Authentic Science Fiction Monthly No. 71 — page 15: what you’re looking at

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

AUTHENTIC SCIENCE FICTION *“Mars,”’ said Winter briefly. “Do they say that, now? V’ve been here a long time, and the radio crackles so _ much I don’t often listen. So Mars is the trouble spot now. But there will be weeks to talk. Here, let’s go first. Tom will want to meet you.” There was no airlock, for the whole asteroid had its envelope of air. It was only ~~ eleven pounds, but Winter 7 Oe are oF ee ey Pi dat ay ey “Qt . : ‘ had been trained and pres- surised so that he didn’t even notice. They entered by an ordinary door, walked along an ordinary passage, and went into an ordinary room. There were five men in the room. Two were reading, one cleaning a gun, one playing the piano and. the other turning over music on the top of it. They all looked up as Winter entered with Morley, and even the pianist stopped. “Jim Winter,” said Morley. He introduced Winter all round, saying names that meant nothing to him until Morley came to Tom Barker. It was the pianist. Like Napo- leon, he was a little man; but he was too ordinary to be in- significant. He looked the sanest man in the room, the most alert, the readiest to laugh. He should have been introduced as a villain, but it was as aconventionally modest hero that he shook Winter’s hand and grinned at him. Winter had to tell himself that there were many kinds of truth, or what he knew of this man would seem like a lie. Barker must have been forty at least, but he was a man who would never age; a small but well-proportioned man, dark-haired, who could act the part of a boy seventeen if he chose. The face was familiar, but the fact that it was as smooth and contented as in the pictures was sur- prising. Seeing him was like meeting a beautiful film star and finding unexpectedly that she was quite as attractive, off guard, as on the screen. Major Gresham followed Winter_in, rubbed his hands, unconscious of what he was doing, cleared his throat and was about to speak when Barker grinned and = said: “Yes, I’m ready for a game, Major, but Winter will want something to eat first. This way to the kitchen, Winter. conmiclsoolks.Comnn