Authentic Science Fiction, December 1951 — page 9: what you’re looking at

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

THE MOON IS HEAVEN 7 A figure breaks away from the knot around the rocket and strides across the danger zone towards the hut. Atah Kark, coming to vet your latest report to the Press. A stickler for accuracy, Atah. Won’t let anything through that isn’t as true as knowledge will let it be. Never mind about sensation or drama or stuff like that. Tell ’em the truth and if they -don’t like it they can do the other thing. This is the real thing, with real problems and setbacks. The people who pay the piper must hear the real tune. For yourself, you don’t care two pins. A lifetime in journalism makes for cynicism about what people want when they pay for a thing. But Atah has faith. Maybe that’s what kept him going over all the years of frustration and ridicule. Like when that other “‘ scientist’? back in ’51 reckoned that Atah didn’t know as much as he said he did. Reckoned in print, too. But when the world’s experts in astronomy and astronautics mildly pointed out that. Atah knew much more than he said he did, the other man climbed down—and Atah climbed up. It happened every now and then. The hut door swings back and Atah comes in. His normal intent, searching expression is there, but it’s split by a grin. Dressed at ease in a loose tunic and baggy pants, Atah drops himself into a chair and presses the button that will bring a steaming coffee cup from the kitchen out back. The smooth Somerset accents drift across the still air in the hut. “ This’ll be your third from last report, won’t it?’’ You raise an eyebrow and come away from the window, giving him a quizzical look. His heavy laugh shoots out of him and fills the hut. “Last before the blast-off, I mean! There’ll be others, don’t you worry.’ - “I’m not worrying,’’ you say. ‘‘It’s just that I’m scared.’’ The coffee cup comes whizzing along. Atah lifts it neatly from the belt and raises it to his lips, looking at you over the rim. comicbooks.com