Usually because there’s too much Earth in them, but in general, a place I may dump those bon mots that are otherwise wasted. Today’s example:
"It was once said of an ancient empire that they made a desert, and called it peace…
“Machegos? Make me a desert.”
"What lets me impose my idea of civilized behavior upon you?
“This morning, it’s a button over there on the operations panel. You’ll find it between Guidance Lock and Open Outer Door.”
“They’re lying! How can they just lie like that? We’re good and kind and peaceful and civilized, and it’s wicked of them to say we aren’t! We ought to burn their worlds from crust to core!”
(Removed from any consideration of usage when I vaguely remembered I was stealing the form of this, at least, from Pratchett.)
Of course, since not all Sargases are like that and certainly not all the time, it is my headcanon that Linesé grows up, trains in Kanatai, and opens a noodle shop back home offering real Shimana-style noodles. (Even to all those philistines who wouldn’t recognize subtlety in spicing if you put it on a tanto and stuck it up their nose for more direct perception.)
“One of the drawbacks of these chaps’ poor understanding of other races’ psychology is that, knowing of our past associations, they will attempt to take you hostage against my actions even though I think you’re an offensive asshat I wouldn’t cross the street to piss on. Fortunately for you and not for me, one of the drawbacks of my people’s psychology is that despite that, I still feel compelled to save your ass. And its hat.”
“Please be assured you own me nothing for this; I’m repaying the debt I owe them. Had someone kidnapped you for other reasons, I would merely have wished them such joy of your company as can be extracted from it.”
“You know, we ran into another species, once upon a time, that thought it was justifiable to be genocidal fascists if it was in the name of survival.”
“What happened to them?”
“We killed them all. A species that thinks that way is just looking for an excuse.”