Authentic Science Fiction, December 1951 — page 18: what you’re looking at

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

16 THE MOON IS HEAVEN And then, one morning at breakfast, out it had come. When the whole crew were sitting round the table tucking into eggs and bacon and liver and chips, Atah had looked across at Reina and said: “You're looking tired, Reina. D’you feel fit?’ The girl had smiled. ‘‘ We’re all looking tired, Atah. Guess we'd better all take a few days’ rest before the blast- off.”’ That was when you had chipped in. ‘‘ What do you want to rest for, you won’t be blasting off?”’ Reina had smiled a superior smile, with a mischievous glint in her eye at the-same time. ‘‘ Oh, won’t I, Mister Observer? Just wait and see!’’ , Everyone had looked up at that. Reina—blasting-off? The whole thing seemed ridiculous. Maybe she had a touch of the sun. But no. Atah was coughing awkwardly and sending Reina a glance that wasn’t the kind good-looking women usually get. “I told -you I hadn’t finally decided, Reina—— ’”’ “Oh, come on, Atah. Face up to it. They might as well know straight away.’”’ She had turned her impudent, flaming head towards you and lifted up her chin, mp tiling her nose. ‘* Gentlemen, I am coming with you to the Moon! I talked Atah into it, and it took some doing, so don’t any of you try to talk him out of it.’’ © Well, she’d dropped her bomb. And the concussion of it held everyone silent while the eggs and the bacon and the liver and the chips got colder and colder. You joined the rest in staring at her silently, until she spoke. “« Mike, for heaven’s sake close your mouth. You look awful!’’ ** But,”’ you said. ‘ But Then Clavier, the chemist, helped you out. His high French eyebrows had risen still higher, his little bit of a beard jutting out like an inverted cactus, expressive hands spreading wide, one with a knife, one with a fork. comicbooks.com