“Are you finding it increasingly difficult to communicate with other Warriors, to comprehend their motivations?”
“The Scientist asked similar questions at the time,” I countered. “Yet when I asked if she was questioning my qualifications as a Commander, her reply was negative.”
“She probably wasn’t,” Zur explained: “She was pointing out that you were different-not incompetent, merely different.”
“Clarify?” I requested.
“The Empire has changed since you and I began our careers. I am aware of it, and apparently so are you, although you cannot identify the specifics. Warriors today think differently, react differently than you or I do. You notice I do not say better, merely different.”
Both our heads turned as one of the ready lights came on on the control panel. That was for our ship. Raht was ready.
“I do not resent this change,” Zur continued, “nor do I attempt to change myself. I am what I am, and I simply trust in the Empire to find an assignment where a Warrior of my attitudes and skills are necessary. While it is possible that a time will come when my usefulness will fade, I am confident that at some future date the need will arise again and I will be awakened from Deep Sleep.”
“Could you elaborate on your views of the future?” I prompted.
“As you know, Tzen do not kill or destroy out of inconvenience,” he said. “Even assuming the assault on the Ants is successful and the last of the Coalition is destroyed, the High Command will not abandon its Warriors. Whether from a yet undiscovered species which bars the path of our colonization or if Tzu’s mythical race of intelligent warm-bloods develops, there will arise a threat to the Empire. Such is the Law of Nature. Just as the Coalition encountered a natural Enemy in us, we in turn will eventually encounter a natural Enemy whose power rivals our own. On that day, the Warriors will be awakened. As such, we need not worry about outliving our usefulness.”