"I will go into the forest and send out men as I find them. She is right in realizing no one should strike out alone. A few weeks ago, I would have declared Talonia to be perfectly safe, but nothing is as it was then." Hesher melted into the trees.
Maxxus made a duty call at the infirmary. Daer was involved with his patients. Several more refugees were showing symptoms of radiation poisoning, although the ones from previous weeks were gone. The only one remaining who Maxxus recognized was a small girl who had been the most affected. She had required the potassium iodide treatment.
Dragging Daer out into the hallway, Maxxus asked, "Why are there more patients? Where are they getting the radiation and why is it the children who are the sickest?"
Daer ran his fingers through his tousled hair and sighed. "I do not think they are receiving more radiation. The stored food has passed inspection, and the garden has too. I believe the radiation has been migrating through their bodies slowly and eventually causes the symptoms. Their size and weight account for the differences in timing. Of course, the children are smaller and have less fat to absorb it. I also imagine they got into the gardens more times than their parents noticed."
"Will they recover?"
"Many have already done so, though they seem slightly weaker in some ways that I cannot account for. Fewer are coming in, so I would like to think that the worst is over. The cold air may have other effects or bring in more refugees. I am preparing for an influx. Josie has given us medical supplies and testing equipment surpassing our own. It will help in most cases. I am used to injuries and births, but not illness. We will have to adjust."
"Our situation changes daily so adjustments are becoming the new normal. Can the citizens continue to handle the changes, or will they begin to demand more answers, ones that we do not have?" Maxxus asked.
"If this was anywhere other than Talonia, I believe we could expect trouble. However, weredragons have a unique tolerance for difficult situations it seems. We have withstood many things in a short time, and yet we are remaining steadfast and calm. Soon they will want more information. I know I do. But, they will also come forward with support because it has always been our way. They will not riot, though they might suffer," Daer explained.
"They should not have to suffer. If we had taken the Savra's threats more seriously and attacked their planet sooner, this would not be happening. I should have argued for war, but I left it to Acer," Maxxus complained.
"Nothing would have been done differently, and you know it. We do not cause harm where none is required, and at that time the Savra did not appear to be a serious threat. They had been taunting us for years. We had reason to doubt they would ever follow through with their threats and to be honest, we did prepare for it just in case. In the end, no one can foresee every consequence of their decisions. We all do the best we can with the knowledge we have at the time, even you."
"I am doing exactly that now. Josie is too, in fact, everyone is, and it makes me proud to be the king of Talonia. I just hope I am not the last one to have a kingdom to rule," Maxxus replied.
