The Agile Algolian

a novel by KENDELL FOSTER CROSSEN

Illustration by VIRGIL FINLAY

[Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from Thrilling Wonder Stories Winter 1954. Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.]

Author's Note

There have been so many letters[1] asking how Manning Draco got started and how he developed a secondary mind shield (the only one among the Terrans) that I have decided to take you back in time—back to the year 3470, when Manning Draco was unaware that he had any abilities other than the talents of an ordinary insurance investigator and a first-class ogler of shapely girls.—K.F.C.

[1] Well, there was one letter.

I

Manning Draco had been out of the hospital for the better part of two weeks, but the Medical Monopoly had kept him hanging around on Rigil Kentaurus while the pharmaceutical pundits scratched their heads and muttered the mystical phrases of their profession. If it hadn't been for a generous supply of nurses, who were interested in a quite different branch of research, Manning might well have fused his jets in frustration.

Six months had passed since the accident. That night he had just finished the case of the Dented Denebian and was relaxing in the Twilight Zone of Sin City on Hamal. He had made the mistake of getting into an argument with a six-armed Kochabian and had been thoroughly and scientifically trounced. He had come to a week later in the hospital. Diagnosis: various severe bruises, six broken ribs, one broken leg, and concussion.

He had, however, healed nicely and a month before his release had progressed to the point where he could chase, and catch, the fleetest nurses. His release was only a formality until he came to the cybernetic mind-reading required of all head-injury patients before they were permitted to return to work. He had gone through many a cybernetic M-R, but this time something went wrong. The machine blew a fuse. When it was repaired, they tried again. The reading revealed that there was only one thought in Manning Draco's head, a performance considerably below par for the average 

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