Authentic Science Fiction Monthly No. 71 — page 43: what you’re looking at

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

AUTHENTIC SCIENCE FICTION Biiisaic the airlock, a wide, shallow basket of woven reeds filled with succulent fruits and unfamiliar vegetables. Malchin stared down at it, his mouth widening into a - grin. Then looked triumph- _antly at Carter. “Well? What did I tell you?” “It’s significant,’ admitted the little man. He stood in the open doorway, the projector he carried making him appear even more ridiculous than normal. “What do we do now ?” “Accept their offering.” Malchin squatted down beside the basket, selected a fruit, bit into it. He chewed, swal- lowed, reached for another. “Not bad. Try some.”’ “They could be poisoned.”’ Carter sat down and gingerly helped himself. “They may be inedible as far as we are concerned.” “tf doubt it.” Malchin was enjoying himself. It had been a long time since he had eaten fresh fruit. “This planet matches Earth too closely for there to be too much - difference in the flora. Even the natives are humanoid.”’ 42 It was illogical thinking based on wrong premises, but Malchin didn’t worry about that. He ate more fruit, wiping his chin on the sleeve - of his tunic, then tensed as movement became apparent in the tall grass surrounding them. “Here they come,” he said quietly. ““Give me the projector.” “Danger?” Carter swal- lowed as he passed over the weapon. “Should we go back inside ?”” *“No.”’ Malchin rose, the gun at his side. “Going back inside will accomplish nothing. They have brought us gifts, we have accepted them, and now they are coming to pay homage to their new gods.” He smiled possessively at the advancing natives. in the daylight they looked even more primitive than they had before. They were small, not over two feet in height, dirty, naked aside from a few who wore necklaces, and seemed more like stunted children than anything else. Their skins were an oyster grey, their bodies scarred in — what was an obvious sym- bolical pattern, and most of Ecomichbooks:com* - ae oo, -—_