Strong's face grew red. "Well, wake him up," he snapped.

"You come wake him up," said Miles, and then the speaker went dead.

"Control tower to _Space Knight_!" Strong called angrily. "Come in,
Miles. Control tower to _Space Knight_!"

"Yeah. What do you want?" growled Miles over the vast distance of space
that already separated the two men and that each second took them
thousands of miles farther apart.

"I want to speak to Manning," demanded Strong. "And if you cut me off
like that again, Miles, I'll have you before a Solar Guard court for
violation of the space code, race or no race."

"I told you once," said Miles. "Manning is asleep. He sacked in right
after we left the Academy. Now leave me alone, will you! I've got a race
to win!"

"Very well, Miles," said Strong. "But for your sake, I hope Cadet
Manning _is_ asleep."

"End transmission," growled Miles, and again the speaker went dead.

"Trouble, Steve?"

Strong turned to see Commander Walters enter the control room.

"No, sir," said Strong. "I tried to contact Roger, but Quent Miles told