man simply. + +Walters studied the thin face and then turned to Captain Strong. +"There's only one thing to do, Steve. There's no telling how many of +these rats are inside our organization. Relieve every civilian in any +position of trust and put in our own man. I'll make a public teleceiver +broadcast in half an hour. I'm declaring martial law." + +"Yes, sir," replied Strong grimly. + +"If you hadn't been in the code room when this message from Mercury came +in, we would never have known the Nationalists were trying to get the +Mercurians to join them in their attack on us until it was too late. +It's the only break we've had, so far, learning that the Mercurians are +still decent, loyal Solar citizens. I hate to think of what would have +happened if they hadn't warned us." + +"He very nearly got away with it, sir," said Strong. "If I hadn't heard +the signal for a top-secret message come through on the coding machine, +I never would have suspected him. He tried to hide it in his tunic. He +also confessed to trying to kidnap the cadets when he heard me tell them +that a cab would be waiting for them." + +"Well, we know now," said Walters. He turned to one of the guardsmen. +"Sergeant, I'm holding you personally responsible for this man." + +"Aye, aye, sir," said the guard, stepping toward the secretary, but +Walters stopped him and addressed the man. + +"I'll give you one last chance to tell me where your base is and how +many ships you have," he said. + +The secretary looked down at his feet and mumbled, "I don't know where +the base is, and I don't know how many ships there are." + +"Then what does this list we found in your tunic mean?" snapped Strong. +"These are the names of ships that have been lost in space." + +"I don't know. That list was sent to me over the audioceiver by my +superior. I was to relay it to Mercury should they accept our proposal +to join forces against--" He stopped. + +"Get him out of my sight!" barked Walters. + +The guards closed in around the little man and he slowly shuffled out of +the office. + +"I wonder how many more there are like him in our organization, Steve?" +The commander had turned to the window and was staring out blindly. + +"I don't know, sir," replied Strong. "But I think we'd better be +prepared for trouble." + +"Agreed," said Walters, turning to the Solar Guard captain. "What do you +suggest?" + +"Since we don't know how many ships they have, where their base is, or +when they plan to attack, I suggest putting the Venus squadrons in +defense pattern A. Meanwhile, call in three additional squadrons from +Mars, Earth, and Luna. That way, we can at least be assured of an even +fight." + +"But we don't know if they'll attack here on Venus. Suppose we weaken +Earth's fleet and they attack there?" Walters paused, looking troubled. +Then he sighed. "I guess you're right. Put the plan into effect +immediately. It's the only thing we can do." + +At exactly midnight every teleceiver on Venus was suddenly blacked out +for a moment and then came into focus again to reveal the grim features +of Commander Walters. + +In homes, restaurants, theaters, arriving and departing space liners, in +every public and private gathering place, the citizens of Venus heard +the announcement. + +"As commander in chief of the Solar Guard, I hereby place the entire +planet of Venus under martial law. All public laws are suspended until +further notice. All public officials are hereby relieved of their +authority. A ten P.M. until six A.M. curfew will go into effect +immediately. Anyone caught on the streets between these hours will be +arrested. An attack is expected on the city of Venusport, as well as +other Venusian cities, momentarily. Follow established routine for such +an occurrence. Obey officers and enlisted men of the Solar Guard who are +here on Venus to protect you and your property. That is all!" + + * * * * * + +In the living room of Sinclair's house Tom waited impatiently for the +sound of Sinclair's yacht taking off before attempting to free himself +from the rope on his wrists. But when a half-hour had passed with no +sound from outside, he decided not to waste any more time. + +Relaxing completely, the curly-haired cadet began working his wrists +back and forth in the loop of rope. It was slow, painful work, and in no +time the skin was rubbed raw. George and Mrs. Hill watched him, +wide-eyed. They saw the skin of his wrists gradually turn pink, then +red, as the cadet pulled and pushed at the rope. A half-hour had passed +before he felt the rope slipping down over the widest part of his hand. +Slowly, so as not to lose the precious advantage, he pulled with all his +strength, unmindful of the pain. He heard a sharp gasp from Mrs. Hill +and then felt the rope become damp. His wrists were bleeding. But at the +same time he felt the rope slipping over his hands. He gave a quick tug +and the rope slipped off and dropped to the floor, a bloody tangle. He +spun around and untied the foreman and his wife quickly, removing the +gags from their mouths gently. + +"Your wrists!" cried Mrs. Hill. + +"Don't worry about them, ma'am," said Tom. He looked at Hill. "How long +have you been tied up?" + +"Just about an hour before you came," answered the foreman. "I found +Sinclair in front of a teleceiver in his room. It's in a secret panel +and I didn't know it was there. I waited and heard him talking to +someone in Venusian. But he spotted me and pulled a ray gun." + +"Do you know where he's gone?" asked Tom. + +"No, but I sure wish I did!" said the burly foreman stoutly. "I have +something to settle with him." + +"That'll have to wait until the Solar Guard is finished with him. Come +on!" Tom started toward the door. + +"Where are we going?" asked Hill. + +"To the _Polaris_! I've got to warn the Solar Guard of their plans. +They're going to attack the Venusport garrison and take over Venus!" + +"By the stars!" gasped Mrs. Hill. "Here I've been feeding that man all +these years and didn't know I was contributing to a revolution!" + +Tom was out of the door and running toward the _Polaris_ before she had +finished talking. George followed right behind him. + +As the cadet raced across the dark clearing one hope filled his +mind--that the _Polaris_ would be in the same condition in which they +had left it. + +The port was still open where Sinclair had caught him and he climbed +inside the giant ship quickly. As soon as he entered, he snapped on the +emergency lights and searched the ship carefully. After examining every +compartment, and satisfied that there was no one aboard, he made his way +back to the radar bridge. There, he saw immediately why Sinclair had +felt free to leave the ship. All radar and communications equipment had +been completely smashed. + +The young cadet returned to the control deck and called down to George +Hill, waiting in the air lock. "George! Get Mrs. Hill aboard quickly. +We're blasting off!" + +"Blasting off?" the foreman called back. "But I thought you were going +to contact Venusport!" + +"I can't," replied Tom. "Sinclair has smashed the communications and the +radar. We'll have to take our information to Venusport in person. I only +hope he's left the rockets and atomic motors alone." + +"How about using the teleceiver in the house?" asked the foreman, +climbing up to the control deck. + +"Can't take a chance," said Tom. "This is top secret. They might have +the teleceiver tapped." + +"Do you know how to handle this ship alone?" asked George, glancing +around at the great control board. "I don't know anything about a ship +this size." + +"I can handle it," said Tom. "Get Mrs. Hill aboard!" + +"Here I am, Tommy," said Mrs. Hill, climbing up into the control deck. +"I have some bandages and salve for your wrists." + +"There's no time, Mrs. Hill," said Tom. "We've got to--" + +"Nonsense!" she interrupted firmly. "You just give me your hands. It'll +take only a minute!" + +Tom reluctantly held out his wrists and Mrs. Hill expertly applied the +salve and bandaged the cadet's raw wrists. Admittedly feeling better, +Tom turned to the master switch and found it missing. For a second panic +seized him, until he remembered that Major Connel had hidden it. He felt +under the pilot's chair and breathed easier, pulling out the vital +instrument. + +"Better get into acceleration chairs," said Tom, strapping himself into +his seat. "This might be a rough take-off." + +"Watch yourself, Tom," cautioned George. "We aren't afraid for +ourselves, but you've got to get to Venusport!" + +"If he's left the power deck alone, everything will be O.K." + +The young cadet stretched out a trembling hand and switched on the +automatic firing control. Then, crossing his fingers, he flipped on the +main generator and breathed easier as the steady hum surged through the +ship. He thought briefly of Astro and Roger, wishing his two unit mates +were at their stations, and then switched on the power feed to the +energizing pumps. There was a second's wait as the pressure began to +build, and he watched the indicator over his head on the control panel +carefully. When it had reached the proper level, he switched in the +reactant feed, giving it full D-12 rate. He glanced at the astral +chronometer over his head automatically and noted the time. + +"Stand by!" he called. "Blast off minus five--four--three--two--one +--_zero_!" + +He threw the master switch and a roaring burst of power poured into +the main tubes. The ship bucked slightly, raised itself from the +ground slowly, and then suddenly shot upward. In less than a minute +the _Polaris_ had cleared atmosphere and Tom turned on the +artificial-gravity generators. He made a quick computation on the +planetary calculator, fired the port steering rockets, and sent the +ship in a long arching course for Venusport. Then, unstrapping himself, +he turned to see how Mr. and Mrs. Hill had taken the blast-off. + +The foreman and his wife were shaking their heads, still in acceleration +shock, and Tom helped them out of their cushions. + +"Oh, my! Do you boys have to go through this all the time?" Mrs. Hill +asked. "It's a wonder to me how a human body can take it." + +"I feel pretty much the same way," muttered George. + +"A cup of hot tea will fix you up fine," Tom reassured them, and leaving +the ship on automatic control, he went into the small galley off the +control deck and brewed three cups of tea. In a few moments the elderly +couple felt better, and Tom told them of the Nationalists' base and +Connel's plan to wreck the radar station at noon the next day. Both Mr. +and Mrs. Hill were shocked at the scope of the Nationalists' plan. + +"Well, they bit off more than they could chew when they decided to buck +the Solar Guard," asserted Tom. "When Commander Walters gets finished +with them, Sinclair and the rest won't have anything left but memories!" + +"Tell me something, Tom," said George, looking at the control panel +thoughtfully. "Have you figured out how you're going to land this ship +alone and with no radar?" + +"I'll have to use the seat of my pants." Tom smiled, and turned back to +his seat. George and his wife looked at each other and quickly strapped +themselves into their acceleration cushions. + +A few moments later Tom began braking the ship with the nose rockets. It +made a slow-climbing arc over the spaceport and then settled slowly, +tailfirst. The stern teleceiver was out of order, and the young cadet +had to rely entirely on "feel," to get the _Polaris_ in safely. He had +calculated his rate of fall, the gravity of Venus, and the power of the +rockets, and was dropping at a predetermined rate. At the critical point +he increased power on the drive rockets, continuing to fall slowly until +he felt the jarring bump of the directional fins touching the ground. + +"Touchdown!" he roared triumphantly. + +He closed the master switch and turned to look at the smiling faces of +Mr. and Mrs. Hill. + +"That was fine, Tom," said George, "but I don't want to do it again." + +"Don't be a scaredy cat, George Hill!" taunted Mrs. Hill. "Tom handles +this ship as if he were born on it." + +Tom grinned. "We'd better hurry up. There must be something going on. +There aren't any lights on here at the spaceport and all the +administration buildings are dark." + +He hurried to the air lock and swung it open, jumping lightly to the +ground. + +"Halt!" growled a rough voice. "Get your hands in the air and stay right +where you are!" + +Puzzled, Tom did as he was told, announcing, "I'm Space Cadet Tom +Corbett, _Polaris_ unit. I request immediate transportation to Commander +Walters. I have important information for him." + +He was momentarily blinded by the glare of a ring of lights around him, +and when he finally could see, he found himself in the middle of a squad +of Solar Guardsmen in battle dress. + +"What's the password?" asked a tough sergeant whose shock rifle was +aimed right at Tom's midsection. + +"Juggernaut!" replied Tom quietly. + +The word sent the sergeant into a frenzy of action. "Peters, Smith, get +the jet car around here!" + +"What's up, Sergeant?" asked Tom. "Why is everything so dark?" + +"Martial law!" replied the guardsman. "Curfew from ten until six." + +"Whew!" gasped Tom. "It looks as if I just made it!" + +As George and Mrs. Hill climbed out of the air lock, a jet car raced up +and skidded to a stop in front of them. A moment later Tom and the +couple, accompanied by two of the guardsmen, were speeding through the +dark and empty streets of Venusport. The car was stopped once at a +mid-town check point, and Tom had to repeat the password. They picked up +another jet car, full of guardsmen as escorts, and with the echo of the +exhausts roaring in the empty avenues, they sped to central Solar Guard +headquarters. + +Tom had never seen so many enlisted guardsmen in one spot before except +on a parade ground. And he noted with a tinge of excitement that each +man was in battle dress. Arriving at headquarters, they were whisked to +the top floor of the building and ushered into Commander Walters' +office. The commander smiled broadly as the young cadet stepped to the +front of his desk and saluted smartly. + +"Cadet Corbett reporting, sir," he said. + +In a moment the office was filled with men; E. Philips James, the Solar +Delegate, Captain Strong, fleet commanders, and officers of the line. + +"Make your report, Cadet Corbett," said Walters. + +Tom spoke quickly and precisely, giving full details on the location of +the base, the approximate number of fighting ships, the armament of +each, the location of supply dumps, and finally of Major Connel's plan +to sabotage the radar at noon the following day. Then, one by one, each +official asked him questions pertinent to their tasks. Fleet commanders +asked about the ships' speed, size, armor; Strong inquired about the +stores and supporting lines of supply; Walters asked for the names of +all people connected with the movement. All of these questions Tom +answered as well as he could. + +"Well, gentlemen," said Walters, "thanks to Corbett and the others on +this mission, we have all the information we need to counter the +Nationalists. I propose to follow Major Connel's plan and attack the +base at noon tomorrow. Squadrons A and B will approach from the south +and east at exactly noon. Squadrons C, D, and E will come in from the +north and west as a second wave at 1202. The rest of the fleet will go +in from above at 1205. Supporting squadrons are now on their way from +Earth and Mars. Blast off at six hundred hours. Spaceman's luck!" + +"Good work, Tom," said Strong, when the conference broke up. + +"Yes, sir," said Tom. "But I can't help worrying about Roger and Astro +and Major Connel. What's going to happen to them, sir?" + +Strong hesitated. "I don't know, Tom. I really don't know." + + + + +CHAPTER 17 + + +"What time is it, Astro?" + +"Exactly eleven o'clock, sir." + +"All set?" + +"Yes, sir." + +"You know what to do. Move out!" + +Astro and Major Connel were crouched behind a pile of fuel drums piled +near the communications and radar building in the heart of the +Nationalists' base. Above them, the gigantic tree used as the radar +tower rose straight into the Venusian morning sky. + +After helping Tom to escape, Astro had returned to the prison building +for Connel and was surprised to find the place surrounded by green-clad +Nationalist guards. Rather than attempt to release Connel then, Astro +hid and waited for the time set to wreck the radar communications of the +enemy. During the second day, he had successfully eluded the many +patrols looking for him. Once from a hiding place he overheard one of +the men mention Connel. He took a daring chance and approached the +patrol openly. Speaking the Venusian dialect, he learned that Connel had +escaped. That news sent the cadet on a different game of hide-and-seek +as he prowled around the base searching for the Solar Guard officer. He +had found him hiding near the radar tower, and they spent the night +close to the communications building waiting for the time to strike. + +Their plan was simple. Astro would enter the building from the front, +while Connel would enter from the rear. Astro would draw attention to +himself, and while the guards inside the building were busy dealing with +him, Connel would come upon them from behind, knock them out of action, +and then destroy the radar equipment. + +The two spacemen gave no thought to their own safety. They were +concerned only with accomplishing their objective. Having no way of +knowing whether Tom had made it back to Venusport or whether their +destruction of the communications center would be of any value, they +nevertheless had to proceed on the assumption that Tom had gotten +through. + +Astro crawled behind the drums and stopped twenty feet from the door to +wait for several Nationalist officers to leave. They finally got into a +jet car and roared away. Astro nodded to the major waiting to edge +around to the rear and then headed for the main entrance. + +Connel saw Astro making his way to the front door and hurried around to +complete his part of the mission. He waited exactly three minutes, +gripped his shock rifle firmly, and then crossed over to the rear of the +building and stepped inside. + +Once inside, the major found it difficult to keep from bursting into +laughter. The large ground-floor room was a frenzy of brawling, yelling, +shouting Nationalist guards trying to capture the giant cadet. Astro was +standing in the middle of the floor, swinging his great hamlike fists +methodically, mowing down the guards like tenpins. Two of them were on +his back, trying to choke him, while others crowded in from all sides. +But they could not bring the cadet down. Astro saw Connel, shook +himself, and stood free. + +"Stand back!" roared Connel. "The first one of you green monkeys that +makes a move will have his teeth knocked out! Now line up over there +against the wall--and I mean fast!" + +The sudden attack from the rear startled the Nationalist guards, and +they milled around in confusion. There was no confusion, however, when +Connel fired a blast over their heads. Astro grabbed a paralo-ray gun +and opened up on the guards. A second later the squad of Nationalists +were frozen in their tracks. + +Once the men were no further danger to them, Connel and Astro locked the +front and rear doors and then raced up the stairs that led to the main +radar and communications rooms on the second floor. + +"You start at that end of the hall, I'll start here!" shouted Connel. +"Smash everything you see!" + +"Aye, aye, sir." Astro waved his hand and charged down the hall. He +exploded into a room, firing rapidly, and an electronics engineer froze +in a startled pose in front of his worktable. The big cadet gleefully +swung a heavy chair across the table of delicate electronic instruments, +and smashed shelves of vital parts, pausing only long enough to see if +he had left anything unbroken. He rushed out into the hall again. At the +other end he heard Connel in action in another room. Astro grinned. It +sounded as if the major was having a good time. "Well," thought the big +cadet, "I'm not having such a bad time myself!" + +The next room he invaded contained the radar-control panel, and the big +cadet howled with glee as he smashed the butt of his paralo-ray gun into +the delicate vacuum tubes, and ripped wires and circuits loose. + +Suddenly he stopped, conscious of someone behind him. He spun around, +finger starting to squeeze the trigger of his gun, and then caught +himself just in time. Major Connel was leaning against the doorjamb, a +wide grin on his face. + +"How're you doing?" he drawled. + +"Not bad," said Astro casually. "Be a lot of work here, fixing these +things, eh?" He grinned. + +"What time is it?" asked Connel. + +Astro looked at his watch. "Twenty to twelve." + +"We'd better clear out of here and head for the jungle." + +Astro hesitated. "You know, sir, I've been thinking." + +"If you have an idea, spill it," said the major. + +"How about releasing the prisoners, taking over a ship, and blasting +off?" + +"And have the Solar Guard fleet blast us out of the skies? No, sir! Come +on, we've got to get moving!" + +"We could still try to release Carson and the others," said Astro +stoutly. + +"We can try all right, but I don't think we'll be very successful." + +The two spacemen returned to the first floor of the building and headed +for the rear door without so much as a look at the line of frozen guards +along the wall. Once outside, they skirted the edge of the building, +staying close to the hedge, and then struck out boldly across the canyon +floor toward the prison building. They were surprised to see that their +smashing attack had gone unnoticed, and Connel reasoned that the +constant roar of activity in the canyon had covered the sounds of their +raid. + +"We'll have to hurry, sir," said Astro as they turned into the lane +leading to the prison. "Ten minutes to twelve." + +"It's no good, Astro," said Connel, suddenly pulling the cadet back and +pointing to the building. "Look at all the guards--at least a dozen of +them." + +Astro waited a second before saying grimly, "We could try, sir." + +"Don't be a pigheaded idiot!" roared Connel. "Nothing will happen to +those men now, and in five minutes there'll be so much confusion around +here that we'll be able to walk over and open the door without firing a +shot!" + +Suddenly there was an explosive roar behind them and they spun around. +On the opposite side of the canyon three rocket ships were hurtling +spaceward. + +"They must have spotted our fleet coming in," said Connel, a puzzled +frown on his face. + +"But how could they?" asked Astro. "We knocked out their radar!" + +Connel slammed his fist into the palm of his hand. "By the stars, Astro, +we forgot about their monitoring spaceship above the tower! When we +knocked out the main station here in the canyon, it took over and warned +the base of the attack!" + +From all sides the canyon reverberated with the roaring blasts of the +Nationalist fleet blasting off. Around them, the green-clad rebels were +running to their defense posts. Officers shouted frantic orders and +workers dropped tools to pick up guns. The building that held Carson and +the other planters was suddenly left alone as the guards hurried to +ships and battle stations. + +Connel counted the number of ships blasting off and smiled. "They don't +stand a chance! They're sending up only two heavy cruisers, four +destroyers, and about twenty scouts. The Solar Guard fleet will blast +them into space dust." + +Astro jumped up and started to run. + +"Hey, Astro! Where are you going?" shouted Connel. + +"To find Roger!" Astro shouted in reply. "I'll meet you back here!" + +"Right!" shouted Connel, settling back into concealment. There was no +need to release the planters in the guardhouse now. Connel was satisfied +that in a few moments the rebellion against the Solar Alliance would be +defeated. He smiled in prospect of seeing a good fight. + + * * * * * + +"Bandit at three o'clock--range twenty miles!" Aboard the command ship +of the first group of attacking Solar Guard squadrons, Captain Strong +stood in the middle of the control deck and watched the outline of an +approaching Nationalist cruiser on the radar scanner. The voice of the +range finder droned over the ship's intercom. + +"Change course three degrees starboard, one degree down on ecliptic +plane," ordered Strong calmly. + +"Aye, aye, sir," replied Tom at the controls. + +"Main battery, stand by to fire." Strong watched the enemy ship closely. + +"Aye, aye!" came the answer over the intercom. + +"Approaching target!" called the range finder. "Closing to fifty +thousand yards--forty thousand--" + +"_Pleiades_ and _Regulus_," Strong called the other two ships of his +squadron. "Cut in on port and starboard flanks. Squadron B, stand by!" + +Abrupt acknowledgment came over the audioceiver as the cruisers deployed +for the attack. + +"Twenty-three thousand yards, holding course." The range-finder's voice +was a steady monotone. + +"Stand by to fire!" snapped Strong. + +"Two bandits at nine o'clock on level plane of ecliptic!" came the +warning from the radar bridge. + +Before Strong could issue an order countering the enemy move, the voice +of the commander of the _Pleiades_ came in over the audioceiver, "Our +meat, Strong, you take care of the big baby!" + +On the scanner screen Strong saw the trails of two space torpedoes erupt +from the side of the _Pleiades_, followed immediately by two more from +its flanking ship, the _Regulus_. The four missiles hurtled toward the +two enemy destroyers, and a second later two brilliant flashes of light +appeared on the scanner. Direct hits on the two destroyers! + +"Range--ten thousand feet," came the calm voice over the intercom, +reminding Strong of the enemy cruiser. + +"Arm war heads!" snapped Strong over the intercom, and, on the gun deck, +men twirled the delicate fuses on the noses of the space torpedoes and +stepped back. + +"On target!" called the range finder. + +"Full salvo--fire!" called Strong, and turned to Tom quickly. +"Ninety-degree turn--five degrees up!" + +The Solar Guard cruiser quivered under the recoil of the salvo and then +bucked under the sudden change of course to elude the torpedoes fired by +the enemy a split second later. + +As the Solar Guard cruiser roared up in a long arc, eluding the enemy +torpedoes, the Nationalist ship maneuvered frantically to evade the +salvo of war heads, but Strong had fired a deadly pattern. In a few +seconds the enemy ship was reduced to space junk. + +Concentrating on the control panel, Tom had been too busy maneuvering +the giant ship to see the entire engagement, but he heard the loud +exulting cries of the gun crew over the intercom. He looked up at +Strong, and the Solar Guard captain winked. "One down!" + +"Here come squadrons C, D, and E, sir," said Tom, indicating the radar. +"Right on time." He glanced at the astral chronometer over his head. +"Two minutes after twelve." + +"It doesn't look as if we'll need them, Tom," said Strong. "The +Nationalists got only two cruisers and four destroyers off the ground. +We've already knocked out one of their cruisers and two destroyers, and +Squadron B is taking on the second cruiser and its destroyer escorts +now!" He turned to the radar scanner and saw the white evenly spaced +blips that represented Squadron B enveloping the three enemy ships. The +bulky converted cruiser was maneuvering frantically to get away. But +there was no escape. In a perfectly co-ordinated action the Solar Guard +ships fired their space torpedoes simultaneously. The three Nationalist +ships exploded in a deadly flash of fire. + +[Illustration] + +"Don't tell me that's all they've got!" exclaimed Strong. "Why, we +still have the rest of the fleet coming in at 1205!" + +Suddenly Tom froze in his seat. Before him on the radar scanner he saw a +new cluster of white blips, seemingly coming from nowhere. They were +enemy ships, hurtling spaceward to meet the Solar Guard fleet. "Captain +Strong! Look! More of them. From secret ramps in the jungle!" + +"By the craters of Luna!" roared the Solar Guard captain. "Attention! +Attention! All ships--all ships!" he called into the fleet intercom. +"This is Strong aboard command ship. Bandit formation closing fast. +Regroup! Take tight defensive pattern!" + +As the Solar Guard squadrons deployed to meet this new attack, Tom felt +a chill run down his spine. The mass of ships blasting to meet them +outnumbered them by almost three to one. And there were more ships +blasting off from the secret ramps in the jungle! He had led the Solar +Guard into a trap! + +[Illustration] + + + + +CHAPTER 18 + + +"Fire at will! Fire at will!" + +Aboard the command ship, Captain Strong roared the order to the rest of +the fleet, and the individual ship commanders of the Solar Guard vessels +broke formation and rocketed into the mass of Nationalist ships, firing +salvo after salvo of space torpedoes. But it was a losing battle. Time +and again, Strong and Tom saw Solar Guard ships hemmed in by three and +four Nationalists' vessels, then blasted into oblivion. + +Strong had ordered Tom to maneuver the command ship at will, seeking +targets, yet still keeping from being a target, and the young cadet had +guided the powerful ship through a series of maneuvers that had even +surprised the experienced Solar Guard officer. + +"Where's the rest of the fleet?" roared Strong. "Why aren't they here +yet?" + +"I don't know, sir," replied Tom, "but if they don't show up soon, there +won't be much left to save!" + +"Bandits dead ahead," droned the voice from the radar bridge calmly, +"trying to envelop us." + +Tom's hand shot out for the intercom to relay orders to the power deck +and glanced quickly at the scanner. He almost cheered. "Steve--I mean, +Captain Strong. The rest of the fleet! It's coming in! Attacking from +top-side!" + +"By the craters of Luna, you're right!" yelled the young Solar Guard +captain, as he saw the white blips on the scanner screen. "O.K., it's +time to stop running and fight!" + +The Solar Guard reinforcements swooped down on the fighting ships with +dazzling speed, and the sky over the jungle belt of Venus base was so +thick with zooming, firing, maneuvering ships that observers on the +ground couldn't tell one ship from another. For an hour the battle +raged. During the seesawing back and forth it seemed as if all ships +must be blasted into space junk. Finally the superior maneuvering and +over-all spacemanship of the Solar Guard vessels began to count heavily, +and the Nationalist ships began to plunge into the jungle or drift +helplessly out into space. Reforming, the Solar Guard ships encircled +the enemy in a deadly englobement pattern, and wheeling in great +co-ordinated arcs through space, sent combined volleys of torpedoes +crashing into the enemy ships. The space battle was over, a complete +Solar Guard victory. + +Strong called to the remaining ships of his fleet, "Take formation K. +Land and attack the enemy base according to prearranged order. The enemy +fleet is destroyed, but we still have a big job to do." + +"What happens now, sir?" asked Tom, relaxing for the first time since +the space battle had begun. + +"We try to destroy their base and put an end to this rebellion as +quickly as possible," replied Strong coldly. + +One by one, the ships of the Solar Guard fleet landed around the rim of +the canyon base. Troop carriers, that had stood off while the space +battle raged, disgorged hundreds of tough Solar Guard Marines, each +carrying shock rifles, paralo-ray pistols, and small narco grenades +that would put an enemy to sleep in five seconds. A half-hour later, +after the last Nationalist ship had been blasted out of the skies, the +rim of the canyon was alive with Solar Guardsmen waiting to go into +action. Many had comrades in the Solar Guard ships lost in the space +fight and they were eager to avenge their friends. + +"How many ships did we lose, sir?" asked Tom, after the squadron +commanders had made their reports to Captain Strong. + +"Forty," said Strong grimly. "But the entire Nationalist fleet was wiped +out. Thank the universe that their radar was knocked out, or we would +have been completely wiped out." + +"Thank Astro and Major Connel for that, sir," said Tom with the first +smile on his face in days. "I knew none of those green jokers could stop +those two!" + +"I've got to report to Commander Walters and the Solar Alliance, Tom. +You take a squad of men and move out. Your job is to find Astro, Roger, +and Major Connel." + +"Thank you, sir!" said Tom happily. + + * * * * * + +Down in the canyon, Major Connel had waited as long as he dared for +Astro to return with news of Roger. From his position, the tough +spaceman could not tell how the gigantic space battle had ended until he +saw the Solar Guard troop carriers land on the rim of the canyon above. +Satisfied, he decided that it was time to move. + +[Illustration: _The Solar Guard troops landed on the rim of the canyon_] + +He stood up, careful not to expose himself, since fighting had broken +out among the workers. Every street, shop, and corner would bring +dangers, and having stayed alive this far, Connel wanted to reach the +Solar Guard forces and continue the fight alongside his friends. Astro +was nowhere in sight when the major moved cautiously down a side +alley, and he was beginning to think that Astro had not escaped from the +base with Roger, when he saw the big cadet suddenly appear around a +corner running as hard as he could. A few seconds later three green-clad +Nationalist guards rounded the corner and pounded after him. + +Astro saw Connel and ducked behind an overturned jet car, yelling, "I'm +unarmed! Nail them, Major!" + +In a flash Connel dropped to the pavement, and firing from a kneeling +position, cut the Nationalists down expertly. When the last of the enemy +was frozen, Connel rushed to Astro's side. + +"What about Roger?" he asked. + +"I couldn't reach him," replied Astro. "The sick bay's in the main +administration building and that's so well guarded it would take a full +company to break in." + +Connel nodded grimly. "Well, the best thing for us to do is get more men +and then tackle it." + +"Yes, sir," said Astro. "I think we'd better head for the canyon walls +on the west. The Marines are pouring down that side." + +"Let's go," grunted the major, and led the way down the narrow lane. But +when they reached the open area beyond the repair shops they saw that +the Nationalist guards had thrown up barriers in the streets and were +preparing defenses against frontal assault. + +"Maybe we'd better stay where we are, sir," the big cadet said, after +scanning the Nationalist defenses. "We'd never be able to get through +now." + +"Ummmh," mused Connel. "You're right. Maybe we can be of more use +striking behind the lines." + +Astro grinned. "That's just what I was thinking, sir." He pointed to a +near-by barrier set up in the middle of the street. "We could pick off +the men behind that--" + +"Look out!" roared Connel. Behind them, five Nationalist guards had +suddenly appeared. But they were more surprised than Astro and Connel, +and the big cadet took advantage of it by charging right into them. + +It was a short but vicious fight. There was no time to aim or fire a +paralo-ray gun. It was a matter of bare knuckles and feet and knees and +shoulders. One by one, the green-clad men were laid low, and finally, +Connel, out of breath, turned to grin at Astro. + +"Feel better," he gasped, "than I've felt in weeks!" + +Astro grinned. One of Connel's front teeth was missing. Astro leaned +against the wall and pointed to the canyon wall where the columns of +Solar Guard Marines were making their way down into the base under heavy +covering fire from above. "Won't be long now!" + +"Come on," said Connel. "They'll probably send scouts out ahead of those +columns and we can make contact with them over there." He pointed toward +a high tangle of barbed wire set up in the middle of the near-by street. +Astro nodded, and exchanging his broken ray gun for one belonging to a +fallen Nationalist, raced to the edge of the barrier with the major. +They crouched and waited for the first contact by the Marines. + +"They shouldn't be too long now," said Connel. + +"No more than a minute, sir," said Astro, pointing to a running figure +darting from one protective position to another. + +"You, there!" shouted a familiar voice. "Behind that barrier!" + +Astro glanced at Connel. "Major, that sounds like--!" + +"Come out with your hands in the air and nothing will happen to you!" +the voice called again. + +"By the stars, you're right!" yelled Connel. "It's Corbett!" + +Astro jumped up and yelled, "Tom! Tom! You big space-brained jerk! It's +me, Astro!" + +Behind the corner of a house, Tom peered cautiously around the edge and +saw the big cadet scramble over the tangle of barbed wire with Connel +right behind him. Tom held up his hand for the squad in back of him to +hold their fire and stepped out to meet his friends. "Major! Astro!" + +The three spacemen pounded each other on the back while the patrol of +Marines watched, grinning. "Where's Roger?" asked Tom finally. + +Astro quickly told him of the heavily guarded administration building. + +"Is he all right?" asked Tom. + +"No one knows," replied Connel. "We haven't been able to get any news of +him at all." + +"I'm going after him," said Tom, his jaw set. "No telling what they'll +try to do with him when they see their goose is cooked." + +"I'll go with you," said Astro. + +"No, you stay here with Major Connel," said Tom. "I think it would be +better if just one tried it, with the rest creating a diversion on the +other side." + +"Good idea," said Connel. He turned to the rest of the patrol. "Men, +there's an injured Space Cadet in the sick bay of the main building. +He's the third member of the _Polaris_ unit and has contributed as much +to victory in this battle as any of us. We've got to get him out of the +hands of the Nationalists before something happens to him. Are you +willing to try?" + +The Marines agreed without hesitation. + +"All right," said Connel, "here's what we'll do." Quickly the major +outlined a plan whereby Tom would sneak through the lines of the +Nationalists around the administration building, while the rest of them +created a diversionary move. It was a daring plan that would require +split-second timing. When they were all agreed as to what they would do +and the time of the operation was set, they moved off toward the +administration building. The rebellion was over, defeated. Yet the +Nationalist leaders were still alive. They were desperate men and Roger +was in their hands. His life meant more to Tom Corbett and Astro than +the smashing victory of the Solar Guard, and they were prepared to give +their own lives to save his. + +[Illustration] + + + + +CHAPTER 19 + + +"Ready?" asked Connel. + +"All set, sir," replied Tom. + +"Remember, we'll open up in exactly five minutes and we'll continue to +attack for another seven minutes. That's all the time you have to get +inside, find Roger, and get out again." + +"I understand, sir," replied Tom. + +"Move out," said Connel, "and spaceman's luck!" + +With a last quick glance at Astro who gave him a reassuring nod, Tom +dropped to his knees and crawled out from behind their hidden position. +Dropping flat on his stomach, he inched forward toward the +administration building. All around him ray guns and blasters were +firing with regularity as the columns of Marines advanced from all sides +of the canyon toward the center, mopping up everything in front of them. +The roof of the administration building seemed a solid sheet of fire as +the Nationalist leaders fought back desperately. + +He reached the side of the building that was windowless, and scrambled +toward the back door without interference. There he saw five green-clad +men, crouched behind sandbags, protecting the rear entrance. Glancing at +his watch he saw the sweeping hand tick off the last few seconds of his +allotted time. At the exact instant it hit the five-minute mark, there +was a sudden burst of activity at the front of the building. Connel and +the Marine patrol had opened fire in a mock attack. The men guarding the +rear left their barricade and raced into the building to meet the new +assault. + +Without a second's hesitation, Tom jumped toward the door. He reached +up, found it unlocked, and then with his ray gun ready, kicked the door +open. He rushed in and dived to the floor, ray gun in his hand, ready to +freeze anything or anyone in sight. + +The hall was empty. In the front, the firing continued and the halls of +the building echoed loudly with the frantic commands of the defenders. +Gliding along the near wall, Tom moved slowly forward. Before him, a +door was ajar and he eased toward it. On tiptoe the curly-haired cadet +inched around the edge of the door and glanced inside. He saw a +Nationalist guard on his hands and knees loading empty shock rifles. Tom +quickly stepped inside and jammed his gun in the man's back. "Freeze!" +he said between his teeth. + +The trooper tensed, then relaxed, and slowly raised his hands. + +"Where's the sick bay?" demanded Tom. + +"On the second floor, at the end of the hall." + +"Is that where you're keeping Cadet Manning?" demanded Tom. + +"Yes," replied the man. "He's--" + +Tom fired before the trooper could finish. It was rough, but he knew he +had to act swiftly if he was to help Roger. The trooper was frozen in +his kneeling position, and Tom scooped up a loaded shock rifle before +slipping back into the hall. It was still empty. The firing outside +seemed to be increasing. + +He located the stairs, and after a quick but careful check, started up, +heart pounding, guns ready. On the second floor he glanced up and down +the hall, and jumped back into the stair well quickly. Firing from an +open window, three troopers were between him and the only door at the +end of the hall. Not sure if Roger was in that room or not, Tom had to +make sure by looking. And the only way he could do that was to eliminate +the men in his way. He dropped to one knee and took careful aim with the +ray pistol. It would be tricky at such long range, but should the +paralo-ray fail, the cadet was prepared to use the shock rifle. He +fired, and for a breathless second waited for the effects of the ray on +the troopers. Then he saw the men go rigid and he smiled. Three hundred +feet with a ray pistol was very fancy shooting! + +He raced for the door. As he entered the room, he saw a figure stretched +out on the floor. He stopped still, cold fear clutching at his heart. + +"Roger!" he called. The blond-haired cadet didn't move. Tom jumped to +his unit mate's side and dropped to one knee beside him. It was dark in +the room and he couldn't see very well, but there was no need for light +when he felt Roger's pulse. + +"Frozen, by the stars!" he exclaimed. He stepped back, flipped the +neutralizer switch on his ray gun, and fired a short burst. Almost +immediately Roger groaned, blinked his eyes, and sat up. + +"Roger! Are you all right?" asked Tom. + +"Yeah--sure. I'm O.K.," mumbled his unit mate. "Those dirty space rats. +They didn't know what to do with me when the Marines landed, so they +froze me. They were scared to kill me. Afraid of reprisals." + +"They sure used their heads that time," said Tom with a grin. "How's +your back?" + +"Fine. I just wrenched it a little. It's better now. But never mind me. +What's going on? Where's Astro and Major Connel? And how did you get +here?" + +Tom gave him a quick run-down on everything that had happened, +concluding with, "Major Connel and Astro, with a patrol of Solar Guard +Marines, are outside now drawing the Nationalist fire. Time's running +out on us fast. Think you can walk?" + +"Spaceboy," replied Roger, "to get out of this place I'd crawl on my +hands and knees!" + +"Then come on!" Tom gave the shock rifle to his unit mate and stepped +back into the hall. It was quiet. Tom waved at Roger to follow and +slipped down the hall toward the stairs. Outside, the Marine patrol +continued firing, never letting up for a second. The two boys reached +the stairs and had started down when Tom grabbed Roger by the arm. +"There's someone moving around down there!" + +They hugged the wall and held their breath. Tom glanced at his watch. +Only forty-five seconds to go before the Marines would stop firing and +retire. They had to get out of the building! + +"We'll have to take a chance, Roger," murmured Tom. "We'll try to rush +them and fight our way out." + +"Don't bother!" said a harsh voice behind them. The two cadets spun +around and looked back toward the second floor. Standing at the top of +the stairs, Rex Sinclair scowled down at them, ray guns in each hand, +leveled at the two cadets. + +"By the craters of Luna!" cried Roger. "You!" + +"That's one of the things I forgot to tell you, Roger," said Tom wryly. +"Sinclair belongs to this outfit too!" + +"Belongs!" roared Roger. "Look at that white uniform he's wearing! This +yellow rat is Lactu, the head of the whole Nationalist movement!" + +Tom gaped at the white-clad figure at the head of the stairs. "The +leader!" he gasped. + +"Quite right, Corbett," replied Sinclair quietly. "And if it hadn't been +for three nosy cadets, I would have been the leader of the whole planet. +But it's finished now. All that is left for me is escape. And you two +are going to help me do just that!" + +Roger suddenly dropped to one knee and leveled the blaster. But the +Nationalist leader was too quick. His paralo-ray crackled and Roger was +frozen solid. + +"Why, you--!" roared Tom. + +"Drop your gun, Corbett," warned Sinclair, "and take that blaster away +from him." + +"I'll get you, Sinclair," said Tom through clenched teeth, "and when I +do--" + +"Stop the talk and get busy!" snapped Sinclair. + +Tom took the blaster out of Roger's paralyzed hands and dropped it on +the floor. Still holding one ray gun on Tom, Sinclair flipped on the +neutralizer of the other gun and released Roger again. + +"Now get moving down those stairs!" ordered Sinclair. "One more funny +move out of either of you and I'll do more than just freeze you." + +"What are you going to do with us?" asked Roger. + +"As I said, you are going to help me escape. This time the Solar Guard +has won. But there are other planets, other people who need strong +leadership and who like to put on uniforms and play soldier. People will +always find reason to rebel against authority, and I will be there to +channel their frustrations into my own plans. Perhaps it will be Mars. +Or Ganymede. Or even Titan. Another name, another plan, and once again +the Solar Guard will have to fight me. Only next time, I assure you, it +is I who will win!" + +"There won't be any next time," growled Roger. "You're washed up now. +This base is swarming with Marines. How do you think you're going to get +out of here?" + +"You shall see, my friend. You shall see!" + +Sinclair motioned them toward a door on the ground floor. "Open it!" +demanded Sinclair. Tom opened it and stepped inside. It was a cleaner's +closet, crammed with old-fashioned mops and pails and dirty rags. +Sinclair pushed Roger inside and was about to follow when several +green-clad guards came running down the hall toward them. + +"Lactu! Lactu!" they shouted frantically. "They're pouring into the +base! The Solar Guard--they've got us surrounded!" + +"Keep fighting!" snapped Sinclair. "Don't surrender! Inflict as much +damage as possible!" + +"Where--where are you going?" asked one of the men, looking at the +closet speculatively. + +"Never mind me!" barked Sinclair. "Do as I tell you. Fight back!" + +"It looks like we're losing a leader," observed another of the men +slowly. "You wouldn't be running out on us, would you, Lactu?" + +Sinclair fired three quick blasts from the ray guns, freezing the men +solid, and then turned back to Tom and Roger. "Stay in that closet and +do as I tell you." + +Inside the closet, Sinclair kicked a pail out of the way and barked, +"Remove the loose plank in the floor and drop it on the floor." + +Tom felt around until he found the loose board and lifted it up. + +"What's down there?" asked Roger. + +"You'll see," said Sinclair. "Now step back, both of you!" + +Tom and Roger backed up and watched while Sinclair bent over the hole +in the floor. He felt around inside with one hand and appeared to turn +something. Suddenly the wall opposite the two cadets slid back to reveal +a narrow flight of stairs leading down. Sinclair motioned with his gun +again. "Get going, both of you." + +Tom stepped forward, followed by Roger, and they started down the +stairs. At the bottom they found themselves in a narrow tunnel about +four hundred feet underground. The floor of the tunnel slanted downward +sharply. + +[Illustration] + +"At the end of this tunnel," announced Sinclair, "is a clearing and in +that clearing is a spaceship. It is nearly three miles from the canyon. +By the time the Solar Guard learns of my absence, we shall be lost in +space." + +"We?" asked Tom. "You're taking us with you?" + +"But of course," said Sinclair. "How else would I assure myself that +the Solar Guard will not harm me unless I take two of their most honored +Space Cadets with me?" + + * * * * * + +"It's been fifteen minutes," announced Connel, "and they haven't come +out yet. There's only one thing to do. Take that building and find out +what's happened." + +The major was crouched behind a wrecked jet car, staring at the +administration building. + +"I can get that Marine captain over to our left to co-ordinate an attack +with us, sir," suggested Astro. + +"It's risky," said Connel. "They still have a lot of men in there. But +if we wait for another column to reach us, it might be too late. All +right, Astro, tell him we're attacking in ten minutes and ask him to +give us all the help he can." + +"Yes, sir," replied Astro, and flopped to the ground to worm his way +toward the head of the Marine column on the left. + +It took the cadet nearly five minutes to cover the hundred yards between +the two Solar Guard positions. Several times the firing became so heavy +that the cadet was forced to remain still on the ground while rifle and +ray-gun fire crackled over his head. He made it finally, several Marines +coming out to help him over the top of the barrier. Gasping for breath, +the big cadet asked to see the commanding officer. + +A grimy, tired-looking officer turned and walked over to the cadet. + +"Astro!" + +"Captain Strong!" + +"Where's Tom and Roger and Major Connel?" demanded Strong. + +Astro told the captain of Tom's attempt to save Roger and that nothing +had been heard from him since. "Major Connel wants us to attack +together," Astro continued. "He's jumping off in four minutes!" + +"Right!" snapped Strong. He turned to a young Solar Guard officer +waiting respectfully near by. "You take them in, Ferris. Full frontal +attack. Don't use blasters unless you have to. Take as many prisoners as +possible." + +"Very well, sir," replied the lieutenant. + +"I'll go back to the other position with Cadet Astro. Start your attack +as soon as you see Major Connel and his men go in." + +"Got it, sir," said the lieutenant. + +Strong and Astro made their way back to Connel's position quickly, and +after a brief but hearty handclasp, the two officers began plotting the +last assault against the Nationalists' stronghold. While other Marine +columns were wiping up small groups of rebels fighting from disabled +spaceships, repair shops, and other buildings, Strong's column had been +driving straight for the heart of the base. The administration building +was the last barrier between them and complete victory over the rebels. + +Strong and Connel spoke briefly of Tom and Roger, neither wanting to +voice his inner fears in front of Astro. The Nationalists previously had +shown little regard for human life. Now, with their backs to the wall, +Connel and Strong knew that if Tom and Roger were captured, they might +be used as hostages to ensure safe passage for some of the rebels. + +"Let's go," said Connel finally. "Tom and Roger will be expecting us." +He forced himself to grin at Astro, but the giant cadet turned and faced +the building grimly. Connel lifted his hand, took a last look up and +down the line of waiting Marines, then brought his hand down quickly. +"Over the top. Spaceman's luck!" he shouted. + +The Marines vaulted over the top of their defense position and charged +madly toward the building, all guns blazing. The Nationalists returned +the fire, and for the first few seconds it seemed that the world had +suddenly gone mad. Strong found himself shouting, running, and firing in +a red haze. Astro was roaring at the top of his lungs, and Connel just +charged ahead blindly. Marines began to drop on all sides, cut down by +the withering fire. Then, when it appeared that they would have to fall +back, the main column, led by the Solar Guard lieutenant, broke through +the last barricade and swarmed into the building. + +Five minutes later the battle was over. The last remnants of the +Nationalists had been defeated and the green-clad troopers were herded +into the streets like cattle. Strong and Connel, followed by Astro, +charged through the building like wild bulls searching for Tom and +Roger. + +"No sign of them," said Strong finally. "They must have slipped out +somehow." + +"No!" roared Connel. "They've been taken out of here as hostages. I'll +bet my life on that. There must be a secret way out of here!" + +"Come on," said Strong. "Let's find it." Suddenly he stopped. "Look! +Those three troopers outside that door! They're frozen! Let's have a +look there first!" + +They rushed over to the closet where the three Nationalists had been +frozen by Sinclair. + +Strong stopped and gasped. "By the craters of Luna, it's Sharkey!" + +"Sharkey? Who's that?" asked Astro. + +"Supposed to be the leader of the Nationalists," said Connel. + +Strong quickly released Sharkey from the paralo-ray effects and the man +shuddered so violently from the reaction that Astro had to grab him to +keep him from falling down. + +"Where are Corbett and Manning?" demanded Connel. + +"Lactu ... he took them both in there ... through a secret passageway." +Sharkey pointed to the closet with a trembling finger. + +Strong jumped for the closet door and jerked it open. He saw the open +wall and the stairs leading down. "Come on! This way!" + +Connel ran wildly into the closet, followed by Astro. Suddenly the big +cadet stopped, turned, and fired point-blank at the figurehead of the +Nationalist rebellion. Sharkey once again grew rigid. + +The two Solar Guard officers raced down the stairs into the tunnel and +ran headlong through the darkness. Time was precious now. The lives of +Tom and Roger might be lost by a wasted second. + +[Illustration] + + + + +CHAPTER 20 + + +"What's that noise, Tom?" + +The two cadets were walking through the tunnel when they heard the +strange booming roar. Behind them, Sinclair overheard Roger's whispered +question and laughed. "That is the sound of the slaves being fed their +lunch. They do not know yet that there has been a battle and soon +they'll be free!" + +"Slaves!" gasped Roger. "What kind of slaves?" + +"You shall see. Keep going!" Sinclair prodded the cadets with his ray +gun. The tunnel had grown larger and the downward slant of the floor +lessened as they pressed forward. The noise ahead of them grew louder +and stronger and now they could distinguish occasional words above the +din. + +"We must pass through the big vault where the slaves are working," said +Sinclair. "I would advise you to keep your mouths shut and do as I say!" + +Neither Tom nor Roger answered, keeping their eyes straight ahead. + +The tunnel suddenly cut sharply to the right and they could see a blaze +of light in front of them. The two boys stopped involuntarily, and then +were nudged forward by Sinclair's guns. Before them was a huge cavern +nearly a thousand yards high and three thousand yards across, +illuminated by hundreds of torches. Along one side of the cave a line of +men were waiting to have battered tin plates filled from a huge pot at +the head of the line. The men were in rags, and every one of them was +hardly more than skin and bones. At strategic places around the cavern, +Nationalist guards kept their guns trained and ready to fire. They +brought up their guns quickly as Tom and Roger entered, and then lowered +them again as Sinclair appeared. Every eye turned to the Nationalist +leader as he marched across the floor of the cave, Tom and Roger walking +before him. + +"You see," said Sinclair, "these wretched fools thought my organization +was a utopia until they learned that I was no better for them than the +Solar Guard. Unfortunately they learned too late and were sent here to +dig underground pits for my spaceships and storage dumps." + +The small column of three marched across the floor of the cave toward +another small tunnel on the opposite side. The slaves were absolutely +still, and the guards smiled a greeting at their leader when he passed +them. + +Sinclair ignored them all. "Beyond that tunnel," he continued, pointing +to the small opening ahead of them, "there is a spaceship. We will board +that ship and blast off. The three of us. Where we will go, I haven't +decided yet. Perhaps a long trip into deep space until the Solar Guard +has forgotten about you and me and the Nationalists. Then we will +return, as I said before, to Mars, or perhaps Ganymede, and I will start +all over again." + +"You're mad!" said Tom through clenched teeth. "Crazy as a space bug!" + +"We shall see, Corbett. We shall see!" + +Suddenly Roger broke away and raced toward the mass of slaves. He +shouted wildly, "Get the guards! The Nationalists are beaten! The base +in the canyon has been destroyed! Hurry! Rebel!" + +The emaciated men milled around the cadet, all asking questions at once. + +Sinclair signaled to the guards. "Shoot him down!" Four guards took +careful aim. + +"Roger! Look out!" warned Tom. + +Roger whirled around in time to see the guards about to fire. He dived +for a mound of dirt and hid behind it. The energy shock waves licked at +the sand where he had stood a second before. Roger got up and ran for +better cover, the guards continuing to fire at him. Then, around the +cadet, the slave workers began to come alive. Some hurled stones at the +guards, others began climbing up the sides to the ledges where the +guards stood. Taking in the situation at a glance, Sinclair shoved the +ray gun in Tom's back and snarled, "Get going!" + +The young cadet had no alternative. He turned and marched hurriedly +across the floor toward the small tunnel ahead of him. Several slave +workers tried to attack Sinclair, but in their weakened condition, they +were no match for the alert Nationalist leader who froze them instantly +with his paralo-ray gun. + +Roger saw Tom heading for the tunnel and made a sudden dash for +Sinclair. But the rebel leader heard the pounding of footsteps and +turned to fire at Roger as the cadet sailed through the air in a flying +tackle. The jolting ray hit him squarely and he landed on the ground +with a thud a few feet from Sinclair, completely immobilized again. + +Tom tried to seize the momentary advantage, but once again Sinclair was +quicker and forced Tom back into the small opening of the tunnel. + +Around them, the slave workers were being whipped into a frenzy after +months of stored-up hatred for their guards. Hundreds of them were +climbing up toward the guards' posts, unmindful of the deadly fire +pouring down on them. + +"Get in there quick!" demanded Sinclair. He shoved Tom through the small +opening, and after a quick glance over his shoulder at the surging +slaves, followed the cadet. + +Sinclair flashed a light ahead of them and Tom saw the reflection of a +bright surface. In the distance he recognized the outlines of a +spaceship. + +"Keep moving!" ordered Sinclair. "You're my protection in getting out of +here, and if I have to freeze you and carry you aboard, that's just what +I'll do! Now get moving!" + +Tom walked to the air lock of the ship, Sinclair right in back of him. +The rebel leader pressed an outside button in the ship's stabilizer fin +and the port swung open slowly. "Get in!" growled Sinclair. + +Tom stepped into the ship and waited. Sinclair climbed in in back of him +and closed the air lock. + +"Through that hatch," said Sinclair, motioning toward the iron ladder, +"and keep your hands in the air." + +"How do you think you're going to get through the Solar Guard fleet +that's standing off above the canyon?" asked Tom casually. "As soon as +they see this ship blast off, you'll have a hundred atomic war heads +blasting after you!" + +"Not as long as I have you!" sneered Sinclair. "You're my protection!" + +"You're wrong," said Tom. "They'll open fire, anyway." + +"That's the chance I've got to take," said Sinclair. "Now climb up to +the control deck and get on the audioceiver. You're going to tell them +you're aboard!" + +Tom walked ahead of the rebel leader toward the control deck, his mind +racing. He knew that Sinclair was going through with his plan and he +also knew that the Solar Guard would not pay any attention to anything +he had to say. If, after three warnings, Sinclair didn't brake jets and +bring his ship to a stop, he would be blasted out of space. He had to do +something. + +"Where's the communicator?" asked Tom. + +"Over by the radar scanner." Sinclair eyed him suspiciously. "Remember, +Corbett, your life depends on this as much as mine. If you don't +convince them you're worth saving by letting me get away, you're a dead +pigeon!" + +"You don't have to tell me," said Tom. "I know when I'm licked." + +Sinclair took his position in the pilot's chair, facing the control +panel. For a brief moment his back was to Tom as he bent over to turn on +the generators. Tom took a deep breath and lurched across the deck. But +Sinclair turned and saw him coming, and jerked up the ray gun. He wasn't +able to get clear in time. Tom's fingers circled the barrel of the gun +as Sinclair fired. The barrel grew hot as Sinclair fired repeatedly. +Tom's fingers were beginning to blister under the intense heat, but he +held on. With his other hand he reached up for the rebel's throat. +Sinclair grabbed his wrist and, locked together, they rolled around on +the deck. + +[Illustration: _Sinclair wasn't able to get clear in time_] + +Sinclair continued to fire the ray gun and Tom's fingers were burning +with pain from the heat. Suddenly the cadet let go the gun, spun around, +and jerked Sinclair off balance. He swung his free hand as hard as he +could into the rebel's stomach. Sinclair doubled over and staggered +back, dropping the gun. Tom was on top of him like a shot, pounding +straight, jolting rights and lefts to the man's head and stomach. But +Sinclair was tough. He twisted around, and quick as a cat, jumped to his +feet. Then, stepping in, he rapped a solid right to Tom's jaw. The cadet +reeled back, nearly falling to the deck. Sinclair was in on top of him +in a flash, pounding his head and body with vicious smashing blows. + +Tom fell to the floor under the savagery of the rebel leader's attack. +Sinclair lifted his foot to kick the cadet as Tom's fingers tightened +around the barrel of the discarded ray gun. He brought it up sharply +against the planter's shin and he staggered back in pain. Tom took +careful aim. He fired the gun. Nothing happened. The gun was empty. + +Sinclair rushed the cadet again, but Tom stepped aside and swung the +heavy gun with all his might. The metal smashed against Sinclair's head +and he sank to the deck, out cold. + +The last rebel of Venus had been defeated. + + * * * * * + +"We found Roger trying to keep the slaves away from the guards," said +Strong. "They were ready to tear them apart!" + +"Can't say that I blame them," snorted Connel. "Some of those poor +devils had been working in the caves for three years!" + +Tom, Roger, and Astro sat sprawled in chairs in one of the offices of +the Nationalist headquarters listening to Strong and Major Connel sum up +the day's battle. The entire army of Nationalist guards, Division +Chiefs, and workers had been rounded up and put aboard the troop +carriers to be taken to a prison asteroid. Each individual rebel would +be dealt with under special court proceedings to be established by Solar +Alliance decree later. + +"There are still some things I don't understand," said Astro. "How did +they know you were going to investigate them in the first place?" + +"After our meeting with Commander Walters," said Connel, "we sent a +special coded message to the Solar Alliance Delegate here on Venus. His +secretary intercepted the message, used stolen priorities for himself +and two assistants to get to Earth and back on an express space liner +without being missed." + +"The secretary!" shouted Tom. "That's the same fellow I saw in Atom City +when we were bumped out of our seats on the _Venus Lark_!" + +Roger looked up at Tom with a scowl. "A fine time to remember!" + +Strong grinned. "We discovered him, Tom, when that attempt was made to +kidnap you by the cab driver. We also picked up the owner of the +pawnshop." + +"The most amazing thing about this space joker, Sinclair," commented +Connel, "was the way he had everyone fooled. I couldn't figure out how +he was able to get around so quickly until I learned about those +buildings." + +"What buildings?" asked Tom, suddenly remembering how the rebel leader +had disappeared so quickly and quietly when he was being held captive +with Mr. and Mrs. Hill in the Sinclair home. + +"Every one of the important members of the organization, the Division +Chiefs, they called themselves, had a small shack on his property near +the edge of the jungle. It was nothing more than a covering for a shaft +that led to a tunnel, which, in turn, led to other tunnels under the +jungle and eventually connected with one leading right into the base." + +"You mean," said Astro, "they have underground tunnels all through the +jungle?" + +"That's right," asserted Connel. "If they had been prepared for our +attack, they could have beaten the pants off us. Not only in space, but +on the ground. They could have run circles around us in those tunnels. I +got suspicious when I found a hut at the Sharkey place with no windows +in it." + +"Say, remember the time Sinclair barked at me for going near that shack +on his place when we first arrived?" said Roger. + +Connel grinned. "I'll bet you a plugged credit that if you had opened +that door you'd have been frozen stiffer than a snowman on Pluto." + +"Well, anyhow," said Tom happily, "we got what we came after." + +"What was that?" asked Strong. + +"A tyrannosaurus!" replied the curly-haired cadet. + +"And that's another thing," said Connel. "That tyrannosaurus we killed +was a pet of the Nationalists. I don't mean a household pet, but it +fitted into their plans nicely. The tyranno's lair was near the top of +that canyon. Any time a stray hunter came along, the tyrannosaurus would +scare him away. So when you three came along and said you were +deliberately hunting for a tyrannosaurus, they got worried." + +"Worried?" asked Roger. "Why?" + +"They thought you were actually hunting or investigating them, and when +I started nosing around, they were sure. That's why Sinclair ordered his +boys to burn down his plantation--to try to throw us off the track. So +you see," Connel concluded, "your summer leave really started the ball +rolling against them." + +"Summer leave!" shouted Roger. "What day is it?" + +"The twenty-ninth of August," replied Strong. + +"Oh, no!" moaned the blond-haired cadet. "We start back to class in +three days!" + +"Three days!" roared Astro. "But--but it'll take three days to write up +our reports of everything that's happened! We won't have any time for +fun!" + +"Fun!" snorted Connel. "Fun is for little boys. You three space-brained, +rocket-headed idiots are spacemen!" + +[Illustration] + + +--------------------------------------------------------------+ + | | + | Transcriber's Note | + | | + | One instance of "nearby" was changed to "near-by" to conform | + | with the hyphenation in the rest of the text. | + | | + | The following typos were corrected: | + | | + | Get "Get | + | it It | + | get's gets | + | surpressed suppressed | + | order ordered | + | | + +--------------------------------------------------------------+ + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Revolt on Venus, by Carey Rockwell + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE REVOLT ON VENUS *** + +***** This file should be named 19027-8.txt or 19027-8.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/1/9/0/2/19027/ + +Produced by Greg Weeks, LN Yaddanapudi and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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