Astounding British Edition, Vol. 9, No. 10 — page 51: what you’re looking at

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

o 5 a sgh ia Oe nga 3 aata - MULTIFARIOUS smell it might be bringing with it. Hiking’s no fun if you can’t smell trees and bushes and stuff.” “You sound more like a naturalist than a ceramicist,” Taj commented absently as he watched the shallow concavity in the mud that kept pace with their feet as they walked. “Uh ... yeah, I do, don’t I? As a matter of fact, I sort of took a day off from the shop.” “Can’t be a very stiff penalty, if you’re willing to risk it on something as intrinsi- cally purposeless as doing something out- side your knowledge,” Taj said curiously. “It isn’t—a day’s pay doesn’t amount to much in the pottery line.” “Pay?” “Uh . . . in credits toward my retire- ment, of course.” Taj noticed that the Earthman’s expression had lost some of its self-possession during the last verbal exchange, but made no comment. His mind was racing as it assimilated the information Potter had unconsciously re- vealed in his speech and actions since they had met. Item: For a world that showed no sign of spaceflight as one of its techno- logical achievements, Earth had a remark- ably advanced practical scientific culture. Prime Evidence: Potter’s helmet which was obviously not unique, and which had been demonstrated to possess the follow- ing attributes: (1) Protection for the wearer, in easily varied degrees. (2) Automatic announcement of wearer's presence, combined with a mild warning and an alarm to the wearer. (3) An automatic translator—probably a vastly more compact version of the baSymbolic transpeaker—which allowed its wearer to enter into immediate verbal intercourse with any chance foreigner, even one so foreign as Taj. Syllogism One: Possession of | this device will be of untold value to Taj. Potter has such a device. Therefore, it must be taken from him. Syllogism Two: The value of this device, and of any further information regarding Terrestrial technology, together with = other motes of such techno- its : logy, will be greatly enhanced if the Terrestrials remain unaware that they are in Taj hands. Potter has the two prime utile features of being both an excellent source of said information and samples, and of being the only Earthman as yet aware of Taj presence on this planet. Therefore, Potter must be ques- tioned further, and then killed. “Here we are,” Taj said, stopping. “O.K. Pick yourself something solid to stand on. I'll soften up the field so you can open the air lock,” Potter re- plied, touching the side of his helmet once more. Inwardly exultant over the series of coincidences that had provided him with such an excellent contact at the very outset of his mission, Taj unlocked the entrance hatch. “I’m afraid you'll have to cut off your field to get in here,” he said to Potter. “That's O.K.—I’m not that scared of the world that I’ve got to be armored all the time,” 49 Potter said, dropping — through the hatch. “It’s more or less of a.~ habit, anyway. The hats sort of take thos: place of clothes in the cities.” He touched his coveralls. “These’ll be enough.” Taj carefully pulled the bushes and mud-covered mats back over the hatch before he closed it, then switched on the lights. “Sounds like you’ve got an interesting culture,” he said. “Women wear those helmets, too?” “Certainly.” “Well, fair’s fair, I guess,” Taj said, leering. Potter looked at him uncompre- hendingly. Taj recovered rapidly. “How come I . can still understand you with the field off?” he asked, though the answer was | obvious. “I only cut the protection screen off— Man, you don’t think I’d be without my hat, do you?” Potter looked genuinely startled. “Of course not. Hadn’t thought of it, that’s all.” Item: From Potter’s reaction, it would seem that the entire culture was built around the helmets. Analysis of the pro- perties of these devices will probably eS) (E() COMICLOO!