"Yes, I know," murmured Var Dalum. "I newscasted a resume of the whole situation this morning, so the people will be prepared if the Commander's report tonight is negative."
"I didn't hear it. Will you read it to me?"
Pulling a tablet from a rack, the Chief Scribe commenced reading.
"It is now almost four years since Commander Ros Vinla set out to discover a planet or planets in some other solar system that would relieve the food shortage and lack of living space now prevailing here.
"In that time the spaceship 'Norga II' has visited eleven solar systems and reported on one hundred and thirty-nine planets. Of the latter, one hundred and three are uninhabited and unsuitable for colonization; nineteen can be made suitable and we have already dispatched colonists to twelve of them. It will, however, be several years before they can produce food to any practical amount. Of the remaining seventeen, nine are inhabited by beings in a primitive stage of development, who are at present hostile; we are endeavoring to establish friendly relations with them, but, owing to their low mentality, progress will doubtless be slow. The remaining eight are inhabited by beings similar to us and friendly relations have been established. Unfortunately, they have very little living space and food to spare; certainly not enough to be of any practical help to us at present.
"Ten days ago the 'Norga II' entered the solar system marked on your space-charts as System A93. This consists of a sun and nine planets. Only three of these are inhabited. One of these is a dying planet, arid and thin-aired, and it can barely support its own rapidly diminishing population. The second is too watery to support any life except the amphibious creatures native to it. The third is the one Commander Ros Vinla will report on tonight.
"It is with regret I warn you that, should this planet prove unsuitable for our purpose, the 'Norga II' will have to return to Norga immediately. The Commander has informed me he has barely sufficient supplies to last him the return trip. After that, time must be spent outfitting the expedition for another trip, time we can ill afford. Furthermore, this expedition having covered all space nearest Norga, the second trip will require much more time to reach unexplored space and will also be unable to cover so large a territory. We can only hope and pray that his next and final report will be one of success."