DAY OF WRATH
By Bjarne Kirchhoff
The men of the Norgan System had a tough
decision to make concerning the planet in A93.
Yet there was no hesitation. Can you blame them?
[Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from
Planet Stories Summer 1948.
Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that
the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.]
Frowning thoughtfully, Lan Yotar pushed a button on his desk and waitedtill the televisoscreen above it glowed, showing the respectful face ofan attendant.
"Ask Tir Latoka to come here immediately, please," said the Chief ofthe Council of Elders.
"I hear and obey," came the routine reply, and the attendant's facevanished from the screen.
Leaning back in his chair, Lan Yotar gazed somberly at the reportin his hand, till the Chief Scientist's voice recalled him to hissurroundings.
"You sent for me, Excellency?"
"Yes, I did, Tir Latoka. Sit down." As the Chief Scientist seatedhimself on the opposite side of the desk, he continued, "I am a littleuneasy about the latest report on Rona."
Involuntarily, the Chief Scientist turned to look at the Wall of thePlanets, Lan Yotar's eyes following his.
The Wall of the Planets was so called because it pictured that solarsystem known to its inhabitants as the Confederated Planets of Norga.One entire wall of the Council Chamber in the Hall of the Rulers wasconstructed of slabs of lapis lazuli, so cunningly joined that theypresented the appearance of an unbroken whole. In the center shone ahuge disc of gold, representing Norga, the sun of the Norgan solarsystem. Grouped around it at the proper intervals were other discssymbolic of the system's eleven planets. Yula, the planet nearestNorga, was a solid circle of onyx, the black color indicatingmystery, as it was too close to their sun to permit exploration; Heta,consisting mostly of water, was a disc of shimmering silver; Mira, fromwhich the system derived most of its minerals, was cleverly worked inseven different metals, while the remaining planets were also fashionedto symbolize their main features.
But it was the disc representing Rona that held their eyes. A singlepiece of pale green jade, marked with little squares of emeralds forthe cultivated fields and small circles of sapphires for the freshwaterlakes.
"An appropriate color for the planet that supplies over half thesystem's food," murmured Lan Yotar. "The latest jest is that the Ronansare afraid of turning over in bed for fear of crushing a vegetable!"
"I doubt if there's a square inch of available soil not undercultivation," assented Tir Latoka. "It is not for nothing Rona is knownas 'The Food Planet'."
"Which brings us back to this report," continued the Chief. "Tell me,do you consider Nol Kosar an alarmist?"
"Far from it, Excellency," was the ready reply. "He is veryclear-headed and reliable, which is why I picked him as Scientist ofour most important planet. I added no comments to his report beforepassing it on to you, as I considered none necessary."
"Hmmmmm!" The Chief gazed reflectively at the report, reading partsof it aloud. "Interior heat definitely increasing—undergroundcaverns possibly collapsed, letting inflammable gases intomolten core—possible now to grow tropical fruits in temperatezones—seismologists report faint tremors—"
Tossing the report aside, Lan Yotar abruptly asked the question TirLatoka had been anticipating: "What have you advised him to do?"
"The ancient steam-boiler was equipped with a safety valve to preventit exploding from too great internal pressure," replied the ChiefScientist. "I advised Nol Kosar to suggest to the Ruler that a vent bebor