Perhaps “because it is there” is not sufficient reason for climbing a mountain.
They camped that night high in the hills, and pushed on in the morning to the flanks of the true mountains.
Long ago, Louis Wu had stood at the void edge of Mount Lookitthat. The Long Fall River, on that world, ends in the tallest waterfall in known space. Louis’s eyes had followed it down as far as they could penetrate the void mist. The featureless white of the void itself had grasped at his mind, and Louis Wu, half hypnotized, had sworn to live forever. How else could he see all there was to see? Now he reaffirmed that decision.
Space is big. You just won’t believe how vastly, hugely, mind-bogglingly big it is. I mean, you may think it’s a long way down the road to the chemist’s, but that’s just peanuts to space.
Well, let me guess! You’re either lost, or desperately searching for a good tailor.
A scarf! I need I nice, long scarf. No… too silly.
It’s nice to have the new things around. It’s nice to think that there’s probably still a lot of stuff nobody’s found yet, in cellars and attics and barns and down behind things.
He held up a coarse brown cloth bag, and poked a little dubiously into its contents. “I believe this is a sack of Cetagandan scalps. Want to see?”
His eyes rested on a little black bag in the center of the room, and he forgot about the kid.
I don’t know what the hell this is but I’ll take it!
I’ll buy that for a dollar!
“Betan dollars,” Tante Cordelia corrected absently.
They’re still using money. We’ve got to find some.
Well, Cyrano Jones says that a tribble is the only love that money can buy.
There’s one nearby at the University.
Welcome to Starfleet Academy.
He should doubtless be confined to an institution, where he would be forced to labor all day long under many watchful eyes. May I suggest the Imperial Service Academy?
Maybe we ought to send him to the salt mines for two weeks every year, to keep him happy and content with his regular job
Capt. Kirk: All right, Scotty. Dismissed. Oh… Scotty, you’re restricted to quarters until further notice.
Scott: Yes, sir. Thank you, sir! That’ll give me a chance to catch up on my technical journals!
These books were alive; they spoke to me!