Authentic Science Fiction Monthly No. 54 — page 35: what you’re looking at

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

AUTHENTIC SCIENCE FICTION back. I have my orders and you people cannot change them. Should you have any stupid ideas about taking over the ship and heading back for Earth, just ask yourselves one question. What sort of a reception would you get when you arrived there?” “We'll take that chance!” shouted Johnson. He beck- oned towards the entrance by which Admans was stand- ing. “Bring him in, lads!” Admans looked round as Mayo walked through the door, escorted by two colon- ists holding blasters. The liaison officer gave Admans a twisted grin and walked on down the aisle. “‘There’s our ticket back to Earth,”’ said Johnson. He produced a blaster from the pocket of his jeans and covered Tutin. | “You'll never get away with this!’’ said the admin officer. Johnson leered his triumph. “Don’t count on your police, major. They’re men like us— not damned military robots like you.” He turned to Mayo. “You know what we 34 want from you—what’s your answer ?”’ Admans clenched his fists— if Mayo told the truth now... The liaison officer turned to face the crowd. “What you ask is impossible. The an- droids are conditioned to obey me, true, but the task for which they are intended was built into their brain matrices. No order of mine will make them turn the ship.” ““You’re lying!’ shouted Johnson, swinging the blaster to cover Mayo. The liaison officer’s mouth twisted as he faced the leader of the mob. “Go ahead, Johnson—blcw my head off. You'll be in good company. Tutin wanted to do the same thing earlier.” Admans cursed the man’s natural truculence—some day, somebody was going to take his offer. But it must not happen now. He walked quickly down the aisle and up onto the dais. “*“He’s not lying, Johnson,” said the little medic, quietly. “Believe me—if you kill him, you kill everybody on board this ship just as surely as if comcloooks.con