Authentic Science Fiction, December 1951 — page 37: what you’re looking at

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

tHE MOON IS HEAVEN 35 tadarscope. He is‘now peering into it, staring at the shim- mering screen. You release yourself from the clamps and go across to him. The others, except Leeson, do the same and get there about the same time as you do. You are all in a huddle round Atah and the screen. ‘What iss wrong?’’ Clavier wants to know. ‘‘ Some- thing bad?” : Atah has a frown on his face for the first time since the trip began. That doesn’t look so good. “Pretty bad,’’ he answers, almost absently. ‘‘ Pretty bad. We’re dead above a mountain range. That meteor must have knocked us slightly off course. A tiny change would make a big difference at that distance.”’ “But what does it mean, Atah?’’ Reina says, looking worried. “‘ Is it really serious?’’ That brings Atah to full consciousness of his surroundings. ‘Well, we’ve just got to wait and see. It shouldn’t be long now. Instead of landing on a plain, we’re landing on a mountain range. A number of things may happen.’ He switches off the ’scope and sits down. You know he’s trying to work out ways of avoiding things. You guess he hasn’t got long. He looks across at Leeson, who hasn’t said a word. “When do we touch down, Lee?”’ ‘“ Count twelve from now,’’ Lee answers. ‘‘ As soon as that. I’m sorry.’’ ‘‘ Nothing to be sorry about,’’ Atah returns quickly. ‘You others, grab the mattresses.. We’re liable to get shaken about a bit. Stay where you are until the ship is completely at rest. Don’t try any heroics, Just take it——’’ There’s no sense in his going on. A rasping noise comes from outside and the control room shudders and tilts. You’re grasping your mattress so you don’t fall away, but you can feel the room trying to throw you as if it were a mad horse, pr it were slap in the middle of an earthquake. comicbooks.com