“It may seem hard for you to believe, but mark my word—whenever serious and competent people need to get things done in the real world, all considerations of tradition and protocol fly out the window.”

[...]

“Ssh! The Doctor’s trying to make a very difficult decision,” Eliza said. “Just make it—that’s what I say—doesn’t get easier if you think about it,” Jack advised.

Neal Stephenson: Quicksilver