Aaron Allston Quotations

Lawyers are the first refuge of the incompetent.

The principle of Sturgeon's Razor states that the simplest answer to any problem is 90% crap

If you hack the Vatican server, have you tampered in God's domain?

Luck consists largely of hanging on by your fingernails until things start to go your way.

There are two types of people in the world, and I'm one of them.

Violence is the first refuge of the violent.

Where can I get some tat? I'd like to trade it in.

Feminism is sort of like God. Many people profess to believe in it, but no one seems to be able to define it to everyone's satisfaction.

The difference between tragedy and comedy: Tragedy is something awful happening to somebody else, while comedy is something awful happening to somebody else.

The way to a man's heart is through his chest.

This would not be a problem if I were driving a snowplow.

Any sufficiently badly-written science is indistinguishable from magic.

Definition of 'Free': You pay for it whether or not you elect to receive it.

I really can't complain about actresses who get paid to be dumb. Most of us can't get paid to be smart.

The analysis of the thing is not the thing itself.

I'm content to stand on tradition. I'm even more content to wipe my feet on it.

Life is like an analogy.

No, General. I'm not your subordinate. And what I'm coming dangerously close to is violence. -General Wedge Antilles

Sometimes to heal, you must first get hurt.

I was years older than you when I became an ambassador for the first time. Remember that, Tycho? How did we get through that assignment, anyway?” “Pretty much, we opened fire on everyone who disagreed with us.” Wedge nodded and turned to his daughter. “When all else fails, just do that.

I marked their location in case Kell wanted to blow them up or something.” “I don’t have to blow up everything I see. I just like to.

Rogue Squadron doesn’t run. Unless we really, really have to." "No, this will be Wraith Squadron’s mission." "We don’t mind running. Even when we don’t have to.

And unlike the rest of you, he hasn’t yet time to ruin his career or his mind." "Then he won’t do. Send him home. Get us another lunatic." "Excuse me!" [hopping up to stand in his seat] "Elassar Targon, master of the universe, reporting for duty!" "I withdraw my objection.

At which time the repulsor puts out its final effort and slows you down so you crash quite slowly into the surface." "Crash." "Quite slowly." Face & Luke

Obviously a fake Kyp. You distract him. I'll shoot him under the table." Han (to Leia)

Tycho, we're about to achieve a tremendous victory we don't want." "We'll put that in your biography. General Antilles was so good he couldn't fail when he tried to." "Thanks." Wedge & Tycho

Luke, I don't want to discourage your curiosity, but I have to remind you, if something goes wrong, this is an exceptionally embarassing way to die." Mara

There are times when the end justifies the means. But when you build an argument based on a whole series of such times, you may find that you've constructed an entire philosophy of evil." --Luke Skywalker

Oh, wonderful. I killed his father. He hates me. He knows how to make bombs. Come on, Wedge, how does this story end?

I don't know. Your the Jedi Master, you figure it out.

Rogue Squadron doesn't run. Unless we really, really have to.

No one pays me to be nice.

The chief difference between horror fans and science fiction fans lies in why they won't walk backwards. A horror fan won't walk backwards because he knows he'll be knifed by a madman. A science fiction fan won't walk backwards because he knows he'll step on the cat.

Ennui and lethargy are waging a war inside me.

The good thing about being Dr. Frankenstein is that you can always make new friends.

No, they can't. They can't be Luke Skywalker.

When all else fails, complicate matters

I have to say, this sounds like the worst idea in a thousand generations of bad ideas." "You haven't heard all our ideas." Luke & Bhindi Drayson

That was interesting." "He deliberately countermanded one of my orders." "He was furtive." "Sneaky, even." "We'll make a Rebellion-style pilot of him yet." Tycho & Wedge (about Jag)

Tomer: “What's this?” Cabinet: “Wt's ths?” Wedge: “Cabinet.” Tomer: “I know it's a cabinet, but it's talking.” Cabinet: “...ts tlkng” Janson: “Oh that. It's the Catann Minister of Crawling Into Very Small Spaces.” Tycho: “He bet Wedge he could fold himself in the that cabinet, around the shelves and all.” Hobbie: “Never bet against Wedge. The Minister gets to stay in there until he admits that it was a stupid bet and that Wedge doesn't owe him anything.