Authentic Science Fiction Monthly, No. 67 — page 31: what you’re looking at

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

AUTHENTIC SCIENCE FICTION _ “You're a couple of claim- jumpers.” “Us?” He laughed. ““Don’t be silly. Try and make the police believe that.” ““They’ll believe it.”’ I sent another shot close to Jeff’s boot. “I told you not to move. I’m coming down, and if one of you as much as lifts a hand [ll let you have it.” Slowly I rose and kicked myself down towards them. I stumbled as I landed, but recovered without losing con- trol of the rifle. I wasn’t sure if they were armed or not, and I didn’t want to take chances. I kept staring at them as I walked nearer, my fingers tense on the trigger in case they should try anything. I didn’t look towards the ship. That was my mistake. Something slammed into my left leg and knocked me down. I could hear the hiss of air as I fell and my leg felt cold and hot at the same time. I twisted and jerked back the trigger to automatic fire, spraying lead towards the 30 - running figures of the two men. Then I rolled behind a rock and gave myself some first-aid. | I had to move fast because I’d lost a lot of air, and blood. I tore off the sling of the rifle and twisted it around my thigh above the gash in my suit. I tightened it until the hissing stopped, then I snatched up the rifle and sent three shots towards the closing door of the ship. It stopped closing, and I had time to realise what had happened. There was a fourth man in the ship. How he had missed killing me I didn’t know, but he’d probably had a hand gun and wasn’t too good a shot. Both Jeff and Sam lay where they had fallen. I didn’t worry about them; they couldn’t hurt me any more. The fourth man could. “Come out,”’ I said. “Drop your gun and come on out.” *““Not a chance.” He was breathing hard and I won- dered if I'd winged him. *“You can’t hurt me in here.” “That’s what you think.” comiclooks.corn