Ah, Mardina. Evidently you entirely lack imagination. You’ll go far in the Navy. — Stephen Baxter

We underestimated the vindictiveness of mankind. Their retrospective tribunals. Their visiting of punishments on the children of the perpetrators. They never forgave us.

I know the military. The sooner they can kick a problem upstairs the happier they will be.

Let me face bare-handed a dozen highly trained and fully armed gladiators, each with a personal grudge against me, than a lawyer with a single pointed question.