Authentic Science Fiction Monthly No. 72 — page 74: what you’re looking at

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

THE WAY | AM been drinking at the time of the accident. They said that the crash could have been avoided if I had listened to the Ground Control Operator. After all, it was easier to blame it all on one man than to admit that there were certain times, even aboard the most modern ships, when a bit of plain bad luck could wreck the whole thing. J got off the chair. Placing both hands on the desk top, I looked into that false front of a face. “If I hadn’t, I wouldn’t be here. We both know that. I was told you had a job for a good pilot. I didn’t come here because I crave your elephantine presence.” Bushman had lived up here on Fourth for so many years in the low gravity that his body was an obese, flowing thing that could never again support itself back on Earth. “Mars, the round trip—in a Lindstrom.” His face was tense now, watching me for reaction. Most of the Lindstroms were out of commission now; they were old chemical fuel jobs, good enough in their time, but slow and clumsy now. 73 “T was brought up on them,” I said. “How many passengers ?”’ “Not passengers—freight,”’ Bushman.said. ““As much as she'll hold, and then maybe a pound or two extra for luck.” “Whose luck?’ I asked. ‘““Anyway, how long have you been contracting for the Colonial Authority ?” “Don’t try to be funny.” Bushman pointed a _ white sausage of a finger at me. “Youll go the long way round, using an_ elliptical orbit. Payload and fuel are important—time is not.” “It is, to me. What are you paying?” I was beginning to realise why he wanted me. Nuclear-powered ships made the trip in a hyperbolic orbit lasting three weeks; the ellipti- cal trip meant over nine months each way. But it would yield an even bigger profit for Bushman on the cargo of luxury food and drink I guessed we would be carrying, goods to be peddled by Bushman’s agent to the colonists who lived just above starvation level on C.A. rations. ‘You'll be paid—more than comiclooks.corn