"Radar bridge, do we have a clear trajectory?"
"All clear forward and up, Tom," reported Roger from the radar bridge.
"Strap in for blast-off!" bawled the curly-haired cadet.
Captain Strong took his place in the pilot's chair next to Tom and strapping himself in snapped out, "Feed reactant!"
Spinning a small wheel at the side of the control panel, Tom reported, "Feeders at D-9 rate, sir!"
Then, as the hiss of fuel pouring into the mighty engines of the ship blended with the whine of the pumps, Tom snapped out a third order. "Cut in take-off six yards!"
Receiving acknowledgment from below, he grasped the master blast-off switch and watched the sweeping hand of the astral chronometer.
"Stand by to raise ship!" he yelled. "Blast off minus—five—four—three—two—one—zero!"
He pulled the switch.
Slowly, the rockets blasting evenly, the giant ship lifted itself free of the ground. Then, gaining speed, it began rocketing away from the Earth. Like a giant shining bullet, the great spaceship blasted through the dark void of space, her nose pointed to the distant misty planet of Venus.