Authentic Science Fiction Monthly No. 48 — page 12: what you’re looking at

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

TABARNI DOCUMENT armadas. Decimated, they had been driven into the Sterile Belt to shrivel in its radio-activity. Mars had been converted into a great mili- tary base. The Lunics worked in thousands of underground cells to produce the vast quantities of atomisers, de- flectors and static projectors needed by the Fighters. The populations of the Moon and of Mars increased rapidly as the standard of living rose. That a Terrist, such as Takato, should be so popular was surprising, for the Ter- rists had so shrunk in system- atic esteem that they were regarded as fit only to deal with education, culture and entertainment. Few Terrists entered the ranks of the Fighters, and few Lunics or Venusians wanted to. The Fighters were Martians almost to a man, ‘Takato had joined as a cadet. He had consolidated his position by marrying a Martian female, and had swiftly risen to high rank. Now he had_ unbounded 11 power to dissipate energy by every aggressive means he could conceive. Dakers, who was proud of his own almost pure negroid descent, regretted only that such a fine Terrist specimen as Takato should have seen fit to marry out of his own race. THE BOY Takato materialised from his Beta frequency in the study. “You wished to see me, sir?” he signalled. “Yes,” replied the Head. “And if you don’t object, young man, I think it would be better if we conducted our conversation in speech.” ** As you wish, sir,” the boy answered. His voice was sur- prisingly rich for one in his teens. He had typical Nip- ponese features, fine and in- expressive. His eyes were brown and cold like pellets of rock salt. His little hands fingered his green student’s gown as he sat in the seat which the Head had indicated. comicloooks.com