Authentic Science Fiction Monthly No. 54 — page 24: what you’re looking at

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

THE LESSER BREED There was a pause whilst Tutin swayed from side to side scanning the darkness. At length he spoke in a subdued voice. ‘‘Maybe you were right about the over- stimulated imagination. Just shadows I suppose, but keep your eyes open—he might be anywhere around here.” The vibration of the drive grew stronger as the night- mare search approached the engine room. ““You’d better play it care- fully if he is in here,’’ Admans said. “Don’t forget the an- droids are conditioned to obey him.” “Stop talking like an old woman,” snapped Tutin. “Open the door and stand aside. Ill handle this my way.” Admans felt a grudging admiration for the man’s pig headed courage. The door of the engine room opened inwards. The two armoured men stood at the top of a short ramp lead- ing down into the interior. The compartment was il- luminated by the greenish glow of floating radioactive 23 particles. Admans picked out the figures of several Granel- las at work round the power plant. At the far end, a man in armour was standing in front of a control panel. His back was towards them. Beside him was another an- droid, facing the intruders. Tutin moved forward down the ramp, as quickly as his armour would permit. ““We’ve come for you, Mayo!’’ The voice was a cold sentence of death. The armoured figure turned. “Well, this is a privilege. I must tell my fellow workers that the commanding officer himself has arrived. Would you like them to stand to attention, major? And who’s the handsome young automa- ton by Your side—the lord high executioner ?”’ “Cut it out, Mayo!” Ad- mans shouted. The man must be drunk or mad, to goad Tutin like this. Tutin’s voice was a sharp lance of sanity. ““Did you cut off the air conditioning plant ?”’ The blaster in his hand was levelled. “Of course,”’ said Mayo, the commiclooolkks. com) 7 ~~ AS ale ees olumne