"Your tea, Grandfather." "Thank you." "You've been out of contact for a long time." "I had a dangerous assignment." "This is hostile territory." "I've noticed." "I was hoping I could reason with them." "I'm afraid they are not a reasonable race." "I've been living amongst them for seventy years now." "I know them well." "And?" "Any attempt to intercede with them would be futile." "They are destructive, and they won't change." "Is that your official report?" "The tragedy is, they know what's going to become of them." "They sense it." "But they can't seem to do anything about it." "It's decided then." "I'll begin the process as soon as possible."