"Listen," growled Astro, "you don't have to tell me what Professor Sykes is like. I had a class with him at the Academy. That guy is so sour, vinegar is sweet by comparison."
Astro's outburst was said with such fierce conviction that Tom, Roger, and Jeff burst out laughing.
"It isn't that we mind working with Professor Sykes," said Tom. "He's a real brain and we could learn a lot from him, but—"
"But what?" asked Jeff.
"It's the way Vidac has suddenly—well, taken over around here. We're supposed to be under the direct orders of Governor Hardy."
"Well, Vidac is Hardy's executive officer," said Jeff.
"Yeah," muttered Roger. "We're finding that out, the hard way."
"I still can't understand why Governor Hardy would make him lieutenant governor, with his background," mused Tom.
Jeff grinned. "You three guys have been jockeying with so many space crawlers since you came to the Academy, you're suspicious of everyone you meet. I'm surprised you haven't decided that I'm an arch space criminal myself!"
The three cadets smiled. Jeff Marshall was so gentle and mild, his manner so quietly humorous, it was impossible to picture him as any kind of a criminal.