ther blindfolded!"

The pretty scientist smiled. "I could have told you that after one look
at his classification tests."

"How?"

"On questions concerning the power-deck operations, he was letter
perfect--"

"And on the others? Astrogation and control deck?"

"He just skimmed by. But even where the problem involved fuel, power,
supply of energy, he offered some very practical answer to the problem."
She smiled. "Astro is as much an artist on that power deck as Liddy
Tamal doing Juliet in the stereos."

"Yes," mused Strong. "And Corbett is the same on the control deck. Good
instinctive intelligence. That boy soaks up knowledge like a sponge."

"Facile mind--quick to grasp the essentials." She smiled again. "Seems
to me I remember a few years back when a young lieutenant successfully
put down a mutiny in space, and at his promotion to captain, the
citation included the fact that he was quick to grasp the essentials."

Strong grinned sheepishly. A routine flight to Titan had misfired into
open rebellion by the crew. Using a trick picked up in ancient history
books of sea-roving pirates in the seventeenth century, he had joined
the mutiny, gained control of the ship, sought out the ring-leaders and
restored discipline.

"And Manning," asked Strong. "What about Manning?"

"One of the hardest, brightest minds I've come across in the Academy. He
has a brain like a steel trap. He never misses."

"Then, do you think he's acting up because Corbett is the nominal head
of the unit? Does he feel that he should be the command cadet in the
control deck instead of Corbett?"

"No," replied Dr. Dale. "Not at all. I'm sure he intentionally missed
problems about control deck and command in his classification test. He
concentrated on astrogation, communications and signal radar. He wanted
to be assigned to the radar deck. And he turned in the best paper I've
ever read from a cadet to get the post."

Strong threw up his hands. "Then what is it? Here we have a unit, on
paper at least, that could be number one. A good combination of brains,
experience and knowledge. Everything that's needed. And what is the
result? Friction!"

Suddenly a buzzer sounded, and on Steve Strong's desk a small teleceiver
screen glowed into life. Gradually the stern face of Commander Walters
emerged.

"Sorry to disturb you, Steve. Can you spare me a minute?"

"Of course, Commander," replied Strong. "Is anything wrong?"

"Very wrong, Steve. I've