Authentic Science Fiction Monthly No. 71 — page 53: what you’re looking at

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

AUTHENTIC SCIENCE FICTION a spaceship together, he’s still part of the tribe, part of a glowing symphony of colour and motion. That’s bad for production. Accent on indi- viduality, that was the keynote. The Terms and their union representatives could argue a grievance right to the letter of the contract, but when it came to production standards we had them. Terminorb IV was ninety light-years from the system, and the Terms couldn’t afford a home office time and motion analyst. It wasn’t worth it. Los Tichnat was committee- man at large for the Term local. He sat regally at the head of the conference table, seven gleaming chitinous feet of him, with his softly pulsat- ing antenne and faceted eyes, and said in aclicking, humour- less voice: ““The first item is a second-stage grievance. Brother Nadkek, in final as- sembly, was laid off for one day. Reason: he missed an operation. The grievance, of course, is a mere formality. You will deny it.” 52 Dave Starza winked at me from behind horn-rimmed glasses. He sat like some great bland Buddha, Director of Industrial Relations, genius in outer psychology, ruthlessf soft-spoken, anticipator 0, alien trends. He said in that beautiful velvet voice: “‘Or- dinarily, yes. In this case Nadkek wished to ask his foreman about omitting a welding phase of the operation. While the suggestion was declined, Nadkek showed un- mistakable initiative.” Starza stressed the word. ““We ap- preciate his interest in the job. He will receive pay for the lost day.” Around the table, antennez flashed amazed colours. A precedent had been set. In- terest in the job transcended even the Contract. ‘““Management sustains the grievance?’ Tichnat droned incredulously. “Of course,” Starza said. Nadkek left the conference room, his antenne a puzzled mauve. conmiclsooks.com