Transcriber's Note:
This etext was produced from Astounding Stories March 1932.
Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that
the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.
The Hammer
of Thor
By Charles
Willard
Diffin
The Director General of District Three, Ural Division of the RussianStates, was a fool. Danny O'Rourke had reached that conclusion sometime before—a conclusion, however, that he was most careful to keepunexpressed.
And then Danny not only thought it; he knew the Director was a fool;and the amazing incident that proved it took place in Stobolsk, theGovernmental Headquarters of District Three. Although Danny's regularstation was on a lonely peak in the Sierra Nevada Mountains in theUnited States, the occurrence was nevertheless observed by him; andthis happened for two reasons.
The New Soviet Government that took over control of all the Russias in1943 wanted, among other things, to install the most modernfire-fighting system, the equal of anything in the world. They turned,quite naturally, to the United States of America for theirinstruction; and this was reason number one why Danny O'Rourke, pilotof the Air Fire Force, was where he was on the morning of June 13th.
The second reason was the tremendous timber wealth in the UralDivision and the threat to destroy it by fire.
Perhaps there might be mentioned a third reason: that this same DannyO'Rourke, red-haired, smiling, and debonair was listed on the Air FireForce of the United States with the highest rating that the A. F. F.has to give its pilots. But Danny would have grinned at such asuggestion and would have countered with a denial that he was betterqualified than "the rest of the boys."
But Danny was there; he had been talking at length with the DirectorGeneral on the technical differences of the hot and cold nitrogenblasts for controlling fires on a wide front when suddenly the big manwas brought in.
The great figure stooped almost double to enter the room, and Dannyran a hand through his shock of red hair and stared open-mouthed atthe giant when he straightened again and towered above the guard ofRed soldiers who had brought him into the high-ceiled room.
He was clothed in a single garment of glinting blue that wrapped himabout and fell in heavy folds to the floor. Danny felt the resemblanceto the shimmering blue of steel that has passed through fire, and hiseyes held to that garment in fascination until his gaze went on and upto the face.
The man's face was red, as if the flesh had been burned; here was oneman Danny could not classify. He had met the people of many lands butnever had he seen one like this.
In one quick staring glance, Danny caught a picture of heavy jaws—aflashing of yellow teeth when the mouth opened to emit guttural,unrecognizable words—nostrils that ran crosswise of the face in anose broad and flat! The forehead above was low and sloping. From thestraggling yellow hair it slanted down to brows that overhungdeep-sunk and cavernous eyes.... And when Danny O'Rourke's own curiouseyes met those of the s