Authentic Science Fiction Monthly, No. 56 — page 87: what you’re looking at

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

AUTHENTIC SCIENCE FICTION up space service. You are a very pure and serious-minded young man, and I marvel at your inability to appreciate the character of other people.” Hardy flushed. “I’m not condemning the men because they want to make whoopee, sir-——”” “You’re not condemning them, but you’re ready to look disgusted when I tell you that they can’t be ex- pected to give up their pleas- ures. After a man’s been droning about in deep space for months on end, he has a great hunger for the delights of the dirtiest, nastiest space port—and by heaven, he de- serves them. Any captain of a ship will tell you that, Hardy.” “¥ es, sir.” “It’s my duty as command- ing officer of this crate to make sure that we get home safe and sound, and that the men work at top efficiency— particularly now that we’re back in our own traffic lanes. Keeping them away from the spaceport dives won’t make ’em efficient. And’—he went on harshly before Hardy could interrupt—‘‘the other idea 86 won’t work. The nearer they get to home, the more their Wives expect to hear from them. They’d be suspicious if we abandoned the mental contact sessions. They'd be pestering Interplanetary Traf- fic Control every minute of the day, asking what had gone wrong, raising hell.” “I suppose so.” ‘*“And don’t look so smug and self-righteous about it, man. You and I don’t need to let ourselves go in the same way—or if we do, we know it’s our job not to do so. But the men are entitled to it. And they’re entitled to make personal calls to their wives. Something’s got to be done.”’ “I don’t see how we’re going to manage both, sir,” said Hardy, with a certain satisfaction. “‘Not without an awful lot of trouble.” Masterman did not answer. He sat with his legs sprawled out, his back pressed against his chair so that the steady vibration from the floor ran up his backbone like a sooth- ing massage. At last he began to nod slowly, and then said: “Send comicloooks.com