Space Academy, U.S.A.!
This was the dream and goal of every boy in the thrilling year 2354,
when mankind had reached out beyond the bounds of Earth and had
conquered space, colonizing planets and blazing trails to distant worlds
deep in the black void of the outer universe. To support the
ever-growing need for trained spacemen to man the rocket ships that
linked the planets and distant satellite outposts, the Solar Alliance,
the government of the solar system, had erected Space Academy. It was
there that the most promising boys were trained to become members of the
Solar Guard to patrol the space lanes and keep peace in the universe.
Organized into tight, hard-hitting units of three, the Academy cadets
were trained to work together under the most severe conditions. Their
waking hours were spent in one of two places; in powerful rocket
cruisers, blasting through space on endless training missions, or at the
Academy in classrooms and lecture halls, where they studied everything
from the theory of space flight to the application of space laws. A very
important course of study was the theory of government. For, above all
else, the Solar Alliance was a government of the people. And to assure
the survival and continuance of that democratic system, the officers of
the Solar Guard functioned as the watchdogs of the space democracy,
entrusted with the vital mission of making sure the government reflected
the will of the people.
As a practical approach to this course, the Academy officials had
established a Cadet Council for the settlement of disputes and
infractions of rules by the cadets. It was to this cadet governing body
that the fight between the _Polaris_ and the _Capella_ units was
referred by Major Connel.
The Academy had buzzed with talk since the fight, and sides were drawn
hard and fast. Both units were extremely popular and the arguments raged
through the dormitories as to which unit was at fault.
Meanwhile, the Cadet Council decided to have a full trial to give each
unit a fair chance to defend itself against the charges. A judge and
jury were selected and lawyers appointed for each side. Finally a date
was set for the trial.
During this time, Tom, Roger, and Astro were confined to their quarters.
They did not talk much, each conscious of the fact that should the Cadet
Council decide against them, they might be expelled from the Academy.
The same was true about the _Capella_ unit, of course, but the Council
might decide the _Polaris_ had instigated the whole affair. Roger was
particularly silent, since his actions in obtaining the study spools
had started the whole chain of disastrous events.
The boys did not know which cadet would be appointed to defend them
until late the following afternoon when there was a knock on the door,
and a small, thin cadet, wearing a thick pair of eyeglasses that gave
him a decided owllike look, entered the room.
"Alfie Higgins!" cried Tom.
"The Brain!" yelled Astro.
"Glad to see you, pal!" shouted Roger.
The three cadets surrounded little Alfie and pommeled him playfully in
their joy at seeing another cadet. Alfie merely looked at them gravely.
"Hello, Tom, Roger, Astro," he said somberly.
"What are you doing here?" asked Tom. "We're not allowed visitors."
"I'm not a visitor, Tom," replied the little cadet. "I'm your defense
lawyer." He glanced at Roger and Astro. "I hope that will be
satisfactory to you."
"Satisfactory!" exclaimed Tom. "Alfie, we couldn't ask for anyone
better."
"That's right, Brain," said Roger. "You're the boy for us."
Astro grunted his approval. "Yeah."
"Well, in that case," said Alfie, opening his brief case, "I would
suggest that we get right down to the facts. The trial is tomorrow."
"All right, Alfie, we're ready," said Tom. "I suppose you want to hear
the whole thing."
"If you don't mind," said Alfie, adjusting his eyeglasses. "You start,
Roger."
Sitting around the room, relaxed, yet concerned, the four cadets
discussed the details of the case. Alfie took copious notes,
occasionally interrupting Tom or Roger or Astro to ask a pointed
question.
[Illustration]
They talked for nearly four hours before Alfie was finally satisfied
that he knew all the facts. He left them with the same somber attitude
he had when he first arrived, and when the boys were alone, they each
felt a chill of fear. The full meaning of a defense lawyer hit them.
They were in serious trouble. After a few moments of silence, Tom rose
and went into the bathroom to take a shower. Astro flopped on his back
in his bunk and went to sleep. Roger began throwing darts idly at his
"solar system" over his bunk. It was a map of his own design depicting
the planets revolving around the sun, only each planet was represented
by a picture of a girl, and his own grinning countenance was the sun. He
was known to have made dates by throwing a dart at the map blindly and
taking out the girl whose picture he had hit.
When Tom returned a few minutes later, he looked at his unit mates and
shook his head. Never, in all the adventures they had shared or all the
tough situations they had been in, had either Roger or Astro given up as
they seemed to be doing now.
"And," thought Tom miserably, "with good reason too! I feel like tossing
in the sponge myself."
* * * * *
The huge Space Academy gymnasium had been converted into a temporary
courtroom, and at ten A.M. the following day the cavernous chamber was
packed with all the cadets who could get off duty, in addition to a
liberal sprinkling of Solar Guard officers and instructors who were
keenly interested in their pupils' handling of orderly democratic
procedure.
As the cadet judge opened the proceedings, Commander Walters, Major
Connel, Captain Strong, and Lieutenant Wolchek, unit commander of the
_Capella_ crew, watched intently from their seats in the back of the
gym. Up forward, at two small tables immediately in front of the
Council's platform, the _Polaris_ and _Capella_ units sat rigidly, while
their defense lawyers arranged papers and data on the table for quick
reference. Little Alfie Higgins didn't say a word to Tom, Roger, or
Astro, merely studied his opponent, Cadet Benjy Edwards, who was acting
as attorney for the _Capella_ unit. Edwards, a beefy boy with a florid
face, looked across the chamber and sneered at Tom. The young cadet
repressed a quick shudder of anger. There was bad blood between the two.
Once, Tom had found Edwards bullying a helpless group of Earthworm
cadets, forcing them to march and exercise under a broiling Martian sun
for no reason at all, and Tom had put a stop to it. Edwards had taken
every opportunity to get back at Tom, and now he had his best chance.
From the beginning, the trial was argued bitterly. Though the issues
were clear-cut--illegal possession of the study spools, out on the
quadrangle after hours, and fighting--Edwards tried to accuse the
_Polaris_ unit of irrelevant infractions. But Alfie Higgins was his
equal. From the beginning, he admitted that the _Polaris_ unit was
guilty of the first charge, but made a strong claim that they had more
than made up for the infraction by risking censure to return the spools
to their rightful owners. In addition, he forced Tony Richards to admit
that he had accepted Roger's apology. The Council agreed to drop that
charge and to hold the second charge in abeyance, since both units
seemed to have had good reason for being out after hours. Benjy Edwards
scowled but could find no reason to object to the Council's decision.
Alfie, on the other hand, broke into a smile for the first time that
morning. He turned to the Council and announced that the only point of
issue was the fight and who struck the first blow.
In the back of the room, Connel turned to Strong. "I, personally, am
going to sign the pass for a week's leave for Alfie when this is over,"
he said. "I never saw such a ding-blasted brain in operation in all my
life."
"He really slipped one over on Benjy Edwards all right," muttered
Strong, his voice tinged with pride.
In front of the Council platform, Alfie turned to the judge.
"I would like to call to the stand, if the court please," he said in a
clear voice, "Cadet Tom Corbett."
Tom walked to the chair, was sworn in, and sat down, facing Alfie.
"Cadet Corbett," Higgins paused, and then asked almost casually, "did
you strike the first blow?"
"No," replied Tom.
"Dismissed," said Higgins suddenly. "Call Roger Manning to the stand,
please."
Roger rose, and passing Tom on the way back, took his place on the stand
and repeated the oath.
Alfie looked at Roger calmly and in a clear voice asked, "Cadet Manning,
did you strike the first blow?"
"No."
"Dismissed," said Alfie. "Please call Cadet Astro to the stand."
The cadet audience began to murmur and sit forward tensely.
"What the devil is he doing?" growled Connel.
Strong grinned. "Blast me if I know, Lou," he said. "But wait and see.
I'll bet you ten credits it's a lulu."
Astro was sworn in and Alfie waited for the room to become quiet.
"Cadet Astro," he said finally, "you have heard the other members of the
_Polaris_ unit state, under solemn oath, that they did not strike the
first blow. Now, I ask you to consider carefully your answer. Did you,
Cadet Astro"--Alfie paused dramatically, and nearly shouted the final
part of the question--"strike the first blow?"
"No!" bellowed Astro.
"Dismissed," said Alfie quickly, turning to the Council. "Gentlemen," he
said, "he did not strike the first blow, nor did Cadet Corbett, nor
Cadet Manning. And I will not insist that the three members of the
_Capella_ unit be asked the same question, since I concede that they are
three impeccable gentlemen who could _not_ strike the first blow in a
common fight."
As the audience in the courtroom burst into a roar, Benjy Edwards jumped
to his feet.
"Your honor," he appealed, "I insist that the _Capella_ unit be allowed
to take the stand and deny the charge--"
"Your honor," interrupted Alfie, "the _Polaris_ unit makes no charge.
They freely admit that the _Capella_ unit could not, I repeat, sir,
could not have struck the first blow. And the _Polaris_ unit--"
"Your honor--!" cried Edwards. "I insist."
The cadet judge rapped his gavel. "_Polaris_ counsel will speak."
"Thank you, your honor. I just wanted to say that the members of the
_Polaris_ unit defer to the _Capella_ unit. I submit, your honor, that
it was nothing more than a misunderstanding and that both sides should
be punished or freed."
"Is that all?" asked the cadet judge.
"Yes, sir," said Alfie.
"Counsel for the _Capella_ unit may speak now. Do you insist on having
your defendants brought to the stand to swear they did not start the
fight?"
"Your honor--" began Benjy. But Alfie had already planted the seed.
There were shouts of "Give it to both of them" from the gym.
Red-faced, Edwards held up his hand and appealed for quiet. "Your
honor," he began at last, "after consultation with the members of the
_Capella_ unit, they have directed me to state that they are willing to
abide by the suggestion of the _Polaris_ counsel."
As the cadets in the courtroom roared their approval, the cadet judge
consulted quickly with the members of the Council. A decision was
reached quickly. A verdict of conduct unbecoming cadets was brought
against both units, with orders for a strong reprimand to be placed on
their individual official records. In addition, each unit was denied
leaves and week-end passes from the Academy until the end of the term,
four weeks away. All spare time was to be spent on guard duty.
"You are to report to Chief Warrant Officer Timothy Rush for further
orders on all time not actually accountable for in Academy schedules,"
concluded the cadet judge. "Dismissed."
The case was closed with a loud roar of approval from the entire cadet
audience, who had seen justice done and democracy in action. Tom, Astro,
and Roger looked at each other and smiled. They were still Space
Cadets.