"Radar Stations report that no sign of space operations by any
agency other than the Venus Rocket have been observed. Even the
early warning screen operating along the coast of California and
Lower California has nothing to report. The signal of distress is
obviously false, and Dusty Britton will be asked to show just
cause for emitting such a report."
A statement from the United States Coast Guard:
"Search and rescue squadrons of the Coast Guard were in flight
above the schooner Buccaneer within an hour after the interrupted
distress signal from Dusty Britton. The schooner appeared to be in
excellent condition and was making its way back towards land when
sighted. Radio challenges were ignored but upon flying low, Dusty
Britton and an unknown woman were seen waving from the deck. There
seemed to be no signs of distress, but a Coast Guard cutter is
speeding to the ship and is expected to make contact in the next
few hours."
Excerpt from the column of Garry Granger:
"What actor, long noted for his derring-do and his exemplary
behaviour has been in unchaperoned company with a nubile young
female in romantic surroundings? In our youth, heroes were only
permitted to kiss their horses. We applaud the approach to reality,
but then we are no longer a youth."
From the teletypes of _The Worldwide Press_:
"Dusty Britton today arrived in port, bearing a tale of a Galactic
Civilization called Marandis. This Galactic Government it seems,
intends to move the Earth to another sun because our position
interferes with their program of running Galactic Highways back and
forth across the trackless wastes of space. Moving Earth is a simple
process, according to Dusty Britton. A mere matter of barytrine
fields, machinus forces, phanoband carriers, and a general
abandonment of the theory of general relativity.
"From the viewpoint of the scientists interviewed following this
claim, Dusty Britton may or may not have been reading one of his
own scripts. Knowing Dusty Britton of old, we are inclined to call
this one: _Manuscript Found In A Bottle_ with a deep nod at Edgar
Allen Poe for the use of his title.
"Dr. Foster of the Wellmann Observatory suggested that enough of
Dusty Britton's story was logical to make it sound good. A race
traversing the galaxy at hundreds of light-years per hour would
find variable stars helpful if used as beacons. But Dr. Foster
said that Britton's story was illogically incomplete. If this
outfit has the machinery necessary to move a planet, why not move
the stars themselves and create a straightaway passage from one
end to the other without curves in the course?"
From The Wall Street Journal: