Authentic Science Fiction Monthly No. 52 — page 18: what you’re looking at

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

STAR HAVEN Gerald. “So unusual that I’m tempted to believe that it is no accident.” *“How do you mean ?”’ said Williams sharply. The ecolo- gist shrugged. ‘“‘We know that, owing to the almost circular orbit and lack of axial tilting, the climate here is very constant. Even at the poles it never gets cold enough to allow of the forma- tion of ice caps and here at the equator we live in a per- petual summer of even days and nights. That would help account for the lush vegeta- tion. But ...." “No climate would account for one plant bearing both flowers and fruit at the same time,’ snapped Williams. “‘The entire concept is against nature.” “Whose nature? Earth’s or Hyperon’s? They needn’t be the same,you know. That’s one of the things we’ve got to find out. And, when you come to think of it, it isn’t any more incredible than several types of fruit growing on the same tree. They do it quite 17 often back home. Graft an apple on a pear, several types of apples on the same tree, and even I believe, two or more kinds of soft fruit on the same branch. That’s against nature too, but it works I’ve seen it.” *‘Freaks,”’ said Williams irritably. ‘“‘Distortions pro- duced by the hands of men. Are you trying to tell me that these plants are the product of some alien race ?’’ “No, not that exactly, but it’s something to think about.”’ ‘““Maybe, but we have no time or concern for idle speculations.” Williams riffled his papers. ‘“‘Anything else?’ “Little insect life. What there is seems mostly to be some sort of bee, and there is a beetle which lives in the dirt and apparently acts like the scavenger beetles back home. No birds, no signs of any animal, just bees to pollinate the flowers and beetles to clear away the debris. A nice neat system.” “Yes.”’ Williams looked down at his desk. “‘I have here comiclooks.com