Prophet of ConFree (The Prophet of ConFree) Read Free Page A

always need new slaves, right?
    I knew ConFree did not waste resources on parasites. Just like they didn't put criminals in jail. ConFree citizens didn't want their tax money going for such stupid expenditures. Criminals in ConFree don't get rewarded with free board and lodging for the rest of their lives – no, they get a bullet in the brain if they deserve it, or exile if they are lucky.
    Dummy! And I thought I would have a bright future. I had laughed at some of the kids who had academic trouble in school. But they'd be laughing at me now. This didn't seem fair to me. It’s not as if I was really a criminal. I wasn't a gang member, I didn't steal anything. Except for those stone lions, and that was just a prank. It seemed so unfair, to listen to that long list of childish misdeeds read aloud in public court.
    Life isn't fair! Get used to it . That was my history teacher. He had a clear view of the universe. If only I had listened to him.
    The cell door rattled and squeaked open. Somebody stepped in. The sudden light from the corridor outlined his figure but made it hard to see his features. A man. Now what?
    "How you doing?" he asked. A young man, clad in Legion black.
    "Not so good," I replied.
    "That's not so good, sir, " he said. "You still haven't learned, have you? Be polite." He looked like a midschool kid, tanned skin, grey eyes, brown hair cut short in the military fashion, standing almost at attention. His confidence told me he was anything but a midschool kid.
    "Yes sir," I said.
    "Nice quarters," he said, looking around my little cell. "And all at taxpayer expense. Do you like it?"
    "Sir, no sir."
    "What a shame. Well, you may not be here long. Once Eugarat National responds to your case, you'll be moving out. You may even be banished from ConFree."
    "Sir," I said. "Do you think that's likely? Will they really banish me from ConFree?"
    "It's very likely. They've been doing that lately. But you can't know for sure until they respond." He walked back to the cell door and banged on it. It opened. "Can you get me a chair?" he asked somebody outside. In a moment he had a metal folding chair and settled into it before my bed.
    "You're an idiot, you know," he said, gazing at me curiously.
    "Yes sir," I replied. "That part I've figured out."
    "Do you want to be banished from ConFree?"
    "No sir."
    "Too bad. It's likely to happen. Very soon. You'd best get used to it."
    "Sir. Yes sir." I wanted to ask him why he cared, but decided not to.
    "You know," he said. "Once Eugarat rules on you, that's it. It will be too late then. Too late for you."
    I just looked at him. What did he want from me? An apology?
    "You don’t have much time," he said.
    "Sir. Much time for what?"
    "Much time to change the situation, and get out of this fix."
    He had my full attention now. "Sir. How do I do that?"
    "What you do – is take decisive action, to change the situation. Instead of just drifting, and accepting your fate, you take action, and change your fate."
    "Sir. That sounds good. What do I do?"
    "Well…what was your name again? Robert?"
    "Sir. Richard."
    "Well, Richard. I can tell you how to walk through that door, if you want to. But the decision will be up to you. Not me. And the decision has all sorts of consequences. And responsibilities."
    "Sir. Decisive action sounds good to me. What do I have to do?"
    "Simple. You enlist in the ConFree Legion. Now – before Eugarat National rules on you. You meet all our requirements. We're not interested in your schoolboy pranks or your bad attitude. We're looking for tough new recruits, and you qualify. And nobody can stop a Legion volunteer. But that's the point – you have to volunteer. Once you do that, you're committed for the next six years of your life. There's no way out. It's difficult, dangerous work – but very rewarding, if you apply yourself. You'll be rendered immortal right off. When your enlistment expires, if you're still alive, you'll become a ConFree citizen and all