Authentic Science Fiction Monthly No. 71 — page 23: what you’re looking at

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

AUTHENTIC SCIENCE FICTION _ Barker’s right-hand man— captain in a spaceship, trusted, _ allowed to see him when you like?” “Because they can make you tell the truth nowadays and know it’s the truth— despite anything even a man like Barker may have tried to do. And they know I want Barker exiled for ever. They know that I’m not against I.P., and never have been.” “I see. You were a sort of prisoner of Barker’s, all along?” “Not exactly that. Didn’t you read about the trial? There must have been enough written about it to fill a thousand Bibles.” *“No. I never read murder trials, and yours and Barker’s were described in the same way by the same reporters. Sorry if that sounds . “Never mind how it sounds.” “Anyway, I knew you were technically cleared, but I didn’t think that meant you were still an J.P. officer, even in charge of the ship that took Barker to Ceres.”’ ““You’re not the only one. But in the I.P., not guilty is 22 not guilty. The matter’s closed’”’ He toid her the story. It was a long story and helped to pass the time. What he told her was nothing but the truth— yet nothing like the whole truth. He couldn’t make Barker change his mind, and he couldn’t kill him. Later, Win- ter marvelled at the assurance which had made Barker tell him the worst first and then persuade him into doing it. Anyone else would have worked on him gradually and reached the climax when the way had been prepared for it—not as a bombshell that threw himself in Winter’s hands. “What would you say,” Barker asked him that night after he had brought out the first mention of escape, “if I told you I’m not a Bloody Tyrant at all, but a Saviour of Humanity? Don’t spare my theoretical feelings. Go on, now, and laugh.” But Winter wasn’t laughing. “Took at it this way,” Barker went on. “Do you think I’m the sort of man comicbooks-com: