"The best anthology to be published in any year. A must!" usRARv JouRNAL THESE superb stories emphasize the science in science fiction-each pivoting around a particular science or technology. Isaac Asimov ... in a chilling little piece on physics and extraterrestrial life. Robert Heinlein .•. who offers a mathematic· ally perfect story about a nice, crooked. fourth-dimension house. Cyril Kornbluth ... predicts M.D.'s of the future in a fable that will never be made into a network television series. Julian Huxley .•. spins a timely and timeless adventure in molecular biology called the "Tissue-Culture King." Robert Silverberg ••. gives an enlightening cram course in Voltuscian archeology. Arthur C. Clarke ... investigates the astound­ ing capacity of the human body to withstand almost unlimited physiological pressure • • • • and many more. Fascinating introductions by Mr. Clarke on the history, significance and/ or prophetic accuracy of each story. TiME pRObE THE SCIENCES IN SCIENCE FICTION Selected and with an Introduction by Arthur C. Clarke $4.95, now at your bookstore ~A. DELACORTE PRESS 'Vi/ Including Y •nltwe Scimce Fiction NOVELETS Founder's Day DITH LAUMER 5 Brain Bank ARDREY MARSHALL 47 The Manse of Iucounu JACK VANCE 102 SHORT STORIES The Plot Is the Thing ROBERT BLOCH 26 Experiment in Autobiography RON GOULART 38 The Age of Invention NORMAN SPINRAD 78 Revolt of the Potato Picker HERB LEHRMAN 94 FEATURES Books JUDITH MERRIL 32 Cartoon GAHAN WILSON 37 Man in the Sea THEODORE L. THOMAS 76 Science: Balancing the Books ISAAC ASIMOV 83 F&SF Mt~rkelplace 129 Cover by Chesley Boneslell (see page 77) Joseph W. Fermon, PUBLISHER Edward L. Ferman, EDITOR Ted While, ASSISTANT EDITOR Isaac AsimO'IJ, SCIENCE EDITOR Judith Merril, BOOK EDITOR Robert P. Mills, CONSULTING EDITOR Dale Beardale, CIRCULATION MANAGER The Magasiu of Fantasy and Science Fiction, Volume 31, No. 1, Whole No. 182, ]Niy 1966. Published monthly by Mercury Press1 Jnc., at 50; a copi. Annual subscription ,5.00; $5.50 in Caxada axd the Pax Americax union, $6.00 in al other countries. Publscation office, 10 Ferry Streel, Concord, N. H. 03302. Editorial and general mail should be sent to 347 East Hrd St., New York, N. Y. 10022. Secoxd Class postage paid at Concord, N.H. Printed in U.S.A. @ 1966 by MercMry Press, Inc. All rights including translations into other langUQpes, reserved. Submissions must be accompanied by damJ?ed, .relf-addr..rsed rnvelot>e.r; lise PKblisher auNmes no responsibility for rctuno of -.rol4cited manMscri(>ts. Gus Addison was a cipher. He held a meaningless fob in an ooer­ crowded world; lived in a "home" which had barely the floor apace for hia mother, father, Uncle Fred and hia slutty wife, and Gw's brother. He lived on a dream. It wasn't complicated, or very idealiatic: he wanted escape and an even chance. "You'll get fwt one thing on Alpha Three: an even chance." They told him that, and he believed it, and he went. In FOUNDER's DAY, Keith Laumer returns to these pages with a compelling story of colonization in the future. FOUNDER'S DAY by Keith Laumer THE GIRL SAID "NO." SHE SHOOK "Marriage! That's just a lousy her head, turned her ice-chip blue business proposition I" eyes back to the programming "Not so lousy. I'm accepting. console that almost filled her work It'll mean a class B flat for just cubicle. "Have some sense, Gus." the two of us-and class B ra­ "We could live with my family tions." for a while-" "You-and that dried-up " "You're already one over legal. Gus pictured her, with Aronski's And if you think I'd crowd in with crab-claws touching her. that whole bunch-" "Better get back to your slot, "Only until I get my next step­ Gus," she dismissed him. "You've increase!" still got a job to hold down." Her fingers were already flick­ He turned away. A small, bald­ ering over the keys. "See my side, ing man with a large face and a Gus. Mel Fundy's offered me a curved back was coming along the five year contract-with an op­ two-foot aisle, darting sharp looks tion." into the cubicles. His eyes turned "Contract!" hot when he saw Gus. "It's better than no marriage at "You're docked half a unit, Ad­ allr" dison! If I find you out of your po- 5 6 FANTAST ANO SCIENCE FICTION sition again, there'll be charges!" moved sensuously, and Gus saw "It won't happen again," Gus the curve of a full breast, the soft, muttered. "E.-er." pink nipple peering like a blind eye past the edge of the curtain. The shift-end buzzer went at Desire washed up through him oight A. M. Gus pushed along the like sewage in a plugged man· exit lane into car 98, stood packed hole. He turned his eyes away and in with the other workers while it saw a narrow, rabbity face glaring rocketed along the horizontal at him in feeble ferocity from the track, halting every twelve sec· washing nook. onds to discharge passengers, then "What are you staring at, you shot upwards thre~uarters of a young-" mile to his OaHevel. In the two "Tell her to keep the curtains foot wide corridor, a banner poster shut, Uncle Fred," Gus grated. showed a Colonization Service ''You young degenerate! Your Officer looking stern, and the sl~ own aunt!" gan: FILL YOUR BLOCK QUO. "Gus didn't do anything," an TAl Gus keyed the door and uncertain voice said behind him. stepped into the familiar odor of "She's done the same thing to me." Home: a heavy, dirt·sweet smell Gus turned to his brother, a of human sweat and excrement spindle-armed, ribby--chested lad and sex that seemed to settle over with a bad complexion. "Thanks, him like an oily patina. Len. But they can think what they "Augustus," from the food-prep like. I'm leaving. I just came to ledge at the far end of the living say goodbye." aisle his mother's collapsed, sag· Lenny's mouth opened. ''You're ging face caressed him like a ... going?'' damp hand. "I have a surprise for Gus didn't look at Lenny's face. you! Mock giblets and a cus· He knew the expression he would tardl" see there: admiration, love, dis· "I'm not hlDlgry." may. And there was nothing he "Evening, Son." His father's could give in return. head poked from the study cubi· The silence was broken by a de. "Since you don't care for your squeak from Mother. "Augustus," custard, mind if I have it? Stom· she spoke quickly, in a false· ach's been a little fiesty lately." bright voice, as though nothing As if to prove it he belched. had been said. "I've been thinking, Three feet from Gus's face, the this evening you and your father curtains of the dressing alcove might go to see Mr. Geyer about twitched. Through a gap, a pale, a recommendation for Class C oversized buttock showed. It testing-" FOUNDER'S DAY 7 Father cleared his throat. a nice casserole or soup, you lmow "Now, Ada, you know we've been how fond you are of my bchen all over that-" soup, and-" ''There may have been a "I've got to go," Gus backed a change-" step. "There's never a change," Gus "After all we've done for you!" cut her off harshly. "I'll never get Mother keened suddenly. "All the a better job, never get a flat of my years we've scraped and saved, so own, never get married. There just we could give you the best of ev­ isn't room." erything ..." Father frowned, the corners of "Now, Son, better think this his mouth drawing down in an over," Father mumbled. "Remem­ unwittingly comic expression. ber, there's no turning back if you "Now, see here, Son," he started. volunteer. You'll never see your "Never mind," Gus said. "I'll be home again-or your mother out of here in a minute, and leave . ." His voice trailed off. Even the whole thing to you-custard to his ears the prospect sounded and all." attractive. "0, God!" Gus saw his mother's "Good luck, Gus," Lenny face crumple into a red-blotched caught his hand. "I'll • • • see mask of grief, a repellent expres­ you." sion of weak, smothering, useless "Sure, Lenny." mother-love. "He's going!" Mother wailed. Say something to him, George," "Stop him, George!" she whimpered. "He's going-out Gus looked back at the faces there[" staring at him, tried and failed to "You mean ..." Father elab­ summon a twinge of regret at leav­ orated a frown. ''You mean the ing them. colonies?" "It isn't fair," Mother moaned. "Sure, that's what he means," Gus pressed the button and the Lenny burst out. "Gus, you're go­ door slid back. ing to Alpha!" "Say, if that custard isn't cold," "Catch me volunteering for Father was saying as the panel anything," Uncle Fred shook his closed behind Gus. head. "Stories I've heard . ." "Augustus, I've been thinking," Recruitment Center Number Mother began babbling. "We'll Sixtv-one was a white-lit acre of leave the whole flat to you, this nois~ and animal wannth and ten­ lovely apartment, and we'll go in­ sion and people packed elbow to to Barracks, just visit you here on elbow under the low ceiling with Sundays, just come and bring you its signs reading CLASS ONE- 8 FANTASY AND ICIBNCE PICTION SPECIAL and TEST UNITS D­ cards across.