On the Trail of the Space Pirates | Page 3

whistled into the tunnel
beneath the mountain range, the boys of the Polaris unit returned to
their seats.
"Back to the old grind," sighed Roger. "Drills, maneuvers, books,
lectures. The same routine, day in day out."
"Maybe not," said Tom. "Remember, the order for us to report back
was signed by Commander Walters, not the cadet supervisor of leaves.
I think that means something special."
Suddenly the monorail roared out of the tunnel and into brilliant
early-morning sun again.
The three cadets turned quickly, their eyes sweeping the valley for the
first sight of the shining Tower of Galileo.
"There it is," said Tom, pointing toward a towering crystal building
reflecting the morning light. "We'll be there in a minute."
Even as Tom spoke, the speed of the monorail slackened as it eased
past a few gleaming structures of aluminum and concrete. Presently the
white platform of the Academy station drifted past the viewport and all
forward motion stopped. The doors opened and the three boys hurried
to the exit.
All around the cadets, men and women in the vari-colored uniforms of
the Solar Guard hurried through the station. The green of the
Earthworm cadets, first-year students of the Cadet Corps; the brilliant
rich blue of the senior cadets like the Polaris unit; the scarlet red of the
enlisted Solar Guard; and here and there, the black and gold of the
officers of the Solar Guard.
The three cadets hurried to the nearest slidewalk, a moving belt of
plastic that glided silently across the ground toward Space Academy. It

whisked them quickly past the few buildings nestled around the
monorail station and rounded a curve. The three cadets looked up
together at the gleaming Tower of Galileo. Made of pure Titan crystal,
it soared above the cluster of buildings that surrounded the grassy
quadrangle and dominated Space Academy like a translucent giant.
The cadets stepped off the slidewalk as it glided past the Tower
building and ran up the broad marble stair. At the huge main portal,
Tom stopped and looked back over the Academy grounds. All around
him lay the evidence of mankind's progress. It was the year 2353, when
Earthman had long since colonized the inner planets, Mars and Venus,
and the three large satellites, Moon of Earth, Ganymede of Jupiter, and
Titan of Saturn. It was the age of space travel; of the Solar Alliance, a
unified society of billions of people who lived in peace with one
another, though sprawled throughout the universe; and the Solar Guard,
the might of the Solar Alliance and the defender of interplanetary peace.
All these things Tom saw as he stood in the wide portal of the Tower
Building, flanked by Astro and Roger.
Turning into the Tower, the three cadets went directly to the office of
their unit commander. The training program at Space Academy
consisted of three cadets to a unit, with a Solar Guard officer as their
teacher and instructor. Steve Strong, captain in the Solar Guard, had
been their cadet instructor since the unit had been formed and he now
smiled a welcome as the cadets snapped to attention in front of his
desk.
"Polaris unit reporting as ordered, sir," said Tom, handing over the
audiogram order he had received the day before.
"Thank you, Corbett," said Strong, taking the paper. "At ease."
The three boys relaxed and broke into wide grins as Strong rounded his
desk and shook hands with each of them.
"Glad to have you back, boys," he said. "Did you enjoy your leave?"
"And how, sir," replied Tom.

"Tom's mother showed us a whale of a good time," chimed in Roger.
"And how she can cook!" Astro licked his lips involuntarily.
"Well, I hope you had a good rest--" said Strong, but was suddenly
interrupted by the sound of a small bell. Behind his desk a small
teleceiver screen glowed into life to reveal the stern face of
Commander Walters, the commander of Space Academy.
Strong turned to the teleceiver and called, "Yes, Commander Walters?"
"Did the Polaris unit arrive yet, Steve?" asked the commander.
"Yes, sir," replied Strong. "They're here in my office now, sir."
"Good," said the commander with a smile. "I just received a report the
exposition will open sooner than expected. I suggest you brief the
cadets and raise ship as soon as possible."
"Very well, sir," answered Strong. The screen darkened and he turned
back to the cadets. "Looks like you got back just in time."
"What's up, sir?" asked Tom.
Strong returned to his chair and sat down. "I suppose you've all heard
about the Solar Exposition that opens on Venus next week?"
Tom's eyes lit up. "Have we! That's all the stereos and visunews and
teleceivers have been yacking about for weeks now."
"Well," said Strong with