Cadet Tom and the Runaway Rocket
Tom Corbett was twelve years old and had only been at Space Academy for one week. He knew three things: his uniform was itchy, his bunkmate Astro snored, and he absolutely was not supposed to touch the training rockets without permission.
He touched the training rocket without permission.
It wasn't entirely his fault. He'd only climbed in to see what the pilot's seat felt like, and the canopy had swung shut behind him, and his elbow had knocked against the launch switch,
The engines roared. The Academy grounds fell away beneath him. And Cadet Tom Corbett became the first first-week student in Academy history to accidentally launch himself into orbit.
"Cadet Tom Corbett to base," he said, grabbing the radio. "I may have made a small mistake."
"We can see that," came Captain Strong's voice. "Are you all right?"
"I'm fine." Tom looked out at the endless dark. Stars everywhere. Earth curving below him, blue and enormous and beautiful. For a moment he forgot to be scared. "It's amazing up here, Captain."
"It is. Now: do you remember what we learned about navigation yesterday?"
Tom thought hard. Yesterday felt like a hundred years ago. Then he remembered: the North Star. Always fixed. Always true.
He found it shining just to the left of Earth's rim. He used it to line himself up, checked the altitude gauge, not sure what it meant, but it was beeping calmly, which seemed good, and gently nudged the wheel.
The rocket responded, sluggishly at first, then smoothly, and began its long glide back down.
The landing wasn't beautiful. One of the landing legs crumpled slightly, and Tom bounced hard enough to bite his tongue. But when the hatch opened and Captain Strong looked in, the Captain's face had that particular expression Tom was already learning to recognise: proud, relieved, and trying not to show either.
"Welcome back, Cadet."
Tom climbed out on shaky legs. The Academy grounds had never looked so wonderful.
"Captain," he said. "Is it always that amazing? The stars?"
Captain Strong looked up at the evening sky, where the first stars were beginning to appear. "Every time," he said.
That night Tom lay in his bunk, listening to Astro snore, watching the stars drift past the porthole. He didn't even mind the snoring.
The stars had brought him home.