The Merchandise Guide
Annual 1976

"Commander--Professor--we're talking about theories." Now it was Alan Carter who spoke. "We really know nothing about these black holes--not in terms of fact. There may be different kinds. And it's been suggested throughout the later history of space exploration that black holes may be a sort of gateway into another universe. Another warp, if you like. . ."    The returning Eagle drew nearer, and David Kano had already begun to feed questions into the computer. He said: "It might fit, Commander. If we think of the black hole in terms of a whirlpool, it's just possible that the Eagles have been sucked in and then expelled. . ."    "John!" Victor Bergman cut Kano short, his eyes blazing with the certainty of what had just struck him. "You remember I said something was wrong with Willis's Eagle? I've just realised what it was! Look--the same thing's happened to this one!" He pointed at the screen, and everyone in Main Mission could clearly see that whereas tele- scanner antennae had originally been mounted to starboard of the beak, now they appeared to be mounted to port! "The whole thing's been twisted and turned inside out! Every piece of that ship is back to front!" "I want this Eagle brought intact." Koenig faced Kano. "Whatever made Willis's craft disintegrate mustn't happen to this one. When it approaches, I want everything shut down. All transmission, all magnetic fields--everything. And I want two people to volunteer to come with me to the landing area and go aboard it for investigation!"    There was no lack of volunteers, but Koenig chose Victor Bergman and David Kano himself. Each knew the frightful risk he was running--but risk was something they all lived with, constantly.    The travel tube raced them towards one of Alpha's pads, and comlock contact with Main Mission kept them informed of the Eagle's approach. So far, so good. There was no repeat of the electrical forces that had destroyed Willis. Retros fired, and this time, the Eagle came slowly in. . .    But then it happened! In the air within the landing pad airlock, a juddering vibration began to shake every plate of the structure! An unbearable, high-pitched screaming seemed to invade the minds of the three men, and uncontrollably, they fell to the ground, their hands clamped over their ears! Their yells of pure agony cut over the screeching, hideous cacophony of tortured sound, and in Main Mission, Paul Morrow jumped to throw the switches that had cut out Alpha's magnetic and radio systems! It was pure instinct--but it worked! The Eagle swung away from

the pad, dived headlong into the rugged surface of the Moon, and exploded! Just as totally as its predecessor, it disappeared without trace--and the ghastly vibration ceased. . .    "You'd better get your team organised to get the Commander and the others back." Morrow spoke soberly to Doctor Helena Russell--but he needn't have bothered. She was already on her way. "Anti-matter, John. It can't be anything else." Victor Bergman faced the Commander as they zipped up their suits. A rapid medical by Doctor Russell and her assistant Mathias had pronounced that neither they nor David Kano had suffered anything more than shock. "It would be in keeping with our assumption--our knowledge-- that the Eagle had been, as it were, turned inside out and reversed. Anti-matter--which destroys anything with which it comes into contact."    "Or, if whatever comes in contact with is larger and more massive, destroys itself. . ." Koenig shook his head grimly. "We must assume that this is the case, Victor."    The scientist nodded. "John. Let's agree that we're right. The theory would also fit with something else. The garbled rubbish Willis was transmitting. Suppose that his messages were also turned inside out. . ."    "By glory, you're right, Victor! Kano--re-run what Willis sent us--but backwards !"    The three raced to Main Mission, where--as soon as it had done as it was told--the computer played out the unmistakable and now utterly comprehensible voice of pilot Willis from the reversed and re-backed tapes!    There was nothing of particular significance in the message. A mere check for landing permission. It was clear that Willis had had no idea of what had happened to him. His only worry had been the fact that Moonbase's transmissions to him were coming through as nonsense. . .    "Commander." Alan Carter caught his chief's attention. "It seems we're headed straight for this black hole, right?" Koenig nodded. "And it seems just as clear that whatever passes through it comes out again--intact, but reversed. Surely we can be sure of survival then. We'll probably go through some period when we're all spark out. When stresses beyond our knowledge will twist us and re-shape us. Like, back to front. Well, I don't know that it matters much. We'll all be in the same boat--and as long as we live through it. . ."    "It's not as simple as that, Alan," put in Victor Bergman. "We may be safe enough, yes. And we'll all come through with our hearts on the wrong side of our bodies. Those of us

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