Authentic Science Fiction Monthly No. 54 — page 98: what you’re looking at

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

a NONENTITY a constant reproach to selfish thoughts. Jeff became a little more arrogant, a little too eager to grab his share of the rations, a little less polite and far more possessive. Lorna did something about it. She came up to Henley one “night,” drifting like a pale ghost in the dim star-glow from the single port, and settled beside him where he sat on the stool. “How are we going?” Again she whispered directly in his ear, her hair brushing against his cheek. “As expected. Why?” ~ “You know what I mean. How long can we last now that the officer’s dead?” “About eight days.” “Eight! How’s that? With one less we should be able to last a lot longer.” “It isn’t as simple as that. The overload cut down our time by half and the officer died too late to do us any good. I’d guess eight days, maybe ten, maybe seven. I don’t know.” “And the rescue?” **At least twice as long.” “So we’re going to die.” ““Naturally. We’ve been go- ing to do that since the day we were born.”’ “Don’t get clever with me, Henley, you know what I 97 ies? mean.” Against his ear her voice was surprisingly harsh and bitter. ““We’re going to unless..." “Unless what?” “The old man’s pretty use- less,” she said, softly. “He doesn’t eat much, but he breathes a lot of air. Why should we all suffer to keep one worn-out old man alive ?”’ “Are you asking me, or telling me?’ He stirred im- patiently on the stool. “You tried this once before, Lorna, and my answer is still the same. We live or die to- gether.” “Why? Why should we consider others at all? It’s our life, isn’t it? We’ve only the one, and I intend hanging onto mine. If you weren’t so damn noble you’d feel the same way.” “Shut up!” He didn’t trouble to lower his voice. “I know your kind, Lorna. Selfish and rotten to the core. You’ve always had what you wanted and you've always managed to find some poor fool to get it for you. Now > you want life, and you think Til kill so that you can fill your lungs for a few days longer. Why should I? What the hell are you to me?” “I’m a woman, aren’t 1?” “So what ? What’s so special comiclooks.cormn