e
lifted out of the oblivion of uncharted depths of space to come.

They repeated slowly....

" ... I solemnly swear to uphold the Constitution of the Solar Alliance,
to obey interplanetary law, to protect the liberties of the planets, to
safeguard the freedom of space and to uphold the cause of peace
throughout the universe ... to this end, I dedicate my life!"

CHAPTER 2

Tom Corbett's first day at Space Academy began at 0530 hours with the
blaring of the _Cadet Corps Song_ over the central communicators:

"_From the rocket fields of the Academy
To the far-flung stars of outer space,
We're Space Cadets training to be
Ready for dangers we may face._

_Up in the sky, rocketing past
Higher than high, faster than fast,
Out into space, into the sun
Look at her go when we give her the gun._

_From the rocket fields of the_...."

Within sixty seconds, the buildings of the Academy rocked with the
impact of three thousand voices singing the last stanza. Lights flashed
on in every window. Cadets raced through the halls and across the
quadrangle. The central communicator began the incessant mustering of
cadets, and the never-ending orders of the day.

" ... Unit 38-Z report to Captain Edwards for astrogation. Unit 68-E
report to Commander Walters for special assignments."

On and on, down the list of senior cadets, watch officers, and the newly
arrived Earthworms. Units and individuals to report for training or
study in everything from ground assembly of an atomic rocket motor, to
the history of the founding of the Solar Alliance, the governing body of
the tri-planet civilization.

Tom Corbett stepped out of the shower in Section 42-D and bellowed at
the top of his voice.

"Hit the deck, Astro! Make use of the gravity!" He tugged at an outsized
foot dangling over the side of an upper bunk.

"Uhhhh-ahhhh-hummmmm," groaned the cadet from Venus and tried to go back
to sleep.

Philip Morgan stepped into the shower, turned on the cold water,
screeched at the top of his voice, gradually trailing off into countless
repetitions of the last verse of the Academy song.

"Damp your tubes, you blasted space monkey," roared Astro, sitting up
bleary-eyed.

"What time do we eat?" asked Tom, pulling on the green one-piece
coverall of the Earthworm cadet candidates.

"I don't know," replied Astro, opening his mouth in a cavernous yawn.
"But it'd better be soon. I like space, but