Page 782 - Enders_Game_Full_Book

<But that's exactly what they intend to do.>
<They must not.>
<But you're building starships for us. Once they have control of a starship, they'll go where they want to go.>
<They must not.>
<So you forbid them?>
<We never forbid where we do not also have the power to prevent.> <Then why do you still build these ships?>
<The human fleet is coming, with a weapon that can destroy this world. Ender is sure that they'll use it. Should we conspire with them, and leave your entire genetic heritage here on this single planet, so you can be obliterated with a single weapon?>
<So you build us starships, knowing that some of us may use it destructively.>
<What you do with starflight will be your responsibility. If you act as the enemy of life, then life will become your enemy. We will provide starships to you as a species. Then you, as a species, will decide who leaves Lusitania and who doesn't.>
<There's a fair chance that Warmaker's party will have the majority then. That they will be making all those decisions.>
<So-- should we judge, and decide that the humans are right to try to destroy you? Maybe Warmaker is right. Maybe the humans are the ones who deserve to be destroyed. Who are we to judge between you? They with their Molecular Disruption Device. You with the descolada. Each has the power to destroy the other, each species is capable of such a monstrous crime, and yet each species has many members who would never knowingly cause such evil and who deserve to live. We will not choose. We will simply build the starships and let you and the humans work out your destiny between you.>
<You could help us. You could keep the starships out of the hands of Warmaker's party, and deal only with us.>
<Then the domestic war between you would be terrible indeed. Would you destroy their genetic heritage, simply because you disagree? Who then is the monster and the criminal? How do we judge between you, when both parties are willing to countenance the utter destruction of another people?>
<Then I have no hope. Someone will be destroyed.>