Air Wonder Stories, August 1929 — page 10: what you’re looking at

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

PSS Me Fe a had She ALS “nee nh reals 104 AIR WONDER STORIES Addison, reported an hour later. Silently the lieutenant handed to his superior the pass and classification papers made out to Addison and stood by while the captain examined them. ~ “You stand high in the confidence of the Occidental Government,” he said as he gave the pass to Addison. “You are free to go anywhere you choose.” “This ‘classification’ routine interests me—this ‘for- bidden ground’ interests me—these two nations in- terest me—everything interests me. I should like to stay here until I get my bearings in this changed world if I may,” quietly replied the man of the twen- tieth century. He'had caught the carefully modulated speech of this day and was striving to soften the harsh, unpleasant tones that was peculiar to his own time. ‘How do they classify one?” _ “We are expecting orders to go out on a very dangerous mission, but while we are waiting we can become acquainted: During the centuries since you labored as an. inventor, science has practically sup- planted. superstition. Denominational religion, as you knew it, has disappeared and science has taken its place. Our mathematicians have ‘extended their theorems: into the seventh dimension which we believe to be the ‘highest in the patter universe in which we exist, The control of people through fear of the unknown has given way to the power of knowledge and it is through knowledge that science is now striv- ing to control the behavior of people. “Even during the middle ages, the Steel Age, as we call it, scientists discovered that the human body is surrounded by an aura and that the condition of this aura reflects the state of health enjoyed by the in- dividual, Through the use of better filters and highly: developed photography we have gone farther and found that the color and other characteristics of the aura give us an index to the mental and moral development. of the person, By studying the colored photograph of the-aura we can determine with reasonable certainty the reaction the individual will exhibit to any ordinary: stimulus. Before elections the awra photographs of the candidates are circulated and the people can then judge for themselves who are. best fitted for office. It is our purpose to place only high-minded men in any position of trust whether public or private. Those with criminal tendencies are suppressed and kept where they cannot do any serious harm. We have succeeded in weeding tnworthy men out of office, until now corruption among government and corporation. officials is practically unknown. “Now. you will understand why we were careful in-afiswering your questions until we had your classi- fication papers. You will notice that in the picture of your aura.a clear blue predominates. That indicates a marvelous mental development. This fringe of bright gold indicates a fine moral and: spiritual development. On the other hand, an aura that is roily, such as a brick red, dirty brown or gray, belongs to the type we suppress. In extreme cases it may be a smudge of black. “You probably wonder at the color of the clothes which were issued to you upon your classification. You will observe that your clothes are of the same color as your aura, that all may see to what state of develop- ment you have attained. This is a great factor in stamping out deceit and crime, for it is now impossible for a ‘wolf to stall in sheep’s clothing’, as it were: Qf course, when the system was first inaugurated a few tried to wear false colors but. were apprehended almost immediately and, needless to say, never repeated their duplicity,” “T understand.” Addison nodded. “Now if I could bother you for information concerning the ‘forbidden ‘ound’ a. “Surely,” said the captain. “I am an officer in the G-2 department of the Occidental army. In other words, I am attached to the secret service. Our ac- tivities include more than the ferreting of information from the enemy. This underground laboratory is unknown to all except those whose auras are very nearly perfect. It is through this scientific classification that we are able to maintain this secrecy. Here we experi- ment with and build anti-nullifiers for military use. Until the war broke out, it had been merely a pre- cautionary measure to be used in controlling the colored races, especially the black: race on the African Con- tinent, until they had progressed to the stage when they grasp the idea of self-conquest and are self- regulating—” Ready to Depart Aceon was about to interrupt with a question when the adjutant snapped off the lights and their attention was attracted-to-a lighted screen ofi-one wall. A face appeared: and -words mentioning this identity sounded over the radio, The face disappeared and the screen was filled with the image of a sheet of blue paper covered. with typewritten words. The adjutant touched. a button and the image faded away. Almost instantly the lights were turned on and the adjutant handed to the captain a photographic film which he had taken from a compartment in the wall opposite. the television screen... Addison, following the lieutenant’s example, Jooked over the captain’s shoulders while he read from an exact facsimile of the image that had appeared on-the screen. While Addison wondered at this total lack of military discipline, the captain finished reading and said quietly, “Action orders. To stations.” Addison hesitated, “May I go?” he asked uncer- tainly. “Surely, although I warn you that our mission is very dangerous. You must assume all responsibility for your presence.” With a simple “Yes”, Addison followed the two men through several large rooms where men were at work before machines. He marvelled at the lack of noise. “T noticed that everything is so silent. and swift and efficient,” he said to the captain. “Yes”, the officer fell in step with Addison. “Even during the Steel Age the people were beginning to outlaw noise. We find it mimecessary, and abhor any noise_or ‘harsh voices.” Suddenly Addison stopped. He had been so in- terested in his questions that he: had not noticed that, although they were underground and that it was night outside, the rooms were lighted as though by sunlight, and_further that there were no shadows. In fact, the light seemed to come from all directions, but was so evenly distributed that it-did not hurt his eyes, “How. do you illuminate-the place?” he asked in surprised tones. “J shall explain-when we are aboard the ship,” the captain smiled. We have orders to depart immediately so cannot stop now.” They left the factory rooms and after walking through a wide corridor emerged in a huge cavern Comicbooks=com)\ ae Of SS ea » em" v eT ee We a ee ee eee \ \ asa