Astounding Science Fiction, August 1955 (British Edition) — page 79: what you’re looking at

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

TIME CRIME 77 Having reported that the paratemporal slave trade is a really serious matter, requiring extraordinary measures, Vall and Dalla consult with RANTHA JARD, Sector-Regional Subchief for Kholghoor Sector India, on means of identifying the time lines on which the Wizard Traders are operating. As fire- arms are unknown on the Kholghoor Sector and as there have been no reports of firearms in the hands of the Croutha, it is evident that they are working on time lines on which there has been no legitimate paratemporal activity. As there are about three billion time lines on the Kholghoor Sector belt on which the Croutha invasion is occurring, random search with paratemporal auto-return photographic balls for evidence of Croutha possession of firearms seems like a hopeless undertaking. Dalla suggests questioning the slaves about their religious beliefs: otherwise culturally uniform, the Kholghoor Sector is broken into many belts of differing religious sects. While Vall and Dalla are outtime, a serious political crisis is developing at the First Level Home Time Line metropolis of Dhergabar. A sensation-mongering newscaster, YANDAR YADD, has found out about the slave trade through a compensation claim made on the Paratime Commission by Consolidated Outtime Foodstuffs, whose slaves have been impounded, and when he breaks the story an uproar begins in Executive Council. One of the Councilmen, an Opposition leader named SALGATH TROD, is involved with the paratemporal crime ring: he is ordered, through a mysterious intermediary, to exploit the Council crisis, attack Tortha Karf and the Paratime Police from the floor, and attempt to impede the investigation by demanding a confidence vote. Skordran Kirv’s two detectives, posing as traders, accompany Coru-hin- Irigod and his party return to Careba, with a pack-train loaded with weapons and ammunition of the finest local types. They are welcomed by Nebu-hin- Abenoz, who tells them that, while no more of the outland slaves such as Coru-hin-Irigod sold to the fruit plantation are now available, there will be plenty more in eight days. As they are relaxing in the patio where Nebu-hin- Abenoz holds court among his rascally subjects, three strangers enter, claiming to be in search of a female slave for the son of their king. In the midst of a discussion with Nebu-hin-Abenoz, all three of them suddenly draw knives and spring upon him, slashing the Calera chief to death. When tie others rush to overcome them, all three take poison and die instantly. The poison is identifiable only to the two disguised Paratimers: it is a First Level product. PART 2 T was full daylight, but the sun was hidden; a thin rain fell on the landing ground at Police Terminal Dhergabar Equivalent when Vall and Dalla left the rocket. Across the black lavalike pavement, they could see the bulky form of Tortha Karf, hunched under a long cloak, with his flat cap pulled down over his brow. He shook hands with Vall and kissed cheeks with Dalla when they joined him. 3 ‘‘Car’s over here,”’ he said, nodding toward the waiting vehicle. “‘Yesterday wasn’t one of our better days, was it?” “No, it wasn’t,” Vall agreed. They climbed into the car, and the driver Comicbooksecom