[Cliff grew quiet, save for a frustrated huff as he thought of all of the people who had recently lost their lives because of all of this trouble. Federation officers and civilians alike, good people and monsters in the guise of intelligent beings, had fallen before the veritable mess they had suddenly found themselves embroiled in.]

...I'm no scientist, [he began, slowly.] But, some talented scientists found something they shouldn't 've about twenty years ago and started something that's only just now coming to a head. I don't get all the details, but there's some young people back home-- probably around your age, to tell the truth-- who are caught in the middle of all this. They didn't deserve this kinda responsibility, but it's on them anyway.

[He chuckled now, wryly:]

Honestly, the three of them and their powers combined made it like stepping into a teleporter. Or....I dunno, a really fancy door if teleporters don't exist yet where you're from.

It's complicated. And...it doesn't really apply here.

[Cliff glanced away, uncomfortable. This was all information that Tieria didn't need to know. But, since he was wondering why Cliff was being so 'careless'...]