Chapter Twenty Eight: The One

The Upper Chamber was not in Session but the two Republicists, Joakim Ends and Chris Hamm, are inside the Circular Room, where the twenty four Republics of the Orbital Systems meet. They are not there for official business, of course not, although what they are conversing about involves national security that might interest the Chief State Minister's role in forming an OM Commission for that purpose.

But they are not there to attract any suspicion from government agents on whatever it is that they are discussing. They were there to inspect an artifact in advance of the inquiry, which shall be the main focus of tomorrow's Upper Chamber vote.

"This is very expensive even just by using the naked eye to inspect its unique purer qualities. Will Planet Easter Baskets protect their interests regarding this newly discovered material?" It was Republicist Joakim Ends who asked the question, shifting from their political topic at once.

"It all depends on the lobbying, Hamm. You know how the system works."

Joakim nodded his assent. Everybody knows that fact; it's an open secret.

"Except when the unethical lobbying becomes coercion."

"You, too?" Hamm asked in surprise. "Who contacted you? Who was it this time?"

"The One," he simply said. "He's always the person who was the most guilty, is it not?"

"It is," the other Republicist replied. "I've always wondered what if the Constitution was alive, what would it think about us? What is it that needed to be said?"

"An outrage, for sure."

Both of them fell silent. Behind those words, there was a longing for the freedom of truth.

"It will tell us that we are hypocrites, right? That's what I know to be the most evident truth at this point."

"I see your point clearly," Joakim said. "But I was hoping for a kinder word, words of sympathy and not of anger, the gesture of concern and not of judgment. It was always been this way, how I view the Constitution. It was designed to protect us. That's what I see when I am reading the different articles of the document."

"Protect us from what?" Hamm inquired absent-mindedly. "Who, out there, is the enemy?"

"Not an enemy but save us from our own existence, maybe? Someone out there knows the accurate answer to this question."

Hamm nodded again, then focused his attention to the material in front of them.

"At least, the Planet Easter Baskets is full of treasures that contribute to society. I guess that's as important as knowing the truth we are seeking."

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This Chapter is sponsored by New Balance.