Authentic Science Fiction Monthly No. 72 — page 103: what you’re looking at

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

AUTHENTIC SCIENCE FICTION wielded more power than a king. Idly, I watched the ship settle to the ground. I saw the doors open, and two men come out. One of them was burdened down with photo- graphic equipment. The other bore the arrogant stamp of the reporter who had to answer to no one except his editor. His slightest whim could make or break an individual, or a company. Back in the twentieth century they had begun the semantic loading of news releases with personal policy and prejudice. Now the straight reporting of facts was entirely forgotten. They went into the trading post. I went back to the gobbledegook. Whatever he was here for, the reporter could not hurt me. I was already the lowest scum, too smali to interest him at all. The next time I looked up, MacNab was sitting in the pilot seat again, trying out the buttons and levers with patient resignation. *“Won’t it start?’ I called out to him. All right, it was a stupid question, and I knew 102 it, but I felt I should show some interest. MacNab didn’t feel called upon to answer. From the sudden set of his neck and back, I could see he was forcing himself not to answer. I suspected he was past all words. Apparently, he re- gained a measure of control. “You. might as well go back to the trading post,” he said slowly. “‘T’ll call you when the ship is ready to move.” It was no more comfort- able in the trading post than in the shuttle, but perhaps my presence bothered MacNab. i left my luggage where it was, along with my brief case. MacNab let me out the door and I walked around the Press yacht and back to the store. The photographer was lounging indolently near a stack of canned peaches. The reporter had old Sam back in a corner, talking to him. “But there’s got to be something around here worth a feature story.”’ There was a spoiled petulance in his voice. “The boss said get a feature connicloooks.cotinl