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"Always listen to experts. They'll tell you what can't be done and why. Then do it."
- Robert Heinlein
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| Chalf (Quick-Scribe Powder) | ||
| A special powder that forms itself into words and symbols. |
Chalf is a truly unique idea. If you think about it, laser printer toner (the fine carbon material) is a similar powder, that is fixed onto the paper to form words and symbols. But, do you really need the paper?
| McKie brought a white vial from his copious jacket, scattered metallic powder on the desktop.
Watt pushed himself back from his desk, eyeing the powder with suspicion. He took a cautious sniff, smelled chalf, the quick-scribe powder. Still... "It's just chalf," McKie said. And he thought: If he buys that, I may get away with this. "So scribe it," Watt said. Concealing his elation, McKie held a chalf-memory stick over the dusted surface. A broken circle with arrows pointing to a right-hand flow appeared in the chalf. |
| From The Tactful Saboteur,
by Frank Herbert. Published by Galaxy in 1964 Additional resources -
|
Chalf also offered the devious Jorj X. McKie, saboteur extraordinary, with an opportunity to do what he did best. His boss, Clinton Watt, was right to be suspicious.
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'I filled your bullet hole with flesh putty and the lattice.'
'... it will be easy to form an alphabet which shall enable us to converse with the inhabitants of the moon.'
'From the tower's huge octagonal base radiate wide silvery strips...'
'It was about five feet long... a black bullet head and red camera eyes.'
'The Law Society has strict rules on the use of pseudo-intelligent software...'
