The glowing space-pioneer inclined his bead.
He turned and pointed westward through the swirling blue haze.
"In the mountains yonder, a lump of it lies. But it will be dangerous to try to take it,” he explained. “The terrific emanations that stream from that mass of radite are more penetrating than any other. To the bodies of us radioactive men who wearily wander immortally over this planet, those powerful emanations of the radite are stimulating, as sunlight is to you. There are always some of us radioactive men gathered about that radite, basking in the grateful radiation from it.
"And all these poor creatures like myself will resist your taking the radite. For to bask in its emanations is almost the only pleasure they have in this terrible mockery of existence. Yet, with the safety of Earth and the inner worlds at stake, I will help you attempt to take the radite."
Nison turned heavily, and he and his radiant companion looked back at the Planeteers.
After a moment, he spoke to Thorn. “Follow us,” Nison's voice reached them. “We will lead you to the radite."
As they started on westward across the shining desert, forging through the luminous blue haze beneath the dark, star-studded sky. An unearthly party — the three Planeteers in their grotesque black ray-proof space-suits, led by the two glowing radioactive men.
"It's like a nightmare” Gunner's voice reached Thorn, the Mercurian gripping his arm as they trudged along. “This hellish world, haunted by these pitiful ghosts of men."
"No wonder Martin Cain wouldn't tell anyone about what he'd seen here, when he got back,” muttered Sual Av.