Authentic Science Fiction Monthly No. 50 — page 39: what you’re looking at

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

AUTHENTIC SCIENCE FICTION “He'd better stay now and we can thrash this matter out. If we are to be overrun by war, killed, raped, butchered and burnt, then perhaps we’d better find out what we can of the general situation out- side our own system.” “You haven’t answered my question,” Jarril said. “Of course were not traitors to Earth. But we don’t believe in war. Your mind shows that you have been trained in only one thing. You have brought an unease, a sewer-stench, an irritation into the commind ever since you arrived. But, naturally, we helped you. That was our only logical course of action. You are a thinking man, even if a warped and twisted mind, and the commind demands the best from each unit.” Jarril didn’t follow that at all. Before he could carry on that train of conversation he heard a heavy tread outside the dome and simultaneously the facts of Foster and Claire lit up with a joyous inner fire and the singing craziness in his own skull deepened and thickened, and he nearly blanked out. Jarril struggled 38 to remain conscious, his breathing hoarse and ragged and his mouth open, gasping, and sweat ran down thickly from his face onto his chest. Men came into the dome. Men with hairy chests and strong, sun-burned arms and faces. Men with nets and horns, with running shoes and shorts and precious little else. All their faces were calm and serene and carrying an obvious overtone of domin- ance and power. Jarril felt as though he were being throttled. “Daddy,” Claire said, then compressed her lips. “Hi, Foss,’ the leader of the newcomers said, his voice grave and calm and yet flecked with a richness that hinted at a way of life com- pletely beyond Jarril’s powers of comprehension to under- stand. “Having a little trouble?” “Not so much trouble, Ben,” Foster said, his voice normal and full. He straight- ened up, and the fire came back to him and he seemed to have forgotten the hunched comiclbooks.corn