Authentic Science Fiction Monthly No. 48 — page 16: what you’re looking at

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

TABARNI DOCUMENT bowed before the marshal and left the tray floating before the rest seat on which he had perched himself. **Go,” said the marshal to his wife. With a quick, ner- vous smile at her son she left the room. The marshal ate his Terrist meal in quick gulps and then lit a pungent Venusian weed. He looked at his son. ““ Home?” he remarked. “Yes, father,” said the boy. He attracted a rest seat to him and was about to sit down. “Remain standing,” the marshal snapped. He blew out a cloud of smoke and said : “By now you should be dead. How long have you lived in the system ?” “Two absolute __syears, father.” “Fifteen Terrestrial years. By now you should know the systematic beliefs and what happens to those who chal- lenge them.” “Yes, father.” “You have earned death. There is no doubt of that. 15 Please understand that every minute you remain in the system is a gift granted to you by the Council because of my intercession. You will work to redeem yourself, so that when your usefulness is ended you can be destroyed with honour. I have exceeded my time limit in the system by five Terrestrial years already. You know why?” He leaned forward and stabbed the air with the glow- ing stub of his weed. “I have exceeded my time limit be- cause I am now so powerful that I can defy the system. That is why I still live.” ‘But, father. My crime is that I have defied the system. Surely .. .” “Yes, but you have no power. Strong rebels make the laws. Weak rebels attempt to break them and are themselves broken. Stand to attention while I speak! I have spared your life for reasons of my own. You were sent to college in the Sterile ‘Belt so that I could test your comicloooks.com