DIY History | Transcribe | Hevelin Fanzines | Planeteer Magazine, v. 2, isssue 1, March 1939

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Planeteer Magazine, v. 2, isssue 1, March 1939

Page 20

They were unused to frigidity.  There was no material to insulate the buildings, as the spaceships were.  No one knew how to produce a practical heating system.  The people just huddled beside makeshift heaters, cursing the day that had brought them to such an inhospitable world.  In desperation, another exodus was decided upon.  After this came the second blow.
  "The fuel in the space ships had deteriorated through the years.  The huge tanks held only useless fluid.  Making more fuel was an almost insurmountable task for various reasons.  The elements needed were very scarce on the planet and what little there was had to be refined from tons of unwanted substance.  And the refining machines at hand were only portable affairs that were carried about on their wanderings.  Too, these had become almost ruined by rust and disuse, so it took a long time to put them in working order.  Larger machines were built in time.  Added to all the other difficulties, was the one of operating the refining machines, wether large or small.  Many of the moving parts worked immersed in a lubrication fluid -- and this fluid had a tendency to freeze in the low temperature.  Oil will not freeze, but this fluid was not oil.
  "So, hampered, the process went on slowly.  The tanks were capacious, requiring tremendous quantities of fuel to fill them.  Time passes on leaden feet.  As many tanks were filled, a part of the race could have departed, but all preferred to leave in a body.  Meanwhile, all lived under the worst of hardships. 
  "Again came disaster, this time in a worse form, if that were possible.  An alert member of the race discovered that the fuel already manufactured would not fire, due to a combination of frigidity and the fuel itself.  Then the refining was stopped in despair.
  "A search for a new method of propulsion for the ships was begun.  Experimenters worked tirelessly and unceasingly.  I was one of those experimenters.
  "Next came the final and crowning catastrophe; It came unheralded, came before any of the experiments bore the fruit of success, and practicality.  Great walls of ice bore down upon the closely-clustered cities.  My people fled before the glaciers abandoning everything.  The cities with everything left in them, were ground into the soil.
  "I had a tiny experimental ship.  A companion and I escaped in it.  We flew about helplessly, unable to aid our brethren.  No ship but ours was in the air.  Despairingly we watched the glaciers forge on with inexorable speed.  We saw them shatter the cities that were marvels of architecture.  We saw them catch up with footsore stragglers, saw them thunder over the mass of those that were seeking to escape,

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They were unused to frigidity. There was no material to insulate the buildings, as the spaceships were. No one knew how to produce a practical heating system. The people just huddled beside makeshift heaters, cursing the day that had brought them to such an inhospitable world. In desperation, another exodus was decided upon. After this came the second blow. "The fuel in the space ships had deteriorated through the years. The huge tanks held only useless fluid. Making more fuel was an almost insurmountable task for various reasons. The elements needed were very scarce on the planet and what little there was had to be refined from tons of unwanted substance. And the refining machines at hand were only portable affairs that were carried about on their wanderings. Too, these had become almost ruined by rust and disuse, so it took a long time to put them in working order. Larger machines were built in time. Added to all the other difficulties, was the one of operating the refining machines, wether large or small. Many of the moving parts worked immersed in a lubrication fluid -- and this fluid had a tendency to freeze in the low temperature. Oil will not freeze, but this fluid was not oil. "So, hampered, the process went on slowly. The tanks were capacious, requiring tremendous quantities of fuel to fill them. Time passes on leaden feet. As many tanks were filled, a part of the race could have departed, but all preferred to leave in a body. Meanwhile, all lived under the worst of hardships. "Again came disaster, this time in a worse form, if that were possible. An alert member of the race discovered that the fuel already manufactured would not fire, due to a combination of frigidity and the fuel itself. Then the refining was stopped in despair. "A search for a new method of propulsion for the ships was begun. Experimenters worked tirelessly and unceasingly. I was one of those experimenters. "Next came the final and crowning catastrophe; It came unheralded, came before any of the experiments bore the fruit of success, and practicality. Great walls of ice bore down upon the closely-clustered cities. My people fled before the glaciers abandoning everything. The cities with everything left in them, were ground into the soil. "I had a tiny experimental ship. A companion and I escaped in it. We flew about helplessly, unable to aid our brethren. No ship but ours was in the air. Despairingly we watched the glaciers forge on with inexorable speed. We saw them shatter the cities that were marvels of architecture. We saw them catch up with footsore stragglers, saw them thunder over the mass of those that were seeking to escape,