License Withdrawal

393 AC - I close the botanists' report and stroke my beard, thinking. Sap. It had been harnessed and used extensively right away, just a few weeks after being discovered, without all of the required precautions being taken. Yet something had triggered the decline of the City of Scholars. And it could very well have been this famous substance. Nothing in this report seemed to indicate any toxicity, but that didn't mean it was harmless. I tap the wood of my desk, deep in thought. It was one thing to use it like the Axiom were doing, and another to incorporate it so quickly into our food… No, this report was by no means sufficient. I solemnly pull the quarantine request from my pile of documents. Hestia would not be happy, just like she hadn't appreciated the surprise health inspection I had ordered. But I couldn't risk exposing the exploration forces to a potential health hazard.

I sign the proposed decree and stamp my personal seal on it. Closing the Mess would send a clear message to the people. And if that made some regard Sap with suspicion, all the better. Distrust was appropriate, and this point it needed to be underlined. I pull another sheet from the pile, this time destined for the Muna Farm. We also needed to stop the liquid from being used for crops to get to the root of the problem. My popularity would take a hit, and it had already been damaged, but it was a sacrifice I needed to make for the common good. However, in the case of the Farm, I wasn't going to request an administrative closure. I just wanted to send a clear warning and make a gradual transition to crops free of risky substances. I hope my recommendations will receive a positive response from City Hall and that we will legislate in the right direction.

WARU