DIY History | Transcribe | Hevelin Fanzines | Sun Spots, v. 3, issue 3, whole no. 11, October 5, 1940

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Sun Spots, v. 3, issue 3, whole no. 11, October 5, 1940

Page 4

CONTEST WINNING STORY WRITTEN BY D.B. THOMPSON!!

FIRST FLIGHT

Cal Parvin dashed into the tiny mountain valley, running toward the very ordinary-looking log cabin at one side. Suddenly, the ground trembled beneath his feet. He stopped, a look of consternation on his strong homely face, as he stared at the peculiar metal framework, built around what appeared to be a mine shaft. A mighty roaring, building rapidly to a thunderous blasting crescendo, came from the shaft. Then, from the mouth of the shaft a huge, cigar-shaped projectile, rocket-driven, shot toward the zenith.

"Too late!" gasped Parvin. "Too late! When my autogyro crashed I missed the greatest chance a man ever had. A trip to Venus! The FIRST trip to that planet of mystery!"

Inside the rocket ship "Ley", the pilot chuckled fiendishly.

"That fool Parvin;--late as usual! I was sure he would not return in time, Had to see his girl! Bah! I didn't want him along anyway. I had to have his money to build the ship, that was all. Now I and I alone, will the the first man to set foot on Venus!"


A queer mis-shapen globe broke through the Venusian cloud envelope, headed for space. A monstrosity, a horrible thing of weaving tentacles and moist, palpitant flesh, was at the controls. The thing did not speak yet, to one of his race, the writing, crawling waves of color which played over the brain case, would have conveyed his thoughts as easily as oral speech transmits the thoughts of men.

"R17Z will never share my triumph with me now", ran his thoughts. "He was late, as I knew he would be, when I sent him on that meaningless errand to Shell City. The inhabitants of Earth will acclaim me, and me only, as the first being to cross interplanetary space."

Kurraz, the tall, eight-limbed chitin-armored Martian, turned to his companion. Four short, winglike projections scraped stridently together as he communicated with Burreek.

"It is good to be back in the Solar System after ten years in outer space. True, the inhabitants of out neighboring planets have scarcely risen above the stages of barbarism, while in the system of Polaris, we found beings with intelligence equal to our own. But they were decadent;--Venusians and Tellurians are progressing, even as we are. Perhaps in a thousand years they will develop sufficiently to build space-ships."

"Kurraz! Look! The screen!"

The two Martians gazed in horrified amazement at the scene pictured in perfect clarity on the televisor screen. Two vessels, one cigar-shaped, the other a mis-shapen globe, were rushing towards each other at a combined velocity of nearly twenty miles per second. Suddenly, a tremendous, soundless explosion blossomed in the void, filling the screen with a blinding radiance. 

Venusian and Earthman had met;---but their respective histories would not record the event....!

THE END.

Saving...

CONTEST WINNING STORY WRITTEN BY D.B. THOMPSON!! FIRST FLIGHT Cal Parvin dashed into the tiny mountain valley, running toward the very ordinary-looking log cabin at one side. Suddenly, the ground trembled beneath his feet. He stopped, a look of consternation on his strong homely face, as he stared at the peculiar metal framework, built around what appeared to be a mine shaft. A mighty roaring, building rapidly to a thunderous blasting crescendo, came from the shaft. Then, from the mouth of the shaft a huge, cigar-shaped projectile, rocket-driven, shot toward the zenith. "Too late!" gasped Parvin. "Too late! When my autogyro crashed I missed the greatest chance a man ever had. A trip to Venus! The FIRST trip to that planet of mystery!" Inside the rocket ship "Ley", the pilot chuckled fiendishly. "That fool Parvin;--late as usual! I was sure he would not return in time, Had to see his girl! Bah! I didn't want him along anyway. I had to have his money to build the ship, that was all. Now I and I alone, will the the first man to set foot on Venus!" A queer mis-shapen globe broke through the Venusian cloud envelope, headed for space. A monstrosity, a horrible thing of weaving tentacles and moist, palpitant flesh, was at the controls. The thing did not speak yet, to one of his race, the writing, crawling waves of color which played over the brain case, would have conveyed his thoughts as easily as oral speech transmits the thoughts of men. "R17Z will never share my triumph with me now", ran his thoughts. "He was late, as I knew he would be, when I sent him on that meaningless errand to Shell City. The inhabitants of Earth will acclaim me, and me only, as the first being to cross interplanetary space." Kurraz, the tall, eight-limbed chitin-armored Martian, turned to his companion. Four short, winglike projections scraped stridently together as he communicated with Burreek. "It is good to be back in the Solar System after ten years in outer space. True, the inhabitants of out neighboring planets have scarcely risen above the stages of barbarism, while in the system of Polaris, we found beings with intelligence equal to our own. But they were decadent;--Venusians and Tellurians are progressing, even as we are. Perhaps in a thousand years they will develop sufficiently to build space-ships." "Kurraz! Look! The screen!" The two Martians gazed in horrified amazement at the scene pictured in perfect clarity on the televisor screen. Two vessels, one cigar-shaped, the other a mis-shapen globe, were rushing towards each other at a combined velocity of nearly twenty miles per second. Suddenly, a tremendous, soundless explosion blossomed in the void, filling the screen with a blinding radiance. Venusian and Earthman had met;---but their respective histories would not record the event....! THE END.