Authentic Science Fiction Monthly No. 72 — page 37: what you’re looking at

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

AUTHENTIC SCIENCE FICTION *“Won’t be long.”’ She stared interestedly about the office. “This where you work, Miles ?” ‘““Yes. Crummy place, isn’t it?” The boiling of the percola- tor saved Susan from the necessity of finding an answer, and she busied herself with cups, sugar, cream and scald- ing coffee. Murbash added to the potential energy of the brew with the contents of his bottle, then sat back, smiling at the charts hanging against the walls. “To work,” said Miles and reverted to the lecturer. “‘When we deal with a culture or society,” he said, ““we are dealing with a group of particles, each of which is composed of a tangle of variables. Fortunately, while we cannot predict the actions of any individual, we can for a group of individuals.’’ He riffled a heap of papers. “‘For example, we know that, of a certain group of people, a certain percentage will die within a certain time.” *““Elementary,”’ said Mark. ‘‘Assurance companies use such statistics all the time.” 36 “‘Sure,”’ agreed Miles. “‘Ele- mentary, but important.” He reached for more papers. “You'll have to take a lot of what I say on trust. I can prove it, but the proof requires time and the use of a Mitchell Computor.”’ He chuckled. “I sneaked my own stuff in while making a market research analysis for one of our spon- sors. Til never understand why he didn’t query the bill.” He became serious. “Did I tell you about the pre- mechanical civilizations ?”’ “You did.” Mark sipped at his coffee. “Take it from where you left it in the cab.” “All right,” said Miles. “They all followed the same pattern of rise, decline and oblivion. No civilization which was overrun has ever managed to climb back again. A brief flash, perhaps, but that is all. Once they’ve had their mo- ment they go out like a light.” He looked at the others. “There is no reason to assume that our civilization will not follow the same pattern. Just because we use machines and have girdled the world with a network of communications doesn’t make us superior to Comiclooks.conn J