Magic never dies. It merely fades away.

Why do you go away? So that you can come back. So that you can see the place you came from with new eyes and extra colors. And the people there see you differently, too. Coming back to where you started is not the same as never leaving.

Raising the flag and singing the anthem are, while somewhat suspicious, not in themselves acts of treason.

If you want to change a whole people, then you start with the girls. It stands to reason: they learn faster, and they pass on what they learn to their children.

Maybe the only significant difference between a really smart simulation and a human being was the noise they made when you punched them.

Just call in at the torturer on your way out. See when he can fit you in.

People who didn't need people needed people around to know that they were the kind of people who didn't need people.