Light of Impossible Stars (Embers of War, #3)

by Gareth L. Powell

Don’t let yourself get so hung up on the hardware; it’s the software that counts.”

Intelligence was commonplace, but curiosity remained one of the galaxy’s scarcest traits.

“An old tradition. A festival of conspicuous consumption and gift-giving to mark the birth of a man who disapproved of the accumulation of personal wealth and possessions.”

breaks us all.” It raised a face to the ceiling like a sunflower searching for the sun. “It’s the way we fix breaks that make us who we are.”

Nod opened and closed the petals around the edge of its nearest face. “Philosophy just engineering by another name.”

“When you’ve lost almost everything, dreams are like souvenirs. They keep the past alive and remind you of who you really are.”

Thanks to her sacrifice, I could now do what I’d been built to do, and what I’d been yearning to do since I left the navy: go completely fucking apeshit.

Give up freedom for security and you hand victory to opponent. Better to die free than live imprisoned.