"All right, at ease," ordered Connel. As the three boys relaxed, Connel
stepped over to the astrogation board and snapped a switch. Immediately
a solar chart filled the huge chart screen. It was a black-and-white
view of the planet Venus.
"This is where we're going first," he said, placing a finger on a
ball-shaped satellite in orbit around the misty planet. "This is the
Venus space station. As you know, Venus has no natural satellite of its
own, so we built one. We'll blast off from here and go directly to the
space station where the _Polaris_ will be fitted with hyperdrive for
deep-space operations. While at the station you will acquaint yourselves
with the operation of the new audio communications transmitter. When I'm
satisfied that you can handle it under the prevailing conditions of an
extended space flight, we'll blast off for a test of its range and
performance."
Major Connel paused and faced the cadets squarely. Then he continued:
"This is an important mission--one which I hope will enable the Solar
Guard to establish the first base outside of our solar system. Our
destination is Tara, in the star system of Alpha Centauri.
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