The Bug Wars

by Robert Asprin

  "Perhaps you are right, Krah. Perhaps you should be more closely apprised of the situation." I realized I was starting to flatten my head in annoyance which was a pointless gesture, as Krah was still in orbit above us and therefore unable to observe the gesture.

  "The situation is this. I am in command of this mission, including the ship's personnel. In that capacity, I am not requesting, I am ordering you to drop a replacement for the dead Technician. Further, I happen to know you're overstaffed by two members. This was specifically planned by myself and The High Command. Do you know why?"

  Krah did not answer, but I knew she was still listening, so I continued.

  "It was planned this way so that if this very situation should arise, that I would be free to kill you in a duel and there would still be an extra Technician available. Realizing this, I would suggest you arrange to have the extra Technician dropped immediately. Yielding to the logic of the situation will allow you to operate with one extra member in your crew. Failing to do so will not only mean the ship has to function at normal staffing, it will have to function without you. Do you agree? Or do you honestly feel you can beat a veteran Warrior Commander in a duel?"

  There was a long silence before the reply came.

  "I will select and drop a replacement immediately, Commander."

  "Very well. And Krah..."

  "Yes, Commander."

  "I would suggest you choose the replacement carefully. If we are given a Technician who is either incompetent or overly difficult to work with, I would be forced to consider it an attempt on your part to sabotage the mission."

  "Understood. Commander. Krah out."

  I removed the booster band and surveyed the immediate terrain coldly. For all my officious arrogance in speaking with Krah, I was not pleased with the mission's progress. In my last assignment, I had lost only one Tzen in a year's time, even though we had crashed on a hostile planet. Now, despite our planning and equipment, we had lost a Tzen before we had even finished establishing the base camp.

  I reviewed the incident for a trace of overconfidence.

  The Technician, Eehm, had been laying the wires for the defense network. She had been so engrossed with her work, she had backed through a calf-high, meter-diametered patch of vegetation flagged by the Scientists as "unknown."

  Well, we knew about it now...or at least some things about it. The Scientists insisted it not be destroyed until they had an opportunity to examine and test it fully. What we did know about it was that when heavy contact was made with the stems, they shot out thorns that served as a fast-acting nerve poison, not unlike the wrist needle guns used by some of the Warriors.

  Eehm had died with alarming speed, but not painlessly. She had not made a sound, however. Technician or not, careless or not, she was still a Tzen, and we were in Enemy-held territory.

  I reviewed the situation once more. No, there was not overconfidence there, just carelessness. I considered telling Horc to warn the Technicians to be more careful, but decided against it. He had already been told, in far more convincing terms that I could ever achieve.

  "Horc!" I beamed toward the fortification.

  "Yes, Commander?"

  "A replacement Technician will be dropped shortly. I want you to report to me immediately if he proves incapable."

  "Very well, Commander. The defense wires are in place now, would you care to join me in inspecting them?"

  I considered delegating the task to Zur. It would be a boring chore; and technically, as part of the defenses, it fell under his jurisdiction.

  "Certainly. Do you have visual contact on my position."

  "I do. I'll join you shortly, Commander."

  I had decided against delegation. Horc had specifically requested my participation in the inspection. It occurred to me this could be for one of two reasons. Horc was a Technician, and as such he might be sensitive to intercaste rivalries. If there were to be any criticisms of the Technician's work, he would prefer it come from me. This was a tacit acknowledgment of the impartiality of my position as Commander. He felt I would not find fault simply to make his team look bad, or at least that I would be less inclined to do so than the head of the Warriors' team. Then again, perhaps he simply wanted a conference.

  He appeared, seeming to spring out of the ground by the row camouflaged fortification. Even though I knew its precise location, I was only barely able to detect it visually. I made a mental note to comment on it to Horc before our tour of the defenses was over.

  "This way, Commander," he beamed.

  I moved to his side and squatted. By looking closely, I could just make out the ultrafine wire running along the ground.

  Without comment, he rose and began walking along the near-invisible line. I followed, not even pretending to watch the wire. Erect, I couldn't see it, so I contented myself with checking the pattern of its layout as we looped and twisted across the terrain.

  The defense wires were still a marvel to me. They could be set to detect an object as small as a sand flea crossing their scan-field. Not only would they report the breach, they could feed back to the fortification the size, mass, and body temperature of the object, as well as the speed and direction of movement. Normally, this information would appear on a View Screen for a guard to analyze. If we came under attack, however, the flip of a lever would feed the data directly into the turret gun mounted atop-the fortification. It, in turn, could automatically direct fire against the intruder, escalating as necessary until the danger was eliminated. In short, with the system in full operation, anything that moved within three hundred meters of the fortification would be eliminated.

  This was a vast improvement over our last stay on an occupied planet.

  "Commander!"

  "Yes, Horc?" I beamed back.

  "Would you have been offended if I had asked Zur to conduct this inspection?"

  "No. I would have delegated it to him except for the fact that you made your request to me."

  "I would have approached him directly, but I felt you might interpret it as bypassing your authority."

  So much for my theories.

  "Might I suggest that we return to the fortification and let you and Zur conduct the inspection, as we both agree it is more logical?"

  "Agreed, Commander."

  "One question, Horc. Is the system operational?

  "It is."

  "In that case," I spoke aloud for the first time, "I feel the area is secure enough for open communication."

  He cocked his head at me quizzically.

  "Do you not require approval from the Warriors before accepting the system?"

  "Horc, you are as much a Tzen as any Warrior. Your life depends on the reliability of this system as much as ours does, perhaps more. If you feel the system is adequate, it is all the assurance I need. The inspection by the Warriors is more a token courtesy between castes than a required clearance."

  He was silent for a few moments.

  "I am finally beginning to realize, Commander," he said at last, "why you were chosen to lead this expedition."

  I did not know what reply to make to this statement, so I changed the subject.

  "I have been meaning to comment on the camouflaged design of the fortification, Horc. Could you explain to me, in terms a Warrior can understand, how you achieved the effect?"

  "It is simply another application of flexi-steel, the same material we use on the wings of your flyer. All surfaces of the fortification which are exposed when it is entrenched are actually double-layered. The outer layer is flexi-steel, which we allow to contract, forming the buckles, ridges, and uneven surfaces which blend with the surrounding terrain; add a mock-up of a tree stump with exposed roots to hide the turret gun, and you have your camouflage."

  "And we can still see out from inside?"

  "Yes."

  "How do you keep the uneven outer surface from distorting the view?"

  He thought for a few moments.

  "I could try to explain, but I'm afraid
I would have to use some rather specialized technical terms."

  "In that case, I withdraw the question. As long as it works, you'll have no complaints from me. Overall, it is the most undetectable job of camouflaging I have ever seen, or not seen, to be accurate."

  "Perhaps-"

  Something in his voice caught my attention.

  "You sound dissatisfied. Is there some flaw I am unaware of?"

  "I'm not sure," he replied. "I wanted more information before I brought it to your attention, but perhaps it is better you were apprised of the situation immediately. It has to do with a comment made by one of our color-sighted team members.

  "Would that be Hif, or Sirk?" I interrupted.

  "Hif; but I checked her observations with Sirk, who concurred. It seems he had also noticed the problem, but was reluctant to infringe on the Technicians' domain."

  "What was their observation?"

  "According to them, the fortification does not match the surrounding terrain."

  I studied the fortification before replying.

  "Normally, I would say they were incorrect based on my own observations. I must admit, however, I do not fully comprehend this `color-sight' the new Hatching has."

  "Neither does anyone else, as far as I can discover. It's a genetic experiment the Scientists are trying, based on some of the notes found from the First Ones. We're supposed to find out in the field if it has any practical value to the Empire."

  "But what is it?"

  "It lets them see things we can't... Well, to be accurate, it lets them see the same things we see, but in a different way."

  "That's what I have difficulty understanding:"

  "Perhaps I can clarify it a bit by describing a demonstration I once witnessed," suggested Horc. "Three blocks were placed on a table; one dark, the other two noticeably lighter. We were asked if we could distinguish between the three blocks. To a Tzen, all the witnesses replied that while one block was dark, the other two were identical. Then a color-sighted Tzen was brought into the room and asked the same question. He replied that each block was a different color, the dark one was what he called `dirt', and the other two were `sky' and `leaf' respectively."

  "I fail to see what that proves," I interrupted.

  "There's more," he continued. "The demonstrator then picked up the light block which had been designated `sky' and marked its bottom with an `x.' The color-sighted Tzen was then told to shut his eyes, and the blocks rearranged. Time and time again, he was able to identify the marked block, even though the `x' side was down."

  "Did he truly shut his eyes?"

  "Sometimes he was asked to leave the room while the witnesses rearranged the blocks. Still he was able to find the `sky' block unerringly. He could see something about that block that we could not."

  I thought about this.

  "What good is such an ability to the Empire?"

  "That is one of the things we are supposed to be testing on this mission, and we may have found our first example. The two color-sighted members claim our fortification is a different color than the terrain, that the fortification is `steel' while the rocks around it are `sand.' According to them, it will be immediately obvious to any color-sighted creature. that comes across it.

  Again I lapsed into thoughtful silence.

  "Does anyone know," I asked finally, "if the Insects are color-sighted?"

  "Not that I know of. You might ask the Scientists, but I don't think they even know what to look for."

  "In that case, I feel the matter should take top priority. Pass the word to Hif and Sirk to report to me immediately. Also ask Tzu to join us. Finally, inform Zur to place his Warriors on full alert until I've had an opportunity to consult with him."

  "Yes, Commander, but..."

  "What?"

  "Do you feel it wise to act with so little information?"

  "Horc, there are thirteen of us outnumbered by a factor of several million to one by the Enemy. We lack information and we must act immediately, not in spite of that, but because of that. We need some answers and we need them fast. If we don't get them, we may well have to abandon the fortification."

  CHAPTER FOUR

  The resolution of the matter of whether or not the Leapers were color-sighted was so quick and simple it was almost anticlimactic. We could take no credit for the discovery. As sometimes happens in a combat area, the solution presented itself, and we merely capitalized on it.

  We had not yet convened our meeting, when the defense web reported a small pack of twenty Leapers entering the area. Orders were immediately beamed to the team members outside the fortification, apprising them of the situation and instructing them to take cover. The rest of us gathered in the Technicians' side of the dome and watched, with Zur personally handling the turret guns.

  The pack passed within ten meters, moving slowly, trying to flush game. There was a bad moment when we realized two of our teammates were directly in their path, but beamed warnings enabled them to shift position long before they were detected.

  We tracked the pack as long as we could visually, then by the Defense Net when they had passed out of our field of vision. At no time did they give any indication of having noticed our fortification.

  There was some debate as to whether their passing through the area was happenstance, or if our drop had been observed and they were actually searching for us. One point we were all in agreement on, however-the Leapers, at least, were not color-sighted. Hif and Sirk assured us that our position would be glaringly apparent to any color-sighted beast, yet we had gone undetected.

  The subject of color would still have to be looked into, but for the time being it was removed from top priority status.

  This, however, triggered another debate as to what was to take top priority instead. The Scientists, having now had their first view of Leapers in their native habitat, were eager to begin work.

  "We should have a team trailing that pack," insisted Tzu. "The more firsthand information we can accumulate, the faster we can complete the mission."

  "Not until we have completed our surveys of the immediate area. It was explained to you in our briefings, Tzu, that we will not engage in scientific expeditions until our mapping scouts have completed their work."

  "Come now, Commander, this is not the Empire's first contact with this planet. We have undertaken three major campaigns: against the Wasps, against the Aquatics, and the aborted campaign against the Leapers. Surely we have sufficient geographic notations in our data files to proceed."

  "It is true we have information in our files, Tzu," I stated. "Outdated information. As Commander I will not risk the mission or the lives of the individuals on the team needlessly, and that includes relying on outdated information when current data is readily attainable."

  "But my team is impatient to get to work. We do not feel inactivity is a means of serving the Empire."

  "Nor does anyone else, yet it seems inactivity is something we must all learn to deal with on this mission. As a possible relief, I would suggest you put your team to work checking the unidentified flora within the established defense net. We have already lost one team member to a plant your team did not have time to check."

  It was admittedly unfair criticism, but Tzu seemed insensitive to it.

  "Very well, Commander. But I will again stress the importance of field expeditions at the earliest possible time. Firsthand observation will enable us to direct our research to the most promising candidates, rather than attempting to study everything and hope to find our target by random chance."

  I left her then, as there was nothing else to say on the subject. I sought out Horc, at work in the Technicians' lab. I could have beamed contact with him; but for this discussion, I wanted personal interface.

  "Is the View Screen ready yet, Horc?" I queried.

  "Shortly, Commander," he replied, not looking up from his labors. "The arm-units are complete, if you wish to distribute them."

  "I'll see that it's taken care of. Is the
new Technician acceptable?"

  "Krahn? Quite acceptable, Commander. She'll be performing at less than peak efficiency, but that would be expected of any team member introduced at this late point in the mission."

  He continued working without pause. I hesitated, casting about for a tactful manner in which to broach the next subject. Failing to find one, I simply took the approach that was most efficient.

  "If I could have your undivided attention for a moment, Horc, there is a matter I would like to discuss with you."

  "Certainly, Commander."

  He set aside his instruments and met my gaze directly. Faced by this intent focus, I was suddenly ill-at-ease.

  "Horc, you lost a team member today. Situations were such at the time I was unable to have private words with you on the matter. Though perhaps excusable, this was still negligence on my part as a Commander. To correct that situation, I have now set aside time to discuss the matter. Has the incident upset you or your team in any way? Should we make allowances for recovery time?"

  "No, Commander. Aside from the extra time to brief the new team member which I have already noted to you, we require no special consideration."

  "I am speaking here of your feelings in total, Horc. I wish to be informed if you harbor any resentment towards the Warriors' team for failing to provide sufficient protection, or-"

  "Allow me to explain a little about the Technicians, Commander," interrupted Horc. "And perhaps it will clarify our position. Death is no more a stranger to the Technicians than it is to the Warriors, or, I suspect, the Scientists. Workshop accidents are a common occurrence, and they are frequently fatal. It is our job currently to find practical and safe applications for alien concepts and machinery, and in the process many are injured or killed. As an example, were you aware we lost over two hundred Technicians perfecting the design of the flyers?"

  "No, I wasn't," I admitted.

  "Few outside our caste are. Mind you, I'm not complaining. It's our duty, just as fighting the Enemy is yours. I am merely illustrating that this is not the first time we've lost a teammate. The main difference between your situation and ours is that we've never developed a combat zone comradery."