[Randallw]

maybe a tad OT but I have been reading the dread empires fall series (backstory: After the alien masters die off the races of the Praxis have a civil war. Naxids, who reckon they should lead having been the first subjects, vs the other races) Anyway its a good story of how different elements fight it out to take over leadership. At one point 5 billion people get glassed when the ringworld collapses. Anyway it talks about they are fighting to take over but they still try to avoid glassing each other, although the Naxids do stuff like execute 50 hostages for each of their troops they lose. As one loyalist says, they are fighting to win but their not barbarians.