large/10361/astoundingstories18_1605_librivox_64kb_mp3/astounding_stories18_13_various_64kb_69
large/10361/astoundingstories18_1605_librivox_64kb_mp3/astounding_stories18_13_various_64kb
English
10361
Its sunward side is a dreary, sterile, hot and hostile desert. Its dark side is warm and humid, and resembles to some extent the better known jungles and swamps of Venus. ITS SUNWARD SIDE IS A DREARY STERILE HOT AND HOSTILE DESERT ITS DARK SIDE IS WARM AND HUMID AND RESEMBLES TO SOME EXTENT THE BETTER KNOWN JUNGLES AND SWAMPS OF VENUS
 five of his best men on dangerous missions--missions requiring tact, courage, and, so it seemed, very much luck. And only two of the five had come back. In those days the Interplanetary Flying Police did not enjoy the tremendous prestige it does now. The mere presence of a member of the Force is enough, in these humdrum days of interplanetary law and order, to quell the most serious disturbance anywhere in the solar system. But it was not always thus. This astounding prestige had to be earned with blood and courage, in many a desperate and lonely battle; had to be snatched from the dripping jaws of death. * * * * * Olear checked over his flying ovoid, got his bearings from the port astronomer, set his coordinate navigator and shoved off. Two weeks later he plunged into the thick, misty atmosphere on the dark side of Mercury. Ancient astronomers had long suspected that Mercury always presented the same side to the sun, though they were ignorant that the little planet had water and air. THE PAST SEVERAL MONTHS HE HAD SENT FIVE OF HIS BEST MEN ON DANGEROUS MISSIONS MISSIONS REQUIRING TACT COURAGE AND SO IT SEEMED VERY MUCH LUCK AND ONLY TWO OF THE FIVE HAD COME BACK IN THOSE DAYS THE INTERPLATORY FLYING POLICE DID NOT ENJOY THE TREMENDOUS PRESTIGE IT DOES NOW THE MERE PRESENCE OF A MEMBER OF THE FORCE IS ENOUGH IN THESE HUMDRUM DAYS OF INTERPLANETARY LAW AND ORDER TO QUELL THE MOST SERIOUS DISTURBANCE ANYWHERE IN THE SOLAR SYSTEM BUT IT WAS NOT ALWAYS THUS THIS ASTOUNDING PRESTIGE HAD TO BE EARNED WITH BLOOD AND COURAGE IN MANY A DESPERATE AND LONELY BATTLE AND TO BE SNATCHED FROM THE DRIFTING JAWS OF DEATH ELI CHECKED OVER HIS FLYING OVOID GOT HIS BEARINGS FROM THE PORT ASTRONOMER SET HIS CO ORDINATE NAVIGATOR AND SHOVED OFF TWO WEEKS LATER HE PLUNGED INTO THE THICK MISTY ATMOSPHERE ON THE DARK SIDE OF MERCURY ANCIENT ASTRONOMERS HAD LONG SUSPECTED THAT MERCURY ALWAYS PRESENTED THE SAME SIDE TO THE SUN THOUGH THEY WERE IGNORANT THAT THE LITTLE PLANET HAD WATER AND AIR
large/10361/astoundingstories18_1605_librivox_64kb_mp3/astounding_stories18_13_various_64kb
file
download/librilight/large/10361/astoundingstories18_1605_librivox_64kb_mp3/astounding_stories18_13_various_64kb.flac