"It's exactly that," he said solemnly. "Those conditions make it extremely difficult to foment rebellion. When everyone is on edge and even the most innocuous gatherings can be suspect, organizing any kind of resistance would be challenging at best." As he knew from personal experience. "Divide and conquer. The Supreme relies on fear and despair to maintain his rule. And they are, unfortunately, rather effective."

"Still, even in such a world, I still managed to find a measure of happiness with my wife and son," he said, smiling a bit, solemnly. "And this world gives me hope that perhaps a better world is possible, even for one like mine." The kind of world his son deserved.