"You and the cadets, along with Governor Hardy, will blast off tonight
and go to Venusport for the first screenings." He faced the cadets. "You
three boys have a tremendous responsibility. In many cases your
decisions might mean the difference between success or failure in this
mission. See that you make good decisions, and when you've made them,
stick by them. You will be under the direct supervision of Captain
Strong and Governor Hardy. This is quite different from your previous
assignments, but I have faith in you. See that you handle yourselves
like spacemen."

The three cadets saluted sharply, and after shaking hands with their
commander, left the room.

Later that evening, their gear packed, the three members of the
_Polaris_ unit were checked out of the Academy by the dormitory officer
and were soon being whisked along on a slidewalk to the Academy
spaceport. As they neared the spacious concrete field, where the mighty
fleet of the Solar Guard was based, they could see the rows of rocket
cruisers, destroyers, scouts, and various types of merchant space craft,
and in the center, on a launching platform, the silhouette of the rocket
cruiser _Polaris_ stood out boldly against the pale evening sky. Resting
on her directional fins, her nose pointed skyward, her gleaming hull
reflecting the last rays of the setting sun, the ship was a powerful
projectile ready to blast off for distant worlds.

[Illustration: _Her nose pointed skyward, the_ Polaris _was ready to
blast off_]

Reaching the _Polaris_, the three cadets scrambled through the air