Get out of our skies!

by Henry Slesar

"Get out of our skies!" by E. K. Jarvis is a science fiction novella published in the late 1950s. The story delves into the world of public relations and the lengths to which individuals will go to manipulate perception, particularly regarding space exploration. The plot centers around a public relations disaster when Tom Blacker, a PR executive, orchestrates a controversial publicity stunt involving a giant projection of a celebrity face in the sky, leading to unforeseen consequences. The narrative follows Tom Blacker as he attempts to salvage his career after the disastrous stunt that got him fired. He soon encounters Livia Cord, who offers him a new job with a mysterious organization called Homelovers, Incorporated. As he learns more about the company's true motives—specifically their desire to sabotage space exploration in order to protect their interests from their home planet, Antamunda—he realizes the depths of their manipulation. The story takes a darker turn when Tom uncovers a plot involving the mortality of the Antamundans, their history, and their ultimate goal of colonizing Mars before Earth does. Ultimately, Tom grapples with moral dilemmas and the consequences of lies in the pursuit of self-preservation, forcing him to make choices that could alter the fate of both worlds.