 Who wanted to mine Lovenbroy’s minerals?
[Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from Worlds of If Science Fiction, September 1962. Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.] I Second Secretary Magnan took his green-lined cape and orange-feathered beret from the clothes tree. "I don't appreciate frivolity with reference to this Division," Magnan said testily. "When I first came here, the Manpower Utilization Directorate, Division of Libraries and Education was a shambles. "The Bogans have launched no less than four military campaigns in the last two decades. "Breaking and entering," Retief said. But I'm wondering what they'll study on d'Land. That's an industrial world of the poor but honest variety." "Our function is merely to bring them together. I'll leave him to you, Retief," Magnan said. Retief punched Miss Furkle's button. A tall broad man with bronze skin and gray hair, wearing tight trousers of heavy cloth, a loose shirt open at the neck and a short jacket, stepped into the room. "That's nice knuckle work, mister," the stranger said, massaging his hand. "Well, out on Lovenbroy we've got a serious problem. The wine crop is just about ready. Now I don't know if you're familiar with the Bacchus vines we grow...?" "Bacchus vines are an unusual crop," he said, puffing the cigar alight. In between, the vines don't need a lot of attention, so our time's mostly our own. Folks can't spend all their time hybridizing plants. We've turned all the land area we've got into parks and farms. Lovenbroy's a nice place, Mr. Retief." "It sounds like it, Mr. Arapoulous. We've got long seasons back home. Five of 'em. Cold as hell in winter; eccentric orbit, you know. Blue-black sky, stars visible all day. Lots of skiing, bob-sledding, ice skating; and it's the season for woodworkers. Our furniture—" "I've seen some of your furniture," Retief said. "All local timbers too. Lots of metals in our soil and those sulphates give the woods some color, I'll tell you. Lots of beach on Lovenbroy; we're mostly islands. The theatres are set up on the sand, or anchored off-shore. You have the music and the surf and the bonfires and stars—we're close to the center of a globular cluster, you know...."
 Boge
 Croanie  MUDDEL  Boge  Lovenbroy neighbors