"Space Cadet, eh?" said one of the men. "Sure wish I could get my boy in the Academy."
"Me too," said another man. "All I hear from morning until night is Space Academy—Space Academy."
Tom smiled his appreciation of their admiration. While he answered their questions about the training school of the Solar Guard, they continued working. After a while the conversation turned to the restricted area behind the fence.
"Some pretty important work going on in there," said one of the men. "But how come they wouldn't let you go in?"
"I haven't been cleared by security," replied Tom. "It's top secret."
"Secret," said a man who had just joined the group. Tom had noticed him before, climbing out of one of the huge jet trucks parked near the gate. "Why, there ain't nothing secret about what's going on in there," he continued.
"Why do you say that?" asked Tom alertly.
"Why, we all know about it, Cadet," said one of the first men Tom had spoken to. "They're building receivers for cargo projectiles."
Tom gulped in surprise. "But how did you know?" he asked.
"Why, it's the only thing we've been talking about down at the garage and at Sloppy Sam's, the jet-truckers hangout," replied the trucker. "If this thing works, surface transportation will be finished."