He was fully aware
that Roger was going to play a lone hand. And that they would never
really have unity among them until some drastic measure was taken. After
all, Tom thought, some guys don't have good hearts, or eyes, a defect to
prevent them from becoming spacemen. Roger is just mixed up inside. And
the handicap is just as real as if he had a physical flaw.
"Well, what do you want to do?" asked Tom finally.
"Go see Captain Strong. Give it to him straight. Tell him we want a
transfer."
"But tomorrow we blast off. We might not have another chance for months!
Certainly not until we get a new astrogator."
"I'd rather wait and have a guy on the radar bridge I know isn't going
to pull something behind my back," said Astro, "than blast off tomorrow
with Manning aboard."
Again Tom hesitated. He knew what Astro was saying was the truth. Life,
so far, at the Academy had been tough enough, but with mutual dependence
and security even more important out in space, the danger of their
constant friction was obvious.
"O.K.," he relented, "if that's the way you really want it. Come on.
We'll go see Captain Strong now."
"You go," said Astro. "You know how I feel. Whatever you say goes for me
too."
"Are you sure you want to do it?" asked Tom. He knew what such a request
would mean. A black mark against Roger for being rejected by his
unit-mates and a black mark against Astro and himself for not being able
to adjust.
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