The fluffy, peace-and-love attitude had seldom won the United States any wars and as far as Helen was concerned, recent events placed Serenus, the last remaining vestige of American life, under a heightened threat level. Alexandra Bronk was many things, but she was not, it seemed to Helen, realistic; cruelty and kindness were literate ways of describing what was simply necessary at any given time. Helen made no distinction between the two.
"I wasn't aware educating outsiders was a more important goal than that of protecting our citizens. They are the ones who suffer the consequences of our actions; they are the the ones we should be defending... Not these strangers who've come back for God knows what reason." Her lips pressed together between the sharp edges of her teeth. "They could ticking time-bombs and they now sit where they could hurt us most."
The press should never have been told. Public policy should never have been conditioned by the approval of hapless media hounds and big-hearted scientists. If only they had been so fortunate.
"Your department is impressive in its weakness for humanitarian action with no follow-up. Why not assume the role of teacher for your destructive pets, if you are so concerned with their assimilation into society?" A harsh burst of laughter broke free from her chest. "How can you be so naive as to think thy are ready to handle our world on their own? People are frightened, what we've seen so far is just a beginning. And it'll be on me to fix up your mess."