Stand By For Mars!

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Carey Rockwell

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Classic Science Fiction at its best! The Tom Corbett adventures by Carey Rockwell in 1952 paved the way for the way for the sci-fi books and movies of the 1950's and 60's. Put modern science on the back shelf and blast off at "full space speed" in this, the first, installment that follows the adventures of three cadets as they rocket into space.

Remember when rockets were shaped like javelins with fins and being a "space cadet" was a good thing?

“Stand to, you rocket wash!”

A harsh, bull-throated roar thundered over the platform of the monorail station at Space Academy and suddenly the lively chatter and laughter of more than a hundred boys was stilled. Tumbling out of the gleaming monorail cars, they froze to quick attention, their eyes turned to the main exit ramp.

They saw a short, squat, heavily built man, wearing the scarlet uniform of the enlisted Solar Guard, staring down at them, his fists jammed into his hips and his feet spread wide apart. He stood there a moment, his sharp eyes flicking over the silent clusters, then slowly sauntered down the ramp toward them with a strangely light, catfooted tread.

“Form up! Column of fours!”

Almost before the echoes of the thunderous voice died down, the scattered groups of boys had formed themselves into four ragged lines along the platform.

The scarlet-clad figure stood before them, his seamed and weather-beaten face set in stern lines. But there was a glint of laughter in his eyes as he noticed the grotesque and sometimes tortuous positions of some of the boys as they braced themselves in what they considered a military pose.

Every year, for the last ten years, he had met the trains at the monorail station. Every year, he had seen boys in their late teens, gathered from Earth, Mars and Venus, three planets millions of miles apart. They were dressed in many different styles of clothes; the loose flowing robes of the lads from the Martian deserts; the knee-length shorts and high stockings of the boys from the Venusian jungles; the vari-colored jacket and trouser combinations of the boys from the magnificent Earth cities. But they all had one thing in common—a dream. All had visions of becoming Space Cadets, and later, officers in the Solar Guard. Each dreamed of the day when he would command rocket ships that patrolled the space lanes from the outer edges of Pluto to the twilight zone of Mercury. They were all the same.

“All right now! Let's get squared away!” His voice was a little more friendly now. “My name's McKenny—Mike McKenny. Warrant Officer—Solar Guard. See these hash marks?”

He suddenly held out a thick arm that bulged against the tight red sleeve. From the wrists to the elbow, the lines of boys could see a solid corrugation of white V-shaped stripes.

“Each one of these marks represents four years in space,” he continued. “There's ten marks here and I intend making it an even dozen! And no bunch of Earthworms is going to make me lose the chance to get those last two by trying to make a space monkey out of me!”

eBook SERIES: Tom Corbett, Space Cadet

Stand By For Mars! Danger In Deep Space On The Trail of the Space Pirates

The Space Pioneers The Revolt On Venus Treachery In Outer Space

Sabotage In Space The Robot Rocket

"Present position by dead reckoning is northwest quadrant of Mars, chart O, area thirty-nine, sir," Roger announced confidently...!

Stand By For Mars!

Tom Corbett, Space Cadet No.1

Lots Cave, Inc.

English

59,071 Words + Original Illustrations

Science Fiction, Tom Corbett, Space Cadet Academy, Action Sci-Fi, Rocket Adventure, Spaceship Drama, Young Boys Thriller, Old Time Fiction

Science Fiction Space Adventure

EM1100001

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