"
"Thank you, sir," stammered Tom.
"That's all--the test is over. Return to your quarters." He came over
and laid a hand on Tom's shoulder. "And don't worry, Corbett. While it
isn't customary to tell a cadet, I think you deserve it. You've passed
with a perfect score!"
"I have, sir? You mean--_I really passed?_"
"Next step is Manning," said Strong. "You've done as much as one cadet
can do."
"Thank you, sir"--Tom could only repeat it over and over--"thank you,
sir--thank you."
Dazed, he saluted his superior and turned to the door. Two hours in the
pilot's chair had made him dizzy. But he was happy.
Five minutes later he slammed back the sliding door and entered the
quarters of 42-D with a lusty shout.
"Meet Space Cadet Corbett--an Earthworm who's just passed his
control-deck manual operations exam!"
Astro looked up from a book of tables on astrogation and gave Tom a wan
smile.
"Congratulations, Tom," he said, and turned back to his book, adding
bitterly, "but if I don't get these tables down by this afternoon for my
power-deck manual, you're sunk."
"Say--what's going on here?" asked Tom. "Where's Roger? Didn't he help
you with them?"
"He left. Said he had to see someone before taking his radar-bridge
manual. He helped me a little. But when I'd ask him a question, he'd
just rattle the answer off so fast--well, I just couldn't follow him.
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