Thief of Time - Talk

But an Auditor stepped forward. It looked more wild-eyed than the others, and was much more unkempt. It was also carrying an axe.

'We do not have to discuss this!' it snapped. 'We must think: This is nonsense, we will not discuss it!'

'But what is Rule-' an Auditor began.

'You will call me Mr White!'

'Mr White, what is Rule One?'

'I am not glad you asked that question!' screamed Mr White, and swung the axe. The body of the other Auditor crumbled in around the blade, dissolving into floating motes that dispersed in a fine cloud.

'Anyone else got any questions?' said Mr White, raising the axe again.

One or two Auditors, not yet entirely in tune with current developments, opened their mouths to speak.

And shut them again.

Lu-Tze took a few steps back. He prided himself on an incredibly well-honed ability to talk his way in or out of anything, but that rather depended on a passably sane entity being involved at the other end of the dialogue.

***

The Thief of Time - p301-302