Stand by for Mars!

  CHAPTER 12

  "The following ships in Squadron A will blast off immediately," roaredCommander Walters over the teleceiver. He looked up alertly from a chartbefore him in the Academy spaceport control tower. He began to name theships. "_Capella_, orbital tangent--09834, _Arcturus_, orbitaltangent--09835, _Centauri_, orbital tangent--09836, _Polaris_, orbitaltangent--09837!"

  Aboard the space cruiser _Polaris_, Tom Corbett turned away from thecontrol board. "That's us, sir," he said to Captain Strong.

  "Very well, Corbett." The Solar Guard captain walked to the ship'sintercom and flipped on the switch.

  "Astro, Roger, stand by!"

  Astro and Roger reported in. Strong began to speak. "The cadet corps hasbeen divided into squadrons of four ships each. We are command ship ofSquadron A. When we reach free-fall space, we are to proceed as a groupuntil eight hundred hours, when we are to open sealed orders. Each ofthe other seven squadrons will open their orders at the same time. Twoof the squadrons will then act as invaders while the remaining six willbe the defending fleet. It will be the invaders' job to reach theirobjective and the defenders' job to stop them."

  "Spaceport control to rocket cruiser _Polaris_, your orbit has beencleared for blast-off...." The voice of Commander Walters interruptedStrong in his instructions and he turned back to Tom.

  "Take over, Corbett."

  Tom turned to the teleceiver. "Rocket cruiser _Polaris_ to spaceportcontrol."

  " ... Blast off minus two--six hundred forty-eight...."

  "I read you clear," said Tom. He clicked off the teleceiver and turnedback to the intercom. "Stand by to raise ship! Control deck to radardeck. Do we have clear trajectory forward and up, Roger?"

  "All clear forward and up," replied Roger.

  "Control deck to power deck ... energize the cooling pumps!"

  "Cooling pumps, aye," came from Astro.

  The giant ship began to shudder as the mighty pumps on the power deckstarted their build.

  Tom strapped himself into the pilot's seat and began checking the dialsin front of him. Satisfied, he fastened his eyes on the sweep hand ofthe time clock. Above his head, the teleceiver screen brought him aclear picture of the Academy spaceport. He watched the giant cruiserstake to the air one by one and rocket into the vastness of space.

  The clock hand reached the ten-second mark.

  "Stand by to raise ship!" Tom called into the intercom. The red handmoved steadily, inexorably. Tom reached for the master switch.

  "Blast off minus--five--four--three--two--one--_zero_!"

  Tom threw the switch.

  The great ship hovered above the ground for a few moments. Then itheaved itself skyward, faster and ever faster, pushing the Earthmen deepinto their acceleration cushions.

  Reaching free-fall space, Tom flipped on the artificial-gravitygenerator. He felt its pull on his body, quickly checked all theinstruments and turned to Captain Strong.

  "Ship space-borne at six hundred fifty-three, sir."

  "Very well, Corbett," replied Strong. "Check in with the _Arcturus_,_Capella_ and the _Centauri_, form up on one another and assume a coursethat will bring you back over Academy spaceport at eight hundred hours,when we will open orders."

  "Yes, sir," said Tom, turning back eagerly to the control board.

  For nearly two hours the four rocket ships of Squadron A moved throughspace in a perfect arc, shaping up for the 0800 deadline. Strong madeuse of the time to check a new astrogation prism perfected by Dr. Dalefor use at hyperspace speeds. Tom rechecked his instruments, thenprepared hot tea and sandwiches in the galley for his shipmates.

  "This is what I call service," said Astro. He stood stripped to thewaist, a wide leather belt studded with assorted wrenches of variousshapes and sizes strapped around his hips. In one hand he carried a wadof waste cotton with which he continually polished the surfaces of theatomic motors, while his eyes constantly searched the many gauges infront of him for the slightest sign of engine failure.

  "Never mind bringing anything up to Manning. I'll eat his share."

  Astro had deliberately turned the intercom on so Roger on the radar deckmight hear. The response from that corner was immediate and emphatic.

  "Listen, you rocket-headed grease monkey," yelled Roger. "If you so muchas smell that grub, I'll come down and feed you into the reactantchamber!"

  Tom smiled at Astro and turned to the ladder leading up from the powerdeck. Passing through the control deck on the way to the radar bridge,he glanced at the clock. It was ten minutes to eight.

  "Only one thing I'm worried about, Corbett," said Roger through amouthful of sandwich.

  "What's that?" asked Tom.

  "Collision!" said Roger. "Some of these space-happy cadets might getexcited, and I for one don't want to wind up as a flash in Earth'satmosphere!"

  "Why, you have radar, to see anything that goes on."

  "Oh, sure," said Roger, "I can keep this wagon outa their way, but willthey stay outa mine? Why my father told me once--" Roger choked on hisfood and turned away to the radar screen.

  "Well," said Tom after a moment, "what _did_ your father tell you?"

  "Ah--nothing--not important. But I've got to get a cross-fix on Regulusbefore we start our little games."

  Tom looked puzzled. Here was another of Roger's quick changes ofattitude. What was it all about? But there was work to do, so Tomshrugged his shoulders and returned to the control deck. He couldn'tforget what Roger had said about a collision, though.

  "Excuse me, Captain," said Tom, "but have there been any seriouscollisions in space between ships?"

  "Sure have, Tom," replied Strong. "About twenty years ago, maybe less,there was a whole wave of them. That was before we developedsuperrebound pulse radar. The ships were faster than the radar at closerange."

  Strong paused. "Why do you ask?"

  Before Tom could answer, there was a sharp warning from the captain.

  "Eight o'clock, Corbett!"

  Tom ripped open the envelope containing the sealed orders."Congratulations," he read. "You are in command of the defenders. Youhave under your command, Squadrons A--B--C--D--E--F. Squadrons G and Hare your enemies, and at this moment are on their way to attack LunaCity. It is your job to protect it and destroy the enemy fleet.Spaceman's luck! Walters, Commander Space Academy, Senior Officer SolarGuard."

  "Roger," yelled Tom, "we've been selected as flagship for the defenders!Get me a course to Luna City!"

  "Good for us, spaceboy. I'll give you that course in a jiffy!"

  " ... _Capella_ to _Polaris_--am standing by for your orders...." TonyRichards' voice crackled over the teleceiver. One by one thetwenty-three ships that made up the defender's fleet checked in fororders.

  "Astro," shouted Tom, "stand by for maneuver--and be prepared to give meevery ounce of thrust you can get!"

  "Ready, willing and able, Tom," replied Astro. "Just be sure those otherspace jockeys can keep up with me, that's all!"

  Tom turned to Captain Strong.

  "What do you think of approaching--"

  Strong cut him off. "Corbett, you are in complete command. Takeover--you're losing time talking to me!"

  "Yes, sir!" said Tom. He turned back to the control board, his faceflushed with excitement. Twenty-four ships to maneuver and theresponsibility all his own. Via a chart projected on a screen, hestudied various approaches to the Moon and Luna City. What would he doif he were in command of the invading fleet? He noticed the Moon wasnearing a point where it would be in eclipse on Luna City itself. Hestudied the chart further, made several notations and turned to theteleceiver.

  "Attention--attention--flagship _Polaris_ to Squadrons B and C--proceedto chart seven--sectors eight and nine. You will patrol those sectors.Attention Squadrons D and F--proceed to Luna City at emergency spacespeed, hover at one hundred thousand feet above Luna City spaceport andwait for further orders. Attention, ships three and four of SquadronF--you will proceed to chart six--sectors sixty-eight throughseventy-fiv
e. Cut all rockets and remain there until further orders.The remainder of Squadron F--ships one and two--will join Squadron A.Squadron A will stand by for further orders." Tom glanced at the clockand punched the intercom button.

  _"Attention Squadrons D and F--proceed to Luna City"_]

  "Have you got that course, Roger?"

  "Three degrees on the starboard rockets, seventy-eight degrees on theup-plane of the ecliptic will put you at the corner of Luna Drive andMoonset Land in the heart of Luna City, spaceboy!" answered Roger.

  "Get that, Astro?" asked Tom on the intercom.

  "All set," replied Astro.

  "Attention all ships in Squadron A--this is flagship--code nameStarlight--am changing course. Stand by to form up on me!"

  Tom turned back to the intercom.

  "Power deck, execute!"

  At more than five thousand miles an hour, the _Polaris_ hurtled towardits destination. One by one the remaining ships moved alongside untilall six had their needlelike noses pointed toward the pale satellite ofthe Moon.

  "I'd like to know what your plans are, Tom," said Strong, when the longhaul toward the Moon had settled down to a routine. "Just idlecuriosity, nothing more. You don't have to tell me if you don't wantto."

  "Golly, yes," said Tom, "I'd be very grateful for your opinion."

  "Well, let's have it," said the captain. "But as for my opinion--I'lllisten, but I won't say anything."

  Tom grinned sheepishly.

  "Well," he began, "if I were in command of the invading fleet, I wouldstrike in force--I'd have to, to do damage with only eight ships. Thereare three possible approaches to Luna City. One is from the Earth side,using the eclipse corridor of darkness as protection. To meet that,I've stationed two ships at different levels and distances in thatcorridor so that it would be impossible for an invasion to passunnoticed."

  "You mean, you'd be willing to give up two ships to the invader to havehim betray his position. Is that right?"

  "Yes, sir. But I've also sent Squadrons B and C to sectors eight andnine on chart seven. So I have a roving squadron to go to their aid,should the invader strike there. And on the other hand, should he manageto get through my outer defense, I have Squadrons D and E over Luna Cityitself as an inner defense. As for Squadron A, we'll try to engage theenemy first and maybe weaken him; at least reduce the full force of hisattack. And then have Squadrons B, C, D and E finish him off, by attackfrom three different points."

  Strong nodded silently. The young cadet was shaping up a defensivestrategy with great skill. If he could only follow through on his plans,the invaders of Luna City wouldn't have much chance of success--even ifwilling to take heavy losses.

  Roger's voice came on. "Got a report for you, Tom. From command ship,Squadron B. They've sighted the invaders and are advancing to meetthem."

  Tom checked his charts and turned to the intercom.

  "Send them this message, Roger," he said. "From Starlight, to commandship, Squadrons B and C--approach enemy ships from position of chartnineteen, sections one through ten."

  "Right!" said Roger.

  Strong smiled. Tom was driving his heaviest force between the invadingfleet and its objective--forcing the aggressors into a trap.

  Tom gave more crisp orders to his squadrons. He asked Roger for anestimated range, and then, rechecking his position, turned again to theintercom.

  "Astro, how much could you get out of this baby by opening the by-passbetween the cooling pumps and the reactant chamber? That'd mean feedingthe stuff into the motors only half cooled."

  Strong turned, started to speak, then clamped his lips together.

  "Another quarter space speed, roughly," replied Astro, "about fifteenhundred miles more an hour. Do you want me to do that?"

  "No, not now," replied Tom. "Just wanted to know what I could depend on,if I get stuck."

  "O.K.," said Astro. "Let me know!"

  "Why use emergency speed, Corbett?" asked Strong. "You seem to have yourenemy right where you want him now."

  "Yes, sir," replied Tom. "And the enemy knows I have him. He can'tpossibly attack Luna City now. But he can still run away. He can makehis escape by this one route."

  Tom walked to the chart and ran his finger on a line away from theinvader's position into the asteroid belt.

  "I don't want him to get away," Tom explained. "And with the extraspeed, we can cut him off, force him to turn into a position where theremainder of my fleet would finish him off."

  "You'll do this with just the _Polaris_?"

  "Oh, no, sir," said Tom. "I'd use the _Arcturus_, _Capella_ and the_Centauri_, as well."

  "Are you sure those other ships can equal your speed?"

  "They've got exactly the same type engines as we have here on the_Polaris_, sir. I'm sure they could--and with perfect safety."

  Strong hesitated a moment, started to ask a question, then stopped andwalked to the chart screen. He checked the figures. He checked them fourtimes, then turned to Tom with a grin and an outstretched hand.

  "I've got to offer my congratulations, Tom. This maneuver would wipethem out. And I've got a notion that you'd come off without the loss ofa single ship, plus, and it is a big plus, keeping the invaders morethan fifty thousand miles away from their objective!"

  The captain turned to the teleceiver. "Rocket cruiser _Polaris_ tocontrol tower at Space Academy--"

  There was a crackle of static and then the deep voice of CommanderWalters boomed from the speaker.

  "Spaceport control to _Polaris_. Come in, Steve."

  In a few brief sentences, Strong outlined Tom's plan of action to theAcademy commander. The commander's face on the teleceiver widened into agrin, then broke out in a hearty laugh.

  "What's that, sir?" asked Captain Strong.

  "Very simple, Steve. All of us--all the Academy top brass--develop afoolproof test for cadet maneuvers. And then your young Corbett makes uslook like amateurs."

  "But didn't you expect one side or the other to win?" asked Strong.

  "Of course, but not like this. We've been expecting a couple of days ofmaneuver, with both sides making plenty of mistakes that we could callthem on. But here Corbett wraps the whole thing up before we can get ourpencils sharpened."

  "Better stuff cotton in Corbett's ears before he hears all this," raspedRoger Manning over the intercom. "Or his head'll be too big to gothrough the hatch."

  "Quiet, Manning," came Astro's voice from the power deck. "Your mouthalone is bigger than Tom's head'll ever be."

  "Look, you Venusian ape--" began Roger, but Commander Walters' voiceboomed out again. His face on the teleceiver screen was serious now.

  "Attention! Attention all units! The battle has been fought and won onthe chart screen of the rocket cruiser _Polaris_. The Luna City attackhas been repelled and the invading fleet wiped out. All units and shipswill return to Space Academy at once. Congratulations to all and endtransmission."

  The commander's face faded from the screen. Captain Strong turned to Tom."Good work," he said.

  He was interrupted by a crackle of static from the teleceiver. A facesuddenly appeared on the screen--a man's face, frightened and tense.

  "S O S." The voice rang out through the control deck.

  "This is an S O S. Space passenger ship _Lady Venus_ requests assistanceimmediately. Position is sector two, chart one hundred three. Emergency.We must have--"

  The screen went blank, the voice stopped as though cut off by a knife.Strong frantically worked the teleceiver dials to re-establish contact.

  "_Polaris_ to _Lady Venus_," he called. "Come in _Lady Venus_. Rocketcruiser _Polaris_ calling _Lady Venus_. Come in! Come in!"

  There was no answer. The passenger ship's instruments had gone dead.