I'm _not_ a hero, Corbett! Never was and never
will be. You're strictly the hero type. Tried and true, a thousand just
like you all through the Academy and the Solar Guard. Strong is a hero
type!"
"Then what about Al James?" asked Tom. "What about that time in Atom
City when you defended the Academy?"
"Uh-uh," grunted Roger, "I wasn't defending the Academy. I was just
avoiding a fight." He paused and eyed Tom between half-closed lids.
"You'll never do anything I can't, or won't do, just as well, Tom. The
difference between us is simple. I'm in the Academy for a reason, a
special reason. You're here, like most of the other cadets, because you
believe in it. That's the difference between you, me and Astro. You
believe in it. I don't--I don't believe in anything but Roger Manning!"
Tom faced him squarely. "I'm not going to buy that, Roger! I don't think
that's true. And the reasons I don't believe it are many. You have a
chip on your shoulder, yes. But I don't think you're selfish or that you
only believe in Manning. If you did, you wouldn't be here on the _Lady
Venus_. You had your chance to escape back in the rocket tube, but you
_came back_, Roger, and you made a liar out of yourself!"
"Hey, you guys!" yelled Astro, coming up behind them. "I thought we left
that stuff back at the Academy?"
Tom turned to face the power-deck cadet.
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