Astounding Science Fiction, August 1955 (British Edition) — page 98: what you’re looking at

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

96 ASTOUNDING SCIENCE FICTION sunlight, we’re going to start boomerang-balling the central square. We may get something.” “The Wizard Traders’ll be moving in near there, about: now,”’ Vall said. “The Croutha ought to have plenty of merchandise for them. Have you gotten anything more done on narrowing down the possible area?”’ The deputy bit back a yawn and reached for his coffee mug. ‘The experts have just about pumped these slaves empty,” he said. ‘“The local religion is a mess. Seems to have started out as a Great Mother cult; then it picked up a lot of gods borrowed from other peoples; then it turned into a dualistic monotheism; then it picked up a lot of minor gods and devils—new devils usually gods of the older pantheon. And we got a lot of gossip about the feudal wars and faction-fights among the nobility, and so on, all garbled, because these people are peasants who only knew what went on on the estate of their own lord.” “What did go on there?’”’ Vall asked. “Ask them about recent improve- ments, new buildings, new fields cleared, new paddies flooded, that sort of thing. And pick out a few of the highest 1Q’s from both time lines, and have them locate this estate on a large-scale map, and draw plans showing the location of buildings, fields and other visible features. If you have to, teach them mapping and sketching by hypno-mech. And then drop about five hundred to a thousand boomerang balls, at regular intervals, over the whole paratemporal area. When you locate a time line that gives you a picture to correspond to their description, boomerang the main square in Sohram over the whole belt around it, to find Croutha with firearms.” The deputy looked at him for a moment, then gulped more coffee. “Can do, Assistant Verkan. I think Pil send somebody to wake up Sub- chief Ranthar, right now. Want to talk to him.” ‘“‘Won’t be necessary. You’re recording this call, of course? Then play it back to him. And get cracking with the slaves; you want enough information out of them to enable you to start boomerang balling as soon as the sun’s high enough.” He broke off the connection and sent out for coffee for himself. Then he put through a call to Novilan Equivalent, in western North America. It was 1530, there, when he got Vulthor Tharn on the screen. ““Good afternoon, Assistant Verkan. I suppose you’re calling about the slave business. I’ve turned the entire matter over to Field Agent Skordran; gave him a temporary rank of Deputy Subchief. That’s subject to your approval and Chief Tortha’s, of course—" “Make the appointment permanent,”’ Vall said. “I'll have a confirmation along from Chief Tortha directly. And let me talk to him, now, if you please, Subchief Vulthor.” - “Yes, sir. Switching you over now.” The screen went into a beautiful burst of abstract-art, and cleared, after a while, with Skordran Kirv looking out of it. ‘Hello, Deputy Skordran, and congratulations. What’s come up since we had Nebu-hin-Abenoz cut out from under us?”’ : Cconniclooolks.comhn