Believe me, my old friend, my fall from grace was carefully orchestrated. Only a fool would want to be captain of Lord Vader's flagship. The mortality rate is phenomenal.
—Lieutenant Alima, The Sand Tender: The Hammerhead's Tale
Odessa, now there's a city for you. Everyone's a crook. Little crooks take from who they can. Nobodies stealing from nobodies. Then the middleman. How many nobodies does it take to feed him? Seven? Ten? The middleman is always hungry, always worried... because from the middle, it's easier to fall down than to climb up. But the big crooks - the machers in Odessa - the big crook does nothing. Drink kvass, eat roast chicken and fish soup, stroll with some cute little tsatske along Deribasovskya Street - everybody tips their hat.
—Manny Horvitz, Boardwalk Empire
"I do not think you are made for the courtier's life."
Tyrion's voice was defiant, despite not being far from agreeing with the Wolf.
"No? It seems to have suited me just fine."
The Wolf laughed.
"Be serious, Shield-slayer, what self-respecting man would be content with such a life, where the next day's fortune is at the whimsy of the current ruler, so easy to replace, where you will not find one man to fight you but a thousand tongues will gladly pierce you with rumor and slander? Such an environment sees vermin like that Baelish trash thrive. You have the wit to know that the only place to be is at the very top, and after that there are no friends, only erstwhile allies, to manipulate and be manipulated by in turn."
Tyrion's voice was defiant, despite not being far from agreeing with the Wolf.
"No? It seems to have suited me just fine."
The Wolf laughed.
"Be serious, Shield-slayer, what self-respecting man would be content with such a life, where the next day's fortune is at the whimsy of the current ruler, so easy to replace, where you will not find one man to fight you but a thousand tongues will gladly pierce you with rumor and slander? Such an environment sees vermin like that Baelish trash thrive. You have the wit to know that the only place to be is at the very top, and after that there are no friends, only erstwhile allies, to manipulate and be manipulated by in turn."
