It is a fact of the life I have chosen as a Starfleet officer; though our primary mission is one of exploration and diplomacy, we are also called upon to defend our citizens and our allies when they are in need of protection.
[ Considering her words, he nods. ]
I would agree, though - in a way, common experience does provide a connection; a knowledge that the experiences of others are not entirely unlike our own, and an opportunity for better understanding one another.