THE ENGINEER'S CHOICE

The offer came from people who believed they were being practical.

The custodians would recognise Arun as Director of Essential Systems. His compact would become law. His signature would replace the dead Master’s for infrastructure decisions.

It was everything engineers had demanded for generations: protection from arbitrary political interference and authority equal to responsibility.

Arun read the proposal twice.

Then he tore off the first page.

‘You want another Master,’ he told the delegation. ‘You just want one with tools.’

Instead he proposed a distributed charter. Each essential system would be governed by a technical board, worker representatives, affected districts and a public auditor. Emergency powers would expire automatically unless renewed by more than one body.

Nobody liked the arrangement because nobody controlled it.

Arun considered that promising.

Marian supported it immediately.

Nara demanded stronger public representation.

Eliza demanded permanent publication of operational decisions.

Rook demanded military exemptions.

The custodians demanded a central override.

Arun rejected the override.

‘The last two centuries are an argument against permanent emergency keys.’

That night someone sabotaged the southern power exchange.

The explosion killed four engineers and plunged three districts into darkness.

Arun spent fourteen hours repairing the network.

When the lights returned, crowds applauded.

He hated the applause.

He knew how easily gratitude became authority.