Season 05 - Episode 07

‘trust the system’

“Ok everyone,” Ko calls the crowd. “We're going to run one more drill.”

The room is low ceilinged, medium sized and crammed full of people, so many that everyone has to stand, bumping elbows and rubbing shoulders.

“Alright then,” Ko calls, raising his voice to be heard. “You, yes you in the hat at the back there, I'd like you to request something from this guy down the front here and you, when you get the request, please can you send back whatever it is they ask for, ok?”

There are nods and murmurs of agreement.

“And you?” Ko continues. “Yep, in the back left corner there? Can you to send a message to this guy down here on my right and you, when you receive it, please reply ok? Everyone else you need to be chatting and moving about alright? Great stuff. Off you go!”

What little space there is left in the room is immediately filled with noise as the crowd set about these tasks. Using the techniques he's been teaching them, they are learning to pass messages and items back and forth through dense crowds quickly and accurately.

The plan includes detailed instructions on how to train people. Ko's not really sure what any of it means but Ny says it's important so here he is. At first he was sure it couldn't work but over time, through the use of simple hand gestures, code words and some instruction on posture in tight spaces, each group he has taught has picked it up with surprising ease.

Of course the key requirement is trust. The system only works if everyone is honest which, in the past, would have seemed like a very big ask. This bloody stalemate between GovCo and The Church is so brutal for everyone however, that it has actually united them. Everyone is in the same boat now. Everyone has seen friends and family killed in front of them and everyone knows they could be next, that any day could be their last.

At one point, a particularly loud explosion rattles through the room, causing dust to fall from the ceiling and the lights to flicker. They've all become used to the steady backdrop of distant gunfire and explosions, almost immune to it, but this one is big and close. The room falls quiet except for a few sobs and whimpers.

“We're ok everyone,” Ko says after long seconds of silence. “We're ok, let's keep going”

The exercise resumes and is successful after which Ko thanks them all and sends them on their way. Waiting for them to file out of the room, he looks forward to reporting back to Ny how well people are picking up the techniques. He hopes this will cheer up his friend.

He begins to worry about Ny again and is so lost in these thoughts that it takes him a minute to notice the awkward teenage girl lingering nearby, looking like she wants to talk to him. Shaking himself back into the moment he smiles so that she finally approaches.

“Hey,” he says. “Qi isn't it? You ok? Can I help?”

“Are you...?” says Qi then bites her lip and cringes. “Are you a woman?”

“Oh,” says Ko, rocked back on his heels by the sudden question

“Sorry!” the girl blurts out. “I didn't mean... It's just I think... I might be... like you?”

“Ah,” says Ko, nodding and catching up.

“You just seem so...” says Qi. “I was hoping you could tell me... I don't know.”

“It's ok,” says Ko, smiling sadly as the girl struggles. “You're right about me, yes.”

“How did you get to be so...” Qi asks then. “Confident? Y'know, ok with it?”

“I made a lot of mistakes,” says Ko. “Did a lot of things I wish I hadn't out of shame and fear. It took me a long time to work it out.”

“Work it out?” Qi asks, eyes wet with hope.

“I'm me,” says Ko, shrugging. “Even if that's scary or dangerous or inconvenient, it's still true. Eventually I just had to stop being scared and let myself be. Having friends helps.”

“I don't think my friends would be ok with it,” Qi says, biting her lip.

“If they're not then they're not your friends,” says Ko gently. “Listen, I'm so sorry but I have something I have to do now but come back tomorrow and we'll talk yeah?”

The girl nods and lingers a moment longer, staring, before managing a small smile and hurrying away. Ko leaves too, anxious to get on with his next job. Someone has been asking around for a meeting with The Resistance and he's promised to check it out.

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