"Well,
Roger, I'm ready to forget everything we've said and start all over
again."
Roger looked at the extended hand for a moment, his eyes blank and
expressionless. Then, with a quick movement, he slapped it away and
lurched to his feet.
"Go blow your jets," he snarled, and turning his back on them, stumbled
across the gym.
Tom watched him go, bewilderment and pain mirrored on his face.
"I thought sure this would work, Astro," he sighed. "I thought he'd come
to his senses if--"
"Nothing'll make that space creep come to his senses," Astro broke in
disgustedly. "At least, nothing short of an atomic war head! Come on.
Let's get you cleaned up!"
Putting his arm around Tom's shoulder, the big Venusian led him across
the floor of the deserted gym, and as they disappeared through the
automatic sliding doors, a tall figure in the uniform of the Solar Guard
stepped out of the shadows on the balcony above. It was Captain Strong.
He stood silently at the rail, looking down at the mats and the soggy
discarded boxing gloves. Tom had won the fight, he thought, but he had
lost the war. The unit was now farther apart than it had ever been.
[Illustration]
CHAPTER 6
"Well, Steve, how's everything going?"
Captain Steve Strong didn't answer right away. He returned the salute of
a Space Cadet passing on the opposite slidewalk and then faced Commander
Walters who stood beside him, eyeing him quizzically.
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