Transcriber's Note:
Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.
"It's a planet," I said. "A little world."
"How little?" Venza demanded.
"One-fifth the mass of the Moon. That's what they've calculated now."
"And how far is it away?" Anita asked. "I heard a newscaster sayyesterday...."
"Newscasters!" Venza broke in scornfully. "Say, you can take what theytell you about any danger or trouble and cut it in half; and even thenyou'll be on the gloomy side. See here, Gregg Haljan."
"I'm not giving you newscasters' blare," I retorted. Venza'sextravagant vehemence was always refreshing. The Venus girl glared atme. I added: "Anita mentioned newscasters; I didn't."
Anita was in no mood for smiling. "Tell us, Gregg." She sat uprightand tense, her chin cupped in her hands. "Tell us."
"For a fact, they don't know much about it yet. You can call it aplanet, a wanderer."
"I should say it was a wanderer!" Venza exclaimed. "Coming from heavenknows where beyond the stars, swimming in here like a comet."
"They calculated its distance yesterday at some sixty-five millionmiles from Earth," I said. "It isn't so far beyond the orbit of Mars,coming diagonally and heading very nearly for the Sun. But it's not acomet."
The thing was indeed inexplicable; for many weeks now, astronomers hadbeen studying it. This was early summer of[6] the year 2070 A.D. All ofus had recently returned from those extraordinary events I havealready recounted, when we came close to losing Johnny Grantline'sradiactum treasure on the Moon, and our lives as well. My ship, thePlanetara, in the astronomical seasons when the Earth, Mars, andVenus were within comfortable traveling distances of each other, hadcarried mail and passengers from Greater New York to Ferrok-Shahn, ofthe Martian Union, and to Grebhar, of the Venus Free State. Now it waswrecked on the Moon.[1]
[1] See "Brigands of the Moon", Ace Book, D-324
I had been under navigating officer of the Planetara. Upon her, Ihad met Anita Prince, whose only living relative, her brother, wasamong those killed in the struggle with the brigands; Anita and I weresoon to marry, we hoped.
I was waiting now in Greater New York upon the decision of the Lineofficials regarding another spaceship. Perhaps I would have command ofit, since Captain Carter of the Planetara had been killed.
It was a month or so before that adventure, April, 2070, that thismysterious visitor from interstellar space first appeared upon ourastronomical horizon. A little thing, at first, a mere unusual dot, apinpoint on a photo-electric star diagram which should not have beenthere. It occasioned no comment at the time, save that some thought itmight be another planet beyond Pluto; but this was not taken seriouslyenough to get into the newscasts. None of us had heard about it aslate as May, when the Planetara set out on what was to be her finalvoyage.
Presently, it was seen that the object could not be