The Revolt on Venus

  CHAPTER 2

  "The situation may be serious and it may not, but I don't want to takeany chances."

  Commander Walters sat in his office, high up in the Tower of Galileo,with department heads from the Academy and Solar Guard. Behind him, anentire wall made of clear crystal offered a breath-taking view of theAcademy grounds. Before him, their faces showing their concern over areport Walters had just read, Captain Strong, Major Connel, Dr. JoanDale, and Professor Sykes waited for the commanding officer of theAcademy to continue.

  "As you know," said Walters, "the resolution passed by the Council inestablishing the Solar Guard specifically states that it shall be theduty of the Solar Guard to investigate and secure evidence for the SolarAlliance Council of any acts by any person, or group of persons,suspected of overt action against the Solar Constitution or theUniversal Bill of Rights. Now, based on the report I've just read toyou, I would like an opinion from each of you."

  "For what purpose, Commander?" asked Joan Dale, the young and prettyastrophysicist.

  "To decide whether it would be advisable to have a full and openinvestigation of this information from the Solar Guard attache onVenus."

  "Why waste time talking?" snapped Professor Sykes, the chief of thenucleonics laboratory. "Let's investigate. That report sounds serious."

  Major Connel leveled a beady eye on the little gray-haired man.

  "Professor Sykes, an investigation is serious. When it is based on areport like this one, it is doubly serious, and needs straight andcareful thinking. We don't want to hurt innocent people."

  Sykes shifted around in his chair and glared at the burly Solar Guardofficer. "Don't try to tell me anything about straight thinking, Connel.I know more about the Solar Constitution and the rights of our citizensthan you'll know in ten thousand light years!"

  "Yeah?" roared Connel. "And with all your brains you'd probably find outthese people are nothing more than a harmless bunch of colonists out ona picnic!"

  The professor shot out of his chair and waved an angry finger underConnel's nose. "And that would be a lot more than I'm finding out rightnow with that contraption of yours!" he shouted.

  Connel's face turned red. "So that's how you feel about my invention!"he snapped.

  "Yes, that's the way I feel about your invention!" replied Sykes hotly."I know three cadets that could build that gadget in half the time it'staken you just to figure out the theory!"

  Commander Walters, Captain Strong, and Joan Dale were fighting to keepfrom laughing at the hot exchange between the two veteran spacemen.

  "They sound like the _Polaris_ unit," Joan whispered to Strong.

  Walters stood up. "Gentlemen! Please! We're here to discuss a report onthe activities of a secret organization on Venus. I will have to ask youto keep to the subject at hand. Dr. Dale, do you have any comments onthe report?" He turned to the young physicist who was choking off alaugh.

  "Well, Commander," she began, still smiling, "the report is rathersketchy. I would like to see more information before any real decisionis made."

  Walters turned to Strong. "Steve?"

  "I think Joan has the right idea, sir," he replied. "While the reportindicates that a group of people on Venus are meeting regularly andsecretly, and wearing some silly uniform, I think we need moreinformation before ordering a full-scale investigation."

  "He's right, Commander," Connel broke in. "You just can't walk into anoutfit and demand a look at their records, books, and membership index,unless you're pretty sure you'll find something."

  "Send a man from here," Strong suggested. "If you use anyone out of theVenus office, he might be recognized."

  "Good idea," commented Sykes.

  Joan nodded. "Sounds reasonable."

  "How do you feel about it, Connel?" asked Walters.

  Connel, still furious over Sykes's comment on his spectrum recorder,shot an angry glance at the professor. "I think it's fine," he saidbluntly. "Who're you going to send?"

  Walters paused before answering. He glanced at Strong and then back atConnel. "What about yourself?"

  "Me?"

  "Why not?" continued Walters. "You know as much about Venus as anyone,and you have a lot of friends there you can trust. Nose around a while,see what you can learn, unofficially."

  "But what about my work on the spectrum recorder?" asked Connel.

  "That!" snorted Sykes derisively. "Huh, that can be completed any timeyou want to listen to some plain facts about--"

  "I'll never listen to anything you have to say, you dried-up old neutronchaser!" blasted Connel.

  "Of course not," cackled Sykes. "And it's the same bullheadedstubbornness that'll keep you from finishing that recorder."

  "I'm sorry, gentlemen," said Walters firmly. "I cannot allow personaldiscussions to interfere with the problem at hand. How about it, Connel?Will you go to Venus?"

  Lou Connel was the oldest line officer in the Solar Guard, havingrecommended the slightly younger Walters for the post of commandant ofSpace Academy and the Solar Guard so that he himself could escape a deskjob and continue blasting through space where he had devoted his entirelife. While Walters had the authority to order him to accept theassignment, Connel knew that if he begged off because of his work on therecorder, Walters would understand and offer the assignment to Strong.He paused and then growled, "When do I blast off?"

  Walters smiled and answered, "As soon as we contact Venus headquartersand tell them to expect you."

  "Wouldn't it be better to let me go without any fanfare?" mused theburly spaceman. "I could just take a ship and act as though I'm on somekind of special detail. As a matter of fact, Higgleston at the Venusportlab has some information I could use."

  "Anything Higgleston could tell you," interjected Sykes, "I can tellyou! You're just too stubborn to listen to me."

  Connel opened his mouth to blast the professor in return, but he caughta sharp look from Walters and he clamped his lips together tightly.

  "I guess that's it, then," said Walters. "Anyone have any other ideas?"He glanced around the room. "Joan? Steve?"

  Dr. Dale and Captain Strong shook their heads silently. Strong wasdisappointed that he had not been given the assignment on Venus. Fourweeks at the deserted Academy would seem like living in a graveyard.Walters sensed his feelings, and smiling, he said, "You've been goinglike a hot rocket this past year, Steve. I have a specific assignmentfor you."

  "Yes, sir!" Strong looked up eagerly.

  "I want you to go to the Sweet Water Lakes around New Chicago--"

  "Yes, sir?"

  "--go to my cabin--"

  "Sir?"

  "--_and go fishing_!"

  Strong grinned. "Thanks, skipper," he said quietly. "I guess I could usea little relaxation. I was almost tempted to join Corbett, Manning, andAstro. They're going hunting in the jungle belt of Venus for atyrannosaurus!"

  "Blast my jets!" roared Connel. "Those boys haven't killed themselves inline of duty, so they go out and tangle with the biggest and mostdangerous monster in the entire solar system!"

  "Well," said Joan with a smile, "I'll put my money on Astro against atyranno any time, pound for pound!"

  "Hear, hear!" chimed in Sykes, and forgetting his argument with Connel,he turned to the spaceman. "Say, Lou," he said, "when you get to Venustell Higgy I said to show you that magnetic ionoscope he's rigging up.It might give you some ideas."

  "Thanks," replied Connel, also forgetting the hot exchange of a fewminutes before. He stood up. "I'll take the _Polaris_, Commander. She'sthe fastest ship available with automatic controls for a solo hop."

  "She's been stripped of her reactant pile, Major," said Strong. "It'lltake a good eighteen hours to soup her up again."

  "I'll take care of it," said Connel. "Are there any specific orders,Commander?"

  "Use your own judgment, Lou," said Walters. "You know what we want andhow far to go to get it. If you learn anything, we'll start a full-scaleinvestigation. If not, we'll forget the whole matter and no
one will gethurt."

  "And the Solar Guard won't get a reputation of being nosy," addedStrong.

  Connel nodded. "I'll take care of it." He shook hands all around, comingto Sykes last. "Sorry I lost my temper, Professor," he said gruffly.

  "Forget it, Major." Sykes smiled. He really admired the gruff spaceman.

  The thick-set senior officer came to smart attention, saluted crisply,turned, and left the office. For the time being, the mysterious troubleon Venus was his responsibility.

  * * * * *

  "Atom City express leaving on Track Four!"

  A metallic voice boomed over the station loud-speaker, as last-minutepassengers boarded the long line of gleaming white monorail cars,hanging from a single overhead steel rail. In the open doorway of oneof the end cars, a conductor lifted his arm, then paused and waitedpatiently as three Space Cadets raced down the stairs and along theplatform in a headlong dash for the train. They piled inside, almost oneon top of the other.

  "Thanks for waiting, sir," gasped Tom Corbett.

  "Not at all, Cadet," said the conductor. "I couldn't let you waste yourleave waiting for another train."

  The elderly man flipped a switch in the narrow vestibule and the doorclosed with a soft hiss of air. He inserted a light key into a near-bysocket and twisted it gently, completing a circuit that flashed the "go"light in the engineer's cab. Almost immediately, the monorail traineased forward, suspended on the overhead rail. By the time the lastbuilding of Space Academy flashed past, the train was rolling along atfull speed on its dash across the plains to Atom City.

  The ride to the great metropolis of the North American continent wasfilled with excitement and anticipation for the three members of the_Polaris_ crew. The cars were crowded with cadets on leave, and whilethere was a lot of joking and horseplay, the few civilian passengerswere impressed with the gentlemanly bearing of the young spacemen. Tomand Roger finally settled down to read the latest magazines supplied bythe monorail company. But Astro headed for the dining car where heattracted a great deal of attention by his order of a dozen eggs,followed by two orders of waffles and a full quart of milk. Finally,when the dining-car steward called a halt, because it was closing time,Astro made his way back to Tom and Roger with a plastic bag of Frenchfried potatoes, and the three boys sat, munching them happily. Thecountryside flashed by in a blur of summer color as the train roared onat a speed of two hundred miles an hour.

  A few hours and four bags of potatoes later, Astro yawned and stretchedhis enormous arms, nearly poking Roger in the eye.

  "Hey, ya big ape!" growled Roger. "Watch the eye!"

  "You'd never miss it, Manning," said Astro. "Just use your radar."

  "Never mind, I like this eye just the way it is."

  "We're almost there," called Tom. He pointed out the crystal window andthey could see the high peaks of the Rocky Mountain range looming ahead."We cut through the new tunnel in those mountains and we'll be in AtomCity in ten minutes!"

  There was a bustle of activity around them as other cadets rousedthemselves and collected their gear. Once again conversation becameanimated and excited as the train neared its destination. Flashing intothe tunnel, the line of cars began to slow down, rocking gently.

  "We'd better go right out to the spaceport," said Tom, pulling his gearout of the recessed rack under his seat. "Our ship blasts off for Venusin less than a half-hour."

  "Boy, it'll be a pleasure to ride a spaceship without having toastrogate," said Roger. "I'll just sit back and take it easy. Hope thereare some good-looking space dolls aboard."

  Tom turned to Astro. "You know, Astro," he said seriously, "it's a goodthing we're along to take care of this Romeo. If he were alone, he'dwind up in another kind of hunt."

  "I'd like to see how Manning's tactics work on a female dasypusnovemcinctur maximus," said Astro with a sly grin.

  "A female what?" yelled Roger.

  "A giant armadillo, Roger," Tom explained, laughing. "Very big and verymean when they don't like you. Don't forget, everything on Venus growsbig because of the lighter gravity."

  "Yeah," drawled Roger, looking at Astro. "Big and dumb!"

  "What was that again?" bellowed the giant Venusian, reaching for theflip cadet. The next moment, Roger was struggling futilely, feet kickingwildly as Astro held him at arm's length six inches off the floor. Thecadets in the car roared with laughter.

  "Atom City!" a voice over the intercar communicator boomed and the boyslooked out the window to see the towering buildings of Atom City slowlyslide by. The train had scarcely reached a full stop when the threecadets piled out of the door, raced up the slidestairs, and jumped intoa jet cab. Fifteen minutes later they marched up to one of the manyticket counters of the Atom City Interplanetary Spaceport.

  "Reservations for Cadets Corbett, Manning, and Astro on the _VenusLark_, please," announced Tom.

  The girl behind the counter ran her finger down a passenger manifest,nodded, and then suddenly frowned. She turned back to Tom and said, "I'msorry, Cadet, but your reservations have been pre-empted by a prioritylisting."

  "Priority!" roared Roger. "But I made those reservations two weeks ago.If there was a change, why didn't you tell us before?"

  "I'm sorry, sir," said the girl patiently, "but according to themanifest, the priority call just came in a few hours ago. Someonecontacted Space Academy, but you had already left."

  "Well, is there another ship for Venusport today?"

  "Yes," she replied and picked up another manifest. Glancing at itquickly, she shook her head. "There are no open reservations," she said."I'm afraid the next flight for Venusport with open reservations isn'tfor four days."

  "Blast my jets!" growled Roger disgustedly. "Four days!" He sat down onhis gear and scowled. Astro leaned against the desk and stared gloomilyat the floor. At that moment a young man with a thin face and a strainedintense look pushed Tom to one side with a curt "Excuse me!" and steppedup to the desk.

  "You're holding three reservations on the _Venus Lark_," he spokequickly. "Priority number four-seven-six, S.D."

  Tom, Roger, and Astro looked at him closely. They saw him nervously payfor his tickets and then walk away quickly without another look at theticket girl.

  "Were those our seats, miss?" asked Tom. The girl nodded.

  The three cadets stared after the young man who had bumped them offtheir ship.

  "The symbol S.D. on the priority stands for Solar Delegate," said Roger."Maybe he's a messenger."

  The young man was joined by two other men also dressed in Venusianclothing, and after a few words, they all turned and stepped onto theslidewalk rolling out to the giant passenger ship preparing to blastoff.

  "This is the most rocket-blasting bit of luck in the universe!" growledRoger. "Four days!"

  "Cheer up, Roger," said Tom. "We can spend the four days in Atom City.Maybe Liddy Tamal is here. We can follow Captain Strong's suggestion."

  "Even she doesn't make four days delay sound exciting," interruptedRoger. "Come on. We might as well go back to town or we won't even get aroom."

  He picked up his gear and walked back to the jet cab-stand. Astro andTom followed the blond-haired cadet glumly.

  The stand was empty, but a jet cab was just pulling up to the platformwith a passenger. As the boys walked over to wait at the door, it openedand a familiar figure in a black-and-gold uniform stepped out.

  "Captain Strong!"

  "Corbett!" exclaimed Strong. "What are you doing here? I thought youwere aboard the _Venus Lark_."

  "We were bumped out of our reservation by an S.D. priority," said Astro.

  "And we can't get out of here for another four days," added Rogerglumly.

  Strong sympathized. "That's rough, Astro." He looked at the three dourfaces and then said, "Would you consider getting a free ride to Venus?"

  The three cadets looked up hopefully.

  "Major Connel's taking the _Polaris_ to Venus to complete some work withProfessor Hig
gleston in the Venus lab," explained Strong. "If you canget back to the Academy before he blasts off, he might give you a ride."

  "No, thanks!" said Roger. "I'd rather sit here."

  "Wait a minute, Roger," said Tom. "We're on leave, remember? And it'sonly a short hop to Venus."

  "Yeah, hotshot," added Astro. "We'll get to Venus faster than the _VenusLark_, and save money besides."

  "O.K.," said Roger. "I guess I can take him for a little while."

  Strong suppressed a smile. Roger's reluctance to go with Connel was wellfounded. Any cadet within hailing distance of the hard-bitten spacemanwas likely to wind up with a bookful of demerits.

  "Are you on an assignment, sir?" asked Tom.

  "Vacation," said Strong. "Four weeks of fishing at Commander Walters'cabin at Sweet Water Lakes."

  "If you pass through New Chicago," said Tom, "you would be welcome tostop in at my house. Mom and Dad would be mighty happy to meet you. AndI think Billy, my kid brother, would flip a rocket."

  "Thank you, Tom. I might do that if I have time." He looked at hiswatch. "You three had better hurry. I'd advise taking a jetcopter backto the Academy. You might not make it if you wait for a monorail."

  "We'll do that, sir," said Tom.

  The three boys threw their gear into the waiting cab and piled in.Strong watched them roar away, frowning in thought. An S.D. priority,the highest priority in space, was used only by special couriers onimportant missions for one of the delegates. He shrugged it off."Getting to be as suspicious as an old space hen," he said to himself."Fishing is what I need. A good fight with a trout instead of a spaceconspiracy!"