Prescription for Chaos Read Free Page B

moment is our monthly, Varlet ."
    Forrick smoothed his white hair with one hand. "Oh yes," he said, smiling. " Varlet . I bought a copy the other night on my way to the train and rode three stops past my station. Very fine magazine." He cleared his throat, and blushed slightly.
    "I'm glad you've read it," said Howard. "You can understand it's hard to obtain material that's just right for Varlet . What we like is a humorous, sophisticated, but high-powered approach to sex."
    "Fine art work, too," said Forrick approvingly. "But I don't see where we can help you."
    "Didn't I read somewhere recently that you folks claimed you could make a machine that would play chess?"
    "Why, yes, and we could. But there's been no demand for that sort of computer." Forrick frowned in puzzlement. "What does that have to do with your magazine?"
    "Let me tell you some of the difficulties we have in producing Varlet ," said Howard, "and you'll see what I'm driving at."
    "Go right ahead," said Forrick. "I'm interested."
    "To start with," said Howard, "our need is for a very specialized type of material, and writers only occasionally hit on exactly the right blend for us. This made it hard enough when we first came out, but we managed by using the best original material we could obtain, and by reprinting other stories and articles that happened to meet our requirements. But now—" he spread his hands—"there's not only Varlet on the stands, but also Rascal , Sly , Villain , and I understand there's one coming out next month called Devilish . How are we supposed to compete with that field when there isn't enough to be bought in the first place? It's impossible."
    "I see your point," said Forrick, frowning. "You'd have to lower your standards. But that would hurt sales."
    Howard nodded and sat back.
    "It is a production problem," said Forrick thoughtfully. "Hm-m-m." He reached for a telephone. Soon he had a phone in each hand. "Meigs," he roared at one point, "that's our motto! If the job is impossible, we'll do it anyhow!"
    Howard sat tight. Eventually Forrick put down the phones and mopped his brow with a large handkerchief.
    "We've got the boys working on it," he said. "I'm glad you brought this to us, Nelson. It looks like a real challenge."
    They shook hands.
    Howard was cursing dismally over a piece of miserable art work some months later when they brought it in. He watched in amazement as the workmen set the glittering machine by his door, then he got up excitedly. The thing looked like a combination electron microscope and spin-drier, but plainly on the front of it in shining chromium was the word: Writivac-112. He walked over to look at it.
    "Say, not bad," he said.
    The technicians plugged it in and carried out tests with little meters and lengths of cord. Howard watched interestedly.
    There was a discreet cough at his elbow. He glanced around. "If you'll just sign here, sir."
    "How much?"
    "Total cost, installed, is $5,750. Is that satisfactory?"
    "Is it satisfactory?" Howard stared at him for a moment. To be able to just set dials and get exactly what he wanted? "Is it satisfactory?" He grabbed his pen, read rapidly, and signed his name.
    As soon as they cleared out, he approached the Writivac-112. A little instruction book dangled beside it. "Fred! Don!" he yelled. "Get in here!" He got his two top men into the room, and then they locked all the doors and went to work.
    The machine had several dials and settings. According to the little instruction book, the three knobs lettered A through C on the front determined the proportion of sex, adventure, and mystery in the story. The fourth knob, lettered D, handled special types, all the data for which had to be put in a feed-in slot at the top of the machine, and the feed-in switch thrown to the right. If a large amount of such special material had to be fed in, both memory and feed-in switches were turned to the right. Then the length and spacing switches were to be set, the On button pushed,