The Concuspidor:

I do so hate to do this but I have to weigh up the odds... on the one hand there's the chance of battling an enormous mythical beast in a fiery mid-air duel, armed with nothing but my flameproof nerves of steel and scorch-resistant flair for heroics ...whereas, on the other hand, there's this sordid business of pushing the passenger and relying on the decency of the dragon to have to stop to rescue her. Really, there's no decision to make - plain and simple: I'm obliged, by my reputation and sense of derring-do, to fight this dragon man-to-beast, and send him hissing and steaming into splash-down.

But then... I can imagine how the people at the Court of the King & Queen of Stuff must be languishing in my absence already, and the sooner I get back to them the happier they will be. It is my duty to the Queen to hurry back and not to dally with heroic acts of potentially legend-inducing courage. Humble obedience to my Queen must override my remarkable craving for adventure and excitement. I am so selfless. Besides, Cog is probably terrified witless down there, he's so easily scared.

I know how disappointed she'll be to have to go, so the kindest thing is not to prolong it... pardon me, my dear...