        It was strange that of all the things the alien might have brought, a book was the first thing that it put in his hands, and what appeared to be their alphabet was drawn out in the sand.  It was not too difficult for him to believe that the stick resting at the end was the tool which had been used to form the letters.  Even he could have come up with something better—he was sure that if he had looked hard enough, he could have found a laptop or tablet or something that was hardened against electromagnetic interference.  Undoubtedly, the military had them.  Even a whiteboard would have been an effective, simple solution.