Astounding Science Fiction, British Edition — page 109: what you’re looking at

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

MISSION OF GRAVITY | 107 liquid which partly dissolved the threads and filled the holes with the material thus obtained. “Then the cloth is windproof? I think I could sell this easily at home. It is hardly strong enough for practical uses like roofing, but it is certainly ornamental, particularly the colored versions. I will admit, though it is hardly good buying procedure, that this is the most salable material I have yet seen on this island.” “Not strong enough?” It was Ree- jaaren rather than the merchant who expressed indignation. “This material - is made nowhere else, and is the only substance at once strong and light enough to form the wings of our glid- ers. If you buy it, we will have to give it to you in bolts too small for such a purpose—no one but a fool, of course, would trust a sewn seam in a wing.” “Of course,’ Barlennan agreed easily. ‘I suppose such stuff could be ' used in wings here, where the weight is so small. I assure you that it would be quite useless for the purpose in high latitudes; a wing large enough to lift anyone would tear to pieces at once in any Wind strong enough to furnish the lift.’ This was almost a direct quote from one of his human friends, who had been suggesting why the gliders had never been seen in countries farther south. He was quite sure he would not actually have to tell any lies; it would be more than surprising if Reejaaren were to ask him any questions about how gliders were built in the high latitudes. The official would undoubtedly try to pump him as subtly as possible on the subject; but admit that his own people did not have such machines? Never! His words confirmed this belief. “Of course, there is very little load on a glider in these latitudes,” he agreed. ‘“‘Naturally, there is no point in building them stronger than neces- sary here; it adds to the weight.” Barlennan decided that his tactical adversary was not too bright. “Naturally,” he agreed. “I sup- pose with the storms you have here your ‘surface ships must be stronger. Do they ever. get flung inland the way mine was? I never saw the sea rise in that fashion before.” “We naturally take precautions when a storm is coming. The rising of the sea occurs only in these lati-. tudes of little weight, as far as I have been able to observe. Actually, our ships are very much like yours, though . we have different armament, I notice. Yours is unfamilar to me—doubtless our philosophers of war found it in- adequate for the storms of these latitudes. Did it suffer seriously in the hurricane that brought you here?” “Rather badly,’ Barlennan lied. “How are your own ships armed?’ He did not for a second expect the interpreter to answer the question in any way, except perhaps a resumption of his former haughtiness, but Reejaaren for once was both affable and co-operative. (He can afford to be, Barlennan thought, after what he’s taken off us.) He hooted a signal up the hill to. some of his party who had remained above, and one of these obediently came down to the scene of bargaining with a peculiar object in his pincers. Barlennan had never seen a cross- bow, of course, or any other missile weapon. He was suitably impressed when Reejaaren sent three quartz- tipped bolts in a row thudding for over half their six-inch length into the hard trunk of a plant some forty yards away. He also-lost most of his surprise at the interpreter’s helpful- ness; such a weapon would be so much dead weight before the Bree was a quarter of the way to her home latitudes. If these people had any COMNIG DOOKS.CORN y=." = ; a asa ’ ey AR 7