Authentic Science Fiction Monthly, No. 51 — page 42: what you’re looking at

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

THE ENVIED large. We are still only pioneering on the outer planets. It has all been cal- culated. Do not be alarmed. There will be room for you on Mars, if you want to join the practical groups. Or there are the thinkers on Venus.” “I’m no _ thinker,” said Judith, with what was meant to be a laugh. “No? I am not sure. You will have to find out for yourself.” “What shall I do to-day?” The Instructor hesitated. Judith wished she knew the meaning of these hesitations and the declarations that often followed them. In this cold world, faces gave noth- ing away. There were no betraying expressions, no human intonations, and no nervous gestures. Then the Instructor said : “According to your grading, you should profit from a study of the Community Centre organisation. Report to me when you have been there an hour.” 41 “But I’ve never felt any—” “There is a system in all we do. Please consider it in great detail and report back.” It was not a command. But you did what was sug- gested to you in this strange world, this twilight world: you did it because you wanted guidance, and grasped at whatever was offered. Judith went off. The Instructor, who had _ been here for two hundred years now, made a methodical note and then sat back. If he had any feelings or _ regrets, nobody now would ever catch a glimmering of them. The weeks went by. There were lectures, and there were training courses. Judith realised that, although she was not being regimented in any way, she was being care- fully guided. Her aptitudes had been studied, and the appropriate steps were being taken. The only thing was, she herself didn’t know the direction in which she was being steered. conmicloooks.com