You should never seek to hold any one thing, any one person, any one system, any one ideal above all others. For when you hold that single thing, that single person, that single government, that single value above all else, that thing, that individual, that order, that principle will come to control you and you will have forfeited your basic humanity... Seek therefore to free yourself from unnecessary entanglements, and thereafter seek to free your neighbor, whether he would be free or no.
-Elias Jung Liao, quoted in The Lessons of Liao, Book 2, Joao dos Santos Chung, ed., Capellan Institute Press, 2779

Freedom's just another word for nothing left to lose.
-Ancient Terran ballad, origin unknown

In this world, there is only blood and gold.
-Ancient Terran saying incorporated into the Charter of the Capellan Republic

The sinews of war are money, money, money.
-From a press conference with Casin Chandler, 4th Premier, Sarna Supremacy, Sarn Broadcasting Co., April 12, 2304

It was a sight I wished I'd never lived to see. On the very steps of the Senate forum, the demonstrators had gathered in one gigantic unwashed mob to burn the Commonwealth flag. As the crowd cheered the destruction of our national symbol, someone recognized a local court official standing quietly nearby. Not content with just burning a flag, they laid hands on the poor bugger as I watched in horror. Someone brought up some jars of Zurich syrup and proceeded to dowse him, whereupon a bag of chicken feathers was produced from somewhere (the whole thing can only have been planned in advance). The police just stood by while the crowd done him right proper.
So much for democracy in action.
-From Samual Indara, Bad Times, Gato Press, 2355

The question why someone would want to be the ruler of a given world, let alone say 20 or 30, does not always allow for a sensible answer. I mean, just think of the constant perils involved: crimes against the state, fanatical extremists, the unruly populaces, betrayal at court, revolts in the army, invasions by foreign governments, tax riots, pirates, rebellions...
God I love it so.
-Anton Carinus, 1st Tetrarch of the Tikonov Grand Union, quoted in Antecedents, by Luigi Piozzi, Windows Press, 2295

Gengis Khan and so can we!
-Tikonov graffiti, ca. 2170

I'd make a pact with the Devil herself if only I could straighten this mess out to my advantage. Of course, the devil would have to promise me 30 seats in the Senate and two battalions of jump troops before I'd let her make an appointment.
-Franco Liao, quoted in The Greats, by Patrick Peng, Hazard House, 2401

I am not as other men. I alone, because of my position, know what true government is. I am persuaded that no one save me could govern the Capellan people at this time. Were I to die, it would be a great misfortune. Does that sound ridiculous? Remember, power is never ridiculous.
I shall never permit anyone to insult me by treating me as if I were nothing but mere President.
-Franco Liao, letter to General Hurn, 2369, reprinted in Extracts and Recollections, Ernest Carey, ed., Capellan Institute Press, 2780

Morality be damned... ain't I got the power!
-Kalvin Liao, 2525

Tyrants seldom come to us openly, hands dripping with the blood of innocent victims. More often than not they appear as tireless friends of the people, individual receptacles of virtue, ready to save us from ourselves. Let it be recalled, however, that the King's Justice is just as often the proud foot of the oppressor. In the end, we ourselves are to blame for receiving him with open arms; in the end, we have deceived ourselves.
-Chancellor Mica Liao, excerpt from inauguration speech, 2530

It is not that we love war so much... all of us simply got tired of peace.
-Attributed to Capellan Chancellor Barbara Liao

It is obvious to me that most despotic forms of social organization are suitable for inert men such as we rule today. Our peoples are satisfied with the static station life has given them. For them, even the most abstract, the most symbolic forms of freedom are enough. Just keep in mind that your job is to keep them blissfully ignorant at all times, happy without exciting their senses to the point where they actually start thinking for a change.
-Private letter from Maximilian Liao to his daughter Candace.

Treaties? Don't talk to me of treaties. Scraps of paper can never stand against a fully charged laser... Still, I'll use any weapon I can find.
-Maximilian Liao to Tormana Liao

The Chancellor may rule, but we govern.
-Hadrian Pong, Prefect for St. Ives, ca. 2512

I own the state.
-Maximilian Liao, Chancellor of the Capellan Confederation, ca. 3020

Chancellors come and go, often dying, sometimes murdering; the Prefectorate-that less-than-perfect body-legislates, and nobody cares; the Scions remain. Nobility, like all other forms of raw energy, cannot be destroyed.
-Catherine DeWinter, Duchess of Sirius, opening remarks to the first session of the House of Scions, 2612, reported in Official House Gazette, 2613

We are the forgotten doing the impossible for the ungrateful.
-Unofficial motto of the Capellan Ministerial

We do not say, "Let us refrain from rendering unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's." We say, "Let us render first unto ourselves the just rewards of our own labors and unto our Creator the things that are his, and let Caesar take, afterward, what he will."
-Jacob Zoroaster, Elder Bishop, The Church of Future Present, 3013