There was no limit to what one man might do, if he gave all, and held back nothing.

The Imperial Service could win a war without coffee, but would prefer not to have to.

Any communitys arm of force - military, police, security - needs people in it who can do necessary evil, and yet not be made evil by it. To do only the necessary and no more. To constantly question the assumptions, to stop the slide into atrocity.

You couldn't be that good and not know it, somewhere in your secret heart, however much you'd been abused into affecting public humility.

All true wealth is biological.

Hi, I'm a hero, but I can't tell you why. It's classified.

And this was your friend?" Cordelia raised her eyebrows. "Seems to me the only difference between your friends and your enemies is how long the stand around chatting before they shoot you.