Prologue: The Keepers
These stupid
lower ranks think they know all … what a laugh , t hought The First rank
keeper.
Do I also
think I know all…well I do share much of the same DNA ,
h e thought again.
I am first
rank keeper … how
dare they question my judgement. I am their superior. In the end
the truth is that I don’t know all … But the truth is also that I know
more, I am an original, I wasn’t taught keeping, I derived the need
to keep , h e thought angrily and
justified.
“ I don’t agree
that the step up of the sex character to the momentum is a
solution, Sir First,” the First -rank-opposite said.
His job was to
disagree. It was part of his job description. The keepers were
separated into two factions with respect to The First rank keeper. One side was to agree with
what The First rank keeper said, the other
side was to oppose The First rank keeper. Agreeing or disagreeing
was just part of the job, the real business was to come up with
reasons. If The First rank keeper said that the step up of
entertainment would decrease (or rather change the shape of) the
momentum, the side supporting The First rank keeper would first
support, then derive as many reasons which support what The First
rank keeper said. The same is true for the disagreeing
side.
“ Elaborate, if
you may,” said The First-rank with as much superior arrogance a
hominid can muster from its rank. Your choice may be the final, but
some opposition still annoys. He imagined what it must be like to
be employed just to disagree with your superior. He thought about
which was the hardest; agreeing or disagreeing.
“ Surely, if
the sex character is stepped up, the integrity of it will diminish, it’s
what we were all taught. The more something is, the less value it
has.”
“ I was not
taught, ” r eproached The First, “ but I see what you mean, but you must
understand, they sought and found freedom to the
extreme , but contrary to what they think, more
freedom gives more problems.”
The whole assembly shifted
uncomfortably in their seats. What was said was said
matter-of-factly, without any attempt at an explanation. The First
noticed, and let the confusion fume its way through room.
“ Elaborate,
Sir First,” the one next to The First-rank
opp asked. The First smiled, this was only the second in time in
his career that a lower ranking opposite had spoken to him
directly. It was total misbehaviour, everyone else in the room sat
still, awaiting the reproach. The First-rank-opposite smiled to
himself. He knew that being questioned by lower ranks was a sign of
weakness.
“Recorder ,
please record that a lower rank whom I have no inclination to refer
to directly has misbehaved in the congregation and shall be
penalized accordingly ,” h e said to the meeting stenographer. “I will
elaborate.” He folded his arms to add effect and explained “ t he concept of freedom
seems appealing. Well from a case where society has been poorly
managed by the rulers, it definitely does. But freedom also give
way to disrespect, ill-discipline and such. You are welcome to
disagree but ‘freedom’ is really just a nicer word for ‘rebel’.
Freedom is attractive, because from their viewpoint it is a way of
attaining happiness in ways which they
choose. But with a population of the eleven-billion people on
earth, happiness must be relative. You see that when it is not
relative, one would be allowed to achieve happiness at the cost of
anything, good or bad and thus t he problem
with freedom is that freedom knows no limits.” He stopped
and took a breathe.
They all looked at The First,
but their minds were elsewhere. They were contemplating what he was
saying. The First observed the effect, and chose to elaborate
further.
“ During
school,” The First continued, “You were told the meaning of life.
That it is to keep the momentum going. You also saw that the best
momentum is one where there is a god and you also learned that the
best god is
Yenthu Wentz
Aneesa Price
Suzanne Weyn
Mary Marks
Craig Johnson
Patrice Michelle
Kate McMullan
Sherryl Woods
Steven Savile
Hallie Swanson