ding on the hot side of
Mercury. It would be icy compared to this situation!"

"You can do it, Steve. I know you can." Joan moved to his side to place
a reassuring hand on his arm.

The Solar Guard officer didn't answer immediately. He kept on staring at
the Academy grounds and buildings spread out before him. When he finally
spoke, his voice rang with determination.

"I've got to do it, Joan. I've got to whip those boys into a unit. Not
only for their sakes--but for the sake of the Academy!"

CHAPTER 4

The first three weeks of an Earthworm's life at Space Academy are filled
with never-ending physical training and conditioning to meet the rigors
of rocket flight and life on distant planets. And under the grueling
pressure of fourteen-hour days, filled with backbreaking exercises and
long forced marches, very few of the boys can find anything more
desirable than sleep--and more sleep.

Under this pressure the friction in Unit 42-D became greater and
greater. Roger and Astro continually needled each other with insults,
and Tom gradually slipped into the role of arbiter.

Returning from a difficult afternoon of endless marching in the hot sun
with the prospect of an evening of free-fall wrestling before them, the
three cadets dragged themselves wearily onto the slidestairs leading to
their quarters, their muscles screaming for rest.

"Another day like this," began Astro listlessly, "and I'm going to melt
down to nothing. Doesn't McKenny have a heart?"

"No, just an asteroid," Tom grumbled. "He'll never know how close he
came to getting a space boot in the face when he woke us up this
morning. Oh, man! Was I tired!"

"Stop complaining, will you?" snarled Roger. "All I've heard from you
two space crawlers is gripes and complaints."

"If I wasn't so tired, Roger," said Astro, "I'd give you something to
gripe about. A flat lip!"

"Knock it off, Astro," said Tom wearily. The role of keeping them apart
was getting tiresome.

"The trouble with you, Astro," pursued Roger, "is that you think with
your muscles instead of your head."

"Yeah, I know. And you've got an electronic calculator for a brain. All
you have to do is push a button and you get the answers all laid out for
you."

They had reached their quarters now and were stripping off their
sweat-soaked uniforms in preparation for a cool shower.

"You know, Roger," continued Astro, "you've got a real problem ahead of
you."

"Any problem you thin