Mark

“I simply refuse to acknowledge that there is not something about you I despise,” Ruiz said. “Where are you from?” “Ohio, Master Sergeant!” Ruiz grimaced. Nothing there. Ohio’s utter inoffensiveness had finally worked to my advantage.”
― John Scalzi, Old Man's War

“Zimnyaya Koroleva, they said. The winter-queen. It frightened her.”
― Katherine Arden, The Winter of the Witch

“Christ on a Popsicle stick,” Master Sergeant Antonio Ruiz declared after he had glared at the sixty of us in his recruit platoon, standing (we hoped) more or less at attention on the tarmac of Delta Base’s shuttleport. “We have clearly just lost the battle for the goddamn universe. I look at you people and the words ‘tremendously fucked’ leap right out of my goddamned skull. If you’re the best that the Earth has got to offer, it’s time we bend over and get a tentacle right up the ass.”
― John Scalzi, Old Man's War

“Do your squadmates a fucking favor. You got the hots, deal with it on leave, not when some creature is trying to rip out your goddamn heart. Now run!” Off they went.”
― John Scalzi, Old Man's War