“We do not always get what we want. Sometimes life presents us with surprises.”

“So you should be able to see them clearly in your imagination. We always find it easier to visualize what we fear; it's what keeps us afraid of the dark." -Virginia Dare.”

“So we have to make sure we stop it here," he said."Exactly. Well,you asked me to get you as close to the water as possible.I presume you have a plan?""My love,I always have a plan."They heard footsteps rattling behind them and turned as Prometheus and Niten came hurrying up. They were both carrying fishing rods over their shoulders.The slender Japanese man grinned. "Do not ask him how much it cost to hire these," he said."How much?" Nicholas asked."Too much," Prometheus answered furiously. "I could have bought an entire fishing boat,or at least a very good fish dinner,for what it cost to rent them for a couple of hours," he grumbled. "Plus a deposit in case we don't bring them back.""What's the plan?" Niten asked. He held out an empty bucket. "We can'nt really go fishing. We don't have bait.""Oh,but we do." Nicholas smiled. "You are our bait.”

“Sophie, what will you do to help Josh,to save him, to bring him back?" Tsagaglalal asked."Anything. Everything." Perenelle leaned forward to place both forearms on the table. Her hands were tightly locked together, knuckles white with tension. "And Sophie, what do you think I will do to help my husband?""Anything," Sophie said again. "Everything.""We will do anything-everything-to help those we love. That is what seperates the humani from the Next Generation of the Elders or those who came before them. That is what makes us human.That is why the race thrives; it is why the race will always survive.""But that type of love requires sacrifice," Tsagaglalal said slowly. "Sometimes extraordinary sacrifices..."The old woman's gray eyes suddenly swam with huge tears. And Sophie had a flickering memory of a woman-younger, so much younger, but with the same high cheekbones and gray eyes of Tsagaglalal-turning away from a tall golden statue. The woman stopped and looked back, and Sophie discovered that the statue's bright gray eyes were alive and were following the woman. Then Tsagaglalal turned and raced down endless glass stairs. She was clutching a book in both hands: the Codex. And her tears dripped onto the metal surface.”

“I never traded my humanity for my long life, Doctor. I've always remembered my roots....You worked so hard to be like your Elder master that you've forgotten what it is like to feel human - to be human. And we humans...have the capacity to feel another creature's pain. It is what lifted humani above the Elders, it is what made them great.”

“And we die together." He smiled softly. "I would prefer that. I do not want to live in this worldーor any other world, for that matterーwithout you.”

“He's never fired a gun in his life," Palamedes said. "He abhors weapons."As Palamedes spoke,the group could see Shakespeare put the tonbogiri to his shoulder,then jerk three times.Two of the attacking vimanas spun out of control,both of them crashing into two more. The flour flaming craft spiraled into the sea."But then he's always been full of surprises," Palamedes added.”