She met my gaze with indifferent neutrality as I continued.
“Then there is your habit of questioning my orders. It is every Warrior’s right to question the orders of a superior, but I feel that many of the objections you raise are pointless. They frequently either repeat questions covered in earlier discussions or briefings, or are of a rhetorical nature seeming to be designed with no other intent than to goad me. Before I can work with you comfortably I will require further clarification on your logic and motivations.”
She faced me levelly as she replied.
“My actions are easily understood if you understand my one basic premise. I feel that I should be leading this team instead of you.”
I felt my head lowering against my will as I answered.
“The High Command commissioned me and appointed me as Commander of-“
“I know,” she interrupted. “I do not expect you to relinquish command, as I would not were I in your position. I recognize this logically. However, I also recognize my own feelings on the matter. I do not attempt to justify them, but merely state them as a cause for my behavior.”
I had regained control of myself, and my reply was level.
“Do you also acknowledge the danger to the team potential in your attitude?”
“Of course, that is why I would strongly urge that you follow my proposed plan of action in this mini-campaign.
Though still affected by her audacity, I was nonetheless curious to hear her plan and settled back to listen.
“Realizing the friction that would doubtless result from having a running power struggle within the team, I would propose that we scatter the team, divide it into three two-Tzen teams. In addition to relieving the pressures of our current situation, there are several other advantages inherent in this plan. First, it would lessen the chances of the entire team’s being wiped out in one chance encounter with the Enemy. Thus, there would be a higher probability of at least some of us surviving to pass the gathered information on to the Empire. Second, with three teams working independently, we could gather more information than any single unit. Third…”