Authentic Science Fiction Monthly No. 54 — page 117: what you’re looking at

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

AUTHENTIC SCIENCE PICTION containing the scat of ‘emo- tion,’ cauterise those deter- mining personality or ‘ego,’ and wire the rest direct to the feed-in circuits.” He shrugged. “You then get a_ highly efficient computor, able to correlate data and act on it at the literal speed of thought. More than that, you also get a self-repairing mechanism, able to respond to vocal orders and to volunteer information. You lose a man in getting it, of course, but that doesn’t mat- ter—if you’re an alien.”’ “*The swine!”’ Carter looked positively ill, and Longstrom remembered that he hadn’t been long in space. “To do a thing like that!” “Emotion is misplaced energy,” said Harding, coldly. “The enemy do it, but we must never forget that the enemy are alien.’ He stared thoughtfully at the Head. “‘It would be a good idea to show a thing like that to every new recruit, to every man in space if it comes to that, to warn them what to expect if they allow themselves to fall alive into enemy hands. That man there was a coward; he should have died fighting.” “He should die now,” snapped Cartier. “To keep him alive is sheer cruelty. The regulations...” 116 “T know what the regula- . tions state, Mr. Carter. lI know, - too, that we are in this war to win, not to act like gentlemen or gutless whiners!’ Harding stared at Longstrom. ““How much does our computor equipment weigh?” “Seven tons.”’ “And the Head ?” “About half a ton, with pumps, cf course.” ““A difference of six and a half tons. Not to speak of speeded responses and higher efficiency.”” Harding nodded. “That difference in weight would mean quicker manceuv- ring, less mass to hinder the thrust, greater storage for missiles. We wouldn’t have to carry huge stocks of replace- ment parts, instruments and multiple circuits.”” He smiled. ““How long would it take to connect it to our equipment ?” “What? For a moment Longstrom couldn’t believe that he had understood cor- > rectly. “You can’t connect that thing here!”’ “Tl asked you how long, Mr. Longstrom. I didn’t ask for your unthinking stupidity. Let me put it this way. Could we connect it ?”’ “Ves.” “Even though it has been designed for use on an enemy ship?” comicloooks.corn