"I know better than to shoot a child," Alain responded shortly, running one hand down over his face. "I'm no less a soldier than you. I've killed more men than I can count, and taken no more joy than grief in it." There's something hard in his look, belying the softness of his features. "Humanity is the price we pay, we who are the shield of others - we pay it, and pay it, and pay it, so they don't have to. And sometimes, there is no way but bloodshed." He looked down at his hands, shaking and week, and started to examine the gun he held. "There is no safe place for these children. Not here. Not unless we carve one out for them."