On the Trail of the Space Pirates_ A Tom Corbett Space Cadet Adventure - Carey Rockwell [273]
"I'm Paul Vidac, Captain Strong. Lieutenant governor of Roald. Governor Hardy is very busy and asked me to welcome you and to convey his apologies for not greeting you personally."
"Thank you," said Strong and shook hands with Vidac. He turned around and looked over the crowd. "But I seem to be missing several other welcomers."
"Ah, I presume you mean the Space Cadets," stammered Vidac.
Strong looked at the lieutenant governor. "Yes, I mean the Space Cadets. Where are they?"
Vidac tried to meet Strong's level gaze, but his eyes fell away. "They are under arrest!" he said finally.
"Arrest!" cried Strong. "For what?"
"The murder of Professor Sykes."
"Murder? Professor Sykes?" asked Strong. "Explain yourself!"
"This is hardly the place to discuss it. Shall we go to my office?" asked Vidac.
"Where is the professor's body?" asked Strong.
"It hasn't been found yet," replied Vidac uneasily.
"Then how can the cadets be charged with murder if you can't produce a body?" demanded Strong.
Vidac paused a moment. He was thrown off guard by Strong's shrewd observation. "They are also being held for abduction of the professor," said Vidac. "We have eyewitnesses."
"Take me to them," said Strong.
"I'm afraid that will be impossible at the moment," said Vidac. "The colonists are expecting a little show for their enthusiastic welcome."
"Take me to the cadets," Strong demanded. "And that means immediately!"
Vidac wavered under the Solar Guard captain's withering gaze. He nodded and turned away.
As Strong pushed through the crowd of welcoming colonists, someone tugged at his sleeve and whispered into his ear.
"Don't believe all you hear!" Strong turned to see the face of Hyram Logan. Before he could reply, Logan disappeared into the crowd.
"Well, Captain Strong? Are you coming?" asked Vidac.
Strong turned and followed him through the crowd. He could feel danger on this satellite. He could feel it and he could read it in the faces of the people around him.
CHAPTER 16
"I'll leave you here," said Vidac to Captain Strong as the two spacemen stood in front of the Administration Building. "Take the slidestairs up to the seventh floor. First corridor to the left. There will be a guard outside their door. Give him this note and there won't be any trouble."
Strong looked at the lieutenant governor coolly. "There better not be," he said.
"That's a strange attitude to take, Captain," said Vidac.
"Vidac," said Strong coldly, "I want you to know right now that I don't like this setup. There are many things cadets might be, but they are not kidnappers or murderers!"
"I intend to prove otherwise!" asserted Vidac.
"I figured you would," said Strong, "but you still have to produce Professor Sykes's body."
"Don't worry, Captain." Vidac smiled. "My men are searching for it now. We'll find it."
"When you do, Vidac," said Strong grimly, "and he happens to be alive, make sure he stays that way, eh?" The Solar Guard captain wheeled and entered the Administration Building before Vidac could answer.
Inside, he found the slidestairs and rode up to the seventh level. Taking the first corridor to the left, he rounded a corner to find Ed Bush standing in front of the door to the cadets' quarters. As he approached, Bush took out his paralo-ray gun and held it on Strong.
"That's far enough, mister," said Bush.
"Do you realize what you're doing?" demanded Strong.
"Never mind what I'm doing," snapped Bush. "Who are you and what do you want?"
"You'd better get spacewise, mister! It's against the law to hold a weapon on an officer of the Solar Guard! I'm Captain Strong and I want to see the cadets!"
"No one gets inside without a pass from Governor Vidac," Bush answered surlily.
Strong pulled out the note and handed it over brusquely. Bush glanced at it and handed it back.
"O.K.," he said. "You got ten minutes." He unlocked the door and stepped aside.
Strong was furious