Chapter 247
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After her doctor's appointment Eve watched the news. The radical group were all killed, which was probably what they wanted. George Stalin Mason later talked about this reconstruction. He compared this to the reconstrustion after the first civil war, essentially comparing himself to Abraham Lincoln. Mason said they would find a way to stop the asteroid, which he refused to call "ELE." Within a few years collectivists and loyalists would all be citizens and neighbors again. Mason also talked about the program of children from both sides attending school together. Many loyalist parents didn't want their children tosuch integrated schools, they were planning to home-school their children come September. Sharon Mason was helping them develop a coordinated home-schooling program. She'd lost her daughter, clearly her anger hadn't sub-sided. At least she was up-front regarding how she felt. Eve got the message clearly, exactly how her government felt about people like her.
In the days before Febuary 4th 2033 Eve had considered becoming a vegetarian. She would never have thought she'd go hunting for rabbits one day. Similarly, Eve would've likely boycotted Japan if they allowed the killing of whales for oil. These days Japan revived their old business of hunting whales to provide energy for their Arks. Eve couldn't blame them, what were a few adorable whales compared to the survival of their people. Ofcourse the animal rights activists, the pro-whales legislation they got passed, was probably the reason why so many whales were still alive to be killed for their oil. But what of the whalers? That wouldn't be a useful skill in the Arks. Would those who gathered this fuel be excluded? On June 26th whalers stole this oil from the companies they worked for. This group, calling itself a brotherhood, stole this oil at gunpoint, even killed some security guards. They threatened to destroy this oil unless they, and their families, were admitted to the Arks. Eve thought "Good for them."
June 27th had televised debates between candidates for sector council and mayor. There seemed little difference between incumbants and their challengers. All seemed to be fighting to improve conditions in the sector, getting many of them into the Arks, eventually re-joining the United States after ELE was stopped. There were other candidates, more radical. Some wanted seperatism, making the sector's independant and self-sustaining. Some even spoke of armed resistance. They weren't at the debate. Likely Jenkins and/or Ford prohibited them from speaking tonight. It occurred to Eve and Julia that whatever the people decided on Saturday Jenkins could overturn it. Jenkins would only accept moderates who informed on rebels and pacified potential freedom fighters. Eve sometimes wondered if Sadler had rigged elections at camp 81. Perhaps this sector election was just for show.
The day before the sector election Julia showed Eve a video floating around. This used an old educational video about life in ancient Rome, and incorporated footage of modern times. The narrator talked about the facade of the empire being unable to hide how most citizens live in crowded slums. Escape from the slums was difficult because there were few jobs available, practically none for un-skilled workers. To keep idle citizens entertained and out of mischief great spectacles were held at public expense in the collisseum. Although Rome was once a democracy, all power was later absorbed by the emperor, who ruled by decree and was above the law. Eve usually heard president Mason referred to as "Stalin." But thinking about it, and having grown up watching all the "Star Wars" movies, maybe "Emperor" was a more accurate word.