Christina Straight kept her expression even. She wouldn’t allow the judicial committee to intimidate her, especially Neil Elder, who had scrutinized her work for years. He examined and dissected the history of her Life Production System (LPS) relentlessly, looking for any reason to convict her. Finally, the day came when his face popped onto her LPS screen unannounced, and he gave her the news that she would go to trial. He reveled in that moment just as he was reveling now.
Twelve windows for each member of the committee lined the right side of her LPS screen. She made sure to look at each image with a confident eye. They spoke in Long English, rather than the standard Twin Variety (T-variety) to avoid confusion. This shortened form of communication was useful when exchanging information, but they found that in court sessions, Long English was better because it left no room for doubt, misunderstanding and manipulation.
“Tell us yes or no, Ms. Straight. Was the Efficientist in question using Helpers to bump his rank?” Neil asked.
“As I have already stated numerous times, I am a Life Therapist and bound by a code of ethics. I will not discuss my client’s personal or professional life with this committee.” Christina noticed Neil’s subtle smirk. She knew he was stalling the trial, trying to make her squirm. She wouldn’t give him the satisfaction.
“If you do not answer my question on record, you will be sent to prison for a minimum of six months.”
“Yes, I know,” she said, willing her voice to stay strong. She didn’t understand why God was allowing this to happen to her. She had been faithful to her calling, writing faith articles under the pseudonym of the Apostle. Her writings kindled the Efficientists Christian Sect, a movement of faith within the oppressive walls of Life Efficiency. Arthur Pallue, the creator of Life Efficiency, deemed faith worthless because it did not add to efficiency. When Neil Elder appeared on her screen that day, she thought he had finally discovered her true calling—spreading the Good News of Jesus Christ to Efficientists in all ten regions of the World Government. However, God ensured that her identity remained hidden. If He could protect her identity as the Apostle, why would He allow her to go to jail for withholding information? She didn’t even like this particular client, and, yes, he was using Helpers to bump his rank, which she found deplorable. She could easily give him up. By law, she was required to answer this committee, yet the Holy Spirit told her in no uncertain terms not to give the information and that she would indeed be sent to prison.
One year. Suddenly, she felt it in her spirit. One year. God wanted her to postpone her sentence for a year.
“I am prepared to serve my prison sentence. I understand that I am breaking the law, and I will accept punishment for my crime. However, I counsel many Efficientists, and I need time to ensure that they continue in productivity per the requirements of Life Efficiency. I will need a year to complete therapy with them. I will not take any new clients until my sentence has been served.”
Neil Elder quickly stifled his surprised expression. “You willingly go to prison? You do understand that you will be sent to the Colonies for this sentence?”
She nodded. She had never been to the Colonies. However, she had counseled a few Colonials who had become lower ranked Efficientists. The World News worked diligently to create a frightful and repulsive image of the Colonies, but she knew better. The World Government’s control was centered on keeping Efficientists plugged into their LPSs every second of the day, striving to be productive and keep rank to gain fleeting value and purpose. But true value did not dwell in production.
“Does this committee agree?” Neil asked. “Christina Straight will be sentenced to six months in prison for her crime of withholding information from the World Government, and the sentence will start a year from this date?”
Each committee’s image glowed green on her LPS screen as he or she gave approval to the sentence. It didn’t take long for eleven squares to be illuminated in favor of her sentence. They had more productive things to do than dwell on this simple case. Only Neil Elder waited, presumably agitated that the proceeding went along quickly, but he finally gave his approval and all twelve members voted for her prison sentence. She had a year. A year to wait for the inevitable, which also felt like a sentence.
“Fine, these proceedings are adjourned,” Neil said.
Suddenly, the eleven images of the judicial committee vanished from her screen. All that was left was Neil Elder.
“Why are you still here?” Christina asked. His face now occupied the space of the twelve.
Neil grinned. “I just wanted to let you know that we have enough evidence to convict your client. We don’t need your testimony. He will be sentenced for using Helpers to raise rank.”
“I couldn’t care less,” she stated matter-of-factly.
Neil’s confused expression almost made her laugh, but she kept her smile under wraps. He was a prideful man, and she didn’t want to give him more reason to hate her.
“You withhold information simply to vex me?”
“No. I withhold information because I am bound by a greater source.”
“I know what you are, Christina Straight. You are a Christian. You tried to brainwash me when I sought you as my Life Therapist. I am glad I got out when I did. You could have had me drop rank like so many of your other clients. You think you are helping Efficientists, but you are a cancer to our way of life.”
“I have never forced anyone to drop rank,” she said calmly.
“Not outwardly, but subconsciously you seduce them with your words. You lead them down a path of self-discovering that unplugs them from the World Government and ends all true value they could have achieved. You almost had me convinced that life held more meaning than Life Efficiency. But production is the key to eternal life. The more we produce, the more destiny we claim.”
She paused and stared at Neil. He had come to her several years ago when he and Arthur Pallue had a dispute that ended their relationship. “You should be glad that I keep my secrets. Or else I could let one slip about you,” she said.
His cheeks and ears became crimson with anger.
“I know you hate that Arthur Pallue had a daughter late in life. You were his protégé, his favorite, until he decided to father a child. Now, Eve Pallue will quickly outrank you. She is almost an elite Efficientist and yet only in her teen years. There is a rumor that she’s already working on a new Life Plan to surpass her father’s Life Efficiency. Arthur Pallue created in his daughter the highest example of production, and you want her erased. Weren’t those your exact words?”
“You dare blackmail me?” he demanded.
“No, I am not blackmailing. I’m merely pointing out that you are accusing me of the crime of withholding information when you yourself have benefited from it.”
“I could arrange for you to never leave that prison,” he whispered in anger.
“I’m sure you could and happily would,” she said, feeling the weight of the moment. She needed to ensure she made it out of prison alive. God still had a purpose for her. The Holy Spirit had been slowly revealing the end purpose of her life. He told her that she would be part of an effort to rid the world of Life Efficiency once and for all.
She began to quickly type on her LPS keyboard. “I have our counseling notes from that day typed verbatim in a file on a Portable you will never find. And now—” she set a timer on the file—“if I am not back in my home in a year, six months and a day from now, that file will be sent in duplicate to the World Police. Therefore, you must ensure that I make it back on time and in one piece, or I will not be able to stop that file from being sent.”
“There is no way you can do that! You don’t have the clearance!” he yelled.
“You are willing to stake your life on that assumption? If I fear for Eve Pallue’s welfare, isn’t it my duty as a Life Therapist to warn the authorities and her father?”
Now Neil Elder’s entire face beamed red. “Do not underestimate what I’m capable of, Christina Straight.”
Christina allowed her face to mimic a concerned therapist’s expression. A countenance she was accustomed to using in session with Neil Elder when she counseled him. “If you sent me there, then I would see first-hand your little labor secret.”
“What are you insinuating?” he whispered. His face went from red to pale instantly.
“I know about your forced labor trial run in the Colonies.”
“How dare you! Those are all rumors and lies!”
She shrugged pleasantly. “Maybe, but gossip is spreading.”
“This conversation is over! You have one year! I want to go through eternity never seeing your face again!”
Neil’s face vanished from Christina’s LPS screen.
“Well, you’re in luck. I doubt I’ll see you there anyway,” she whispered to the dark screen, staring at her dim reflection. She could see faint, dark circles encasing the bottom lids of her eyes. She needed sleep. Finally, she exhaled and turned off the LPS with a verbal command. “Good riddance.”
Not having to deal with that man for the rest of her life was worth six months in prison.
