Authentic Science Fiction Monthly, Issue 45 — page 19: what you’re looking at

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

AUTHENTIC SCIENCE FICTION sidered he was doing the right thing by the taxpayers back on Earth. } “‘As I see it,” he said, slowly, reaching out and fingering the paper knife, ““Earth began to reach out to the planets. We found Mars to be a world of red dust, uninhabitable by men; but still with a planet- wide culture to unravel and the strong possibility of plant- ing a colony that could, in time, be self-supporting. On Venus there are conditions which are almost precisely the opposite. There are minerals, vegetable oils, foods, for the taking. All that is needed is a strong colonial civilisation to be built up to work in an inte- grated fashion with Earth.” “Yes,” Mackenzie said, softly. “Go on, Doctor.” Cheese and the mouse, Car- penter said viciously to him- self. Mackenzie was hoping that Carpenter would dig his own grave. To hell with the man! Carpenter began to de- cide that he didn’t like Mackenzie. “So there was something 18 needed,” he went on method- ically. ““The planets had certain things which were needed on Earth. Men had to live on Mars and Venus, and even- tually, I suppose, on the outer planets’ satellites as well. So the answer, as I saw it, was to adapt man so that he would find life easier on his various new homes. Not, you'll notice, to adapt man so that he could live easily and naturally. There is a strong doubt that we could develop a strain of homo- sapiens suitable for life on Mars. Atmosphere is almost non-existent. We may well do so on Venus, however.”’ ““Yes, yes.”” Merrick tumbled ash from his cigar. “I know all that, Doctor. The point is, the Government feel that we will make as good progress with ordinary people now. Wecan’t wait twenty years or so until a crop of your mutated young- sters have grown up.” ““Why res “‘Well. That is, Government secrecy and all that. I can’t tell you. And that’s flat.” “Surely, if you intend te comicloooks.conm