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"SF looks towards an imaginary future, while fantasy, by and large, looks towards an imaginary past."
- Frederik Pohl
 |
| Atomic Torch | ||
| An atomic-powered cutting and welding tool. |
| They sprawled together in space. The technician, after his first surprise, displayed a wiry strength. He groped for his atomic torch, that would have cut Chan’s armor like paper.
“I’ve got a blaster.” Vibration of metal in furious contact carried Chan’s words. “But I don’t want your life—only your number and your keys.” “Derron!” The man’s face went white within his helmet. “The convict—we were warned.” Chan grabbed for the torch. But the fight had gone out of the other. Limp with terror, he was gasping: “For God’s sake, Derron, don’t kill me. I’ll do anything you want!” His name, it seemed to Chan, had grown stronger than his body! And more dangerous than any enemy. Swiftly, he took the prisoner’s tools, his work-sheet, his keys, and the number-plate—a black-stencilled yellow crescent—from his helmet. With the man’s own torch, he welded the shoulder-piece of his armor to the motor-house. |
| Technovelgy from One Against The Legion,
by Jack Williamson. Published by Astounding in 1939 Additional resources -
|
Compare to nuclear shears from Foundation (1951) by Isaac Asimov, the toaster from Accidental Flight (1952) by WF Wallace, the Slaver disintegrator from Ringworld (1970) by Larry Niven and the Lasgun from Dune (1965) by Frank Herbert.
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More Ideas
and Technology from One Against The Legion
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Tech news articles related to One Against The Legion
Tech news articles related to works by Jack Williamson
| Giant Lunar Surface Test Bed Built On Earth |
| Zai Pits (West Sahel) And Dew Collectors (Dune) |
| Away Rude Mechanicals! I Want Self-Sensing Variable-Stiffness Artificial Muscles. |
| 3D Printing In Mid-Air |
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'It's done with a flip of the third joint of the tentacle on the down beat.'
'If you surf over a bump... If you surf over a pothole...'
'Then the spreading beam of the deranging ray struck them, and they stood an instant transfixed...'
'Noiselessly, on rubber-tired wheels, they journeyed...'
'...copy two of the original document no longer can be superimposed on copy one.'
My prize robot, tall, dashing would speak and act for me...
'A palm lock must be keyed to one individual's hand shape and palm lines.'
'I have transferred the ego of a dog to a synthetic dog brain in the skull case of a robot dog.'
