Snippet from my novel: James stopped in the middle of the hallway, spreading his arms wide in front of a holo pickup. "What should I do, Mother? Hm? Tell me that." His face flushed with anger and frustration. "Should I send her back? Because back there, she's a corpse in an alley, Mother. Here, she has at least a *chance* at a life. If I had to choose for myself, I know what *I'd* choose." He paused, then said thoughtfully. "What would *you* choose, Mother?"
For a second he thought he'd pushed her too far, and she had turned him off. When she *did* speak, Mother sounded quietly dangerous. "That was a low blow, James. We both *know* what my choice was. And I'll have you keep a civil tongue in your head, thank you very much."
