"
Looking around, Astro commented, "This place looks almost as good as
that power deck."
"Of course," said Roger, "they could have placed that astrogation prism
a little closer to the chart table. Now I'll have to get up every time I
want to take sights on stars!"
"Don't you ever get tired of complaining?" asked Astro.
"Ah--rocket off," snarled Roger.
"Hey, you guys," yelled Tom from below, "better get down here! Captain
Strong's coming aboard."
Climbing back down the ladder to the control deck, Astro leaned over his
shoulder and asked Roger, "Do you really think he'll let us take this
baby up for a hop, Manning?"
"Get your head out of that cloud, Astro. You'll pull about three weeks
of dry runs before this baby gets five inches off the ground."
"I wouldn't be too sure of that, Manning!" Strong's voice boomed out as
he climbed up through the control-deck hatch. The three boys immediately
snapped to attention.
Strong walked around the control deck, fingering the controls lightly.
"This is a fine ship," he mused aloud. "One of the finest that
scientific brains can build. She's yours. The day you graduate from the
Academy, _IF_ you graduate, and I can think of about a thousand reasons
why you won't, you'll command an armed rocket cruiser similar to this.
As a matter of fact, the only difference between this ship and those
that patrol the space lanes now is in the armament.
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