Astounding Science Fiction, British Edition — page 13: what you’re looking at

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

- AND A STAR TO STEER HER BY” 11 carefully, hoping the ship wouldn’t blow when he pulled the rods and opened the valves. He grew more nervous as the day wore on. Twice he checked the cargo hold to make sure their load of steel was fastened securely. Going outside, he went over the ground tackle, making sure the magnetic clamps would not foul when they were dropped at X-30 seconds. It was X-45 minutes when he started . up the gantry lift again and met Van- derhoff at the lock. “Secured below?” the stocky little Dutchman asked. Garver glanced down at the tarmac two hundred feet below. The splash pit was filling with water, and the. ground crews were picking up around the base of the gantry crane. “All secure, Skipper.”’ " Contemplating the white sides of the ship, Vanderhoff remarked, “Well, will she lift, Garv?”’ “I hope so.” “Aren’t you sure?” “I’ve done my best, that’s all I know. It can lift if it feels like it.”’ At minus-30 minutes, Garver saluted the jets in accordance with old tradition, then stepped into the lock ahead of Vanderhoff. Inside, the skipper turned to him. “Seal her up, Garv. Let’s take our flight stations.” Down in his power room, Garver | made a series of hasty, last-minute inspections. He was nervous with that gritting tension of anxiety. His stomach was somewhere between his neck and lower ribs, and it was hard and mighty uncomfortable. Minutes ticked away slowly, each dragging into the next. At minus-15, he saw the red-green light wink on his board—prepare for lifting. Outside, he heard the siren shriek, clearing the ground crew from the area. There was a rumble as the gantry began to move out of the way. In control, Vanderhoff started the gyros at minus-12 on the button, and Garver began to change the ship’s atmosphere to the oxy-helium space mix. ‘All stations report!’ Vanderhoff’s voice bellowed over the bull horn. Garver climbed onto his cot and picked up his throat mike. “Engi- neering secure!” “Electronics secure!’’? came Winch’s voice from the electronics compart- ment where he would remain until taking his couch in the control room at minus-2. 7 “Preliminary circuit checks!” the skipper ordered. Putting his board on TEST, Garver ran a quick check of his power-room circuits. ““Power room! Circuits clear and secure!”’ “Electronics ready!” “Power room, energize your fire- box!’’ Vanderhoff snapped. Carefully, very carefully, Garver manipulated the pile controls, with- drawing the rods a bit at a time until the pile had come up to pre-lift heat. “Firebox hot!’ He heard nothing more as he watched his indicators. The power room was filled with small noises which were amplified by Garver in his tension. The temperature reached a plateau and leveled; the neutron count held steady. ‘““Minus-5 minutes! All hands to lift Stations !”” Garver adjusted his straps and laid his head back on its rest, his eyes on the pancl overhead. “All boards clear to FLY!” Garver felt out the switch on his panel and threw it without looking, knowing by feel that it was the one to put his board on to the active circuits. His left hand felt out the pump switches. The adrenalin in his blood stream made his heart pound against his ribs. comicbooks: