Chapter 4 - Taliaferro
Insegniferro and Massimaferro walked down the hallway and found the young medico who had been treating Mullinix-Elder Taliaferro sitting in a chair outside his room. She was a blonde woman in her late thirties and pouring over a chart that indicated the progress of the old man.
"Medico Rasten," Insegniferro said, offering a hand to the younger woman, "Have you got any news for us?"
"It’s definitely the wasting sickness," she said, nodding to Massimaferro as well, "Either the lungs or one of the other internal organs. Considering his age it could easily be any of them."
They knew that this was a grave diagnosis, as the wasting sickness was still a disease that was hard to treat, especially in someone as old as Taliaferro. Neither one questioned Medico Rasten, as she was one of the brightest spots in the medical system. She split her time between specialized cases and high profile ones, taking time out to teach younger students in between.
"How long does he have?" Massimaferro asked, "And how much longer is he going to be lucid?"
"He’ll most likely be lucid to the end," the medico told him, "As for how long he has, it could be days or it could be weeks. Whatever your process is for bringing in another Mullinix, I’d suggest you get it started. He’s probably holding on by sheer will at this point."
"How about his spirits?" Insegniferro asked her, "How much have you told him?"
"He hasn’t asked directly," Medico Rasten said, shrugging, "But he knows me and recognizes me. He’s guessed by now. I’ll leave it to you to do anything else."
"Right," Insegniferro nodded, "Can we go see him?"
"He’ll start yelling soon if you don’t," Medico Rasten smiled, "I’m giving him pain medication when I can, but he gets mad if he gets too muddled."
"He would," Massimaferro nodded, "Thanks medico."
The two Mullinix entered the room to see the frail old man sitting upright in his bed. The wasting sickness had caused the once sizable man to lose over eighty pounds in a matter of months. His cheeks were sunken and he looked considerably older than his ninety-five years. The one thing that was still recognizable, however, was the fire in his eyes that had been with him all his life.
"About time you two showed up," Taliaferro said, making eye contact like he always did, "Anything interesting in the chamber today?"
"The natives down south are getting frisky again," Insegniferro said, "Massy had to sit through the minor squabbles while I dealt with the latest batch of bullshit from the Mavelans."
"You just wanted to get out of hearing cases," Taliaferro grunted, "Did you at least listen to some?"
"He took the murder case at the end of the day," Massy said, coming to Iggy’s defense, "That was a nasty one."
"Those usually are," Taliaferro said, nodding his head in satisfaction, "So what did Blondie say about my condition?"
"She said you’re sick," Iggy said, not beating around the bush, "Badly so."
"It’s the wasting sickness," Taliaferro agreed, "I’d been guessing it for months, just didn’t want to deal with it."
"You knew?" Massy asked, "Why didn’t you get help sooner?"
"It wouldn’t have helped," Taliaferro shrugged, "My time is coming to an end. What are they going to do? Cut me open? I’m ninety-five years old. I’d never wake up. I’d rather die here in chamber than on a medico’s operating table in the hospital."
"You’re not going to die that soon," Iggy protested, "I want your job, but not at that price, Tali."
"Bullshit," Taliaferro said firmly, "You deserve this job. You got a raw deal when Crianferro died as young as he did. Nobody should have to be Mullinix for as long as you have with as little training as you got. It’s Massimaferro’s turn to deal with all the bullshit."
"Gee, thanks," Massy said, his eyes rolling.
"Now have you decided on a replacement yet?" Tali asked them seriously, "I want you to be ready to go when it happens. You have warning, I expect you to use it."
"There are several candidates in the pool," Iggy said, "They just arrived today so it will be a few days before we can start vetting them down."
"Make it quick," Tali urged them, "I don’t know how much longer I have, but I’m guessing it isn’t long. Don’t get caught with your pants down. You need to have the new Mullinix ready to go within hours of my death. People get nervous if you don’t."
"It isn’t that urgent is it, Tali?" Massy asked him, "You’ve been sick before."
"I’ve known this was coming for a year or so," Taliaferro coughed, "I didn’t want to face it until now. When I fell down this morning I couldn’t hide it anymore."
"You’ve known for a year?" Iggy exclaimed, "Why the hell didn’t you say anything, Tali?"
"Because," Taliaferro said, "If you knew you’d act like you are now. I didn’t want to deal with that. I’m dying. I’m ninety-five. I should have gone years ago. The Empire will soon be in your hands, boys. I did my best to train you and I think I did well. Now it’s time for my end to come. If I know Edwina as well as I think I do she probably has several candidates already. Talk to her and talk to each other. You’ll have to work with this boy for many years. Choose well."
"We will," Massy promised, "You know that."
"I know," Taliaferro nodded, his aged face smiling a little, "I need to sleep now. When you talk to Edwina get the best candidates. If I’m feeling better I’ll look over them with you tonight in front of the fire."
"Let’s just hope that it isn’t needed too soon," Iggy said and stood up, "We’ll be back later."
"Just be prepared," Taliaferro said, "Don’t get caught with your pants down like we did with Crianferro."
"Right," Iggy nodded, "Come on, Massy. Let him rest."
"Later Tali," Massimaferro said as he dragged his large frame out of the room.
The two men walked down the hall, looking like a rather ordinary Mutt and Jeff team. Massimaferro towered a good six inches over his more scholarly looking senior. Insegniferro looked up at Massimaferro and knew that neither one of them had been prepared for this, despite Taliaferro’s advancing age.
"What did he mean caught with your pants down?" Massimaferro asked Iggy, "I thought Crianferro had been sick for years when he died?"
"We all turned a blind eye to that," Insegniferro explained, "We all knew he had problems, but Crian kept to himself. He was always sickly, but the heart attack that killed him pretty much blindsided us. He doesn’t want us to have to scramble for him like he and I did for Crian."
"I can understand that," Massy sighed, "So what do we do?"
"Talk to Edwina," Iggy shrugged, "He’s right. We have to be prepared. It may not happen tomorrow, but it will happen this session. We might as well pick the kid and be able to just pull him out of class."
"You go talk to Edwina," Massimaferro said, "I’m going to go for a walk. I need some time to deal with this."
"No problem," Iggy chuckled, "I was just about as dazed as you are, probably more so. At least you are getting some warning before you ascend. I was sitting in my chamber reading a book when Mariana came in to tell me the news. It was chaos because Crian was due to meet the King of Siraq in the chamber."
"That asshole?" Massy said, "I can understand why Crian chose to have a heart attack rather than meet with him."
"No," Iggy laughed, "The current King’s father. He wasn’t so bad. That new guy is a pain in the ass."
"Anyway," Massy said, "I’ll be with you in a bit. I’m going to the balcony to watch."
"Don’t let it eat you up," Iggy warned him, "What we do is important. We have to bring someone in."
"I know," Massy said and nodded as he walked off.
Massimaferro walked over to the balcony that overlooked the civil schooling area and watched all the young men and women heading over towards the mess hall to eat their first meals as Citizen Service Students.
He almost pitied them, for he remembered what that
food had been like. He also knew that whomever they chose to take the Apprentice spot would be wishing almost immediately for the bland food again, for even though the food as a Mullinix was better, the job wasn’t worth it.