Without that focal point of endeavour, like the nucleus of a cell, it may be that society tends to lose its purpose, to disintegrate. The psychology of a social perversion-neurosis is very complex. However, the situation is under control. When we have apprehended the Koralin woman and test four-six-five, we shall be able to enforce complete stability once more.
Until then…
The explosion flung one of the windows of the room inwards in a cascade of glass splinters. The building shook as if in the steel grip of an earthquake. Alarmed, Aubretia dropped Valinia’s letter to the floor and crossed cautiously to the window.
There was something wrong with the sky. Towards the east the deepening purple of approaching night was aflame with a livid, orange stain. An alarm bell sounded remotely, echoing from the walls of the buildings lining the cavernous streets. As she watched incandescence burst into spontaneous life further south, in the direction of the Department of Statistics. Another shuddering explosion occurred. More alarm bells, and in the road far below the distant murmur of excited voices grew.
She stared in horror at the glowing stains of destruction in the sky. “It has started,” she told herself fearfully. “Things are worse than Valinia said. All because of one male child. This is the end of all things…”
But a voice in the darkness of her mind whispered: “This is only the beginning…”
Publisher’s Postscript
While the manuscript of World Without Men was being prepared for publication, the staff of Ace Books were startled to see two news items, appearing independently, which unexpectedly underline the credibility of Charles Eric Maine’s novel. One appeared in a story in the New York Times, for Oct. 16, 1957. This told of the announcement at a meeting of a “planned parenthood” society of advanced work on a “synthetic steroid tablet” to be taken orally to create a limited period of sterility. Several such projects are being experimented with in various laboratories, with a certain amount of success.
The other item is from the Nov. 9. 1957 issue of Science News Letter, the cover of which featured a photo of a healthy young turkey created by parthenogenesis without the aid of a male parent The article spoke of new advances in the technique of producing spontaneous embryos” in poultry by a method of vaccinating the females of the species.
Revision 1.0 GMan