The Star Beagle Adventures
Episode 14: Close to the Edge Part III - I Get Up, I Get Down
Scene 10: The Truth Is Written
The truth is written all along the page…
14.10
The Truth Is Written
The Truth Is Written
John, Jr., Steve, Steph, Jr., Sevrock, Rohn, Key, Jephan, K’Lon, Rock, Ork, and Rider were conferring. The Runt wasn’t able to contribute thoughts so much as emotions to this discussion. But The Runt got a vote. It didn’t matter that she was completely non-verbal and probably not very intelligent. She would get an equal vote. And this was important.
“We must kill her.”
“There is no hope for her?”
“Nothing. The regenerative process continues, but there is nothing left to regenerate. The result would be six clones, none of which could ever have any independence.”
“Worse, her continued presence would destroy our own futures.”
“It is a matter of survival, then.”
“And a matter of mercy! Imagine such an existence! No thought! No independence! Only the moment to moment flow of experience! A nightmare existence without context!”
“I don’t know. It’s one thing to allow a person to die. Another thing entirely to kill her.”
All attention was focused on Jephan. The thought had been offered as if it were self-evident. The new attention focused on Jephan made it evident that it was far from self-evident.
“What is so different? At least, what is so different in this specific instance?”
It was Jephan’s turn to be taken aback. “I… I… I don’t know. I just have this innate sense that it is wrong to kill unless it is absolutely necessary.”
The Runt agreed wordlessly with Jephan. Some of the others did too.
“In this case, it is absolutely necessary. If we don’t kill her soon, kill all of her, she will cut short our lives. We will starve. And the future will die with us.”
“So it is necessary?” Jephan asked.
“Not only necessary, it is compassionate!” Now all attention was focused on Ork.
“How is killing compassionate?” Jephan asked.
“Think of the life, or rather lives of what they, not she, they, will become! A fully developed brain with nothing in it! No memory! No future! No past! Just a frightening, meaningless, never-ending now! Not one such life! Six of them! Would you want that for yourself?” asked Ork.
“It won’t be easy to do. She’ll just keep coming back.”
“We eat her!”
This final suggestion met with unanimous approval. For a moment they fell silent. Then:
“What about her?”
“She has to stand trial.”
“No! We are not qualified to sit in judgement!”
“But she might kill us.”
“And she might protect us. And help us. We have to talk to her.”
“Then summon her!”
14.10
