"It's a principled thing, Danger," he retorted. Nevertheless, he kept to his corner of the room, forcibly content to watch her scheme the schematics of security. He knows it was indeed his causal responsibility; he asked for Danger's help. But with these quiet horrors reliving, reanimated in his life -- did Chilton have any other method of survival? Hannibal appeared superhuman in a few respects, so was it therefore not logical to seek protection that was also superhuman?

Fire against fire.

"That is my concern. Given your, ah, holistic approach to problems, I must fear that without compromise, well, you'll consume my life."

Consume. He was still digesting her wordplay -- and where had she learned that, he wondered. That innuendo? That weaponry? Was that a consequence of his own behavior?

Chilton habitually flattered himself.

"What if, for example, I do something that you don't approve of? Are you going to take action against me?"