Astounding Science Fiction, British Edition, December 1955 — page 123: what you’re looking at

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

THE LONG WAY HOME 121 “Carry on,” said Valti. Even a nuclear explosion had to be very close to do much damage in vacuum. But a single shell which did touch the ship before going off would make molten rain of her. ““Here comes Chanthavar,” said Valti. “I have an idea. He’ll be listening in on the radio, so—’’ He flipped the keys. ““Hello, Thrymka. Hello, there. The Solarians are going to be on us in a minute. I like them even less than you, so let’s settle our own differences later, shall we?” There was no reply. The Thrymans never wasted speech, and they must see through such a transparent fraud. But two Solar cruisers were sweeping in, and they had heard. The nearest turned in a graceful arc which would have been impossible without the gravity drive, and opened fire on the Thryman ship. Valti whooped and sent his vessel surging forward. One craft could not withstand the assault of two. The screens did not show that eye-searing detonation. They refused the load, went blank, and when they functioned again a few seconds later the Thrymans were a rapidly expanding cloud of gas. The two Solar warcraft circled cautiously, probing at the nomad with a few shells and beams. A siren hooted. Valti laughed aloud. “The superdrive is ready. We can pull out of here now.” “Wait,” said Langley. “Call them up. I want to speak to them.” “But they may fall on us together while we parley and—”’ ‘‘Man, Earth has got to know too! Call them!”’ But it was Chanthavar who came in first. His voice snapped crisply from the communicator: “‘Hello, there, Society. Stand by to be boarded.” ‘“Not so fast, buster.”’ Langley leaned over Valti’s shoulder, seeking the microphone. “We can pull a switch and be ten light-years away, but I’ve got something to tell you.” “Oh .. . you.’ Chanthavar’s tone held something close to amusement. “You again! My respect for amateurs has gone up considerably tonight. I'd like to have you on my staff.”’ “You won’t. Now listen.’’ Langley rattled off what he knew as fast as he could. : AS TO UND ING Is a Street & Smith a ntileeatrehe | | so, also, are these two popular magazines— MYSTERY | DETECTIVE DETECTIVE MONTHLY containing first-class tales of crime and detection. | [- each at all newsagents