Publicity Stunt

By Robert Moore Williams
Illustrated by Joe W. Tillotson
The orders were to build up Venus, make it sound like the gateway to Paradise for the average Earthman—fog-flies, flying snakes and tame Venusians included.
Just go right ahead and start chewing on me! Molock briskly invited the Venusian, Shad Brisbee. When you get a square meal, I'll get a lunch!
Rita Morgan didn't turn a hair at the challenge but I thought Captain Wilkerson, who was officially in charge of us, was going to faint. No, no, NO! Wilkerson screamed. Molock, you're getting us all into trouble. You're—
Sheddap! Molock said to Wilkerson. He turned again to the Venusian, Shad Brisbee. You heard what I said. If you want to try to start carving on me with one of those frog stickers you've got stuck in your belt, hop right to it. But remember, by Harry, while you're doing your carving, I'm going to be doing a little light whittling myself.
Except for the needle pistol in his pocket, Molock was unarmed. Lifting hands as big as hams, he looked Shad Brisbee square in all of the Venusian's eyes that happened to be turned toward him at the moment. Molock had the full attention of all six of those eyes. The expression on Shad Brisbee's face indicated that if he had had six more eyes, he would have been concentrating all of them on the antics of this mad human.
Shad Brisbee was seven feet tall, he must have weighed close to 300 pounds. Molock's six feet, 185 pound frame was a pygmy beside the Venusian. Shad Brisbee fingered the knives in his belt as if he was considering accepting Molock's invitation, then suddenly spread his hands. Protesting sound bellowed out of him.
But you 'ave landed right in the middle of our dancing ground!
Then by Harry! dance somewhere else! Molock shouted.
I thought at first that Shad Brisbee was going to explode. He puffed himself up until he looked to be eight feet tall. Indignation turned him green. Each of his six eyes turned yellow and he glared at Molock out of all of them.