frequent and better organized.
Unlike an indentured, Class 1 employees could be fired, but for whatever reason, Hokkam still had his job. Michi would have thought that Propitious Interstellar would have let him go the minute he took over the WRP.
She glanced at her PA. The rally would end in another 20 minutes, and Franz hadn’t even started to talk yet. She knew he would be getting worked up. He seemed so in control that few knew that he still got nervous before speaking to a crowd. He was great with small groups of people, but large groups somewhat intimidated him. He focused on a few people he knew and pretended that he was speaking only to them. That was another reason Michi came to the rallies. She was happy to let Franz focus on her.
Finally, it was his turn. The crowd visibly perked up. Part of this was that Franz was such an engaging speaker. But a bigger part, Michi thought, was that he was an indentured, just like much of the crowd. He hadn’t paid his debt off—wasn’t even close.
Michi shifted her position to the front of the platform. Franz caught her eyes, and smiled. She knew he was getting ready to use her as his focus. He would let his eyes roam over the crowd, but in his mind, he was just having a conversation with her.
“Friends! Thank you for coming out on this brisk evening. Luckily, we’ve got enough hot air up here to warm everyone up.”
The crowd dutifully laughed. They were used to Franz’ demeanor by now. Some people thought his folksy attitude and self-depreciating style was all an act, but Michi thought that was the real Franz. He really was a humble man. Humble, but on a mission, one he would never quit until he succeeded. He wanted to serve his fellow workers, and that compassion was only one of the reasons Michi loved him. A “good” man was a term bandied about too easily, but with Franz, nothing else fit. He was a good man through and through.
“We’ve heard some good news today. Henry Jugos coming is a really great thing for us. The fact that the courts sided with him against Propitious Interstellar is a sign, I want to think, that the Federation is finally shifting our way, at least in upholding the law. The corporations are not the law, and they cannot pick and choose which laws they will follow and which ones they’ll ignore.
“But this is just one tiny chink in the corporate armor. Propitious Interstellar Fabrication is not about to reverse its standing policies just because Henry is getting involved. We have to force Propitious Interstellar to change. We have to force the Federation to uphold the law. And if Propitious Interstellar won’t listen to us, we have to take our case right to the top,” Franz said, using one arm to point up past the ranks of jacks and towards One Prop Inter Fab.
As he said that, the jacks shifted in their ranks. Franz and those nearest B Street saw the movement.
“See that, the thought of us confronting the Propitious Interstellar leadership gets their hired guns nervous. Well, we are going to confront them. We will not stand by as they abuse the system, making slaves out of us. Slavery has been banned for over 300 years, so why are we slaves for Propitious Interstellar Fabrication, Incorporated today? We won’t stand for it.”
The crowd erupted into cheers and clapping. It kept going on, and finally, Franz had to hold up his arms to quiet them down.
“My friends, Propitious Interstellar needs us. Without us, the stream of goods flowing into the marketplace, and more importantly, the stream of credits flowing into the corporate coffers, would cease. I ask, what would happen if we just stopped working? How could Propitious Interstellar survive?”
Michi swallowed hard when she heard that. A strike was patently illegal, and Franz was skirting close to the edge. He could be arrested and jailed under Federal charges if he was convicted of
Unlike an indentured, Class 1 employees could be fired, but for whatever reason, Hokkam still had his job. Michi would have thought that Propitious Interstellar would have let him go the minute he took over the WRP.
She glanced at her PA. The rally would end in another 20 minutes, and Franz hadn’t even started to talk yet. She knew he would be getting worked up. He seemed so in control that few knew that he still got nervous before speaking to a crowd. He was great with small groups of people, but large groups somewhat intimidated him. He focused on a few people he knew and pretended that he was speaking only to them. That was another reason Michi came to the rallies. She was happy to let Franz focus on her.
Finally, it was his turn. The crowd visibly perked up. Part of this was that Franz was such an engaging speaker. But a bigger part, Michi thought, was that he was an indentured, just like much of the crowd. He hadn’t paid his debt off—wasn’t even close.
Michi shifted her position to the front of the platform. Franz caught her eyes, and smiled. She knew he was getting ready to use her as his focus. He would let his eyes roam over the crowd, but in his mind, he was just having a conversation with her.
“Friends! Thank you for coming out on this brisk evening. Luckily, we’ve got enough hot air up here to warm everyone up.”
The crowd dutifully laughed. They were used to Franz’ demeanor by now. Some people thought his folksy attitude and self-depreciating style was all an act, but Michi thought that was the real Franz. He really was a humble man. Humble, but on a mission, one he would never quit until he succeeded. He wanted to serve his fellow workers, and that compassion was only one of the reasons Michi loved him. A “good” man was a term bandied about too easily, but with Franz, nothing else fit. He was a good man through and through.
“We’ve heard some good news today. Henry Jugos coming is a really great thing for us. The fact that the courts sided with him against Propitious Interstellar is a sign, I want to think, that the Federation is finally shifting our way, at least in upholding the law. The corporations are not the law, and they cannot pick and choose which laws they will follow and which ones they’ll ignore.
“But this is just one tiny chink in the corporate armor. Propitious Interstellar Fabrication is not about to reverse its standing policies just because Henry is getting involved. We have to force Propitious Interstellar to change. We have to force the Federation to uphold the law. And if Propitious Interstellar won’t listen to us, we have to take our case right to the top,” Franz said, using one arm to point up past the ranks of jacks and towards One Prop Inter Fab.
As he said that, the jacks shifted in their ranks. Franz and those nearest B Street saw the movement.
“See that, the thought of us confronting the Propitious Interstellar leadership gets their hired guns nervous. Well, we are going to confront them. We will not stand by as they abuse the system, making slaves out of us. Slavery has been banned for over 300 years, so why are we slaves for Propitious Interstellar Fabrication, Incorporated today? We won’t stand for it.”
The crowd erupted into cheers and clapping. It kept going on, and finally, Franz had to hold up his arms to quiet them down.
“My friends, Propitious Interstellar needs us. Without us, the stream of goods flowing into the marketplace, and more importantly, the stream of credits flowing into the corporate coffers, would cease. I ask, what would happen if we just stopped working? How could Propitious Interstellar survive?”
Michi swallowed hard when she heard that. A strike was patently illegal, and Franz was skirting close to the edge. He could be arrested and jailed under Federal charges if he was convicted of
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