“I don’t understand, Zur,” commented Horc. “I was under the impression that part of the Warriors’ duty was to be able to fight anything, any time, anywhere. In spite of this you are telling us that in the event of a subterranean attack, the Warriors will be helpless and completely reliant upon the Technicians’ devices?”
“You are correct in your observation of a Warrior’s duty, Horc,” answered Zur. “However, it is the duty of a Warrior Commander to give an accurate appraisal of his teams’ abilities. We are not equipped physically or mechanically to enter into such combat, nor have any of the Tzen under my command received any training in subterranean battle. Though I can assure you that if such an attack occurs, the Warriors will fight in a manner befitting their caste, I would be lax in my duties as a Commander if I guaranteed their effectiveness. Unfounded assurance would only mislead the Commander and the other members of the staff, and could potentially prove disastrous should those assurances be relied upon.”
“Question, Zur.”
“Yes, Tzu?”
“You claim to be submitting a conservative appraisal of your team’s abilities. Still, you arrogantly guarantee a capacity to withstand an unknown force with unknown armaments. Is this not in itself a form of unfounded assurance?”
Zur looked at me, but I remained silent, thereby giving him unspoken authority to speak for the Warriors.
“The factors you refer to, Tzu, are, as you have said, unknown,” he began. “Unlike the Scientists, the Warriors do not deal in unknowns; we deal in realities. Were we to qualify our reports with provisions for the unknown, we would never enter into battle, for none can guarantee success against the unknown. The realities of the situation as set forth in your report are that we are faced with a force physically not unlike the Insects we have successfully battled in the past, capable of surface and subterranean movement, with no known weapons or machines modified for warfare. I must base my report on those facts, and by those facts my force will be able to provide security as long as the attack is made from the surface. Should the known facts be altered, I will have to reassess my evaluation. Until that time, my report stands unamended. In the past you have refused to accept my testimony as a Scientist. If you are expressing equal reluctance to accept my testimony as a Warrior-“
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