"We're ready for a touchdown. Do you want to take over the bridge?"
"Can't you do it, Corbett?" asked Connel.
"Yes, sir!" replied Tom.
"Then carry on," replied Connel. "I'm having some trouble trying to get
through to the Academy on the transmitter. Can't understand it." There
was a pause. "I have them now, Corbett! You carry on!" he shouted.
"Aye, aye, sir," said Tom. He turned his attention to the control panel,
checking the many dials and gauges with one sweeping glance, and then
concentrated on bringing the ship to a safe landing on the foreign
planet. His fingers tingled as he reached for the switches that would
bring the ship down on the first intergalactic world he had ever
visited. In a flash, the curly-haired cadet remembered childhood dreams
of doing just what he was doing at this moment, preparing to touch down
on a new world, millions of miles away from his home near New Chicago.
"Range one hundred miles," reported Alfie over the intercom.
"Power deck, reduce thrust to absolute minimum!" ordered Tom. "I want as
little sustaining power as you can give me without cutting out
altogether, Astro.
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