Authentic Science Fiction Monthly, No. 66 — page 14: what you’re looking at

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

THE OLD FIRM almost come to accept the de- population of Mizrab IV as an unalterable fact. “I hope you will be able to help my people. I shall be on Earth for a while yet, but I expect to see you on my planet in the near future. Goodbye.” *“*“Ariverderci, sir,’’ Calshot said. They watched the fat man plough his way through the door. They let out two sighs of relief when he reached the outside successfully, and dialled themselves chairs. Sit- ting down, Vaun said, in his eager, spluttering way: “‘Well, Cal, and what about the purple gas merchant?” “What about him?” Cal- shot said gloomily. ‘‘Six agen- cies have fallen down on this job and me, big mouth Cal- shot, promise that we’d solve the problem. We might as well shut up shop.” “Oh, do shut up, Cal. We’ll solve this one and then the old firm will have a reputation under its belt.” “Td sooner have a Six course meal,’’ Calshot said. The sky had grown over- cast by the time they left the office. Vaun dialled his wrist radio to weather, and said, with a chuckle: ‘“‘We should have brought our raincoats. They’ve scheduled - rain for three hours tonight.” 13 *“We can beat the clock to the ship,” Calshot said grump- ily. “Then I suppose you'll spend all night tinkering with the engines. Remind me to buy you an oil can for Christmas.” Rain had begun to fall in large, splattering drops by the time they reached the new spacefield. Their ship, patched, worn, old and obsolete, and yet in perfect condition, lay like a slug on the wet concrete. The outer airlock valve opened and they stepped up the ramp. A shadow moved in the shadows by the airlock. Vaun went on, unheeding. Calshot, his head on a level with Vaun’s shoulder, paused. Then he clasped. Vaun round the waist, threw his friend vio- lently to one side and followed through with the motion, comiclooks.com