Authentic Science Fiction Monthly, No. 67 — page 23: what you’re looking at

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

AUTHENTIC SCIENCE FICTION rocks.” I reached for a cigarette and sucked the tip to brightness. ““You played this too smart, Harry. Why didn’t you tell me what you had in mind back at Central ?’’ “If this scheme is going to work at all then it’s got to be done quietly.” He sat down on the edge of the control panel. He didn’t twitch or jerk or occupy his hands. He sat as an old man sits, serene and calm, and as if he had all the time in the universe. “‘Con- solidated can’t touch these characters; we’ve got to stay clean. The law won’t touch them without evidence, which no one is willing to give. The prospectors complain and get drunk, then forget it as one of those things. Nobody gives a damn for the other fellow, so nobody has the guts to do anything for a long-term profit. It’s up to you, Jim.” “I told you before. I’m no Crusader. Why should I get my head broken for someone else ?”’ “This time you’re doing it strictly for yourself,’’ he re- 22 minded. “‘For one hundred thousand credits. It’s worth ‘that much to Consolidated to clean up this mess before it gets out of hand.” And then I got it. For a moment I’d been tempted to swallow his line without ques- tion, but suddenly the picture became clear. Philanthropy? Not on your life. Consolidated were scared. And I knew why. ““You’ve waited two years to get upset about what’s going on,” I said. “Now, all of a sudden you start taking an interest in the poor prospec- tors and the claims they’ve been gypped out of. That’s the bunk, and I know it. You’re worried about your own skin and want to use me to save yourselves. Am I right?’ He didn’t answer, but I knew that I’d hit the target. Consolidated had a billion credits worth of equipment out in the Belt, all of it essential if they were to remain in business. A billion credits worth of plant and machines, refineries and shipyards, stores and power plants. All very comiclooks.con