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 a mouthful of sandwich.
“What’s that?” asked Tom.
“Collision!” said Roger. “Some of these space-happy cadets might get excited, and I for one don’t want to wind up as a flash in Earth’s atmosphere!”
“Why, you have radar, to see anything that goes on.”
“Oh, sure,” said Roger, “I can keep this wagon outa their way, but will they stay outa mine? Why my father told me once—” Roger choked on his food 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 Regulus before we start our little games.”
Tom looked puzzled. Here was another of Roger’s quick changes of attitude. What was it all about? But there was work to do, so Tom shrugged his shoulders and returned to the control deck. He couldn’t forget what Roger had said about a collision, though.
“Excuse me, Captain,” said Tom, “but have there been any serious collisions 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 developed superrebound pulse radar. The ships were faster than the radar at close range.”
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. You have under your command, Squadrons A—B—C—D—E—F. Squadrons G and H are your enemies, and at this moment are on their way to attack Luna City. It is your job to protect it and destroy the enemy fleet. Spaceman’s luck! Walters, Commander Space Academy, Senior Officer Solar Guard.”
“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.…” Tony Richards’ voice crackled over the teleceiver. One by one the twenty-three ships that made up the defender’s fleet checked in for orders.
“Astro,” shouted Tom, “stand by for maneuver—and be prepared to give me every ounce of thrust you can get!”
“Ready, willing and able, Tom,” replied Astro. “Just be sure those other space 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. Take over—you’re losing time talking to me!”
“Yes, sir!” said Tom. He turned back to the control board, his face flushed with excitement. Twenty-four ships to maneuver and the responsibility all his own. Via a chart projected on a screen, he studied various approaches to the Moon and Luna City. What would he do if he were in command of the invading fleet? He noticed the Moon was nearing a point where it would be in eclipse on Luna City itself. He studied the chart further, made several notations and turned to the teleceiver.
“Attention—attention—flagship Polaris to Squadrons B and C—proceed to chart seven—sectors eight and nine. You will patrol those sectors. Attention Squadrons D and F—proceed to Luna City at emergency space speed, hover at one hundred thousand feet above Luna City spaceport and wait for further orders. Attention, ships three and four of Squadron F—you will proceed to chart six—sectors sixty-eight through seventy-five.
—“Attention Squadrons D and F—proceed to Luna City”
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 clock and punched the intercom button.
“Have you got that course, Roger?”
“Three degrees on the starboard rockets, seventy-eight degrees on the up-plane of the ecliptic will put you at the corner of Luna Drive and Moonset 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 name Starlight—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 toward its destination. One by one the remaining ships moved alongside until all six had their needlelike noses pointed toward the pale satellite of the Moon.
“I’d like to know what your plans are, Tom,” said Strong, when the long haul toward the Moon had settled down to a routine. “Just idle curiosity, nothing more. You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to.”
“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’ll listen, but I won’t say anything.”
Tom grinned sheepishly.
“Well,” he began, “if I were in command of the invading fleet, I would strike in force—I’d have to, to do damage with only eight ships. There are 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 that corridor so that it would be impossible for an invasion to pass unnoticed.”
“You mean, you’d be willing to give up two ships to the invader to have him betray his position. Is that right?”
“Yes, sir. But I’ve also sent Squadrons B and C to sectors eight and nine 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 manage to get through my outer defense, I have Squadrons D and E over Luna City itself as an inner defense. As for Squadron A, we’ll try to engage the enemy first and maybe weaken him; at least reduce the full force of his attack. And then have Squadrons B, C, D and E finish him off, by attack from three different points.”
Strong nodded silently. The young cadet was shaping up a defensive strategy 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 if willing 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 meet them.”
Tom checked his charts and turned to the intercom.
“Send them this message, Roger,” he said. “From Starlight, to command ship, Squadrons B and C—approach enemy ships from position of chart nineteen, sections one through ten.”
“Right!” said Roger.
Strong smiled. Tom was driving his heaviest force between the invading fleet and its objective—forcing the aggressors into a trap.
Tom gave more crisp orders to his squadrons. He asked Roger for an estimated range, and then, rechecking his position, turned again to the intercom.
“Astro, how much could you get out of this baby by opening the by-pass between the cooling pumps and the reactant chamber?