“There's something very... I don't know; primitive, perhaps, about you, Gurgeh. You've never changed sex, have you?' He shook his head. 'Or slept with a man?' Another shake. 'I thought so,' Yay said. 'You're strange, Gurgeh.' She drained her glass.”

“I love you, Mallory," he said very quietly, very seriously. "So damn much."Warmth and affection and need and so much more rushed her. "I know.""You know?""Yes.""Well, hell," he said with a small smile and a shake of his head. "You might have told me and saved me a lot of time.""How about I tell you something else?" she said. "I love you, too.”

“But what if someone kills somebody else?"Gurgeh shrugged. "They're slap-droned.""Ah! This sounds more like it. What does that drone do?""Follows you around and makes sure you never do it again.""Is that all?""What more do you want? Social death, Hamin; you don't get invited to too many parties.""Ah; but in your Culture, can't you gatecrash?""I suppose so," Gurgeh conceded. "But nobody'd talk to you.”

“Have I mentioned that I hate it when you're right?", she asked instead. Alanna shook her head. "No, I don't believe you have. As far as I could tell, you never thought I was right.”

“So . . . do you?” He persisted.“Yes,” she said finally with a mystified laugh. “I wrap my head in a towel.”He nodded, satisfied. “I thought so.”“Did you ever think about cutting back on the caffeine?”Miles shook his head. “Never.”

“I dont know what I ever done, she said. I truly dont.Chigurh nodded. Probably you do, he said. There's a reason for everything.She shook her head. How many times I've said them very words. I wont again.”