Authentic Science Fiction Monthly, No. 51 — page 41: what you’re looking at

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

AUTHENTIC SCIENCE FICTION The Instructor said: “You took the first step, then?” She nodded. “I did not see him. I sent a message that I did not want to see him.” “Good. You feel strong about it?” “No,” said Judith frankly. “Resignation will come in time.” “I am not sure that I want to be resigned,” said Judith. She felt weak. If she could have cried, she would have cried. She was angry with herself: but in this body there was no tingling of the flesh, no constriction of the throat, no pounding of blood or stinging of tears. “I want to go back,” she said. “I don’t want to let go of the world.” “It is like that for all of us in the early stages. But now you have taken the first step, the rest is not so hard. Per- haps you will be chosen to go to Mars. That is a much bigger break, but somehow you will find it easier. The old ties snap, one by one.” 40 “Yes,” said Judith “I would like that.” She was not sure if this was true. She was not sure about anything. Warren’s face seemed to haunt the depths of her mind. She was conscious of a dreadful loss —not only of what had been, but of the things that had not been and might have existed in due course, if only there had been time. If only she had known more about life while she was living it... She said : “ Isn’t Mars get- ting overcrowded ?” “Certainly not. None of the planets are overcrowded. Do not forget that we who go out there cannot produce children. Even though we may live for a_ thousand years, we must sooner or later disappear, and then there will be room for those new Greys who come behind us.” “Yes, but a thousand years is a long time. Human children are born in genera- tions of about twenty-five years.” | “Our solar system is still comicloooks.com