Authentic Science Fiction Monthly, No. 67 — page 20: what you’re looking at

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

THE MAN IN BETWEEN bones any less brittle or give you a new pump. When we start real work it’s not going to be easy.” “ll make out.” ““That’s what you say now, but I’ve seen old timers flop out before.” I scowled at the radar screens. ““What made you head out this way to begin with? I thought that you knew of an unexamined area.” “I’ve got better than that, Jim.” His eyes crinkled again as he looked at me. “I know where there’s a rock loaded with pay-stuff.” That just about did it. You hear the “‘lost asteroid” gag in every bar in the system, and I’d heard it so often that I no longer listened. Old timers mostly, trying to cadge the price of a drink or, if they think they’ve landed a sucker, a down payment for a set of co-ordinates dreamed up in an idle moment. I told Harry that, and a lot more beside, and I wasn’t gentle with him. He heard me out, rubbing his chin and 19 looking down towards his feet and, when I’d run out of words, he stared at me in- stead. **Finished ?” “*For now, yes.” “Then listen to me for a change. I wasn’t just making noises when I spoke about Consolidated, and I’m not making them now. There is a rock out there loaded with rich stuff and we’re going to find it.” He smiled at my expression. “I’m not crazy and I’m not trying a racket. The asteroid is there. I can even give you the assay, and it’s worth about a hundred thousand credits at market valuation.” “Then what are we waiting for?” I stepped to the con- trols. “‘Give me the co- ordinates and let’s set up our marker.” | “Not so fast, Jim. You can have the claim but only if you work for it. In other words, I want to make a deal.” “A deal?” I let my hands fall to my sides. ““Let’s have it.” | comicloooks.com