On the Trail of the Space Pirates_ A Tom Corbett Space Cadet Adventure - Carey Rockwell [247]
"What are you doing here, Marshall?" he snapped.
Jeff was trapped. He came to attention and remained silent. Vidac walked across the control deck and stood in front of him.
"Well, Marshall?" he barked. "Answer me!"
"I needed some information about the meteor dust we passed through recently, sir," said Jeff.
Vidac turned to the professor. "Did you send him up here?"
Sykes merely shook his head.
"I lost the professor's notes and needed the information in the logbook, sir," said Jeff.
"What are you talking about?" growled Sykes. "The notes are still in my work journal. You put them there yourself!"
"What have you got to say to that?" demanded Vidac.
"I repeat, sir," said Jeff, "that was my reason for looking in the log."
Vidac paused, and when he spoke, his voice was cold. "The control-deck logbook contains classified information, Marshall. You know that. I won't say you're lying about reasons for looking at it, but that does not excuse the fact that you did look at it without my permission. I'm confining you to the brig for ten days."
Jeff didn't bat an eyelash. The fact that he had found no entry of Tom's report to Captain Strong in the log, and the unreasonable annoyance Vidac expressed over his having looked into the logbook, convinced him that the cadets were not wrong in their suspicions concerning the lieutenant governor.
Vidac dismissed him and the enlisted sergeant was escorted to the Polaris' brig by two hastily summoned crewmen.
When the cadets learned of Jeff's punishment they immediately went to Vidac's quarters and requested permission to speak with him. After making them wait for nearly three hours, Vidac finally received them.
"Well, what now?" demanded Vidac.
"We would like to ask a question, sir," said Tom.
"Speak up!" snorted Vidac impatiently.
"It's about Sergeant Marshall, sir," said Tom.
"What about him?"
"We would like to know, sir, under what article of the space code was Sergeant Marshall sentenced to the brig?"
Vidac's eyes sharpened. He spoke quickly and crisply. "I suspected that there was some connection between Marshall looking in the log and your coming here to see me. I don't know what you have in mind, Corbett, but I'm going to lay it on the line. This is the last time you will question my authority. From this moment on, and until you are released from my jurisdiction, I am the space code. Do I make myself clear?"
"Very clear, sir," said Tom tightly. "Then will the lieutenant governor please put in writing any further orders he might have for us?"
"I will not!" snarled Vidac. "But I tell you what I will do. I'll confine you to your quarters for ten days for that impertinent request! And if I so much as see your noses outside your quarters, I'll really get tough! Dismissed!"
CHAPTER 8
"This is highly irregular, Logan," said Vidac to the Venusian farmer, "but I guess you can see the cadets. Perhaps a little advice from you will help them mend their ways."
Logan nodded. "I have a boy of my own, Governor," he said, "and I know how rambunctious they can get."
Vidac smiled thinly. "You'll find them in their quarters. The first ladder to your right and down two decks."
"Thank you, sir," replied Logan. He left Vidac's quarters and two minutes later stepped through the hatch leading into the cadet's room. After seven days of confinement, the three boys greeted Logan with a yell of pure joy.
"We have guests!" bellowed Astro, grabbing Roger who was asleep in his bunk and then banging on the shower door where Tom was taking a shower.
Roger tumbled out of the bunk and Tom came rushing out of the shower wrapped in a towel. They all began talking at once.
"How'd you know we were confined to quarters, sir?" asked Tom.
"It's a wonder Vidac allowed you to come see us!" yelled Roger.
"Never mind the questions, sir," said Astro. "It's just plain good to see a different face besides these two