Authentic Science Fiction Monthly, Issue 45 — page 49: what you’re looking at

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

AUTHENTIC SCIENCE FICTION name, why? Why do you want to stop me?” “If you'll let me tell you my story, you'll know.” The other’s voice was testy. “All right, all right. But I tell you, you’d better make it good. I haven’t worked for twenty years on this to pack it up the first time someone turns a little superscience on me.” ‘That I know. Briefly, then, I ama member of a civilisation existing thousands of years in your future. I have come back through——” “You're a_ time-traveller. Yeah, I’d guessed that. Noth- ing wonderful about it, really. It had to happen one day. What I want to know is why pick on me?’ *“My race live on a planet circling a sun called Molinar. We are free and independent. We have our own ways of life. I am one of the semi-privi- leged class of mystics, capable of many things that are, per- force, denied to others, and to you, Earthman.” “Is this form I see you in 48 your natural shape?’ asked Carpenter, sipping his drink. He was deeply interested. The first time-travelier, coming from the far future, sitting here calmly telling him of the wonders that were to come. Only—why had they tried to drive him mad? Why was his cherished life’s work to stop? *“Not quite, Carpenter. We are humanoid, but I have assumed this shape for ob- vious reasons.” “So you can change your shape? You are polymorphal- lactic.” Carpenter stopped there and the thing clicked in his mind. “You were the tap and the chair!” “Precisely. I thought you had guessed already,” “I suppose I had, really, only my mind wouldn’t accept: it until it was shown in black and white without con- tradiction.”’ Carpenter wiped his forehead. “‘Sitting on a chair that was really a man— no, of course not. You’re not aman. You’re a Molinarian.” “It comes to much the same conmmiclooolkks.com