"Does working count as adapting?" he needles her. An explosion of temper, far from making him back down, just encourages him. Honesty and rudeness - they're absolute treats for him. Nastiness is nutrition for his heart and soul. He feels as though he could live off it.

"If the Cetagandans come and smash this camp, and you're turned out into the wilderness, what follows? Where do you go after? How do you live? What tools are you collecting to make certain you're able to survive?"