Forgotten Dreams of Eternity: Lost Odyssey: Thousand Years of Dreams
Copyright © 2011 Sky_Knight
(Short Story -XXIII.)
*The Ranking of Lives*
A terrible epidemic is ravaging the kingdom.
The onset of the disease is sudden. Due to genetic or perhaps hormonal factors. It strikes only males. The victim experiences a high fever, a violent headache, and often a swift death.
The disease does have two hopeful aspects.
First of all, if an individual survives it, he need not fear catching it again: from then on he has immunity.
Secondly, an extremely effective medicine exists. If used preventatively or in the initial stages of the disease, the drug, a tablet made primarily from a plant that grows in the mountains, almost always results in a cure.
Does this mean people can relax, and that there is no need to worry?
Unfortunately not, for an ironic twist of fate is something that life tends to thrust upon people all too often.
The high-altitude plant used to make the medicine that is so effective in prevention and early cure is extremely rare, verging on extinction.
In other words, there is not enough medicine for all the kingdom's subjects, only for certain people.
"Do you see what I mean?" asks Dok, a quiet man on patrol in the capital's marketplace with his fellow military policeman, Kaim.
Sending his sharp gaze down one alley after another, Kaim responds "You're saying they rank people to decide who gets the medicine?"
"Exactly," says Dok.
"In deciding the rank order, they brand us as either 'Subjects Indispensable to the Nation' or 'Other Subjects'."
Capital military policemen will receive their medicine relatively early, which demonstrates their ranking as "Subjects Indispensable to the Nation."
"I guess it makes sense," Dok goes on, "If all of us were to keel over, order in capital would break down like nothing. We always have to be the picture of health as we patrol the city, right Kaim? 'For the sake of the homeland,' as they say."
"I suppose so . . ."
"First the royal family gets the medicine. Then the royal guards. Third comes politicians, and then the financiers who run the country's economy, the police and fireman, doctors, and finally us-the capital military police. There's not enough to give it to just anybody."
Dok all but spat out those final words, and asks, "What do you think, Kaim? Ordinary subjects are people, too. Is it okay to 'rank' them like that?"
In theory, Kaim should be able to reply without hesitation that of course it is not okay.
But, realistically speaking, he says, "There's no way around it." He averts his gaze from Dok's as he hear himself saying these words.
"No way around it huh?" he mutters with obvious distaste.
"Maybe you're right. Maybe there is no way around it."
He sounds as if he is trying to convince himself, in fact it does seem to be the only means open to them.
"The folks here in the marketplace know about the disease, obviously."
"Obviously." answers Dok.
"If their fears get the better of them, they could riot at any time."
"Absolutely."
"We can just manage to keep the peace by patrolling the streets like this."
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Forgotten Dreams of Eternity: Lost Odyssey: Thousand Years of Dreams
Science-FictionA science fiction novel with 33 short stories foretelling the forgotten dreams of Kaim, A immortal who has lived over more than a thousand years. This novel is based on the hit video game Lost Odyssey. Short Story XV, Short Story -XXI, and Short Sto...
