Tom and Astro couldn't repress smiles, but Roger's expression never changed.
"Then we passed as a unit, sir?" asked Tom eagerly.
"Not only passed, Corbett"—Strong's voice boomed in the small room—"but with honors. You're the top rockets of this Earthworm group! I'm proud to be your commanding officer!"
Again Tom and Astro fought back smiles of happiness and even Roger managed a small grin.
"This is the fightingest group of cadets I've ever seen," Strong continued. "Frankly, I was a little worried about your ability to pull together but the results of the manuals showed that you have. You couldn't have made it without working as a unit."
Strong failed to notice Roger's face darken, and Tom and Astro look at each other meaningfully.
"My congratulations for having solved that problem too!" Strong saluted them again and walked toward the door, where he paused. "By the way, I want you to report to the Academy spaceport tomorrow at eight hundred hours. Warrant Officer McKenny has something out there he wants to show you."
Tom's eyes bugged out and he stepped forward.
"Sir," he gasped, scarcely able to get the question past his lips, "you don't mean we're—we're going to—"