Russell Kitchen

“It almost sounded like I want you to help me. It would have been better, Mahit thought, if she’d actually said that. But Mahit hadn’t particularly left her any room to do so, had she. She’d said, When you know why I had to come with you, then we can talk. And she hadn’t meant, When you figure out the political situation on Lsel Station, she’d meant—

She’d meant, When you understand that when the Empire commands, I can’t say no. She’d meant, When you understand that there’s no room for me to mean yes, even if I want to. She’d meant, You don’t understand that there’s no such thing as being free. Free to choose, or free otherwise.”
― Arkady Martine, A Desolation Called Peace

“There’s never been a ship AI that took human form, Three Seagrass reminded herself. That’s a holodrama plot. And besides, he’s touched physical objects where I could see him do it. He is definitely a real person”
― Arkady Martine, A Desolation Called Peace

“He died twice before he learned to talk”
― Arkady Martine, A Desolation Called Peace

“I’m here. I had the world in my palm, and I found it wanting. I’m a greedy creature, Priya. I came here for you. There is a flower in my heart, and it grew for you.”
― Tasha Suri, The Lotus Empire