The Menace From Earth - Plot Summary

Plot Summary

The story is set in the near future, when the Moon is colonized with people living in underground cities. The "menace" of the title is a beautiful woman tourist who visits the Moon colony and is assigned a young guide named Holly, a 15-year-old girl and aspiring starship designer who is the first person narrator of the story. Her best friend Jeff develops a crush on the "groundhog" visitor, Ariel. As Jeff spends more time with the visitor, Holly becomes jealous and begins to doubt Jeff's friendship.

Living in an underground city on the Moon, Holly and Jeff's hobby is flying with strap-on wings in a great cavern, made possible because the gravity field is one sixth the strength of Earth's. Ariel wants to try flying, and Holly, in order not to appear jealous, offers to teach her. However, during her first flight, Ariel loses control at a great height, falling toward the ground. Holly swoops down and saves her life, breaking both arms in the process.

In the hospital afterward, Ariel gently explains some things to Holly. She, Ariel, could never be interested in Jeff, being twice their age. In addition, Jeff is not in love with her but with Holly. After the accident, Jeff rushed up, stepping over and ignoring Ariel to cradle the unconscious Holly in his arms, sobbing. Ariel tactfully leaves when Jeff arrives. After some embarrassed banter, he kisses Holly for the first time.