Locked in the mutant jungle of Venus were the
horror-secrets of the universe. Here, into these
thousand deaths, with a Tihar-trotting convict
to lead her, went luxury-soft Kial Nasron.
[Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from
Planet Stories November 1951.
Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that
the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.]
Hailard, director of Venusian Exports, was not given to unnecessaryelaborations or complexities of speech. He let his attention stray fromthe girl to a tiny scale-model of the first rocket ship to land onVenus, and reflected bitterly that after two hundred years the planetstill held both problems and eery mysteries for the Earth colonists.
"But a convict," Kial Nasron protested. She was the daughter of TorkegNasron, Martian politician and the largest single shareholder in VE. Assuch she felt entitled to make a nuisance of herself. However, she didhave a tragic problem.
Hailard sighed. "A man without deviltry in him has little capacity forwisdom, or sainthood either. Convict or not, Craig Alston is the manfor your job."
The sharp sound of her indrawn breath puzzled Hailard. "I didn't knowyou knew him."
Kial shrugged. "I don't, personally. I've never seen him, though I knowthe name and remember something about the case. But we were talkingabout an expedition into the Tihar Forest to look for my sister."
Hailard studied her critically. "Yes, we were. But you don't reallywant my advice, and I doubt if you'll like it. Your request puts me inan awkward position."
"Be specific." Her expression was that of a woman used to having herown way. It reminded him of her father, and he had uneasy convictionthat the interview was going to be difficult.
"All right, I will be. You don't understand Venus. If you were familiarwith conditions here, you wouldn't need descriptions or explanations.This is a strange, savage planet, and the Tihar Forest is the mostvicious part of it."
The girl stopped him scornfully. "But surely a well-equippedexpedition...."
Hailard smiled. "There's no such thing as far as the Tihar Forest isconcerned. After forty years on Venus I still know nothing about theinterior. Nor does anyone else. The forests here are freaks. Agesago, atomic holocaust got out of hand. In a few places certain formsof life survived. Nature went mad. The Tihar Forest is its laboratoryof gibbering, unnatural experiments—half a million square miles ofluxuriant, nightmarish wonderland. Not one living creature, plant oranimal, is the product of sane, orderly evolution. It's an asylum forthe cripples, freaks and lunatic-fringe of abnormal creation."
Hailard went on in his clear way. They claimed that once he had studiedfor the ministry. He had convictions and he knew what he was talkingabout.
"True, Venusian Exports holds a license for limited exploitation of itspeculiar resources. But we nibble at the edges. We collect rare fursand leathers, some valuable hardwoods and minerals, but we don't eventry to penetrate the forest depths, or develop any plantations there.It's too dangerous. There have been some hideously disturbing rumorsrecently, and a marked increase of casualties...."
"My sister is there," Kial Nasron said stubbornly. "In this place ofhorror you describe. As long as we thought she had died in the crash ofthe Krajulla, we accepted the tragedy. But now that we have evidenceshe may be alive, neither my father nor I will rest until we locate thewreckage. She may be hurt or lost or a captive of savage natives. TheCompany assured us you would give us every possible aid in finding andrescuing her."
Hailard nodded we