Lord Miles Naismith Vorkosigan. Occupation: security risk. Hobbies: falling off walls, disappointing sick old men to death, making girls cry.
I admit, he has far too much on his mind at the moment. Suppressed panic turns him into a prick every time; it’s what he does instead of running in circles screaming. A way of coping, I suppose.
Save me from that! To pour your life into sons for eighteen or twenty years, and then have the government take them away and waste them cleaning up after some failure of politics – no thanks.
Divide the infinite future into five-minute blocks, and take them one by one.
There are a lot of senseless things in the world, but not all of them are sorrows. Everybody knows some light, even if they forget when they’re down in the dark. Something everyone else thinks is stupid, but you know is wonderful.
You have more years ahead of you now than Pejar, half your age, whom we buried outside these walls these two days past. Stand before his grave and use your gift of breath to complain of your limited time. If you dare.
You looked a god in the eyes and bore witness for me, by which alone I am preserved.” She took a deep breath, through his mouth. “You looked a god in the eyes. And spoke for me. There is nothing in my power that I will ever refuse you, after that.
Achievement is devastating, or at least disorienting, and they don’t warn you in advance. It’s the sudden change of momentum and direction, I think.
His further study of humanity had revealed just how much people could convince themselves that their own needs were those of the gods, and not the other way around.
My word was too easy to give, too hard to keep.
He fantasized about burning his fraying vestments when he finally reached home.
Well, I don’t hate him. Can’t say as I worship him, either.” She paused a long time, and looked up to meet her mother’s eyes square on. “But when he’s cut, I bleed.
Greed is an appetite that looks largely to some imagined or feared future.
I can tell you truths. I cannot give you understanding. For how can one give what one does not possess? I have always told the truth.
You’re worse than evil. You’re inefficient.
Why are you wearing slippers?” She stared down at her feet. “I’m – sorry, Pilot Officer Mayhew. That’s classified.
He was uneasily unsure about the intentions of the white god that she, and now he, served. Though so far, Penric seemed to have been let get on with his life free of holy molestation.
What did it say that Nikys had better luck getting a straight answer from a chaos demon than a man? Nothing new, more’s the pity.
Ah.” “And what does ah mean?” he asked, slightly exasperated. “It’s sort of like biting my tongue, but less painful.
Her hands started to reach out, but then retreated behind her back and consoled each other there. “I am so sorry. But surely you see any girl must be quite afraid to marry a man who could set her on fire with a word!” He’d dreamed of setting her alight with kisses. “Any man could set a girl on fire with a torch, but he’d have to be deranged!