Authentic Science Fiction Monthly No. 50 — page 34: what you’re looking at

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

iT TAKES TWO “Rarth H.Q. One here. Answering your call.” “Lieutenant - Guardsman Jarril. Terran Space Navy. Have urgent report on loca- tion of Sokkath battle fleet.” “All right, Lieutenant. You were late in your answer. This has been noted in your re- cords. Give your own esti- mate of your below par activity ratio.” Jarril’s mouth compressed and he forced himself to say : “No data on amount below par.. I repeat, I have an emergency battle location report.” “Proceed.” What they were thinking back on Earth, Jarril did not care to dwell on. That he was working below par he now knew he must accept. But that he did not know, even approximately, how much, would be almost the ruination of him. Almost: He mentally cursed his own loose phraseology, and then had to admit that he could not evaluate just how much ‘trouble all this would bring him. The concept came that it was all outside the scope of 33 his experience. ‘That, of course, was blasphemy. What could be outside the scope of his experience, fed as that had been at the Academy? There they taught cadets from the wealth of experience of cen- turies. “Lieutenant Jarril! Are you there? Proceed at once !” Jarril muttered a _ curse, licked his lips and began to relate the destruction of his ship and the crash of the life- boat. He was brief about the death of Garfon; it was not relevant, and had just reached the point in his narrative where he had entered the settlement, when the voice that blasted from the speaker froze him in horror. “Lieutenant Jarril! We are not interested in your auto- biography. What is the battle-fleet location you have? Give the information at once !” He hadn’t told them the vital news that he carried! Jarril lowered his head on his arms, sick and wondering and full of a black feeling that he could not understand. — It couldn’t be despair, he hoped; he did not know what comicloooks.conm