Roger walked slowly across the deck and stood in front of them
defiantly.
"You were counting on the ship being spotted by Captain Strong or part
of a supposed searching party! Ha! What makes you think three cadets are
so important that the Solar Guard will take time out to look for us? And
if they _do_ come looking for us, the only thing left up there now"--he
pointed his finger over his head--"is a pile of sand like any other sand
dune on this crummy planet. We're stuck, Corbett, so lay off that last
chance, do-or-die routine. I've been eating glory all my life. If I do
have to splash in now, I want it to be on my own terms. And that's to
just sit here and wait for it to come. And if they pin the Medal--the
Solar Medal--on me, I'm going to be up there where all good spacemen go,
having the last laugh, when they put my name alongside my father's!"
"Your father's?" asked Tom bewilderedly.
"Yeah, my father. Kenneth Rogers Manning, Captain in the Solar Guard.
Graduate of Space Academy, class of 2329, killed while on duty in space,
June 2335. Awarded the Solar Medal _posthumously_. Leaving a widow and
one son, _me_!"
Astro and Tom looked at each other dumfounded.
"Surprised, huh?" Roger's voice grew bitter. "Maybe that clears up a few
things for you. Like why I never missed on an exam. I never missed
because I've lived with Academy textbooks since I was old enough to
read.
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