The Solar Guard officer then turned his attention to Astro.
"Astro, where in the name of the universe did you get the idea you could be an officer in the Solar Guard?"
"I can handle anything with push in it, sir!" Astro smiled his confidence.
"Know anything about hyperdrive?"
"Uhh—no, sir."
"Then you can't handle everything with, as you say, push in it!" snapped Strong.
"Er—no, sir," answered Astro, his face clouding over.
There was a long moment of silence while Strong lifted one knee, swung it over the arm of his chair, and looked steadily at the two half-naked boys in front of him. He smiled lazily.
"Well, for two Earthworms, you've certainly been acting like a couple of space aces!"
He let that soak in while he toyed with the gleaming Academy ring on his finger. He allowed it to flash in the light of the window port, then slipped it off and flipped it over to Corbett.