From a story;
13 years ago
(On top of the usual problems with someone writing a story involving the military where no allegedly military character involved seems to have enough combat training or common sense to even be a crossing guard.)
Space Transformation Monster: No, really, we're the good guys. Never mind that the most virulent form of our species is non-sentient, we are nearly impossible to kill, and even brain destruction just loses us what sentience we had and turns us into what are basically mindless zombies. The military brass wants to exploit us so they're the bad guys, and we're the good guys because we just want to be left alone.
[several chapters later]
STFM: Okay, we're going to go conquer the universe now.
Me: ಠ_ಠ
Space Transformation Monster: No, really, we're the good guys. Never mind that the most virulent form of our species is non-sentient, we are nearly impossible to kill, and even brain destruction just loses us what sentience we had and turns us into what are basically mindless zombies. The military brass wants to exploit us so they're the bad guys, and we're the good guys because we just want to be left alone.
[several chapters later]
STFM: Okay, we're going to go conquer the universe now.
Me: ಠ_ಠ
FA+

Or is this a common trope?