We must remember that they are alien. "That's hardly a basis for speculation now. It explains everything and nothing." - Paul J. McAuley

Things are simply what they are, neither good nor bad. The potential for evil is not in our stars, but in ourselves.

They're following one bunch of herders. Marta has this idea that she can work out their social behavior.
"And do they have any?" Dorthy asked.
"Fucking mostly," Andrew said evenly. The boss female controls the group by choosing which males fuck her, and the males fuck each other, too, to establish their dominance. Rather like the Navy."

It was both true, and not the complete truth, like so much of his talk.