Chapter 9

“Attention! Attention! This is a general alert!” Tom Corbett’s voice was hollow as he spoke over a solar-wide audiocast. “Wanted! Space Cadet Roger Manning. Five feet, eleven inches tall, one hundred sixty-five pounds. Blue eyes. Blond hair. Last seen wearing dress blues. Cadet Manning broke confinement to quarters on Venus space station and is believed to be heading back to Earth. He is wanted in connection with the crash of the space freighter Annie Jones and the death of two spacemen. All information regarding the whereabouts of Manning should be forwarded to Captain Isaiah M. Patrick, Senior Security Officer, Solar Guard, Space Academy, Earth. This alert is to be transmitted to all local authorities.”

Tom snapped the switch off and silently watched the glowing audio tubes darken. He turned to one side and saw Astro. The big Venusian was seated on a desk, slumped over, his head held in his massive hands.

“You know,” said Astro slowly, “I could take that guy Manning and break him in two for running out!”

Tom didn’t answer. When they had discovered that Roger was missing it had been a terrific blow. Unaware that Roger, in his confused state of mind, had been an easy victim to Loring and Mason’s trickery and had innocently walked into their trap, the two cadets felt that his escape was a breach of trust. Roger had given his spaceman’s word that he would confine himself to his quarters. Roger had broken that trust, and now the fact was being flashed around the entire solar system; Roger Manning was an escaped criminal!

“There’s nothing we can do now,” said Tom. “The whole universe knows it. He’s finished! Washed up! The only thing that could save him now would be absolute clearance by the investigation. But since he’s run out, I guess it must be the other way around. He was afraid he was going to get caught.” Tom’s voice was cold and bitter. “And we can’t blame anyone but--”

“But Manning!“ barked a voice behind them. Astro jumped up and snapped to attention. Tom turned to see Major Connel stride into the room. It was at Connel’s insistence that Tom had been ordered to broadcast the alert for Roger.

“That’s the last time I ever want to hear any sympathy for a man who broke his word!” snarled Connel.

“I have something I’d like to say to the major,” said Astro in a deliberate voice, “as man to man!”

Even at attention, Tom jerked his head involuntarily to look at Astro. Connel’s eyes narrowed. “Here it comes,” he thought. “Well, I’ve handled rebellion of this sort before.” He stepped close to Astro. So close in fact that the black and gold of his uniform brushed the massive chest of the cadet from Venus.

“You have permission to speak, man to man!” snapped Connel.

Astro paused for a moment. Then he relaxed and brought his eyes down to the level of the major.

“I am a human being, sir,” said Astro in the deepest voice Tom had ever heard. It was strong and full of emotion, yet controlled. “And as long as I am a human being, I shall consider Roger Manning one of the finest men I’ll ever know.”

“Are you finished?” snapped Connel.

“No, sir, I’m not,” said Astro. “I speak in defense of the man, the spaceman, not the uniform, or the trust he betrayed. And I respectfully request of the major that if his feelings for Cadet Manning are so violent that he finds it difficult to control them, that he make a special effort to control them”--Astro paused and stuck out his chin--”in my presence!”

Connel stepped back. “And if I don’t?” he shouted.

“Then I shall ask for a transfer from your command, sir, and if that is not granted, then I shall resign from the Academy.”

“And?” asked Connel.

“And, sir--” Astro stumbled.

“And what, Cadet Astro?” roared Connel.

“I have nothing more to say, sir,” said Astro.

Tom, who had at first had to control an impulse to laugh at the strange seriousness of Astro’s manner and tone, now found it equally difficult to hold back the tears that were welling up in his eyes.

Connel was not going to let the incident stand there. He had secretly hoped that such a situation would present itself, because he wanted to see what material the Polaris unit was made of. And he was secretly satisfied. Any cadet who would offer to resign from the Academy in defense of his unit-mate was a true spaceman. Connel wasn’t going to allow Astro or Tom to resign over some foolish trick of Roger’s, but, at the same time, he couldn’t allow them to take too many liberties with discipline. Connel turned to Tom.

“I suppose you feel the same way, Corbett?” he asked.

“I do, sir,” said Tom.

“Of course you know I could make your lives miserable now,” he threatened.

“We are aware of that, sir,” said Tom quietly.

“Very well, Cadets Corbett and Astro. I shall comply with your request. Not because of your request but out of respect for your feelings as spacemen. I wouldn’t have thought much of you if you hadn’t come out in defense of Manning. And just for your own sake, Astro,” said Connel, stepping back in front of the big cadet, “never ask to talk to a Solar Guard officer man to man again. As long as you’re still a member of the Cadet Corps such disrespect will not be tolerated. Another man, who might not have understood your feelings, could have used your desire for fair play as a means of trapping you into one of the worst offenses in the Spaceman’s Code--striking a Solar Guard officer!”