Authentic Science Fiction Monthly, No. 66 — page 104: what you’re looking at

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

FIRST IMPRESSION Cautiously, he advanced towards the alien and, when about six feet away from the opening in the saucer, squatted and began to scratch at the ground. He drew a series of shaky ellipses, dotting them with irregular splotches. He pointed towards the sun and then to the central splotch. He pointed towards the ground, swept his arms around him, and pointed towards the splotch on the third ellipse. George watched him with interest. *“What’s the idea ?”’ “I’ve drawn a schematic of the Solar System,”’ said Fred importantly. ““The alien will be able to recognise it for what it is. That will make him realise we know something of astronomy and science.’ He stared at the watchful alien. “Tl try again.” He repeated his pantomime, jerking his finger at the sun, stabbing it at the central blob, slapping the ground, pointing to himself then to the | third ellipse. “It don’t seem interested.” George stared at the silent creature before them. ‘“‘Maybe we should try something else ?”’ 103 “Such as?” “Getting away from here before it jumps us. For all we know it might be getting hungry.” “So what? Intelligent crea- tures don’t eat other intelligent . creatures; if they did then they wouldn’t be intelligent.”’ “If they did then the ones they ate wouldn’t beintelligent, you mean,” corrected George. He glared at the alien. ““That thing would look a lot better in a cage. Let’s go and find someone to put it in one.” “Don’t be a fool,” snapped Fred impatiently. ‘For all we know it might still be testing us. If we leave now it will be a confession of failure.”’ ‘So I’m a failure,” said George. “So what?”’ “So the thing won’t let us be its managers, that’s what.” Fred grabbed at George’s arm. “You know what managers make? A third, maybe more, of the gross take. You want to lose that?” “No,” said George, and stopped. ““But how can we get rich if we can’t even talk to ea “Publicity, that’s how.” Fred looked at the alien. comcloooks.com