It was bad, but it was some other slightly less piquant flavour of bad. - Alastair Reynolds

You're taking this very well," Goma said. Eunice gave a semi-shrug. "Experience. You can fight the odds up to a point, but sooner or later you have to face reality. The universe doesn't care about temper tantrums or pity.

You wish things were different from the way they are. That’s a refrain as old as time. I’ve lived a long and strange sort of life, Kanu, and I’ve known that feeling a few times. Generally it’s best to accept that things are exactly as bad as they look. At least that way you know it’s time to start digging your way out.

It was astonishing how quickly friendship could turn to enmity, she thought, like a compass needle swinging from one pole to the other.
They’d been excellent friends. They’d make excellent enemies as well.