When you have an engine with no fuel, and fuel without an engine, and a life-and-death deadline to meet, you have a problem indeed. Unless you are a stubborn Dutchman--and Jan Van Artevelde was the stubbornest Dutchman on Venus.
All space was electrified as that harsh challenge rang out. but John Endlich hesitated. For he saw beyond his own murder--saw the horror and destruction his death would unleash--and knew he dared not fight back!
Generally speaking, human beings are fine buck-passers--but there's one circumstance under which they refuse to pass on responsibility. If the other fellow says "Your method won't solve the problem!"--then they get mad!
This story centers on an evil-twin witch who impersonates her sister, the queen, in order to take over the Khauran kingdom. Will she succeed in her evil plan? Not if Conan has anything to do with it!
One of the beautiful things about a delusion is that no matter how mad someone gets at it. he can't do it any harm. Therefore a delusion can be a fine thing for prodding angry belligerents....
The Committee had, unquestionably, made a mistake. There was no doubt that Edie had achieved the long-sought cancer cure. but awarding the Nobel Prize was, nonetheless, a mistake.
As soon as I'm well we'll go to Mars for a vacation again," Alice would say. But now she was dead, and the surgeons said she was not even human. In his misery, Hastings knew two things: he loved his wife; but they had never been off Earth!