Authentic Science Fiction Monthly, Issue 45 — page 32: what you’re looking at

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

SOME G@THER TIME “J suppose you’ve come over for lunch, Carpenter,” Hamlin said, his casual voice bringing back the atmosphere of normality that had gone with Carpenter’s sharp re- mark. “‘Well, you’re lucky. I’ve laid on something extra special in honour of Doctor Wheeker.”’ — ““Good. Come to think of it I’m ravenous.’ Carpenter re- membered suddenly the reason he had come over to see Hamlin and his face clouded. Talk of lunch was all very nice and reassuring; but he was really here because half his lungs were missing. And he’d left Katrin’s doll in the coptercar. He wondered why he thought it important. During lunch, which to his surprise Carpenter thoroughly enjoyed, they discussed in a desultory fashion the latest scandals on Mars. It didn’t take long. Carpenter. was thankful that X-ray photo- graphy these days didn’t mean no breakfast and the drinking of strange coloured fluids. He wondered why Wheeker had 31 come over to see Hamlin. The guy looked tough and well enough, but you could never tell. He was speaking now, and Carpenter sat up at the words. ““There’s always been one little point about your ex- periments, Carpenter, that has me worried. Hope you don’t mind talking shop like this.” ““Notatall. Pleasecarry on.” ““Well, it’s simply this. You propose, as part of the colonisation of Mars, to pro- duce by artificially induced mutations people more suit- ably adapted for life on this chunk of red dust. Well, that’s all right. That’s fine. But how can you be sure that this system won’t turn into an autocracy? How can you be sure you don’t create a race of super-beings who will control the rest of us poor mortals?” ‘“‘Oh, come now, Wheeker, really——”” “Yes, Carpenter,’ Hamlin broke in, looking curiously at the nervous twitching that Carpenter had been vainly trying to prevent his eyelids performing. “It’s no use get- Cconmmicloooks.com