Sam quoted Surface detail by Iain M. Banks (Culture, #9)
It begins in the realm of the Real, where matter still matters.
It begins …
She looked Sensia in the eye. “I have no money to pay for this.” She had heard that the Culture survived without money, but hadn’t believed a word of it.
“That’s as well,” Sensia said reasonably, “I have no charge to levy.”
“You would do this out of kindness, or for my obligation?”
“Let’s call it kindness, but it’s my pleasure.”
— Surface detail by Iain M. Banks (Culture, #9)