chill on beautiful iskar!
The interplanetary travel bureau
report by
dylan jeninga

Mars is wondrous, Venus is exotic, and no one would argue that Mercury isn't the best place in the system to catch some rays, but if you're looking for a vacation off the beaten path then we of the ITB suggest that gem of the Asteroid Belt: the dwarf planet Iskar!

Thanks to its isolation (the planetoid having only recently been discovered by Earthly explorers), Iskar retains miles of pristine and untouched wilderness. It’s a veritable winter wonderland!  Take in the sparkling crystal ice spires, ski on the enormous snowdrifts, or go for a romantic walk beneath one of Iskar’s famous sights: the gold-speckled night sky of the Asteroid Belt!

When it's time to get inside and warm up, one will find the people of Iskar to be a welcoming and friendly culture. The aboriginal cities are works of wonder; as their planet lacks trees the Iskarians have become artists with stone and ice. The feats of engineering on display often surpass those of Earth’s great ancient cultures. Eat your heart out, Stonehenge!

And of course, the most famous sight on Iskar is the enigmatic Lake of the Gone Forever. While the people of Iskar guard its waters carefully, they will allow it to be viewed at a distance, and native performers routinely put on demonstrations of its incredible power. It's a must-see for any system-trotter worth their salt!

Tickets to Iskar available courtesy of Leigh Brackett. (The Lake of the Gone Forever is available in the collection The Halfling and Other Stories.)

(NOTE: Under Federation Edict 1573.4, Iskar is a sovereign world and all visitors are therefore subject to its laws. As such, women visiting Iskar are advised to adhere to local custom as closely as possible, and to travel with a companion at all times. Interacting with the Lake of the Gone Forever without express permission of the local authorities is also inadvisable. Failure to comply with Iskarian law may have serious consequences.)

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