Strong laughed with the others, and then motioning for Roger and Astro to follow him, walked to an isolated corner of the tunnel.
"How is it going?" he asked.
"Fine, sir," said Roger. "We have no complaints."
"Yeah," chimed in Astro with a grin. "The food is better here than at the Academy!"
"Give this Venusian bum a good kitchen and he'd go to the Rock!" Roger laughed.
Strong noted their lean, brown bodies and decided that a little work in the sun with a pick and shovel had done them good. But six months of it would interfere with their work at the Academy and could hold them back.
He told them of the work he had been doing to have their case renewed by the Solar Guard Review Board and asked them for any special details in their relationship with Barret that might lend weight to his plea for outright pardon, rather than just a commutation of sentence. He wanted it clear on their records that they had been accused unjustly, and that, therefore, their sentence was an error.
But neither Astro nor Roger could add anything to what the young captain already knew. He finally turned to leave, cautioning them both to stay out of trouble, especially Roger.
"Manning," he warned, "your mouth is your big weakness. I'm detailing Astro to make sure it stays closed!"
"You see?" gloated Astro. "You see who the captain trusts!"