The Dutchman walked into the wagon. He was one of the last few bureaucrats that facilitated the polls. He grabbed the ballet paper and looked at it, expecting to see the same thing he received from the instructions.
‘I support the extradition of Boers to the Zulu’
‘I abstain’
It was completely different. He let go of the paper and picked it up. Looking over it once again, he confirmed that the contents were completely different. Anger began stirring inside of him. He was oath-bound to be as honest as he could to the people, and he did just that. But the instructions he receive, and the ballet paper were completely different. In a way, it could be said he broke his oath.
He tore the paper in half, and shoved it into the box, storming out of the wagon. The other men in line watched his furious expressions as he left the wagon. He decided to wait outside, wait until everyone was done. Then, they’ll all gather to their Commando, and demand answers.
“Explain yourself,” The bureaucrat demanded in Elfrikaans.
Their Commando only blinked, taking some time to register the contents of their words.
“About what?”
“Don’t play dumb, our instructions and the ballot paper were completely different! Why did you lie to us? Don’t say that abstain means oppose or whatnot. Abstain means abstain. It is meaningless! This whole thing was rigged!”
“So what?”
“Excuse me?”
“I said so what? If you’ll vote to escalate this, who will be responsible? Will you be ready to fight the Zulus? You think they’ll close their eyes and pretend it never happened if we don’t hand over those men. Even I would not be that forgiving!”
“That’s not the problem! The issue is about trust!”
The room fell silent, and the bureaucrats shuffled about. They kept their fury in their hearts. One of them held the box filled with the various ballot papers.
“We swore an oath to uphold the proceedings. Without it, I was tempted to smash this box open and tell the truth to everyone,” The one holding the box said.
“Thank you.”
“I don’t need your thank you. I never did it for you,”
The bureaucrat dumped the box into Jan’s lap.
“We will do our jobs properly. We will count the votes.”
“Thank you.”
Jan repeated, not knowing what else to say to the hateful glances directed at him.
“We have discussed things before we came here. We will resign. We refuse to work under your lying administration. However, we will not speak about this to anyone due to our working relationship the past few months.”
“What will you be doing?”
The man sighed.
“I’m not sure about what the others think. But I’m thinking of trekking away to Transvaal or the Free States to set up a farm.”
Another chipped in.
“I don’t mind starting a farm here, but I do not wish to work under your administration.”
“Same, Natal is like my home to me.”
One of the men went out to bring over a representative, Pietje who did not seem to catch the connotation of ‘abstain’ and absentmindedly thought it mean to oppose.
“So, let’s count the votes,” The Veldkornet enthusiastically called out.
One of the bureaucrats raised his hand, seeming to have something to speak.
“Commando Jan, you might have distrusted your men due to the various incidents that took place in the town. And I can assure you that your distrust is void. We are simple farmers. We have no wish for conflict. You would have gotten the result you wished for anyway; I am sure of that. I hope the way you do things will change. With no one to trust, it must be a very lonely existence.”
Pietje looked towards the man with confusion, but the bureaucrat didn’t elaborate further. Rubbing his hands together, he grabbed the box and took the key from a bureaucrat who passed it to him. Inserting the key into the hole, he turned it and unlocked it. And from there, they began counting.
80-20 ratio. A very special ratio is the Pareto Principle. And the bureaucrat was right, 80 percent voted in support of sending the cattle raiders to the Zulu whilst the remaining chose the opposite. Dumbfounded, Jan looked towards the bureaucrats, who shook their heads in disappointment. Pietje ran out of the wagon to announce the results to everyone, leaving the men in the know together.
“Why?”
Jan could only sputter a single word out, wondering why this was the case. The farmers were very close to one another. Surely they won’t sell out one of their kind to the Zulus? How was he wrong? And where was he wrong?
“Jan, the ones who opposed it complained the loudest. Most of us didn’t mind. Most of us didn’t want to fight. We trekked through the hell known as Elfrica and wanted to spend some time relaxing on our farms. We didn’t want to go through that hell, involuntarily. Those men deserve it, and they should not drag us to hell with them.”
“People who can’t listen to orders. People who can’t keep their base instincts in check do not have my sympathy. Do I want to trek together with such a person? Do I want to fight side by side with such a person? Do I want to have my life depend on such a person? No. These men will not have my sympathy.”
This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.
“We’re not stupid. We were once simple farmers; we know what needs to be done. Why treat us as if we are idiots? We are not warmongers. We do not wish for blood. We only want to farm in peace.”
The men began leaving one by one, leaving him all alone in the wagon. He took quite some time to think, before the bureaucrats came back, shoving an ex-corporal to the ground. His hands and legs were bound.
“Let me go! Fuck! How dare you betray one of your fellow Boers!”
The bureaucrat slapped him in the first and had him kiss the wooden floor of the wagon.
“You want to fight so much? Go and fight the Zulus then! We strip you and your men bare and throw you all to them. Let’s see how long before one of those elves hunts you down. Don’t drag us into it, asshole!”
The ex-corporal stopped resisting, realizing that the men around him didn’t support him.
“Fuck! I don’t even know the results of the vote. At least tell me before you drag me off!”
Jan took a couple of steps forward, letting the man keep his eyes on him. Squatting down, he caressed the man a couple of times on the cheek.
“I’ll tell you the results. 80% voted to have you sent to the Zulus. 20% voted to not do so. That is to say, most men agree with this verdict. Any last words before the elves eat you alive?”
“Fuck you! You never cared about us farmers! You treated us like shit! All you care about is your stupid little town and pretended we never existed! You see us as troublemakers! How come all those townies make so much money and I make so little? It’s all your fault!”
Slapping the man on the left, he followed up with another slap on the right.
“So what? Does that give you the right to go and commit cattle raids? Do you know what you have just done? You violated the treaty Pretorius made with Mpande! Now, who’s going to be responsible for it? Huh! Answer me! It won’t be you, asshole! It is me because I am your Commando!”
“I won’t recognize a little shit like you as a Commando! You didn’t go on the Great Trek like the rest of us! Your father brought you here like a little Princess! So how it’s like Princess?”
Enraged, Jan slapped the man on the left.
Crack!
“Can talk so much shit now! Wow, and you were so quiet until now! Why become so arrogant? Now that you realize you’re about to die then start to talk! Should have done it much earlier!”
The man began snickering.
“I wonder why anyone follows you! A fucking traitor to your people! You are Dutch, yet you dance around like an Englishman. You bring in foreigners, then enrich them. The German rats, the Belgian shopkeep. What have you done for us? All you do is enrich foreigners. Even bring in a fucking Anglican Church, I don’t know how the fuck you’re a Commando?”
Crack!
“Many of those that live in the place I play town are Boers. Hell, most of them are. To earn good wages, you need to be skilled. Tell me what else are you good at other than stealing things from other people? Can’t read. Can’t write. And you wonder why I invited all those foreigners. They bring schools! Schools to teach you to read or write! But you didn’t give a fuck! And grumble why can’t I make as much as them.”
The man snarled.
“I have a family to feed asshole! I’m not a princess like you!”
“It’s not like you’re alone. You have a wife, right? Ask her to manage your farm for you and go learn!”
“Only an asshole of a man would do something like that!”
“You could pamper the shit out of her once you make the big bucks in the town. Fuck!”
One of the bureaucrats brought over a cloth to gag the man’s mouth. The man struggled amidst his restraints, but the men held him down.
“The other men following him gave up without a fight. So what now?” Pietje asked, pretending the prior conversation never happened.
Jan sighed. That man was likely not wrong, and that was how most of the farmers likely saw him. They only kept those words in their hearts. And only when the ex-corporal was in his death throes then he revealed all the anger the local populace had towards his governance.
“I’m sorry. I’m very sorry about the way I run things. I’m sorry that I neglected all of you. He’s not wrong. I treated you all like dirt, never pretending you all existed. I never went on walkabouts to see how you all fared. The only times I went to you is when you had something to do for me. But I never went to you for your sake. I admitted I have failed as a Commando in this regard.”
The wagon’s interior fell silent, as everyone’s eyes looked towards him. The corporal still struggled, but the men continue holding him down. No one had something to add to his words.
“I won’t ask you for your forgiveness. I’ll solve it by action. I’ll import machinery from Europe and make farming easier for you all. And when we go for our excursion to Transvaal, we will be sure to pick up lots of cattle to ensure prosperity for all of us.”
No one had much to say. They took some time to process his words and silently nodded. No impassioned speeches were made, nor did men fall to their knees thanking him. No, that wasn’t how it works. He failed the Boers, and he needed to make it up to them. So, everyone carried on with their duties, hopeful that he would make do with his words.
The question remained of the men’s fate. All the men subordinate to the corporal said that it was the corporal’s idea. Using his authority, he had the men join him in the cattle raid.
He didn’t want to send over every man. Doing so would depopulate the district, and he needed every man for the excursion. Manpower was limited in these parts, for they made the dangerous Great Trek. If it was possible, he only wanted to send over the Corporal. But the Zulu would also want compensation, so there came the problem and recompensating them with cattle. But with whose cattle?
“I don’t think it’s right to send all of them. Just send the corporal,” Pietje commented.
“Then where will we get the cattle? The more men we send, the fewer cattle we must pay,” Russell remarked.
“Do you see human lives as equivalent to cattle? What is wrong with you?” Pietje grunted.
“I’m saying the facts. Would the people be willing to donate their cattle to assuage the Zulu anger? Or what? Raid another Elfrican tribe for their cattle? Can we afford to embroil ourselves in such a conflict? If we send them all, they ought to be pleased.”
Jan stepped in.
“Let me ask you Pietje. Do you think people would accept having a tax on their cattle to compensate the Zulus? It is unlikely they would be satisfied if we returned all the stolen cattle. We need more to show our good intentions.”
“I think the men would be ok with having some cattle donated from the kraal. Most of them understand it, especially since we were that close to death. The question remains, how much?” Pietje remarked, remembering them fleeing the town for fear of a Zulu encirclement.
“Tell you what. Strip all the cattle from the offending corporal’s district. You can’t have me believe that the district lacked cattle before they made that raid. They’ll compensate the Zulus. We shouldn’t have others be responsible for their tomfoolery.”
“The district will be destitute for years to come if we do such a thing. Should the children and women be punished due to the men’s misdeeds?” Russell asked.
“That is a matter we will deal with in the future. The world is unequal after all.”
“I hope you find this arrangement, suitable.”
Jan finished the deal he discussed with the various corporals and Veldkornets and explained its contents to Nokuthula.
They were dressed in their cultures' wear, and warriors from both sides stood behind each of their respective leaders.
“So, you’ll hand over the one responsible. What about the men with him? They have some part to play as well. Hand them over.”
“I’m afraid that is not possible. These men were pressed into service by the corporal. They were like… his servants, and they would be punished if they didn’t do as he told them. Thus, they are innocent,” Jan lied.
Nokuthula frowned.
“Ok. But about the cattle?”
“We will strip the district that they are from for all its cattle. It should return about double of the stolen cattle.”
Nokuthula nodded.
“I’m still not satisfied. My people’s anger will not be assuaged until every man involved is handed over. If the men are too afraid to come, then send over their women and children,” She showed a nasty grin.
Jan firmed himself.
“I will not allow innocents to be punished. That is unjust. I will not budge on this. I believe I have done my best to negotiate this outcome. Any more and I’m afraid we will not be able to find a settlement. If you wish for more cattle, you could have asked.
“If you’re going to do this, then give me triple of what was stolen. The families need to be recompensated for why the deaths of their sons and the loss of their cattle. I will ensure that they will live like royalty for all the harm you Boers cause.”
Jan showed a despondent look. After some time, a pathetic expression appeared on his face and he sighed.
“Very well, I do not have a choice.”
‘And that’s why I lied. The cattle in the district are about quadrupled from what was stolen. Non-cattle owners won’t steal cattle that well.’
A couple of days before.
“I don’t understand, how did they have so many cattle?” Jan asked Pietje after the man his corporals did a census of all the cattle in there.
“The district is old. And many of these men profited off the Zulu-Boer conflict during the initial establishment of the Natalia Republic. They conducted numerous raids on Zululand’s villages, pilfering all of their cattle.”
“Makes sense. It would be a shame to return all of these to the Zulu. I didn’t want to turn this district destitute after all. The women and children don’t deserve to bear the burden of their fathers.”