wn on Tara and you'll
never return. _Now get down here!_"

Tom and Astro, who could hear the conversation over the intercom, were
finding it very difficult to keep from laughing out loud at the
innocence of Alfie and the outraged wrath of Major Connel.

Tom, particularly, had discovered that Alfie's innocent refusal to be
bullied by Connel had made the time pass more quickly on the long haul
through deep space. More than once he had seen Major Connel rage against
the underweight cadet and become even more frustrated at his childlike
resistance. It had helped Tom forget the empty feeling he experienced
every time he called the radar deck and heard Alfie's mild voice instead
of Roger's usual mocking answer. Astro, too, had managed to forget the
loneliness he felt aboard the great cruiser by watching the antics of
Alfie and Major Connel. More than once he had instigated situations
where Alfie would get caught red-handed in a harmless error, and then he
lay flat on the power deck, laughing until his sides ached, as he
listened to Alfie and Major Connel over the intercom.

It had helped. Both Tom and Astro admitted it had helped, but it still
didn't take away the dull ache each felt when an occasional remark,
situation, or thought would bring Roger to mind.

Tom flipped the teleceiver on and waited for the blank screen to show
him Tara. Connel stood to one side, also watching for the image of the
planet to take form on the gray-black screen. A hatch clanked behind
them, and Alfie stepped into the control deck to snap to his version of
attention.

"Cadet Higgins reporting, sir," he said quietly.

Connel stepped in front of him, placed his hands on his hips, and bent
slightly, pushing his face almost into Alfie's.

"Cadet Higgins, I want you to know I have taken all the blasted
space-brained antics I'm going to take from you," said Connel quietly.

"Yes, sir," replied Alfie blandly.

"And," said Connel, shaking a finger in Alfie's face, "_and_ if there is
one more--just _one_ more brazen, flagrant disregard of my _specific_
orders, then, Cadet Higgins, I promise you the most miserable trip back
to Earth you will ever know in your entire career! I promise you I'll
make you sweat! I'll--I'll--" Connel stopped short and shuddered.
Alfie's owl-eyed look of innocence seemed to unnerve him. He tried to
resume his tirade, but the words failed him. He finally turned away,
growling, "Higgins, get up on that radar deck and do