They were enemies, they had both been very close to death and the other had done little or nothing to intervene, but actually to kill her would be very difficult.Or maybe he only wanted to pretend that he would find it very difficult; maybe it would be no bother at all, and the sort of bogus camaraderie of doing the same job, though on different sides, was just that: a fake.
In Iain M. Banks' "Consider Phlebas," the complex relationship between two enemies is explored, highlighting their past encounters with death and the apparent lack of intervention from either side. Despite being adversaries, there is an underlying tension, as killing one another proves to be more complicated than anticipated. This suggests that their connection, forged through similar experiences, might be superficial and fraught with false camaraderie.
The narrative raises questions about the nature of their conflict and whether the difficulties in harming one another stem from genuine hesitation or a mere facade. The author hints at the possibility that the rivals may be more intertwined than they initially perceive, blurring the lines between friendship and enmity while exploring themes of morality and allegiance amidst war.
