from Resurgence, very near the end, after they have learned that Bregani's bodyguard has been compromised by the Shadow Guild which kidnapped and threatened his mother, wife and son:

"This tactic they are using cannot be our future, aiji-,ma."

"We are determined it will not.  Mercy for the hands they use, but none for them. None. And no excuse for the criminals that twist every rule of decency and upend civilization itself, paidhi. No pity."

It was no exaggeration, he though.  Everything they valued was under assault by a group cynical, desperate, and defying all that was civilized.  it might be a small number of individuals, but it had the potential to tear at the social fabric of the aishidi'tat.