It almost sounds romantic, in a facing-execution-together sort of way. - Ryk E. Spoor

Though I hope we get out more, the Arena looks fascinating and all this talk-talk-talk is making me itchy, and no one's tried to kill the captain yet!
Orphan gave a subdued buzz-chuckle. "One would almost think you want her to be attacked."
"Well, of course! What use being a bodyguard if you never actually get to do any WORK?"

His hand contracted on the odd carven rod, a tiny thing that glittered with hints of lights and circuits and, at the same time, bone and gems, a wand constructed by an engineer, or a transmitter assembled by a shaman.

So," Simon said slowly, looking around at the others, "the Leader of Humanity is going to risk herself on a ship with a sometimes devious ally, traveling to some secret destination in the Deeps of the Arena, to confront some nameless force where there won't even be a Sky Gate to help us return if things go wrong?
He stood and lifted his glass. "Sign me up, Captain!