The thing is, you're not facing some kid who was sent to kindergarden by their parents, who's got a girlfriend back home, who's got a little child. You are facing a five-legged bug with incomprehensible thought processes which in all evidence is out to completely and totally annihilate your species, no quarter. You cannot find common ground with the Shivans, at least not as far as the FS2 story has progressed. There is only kill or be killed, nothing else.
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-Knife missiles have a way of cutting to the heart of an argument.
Shall we import Lard or Steel?
Would you rather have Butter or Guns?
Guns makes us strong, Butter merely makes us fat.