Astounding Science Fiction, British Edition — page 9: what you’re looking at

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

. AND A STAR was more profitable—providing the - planetary markets did not fluctuate too much while the ship was between them. There were only two couches. Into the remaining space, the skipper had put a good deal of surplus Space Force gear: a ballistic computer, a prismatic astrostat, a small differential and integral calculator, and a precision novant. There was a large desk around one quarter of the compartment. Vanderhoff was seated at this, ‘filling paper with figures and noting results in little black notebooks. He finally turned around, slamming a notebook as he did so. ‘““How much profit on the load?” Garver inquired. “Damn little! Two ships with identical loads were in here three days before me. The demand was yanked down on me,” Vanderhoff complained. He pointed down. “‘Can you fix this tub up?” “Of course.” ‘“How long?” After thinking a moment, Garver answered, *‘Give me three weeks.”’ Vanderhoff thought this over for a considerable time. Garver could almost feel the man thinking. Finally, cold blue eyes met his. “What do you need?” “A welding outfit, a jack, a couple of floor plates, some new control rods, and probably a new pump bearing. I'd like to replace the pump, but I don’t think we could find another one on Mars.” The skipper nodded slowly. “All right. Go to it. Maybe you can get this clunker working reliably.” “I saw that landing. Nice work.” “It stunk!” “What happened?” Vanderhoff leaned back and offered Garver a cigarette. “I shouldn’t tell you.” TO STEER HER BY” 7 Lighting the skipper’s cigarette, Garver replied, “Look, Captain, if I thought my luck had run out, I ~wouldn’t have come over. I don’t - mind taking chances; it’s only when they don’t pay off that it hurts, I like your ship. She’s going to Terra; I want to go to Terra. What hel pened?” There was silence for a ‘moment as Vanderhoff blew smoke. ‘‘O’Conner knew, but he’ll never tell us. I heard him yell that there was trouble aft before he went.” “Know the cause?” “Cause?” Vanderhoff exploded. “This tub’s fourteen years old! That’s the cause!’’ He quieted down quickly and took several. short puffs on his cigarette. “The only thing that holds this bucket together is the mortgage. In fact, the mortgage is so large it affects the mass-ratio!”” He broke off and picked up a sheet of paper. “Still want to sign?” “Why not?” “Carrying League bond and insur- ance?”’ **1’m still under their bond,’’ Garver explained, “but I’ve already collected a lump sum on the disability i insurance. I'll sign a waiver.’ Vanderhoff looked at him. “You really want to get back, don’t you?” “Yes. Where’s the dotted line?” He took the paper from the skipper, gave it a quick-glance reading, and saw that it was the standard contract for shares. Scribbling a waiver at the bottom of the page, he signed his name and handed it back. Vanderhoff glanced at the chrono- meter as he slipped the contract into the desk. “Hour off for lunch, then get started on that power room.” He walked to the bottom of the ladder leading. forward to the electronics compartment and yelled, ‘Winch! Chow down!” There was the sound of footsteps on / COnMiElooolkSacornn