Authentic Science Fiction Monthly No. 48 — page 83: what you’re looking at

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

AUTHENTIC SCIENCE FICTION escaping in distorted form, got hold of himself and said as abjectly as possible : “Something went wrong. The life-rocket won’t hook to the hull. It just floats above the Perseus. And I can’t go outside again to fix it because something’s wrong with the airlock, and I tore the space- suit trying to open the air- lock.” Nielson then related in full the happenings since his last report. He told the truth, except to describe a death that sounded like a cerebral haemorrhage. “Sounds to me as if the life-rocket settled down onto the skin at the airlock and fouled the mechanism. Why didn’t you remember the pre- cautions that we gave you when we briefed you before the journey ?” There was an uncomfort- able pause. Nielson didn’t know whether his improper method of taking this trip was known on Mars. Finally : “There’s one way to be 82 sure. Have you inspected the photographs? The camera lens is near the airlock. It ought to show what happened.” Nielson reached for the inch-high pile of pictures that had accumulated in the receptacle. He looked through a few, then shoved the entire pile away hastily. Moore’s awful face in perfect focus stared at him in most of the pictures, blocking off the stars, floating as if disem- bodied. Nielson remembered that Moore had told him about the camera’s use of infra-red rays for illumina- tion, and the life-rocket was apparently too transparent to register on film. Hurrying a little now, the voice from Mars said : “Too bad that the camera record will be imperfect. But the higher brass won’t fuss too much, under the circum- stances. Look, it’s getting late and I’ve got to go. If you don’t get along all right between now and the land- comicloooks.com