Authentic Science Fiction Monthly No. 71 — page 76: what you’re looking at

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

HARVEST conform to the behaviour of matter ?”” “Yes. We have travelled, tuled by reason, throughout several thousand galaxies, free- ing life as we pass. We hope that soon we will discard our last traces of matter, Finally, all that is called matter will be dissolved into thought. Thought alone will exist— possibly fusing into one mind with the ability to make matter of itself and break it down at will. But that is for the remote future. We are the beginning of the process, freeing fit minds from flesh.” Smithson realises at last what has happened to his friends. “But what of those who don’t want to leave their bodies ?”’ he asks. “None do, till free—once free, none wish to revert. The logic becomes obvious only when one has been removed from an_ illogical state.” They lead him towards a wall. “‘See your former com- panions.” 75 The wall glows, but shadows fall around it—soon the wall — alone has light, and an image forms within it, upon it, bulges out, and becomes reality. For a second, Smithson thinks that he is in a tremen- dous bee-hive. Millions of white-wax cells shine on all sides and rise till they are lost in darkness far above — his head. In each cell, motion- less amid clear liquid, con- nected to pipes by narrow tubes, is a loosely shaped grey thing. Fighting against disgust and nausea, he steps nearer and peers at one of the brains. “What—what’s covering them?’ “The dura mater, outer- most of three sheathing layers. Artificial nourishment is fed in via the foramen magnum. In centuries to come, that need will end—they will ab- sorb energy of various kinds. In millions of years they will learn to transform themselves into almost pure thought, Comicbooks-;com—