The Perfect State: A Fictional Commentary on Humanity and Politics

Realisation: Chapter 5

New Oxford, 28 January 2048

1.00 PM, Alek was heading back to his workstation from the canteen. On the menu that day had been the usual comfort food offer to staff; he had a minute steak with dauphinoise potatoes washed down with a non-alcoholic cocktail. Being a man of not much weight, Alek felt incredibly full from the meal.

Alek was a reviewer at the Department of National Security at the Office of the Supreme Elder, his work consisted of reviewing the many pieces of Departmental correspondence which were sent between the various departments of the Government.

Sitting down at his workstation, he saw that the correspondence he would review today was from the Department of Education and Children. Alek hated looking at the correspondence from this Department, the notices of deportation and designation of unintelligent persons broke his heart every time he had to review one. He was honestly surprised when the Director of the Department hired him only a few months ago, Alek was not the usual type they hired.

The correspondence came quick and fast, the work consisted of reading through the correspondence for plots, subversion or treason. After eleven pieces of correspondence, Alek assumed his usual routine of passing them through the system without the care mandated by the authorising decree. That was until a piece of correspondence came up with the crest of the Supreme Elder. Usually, only Departments talked to each, not to the Office of the Supreme Elder which on the whole only sent out guidelines on enforcing the policy. Alek shook himself out of semi-sleep and started to read.

The correspondence read:-

Dear Whom It May Concern,

After our meeting a night ago, I successfully and without detection retrieved the records you requested for yourself including the interested party you mentioned.

The records were dropped off at the drop off you gave me.

I hope to receive another communication from you soon.

Yours faithfully,

Jacque Derrin

This rung alarms bells in Alek's head. He immediately got up out of his chair and proceeded to head down to the Records Department to confirm the note's authenticity.

The Grand Palace of Learning was immense and it took a good five minutes to get to the wing of the palace which contained the Records of the Office of the Supreme Elder.

At the door stood a guard, stern-faced wearing the uniform of a junior lieutenant of the intellectual guard he asked: "What's your business here?"

Alek tired from the journey he took replied: "I need to confirm something in the Records."

He showed him his identification.

The guard stood aside stating "As you wish, Sir."

He opened the door by entering the code. Alek entered as soon as the door opened. Heading down two flights of brightly illuminated steps, he reached the Record Room.

The Record Room was immense containing what seemingly was a neverending row of bookcases. Alek was looking for one thing and one thing alone, the computer which tracked where the records were contained.

He found a computer and sat down. The interface contained the crest of the Supreme Elder as its background. Clicking on the search function provided, he checked if anyone had withdrawn any records from the Record Room in the last few days. A number of people had done so but the name Jacque Derrin came up with one withdrawal. Things started to come together.

Derrin had withdrawn Records from the highly confidential section of the Record Room, what was withdrawn came as 'Highly Classified Information'. Alek knew Derrin must have had withdrawn something regarding the most confidential of subjects in the Republic.