Stand by for Mars! Carey Rockwell (books for 8th graders TXT) đ
- Author: Carey Rockwell
Book online «Stand by for Mars! Carey Rockwell (books for 8th graders TXT) đ». Author Carey Rockwell
There was a tinkling of metal caps and then the slight rustle of paper as each boy withdrew the contents of the tube before him.
Tom took a deep breath and felt inside for the paper. He held his breath and pulled it out. It was green. He didnât know what it meant. He looked around. Phil was signaling to him, holding up a blue slip. Tomâs heart skipped a beat. Whatever the colors meant, he and Phil were apart. He quickly turned around and caught Astroâs eye. The big Venusian held up a green slip. Tomâs heart then nearly stopped beating. Phil, who had breezed through with such confidence, held a blue slip, and Astro, who hadnât even finished the test, held up the same color that he had. It could only mean one thing. Failure. He felt the tears welling in his eyes, but had no strength left to fight them back.
He looked up, his eyes meeting the insolent stare of Roger Manning who was half turned in his seat. Remembering the caustic warning of the confident cadet, Tom fought back the flood in his eyes and glared back.
What would he tell his mother? And his father? And Billy, his brother, five years younger than himself, whom he had promised to bring a flask of water from the Grand Canal on Mars. And his sister! Tom remembered the shining pride in her eyes when she kissed him good-bye at the Stratoport as he left for Atom City.
From the front of the room, McKennyâs rasping voice jarred him back to the present.
âCadetsâ âstaaaaaaaand to!â
There was a shuffle of feet as the boys rose as one.
âAll the purple slips follow me,â he roared and turned toward the door. The cadets with purple slips marched after him.
Lieutenant Saminsky stepped briskly to the front of the room.
âCadets with orange slips will please come with me,â he said casually, and another group of cadets left the room.
From the rear of the room Captain Strong snapped out an order.
âBlue slips will come with me!â
He turned smartly and followed the last of Lieutenant Saminskyâs cadets out of the room.
Tom looked around. The room was nearly empty now. He looked over at Astro and saw his big friend slumped moodily over against his desk. Then, suddenly, he noticed Roger Manning. The arrogant cadet was not smiling any longer. He was staring straight ahead. Before him on the desk, Tom could see a green slip. So he had failed too, thought Tom grimly. It was poor solace for the misery he felt.
Dr. Dale stepped forward again.
âWill the cadets holding green slips return to their quarters. Those with red slips will remain in their seats,â she announced.
Tom found himself moving with difficulty. As he walked through the door, Astro joined him. A look more eloquent than words passed between them and they made their way silently up the slidestairs back to their quarters.
Lying in his bunk, hands under his head, eyes staring into space, Tom asked, âWhat happens now?â
Sprawled on his bunk, Astro didnât answer right away. He merely gulped and swallowed hard.
âIâ âI donât know,â he finally stammered. âI just donât know.â
âWhatâll you do?â
âItâs back to the hold of a Venusport freighter, I guess. I donât know.â Astro paused and looked at Tom. âWhatâll you do?â
âGo home,â said Tom simply. âGo home andâ âand find a job.â
âEver think about the enlisted Solar Guard? Look at McKennyâ ââ
âYeahâ âbutâ ââ
âI know how you feel,â sighed Astro. âBeing in the enlisted sectionâ âis likeâ âwell, being a passengerâ âalmost.â
The door was suddenly flung open.
âHaul off them bunks, you blasted Earthworms!â
McKenny stood in the doorway in his usual aggressive pose, and Tom and Astro hit the floor together to stand at attention.
âWhereâs the other cadet?â
âHe went with Captain Strong, sir.â answered Tom.
âOh?â said Mike. And in a surprisingly soft tone he added, âYou two pulled green slips, eh?â
âYes, sir,â they replied together.
âWell, I donât know how you did it, but congratulations. You passed the classification tests. Both of you.â
Tom just looked at the scarlet-clad, stumpy warrant officer. He couldnât believe his ears. Suddenly he felt as if he had been lifted off his feet. And then he realized that he was off his feet. Astro was holding him over his head. Then he dumped him in his bunk as easily as if he had been a child. And at the same time, the big Venusian let out a loud, long, earsplitting yell.
McKenny matched him with his bull-like roar.
âPlug that foghorn, you blasted Earthworm. Youâll have the whole Academy in here thinking thereâs a murder.â
By this time Tom was on his feet again, standing in front of McKenny.
âYou mean, we made it? Weâre really in? Weâre cadets?â
âThatâs right.â McKenny looked at a clip board in his hand and read, âCadet Corbett, Tom. Qualified for control deck. Cadet Astro. Power deck.â
Astro took a deep breath and started another yell, but before he could let go, McKenny clamped a big hand over his mouth.
âYou bellow like that again and Iâll make meteor dust out of you!â
Astro gulped and then matched Tomâs grin with one that spread from ear to ear.
âWhat happened to Philip Morgan?â asked Tom.
âWhat color slip did he have?â
âBlue.â
âAnything besides green washed out,â replied Mike quickly. âNow letâs see, you have a replacement for Morgan in this unit. An astrogator.â
âGreetings, gentlemen,â drawled a voice that Tom recognized without even looking. âAllow me to introduce myself to my new unit-mates. My name is Manningâ âRoger Manning. But then, weâre old friends, arenât we?â
âStow that rocket wash, Manning,â snapped Mike. He glanced at the clock over the door. âYou have an hour and forty-five minutes until lunch time. I suggest you take a walk around the Academy and familiarize yourselves with
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