"Fine, Commander. The Scientists injected her with a compound to speed the bone mending. She should be ready for light duty in time for the next guard shift, and for full duty by tomorrow."
"Good. Has Horc spoken to you about the skimmer design?"
"Yes, Commander."
"What is your opinion?"
"While it was enlightening to learn a Technician shares the Warriors' opinion of the skimmers, I declined his offer."
This answer was unexpected.
"Explain, Zur."
"Although obviously unstable, the skimmers are still the fastest means of ground transport available to us. As the mission progresses, we will be forced to canvass farther and farther afield seeking specimens for the Scientists. To accomplish this efficiently, we will have to cover great stretches of ground as fast as possible. While the flyers can serve to a certain degree as spotters, actual observations and capture can only be effected at ground level."
"It has been observed on numerous occasions, Zur, that the instability of their design all but negates the use of weapons. Do you not agree that the skimmers are apt to place you in potentially dangerous situations, while at the same time stripping your team of their ability to deal with those situations?"
"It is our plan, Commander, to utilize them as transports only, dismounting and proceeding on foot when the desired area is reached. As you well know, a Tzen Warrior is a formidable opponent, even when afoot."
"I still do not understand your position, Zur. While what you say is logical, it is a solution to a problem which could just as easily be circumvented. What is your objection to allowing the Technicians to redesign the vehicle to fit our needs?"
"Time, Commander. While I will not dispute the efficiency of the Technicians, such work would take time, time we can ill afford. In the time it would take them to redesign the skimmer, we might be able to find the object of our mission and depart."
"Am I to take it, then, that you share the Scientists' position that-"
Suddenly he held up a hand to silence me.
He stood motionless, head cocked to one side, and I realized he was receiving a telepathic communication. I waited, but as time stretched on, I grew impatient, and curious. He was obviously either receiving a report or engaged in a lengthy exchange. I knew of no current activity of the Warriors' requiring such a communication.
Finally he turned to me once again.
"Commander, a situation has developed you should be apprised of."
"What is it?"
"One of our Warriors, Sirk to be specific, has disappeared. "
"Explain."
"He was on guard, fully armed and wearing a booster band for communication. He failed to report in, and has been unresponsive to attempts to contact him.
"Was he within the Defense Network?"
"Unknown, Commander. As you know, the detectors have been set to ignore the movements of a Tzen. As such, we have no knowledge as to whether he was lured outside the Network or if our defenses have been breached."
"Very well. Institute a search at once."
"It has been done, Commander. Mahz led the search party. That was him reporting in just now. There was no trace of Sirk, nor any signs of a struggle."
"A search has already been conducted? Why wasn't I informed?"
Zur hesitated before answering.
"The Warrior team has been dissatisfied with our conduct in the battle against the spider, particularly as it was witnessed by the other castes. As such, we were reluctant to sound the alarm until we were certain a crisis existed. We had no wish to look foolish in addition to being ineffective."
"You haven't answered my question, Zur. I am of the Warrior caste and would have held the information in confidence. Why wasn't I informed?"
The pause was longer this time.
"Whether you are aware of it or not, Rahm, you have been becoming increasingly distant from the average Warrior. My team has not been insensitive to this, and tends to view you as something apart from the team. They were as reluctant to appear foolish in front of you as they were to avoid embarrassment before the Technicians or Scientists."
I also took time before answering, but in my case it was a struggle for control rather than thought.
"Zur," I said finally, "in the future I would ask that you remember two things, and that you pass them on to your team. First, I am the Commander of this mission and as such, am entitled to be apprised of each new development regardless of who it embarrasses.
"Secondly," I dropped my voice to a low hiss, "I am a Warrior, and the next team member who deliberately withholds information from me, regardless of caste, will answer to me on the dueling ground, either here or upon completion of the mission."
CHAPTER NINE
We never found Sirk's body. Even though a disappearance such as this is not an unusual occurrence of the Warrior's caste, it was annoying. Without the body, we had no additional information. We did not know what killed him or how, or even if our defenses had been breached. It was an ineffective way to die.
Still, the mission progressed at a satisfactory speed. An astounding number of specimens were observed, analyzed, and discarded by the Scientists. After several uncomfortable attempts to serve as moderator, I approved a plan allowing the Scientists to make their requests for additional equipment directly to the Technicians. This plan proved workable, and the Technicians were kept busy in their labs designing and building the desired items.
The Warriors were not idle either. When not standing guard or collecting specimens, they were escorting observation expeditions into the field.
My own time was occupied trying to absorb and coordinate the reports and plans fed me by my staff. My insistence to be included on any new developments had been relayed through the entire team, and now every incident was being passed on to me, no matter how small or insignificant. I might have regretted the order, were I not so grateful for something to do to keep me from being inactive.
As you may gather from this, the problem of inactive time continued to plague our mission. Despite the frequency and intensity of assignments, individual members still found themselves with long periods of inactive time at their disposal. Idle conversation was now considered commonplace, almost unworthy of notice. The latest development was idle conversations between members of different castes. While this should have been predictable, it still took me a while to get used to.
I recall one conversation in particular that surprised me, as it transcended not only caste lines, but chain of command as well.
"A word with you, Commander, if you have a moment?"
"Certainly, Rahk."
Rahk was the junior of the three Scientists, and I had had little contact with him since his outburst when the fortification first landed.
"I have a theory I would like you to consider, Commander. One which I think has not been previously brought to your attention."
"Have you discussed it with Tzu?"
"Yes, but she has been reluctant to forward it to you. "
"Did she explain why?"
"Yes, she gave two reasons. First, she pointed out we are adequately equipped to test the theory. It is her wish that we present proven theories only to you."
"Do you disagree with the policy?"
"In most cases, no, but in this instance I must take exception. Even though my theory is unproven, if correct it could have direct bearing on the success of the mission."
"Very well, I can understand your position. However, you mentioned Tzu had two reasons for withholding the information. What was the other?"
"Actually, her second reason was merely an extension of the first."
"Clarify."
"The Scientists have frequently voiced suggestions or opinions in the past which you have countermanded. Not that we are critical of this. You were within your rights as Commander, and the progress of the mission has proven your judgment to be sound. However, it has caused Tzu to feel, perhaps unjustifiably so, that you will have a tendency to reject out-of-hand recommendations of the Scientists on future plans. In an effort to reestablish the credibility of our caste in your eyes, she is screening our reports to be sure that only firm, proven facts and recommendations are passed to you.