Dateline: MARS
By RICHARD WILSON
It was the story behind the biggest story
on Mars—how Fate had grimly reckoned with
the Rockhead Rastol—but Scott Warren of
Galactic News couldn't write it ... yet.
[Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from
Planet Stories May 1951.
Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that
the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.]
Scott Warren snapped off the vision screen and sat down in front of his typewriter. Through the glass side of the building he could see the lights of the celebrations whose sounds he had just silenced. He lighted a cigarette and started to type out the final edition of Today on Mars for transmission by Interradio to the New York bureau of the Galactic News Service. He started the news roundup:
"IOPA, MARS—(GN)—Events on Mars were at a snailspace today, the midpoint of the traditional three-day Landing Day holiday...."
Scott rolled the paper up in the carriage of his typewriter and jagged a line through what he had written. Four "days" in the same sentence might get past the night desk, but the New York bureau chief would send him a memo about it in the morning.
He started again.
"... Landing Day celebrations on Mars are at their midpoint tonight, with both Earth people and natives...."