VIII. The Value of a Life

Written by FJ Brodie

As seen in

28 Fyrva, 350BFD, 15 Ur 15 "Bizklo" Library, Shevezz City

Kanda pocketed one of the apples and, with yearning sniff of the other, turned to seek out Findat, only to discover the overseer had been witness to the entire exchange. He looked directly into Findat's eyes and held out the golden fruit.
"I'd like to trade an apple for its worth in pinprick coal, or for a day's labour where it is made. One stick will suffice."
Findat shook his head.
"That's not a fair exchange, especially not for a dehydrated labourer."
Kanda looked to the floor and his shoulders fell.
What do I have to do to be able to buy things here? I need to find work, but that would be too much of a distraction from my attempts to approach Zykyrn Pilkarrz.
Findat, reading Kanda's reaction as plain as the dark stone against the Sablesand sky, folded his arms and regarded the new arrival for a moment.
"What you are holding there, Sair-Kor, is not an apple. That is a marvel of nature we do not understand, but need. In your hand, you are holding a day of being alive."
With his arm still outstretched, though it was beginning to feel exceedingly heavy, Kanda frowned.
"I understand that, for that is why I am here now, but I must write. I need to research, which is because I too need to act on something I do not understand, but need to address," he reasoned with audible frustration.
"Sair-Kor… Kanda," Findat allowed himself cautiously to use first-name terms, "in just under three urs of research, you made it possible to help a man you only met today, a man whose produce has been in decline, yet sells and occasionally gifts, to the City of Shevezz because it offers natural hydration. As you will be aware, we cannot reach fresh water yet. Our stock of his as yet unnamed fruit is carefully managed to assist the poorest in our city who cannot afford the water we are forced to import. You traded the prolongation of twenty lives this year alone, more if two or more seeds from each resulting apple is replanted. In that one trade, you gave him free insights into the 'heat veins' and helped him feel understood, putting a hope in his eyes I have never seen. You did that to hydrate yourself for two days, and you think charcoal is fair payment for you to give up one of those days? Do you value yourself so little, that one day of your life is worth a stick of charcoal?"
Kanda felt more nervous now than earlier at the city gates, aware that, for some reason, he had still not retracted his hand.
"So, uhm, how much is a day of my life worth? In a previous life that was weighed in coin and not all of it unbiased coin at that," he murmured, swaying slightly as the heat from the library entrance began to feel oppressive.
"In your opinion, one of yours is worth sacrificing to save twenty others - at a minimum, and probably, mathematically, hundreds. While that is a good motivation for martyrs and those who go to war, in peace-time you show a lack of self-care. In a city where people want their research known, you chose to save seeds and selflessly helped Deryt. You are new here, so you could not expect to know, but your acts today are likely to spark a whole system to support his business, because he relies on us and we on him."
Findat shook his head in disbelief, "you do not know the value of your life, or your mind, even if you used 'alternative sources of information'," he smirked, before noticing Kanda had started to sway and grasp the stone of the entrance archway.
Instinctively changing focus, Findat grabbed the apple from Kanda's hand in time to be able to catch the man in his arms as he collapsed. Wincing from the effort, and cursing the lack of library staff, he carried him back to the table where Kanda had been researching, and laid him carefully on the cool stone floor. Glancing around, he noticed that the bowl of water under the window had been moved slightly. Instead of being empty, as it usually was at that point in the afternoon, it was still half full.
You thought to save water, and still didn't drink any to save yourself, Sair-Kor, he thought, selflessness taken to the extreme is dangerous.
He reached for the bowl and slowly, carefully, dripped the precious liquid onto the man's lips and lolling tongue until they seemed less cracked, then with a heave, he rolled Kanda onto his side and placed his second apple into his pocket. As he eased his arm from under the man, a metallic clang against the polished floor, caused by something in Kanda-Nor's cloak, startled him. Not wishing to pry, he disregarded his own curiosity, not without effort, and focussed on finding medical help. Findat returned to the entrance, and narrowly avoided a collision with the dark blur of the entrance clerk.
"Shield Vazkyr! I need your help," he stated with a sense of urgency.
"And I yours, Overseer," she replied, breathless, trying to regain composure, "but you are my leader, and I did try the scouts first but…they need authorisation."
"You are my shield," Findat reminded her, "we need each other. I have a visitor passed out from heat exhaustion in the library. What is your need?"
Vazkyr backed up, startled.
"You have a...? No, Vazkyr, one thought at a time," she stamped her foot at her own lack of focus and tried again, "the Aevyormii need our help, I think. It is urgent - and I left notes at the gate. I can tend to your…wait," she stalled, "it's not Kanda-Nor, is it?"
"He is," Findat confirmed, nodding, "it was you who checked him in, I presume? Before you go in there and berate him once he awakens, he had tried to stay hydrated, mostly with fruit. But he was more concerned with not wasting water than his own well-being."
"Oh no," Vazkyr despaired, "that's my fault. I shouldn't have asked him to be careful with it! I regretted it the moment the words left my mouth."
"What's done is passed, let us focus on what we can do now," Findat reminded her, "Sair-Kor needs to be in the medical wing - and I will take on your task. Keep that man alive and in full function, especially his mind."
"I will, anything else?"
"Ensure no possessions fall from his cloak. Not one, do you hear me? No matter their nature."
Vazkyr nodded.
"And, are there any other details not on your note?" Findat asked.
"Actually, yes," Vazkyr confirmed, "I sent a friend - Kykass, to fetch a supply manager, or similar, to discuss water distribution. The note explains why. Kykass should return, with or without a manager, around seventeen Ur."
"Very well, please be calm knowing I'll handle this. Just focus on this one. The medics won't let you treat him, of course," Findat smiled tightly, "but there are other ways we can look after him without stepping on their proverbial toes."
Vazkyr tried to look innocent.
"Or their actual ones," she grinned, "anyway, thank you Overseer, let's get to work."