re
being carried to the upper floors of the crystal structure by a
spiraling band of moving plastic that stretched from the top of the
Tower to the many floors below surface level. Tom glanced at his wrist
chronograph as they stepped off the slidestairs and headed for Captain
Strong's quarters.

"We're about twenty minutes late," he said to Roger and Astro. "Hope
Captain Strong's in good spirits!"

"If he isn't," said Roger, "we can--"

"Don't say it," protested Astro. "I only just finished working off my
last bunch of galley demerits."

They stopped in front of a door, straightened their uniforms, and then
slid the door to one side and stepped smartly into the room. They came
to rigid attention before a massive desk, flanked by two wall windows of
clear sheet crystal reaching from ceiling to floor. Standing at the
window, Captain Steve Strong, _Polaris_ unit cadet supervisor, his broad
shoulders stretching under his black-and-gold uniform, turned to face
them, his features set in grim lines of trouble.

"_Polaris_ unit reporting for orders, sir," said Tom. The three cadets
saluted crisply.

Strong snapped a return salute and walked to the front of his desk.
"Getting pretty big for your britches, aren't you?" he growled. "I've
been watching you from this window. I saw the messenger deliver my
orders to you, and then, I saw you return to your game and finish it,
apparently deciding that the business of the Solar Guard can wait!"

"But, sir--" Roger started to say.

"Close your exhaust, Manning!" snapped Strong. "I'm doing the talking!"

"Yes, sir," stammered the blond-haired cadet.

"Well, Cadets," asked Strong in a silken voice, "if I sent you to
Commander Walters' office _on the double_, do you think I could trust
you to get there on the _double_?"

"Oh, yes, sir," replied Tom. "_Yes, sir!_" The other two boys nodded
violently.

"Then blast out of here and report to Commander Walters for your
assignments. Tell him I'll be there in a few minutes."

"Yes, sir!" said Tom, and the three cadets saluted sharply.

"Unit--" bawled Strong, "_dis_--missed!"

Outside in the hall once more, the three cadets wiped their faces.

"Captain Strong definitely was not in a good mood!" commented Roger.

"I've never seen him so angry!" said Tom. "Wonder why."

"Think it might be something to do with our assignments?" asked Astro.

"Never can tell, Astro," said Tom. "And there's only one way to find
out. That's to ge