Mitchell Courtenay, the narrator of this story, had three grave problems—his wife Kathy, who refused to finalize their conditional marriage; the planet Venus; and the Conservationists, commonly known as “Connies” an outlawed organization.

Kathy, a brilliant surgeon, disliked Courtenay's ideals. As a young star class copysmith in Fowler Schocken Associates, the largest advertising agency on Earth, Courtenay was dedicated to the highest principle of this completely free enterprise society: Sales. Only through sales, he held, could the economy expand indefinitely. Kathy bitterly wanted to know why it had to, a question that, to Courtenay, was little short of commercial heresy.

Courtenay is selected to head the Venus Project, a contract granted by the Incorporated United States of America to develop and exploit Earth's sister planet.

Danger and mayhem ensue as Courtenay struggles to stay alive. . .

Originally published as a 3-part serial in Galaxy Science Fiction magazine’s June, July and August 1952 issues.

Frederick Pohl

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