Authentic Science Fiction Monthly No. 48 — page 74: what you’re looking at

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

RECOIL is hidden behind the nitrogen control panel. This will pre- pare for launching one of the ship’s two life-rockets. The corpse may be placed in this, ang.» «ite The voice deepened, and groaned into silence as Niel- son cut the library’s power. He should have guessed the proper procedure without this reference activity. Shooting the corpse away from the ship in a life-rocket would cause it to fall into the Sun or would shove it into some orbit which would never be | tracked. That would prevent all danger of medical exam- ination. He yanked twice at the lever. Gears ground some- where, and the gleaming, transparent nose of the life- rocket pushed through a swinging panel into the cabin itself, its entry port smoothly swinging open. The life-rocket was barely larger than the body of a man. Moore fitted into it as 73 neatly as if it were a futuris- tic, translucent coffin. Niel- son shoved the port shut— uselessly, because Moore didn’t need the air which the act caused to flow—locked it, then pressed the firing stud on the side of the life-rocket. Nothing happened. Frown- ing, Nielson jabbed harder at the stud. The _life-rocket, bearing the official stamp of inspection for perfect opera- | tion, refused to show signs of life. Moore’s face had become terrible. Nielson decided to remove the body and replace it head-first, while attempting to start the obstinate life- rocket. That would save see- ing his face. But the entry port wouldn’t re-open. Niel- son kicked at it, fumbled with the lock, then realised that it was useless. These _life- rockets were designed for living men. They unlocked only from the inside, to insure that the occupant’s supply of life-giving oxygen wouldn’t be lost by accidental opening. comiclbooks.corn