Authentic Science Fiction Monthly No. 48 — page 39: what you’re looking at

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

AUTHENTIC SCIENCE FICTION who I know to be sympa- thetic.” “Why should the senior technicians on Venus be sym- pathetic?” asked Takato. “Because they are powerful men in their way.” “And so?” ‘And so they have much more to lose than their subor- dinates. To them the revolu- tion will be a _ conserving force, establishing them in the positions they have won under the present system. Those who oppose a success- ful revolution stand to lose both ways. The present leaders of the system can dis- pense with them at any moment, and once _ those leaders are defeated the revo- lutionaries most surely will.” The Director fingered his chin lightly and stared at Tabarni with his cold enig- matic eyes. “ Go on,” he said. “It is safe to say that we have on our side beings who control the surface transport system, beings who control the storage of the Venusian products and—most im- portant of all—beings who can disrupt the very sources of supply. Remember, it needs only one switch to be pulled in a zonal power assembly to halt every robot working in every paddy field or plantation throughout a hemisphere.” Tabarni per- mitted himself a smile. “One of the dangers of centralisa- tion,” he observed. “Go on,” said Takato. ‘‘ Imagine every field robot stopped in its tracks. Imagine every truck sliding to a halt. Imagine the silos locked. Imagine the Agricultural and Supply Council hesitating— for we have sympathisers even on the Council. The system, with only three days’ nourish- ment in store, will be at the mercy of Venus. The system will be absolutely at our mercy.” “Tmagine,” said Takato quietly, “a Fighting armada making full speed to Venus, its members living on emer- “gency rations. Imagine that comicloooks.conn