Authentic Science Fiction Monthly No. 72 — page 20: what you’re looking at

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

- THE GIVE-AWAY WORLDS “Why?” Mark spoke around his cigarette to cover his agitation. He would have taken bets that the colony on Deneb Five was a complete success. “They were dying,” said Murbash. “I mean that in the broad sense. Three years ago I dropped two hundred men, women, enough tools and equipment for five times their number, seeds, stock, an atomic pile, weapons, every- thing and anything they could possibly need. A few months ago I returned. I evacuated fifty-two men and women and thirty children.” ““Where were the rest?” “Dead.” Murbash drew more squiggles on his pad. “The wild life. got most, feuding did for some, and others committed suicide. . When I made contact I found the survivors huddled in a few prefabs living off stores. They had rigged the pile to provide power for an electric fence, had posted armed guards and were sweating it out until I arrived.’’ He spoke as if it were an everyday occurrence. “The captain dropped them 19 on Mirab Eight,” said Jelks. **He couldn’t bring them back here.”’ He didn’t explain why, but he didn’t have to. With applications from potential colonists already as low as they were, to return the rem- nants of a colony would be to invite the closing of the project. Rumour alone did enough damage; actual state- ments and ex-colonists would be fatal. ‘““Mirab Eight won’t last long,” said Murbash. He drew more doodles. ‘‘And Sirius Two will go the same way as the others. I’ll probably be bringing them all back on the next trip.” “You needn’t sound so damn smug about it,” snapped Jelks. “It’s your living, too, remember.” That was unfair and untrue. Murbash was assured of employment as long as the hyper-drive ships remained in service. Mark spoke before the captain could answer. } “Does the Senator know about this? About the colony on Deneb Five, I mean?’’ ““No.” Jelks glanced at the captain. “I thought it best not to tell him, and Captain connicloooks.conn