Adventures in the Far Future & Tales of Outer Space — page 193: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

observation. “One eighty azimuth, zero inclination, on heading,” he said. “Ready to fire.” Goodrich punched the firing switch once. There was a single sharp jolt. “Now get me range and speed,” he said. He studied the Sphere narrowly, thumb on the firing switch. It soun slowly, oblivious to their activity. “| make it twelve hundred yards range, about one foot- second relative velocity now,” McKay said. “O.K.” Goodrich rubbed at his chin. Twelve hundred yards range made Bertha’s diameter around eighty feet. Big. There could be a lot inside a sphere that size. He glanced down at the Earth. The North Atlantic seaboard beneath them was dark now, they would be in the Shadow in a few more minutes. “O.K.” he said. “Let’s get a few more pictures while we can. They swung the ship again to bring the nose camera to bear and took pictures until they swung into the shadow. “Secure the cameras,” Goodrich said. Bertha hidden in darkness for the thirty-six minutes they took to pass through the shadow was not a comfortable companion. Goodrich could make out the sphere at times, as it occluded the stars, and after a while he began to get a panicky feeling it was closing in on him. “Take a look at Bertha, Mac,” he said. “Does she look any bigger to you?” The navigator studied the screen carefully. “I believe it is,” he said slowly. lt was an uneasy idea. He watched the screen carefully, measuring with his eye the span between stars obscured by the sphere. The image was growing larger, he was Sure. “You know, Mac,” he said, “does it strike you funny that we haven't seen a sign of life from that thing? Do you CORniclooo SS CO