quote:
"Ah, yes, the humans have a long history of legends about magic. In the English speaking world they have a root myth about a wizard called Merlin; he's very similar to a Zor-type character; wise and old, well meaning, but sometimes his actions lead to dire consequences.
They also have magic in many of their religious beliefs. Turning sticks into snakes, walking through fire unharmed, calling lightning from the sky, healing the sick, raising the dead, even transmutation of matter.
If our patrol shows the base as being abandoned, I think I'd like you to take a look before we move a bigger force in; since you can be, essentially, undetectable to the Invid, you'd be able to examine it closer without the same risk as a more conventional scout team. Before you go in, of course, we'd have our team in place, ready to move in. If there were a problem, you'd be able to have good backup ready."
"
Really?", Severian says hearing Cerise's descriptions of these human wizards - why had never encountered any since they arrived in ths area of space?
Perhaps they keep them as a secret weapon - the invid respect our abilities, hence why they appealed to our desire for power and greed to conquer ourselves for them, he thought to himself.
quote:
"You'll have to excuse me; apparently one of the troop that you arrived with has some information about another base. Feel free to come along if you feel like you may have anything to add."
"
Of course", Severian said, walking with Cerise.
quote:
"So, what's this about another base? Do we have any idea what this other base may have as far as personnel, materiel, or arms? Also, if you would, the coordinates; we can have the veritechs investigate it, once they have checked out the base you came from."
"
I had no idea of another base; You have to understand, my presence among the humans at the base I was stationed...Unnerved a few of them. They didn't really confide in me anything beyond my role in the wargames - superstitious lot, these humans", he said with a sigh.