The Merchandise Guide
Annual 1976

towards the covering veils of atmosphere--drifting so peacefully above the faraway globe. . . .    "This is Koenig." In Main Mission, the Commander thumbs the comlock button that uts him in immediate touch, personally, with every room, workshop and area on Moonbase.    "Personnel will make ready to board exodus vehicles as laid down on standing orders, book one. Biological staff will make sure that all specimens of plant seed and fertilizer are to hand. Historical section will take all microfilm of data. Analysts will pack all chemical samples. . . ." The voice goes on. The instructions repeat. There must be nothing left on the Moon that can be of any use. Everything must go down with the new colonists of the planet--provided that the planet is inhabitable. . . .    And then it comes. The new from Alan Carter's Eagle, first down through the clouds of atmosphere that shroud the place.    "Commander. I guess I know why we didn't get any response to the audio signals we sent down!"    "Tell me, Alan!" Commander Koenig is up close to the big video screen that puts him in touch with his chief pilot.    "It's water, sir! The whole surface of the planet is water !"    Koenig shrugs. He feels like a kid who's been offered a sweet, only to find that it's made of glass. "Water. Fine. We have a perfect atmosphere, a gravity just like Earth's--and a planet that's made of liquid. You'd better return to base, Alan. We just aren't fish!"
"I knew there'd be something !" Mrs. Talma Manisch starts pegging up her washing on the line again, "Didn't I tell you, Tania?"    "You said there might be hostiles down there," says Tanis, "And you were wrong. Listen--we might beat	hostiles, but we can't beat a bad environment!"    She smiles. But there is real disappointment in her eyes. Operation Exodus stands down--and Moonbase Alpha, welded to its runaway chunk of space matter, whirls on--into the unknown. . . .

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