Authentic Science Fiction Monthly No. 72 — page 46: what you’re looking at

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

THE GIVE-AWAY WORLDS thing to lose and nothing to gain. Crazy? You tell me.” “You tell the government,” ‘said Jelks. ‘I’m not going to stick my neck in a noose. If it ever got out that I’d permitted what you suggest then I’d be flayed by every paper and video hungry for news.”’ “Your neck,” said Mark bitterly. ““Damn it, man, this thing is more important than you or I, or any vote-catcher alive! The colonies have got to succeed! They’ve got to!” He realised that he was shouting and controlled him- self. Jelks wasn’t interested in the big picture. Jelks was only interested in one thing—him- self. Talking to him about history would be a waste of time. He wouldn’t know about Tasmania, Australia and North America, all of which had, at one time, been used as dumping grounds for con- victéd felons. He wouldn’t be able to grasp the concept that criminal tendencies were not hereditary, but bred by a society which set up an arbitrary system of rules which no healthy, self-willed indi- vidual with a strong survival instinct could avoid breaking. 45 “Pioneers are people who want to escape,’ said Mark evenly. ‘““They are people who aren’t satisfied with what they’ve got and want some- thing better.-People who are running from _ persecution, boredom, the dragging round of monotony.” “But criminals!” Jelks didn’t seem to want to talk about it. “Criminals are also trying to escape.’ Mark paused, staring at the tip of his cigarette. “How about this, commander? You take a nice, long trip, say for about six months. Your health isn’t all that good and you need a rest. Let me run ColTerm while you are away. What I do needn’t concern you. Of-. ficially you won’t be to blame no matter what I do. Well?’’ “NO, “I’m sorry.’ Mark glanced around the office. It was a luxurious office. Jelks had seen to that. “It would be a pity to give all this up, wouldn’t it?” “What do you mean?” Jelks sat bolt upright in his chair. “Are you threatening me, Cameron ?”’ comiclooks.conrn