--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Octave staggered to his feet, his stick…" description: "\"“Octave staggered to his feet, his stick swinging back to point toward Nicholas. He felt a wave of heat and saw spellfire crackle along the length of p..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b41/martha-wells-19049_deadpan_octave-staggered-to-his-feet-his-stick-s_2854970.jpg" --- # Octave staggered to his feet, his stick swinging back to… ![“Octave staggered to his feet, his stick swinging back to point toward Nicholas. He felt a wave of heat and saw spellfire crackle along the length of polished wood, preparing itself for another explosive burst. Crack was moving toward Octave, but Madeline shouted, "Get back!" Nicholas ducked, as a…” quote by Martha Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b41/martha-wells-19049_deadpan_octave-staggered-to-his-feet-his-stick-s_2854970.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b41/martha-wells-19049_deadpan_octave-staggered-to-his-feet-his-stick-s_2854970.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b41/martha-wells-19049_deadpan_octave-staggered-to-his-feet-his-stick-s_2854970.jpg) > ““Octave staggered to his feet, his stick swinging back to point toward Nicholas. He felt a wave of heat and saw spellfire crackle along the length of polished wood, preparing itself for another explosive burst. Crack was moving toward Octave, but Madeline shouted, "Get back!" Nicholas ducked, as a shot exploded behind him. Octave fell backward on the carpet and the blue lightning flared once and vanished with a sharp crackle. Nicholas looked at Madeline. She stepped forward, holding a small double-action revolver carefully and frowning down at the corpse. He said, "I wondered what you were waiting for." "You were in my line of fire, dear," she said, preoccupied. "But look.”” [Martha Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-wells/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. In a chaotic battle, quick thinking and decisive action can turn a dangerous moment into a chance for control. **In simple terms:** Act fast in danger. Key Takeaway Stay alert, act decisively. Themes danger heroism quick thinking Mood tense urgent Type dramatic inspirational When to use this quote - combat - emergency response - team coordination - personal safety Key Concepts strategy leadership risk Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance speed and caution? - When have you trusted a teammate in crisis? 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"If you're good enough to fuck someone, be a man enough to take responsibility for the result”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-enoch/you-re-a-damn-dog-adam-finally-snapped-if-you-re-good-enough-to-fuck/) [Suzanne Enoch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-enoch/) ## More by Martha Wells > [“This is how we fight: throw ourselves at each other and see whose parts give out first.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-wells/this-is-how-we-fight-throw-ourselves-at-each-other-and-see-whose/) [Martha Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-wells/) > [“About forty turns ago there was a colony in the east, and a warrior named Swift, who had to change her name to Sorrow...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-wells/about-forty-turns-ago-there-was-a-colony-in-the-east-and-a-warrior/) [Martha Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-wells/) > [“Why, thank you for your permission, Tremaine.” Tremaine made a derisive noise, unimpressed. “Somebody’s got to give you permission, if you won’t give it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-wells/why-thank-you-for-your-permission-tremaine-tremaine-made-a-derisive/) [Martha Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-wells/) > [“This is why I didn’t want to come. I’ve got four perfectly good humans here and I didn’t want them to get killed by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-wells/this-is-why-i-didn-t-want-to-come-i-ve-got-four-perfectly-good-humans/) [Martha Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-wells/) > [“We’re not murderers, Tremaine. We’re killers. There’s a difference. A small difference, but a difference nonetheless.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-wells/we-re-not-murderers-tremaine-we-re-killers-there-s-a-difference-a/) [Martha Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-wells/) > [“Nicholas, dressed in black and trailing them like a sinister storm cloud, had a dry little preoccupied smile.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-wells/nicholas-dressed-in-black-and-trailing-them-like-a-sinister-storm/) [Martha Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-wells/) > [“The report was so loud Nicholas thought the guard had fired into his head. He staggered as the man’s grip fell away, his hand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-wells/the-report-was-so-loud-nicholas-thought-the-guard-had-fired-into-his/) [Martha Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-wells/) > [“Also, if I’m not in the armor then it’s because I’m wounded and one of my organic parts may fall off and plop on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-wells/also-if-i-m-not-in-the-armor-then-it-s-because-i-m-wounded-and-one-of/) [Martha Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-wells/) > [“I thought I had one of your father, but it didn’t develop.” Tremaine nodded ruefully. “It’s the silver nitrate in the film stock. He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-wells/i-thought-i-had-one-of-your-father-but-it-didn-t-develop-tremaine/) [Martha Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-wells/) > [“It calls itself ‘Murderbot,’” Gurathin said. I opened my eyes and looked at him; I couldn’t stop myself. From their expressions I knew everything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-wells/it-calls-itself-murderbot-gurathin-said-i-opened-my-eyes-and-looked/) [Martha Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-wells/) > [“The humans hadn’t gotten a lot of sleep last night, from the crowding and the strong possibility of dying.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-wells/the-humans-hadn-t-gotten-a-lot-of-sleep-last-night-from-the-crowding/) [Martha Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-wells/) > [“Moon couldn’t think of anything reassuring to say. They were trapped inside a leviathan, standing in a tunnel gnawed out by giant parasites. 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Or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-wells/morane-gestured-them-to-some-seats-near-the-front-but-close-to-the/) [Martha Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-wells/) [Explore all 33 Martha Wells quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-wells/) ## More Deadpan quotes > [I love the deadpan. It's such a strong go-to. It lets the audience make their own decisions about what you're thinking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-robinson/i-love-the-deadpan-it-s-such-a-strong-go-to-it-lets-the-audience-make/) [Craig Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-robinson/) > [Anytime people see an emotion that is not extremely emotional, they call it 'deadpan.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yorgos-lanthimos/anytime-people-see-an-emotion-that-is-not-extremely-emotional-they/) [Yorgos Lanthimos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yorgos-lanthimos/) > [I've just got a very still, deadpan face, and I know how to use it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-morgan/i-ve-just-got-a-very-still-deadpan-face-and-i-know-how-to-use-it/) [Diane Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-morgan/) > [“Russ decided the best defense was a good offense. "I'm Russell Van Alstyne, Millers Kill chief of police." He held out his hand. 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They made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-stein/he-s-fucking-stone-cold-deadpan-his-pan-is-so-dead-he-could-lay-it-in/) [Charlotte Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-stein/) > [I have no social agenda with my work. I'm deadpan about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-ruscha/i-have-no-social-agenda-with-my-work-i-m-deadpan-about-it/) [Edward Ruscha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-ruscha/) > [When I was doing comedy in New York, before I was in movies, I was never known as the deadpan actress. I was just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aubrey-plaza/when-i-was-doing-comedy-in-new-york-before-i-was-in-movies-i-was/) [Aubrey Plaza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aubrey-plaza/) > [Where I come from people are very deadpan with a dry humour that I suppose rubbed off on me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ardal-o-hanlon/where-i-come-from-people-are-very-deadpan-with-a-dry-humour-that-i/) [Ardal O'Hanlon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ardal-o-hanlon/) > [So, deadpan I think just means not acknowledging for one second that you think that this is funny and clever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-warburton/so-deadpan-i-think-just-means-not-acknowledging-for-one-second-that/) [Patrick Warburton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-warburton/) [Browse all 12 Deadpan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deadpan/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Octave staggered to his feet, his stick swinging back to point toward Nicholas. 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