Neytopia › Part 2: Noon › Chapter 10

To ashes

Peace came when citizens were more concerned with surviving than being political. The Party bosses rejoiced, but not the Party leader. He could smell treason in the air, schemes being plotted against him. The neca had become so good at its job that it now was able to detect traitors who didn’t know they were traitors yet.

But it wasn’t enough, not this time. Though the neighboring city had an “independent leader”, everyone knew the mayor was only a puppet. And they wanted to free themselves from the Party leader once and for all. Fearing the popular uprising that was already hatching, he drafted a referendum: all citizens would choose whether to spread the revolution or live in peace and hope the empire fell on its own.

Two days before the vote, he took a group of loyal neca officers and traveled to the neighboring city at sundown. He wanted to see firsthand what was truly going on there. He distrusted the whole city because its neca officers barely produced any reports of counter-revolutionary activity, so they must, he thought, be covering up some thoughtcrime.

The first night the Party leader saw nothing strange, and his brother thought he was paranoid. But the night before the vote, after the city had fallen silent, a large group of people gathered at a wooden mansion. He and his men drew closer to listen. An old man was speaking,

… that megalomaniac is done. Tomorrow we will really be independent. Did you secure—

An excited woman interrupted the old man,

Yes, yes. All the artisans, landlords and peasants pledged their support. They hate him even more than we do!

The old man continued,

We must draft a new constitution.

A young woman said,

Then we must add a permanent education ministry, and I propose myself as its secretary.

Yes, yes. And I believe I myself would make an excellent defense secretary given my past appointments.

More such treacherous talk followed. He stepped away from the house and his men followed him into a dark, empty alley. He felt both betrayed and relieved that his fears were founded. He whispered to the men by his side,

We must put an end to this… tonight. The power-hungry petty burgeoisie flap their beaks but do NOTHING. It’s OUR job to free the proletariat, at any cost—His men looked aside in shame—You would really do nothing while they tear down all we’ve accomplished? If we don’t stop this, we’re doomed. We’ll lose our resources, our land and our credibility; nobody will join our cause anymore. The revolution will fail and the Tyrant will execute us. And not just us. He’ll come after our families and even the families of these people. We must stick together and act swiftly without hesitation.

He knew what he had to do. He had so far asked his officers and soldiers to get their hands dirty for him. It was his turn.

I’m about to do something terrible. When I said I would never ask you to do something I wouldn’t do, I meant it. The empire needs an iron hand to free it from the Tyrant. And if they hate me for being that iron hand, then so be it.

He slipped toward the wooden mansion, cloaked by the night. With little noise he closed every window and door, locking them afterwards with sticks. Once all that remained open was a single window in the second floor, he climbed up to it. He covered his fist with cloth torn from his shirt and smashed it open.

Once inside the house, he realized the irony: his days of thievery back at the orphanage were now useful political tools, but he had always thought it would be the other way around. He spilled lantern oil on the ground, then stopped for a moment to ask himself,

Is this really me?

Yes.

He threw the lantern on the ground. He exited through the window, locked it and climbed down. The conspirators were so drunk and so caught up debating and laughing that they didn’t realize the upper floor was on fire. When they finally smelled the burning wood, it was too late. Flames engulfed the mansion in minutes. The doors and windows were jammed, fire drawing closer. Some started to faint from the fumes, others clawed at the immovable wood.

They needed a miracle.

Finally they broke part of the door with a sword, but not enough to cross to the other side. They reached out with their hands through the door calling for help and he came.

Please, for the love of God, help us!

He stood in front of them as they burned and only said,

No.

He walked away from the fire. Soon the whole city woke up to the burning horror. He and his men returned to their city while fire thrashed the heart of the resistance.