Forgive and forget; self-preservation or self-esteem?

"What's more important--self-preservation or forgiveness?

Eh? That's an odd choice. I mean, why can't you have both? And d'you mean forgiving others, or them forgiving you?

They're both important.

Me, I plan to live forever or die trying. That's always been one of my major goals, but if I had to do it at the expense of a friend's life... well I just couldn't. I've thought about that one often enough, you know, remembering how I hid in a tiny space on a certain overloaded shuttle hoping I wasn't found. Never occurred to me to chuck Avon off, but I have to be honest--it isn't because I'm so altruistic (after all, I didn't exactly offer to jump out). For one thing, I hate violence, for another, I'd have had to spend the rest of my life knowing what I'd done. Better to die than live with that.

I'd never have forgiven myself.

Ah. So I suppose I've answered that question. It's forgiveness.

I forgave Avon for it, you know. It made sense, didn't it--why should both of us die? And anyway, hating someone isn't good for the digestion or a decent night's sleep, and I do like to look after myself.