Authentic Science Fiction Monthly No. 52 — page 54: what you’re looking at

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

STAR HAVEN He lifted the cup and emptied it in three great swallows. “There! Please may I go now, sir?” “Of course.” Hermitage nodded to the commander, smiled at the girl, and reached out a hand to steady his companion as the ecologist suddenly staggered. ‘“What’s the matter?” “T’m sick,” groaned Gerald. “My stomach...” He lunged for the door and the sounds of his vomiting echoed clearly through the night. THE SOFT DIRT YIELDED easily to the sharp blade, and as it was lifted, the tiny bodies of scurrying beetles made a shifting web of colour against the rich blackness. “There they are,’ said Gerald, fondly. He threw aside the dirt and prodded at the remains of a buried fruit. “See? Fifteen minutes and it’s almost all gone.”’ “Is that fast??? Hermitage stooped over the shallow pit and watched as Gerald 33 lifted the fruit and slipped it into a plastic bag. “Pretty fast. The beetles aren’t more than half-an-inch long and the fruit was all of three inches in diameter.”” He smiled as some of the little insects ran across his hand. “Bold little devils, aren’t they ?” *“Won’t they bite?” “They haven’t yet, and I’ve given them plenty of oppor- tunity.”” He pinched one be- tween thumb and forefinger, holding it gently so as not to crush the delicate chitin, and rose with it in his hand. “See? Two well-developed man- dibles with serrated edges. Six legs and four antenne. No wing cases; obviously they are incapable of flight, but surprisingly enough, con- sidering how they live in the darkness, they have well- developed eyes. Egg layers, I assume, though I haven’t found a nest yet, and with a remarkable set of instincts.” He dropped the insect and watched it bury itself in the loose soil. Ccomiclbooks.conn