Autocratic governments are masters of self-contradiction. They say one thing, do another.

I never wanted to be "a writer"; I only ever aspired to be an science fiction writer. They'll tear that badge out of my cold dead hands.

The human capacity for grief. It just isn't capable of providing an adequate emotional response once the dead exceed a few dozen in number. And it doesn't just level off - it just gives up, resets itself to zero.

Autocratic governments are masters of self-contradiction. They say one thing, do another.

Without risk in our lives, we're scarcely better than machines ourselves.

As the old saying went, the Manhattan Project wasn't built in a day. Or was that Rome? Something to do with Earth, anyway.

Victory loses its meaning without the memory of what you've vanquished.