Astounding Science Fiction (British edition) — page 63: what you’re looking at

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

SHARE OUR WORLD 61 They had reached the bend in the corridor; if they kept on they’d be in sight of the main air lock—people coming and going. Chang stopped, shaken, and looked up at Balch. He looked down at her, questioning. His face was very dark and calm, and his long arms were strong. Chang felt tears coming to her eyes, which she thought was absurd. “Tim, will you kiss me? You’ve never even kissed me.”’ He did, and then he lifted her up in the air, laughing, while she kissed him many times. “Your hair is so curly, Balch,” she said gayly, “my cheek tingles when I touch it.” Instantly She was afraid he’d be hurt by her lack of seriousness. “I’m sorry’— she pressed her forehead into his shoulder—Tim, I do love you. Will you put me down now?” They stood looking at each other; occasionally she leaned against his chest. Tim said lightly, “My people say the man’s supposed to ask for the kiss; that’s the tradition.” “Your people? Where are you from, anyway?” “New Shreveport. Mostly Ameri- cans there. You're from Tsitsihar, aren’t you?” “Yes. My people have strange tradi- tions too, if you go back far enough. I don’t care.” *“You know, we could be married at least for a few years. Then later, if you wanted to stay here and I wanted to (pan “Oh, no, no, that’s not what I want.” She was going to go on; but the full warmth of the kiss was just reach- ing her now, and she didn’t want to think. ““We’ll decide soon. Not now.” In a few moments she gave him a final, small kiss and led him in the direction of the air lock. ‘‘Soon,”’ she said, “‘something will happen.” Something did. V. They heard from outside shouts of “Back! Get back!” then almost at once a loud crash. Simultaneously they broke into a run. When they reached the air lock they looked down on a scene that at first made no sense at all. To the right and to the left stood the ball players, in various attitudes of bewilderment. Their playing field had been separated down the middle, right in front of the air lock, by two multi-trunked trees which had fallen straight toward the ship. The trees, very supple like most of those in the forest, had bent double in falling, and now stood arched, with only their bases and tips resting on the ground, holding each other up. Only Melkote ignored the situation; he was bent over one of his tanks, down to the left against the side of the ship. Overhead the copter hovered. Balch called, ““Anyone hurt?” Someone shouted, “No, nobody was in the way.” Another voice: “Hey, it’s Balch and Chang! Listen, you two, what do your friends think they’re doing?” Chang said, “Was it the nibblies?” “What do you think?” answered Issy Jones, pointing to the forest edge where the trees had fallen from. A herd stood there, in conference. “Must have been them.” ‘‘Well? Was it accidental, or were they aiming at us?” Balch answered, “It wasn’t acci- dental. Maybe they’re fed up with us.” Chang quickly added, “Or maybe something else. If they’d been aiming at you, they probably wouldn’t have missed.” A new voice broke in. The copter had descended till it was level with conniicloooks.conn