Page 12 (2/2)

Then a woman calls out, "If that’s true, then why didn’t you--I ot sick? Why wait until they need the cure?"

One of the Rising officers at the back iven me all the inforood question

"Why didn’t we stockpile immunizations as well as cures?" I ask "That’s what you want to know, isn’t it?"

"Yes," she says "It would be easier andsick in the first place"

"The Rising had li on the cure was the best use for those resources There was no way to warn the public about the possibility of the Plague before it happened without causing panic And the Rising didn’t want to immunize you without your permission We’re not the Society"

"But you--we--immunized the babies," she point outs "Without their per felt that ih that we diverted some of the resources in that direction As you all know, infants suffer uarantee a positive outcome in all cases with children so small In this case, the decision was made to immunize without permission And the result is that we haven’t seen anyone under the age of two years co is fully in poe’ve already been able to shift additional resources over toimmunizations We’ll save everyone eventually, one way or another"

She nods, apparently satisfied

There’s another reason, of course, but I don’t say it out loud: If the Rising had secretly immunized people, the people wouldn’t knoho the didn’t start this Plague They solved it And the people need to know that They can’t appreciate the solution unless they know there had been a proble had to let some people become sick But in most revolutions, many have to die

This is much better

"It’s roup, "that each of you are here because you have been vouched for by aThey’ve taken a chance on you, one they believe arranted Please don’t disappoint the here We’re working to save people"

I’ to everyone, not only to her

"Now," I say "Letcare of the sick You’ll receive nht to work and others will be assigned to rest and take your turn later"

I run through the basic steps of protocol, re the workers about proper antiseptic techniques and procedures like hand washing and disinfecting supplies and equipment These practices are especially ih contact with bodily fluids I tell them about the admittance system and the initial medical exams, that we’re short on pressurized mattresses so we need to turn some patients by hand I describe the wound vacuu off the lesions to try to stave off infection

You can hear a pin drop when I get to the part that they all find thethe cure is very similar to what you saw on the portscreens when the Pilot first spoke to everyone," I say "A negative reaction is almost unheard of, but if it does occur, it’ll take place within the first half hour of cure administration"

"What is the adverse reaction?" a ," I say "They have to be intubated But the cure still works They just need help breathing for a while Obviously, only medics are allowed to intubate"

"Have you ever seen a bad reaction?" he asks

"Three ti at thistook over here" In some ways it feels like no time at all and in other ways it feels like it’s beendoes it take for the cure to work?" someone else calls out

"Often, patients are fully alert within three or four days," I say, "and they move to the recovery area of the medical center by day six They’ll stay there for a fewback out to their families and friends The cure is extremely potent"

Some eyes widen and people look at each other in surprise They’ve seen people come out of the medical centers, of course, but they didn’t know just how fast the cure kicked in

"That’s all," I say I s"

They all start clapping and someone cheers loudly The roo so outside the barricade walls I understand When I’

I stare up at the sleeproo So with the patients I’ood care of the still I wonder why she didn’t join earlier Maybe she just didn’t know about the Rising People didn’t talk openly about the rebellion, after all

I’ Like nized the rebellion as our responsibility the minute he heard about it, and he’s immune to the tablet, too He’s a perfect fit