One touch of Terra

"One Touch of Terra" by Hannes Bok is a science fiction story written in the mid-20th century. This narrative unfolds in a small mining settlement on Venus, exploring themes of belonging, love, and the clash of cultures. The tale mainly centers on Trixie O'Neill, a middle-aged woman who represents the last connection to Earth for the miners, focusing on her emotional ties to her home and the implications of her choice to possibly leave Finchburg for Mars. The story follows Trixie's life in the mining camp as she clings to her dandelions—symbolic of her connection to Earth—while grappling with feelings of neglect and exploitation by the miners who rely on her kindness. When Goreck, a Martian, proposes to take her away, it sparks an uproar among the townsfolk who view her departure as a loss of their link to Terra. Torn between her desire for respect and her loyalty to the men who’ve come to rely on her, Trixie’s journey reveals the complexities of identity and community. Ultimately, after a tumultuous turn of events, Trixie realizes her value is more than just the nurturing aspect she has provided to the miners, leading to a powerful, if complicated, resolution that highlights her strength and self-worth. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Wayne Francis Woodard, known by the pseudonym Hannes Bok, was an American artist and illustrator, as well as an amateur astrologer and writer of fantasy fiction and poetry. He painted nearly 150 covers for various science fiction, fantasy, and detective fiction magazines, as well as contributing hundreds of black and white interior illustrations. Bok's work graced the pages of calendars and early fanzines, as well as dust jackets from specialty book publishers like Arkham House, Llewellyn, Shasta Publishers, and Fantasy Press. His paintings achieved a luminous quality through the use of an arduous glazing process, which was learned from his mentor, Maxfield Parrish. Bok shared one of the inaugural 1953 Hugo Awards for science fiction achievement.