Astounding Science Fiction (British Edition) — page 130: what you’re looking at

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

128 support Martian life. Mercury is too hot, Venus has no land surface and an atmosphere poisonous to us. The force of gravity of Jupiter would crush us and all of its moons are—like yours —airless. The outer planets are im- possibly cold. “So we are faced with the necessity, if we wish to survive, to move to Earth—peaceably if you submit; for- cibly if we must use force. And we have weapons that can destroy the population of Earth within days.” _ ‘Just a minute,” I yelled. “If you think for a minute that you can—”’ The critter who had been aiming a flashlight at me lowered it at my knees and, as I started toward the one who’d been operating the speaker contraption, he pushed a button. My knees suddenly went rubber and I fell down. Also I shut up. My legs just didn’t work at all. I had to use my arms to get to a sitting position so I could see what was going on. Flapjack was braying. “True,” the speaker said. “That would be the best solution for both of us. We do not wish to occupy— by force or otherwise—an already civilized planet. If you can really suggest another answer to our prob- lem—” Flapjack brayed. “Thank you,” said the loud- speaker. “I am sure that will work out. Why we did not think of it our- selves I cannot imagine. We appre- ciate your assistance immeasurably ; we offer you our heartfelt gratitude. We leave with good will in our hearts. We shall not return.”’ THE ASTOUNDING SCIENCE FICTION My knees worked again and I got up. I didn’t go anywhere, though. My knees had been out of commission for a full minute and I was thinking that if that flashlight thing had been pointed higher and had stopped my heart working for a full minute [ wouldn’t be worrying about my knees. Flapjack brayed just once more, and not for long this time. The funny- looking critters began to take their contraption with the speaker apart and carry it a piece at a time back to the big ball they’d come in. It and them were all back in the balloon that wasn’t a balloon in ten minutes, about, and the door in it closed. The bottom of it began to fire up again and I ran back to where my tent was and watched from there. And all of a sudden the contraption whooshed upward and disappeared almost straight up into the sky. Flapjack came strolling over toward me, kind of avoiding my eyes, like. “You think you're pretty smart, don’t you?” I asked him. He wouldn’t answer me. But I guess he did think so. Later on that same day he stole my pan- cakes again. And that’s the whole story, partner. That’s how Flapjack saved the world from the Martians. You want to know what he told ’em? Well, I'd like to know, too, but he won't tell me. Hey, Flapjack, come over here. You had enough beer for tonight. All right, partner, here he is. You ask him. Maybe he'll tell you. Or maybe he won't. Flapjack’s a caution, Flapjack is. But go ahead and ask him. END EComichbooks.. co mM