“What, now?” “Soon equates to good, later to worse, Uagen Zlepe, scholar. Therefore, immediacy.” — Iain M. Banks

“You serious?”

“I’m always serious, never more so than when I’m being flippant.”

Believe me; democracy in action can be an unpretty sight.

“Elated? Pleased?”

“Those are the closest words. There is an undeniable elation in causing mayhem, in bringing about such massive destruction. As for feeling pleased, I felt pleasure that some of those who died did so because they were stupid enough to believe in gods or afterlives that do not exist, even though I felt a terrible sorrow for them as they died in their ignorance and thanks to their folly.”