Authentic Science Fiction, December 1951 — page 57: what you’re looking at

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

THE MOON IS HEAVEN 55 “ That’d- be fine,” Atah smiles. ‘‘ Get your helmet on then.”’ As you swing din off the mattress, another figure looms up in the dimness. It’s Reina, “I’m coming, too,’’ she says. ‘‘ I want to see the Moon!” Atah chuckles. ‘‘ All right. , Come if you will. But it’s not going to be a luxury tour.’ You. laugh, and the Tenakis disturbs another sleeper. Leeson. He sits up with a jerk and stares around. He yawns and flops back on his mattress. Then he jerks up again sud- denly and swings himself down. ““ Where’s everybody going without me?’’ he asks, stifling another yawn. ‘‘ You wouldn’t be doing the shanghai trick, would you? Leaving me here just because I fell into a snow pit!’” ~“‘ Okay, okay,’’ Atah says. ‘‘ Let everybody come! Why not wake Clavier and let out a yell for Schnabel? Then we could all push off and leave the dome unattended!” He reaches down for his helmet and has it on before any- body else. You reach for your own and pull it on. Then you catch sight of the sleeping chemist. “What about Clavier?’’ you ask Atah. ‘‘ Do we e let him sleep?’ Atah nods. ‘“‘ Yes. He probably needs it, being an emotional type. And anyway there ought to be someone here to keep an eye on the electrolysis gear.’’ Reina giggles into the radio. ‘‘ Fat lot of eye-keeping he’s going to do.’’ “* He'll wake if anything goes wrong,”’ Atah says. ‘‘ These chemists have an instinct! Let’s get going anyway.” After checking your suits, Atah and Leeson step into the air-lock. You wait with Reina while they pass through. There are one or two things you’d like to say to her, but there’s only the radio and what you want to say wouldn’t apply to Leeson and Atah. When the all-clear buzz sounds, you open the inner door and wave Reina into the lock. You comicbooks.com