E-text prepared by Greg Weeks, Graeme Mackreth, and the Project Gutenberg Online Distributed Proofreading Team (http://www.pgdp.net) Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this file which includes the original illustration. See 31009-h.htm or 31009-h.zip: (https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/31009/pg31009-images.html) or (https://www.gutenberg.org/files/31009/31009-h.zip) Transcribers note: This etext was produced from _Amazing Stories_ June, 1960. Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed. IF AT FIRST YOU DON'T ... by JOHN BRUDY [Illustration: ILLUSTRATOR VARGA] _To Amos Jordan, Secretary for Cislunar Navigation, no situation was unsolvable. There were rules for everything, weren't there.... Except maybe this thing ..._ "What's the matter, anyway?" Amos Jordan snapped at his assistant. "Is everyone in the Senate losing their mind?" "No more than usual," said Clements, the undersecretary. "It's just a matter of sentiment." "Sentiment?" Jordan poured himself a glass of lemonade. "What's sentiment got to do with it? It's just a standard procedural problem." "Well, not exactly," began Clements soothingly. "After all, now, '58 Beta was the first long-lived satellite ever launched, and the first successful shot of the old Vanguard series. People are proud if it. It's a sort of monument to our early efforts in astronautics." * * * * * Jordan sipped experimentally, adding a little sugar. "But, Clem, the sky's full of the things," he complained. "There must be a hundred fifty of them in orbit right now. They're a menace to navigation. If this one's due to fall out, I say good riddance." Clements spread his hands helplessly. "I agree, chief. But, believe me, a lot of people have made up their minds about this thing. Some want to let it burn up. Some want to retrieve it and stash it in a museum. Either way it's a decision we're not going to reach in this office." Jordan tossed down the rest of his lemonade. "I'd like to know why not," he snapped, almost bristling. "Well, frankly this thing is moving pretty fast." Clements fished a facsimile sheet out of his jacket pocket. "Everybody's getting into the act." He handed the sheet across the desk. "Read this; it'll bring you up to date." Jordan stared at the sheet. "_Senate Committee Probes Beta,_" ran the lead, followed by,