Death on a First Date

Euthanasia? It's legal in a handful of countries in my world and done under the table in a number of others, but 'acceptable' would depend on who you talk to. It's a bit of a...morally contentious subject.

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So it's a debatable concept in your world?

[He scribbles down euthanasia for later reference.]

But a common enough idea to have a specific term? Hm.

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Very much so. This is a bit of a broad-strokes description, but the argument goes that either it's murder and denies any sort of hope for the patient's future, or it's a charitable act intended to give someone some dignity and control in the end stages of a painful illness. I'm sure there are books about it all in the library if you want to find out more.

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I actually don't need to read much about the concept, but thank you anyway.

I just wondered how commonplace it was, and where.

Do you, personally, find it morally objectionable? You don't have to answer.

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Not over the network.

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No, I don't. I think if someone with no realistic hope of recovery makes an independent decision to end their life and a doctor makes an independent decision to help them end that life painlessly, they should both have the right to make those choices.

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In person, then. I think it'd be preferable.

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Okay. I... thank you for your input.

Is this a common theme for most of the Previous? The uncertainty about whether it's right or not? Or is it just your world?

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Fine. I'll be in the common room on the first floor.

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I'll be there shortly.

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All right.

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That's....almost impossible for me to answer, honestly. But I would suggest that most worlds like mine will always debate over whether it's right or wrong to take a life prematurely in any circumstances.

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[Eddie was sat waiting, adjusting his tie a little, in the first floor common room. It hadn't taken long to get here at all.]

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It's interesting, if you don't mind me saying so, that you think it's acceptable, but still describe the death as premature.

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[WELL, SOMEBODY'S EAGER. Rex entered the room, giving Eddie a suspicious little stare, brow furrowed.]

What do you want to know about that cretin?

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I'm using 'premature' in its most technical sense, to cover other medical life-or-death situations - abortion, for example. If you were to ask me if the voluntary euthanasia of someone suffering from a terminal disease was premature, I would say no.

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[Eddie glances up at him,]

I'd like to hear your side of... what's between the both of you, and how he treats you.

[He paused] I'd like to find some resolution to this, and some way of making him understand what he's done wrong, but I need to... hear everyone's side of things first. Yours especially.

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I see.

[he's gone to the dictionary again.]

Again, thank you for your input. It's most interesting.

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Well, I could start from the beginning. When we met, I looked like this. He was perfectly polite-- friendly, eve. [He moved to take a seat, shrugging.] Until I went... home... and returned as I was before my surgery. [He had no idea if Eddie was familiar with his former appearance or not, but for now, he'd keep talking.] Then, I was a monster, unfit to be on the Barge, better left dead. [He waved a hand.] You've read his file; I'm sure your familiar with his pitiful theatrics.

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[Eddie had heard some of this before, and seen certain posts, so was aware of his former appearance, so just nodded, thoughtfully and politely,]

I'm familiar with... his approach, yes.

[He paused,] So it was the initial change in opinion, and the reasons for it, which offended you? Understandably so, I must say.

[He looked down at his hands,] Two questions, then. Did things improve at all? [There was another question attached to that one, but he'd wait.] And have you spoken to him since, um, you were like that again?

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thebestnose.livejournal.com

Why not?

And fine. Is it better than Scarlet Letter?

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You have to be very, very careful with him and death. He... views it differently to us, and I don't think it's a bad thing, just different.

It has adventure, and sword fights and rescuing people.

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thebestnose.livejournal.com

Well, that's fine. But...can I not mention it at all?

You're starting to get predictable with your books. Not that I mind.

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