He worked through the stack of paper, occasionally calling upon his
clerk for file data, sometimes making a communicator call. At last, he
pushed away the last remaining report and leaned back. He spun his chair
about, activated the large entertainment screen, and spent some time
watching a playlet. At the end of the play, he glanced at his watch,
then turned back to his desk. He leaned forward to touch a button on his
communicator.
As the viewsphere lit, he flicked on the two-way video, then spoke.
"Get me Sector Leader Bond." He snapped the communicator off almost
before the operator could acknowledge, then spun about, switching his
entertainment screen to ground surface scan. A scene built up, showing a
view from his estate in the hills.
* * * * *
There were some buildings on the surface--mostly homes of upper grade
citizens, who preferred the open air, and could afford to have a surface
estate in addition to their quarters in the groups. These homes, for the
most part, were located in wooded areas, where their owners could find
suitable fishing and hunting.
Most of the traces of damage done by the bombings of the Nineties were
gone from about the estate areas by now, and the few which remained were
being eliminated. Morely increased the magnification, to watch a few
animals at a waterhole. He could do a little hunting in a few weeks.
Take a nice leave. He drew a deep breath.
Those years after the end of the last war had been hectic, what with new
organizational directives, the few sporadic revolts, the integration of
homecoming fighters, and the final, tight set-up. But it had all been
worth it. Everything was running smoothly now.
The second- and third-class citizens had learned to accept their status,
and some few of them had even found they liked it. At least, now they
had far more security. There was subsistence in plenty for all
producers, thanks to the war-born advances in technology, and to the
highly organized social framework. To be sure, a few still felt uneasy
in the underground quarters, but the necessity for protection from
bombing in another war had been made clear, and they'd just have to get
used to conditions. And, there were a very few who, unable to get or
hold employment, existed somehow in the spartan discomfort of the
subsistence quarters.
For most, however, there was minor luxury, and a plenitude of
necessities. And there was considerable freedom of action and choice as
well as full living comfort for the full citizens, who had proved
themselves to be completely trustworthy, and who were deemed fit to hold
key positions.
The communicator beeped softly, and he glanced at the sphere. It showed
the face of Harold Bond, leader of the fourteenth sector. The district
leader snapped on his scanner.
"Report to me here in my office at eighteen hours, Bond."
"Yes, sir."
"And you might be sure your people are all in quarters this evening."
Bond nodded. "They will be, sir."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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