Authentic Science Fiction, December 1951 — page 83: what you’re looking at

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

‘ THE MOON tS HEAVEN 81 “ Gentlemen,’’ he announces. .‘‘ I think it is done.’’ You glance down at your oxygen gauge and reckon it’s just about in time. Another hour and—but there’ s no need to think of that. Not now, you hope. “Tf some of you will go and fetch more snow, the rest of us can go inside and see if it is all right,’’ Clavier adds. That broken pipe had let all the water out of the outside tank, down onto the surface to be vaporised and lost forever as the molecules attained escape velocity and shot off into space. The outside tank is now empty. ‘“What about it, Reina?’’ you ask. ‘‘ Shall we get the snow?”’ ““ Sure,’’ she says, and before anyone can raise an objec- tion, she darts off to get the bags, unceremoniously tipping Atah’s specimens onto the ground. _ Leeson gives you a grin. You don’t know whether it’s because of the specimens or because Reina is coming with yous It doesn’t matter which it is. Leeson is all right. “Quick as you can then,’ Clavier instructs, as the rest of them move off towards the air-lock on the dome. ‘‘ Don’t linger more than is necessary.”’ What did he mean by that, you think. Maybe you’re imagining things. But you are certainly not imagining Reina’s hand in yours as you both start out for the rocks, swinging your bags jauntily.. Life seems suddenly sure again. She looks up at you and smiles. The kind of smile that sends a little beating pulse to your temple. You curse. this radio business, It’s quite certain that the others. won’t have taken their helmets off yet, because the air supply isn’t functioning. And there’s so much you want to say to Reina. You’ve never courted in so much silence before, ~But-you make out pretty well all the same. It doesn’t take long to get down into ‘the crevice and to: fill the bags with snow, packing it down tightly so’s to get a comicbooks.com