What do you think of this text?

[aelf]

An obvious lack of choice would be a rallying cry for dissidents and therefore endanger the stability of the system. With the referendum, at least the notion of democracy is preserved, even if in reality one party has an overwhelming advantage.

 

[aelf]

I've edited and added to the extracts in the OP based on the feedback from this thread. Hopefully, they are a better read now.

The part in the spoiler was previously not excerpted to reduce the length of the post, but it became necessary to include it now to give the subsequent excerpt some context.

The sun hid behind tall apartment blocks. Shadows swallowed the evening air. White fluorescent lights flickered on at the same instant, but it was almost with a sense of reluctance. A short crackling and buzzing could be heard from them, like a door creaking on old hinges. The City ran at the behest of the EMPEROR, and without it, it would naturally begin to rust.

The name Extended-Memory Planned Economy and Risk-Oriented Regime— the EMPEROR—was an awkward string of technical jargon that embodied the City’s tendencies. It combined terms that in a past era would have appeared strange describing the same thing. ‘Planned’ and ‘risk-oriented’? How did those two go together?

But this was a new era, and by now people had understood just how these things worked. Without proper planning, society tended to try and eliminate risk altogether: Welfare systems and wealth redistribution were examples of how they tried. A well-steered society, however, would retain both a healthy appetite for risk and a long-term perspective—the Extended-Memory. This was the new way; and it worked.

However, not everyone always cooperated. Walking past the many pillars at the bottom of an apartment block, Mike caught a glimpse of a faded referendum poster from a year ago. The winners, politicians who oppose the regime, their symbol a red hammer poised to strike, might have left a few of these up as a reminder of their victory—of their mandate to govern in this area. For all the magnificence of the EMPEROR, choice was deemed necessary for society to function correctly. Hence, every few years, there was a vote in each district on whether its citizens would follow the EMPEROR’s directives.

This district voted no at the last referendum and went on its own. Citizens' representatives took over the management of its affairs. Cut off from the City’s support systems, however, the district struggled to maintain public services. There was, fortunately, still a constant supply of electricity and running water, but everything else broke down. Garbage piled up, and apartment blocks looked increasingly grimy; elevators stopped working. This was how the EMPEROR subtly punished its prodigal children.

Mike did not live here. He was just here for a visit. As he climbed up the stairs of an apartment block—the elevators were dead—he briefly thought that he should feel lucky he did not have to come home to this. But such a sentiment dismayed him. Surely society could not be held at ransom by such simple things, could it?

The professor seated himself across the table and poured the brew from a pot. “I’m glad that someone still values my opinion enough to come and visit me. How is the paper doing lately?”

“Good, I guess,” Mike said, a little hesitantly. “I can’t say that I agree with the direction the editorial committee is taking, but our readership has slowly been increasing.”

“I see. The paper has always been conservative out of necessity. And it has done well by not offending the authorities.” The professor sighed. “It’s been a while since I’ve been to the university, but I’m sure it hasn’t changed very much. So… where shall we begin?”

“Prof—Eugene, maybe you could tell me what you think of the idea that the EMPEROR is a product of the City’s history. Could its creation be traced back to the time, many years ago, when the City’s politics were dominated by charismatic, no-nonsense leaders?”

The professor shook his head slightly. “One charismatic leader, as unofficial accounts tend to put it. And they are probably right. There was an intervening period between the passing of our Great Leader and the Depression, but the end of our golden age began almost as soon as he stepped down. He had good helpers around him, comrades and caretakers. But as that generation passed on the mantle to the next, the good times didn’t last.” He stopped to take a sip of the tea while Mike jotted sentences down.

“Whether it was because the City could not do without the Great Leader’s strong hand, or because changing times had made the old ways obsolete, no one knows for sure,” the professor continued. “But what’s certain is power always comes with a price. As they were no longer able to provide solid guarantees of prosperity, the new leaders saw that they were losing their grip on power. Hence, they created the EMPEROR. It was their final card to play, the ultimate governing aid that was able to analyse the present situation and make accurate decisions. Lessons were distilled from the Great Leader’s rule that formed the basic principles by which the system operates.”

Mike looked up from his notebook. “So would you say that the EMPEROR is a continuation of the Great Leader’s rule, a throwback to the golden age of the City but adjusted for today’s realities?”

“Precisely! But—” The professor raised a finger. “Be careful. Not just because saying this could get you in trouble if the wrong person hears it. I would also caution you not to make the mistake of thinking the two regimes are equivalent. The Great Leader was still a man, with his own follies. The EMPEROR, on the other hand, is beyond human.”

Night had fallen by the time Mike left. Walking down the stairs of the apartment block, he was deep in thought, recollecting what he had learned today. Around him, the neighbourhood had come alive; citizens had returned from their work and the area was abuzz with human activity. It would remain so for another hour. Mike walked past a table of elderly men clustered around a game of chess, a sight as old as anyone could remember. However, it made no impression on him as he moved automatically, focused on his thoughts.

He did ask the professor about the fate of the neighbourhood. Would the EMPEROR’s punishment ultimately work? The professor thought so. It was just too easy. The people seemed willing to support any regime that could guarantee their quality of life. It was ironic, then, that materialism was once thought of as the driving force behind the struggle for freedom and equality. On the contrary, the history of the City suggested otherwise.

The abrupt clinking of a glass bottle falling over interrupted Mike’s thoughts. Turning around instinctively at the sound, he saw a plainly-dressed man several paces behind him. There was no one else around. The man appeared to have accidentally kicked a glass bottle on the ground, and he flinched when Mike glanced at him. Just one piece amongst the accumulating trash that marred this sad neighbourhood, Mike thought absent-mindedly as he returned to his ruminations.

Spoiler :

A column written by one Dominic Too in the morning's newspaper encapsulated both these motivations as it railed against the West's criticism and apparent hypocrisy. The West had abdicated its moral superiority long ago, it argued. It cited the recent case of a celebrity presenter in Europe who had been dismissed for battering an immigrant, but who was about to be reinstated by popular demand. Such were the pitfalls of godless democracy—nothing but a vulgar popularity contest. Thus, the corrupt West had no right to meddle into others' affairs on moral grounds. The City had the sovereign right to see to its own affairs as it saw fit. It had the right to retain its laws to punish deviants and even kill whom it wanted to kill in its territory.

Such rhetoric had retained its efficacy over the years amongst a population that saw itself as a society under siege amidst a chaotic world. The peace and prosperity of the City were fragile; they had to be protected at all cost, and only the EMPEROR could be trusted to do so.

And then there were those who saw continued allegiance as the best option—"If there is no God, everything is permitted." The anarchy that might result from abandoning orthodoxy could destroy the very fabric of society. To them, the possibility of failure outside the aegis of the EMPEROR was too frightening.

However one looked, the EMPEROR’s rule seemed unshakeable.

It was then that something clicked in Mike’s awareness, like a murmuring voice that suddenly emerged and pierced the top layer of his consciousness. He sensed that someone was moving suspiciously behind him. When had this nagging sensation begun? Since he heard someone kick the glass bottle? He glanced back briefly, and there was indeed a person walking in the same direction as him just a few paces away. But was he being followed?

Mike increased his pace. A minute passed and the sensation of being followed did not go away. He needed to find out if it was true; and, if so, he needed to get himself out of this situation. But how could he do both? He could not simply turn around to look at whoever was following him. That would alert his pursuer, which might mean that he would never be able to get away.

Suddenly, his nervousness at his predicament reached a climax. Fear gripped him, and all considerations became submerged by a strong desire to escape. At the same time, the more logical side of him told him that this was merely paranoia at work. He tried to reconcile his thoughts. Perhaps by fleeing, he could at once release himself from this terror and prove that it was untrue, that no one would actually pursue him.

He saw a staircase to the left, a short distance ahead of him, and broke into a run, bounding up the steps. He ran up to the third floor, hid behind a pillar and waited, peeking out at the stairs he had just come from.

There was no sign of life on this floor. Minutes passed. He saw and heard nothing. Perhaps it was nothing after all. Or perhaps whoever was following him did not give chase. Perhaps there was no need to because he had already been identified.

Signs of movement jerked Mike out of his reverie. Someone was coming up the stairs. He saw a plain-clothed man emerge from the stairwell, moving silently, looking around for something. Mike realised that this was the man who had kicked the glass bottle earlier. He was certain, then, that this man was his pursuer.

But why? Mike wanted an answer to this burning question, and the only way to get it seemed to be to confront this man. His earlier fear had blossomed into bold desperation, driven by an overwhelming urge to unravel the truth of the situation; a sense that perhaps by knowing, he could figure out how to escape this predicament. Part of him knew it was a long shot, but there seemed to be no better option.

Hesitantly, he took a half step out of his hiding spot. The man turned his head to scan the corridor to his left. His head jerked slightly as he spotted Mike, indicating surprise at seeing him standing there.

“Why are you following me?” Mike forced the question out. The man stared at him.

“I don’t know what you are talking about, sir,” he finally replied in an awkwardly formal manner of speaking characteristic of a public servant. It was clear that he was not just a passer-by.

“I know you’re a policeman. I can tell from the way you just spoke.” At this, the blank expression the man wore shifted. His face hardened slightly. There was no getting out of this now.

“Sir, it is my duty to inform you that a public-minded citizen has reported your activity in the neighbourhood. You paid a visit to the home of Eugene Lee, a well-known critic of the government and suspected political agitator. I am here to ensure that public order is maintained.”

“The EMPEROR does not rule here, and I’m not about to give an anti-government speech.”

“Sir, please remain cooperative. The government has a duty to protect public order, regardless of party lines.”

Mike could not help sneering at this reply. “So what will you do now?”

“Sir, I am going to ask you to come with me. You will be assisting with our investiga—” A cable shot out from below the stairs and attached itself to the officer’s back. He gave an abrupt painful cry that was immediately suppressed, morphing into a long, continuous grunt. The man fell forward onto the ground, face down.

Mike froze. What was happening? Did someone just attack the officer? Who was it and what were they thinking?

Presently, a figure wearing a black biker’s helmet and jacket appeared, standing over the incapacitated officer and examining her handiwork—judging from the physique, this unknown person was probably a woman. Subsequently, she turned to Mike and spoke.

“Come with me now. It’s your only chance to get away.” Jolted out of his initial state of shock, Mike tried to think quickly. Since she had gone as far as to incapacitate a police officer, this could not have been staged, he thought. Could it?

“Wait, I don’t even know who you are. And what are you trying to do?”

The figure was already half-turned, ready to move, to run. Hearing his objection, she stopped, paused for a moment, and turned back to face him.

“No time for a proper introduction, but we are the ones who know the truth about the system. And we are working to expose it.”

“What truth is that? I still have no idea what’s going on.” Mike said insistently. She kept her gaze at him, seemingly taking her time to study him. Yet he could sense the nervous energy in her, the alertness and the readiness for flight or, perhaps, for violence.

“Well, the truth is that…” she hesitated for just a moment. “The EMPEROR is false.”

 

[Hygro]

The concept is interesting. I do not get one thing though:



What is the rationale for giving such choice at all (refusing rule of the EMPEROR)?

I find it very interesting you have that question. I draw no conclusions.

 

[JollyRoger]

I'd delete that text before I finished reading it.

 

[aelf]

As promised, here is the third chapter of the short story.

As she fled, she thought about not liking her charge. She had asked for a field assignment because she no longer just wanted to be in the background, and she got one: It was to be a simple surveillance mission. But it did not turn out to be that simple after all; she even got to use the taser. Faced with a choice, she had exercised her judgement in the field like she was instructed to and it was truly exhilarating. But now she wondered if it was the right decision after all. Would this boy really be useful?

He was clearly as shocked as anyone would be in such a situation, but from the way he had demanded answers from her, it was as though he was sure she would not simply leave him behind. Such presumptuousness could only come from a sense of self-importance, she thought. But for now he was behind her, following her anywhere she might lead him. She would bring him to the group and let them decide how to use him.

She walked briskly, going as fast as she could without breaking into a run, which might attract too much attention. The biker’s helmet and jacket had been discarded long ago. If she spotted someone around who might just be observing, she would slow down and assume the body language of two young lovers strolling and spending some time together. On a different occasion, she would have felt slightly put off by having to perform this act; but survival instinct drove her now. But she did wonder, with a sense of irritation, if the boy was secretly enjoying the act.

It felt like an eternity had passed. Maintaining a steady pace, they finally reached the front of a hardware store. It was an ordinary shop, like many others in residential areas within the City—its appearance betrayed nothing remarkable or particularly interesting to a passer-by. Unbeknownst to many, however, the shop’s signboard was actually an antique sheet of metal and peeling paint that might be older than most people alive, making it a valuable piece of pre-EMPEROR memorabilia. The shop had stood here for a long time—everyone in the neighbourhood knew it. And that was what made it a perfect cover for their hideout.

After looking around for observers and ensuring that there were none, she entered the shop with the boy in tow. Walking in from the front was still the safest way; entering by the back door would only have aroused more suspicion if they were seen. She nodded to a man at the back of the shop and pushed the storeroom door open.

Inside the dimly-lit room, she could see that four others had gathered. They had responded to the coded message sent out to the chat group. One of them, Mr Chan, was the balding owner of the hardware store. Although he typically dressed to fit the role, he was actually a graduate from a top university overseas. He could have made it far in the City’s society, if not for his personal rejection of the EMPEROR. And then there were Mr Tan and two others, all veterans of the group who had decided long ago that they could not simply live their lives and do nothing. They had banded together to oppose the system in secret, and it seemed that they were finally working to execute a major plan.

“Welcome back, Melissa. We are the only ones who can make it to this meeting,” Mr Chan said. He craned his head slightly to look past her shoulder. “How is our guest doing?”

“Fine, I think.” She stepped aside and gestured for the boy to move forward. He glanced at her and complied, but his eyes and expression told her that he was full of questions.

“Welcome. I am Charles,” Mr Chan said.

“I am Mike.” The boy replied. Of course, they had already been told his name. Mike hesitated, as if unsure of how he should continue.

“I’m sure you want to know who we are and why this is happening. As you’ve probably surmised, we are an anti-government group.” Committed as she was to their cause, those words still grated. ‘Anti-government’ was a taboo term, and it conjured up unpleasant sensations among members of her generation.

“I know you’re not exactly supportive of the government,” Mr Chan continued. “Would you be interested in joining us?”

“How did you… know where to get me?”

“Professor Lee got word to us. He had been put under surveillance recently, and any of his visitors would likely be under watch too. And in your case… Well, they already knew your identity.”

“I see. So why did you…?”

“Help you? Why wouldn’t we? We thought you might be in trouble, so we had Melissa observe you. And when she saw that you were in danger, she intervened as instructed. After that, there was nothing else to do but to bring you here. You are no longer safe outside.”

Yes, she thought, he could either help them or become a prisoner here. They could not afford to allow him to leave. It would be awkward to have to hold someone against his will, but the group was close to executing the plan; the leadership would not take a risk that could jeopardise it and their entire group now. He would either become a pawn or a liability that must stay under lock and key for as long as necessary.

Mike looked straight at Mr Chan, having clearly regained some of his footing. “I need to know more before I can decide.”

Here we go, she thought to herself. She perched herself on a stool by a dusty old plywood table, preparing to wait out upcoming question-and-answer session. She was still not sure if it would produce a desirable result. Even if he did decide to join, what could he do? How would he contribute anything to the plan that the leadership had in mind, the details of which even she and some of the veteran members did not know?

She settled on her seat, leaning against the side of the table, as the interminable conversation played out. Worn out from the exertions of the day, she gradually nodded off while listening absent-mindedly to what was being said. She felt restful, having completed her first field assignment successfully. There would be more, and as she drifted into sleep, she felt glad that she could now play a bigger part in their struggle. Finally, she could do something more to help bring change to her City, whose civil society had withered in the shadow of the EMPEROR.

 

[Terxpahseyton]

Ah cool, just saw the new story posts. Right now I have no time, but I look forward to reading them soon.