Several times, when Roger had suggested a
certain part be replaced, Loring and he had argued violently, and Roger
had threatened to quit. Now, after the long tedious trip through space,
Roger's relationship with the others was more strained than ever. The
sure dependability of Tom on the control deck and Astro on the power
deck made the work of Loring and Mason sloppy by comparison. Once, when
Roger had been on radar watch, while the ship roared through the
asteroid belt, collision with a small asteroid had threatened. Roger
ordered a course change, but Mason, who had taken over the power deck,
had been asleep. Luckily, Shinny had been near by, had made the course
change, and saved the ship. Seething with anger, Roger had gone to the
power deck and given the shiftless spaceman a terrific beating.
Over and over, conflicts had arisen among them as they blasted through
deep space, and always, it seemed to Roger, he was in the middle of it.
The only satisfaction he could find in the hazardous venture was the
prospect of the five million credits. And even this had lost its
excitement in the last few days, as his nerves stretched to the breaking
point.
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