Astounding Science Fiction, British Edition — page 43: what you’re looking at

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

ILL WIND 4] what caused them: recurrent deep spring low pressure areas sweeping across the continent as the warmer summer air masses tried to push up from the tropics. The tremendous cyclone was over Kansas and was displacing air all over Mexico and the southwestern United States. On the broad expanses of New Mexico were few barriers to offer ground friction to the wind. The anemometer had indi- cated a steady fifty-five-mile wind at Operations. The loading tower was shivering and screaming. On the platform at lock level, Dan could feel the entire struc- ture swaying. And the full realization of the terrible force of the wind sud- denly dawned on him. A sick feeling _ welled up inside him, and he began to doubt himself. He was a fool! He should have stayed in Las Cruces! This was sheer death, this thing he was going to do. But Bill Eaton, Frank Schultz, and Ed Freeman were behind him. He walked through the lock. Inside, things weren’t any better. The wind moaned around the hull, causing big skin sections to -oil-can with booming reports. He could feel a slight sway to the deck. Bill climbed into his couch and started strapping in. “Dan, I’m going to quit and take up cotton farming. Only weevils, drought, fire, flood, and acts of God to worry about.” “Worry about those gyros right now,’ Dan shot back. He settled his helmet comfortably, fastened his straps, and plugged in. “What’s the minus time?” ‘Twelve minutes to zero.” “Right. Get out the cook book. Electrical check first, components next. Ready?” *“Ready.”’ He moved through the functional checks automatically. Things appeared as in a dream, and he felt distant and tingling all over. He shouldn’t be doing this! He knew he shouldn't! This was against every basic survival instinct! This was danger! This was death! You’re scared! he told himself. You've faced danger before! Get into orbit, boy! This is no worse than a first- lift test! Yet he knew it was. ‘Two minutes to zero . . . Mark!” Bill announced. He wasn’t scared any more. In- stinctively, he slipped into the groove. He didn’t want to have to think now; he wanted to concentrate on his job. “All Boards to FLY! Stand by to lift ship! All stations report!” he snapped. *“Co-pilot,” Biull replied levelly. “All control circuits ready. Gyros tracking and autopilot tape feeding. Ready on first star fix.” “Power ready,” Jake Motris’ voice came through. “Booster squib lines hot! Power plant at pre-launch and tanks pressurizing! Cut-off circuit hot as of .. . now!” A red light winked on Dan’s panel. “If she gives you trouble and you lose her, Dan, try to program her up-wind! Ill stand by to dump propellants!” “Tm flying this ship! You twist her tail and don’t dump or cut-off unless I tell you! Pll give the orders! Ed, how are conditions?” “IT can barely read White Sands Control.” “How about it, Frank?”’ “Are you kidding? The screens look like a raging blizzard!” “One minute to zero ... Mark!’’ ‘Bill cut in. A gust of wind shivered the ship. For a moment, Dan thought she was going over. He felt and saw the control room sway and start to tip. But he suppressed these sensations from his connicloooks.c© im