Authentic Science Fiction, December 1951 — page 26: what you’re looking at

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

24 THE MOON IS HEAVEN a quick kiss. He’s trying to be happy, but finding it a little difficult. It’s not so very different, you think. Not so very different from a terminal railway station in wartime, with the men off to battle and the kids off to the safety of the countryside. Some are glad, some are sad, some are just indifferent. And that’s the way it.is here—only, very few are indifferent. Leeson climbs into the air-lock, both its doors wide open now. Another shout goes up from the crowd and you can almost feel the telephoto lenses peering at you on the end of the television cameras back among the mob, and the com- mentator’s excited voice telling the world that the pilot has boarded the rocket. Clavier bids an emotional adieu to all and sundry, turning his face towards the place where he knows the cameras are, and then climbs in after Leeson. Schnabel is next, and he does it with Teutonic abruptness, simply giving everyone a curt nod. Then the row really starts as Reina starts up the ladder. Even in her slacks and at that distance, her flaming hair -must make her unmistakable. You can imagine just how confused the commentator must be, searching for words try- ing to keep his mind on the job.. Even the London Circle let out a great murmur—a murmur which rapidly changes to a cheer. Then with a quick wave of her hand, Reina is gone from view inside the ship. It’s your turn. Your handshakes are done, your partings over. You place a. foot on the ladder and begin to climb, trying to ignore the sickly feeling way down inside you. It seems a long way up and the hand rails are hot. When you get to the air lock, your legs are playing tricks. But you have to keep up appearances so you turn and wave to them on the ground, the little pool of upturned faces. They wave back, You swing round and enter the rocket, just as Atah Kark begins to come up. Once inside, you forget about Earth and the ground. From comicbooks.com