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pete
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'mommy, who's that man?'
'why, mordechai, that is the lord diakon. he is coming to give you your last test.'
mordechai was four years old, and intellectually advanced for his age. his eyes followed the lord diakon as he weaved through his father's costumers. 'milord!' one of the throng shouted out. diakon turned to look at who shouted his name...
time split
slipstream a
as the lord diakon looked away, mordechai spun and hugged his mother tightly, thinking that today would be the day that he was taken from her forever. she pressed him tightly against her body and wept silently, thinking the same.
diakon, meanwhile, had begun walking back towards mordechai and his mother. 'hello there madame technom, boy.' he said nodding at them in turn. 'oh don't worry ma'am we dont often take from your level. usually we find high born children who are base and give them to you. i doubt your boy is truly high as i have heard.'
his smile set mordechai off. he held himself above his mother and wanted to goad it over her. his elitism disgusted him. 'well, boy, speak up now,' the lord diakon said.
'sir, i dont want to go.'
'no? why not?'
'i want to learn from my father and be a shoemaker like him, sir,' mordechai said fiercely.
'you want to learn eh?'
'yes'
with that the lord diakon fell silent. he looked deeply into mordechai's eyes and at once his silence changed. he stood up straight and demanded silence. when the customers behind him fell silent, the lord said: "the law of the republic as my witness! the law is just, the law is temperate! let us set aside our falled gods and listen to the blessed law! thus, the law reads:
article 2, on nature
section (a) no child shall be held from his nature
sectoin (b) until the age of four years and one half from birth a lord diakon must determine whether a child is of the technom or the thaumazi. a base-born child showing high qualities shall be elevated. a high-born child showing base qualities shall be degenerated.
subsection (i) the penalty for resisting is death to the child, death to the parents, and death to all accomplices.
thus reads the law! the law is just, the law is temperate. blessed is our republic eternal!
'child, though born base, you are high in nature. you are to learn the arts of thumos and become beautiful in the eyes of the republic.'
mordechai looked from the lord diakon to his mother. she was now openly crying. his life was about to, had just changed. things would be different now. he was going to move to the centre. to learn how to fight and kill. to become a gaurdian of the republic.
'come, mordechai thaumazi,' the lord diakon said from the dream world of reality, 'leave the mistress technom to her works.'
slipstream b
as the lord diakon looked away, mordechai spun and hugged his mother tightly, thinking that today would be the day that he was taken from her forever. she pressed him tightly against her body and wept silently, thinking the same.
diakon, meanwhile, had begun a discussion with with the man who had called his attention. mordechai's mother begain to whisper desperately into her son's ear. 'whatever he asks you, child, keep your temper and love at bay. sound dry, sound tired, sound sickly. he will not take you from us that way. you will be great in your fathers name. just dont let them take you from us!'
she stopped just as the lord diakon turned and came before them. 'hello there madame technom, boy.' he said nodding at them in turn. 'oh don't worry ma'am we dont often take from your level. usually we find high born children who are base and give them to you. i doubt your boy is truly high as i have heard.'
his smile set mordechai off. he held himself above his mother and wanted to goad it over her. his elitism disgusted him. 'well, boy, speak up now,' the lord diakon said.
'sir, take me with you.' mordechai's mother gasped at his demand.
'go? you think you will go?' laughed the lord diakon
'yes. let me go. this place bores me, and the people are dry,' said mordechai.
'ahh. you think you are below yourself here.'
'yes'
with that the lord diakon fell silent. he looked deeply into mordechai's eyes and at once his silence changed. he stood up straight and demanded silence. when the customers behind him fell silent, the lord said: "the law of the republic as my witness! the law is just, the law is temperate! let us set aside our falled gods and listen to the blessed law! thus, the law reads:
article 2, on nature
section (a) no child shall be held from his nature
sectoin (b) until the age of four years and one half from birth a lord diakon must determine whether a child is of the technom or the thaumazi. a base-born child showing high qualities shall be elevated. a high-born child showing base qualities shall be degenerated.
subsection (i) the penalty for resisting is death to the child, death to the parents, and death to all accomplices.
section (c) after the forth and a half year no child shall change class, for his nature has already been decided before the republic eternal.
subsection (i) any who tries to elevate a base or degenerate a high shall be put to death, along with the child or citizen they attempt to transform.
thus reads the law! the law is just, the law is temperate. blessed is our republic eternal!"
'child you are born base, and base you shall remain for your nature is base. stay and work for the republic's glory. know that you are essential, know that those above you need your loyalty.'
mordechai looked from the lord diakon to his mother. she was now openly crying. his life was about to, had just changed. things would be different now. he was going to stay with his family in the rim. to learn how to make shoes under his father. to be free in this republic of liberty.
'well madame technom, boy technom, i have business else where. good day.'
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