The Good Reaper by Dennis J Butler Page A

many times. There is only one way
to do it and do it correctly and that is with Tseen Ke.”
    “Yes but how would that ever be possible? The drugs cannot be reproduced here,” I said.
    “Suppose I was to tell you something? Would you be able to
keep it a secret? Before I tell you I need your word that even if you want no
involvement, you will never tell anyone.”
    “I think I understand. I have thought about it and if there
was a way to get Tseen Ke kits here, I would do it. I would never, ever tell
anyone.”
    “This is my third tour here. I’ve learned how to work around
the system. I have acquired many sympathetic allies. Some of them have finished
their tours here but we still try our best to keep in touch. I’ve arranged for
someone to smuggle the Tseen Ke drugs here. He will arrive with the group of
cadets in about three weeks. I could arrange a meeting with him. There are
others. If you agree, you would be the fourth Ranjisi to be part of it. It is
complicated and it will require a great deal of planning for each patient.
We’ve also decided that the group will need to approve the patient and the plan
before it is executed.” Cooper was silent for a few moments again. He could see
I was deep in thought. “If things work out with the Tseen Ke kits, we may try
and smuggle some other drugs here, possibly even Zaurak Elakribi .”
    “Wow. Cancer is the big killer here. It’s quite unbelievable
knowing how simple it is to cure with Zaurak,” I said.
    “So, what do you say Luke? If you are interested, you will
be contacted in about a month. It will require some secret meetings and maybe
some travelling and of course you know that you would be breaking CIPE
protocol. If we are exposed and apprehended, we could wind up in a Ranjisan
prison.”
    “I’ve already thought about it Cooper. Count me in.”
     
     

6 -
Arkab’s candidate
     
    The CIPE conference ended and I went back to my dual role of
observing and studying the human race while working as a human hospital worker.
Becoming part of the secret Tseen Ke team seemed to be always in the back of my
mind. I couldn’t forget about it since I was reminded of it every day as I
watched people suffering in their final days. During the period when I was
waiting to be contacted by Cooper’s colleagues, I had watched one dying person
suffer who I believed would have met the guidelines for Tseen Ke. Her name was
Wendy and she was dying of Leukemia at age nineteen. I only transported her three
or four times and I didn’t really know her but I could tell by the look in her
eyes that she was ready to cross over.
    Sometimes I wondered if it would have been better if I was
assigned to the cultural-tribal study group. I would at least have a better
knowledge of the various human religions. I thought maybe it would help me
understand the connection between belief in a Supreme Being and forcing people
to suffer in their last days.
    The Tseen Ke secret team contact finally arrived about six
weeks after the CIPE conference. I had developed the habit of eating dinner out
on my days off. I worked some weekends but most of the surgeries were done
during the week so I was rarely off on a Tuesday. I was sitting in the Athena
Diner eating the Tuesday special when I realized someone was looking at me. I
looked up and an elderly man was standing there looking down at me. I
immediately assumed he was human due to his age. I had seen some elderly
Ranjisi at the CIPE Center back on Ranjisan but it never occurred to me that
some of them were serving in Phase II assignments.
    “Luke Riley?” the man asked quiet enough that only I could
hear him.
    “Yes.” I looked surprised as it dawned on me that he was
part of Cooper’s Tseen Ke group. I stood up and started to extend my arm to
shake his hand when he gave me a quick turn of his head. I quickly withdrew my
hand as he sat down opposite me.
    “I am called Thomas Wrigley,” he said with a slight accent.
I was pretty sure the