Authentic Science Fiction Monthly No. 44 — page 37: what you’re looking at

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

AUTHENTIC SCIENCE FICTION “I promise nothing,” I said. “But I know you are a good officer.” “IT like that answer,’ he replied. “I am for you. What is my part?”’ “This,” I began. “Some time today my brother will call up the ships, and ask for an officer and a squad to be sent to arrest me. Try to be that officer yourself, and pick men who will do as you say. If you cannot, then overtake and waylay the squad, lock them up, and come on here yourself in place of them. Got that?” Yes,” he said. more?” “Send a man out with some electric gadget that will make lots: of static. I want to prevent radio communication between the ships and the palace. Get this interference operating as soon as you have set out.” : He said again: ‘“‘Anything else?’ “Arrange that a message ““What be sent as if from my brother, | that captains of all ships must report in person to him. The message should be sent after the static is set up, by word of mouth.”’ ““Not so easy,”” he said this. time. “‘But can do.”’ *‘That’s all,’’ I told him. “If this attempt seems to fail,’ he proposed, ‘“‘let us both try to get back to my ship. I’d like to make a proper fight of it, out in space.”’ *‘Agreed.”’ Now I had nothing to do but wait. James was away, dealing with his end of the plot. The first sign of the im- pending storm came in the form of a visit from an aged councillor who had been a friend of my father’s. He looked around the room ner- vously, and licked his lips and muttered to himself. **High spirits, I have always said, run in the family. No real harm done. All the same, this is likely to hurt your brother deeply. He’s a sort of laughing stock for the whole town. Why don’t you take a trip, my boy? Say a hunting trip into some rather inaccessible polar forest? Go today—at once!”’ I thanked him for his advice. “But no,” I said, “don’t imagine that I have not thought of something of the sort at one time or another. However, I have always felt safest in the lime- light of the court, where any accident must be sufficiently accidental to satisfy the people. 36 as* ¥ comiclooks.conn