Authentic Science Fiction, December 1951 — page 86: what you’re looking at

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

84 THE MOON IS HEAVEN ‘Sure it is,’ Atah replies. ‘‘ Besides, how can Mike drink his tea through his helmet!”’ There is a general outburst of laughter that aridiy fades away as they take off their helmets. Then a deep silence comes down. You switch off your microphone in case Schnabel should hear your breathing. - He’s no fool. And that thought is not very comforting. You played the hero all right by staying out here and waiting for him. But what are you going to do when you get him? He’s nota moron who can be tracked down with ease. This is going to be difficult. It might even get rough. You try not to think about that. There’s not much to choose between Schnabel and you where weight is concerned. This affair is pretty certain to come to a fight, And he’ll probably lead you up among the rocks before : starting to take the offensive. And there are some nice deep fissures up there to be thrown down. Fissures that would be a heck of a job to get out of. Another ‘factor is that you’ve only got a little less than an hour’s supply of oxygen on your suit. You've got to be back inside the dome by then. You begin to get a little cramped, sitting on your haunches, trying not to make, the slightest movement in case Schnabel gets warned off. Stealthily you stretch out one leg, pull it back and stretch the other, under cover of the equipment. That technologist is being very fly. He’s waiting a long time for the all clear. And then you start to wondering whether you imagined the movement. It might be. These lights and darks can play tricks with eyes used to an infinite number of half- tones. It may well be that the hint of movement you saw was just caused ‘by a current of air sweeping up from your mouth over the helmet’s glass front—or something like that. Maybe you are just being a fool, sitting out here while the others sip hot tea. The thought of it makes your mouth unnaturally, dry. You’d give a lot for a cup of tea now. comicbooks.com