Kelan was about to reply when Tae and Eveline arrived. The tears in Eveline's eyes stopped him from speaking.
"Tell me what you have learned," King Maxxus demanded gruffly. He knew the news was bad and felt a tremor run through him.
"Talonia is in pain," Tae announced. "As each small piece dies the pain grows worse. The poison from the nuclear explosion is slowly destroying life. The destruction will speed up as more of our resources disappear. It has not reached this area yet, but we cannot tell when it might. Send the scouts. They may find more devastation and return with refugees if the worst has happened."
"Kelan, apply the fix. We have to make it slow down," King Maxxus commanded.
"Let us help," the president interrupted. "If our scientists made the formula in the first place, they may be able to adjust it for your world."
"It was one scientist in particular," Kelan replied. "Can you find him? His name is George Leonard. I would like to speak with him."
"We'll look into it immediately. This is devastating news, and we won't allow Talonia to come to ruin. We'll send whatever supplies or help you need. Let us know what else you find." The leaders of Earth signed off.
"I have to tell the citizens. Food has to be rationed and extra vegetation planted while we still have time. We have no idea how many we will be feeding or for how long. The extra stored in the smaller cities and villages needs to be brought to the capital for distribution. I hate to do it, but the supplies will be guarded by the military. Our paradise is falling apart, and our treasures are disappearing. We must fight to save them and ourselves. Times will become difficult, and peace will be impossible. Fear changes people. They begin to do bad things they never would have before: stealing, looting, and murder. How do I do this? An announcement will bring panic."
"Do not tell them yet," Acer replied. "Wait until we have the reports from the scouts. Things may not be as bad as we imagine."
"We cannot wait, brother. Things may not be as bad as imagined, but there is the chance that they are far worse. We need to plan for the worst scenario in order to survive. We should have been doing it for months already and would have been if the elder had made the report or I had been more vigilant."
"It is my fault, not yours. I was the king, and I knew there was a possibility the repair would break down. We should have planned for this from the beginning," Acer admitted.
"Laying blame or having regrets over past mistakes won't help either of you or Talonia," Eveline concluded. "What's done from now on is where we have to concentrate our efforts. I volunteer to go to the gardens and ask that as many crops as the land can hold be planted."
"I will go to the farms and do the same. I will also gather the excess and bring it to the city," Tae added.
"I will prepare and deploy the formula for the atmosphere. It may not help, but it cannot hurt," Kelan put in.
"I will find Hesher and have him put soldiers in place all over the city before you make the announcement. They can calm the citizens and stop the panic," Acer offered.
"Have him send a hundred men directly to me," King Maxxus ordered. "They will be the scouts. I also need to have a serious discussion with Daer. Supplemental nutrient therapy may be necessary to keep sickness from appearing in the weredragons, and the humans we have added to Talonia may require oxygen supplies. It may be the one thing we need to ask of Earth."
"I'll be passing by the infirmary on my way to the gardens. I can stop and tell Daer you wish to see him," Eveline replied.
Momentarily alone, Maxxus let his emotions take over. He collapsed into a seat and laid his dark head on the cool surface of the conference table. For most of his life he had been jealous of Acer for being the king. All his hopes of becoming his successor had been dashed when Shara was born. Then, miraculously, Acer had decided to step down, and Shara had refused her birthright. All Maxxus's dreams had come true. To what end? Talonia needed a savior, and he was a poor substitute. The best he could accomplish was keeping the people alive a little longer.
