"Yes, sir, skipper!" Roger smiled. "And believe me, you really gave it to those two space bums!"
"Yeah," agreed Astro, "but I don't think even you could do much for Loring. He's just born to smell bad!"
"Never mind that," said Strong. "I suppose you heard the part about the assignments?"
The three cadets assumed looks of pure innocence.
"We didn't hear a thing, sir," said Tom.
"You'll make a fine diplomat, Corbett," Strong laughed. "All right, sit down and I'll give it to you straight."
They hastily took seats and waited for their skipper to begin.
"You've been assigned as cadet observers on a mission to test the range of a new long-range audio transmitter." Strong paused, then added significantly, "The test is to take place in deep space."
The three cadets only beamed their enthusiastic approval.
"Tara," continued Strong, "is your destination—a planet like Earth in many respects, in orbit around the sun star Alpha Centauri. You'll take the Polaris directly to the Venus space station, where the transmitter has been given primary tests, outfit the Polaris for hyperdrive, and blast off!"