Mal was growing quite tired of it all; at one point he'd decided to rebel and sat silently for an hour as his discomfited inquisitor tried everything from threats to unabashed wheedling to get some answers out of him. But this exercise ultimately proved even more boring for him than for the unlucky official. There was at least a certain amount of variety in their approaches; many favored threats of execution or lengthily prison sentences, while the more imaginative appealed to his sense of honor, justice, and similarly noble sentiments.
-- The Losing Side, chapter 2 by jetflair