Assignment on Venus

"Assignment on Venus" by Carl Jacobi is a science fiction novella that was published in the early 1940s. The story follows Lieutenant Simms, who faces a moral dilemma while undertaking a perilous mission on Venus. His assignment involves navigating the intricate web of Venusian intrigue and delivering a crucial message, all while contending with the dangers posed by both the environment and the treacherous individuals he encounters. In the narrative, Simms is tasked with delivering a sealed cylinder to headquarters, but he finds himself caught in a conflict between his duty to the service and the unethical plans of a group of Earthmen seeking to exploit the rejuvenation properties of the Venusian "Deleon" Salts. As he grapples with the implications of his actions—ultimately leading to his defiance against the space-rat Halleck—Simms must navigate through hostile terrain, outsmart adversaries, and decide between avenging the nobler principles he believes in or succumbing to the risks of betrayal. The story culminates with Simms facing dire consequences, revealing the complexities of honor and duty in a treacherous and exotic world. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Carl Richard Jacobi was an American journalist and writer. He wrote short stories in the horror and fantasy genres for the pulp magazine market, appearing in such pulps of the bizarre and uncanny as Weird Tales, Ghost Stories, Startling Stories, Thrilling Wonder Stories and Strange Stories. He also wrote stories crime and adventure which appeared in such pulps as Thrilling Adventures, Complete Stories, Top-Notch, Short Stories, The Skipper, Doc Savage and Dime Adventures Magazine. Jacobi also produced some science fiction, mainly space opera, published in such magazines as Planet Stories. He was one of the last surviving pulp-fictioneers to have contributed to the legendary American horror magazine Weird Tales during its "glory days". His stories have been translated into French, Swedish, Danish and Dutch.