Authentic Science Fiction Monthly No. 50 — page 7: what you’re looking at

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

AUTHENTIC SCIENCE FICTION ‘A N odd, fugitive little memory kept obtrud- ing itself into his head and chasing itself around in the pain-enveloped vacuum of his mind. He was not con- sciously aware that his body was performing the mechani- cal actions that had not ceased since the lifeboat crashed. Lift right leg, push forward, lower, slide on gritty sand until it found a pur- chase. Lift left leg, push for- ward, lower . . . on and on andon... His mentalarm chafed at his forehead with every step. Wearily he tried to adjust it and heard Garfon’s voice from the rear all chopped up into ragged half-words by his clumsy slithering steps over the never-ending desert. “We'll have to kill myself pretty soon if we don’t make better progress.” He tried to ignore the fluttering memory and to con- centrate on what Garfon was saying. Garfon and he were more closely united in the bonds of their service than were any twins. Garfon was acknowledging the grisly fact that he might have to die. An orange, overlarge sun was sliding rapidly down the sky, | laying ragged and indefinite bands of crimson and yellow that merged into the ochre desert. 7 “We've only another ten miles. Can you make it?” “TI don’t think so, Jarril,” Garfon said. “My _ knee suffered greater damage than we thought. You'll probably have to go on alone.” “Undoubtedly you’re right.” Jarril automatically analysed Garfon’s words, their context and tone. He’d used two imponderables, two con- cepts of hazy meaning—“I don’t think so” and “You'll eprobably.” Jarril halted his long. mechanical stride and waited for Garfon to close up, watching unemotionally the painful hobble that had re- sulted from the knee injury. Loss of blood. Fatigue. Undue strain on heart. of critical perceptive faculties. “Keep your screen tight, Garfon,” Jarril said sharply. “That’s all right.” Garfon threw himself down on the sand beside Jarril and clumsily rolled back the leg comicbooks, conn Relaxation .