three bird brains into cadets is beyond me. And to think that when you
first came here, I thought you had that special something to make you an
outstanding unit. I even went out on a limb for you. And now you pull a
stunt like this."

Behind them, the door opened and a short man, no more than five feet
tall, but with the bulging muscles of a tiny giant stretching his
bright-red enlisted man's uniform, stepped inside. He saluted Strong
smartly.

"Chief Petty Officer Rush here to assign the _Polaris_ unit to guard
duty, sir," he announced.

"All right, Firehouse," said Strong, using the man's nickname. "Give it
to them. Show them no mercy. By the rings of Saturn, they've got to be
made to realize their responsibilities!"

"Yes, sir," said the thick little man.

Strong walked out of the room without another word, nor even a backward
glance at the cadets.

As soon as the door closed, Timothy "Firehouse" Rush faced the three
cadets, his beaten and battered face glowing with anticipation.

"Get this!" he growled. "When you're assigned to guard duty with the
E.M.'s of the Solar Guard, you leave your immunity as cadets here in the
Academy. From now on, you belong to me. And I'll tell you right now,
there isn't anything in space that I hate more, or think less of, than
Space Cadets. You get special privileges you don't deserve because you