Authentic Science Fiction Monthly No. 72 — page 35: what you’re looking at

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

AUTHENTIC SCIENCE FICTION Murbash was a starship cap- tain. His job was to obey orders, and if he wanted to keep his job that’s all he had to do. Mark opened his mouth to say something, then closed it again as Susan, accompanied by a stranger, came towards them. “Meet Miles Whayland,” she introduced.. “‘Miles, this _ is Mark Cameron, my boss, and this is Captain Murbash. Have a drink.” “Thanks.” Miles plumped in a chair and it was obvious that he’d already drunk enough. He must have thought so, too, for he grabbed a couple of sobup pills, swallowed them, and waited for them to take effect. While waiting, he helped himself from the bottle. “Science,” he said. “It’s wonderful. Rome had the vomitorium and we have sobup pills. Drink yourself stupid, take a couple of little white tablets, and then you can start all over again.” He blinked, the rapid effect of the pills already apparent in his eyes and voice. He raised his glass. “‘Here’s to progress.” 34 “Clear jets.”” Murbash an- swered the toast. “You call this progress?” “Why not? Progress is progress no matter in which direction we're going. We just happen to be going down. Like I was telling poor old Frank, you saw what hap- pened to Frank? Stun-gunned the poor unfortunate so and so. Will he be sorry.” He brooded about it, knowing that the pain of returning circulation and feeling after stun-gunning was something most men would do anything to avoid. He sighed, took another sobup pill and washed it down with a drink of whisky. ““Miles is a social engineer,” said Susan brightly. “‘ He knows just what is wrong with civilization, don’t you, Miles ?” “Rotten,” said Miles. “‘Rot- ten and doomed.” He blinked at the others. “‘No barbarians,” he explained. ““No one to move in when we’re finished and infuse new blood and life. Always before there have been barbarians to take over when a civilization has passed its prime. But not now.” He comicbooks.com §