Astounding British Edition, Vol. 6, No. 8 — page 53: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

DANCE OF A NEW WORLD of returning right away, see what you can find there in the line of an executive officer. Report if you get a line on anybody. Good- by, Shane.” As the screen went blank, Shane sighed, cut the switch and walked out. At the front exit he went up the stairs to the platform, stepped into the waiting monorail suspension bus, found an empty seat. He felt drained and weary. Frank Allison was a difficult taskmaster. His personal affection for Allison made the job; no easier. At the scheduled time the bus slid smoothly away from Solaray, and braked. to a stop in Allada seventy miles away in fifteen minutes. Shane Brent realized with a tight smile that it was the first time he had made any trip on Venus without paying any atten- tion to the lush bluish-black vegetation below. The vegetation had standards of vitality and growth completely different from Earth vegetation. If the port city of Allada hadn’t been originally constructed on a vitri- fied surface, thousands of laborers would have been required to slash the tendrils which would*have grown each day. In fact, when the spot for Allada had been originally vitrified, it had only been done to a two-foot depth. Tendrils broke through on the third day, heaving and cracking the surface. After that exeeceees, spaceships had hung, tail down, over the Allada site for ten days. When the molten rock had finally cooled, the experts had estimated that the black soil was vitrified to a depth of sixty feet. No lant life had broken through since that time. he electrified cables surrounding Allada constantly spit and crackled as the searching vine tips touched them. 31 Shane Brent went up to his room in Hostel B, shut the door wearily, listlessly pushed the News button under the wail screen and watched the news of the day with little interest as he slowly undressed. Crowds demonstrating in Asia-Block against the new nutrition laws, Project 80, two years out said to be nearing Planet K. Skirts once again to be midway between knee and hip next season. The first bachelor parenthood case comes up to decide whether a child born of the fertilization of a laborato ovum can legally inherit. Brent frowne Soon a clear definition of the legal rights of “Synthetics” would have to be made. He stopped suddenly as he had an idea. He decided to submit it to Frank. Why not get inter-Federal Aid for a project to develop Synthetics to fill personnel requirements for future project flights? But would humanity agree to colonization by Synthetics? It still wasn't clearly understood whether or not they’d breed true. He turned off the news, took a slow shower and dressed in fresh clothes. It was a nuisance changing the insignia. He wadded up the clothes he had removed and shoved them into the disposal chute. At five o’clock he got on the call screen and got hold of the general manager at Allada. The man recognised him immedi- ately. “What can I do for you, Brent?” “As soon as Hiram Lee gets off duty, send him in to see me at Hostel B.” “T hope you don’t steal him away from us, Brent. He’s the best man we ‘ve got with the Harids. He doesn’t scare easy.’ Brent grinned. “Ill try to scare him away from me, sir.” He walked away from the screen, went Ta STEMS TESTERS TEMES OT EST ie ee ee hea intaie 36 pages - mame SE am —— me DE CoB ae DH ee HH = Ht IT’s eee SAE MAN AGAIN TOMMY ee EY en “BACK STAG By P. BEAUFOY BARRY _ Sketches of Life Eehind the —oollights ILLUSTRATED THROUGHOUT BY BERT THOMAS Many of these little sketches were contributed by the author to the .London Evening HPews Price Sd. each Obtainable from your Bookseller or 4d. post free from ATLAS PUBLISHING & DISTRIBUTING COMPANY LTD. 18 BRIDE LANE, FLEET STREET, LONDON, E.C.4 74" x5" 1), \esrew 2s. een 1s, ema) Gomichbook (EO)