Freya, of course, would hear none of this. If the ship did not make it safely to its destination, there was no spin that could be produced to avoid mass panic. If the ship didn’t make it to its destination, then they simply needed to focus on expanding the dome structure to allow for a larger population, and then try again.
Freya still had her doubts about the legitimacy of the claims that the dome structure couldn’t be expanded, but she was also well aware, if the people expected colonization, a measly dome expansion would do nothing to appease them.
If the Council was not already in an uproar, they would never be ready for Freya’s next plan. The head of State announcement had always been broadcasted from the State house, or in the underground military passageway. Freya wanted to do a broadcast from the atrium, right beside the transport device.
It was time for the head of State to stop being separated from the people. This was a new era in history; everything was going to change. If the people could not be trusted to remain peaceful, then there were greater issues in their society that needed to be addressed.
It was time for the head of State to have a name, to have a body, one that could be touched and seen. She advised the Council and James to take all security measures they felt necessary, but she was going to address the people out in the open.
Freya held onto the belief that the very practice of segregating herself from the people was exactly what made them both fear and hate the head of State. Assuming that any public exposure would lead to conflict was exactly why people had tried acts of aggression in the past. Yes, it was a risk, but the benefits of letting the people see her far outweighed those risks.
Besides, Devina continually reported the people were happier; there was less friction and hostility. Everyone expected Freya to bring about the changes they most desired in their hearts. Even the rebellion was rethinking their plan to disable the transport device. They, of course, all wanted to relocate to the colony world, but were only planning a retaliation if the State struck against them first.
Sometimes it absolutely baffled Freya that so much had changed in such a short period of time. One thing she had been searching for was how long the State had been living under the dome. It seemed that the information was not recorded, no matter how hard she searched.
She wanted so much to be able to measure the time, to be able to state how much had changed in one year versus the fifty, or even three hundred years since the State took over, if that was how long it had been—she couldn’t know for certain. All she had were vague guesses. There were not even records of how many heads of State there had been. People only remembered Victor and the head of State before him, yet no one knew their names. Their history stated the living conditions before the State took power, the actions the State took, and then nothing.
Chastity was sitting at Freya’s desk. They both worked on their tablets, with only occasional interaction.
“Chastity, do you remember who was the head of State before Victor?”
Chastity put down her tablet and looked at her for a moment. “I’m not that old, you know, Freya.”
“But do you remember—was he the first or was there someone before him?” Freya pressed on.
“I do know he was not the first, but I don’t know much about who came before him, or how many came before him.”
“Do you not find it odd that we don’t have a record of all of the heads of State?”
“Oh Freya, don’t you worry. You will be remembered. You brought about major changes. Plus, I don’t know if there has yet been a female head of State.”
“That is exactly my point. You don’t know if I am the first female or not. I really wanted to say how long we have lived like this in my address to the people, but the information doesn’t seem to exist.”
“You are a servant of the people. The heads of State are not remembered as individuals. I think that might perhaps be why it is not recorded how many we have had, or who they were,” Chastity replied.
The concept of this still bothered Freya, but she knew there was no more information to be gained. Her address would simply have to do without. The impact of that information may only be in her head. People were well aware of how monumental this kind of change was, and already were reaping the benefits.
Nothing would ever be the same; it already wasn’t. The simple act of opening reproduction to a larger number of people had created a huge shift in the general population.
Chastity ushered Freya down the trapdoor, leading her through the matrix of the underground tunnels until they reached a stairwell. Freya sighed as she approached. Six heavily armed guards awaited her.
“Boys, is this really necessary?” Freya pointed at their guns. They had handguns in a holster displayed on their hips, and a much larger gun slung across each one of their shoulders.
“This was your idea, and you agreed to following the protocol needed, if there is even such a thing for putting the head of State on display. I will have no complaints from you!” Chastity scolded her.
Freya huffed, but always knew when she was facing a lost battle. No one argued with Chastity and won, not even the head of State.
The men began to lead her, two in the front of her, two on each side, and two followed behind, each with their large guns drawn, ready to act if someone even breathed wrong.
They surfaced in a medical clinic. Freya momentarily wondered whether each clinic had an access hatch, and how that obvious waste of space had been justified.
As she looked into the atrium, there was a path which had been set up for them, holding back the people behind ropes. The entire trail was lined with guards who were equally armed as her escorts. Never before had she seen so many military personnel in one spot, and for a moment, she questioned her own decision to go through with the address. Maybe the Council is right. This would be such a great opportunity if anyone wanted to hurt the State. She forced herself to shake off this thought. Regardless of the risk, she would see this through to the end.
The moment she stepped into the atrium, the crowd burst into applause. It was not a polite greeting, where people would clap their hands as an acknowledgment of her presence; it was much more than that. People were screaming, cheering, pumping their fists in the air, and some were even crying, hugging the people beside them.
It overwhelmed her; her knees almost gave out, but Chastity had linked their arms together to give her support.
Freya stepped up onto the raised podium, adjusted the microphone, and then looked to either side of her. Two of the guards stood so close to her, they were practically touching her. She placed her palm over the microphone.
“You guys mind backing up a bit?” she said quietly. The men looked at each other, stunned, and simply shook their heads in unison, indicating they would in fact mind.
“Stand back. That is an order,” she said, a little more commanding.
“But Madam head of State, we are here for your protection,” one responded.
“Then protect me from over there,” she commanded.
Hesitantly, the soldiers took one step back. It was not as far as she had hoped they would go, but it was something, a gesture of goodwill, heading in the right direction.
Freya looked back at the crowd. Never before had she seen so many people gathered together in one place; that alone almost overwhelmed her. She adjusted the microphone once more. It was time.
“My great civilians of the State, I welcome you here. I am grateful to you all for taking what little free time you have to join me today.” She paused, and the crowd cheered. Freya looked up at the glass dome above, and decided to go a little off her script.
“It is not just this structure that has been in place for too long.” She pointed to the dome above. “It has been too long that the head of State has been separated from their people, something which I have amended.” She was about to continue, but the crowd erupted into cheers again.
“This dome, and this State, has ensured the survival of our peo
ple. We were able to build this great nation. But now, with the advancements of our scientific teams, I am here to lead you into the next era for humanity.”
The crowd broke into applause again, and Freya’s nerves began to settle. She had never anticipated this kind of response from the people.
“I am deeply moved by your enthusiasm, your excitement. It is time for change, and it is my ultimate goal to be a leader who is worthy of this passion you have all displayed here today. I would be remiss if I didn’t publicly acknowledge the personal sacrifices each one of you has endured. Not because it was demanded of you, but because you chose to make those sacrifices for the common good. So many of you have been working longer hours. Many of you have given up the comforts you once enjoyed so we may increase our population, so we may be ready to build our new world. I look out at you, and I see a group of people who are exhausted from their labors, and possibly a little hungry due to the reduced portion sizes of your meals, yet you are still willing to work, to sacrifice, to support each other, and I am here to tell you how very proud I am to call you my people. I am not the only one here today who should be applauded. Though I am deeply touched by your sentiments, I am honored to stand before you.”
Freya then clapped her hands, which momentarily left the audience stunned. Chastity was the first to accompany her; Freya then tried to encourage the soldiers to join in, which was a little difficult with them holding their guns. It was not long before the entire atrium erupted with sound again; the people had no qualms about uniting in celebration. After the cheering died down a little, Freya adjusted the microphone once more and cleared her throat.
“I cannot stand here and give you all false hopes about our future. There is so much about the colony world which is uncertain. We do not yet contain undisputable evidence if migration will be a reality. We don’t know if trade will be possible. There could be unforeseen dangers that wait ahead of us. It is unknown what that will look like, what changes the colony world will bring, or what will stay stagnant.” Freya paused; only then did she notice the absolute silence in the space. That was not the reason for her pause; her emotions were rising to the surface.
“I once had someone very dear to me teach me a valuable lesson.” Freya could not mention Ursa by name, but merely speaking of her caused a few tears to escape her eyes.
“She taught me about the most powerful force in the world. It is not fear; it is not hate; it is not even love. It is hope. I believe hope has brought us here, to this point in history, in our evolution. I stand here before you, not as your head of State, but as a dreamer, as a visionary, as someone who has hope for a life that is different from what we have now. I believe in colonization. It fills me with hope, and I also hope that you all feel the same. Regardless of what happens when that ship touches down, we have united. We have all become stronger as a people, as a nation, and we will not only survive, but we will flourish.”
A tsunami of celebration flooded from the people. Some were crying, some jumping with joy, while others embraced each other. An electricity was buzzing around the room, and energy of pure joy. Freya had not planned a pause. She simply stopped for a moment to wipe the tears from her cheeks.
“I also need to mention our brave colonists. They have sacrificed more than most of us. Let us all hope together that they come back to us safely.”
Freya bowed to the crowd and turned to step down off the podium. The soldiers were, of course, by her side before she had taken a single step. Freya walked down the path to the clinic, but could hear the crowd still cheering even when she had descended the stairs and the access to the underground was closed.
Chapter 15
Freya returned to the State house. It was hard not to gloat. She had successfully left the safety of the walls, addressed the people, and returned unharmed. The desire to know how long the State had been in power was even greater than before her speech. She might have just made history by simply leaving the State house.
The people who lined up to see her up close—it almost made her question if she was dreaming, if it could possibly be real. They looked at her as though she was some sort of a deity instead of a person just like them, or like the heads of State before her.
One thing was for certain: the people loved her. There was no way for her to know whether members of the Council were among the crowds; she still—even as the head of State—did not know most of their identities. She hoped that at least one Council member was there, that at least one of them could witness the crowd’s reaction to her. If some of them could have seen it with their own eyes, then maybe they themselves could also come out of hiding.
Kings and rulers of the past had castles surrounded by walls. Freya’s walls were not as elaborate, but they were still living on the same principle. The Council had a different wall: secrecy. There was a time in history where rulers lived out in the open, where they walked among their people. It was time for the walls to come down.
This was going to become her new long-term goal, to bring down the walls. There should be the Council; power should not be held by any individual, but everyone should know who they are. The government should meet publicly, not in private. The people should know about the topics they were discussing, and how much they considered the needs of the people every time they met.
The State had done some things correctly—everyone was equal. In their civil duties, in their living spaces, clothing, food—all equal except for workers of the State house, which was rapidly changing. That was the part of democracy that had failed in the past. How could a society truly function when some people lived in excess while others struggled to eat or stay warm? Of course that kind of society was doomed to fail.
The State had some pure ideas; it was their need to control that was ready for an update. The people were ready for change, and she was going to bring it to them. It would take time to enlighten the minds of the Council, but maybe it wouldn’t. Maybe the very purpose of making her the head of State was to bring about the very changes she was making. Perhaps they wanted someone who would be able to think differently in order to adapt to a new way of life.
Freya was so overjoyed, she simply could not sit at a desk and read the messages piling up. It would be the perfect time for her to work in the gardens. The joy she was feeling could shower the plants and help them to grow.
She started working in the vegetable garden. There was so much ready to harvest. It was getting to the point where the yield was more than what the State house needed. The vegetables would soon be transported out of the house to be distributed in the surrounding area. That was a very good thing.
Freya couldn’t help but notice that the people were looking a little thin—she was getting a little thin herself. Her thinning out had happened before the food rations were reduced as her body had responded to the stress and long hours she put into working before the new rations.
She realized she was gathering so many vegetables from the garden, it was necessary to have something to help her transport them. She walked back to the house and collected the wheelbarrow that Devina often used and began to load it up.
“I see you are doing my job again,” a voice called to her.
She looked up and saw the young man who cared for the garden. He was still military, which reminded her that she wanted to inquire with Chastity why a permanent replacement had not been found. Freya smiled politely at him.
“Perhaps you would like a turn on my tablet then,” she replied.
“You offering me a chance to rule the world for a day?” he asked with a tone of levity.
“I am sure that if I did, you will appreciate your time on the grounds even more.”
He chuckled at her remark. “I enjoy this work just fine, ma’am.”
“As do I. And I appreciate being able to take leave of my work when my schedule permits me to do so. Coming out here always clears my head. It helps me to focus my mind to be sharp when I am needed behind that desk.”
There was no need fo
r her to justify her time in the garden, but she still wanted to explain. She felt it would be best if people understood that she was happy to be the head of State, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t get her hands in the dirt either.
He followed her back to the garden to help her load the vegetables into the wheelbarrow. She did not ask for his help; he just followed her around dutifully. There was no further attempt to engage her in conversation either. He was a true military man, only speaking when spoken to.
She had not finished harvesting the garden, and so they silently selected all of the vegetables that were ready and placed them in the wheelbarrow. They were only half finished when the wheelbarrow was overfull, and so he walked off with the wheelbarrow to transport the vegetables to the house while she continued working.
It was not long after he left her that she realized why she was working so diligently in the garden. The spacecraft was landing soon, or it could have landed already. There was no one aboard awake; all faith in this entire project was being placed in the computer systems. It had been explained to her that once the spacecraft safely landed, the automated system would bring everyone out of hibernation.
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