Karl K. Gallagher > Quotes

“didn’t bother Roger at all. He brought Azure Tarn down gently as a first kiss”
― Karl K. Gallagher, Storm Between the Stars

“jury-rigging”
― Karl K. Gallagher, Trouble In My Day

“Thanks.” Tamar hung her weight belt on the hook in her locker and started peeling off the wetsuit.”
― Karl K. Gallagher, Swim Among the People

“Talk to them. Persuade them to negotiate for peace. You’re one of the most highly respected philosophers in the entire Revivalist movement.” Su slid off his cushion and lay on his side, propping his head up on his elbow. “Am I drunk enough that I can’t sit up straight?” “No, you haven’t had nearly that much wine,” Guo laughed.”
― Karl K. Gallagher, Torchship Trilogy

“If I drank all those bottles would I be that drunk?” He waved at the shelf to his left. “You’d pass out before you finished a third of them.” “Yes. There’s a limit to how drunk one may be on wine.” Su took another sip. “But there is no limit to being drunk on power.” Guo shifted on his cushion. “Are you saying . . . ?” “I am saying nothing. I am philosophizing. It is in the nature of men who hold power to seek more power. The Master’s teachings prepare rulers for their ascension, so they may use it best for all. But you cannot know the strength of one’s moral character until you have been tempted.” “I’d hope peace would tempt them.” “Peace tempts you. It will tempt you to lie and cheat for its sake. To other men peace is a barrier. It puts a lid on their power, shackles on their means of gaining more. Such men cannot be persuaded to seek peace. They will accept it as an alternative to losing what power they already have.” “Have you said that to them?”
― Karl K. Gallagher, Torchship Trilogy

“Filial piety is easier when light-years away from your family,”
― Karl K. Gallagher, Torchship Trilogy

“He was engaged to a local girl. Their departure was tentatively scheduled for shortly after the wedding.”
― Karl K. Gallagher, Captain Trader Helmsman Spy

“declaimed,”
― Karl K. Gallagher, Trouble In My Day

“that guy touched so we know there’s no listening devices left behind.”
― Karl K. Gallagher, Captain Trader Helmsman Spy

“the fusion plant’s coolant system.”
― Karl K. Gallagher, Swim Among the People

“Well, I think we’ve seen enough. Let’s go back up and see what the rest of my team found.”
― Karl K. Gallagher, Captain Trader Helmsman Spy

“L’chaim.”
― Karl K. Gallagher, Swim Among the People

“decurions”
― Karl K. Gallagher, Torchship Trilogy

“am saying nothing. I am philosophizing. It is in the nature of men who hold power to seek more power. The Master’s teachings prepare rulers for their ascension, so they may use it best for all. But you cannot know the strength of one’s moral character until you have been tempted.” “I’d hope peace would tempt them.” “Peace tempts you. It will tempt you to lie and cheat for its sake. To other men peace is a barrier. It puts a lid on their power, shackles on their means of gaining more. Such men cannot be persuaded to seek peace. They will accept it as an alternative to losing what power they already have.” “Have you said that to them?”
― Karl K. Gallagher, Torchship Trilogy

“Every group of humans has somebody on top. If you can’t tell who it is listen for the one talking about how equal they all are and that’s it.”
― Karl K. Gallagher, Torchship Trilogy

“sycophantic”
― Karl K. Gallagher, Seize What's Held Dear

“Do you know how many undercover agents we executed after liberation”
― Karl K. Gallagher, Captain Trader Helmsman Spy

“filial piety.”
― Karl K. Gallagher, Torchship Trilogy

“The chatter drifted into tactical jargon Guo didn’t know. “We’re preparing to reenact the Battle of Camlann,” he said softly. Admiral Chang caught the remark. “Camlann? I don’t know that one. Is it Age of Sail?” Guo shook his head. “Older, sir. From the Camelot legends. King Arthur was negotiating with a rebel lord. Their knights lined up beside them, facing each other in long lines. One knight saw a snake about to bite him. He drew his sword to kill it. The knights on the other side thought he meant to attack them and drew their swords. The battle raged until only a handful survived.”
― Karl K. Gallagher, Torchship Trilogy

“I choose to sign this treaty. I choose it because it protects the right of every human to make the most important decision. To pick up and leave where ever they are and find someplace better. Sometimes two men will switch places. If they’re both happier thereby, good. Different people need different things from their neighbors and their governments. “Others will want something that never existed before. They have the right to go where they can and build it. Only by protecting that right can we discover better ways.”
― Karl K. Gallagher, Torchship Trilogy

“To Robert Anson Heinlein For a lifetime of inspiration”
― Karl K. Gallagher, Torchship Trilogy

“Unfortunately the Master Chief had decided a “liver function test” was an essential part of training.”
― Karl K. Gallagher, Torchship Trilogy

“grandiloquent”
― Karl K. Gallagher, Seize What's Held Dear

“quasi-condensate”
― Karl K. Gallagher, Captain Trader Helmsman Spy

“Right. Miner is taking a shuttle flight. He’s a real foul-mouthed guy, every other word out of his mouth is fuck or shit. A priest sits down next to him. Miner has enough manners to not want to cuss in front of a priest. He nods, priest nods back, priest takes out a paper crossword puzzle and starts working on it. Miner’s happy, he won’t have to say a fucking word all flight. “Halfway there the priest gets stuck. He asks the miner, ‘What’s a four letter word for woman, ending U-N-T?’ Miner panics. He doesn’t want to say that word to a priest. He prays silently, ‘God, please don’t make me say that.’ “And God answered his prayer. Miner says, ‘Aunt. A-U-N-T.’ Priest says, ‘Oh, of course. Got an eraser?”
― Karl K. Gallagher, Torchship Trilogy

“Ah. I haven’t explained the excess profits tax.” Saying the words put a sour expression on Vychan’s face. “No. But it does sound important.” “Normal tax rates apply on profits after expenses up to ten percent over what the Censorate thinks the goods are worth. Anything over that is taxed on a sliding scale. An open ended auction would cost you your ship if the bidding got high enough.”
― Karl K. Gallagher, Storm Between the Stars

“Turing Test”
― Karl K. Gallagher, Torchship Trilogy

“The French Revolution was another. The nobles couldn’t compete in the new economy based on trade instead of land. They were afraid of becoming peasant farmers with houses they couldn’t maintain, so they enforced their privileges until the rest revolted.”
― Karl K. Gallagher, Torchship Trilogy

“You don’t like having smart workers?” “Smarter than average, sure. I’ll take them. It’s the supersmart ones I have trouble with. It’s like putting treads instead of wheels on your groundcar. You can go more places, but when you finally do get stuck no one can get there to help you out. These smart guys get wrapped up in some idea and shoot down any arguments against it. So no matter how badly it works in the real world they’re stuck.”
― Karl K. Gallagher, Torchship Trilogy

“sedevacantists.”
― Karl K. Gallagher, Between Home and Ruin