Astounding Science Fiction, August 1955 (British Edition) — page 106: what you’re looking at

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

104 ASTOUNDING SCIENCE FICTION probability. The people of the First Level Dwarma Sector, reduced by sheer starvation to a tiny handful, had abandoned their cities and renounced their technologies and created for themselves a farm-and-village culture without progress or change or curiosity or struggle or ambition, and a way of life in which every day was like every other ssi that had been or that would come. The Abzar people had done neither. They had wasted their resources to the last, fighting bitterly over the ultimate crumbs, with fission bombs, and with muskets, and with swords, and with spears and clubs, and finally they had died out, leaving a planet of almost uniform desert dotted with vast empty cities which even twelve thousand years had hardly begun to obliterate. So nobody on the Paratime Sector went to the Abzar Sector. There was nothing there—except a hiding-place. ‘Well, message that to Subchief Ranthar Jard, Kholghoor Sector at Nharkan Equivalent, and to Subchief Vulthor, Esaron Sector, Novilan Equivalent,’ Vall said. “And be sure to mark what you sent Vulthor, ‘Immediate attention Deputy Subchief Skordran.’ ” That reminded him of something; as soon as he was through with Zulthran, he got out an order in the name of Tortha Karf authorizing Skordran Kirv’s promotion on a permanent basis and messaged it out. Something was going to have to be done with Vulthor Tharn, too. A pro- motion of course—say Deputy Bureau Chief. Hypno-Mech Tape Library at Dhergabar Home Time Line; there Vulthor’s passion for procedure and his caution would be assets instead of liabilities. He called Vlasthor Arph, the Chief’s Deputy assigned to him as adjutant. “IT want more troops from Serv Sec and Ind Sec,” he said. ““Go over the TO’s and see what can be spared from where; don’t strip any time line, but get a force of the order of about three divisions. And locate all the big antigrav-equipped ship transposition docks on Commercial and Passenger Sectors, and a list of freighters and passenger ships that can be comman- deered in a hurry. We think we’ve spotted the time line the Organization’s using as a base. As soon as we raid a couple of places near Nharkan and Novilan Equivalents, we’re going to move in for a planet-wide cleanup.” “TI get it, Chief’s Assistant. I do everything I can to get ready for a big move, without letting anything leak out. After you strike the first blow, there won’t be any security problem, and the lid will be off. In the meantime, I make up a general plan, and alert all our own people. Right?” ‘Right. And for your information, the base isn’t Fifth Level; it’s First Level Abzar.”’ He gave the designation. — Vlasthor Arph chuckled. “Well, think of that! Pd even forgotten there was an Abzar Sector. Shall I tell the reporters that?” ‘Fangs of Fasif, no!” Vall fairly howled. Then, curiously: “What re- porters? How’d they get onto Pol-Term?” ‘About fifty or sixty news-service people Chief Tortha sent down here, this morning, with orders to prevent them from filing any stories from here but to let them cover the raids, when they come off. We were instructed to furnish them weapons and audio-visual equipment and vocowriters and anything else they needed, and—”’ ying A comicbooks.conn