Olan Thorensen - Cast Under an Alien Sun

He also championed ethanol. Since it was already being distilled as part of the ether production, source wasn’t a problem. He remembered it needed to be 70 percent ethanol in water to kill germs—something to do with attacking cell membranes more efficiently at that concentration, not that he tried to explain cell structure.

He didn’t witness the introduction of more stringent asepsis, but from the Beynoms’ older son, Cadwulf, Yozef learned details of the storm ignited in getting medicants to change long-established traditions, especially the older medicants and those feeling threatened by an off-islander’s strange ideas. In the end, all but the most close-minded medicants admitted that the new aseptic conditions reduced infections, and only one medicant was so stubborn that Diera finally decertified him as a medicant anywhere in the district.

Similar discord occurred in other Keelan Province districts before increased aseptic procedures spread to other provinces. The information dissemination was fueled by Diera sending reports to abbeys throughout Keelan to medicants she believed would be most open-minded about this flood of novel procedures and knowledge. From there, the knowledge spread throughout Caedellium, and the reputation and rumors about Yozef Kolsko added to those already circulating about ether.

Yozef tried to be careful with what he revealed to Diera, for fear that too much information would raise worries as to who, or what, he was. Whenever the probing of Diera or the other medicants approached dangerous ground, he feigned ignorance. One strategy he adopted was to pretend some tidbit of knowledge just occurred to him, but that this was all he knew. While this didn’t satisfy the more insistent inquisitors, it usually ended a delicate line of probing. The inadvertent side effect, and one to which Yozef was oblivious until it was too late to squash rumors, was that Yozef was literally “hearing” the information. These whispers had consequences in times to come.

In the months since his arrival on Anyar, Yozef had had no expenses. The abbey provided food, clothing, and shelter, and Carnigan paid at the pub. Introducing ether for anesthesia gave Yozef his first independent income.

Abbot Beynom first mentioned charges for the ether. “All of our patients are expected to pay for their treatment, assuming they can afford the payments. If not, the payment is reduced or forgiven. The poppy extract had gotten so expensive that the abbey tried to absorb all of the cost, but that was becoming more difficult even before the Narthani cut off trade. Now, poppy extract is virtually impossible to obtain, no matter the price. It’s only reasonable that the cost of the ether should be included in what the patient pays.”

The abbot raised an eyebrow at Yozef. “Do you have any thoughts about what the cost should be? It should cover the production and a small income for yourself.”

“Sorry, Abbot. I’ve no idea about Caedellium or Keelan money. I would depend on your advice.”

“I wondered about that myself,” Sistian smiled. “It’s quite simple. There are a few differences among the provinces, but most use the same system as Keelan.”

The abbot reached into his desk and withdrew a small clinking sack from which he took out a handful of coins and spread them out on his desktop.

“There are four coins, two silver and two gold. The small silver is one krun, large silver five kruns, small gold twenty kruns, and large gold hundred kruns.”

Yozef had seen the coins in the pub but hadn’t noticed details until now. The sizes seemed standardized, and each coin had a number stamped on one side and a six-pointed star on the other.

“What do the numbers and symbols stand for?”

Sistian picked up a hundred-krun gold and pointed to the number. “The coins are made in Orosz City, the center of Orosz Province. Clans or individuals can take gold and silver there to be turned into coins. That’s to assure all coins are the proper size and weight. The number identifies a specific batch of coins, in case there’s a problem.” He turned the coin over. “The star is a general symbol of Caedellium. Coins from other parts of Anyar are sometimes used, though people are cautious about using them because we can’t be sure of the value of the gold and silver they’re made of. A few clans also have their own coins, but Keelan and most clans use the common krun coins made in Orosz City. There are also small copper coins for values less than a small silver one krun coin, but those aren’t made in Orosz City.”

“What does a krun or a hundred kruns buy?”

“One krun would buy a loaf of bread, a hundred krun a good set of clothes for a common clansman, and an average horse might cost five hundred krun.”

“So, Abbot, what would you suggest for the price of the ether?”

Sistian tilted his head up and stroked his beard. “Well, you’ll be selling mainly to abbeys in those small dark bottles. From what Diera says, there should be enough in each bottle for at least ten treatments. Let’s see . . . I think twenty krun per treatment would be reasonable, which would make it two hundred krun for a bottle.” He paused, switching stroking hands. “There’re fifteen abbeys in Keelan, so if each one bought one bottle, that would be three thousand krun.” He stopped speaking, his eyes widening.

“My word, Yozef. I hadn’t realized, but the numbers might get quite high. I’d check with Diera, but our medicant facility is one of the larger, so we would use more bottles than the smaller abbeys. Also, as I remember you saying, the ether goes bad after a few months, so . . . let’s say an average of ten bottles per abbey per year.” He stopped, eyes widening more. “That’s thirty thousand krun a year! And the other provinces will use ether as soon as they hear of it and see it working for themselves!”

The abbot looked at Yozef with a surprised expression. “You’re going to become wealthy, unless I’m mistaken, Yozef. Of course, you still have to pay your workers and buy supplies, but still . . .”

Yozef listened to the abbot’s estimations and did his own in silence. Even if the abbot overestimated, it sounded as if any issues about supporting himself had just disappeared. His enthusiasm settled as a thought rose up. The abbey saved and took care of me when I first arrived. Yes, it’s part of their calling, but fair is fair. And, what about the glassblower and the distiller? They’d been supplying the workers and the materials.

“Abbot Beynom . . . ,” he began.

“Please, Yozef, Abbot Sistian is fine, or just Abbot.”

“Abbot Sistian, I owe you and your people a great debt for caring for me when I arrived. Then there’s the help you gave in convincing the tradesmen to work with me on the ether when they and, let’s be honest, even you were uncertain whether I knew what I was talking about. A share of the coin we get from selling the ether needs to go to the tradesmen, and it’s only fair you also get a share.”

Sistian smiled. “I accept, Yozef. I hesitated to say anything, since it seemed to conflict with the abbey’s mandate to serve. I can’t take coin myself, but I’m happy to accept it for the abbey.”

Thank you, God, prayed the abbot silently . Once again confirmation of your command we care for our fellows. We cared for the strange man, and, as the Word says, “What you give without hesitation will come back to you many-fold.”

“Shall we say,” said Sistian, “of the two hundred krun per bottle, the tradesmen will get forty krun and the abbey another forty? You need to talk with the tradesmen to work out paying your workers and buying supplies. Whatever that comes to, I think you’ll still keep a good portion of the two hundred krun per bottle.”