User blog:Dark dwarves 2/Quaestiones

A father and son walk within the bustling forum of their home city. On every side of the main road are stalls, slave markets, and dark alley ways all filled with both interesting, exotic, and rather dangerous looking individuals. Down one alley way a noble man is dealing with some sort of shady antique dealer, down another some blind man sits in the dark chanting in many thousands of tongues, and all around them slaves and freemen shopping and conversing amongest each other.

A loud cry breaks the atmosphere, "Out of the way, get off the roads! Those who fall to comply will be severely punished if not killed!" shouts a praecones.

The crowd breaks immediately and rushes to get off the main road crowding the market stalls. After that what sounds like a stamped a mass of sentient chattel is seen being driven through the forum. Massive yokes keep the slaves in formation with each holding six and the number of yokes going into the hundreds and possibly thousands. Above this hoard of chattel floats overseers on small floating platforms bearing elector whips. At the hoards side stand armed guards mainly to keep the crowd away from the chattel or the chattel escaping.

A loud crack is heard as one of the overseers whips a group of the chattel which seems to produce burns upon their backs (not to severe burns, but burns none the less). The boy watches with curiosity and finally speaks up.

"Who are they father?"

"The worst of society. Criminals, traitors, heathens, and other dregs."

"So where are they going?"

"Who knows some would be sent to the plantations or the Agricultural worlds, others to the mines, and a few might be sent to work as scribes or clerks."

"So are they going to be killed?"

"Oh no that would be a waste. You see the Emperor believes every life has value, even life as worthless, vile, and revolting as those you see before you. Killing them willy nilly just wastes people that could be used as workers."

"So everyone's life is planned?"

"Not everyone's life is planned out by the state some can make free decisions as they go."

"So do I get that choice?"

"Oh no my son, I have plans for you, great plans."

The hoard of chattel continues to pass as the child tries to make sense of what his father just said.