Authentic Science Fiction Monthly No. 54 — page 9: what you’re looking at

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

AUTHENTIC SCIENCE FICTION to investigate. Under the present conditions, any colony we establish will prove abor- tive—surely you can see that? Project Astraventurer is already a failure!” Tutin rose to his feet and. slammed a fist on the desk top. “Don’t be a damned fool, Admans! You ask me to take that kind of action on the basis of an opinion? Have you any conception of the cost of launching Project Astraventurer? The years of work—the billions of credits? Just suppose we did return— and then your theory was proved incorrect. You could be wrong, you know.”’ “I suppose so,’’ said Ad- mans. He could see that further argument was futile. Tutin would rather follow his orders, even though they might lead to certain destruc- tion, than use his initiative and risk disgrace back on Earth. He picked up the container. “After all . . . men have recovered from sterility in- duced by radiation,” con- tinued Tutin. “Surely that eat > “Forget the whole thing!” shouted Admans. He turned and walked out of the office. The android was sitting in a’corner with Mayo, when Admans entered the Ward- room. The tables around the couple were noticeably empty. The trouble with Mayo was that he had no social sense, he had been around androids too long. Not that Admans was anti-android—he had never had any particular thoughts in the matter—but Mayo, in his position as Android Liaison Officer, should have known better than to bring the creature in here, amongst the civilians, techs and officers. The androids were built for space. Humanoid in form, their bodies were encased in an impervious plexiplast en- velope, which took the place of the normal human’s skin. Animated space suits. In their chest cavities they carried renewable oxygen cylinders which made them indepen- dent of the ship’s air supply. Connicbookxs.conn # y