Knock, knock. The Zulu bureaucrat knocked on the door and looked towards his Boer compatriot. She held a gun and acted as the muscle for the whole operation. Their mission? Tax collection. This was the standard since while interracial marriages were rare, it was best to communicate to both spouses about their reason for collection. And that was why the duo consisted of a Zulu and a Boer, the most common type of interracial marriage. Rare pairs like Xhosa and Boer were serviced by Xhosa bureaucrats and Boer muscle instead.

Footsteps could be heard from the other side and a Boer opened the door, looking at the duo. The Zulu bureaucrat presented various documents to the Boer, and the Boer had to spend some time scanning through them.

“Payment has been delayed for a week. Either pay up by the end of the day or be evicted,” The Zulu explained in Elfrikaans.

Tax collection. Everyone hates the taxman, but without the taxman, the state will be unable to function. The Boer ran back into the home and brought with him his Zulu wife who growled at the Zulu bureaucrat. The Zulu cowered momentarily, but the Boer gunwoman stepped in front of the Zulu. Hoisting her musket up, she sent a blank look to the couple.

“Don’t waste my time. Just pay the taxes. Don’t make me visit again, we’ll bring more men,” The gunwoman demanded before leaving the two with the papers.

Taxation was a matter of national security, and thus Jan couldn’t afford to be lenient. Anyone who refused to pay would be evicted. Their assets were seized. It was harsh, but execution for tax avoidance was too harsh. Since it was the first time he was collecting taxes, he had to make an example of those complaining about it.

Strangely enough, as the young man looked at his hands, he realized his hands weren’t as smooth as once been. These hands weren’t as innocent as they are for a scholar, they were the hands that caused suffering. Yet he felt a sense of pride, even with such hands, for when his hands were as smooth as a baby, no one respected him, and saw him as a fool to be exploited. But now, all his men were cowed. The boisterous Boers now subserviently followed along with his harsh laws thanks to his police as well as the carrot he offered, higher standards of living. Men of subsistence farmers, now become bureaucrats, craftsmen, and managers of shops.

Could the same be described of the other towns run by Commandoes in Natal? Excluding Pietermaritzburg, no other Commando had micromanaged his town the way he did, as well as run things the way he did. They could complain about his harsh measures. They could complain about how he wasn’t a true Boer since he never ran a farm. But can they complain about the benefits he brought to his followers?

They must admit that his men lived good lives, while they squalor in poverty, living by subsistence farming. The elves and their magic allow their crops to have massive yields, why bother competing with that?

And the integration of women into the workforce doubled the manpower pool. There were still some hiccups here and there. It wasn’t a situation like in World War 2 in America or the USSR, where out of necessity, women were pushed into the workplace. Therefore, a culture of accepting women in the workforce sprouted. But here, such a culture didn’t exist, and there were some growing pains. Discriminatory managers and misogynist co-workers were present. But since most of the industry was State Owned, and he was the biggest Employer in this town, anyone who acted that way could find themselves blacklisted from his workplaces. Every day, he would receive pleas from these men and women, begging him to strike their names off the blacklist, as they were not able to get a job, and they do not wish for a return to subsistence farming. For their yields are horrendous to the Zulu.

He decided to keep it. Give it a few months or so. Once they truly understand how good they had it compared to the other Commandoes, then he would let them come back into the workplace.

Upon self-reflection, Jan could not help but realize he has changed drastically. He had become Authoritarian and even acted that way. What he might complain about in the forums in the past, was what he was presently doing now. A tight grip was needed to keep the people in check, and he completely disrespected democratic principles, repeatedly violating them in front of his people.

He had even chosen to work with the Elfrican Chiefs, monarchies and chiefdoms, that he would use to mock. For their leadership was run by nobility and aristocrats, whom he perceived as incompetent. And he had even worked with regimes that would be completely horrendous in the modern world, Queen Soshangane of the Gaza Empire. Her participation in the slave trade helped her get rid of dissidents for profit. But sometimes, you just had to work with people you don’t like.

Then there’s Queen Mzilikazi and her Matabele. She had a dreadful reputation and was harsh to her opponents. But could he fault her for doing so? Better have your enemies fear you than think you’re weak, lest they come to you looking for trouble. And she was in a war, a war with the Shona of the Rozvi Empire.

Last, of all, he was a Boer. Descendants of the free burghers who settled in South Elfrica during the VOC. Son of men who dispossessed the various elves and have them work in their fields. Sons of slaveowners. He wasn’t also a good guy by any metrics or means. Nor did he bother to make amends. That was how things were to be. Since they already happened, no need to dwell too deeply into it. It was not as if throwing himself to the feet of the Khoikhoi and the various elves begging for forgiveness would solve anything.

So, he wondered, who was good and who was bad?

The Great Trek of Boers who migrated inland away from colonial British rule. They displaced many elves who were fighting with one another. Then, they join the elves in fighting the other elves. It was a mess.

The British and their efforts in the Eastern Cape in dispossessing the Xhosa also didn’t make them good.

Then again, it was a time when there were no heroes or villains. It was a dog-eat-dog world after all, and everyone was out there looking out for themselves. The worker seeking to sell his labour for profit. The manager seeking to manage labour for profit. The capitalists invest for further profit. The monarch seeks to empower themselves. The aristocrats sought to weaken the monarch to empower themselves.

It was chaos, and there was no right or wrong. He decided not to think too much. If he wanted to compare things via right and wrong, it was impossible. All he could do was look towards it and remark that the wall was extremely grey. Trying to separate the Gray into black and white is impossible. For there is no right and wrong, only history.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

What he could do was finish what he started. He already spent most of his time trying to save the Natalia Republic. Trying to prevent Pretorius from going toe-to-toe with the British at Port Natal, trying to prevent further Elfrican raids. The increase in trade between the Boer Republics, increased cooperation between Boers to strengthen them for they can only rely on each other. The supply of gold via opium was something that he had some difficulties accepting. No matter, he was the drug dealer, in this case, he was ruining lives for profit. Then again, sometimes you must do things you don’t like. It was either this or poverty via subsistence farming. Without the gold, his town would not be as prosperous as now.

It was time for action. And no doubt, the Xhosa are most displeased about the British incursions in the Eastern Cape, in traditional Xhosa territory. If the war in 1836 was known as the Sixth Frontier War, then surely, there must be a Seventh. He didn’t know how it would break out. But all he could do was ride the trends of history.

Jan had a plan, to seize Port Natal and St Lucia without the British seeing it as an act of aggression. It was simple, what if Port Natal wasn’t owned by the British when the Boers attack it? What if the owners were Xhosa? Then they would be liberating the port from Xhosa hands. And since they didn’t sign any formal agreements with the British, there was no need to hand over the port. If the British grumbled about it, point them towards the front in Eastern Cape.

Jan planned on sponsoring the Xhosas, arming them with firearms so they would completely sweep any resistance of the Eastern Cape, forcing the British to put all their efforts into fighting back the Xhosa advance instead of the matter of Port Natal. Hell, they could even offer to be a resupply port for the British, which they would be most pleased, with and would thus be likely to see Boers as good guardians of the Port. It was also the perfect opportunity to sabotage British ships, to weaken their efforts.

The brunt of the casualties would be taken by Xhosa who would go toe to toe with the British. He planned to sit back and expand his arms industries so they could ship arms to the Xhosa. With superior numbers and weaponry on par with the British, it would not be like what happened historically. It would the British who flee from South Elfrica, leaving the Anglicized Boers begging for mercy in the Western Cape.

But that was only the best in scenarios, at most, they would sweep them out of the Eastern Cape and the British would regroup in the Western Cape. A devastating first strike would send the British to the negotiating table quickly. Though, it was likely a long-drawn-out war of attrition. And he would be most pleased to export cheap Zulu grain to help with the war effort because he was a nice guy. Boers were simple farmers, after all, war was bad for business.

That was why the formation of an agency dealing in matters regarding espionage was long overdue. The State Security Agency (SSA) of South Elfrica will deal with the matter of building up operatives and local support for Boer rule in the various British outposts in Natal. Most of the agents would be English so that they would blend in, but some Boers would be sent over an assistant. They would have Xhosa servants, who were all too pleased to collaborate in the operation. After all, there was no worry about them leaking it to the British. They can tell their Chiefs about it and let them tell their fellow superior Chiefs that they are subordinate to. Once it reaches the top of the chain of command of the Xhosa Kingdom, he would have multiple Xhosa Chiefs wanting to partake in the operation. Then he could negotiate with them concessions such as confirmation that the Port and British outposts in Natal belonged to the Boers, and that the Xhosa should not harm those trekking along the trail of the Great Trek.

Integrating the Xhosa markets was one, but once the Xhosa went to war, they would be quickly integrated into the Boer market once it turns into a war of attrition. There were also land disputes, which happen from time to time between the Commandoes living by the Xhosas in Natal. Some carried out cattle raids between the Xhosa, and it was likely something the Xhosa Chiefs would demand a solution for.

He looked towards the first batch of recruits who looked towards him in a daze.

“So, I just go to Port Natal and act as normal?” The English agent asked, and he nodded.

“Try to get onto the Town Council or whoever runs the town. Send reports about the British garrisons. Map out the Port and its surroundings.”

The Xhosa bureaucrat-turned-agent asked, “Then what do I do?”

“You will assist in this regard. I heard the Xhosas have some magic relating to the bush. They can hide well in the bush. You can note them British patrol routes at time and day. As well as clear the way for your brethren to launch an assault.”

The Boer then took his turn to ask, “Me?”

“You’re there as Public Relations. They don’t think too highly of us Boers. You convince them otherwise. Don’t start a fight or anything. If they insult you or anything, just ignore them. Just remember that very soon, you would be their superiors and it would be you insulting them in the future.”

“Sounds like a shit job,” The Boer complained.

“My friend, I know many shit jobs, but this is not one of them,” Jan smirked.

It was a simple trio, and they had much time to begin intelligence gathering. They weren’t top secret spies or anything, mostly simple farmers. All they had to do was gather information and integrate themselves into the town. Act as an immigrant when heading to a new country. Yet instead of ducking into the exclave, they instead try to adopt the new country’s culture and act as its people.

The numbers would be bolstered. But once people get used to the English having Xhosa and Boer friends, they shouldn’t mind if there were suddenly many numbers of Xhosas descending on the town suddenly. Or the many numbers of Boers that would come soon after to liberate it.

The operation will be called Operation Natal. So even if the British clued on it, they wouldn’t understand what exactly about Natal will the operation be about.

He wrote up the report for Pretorius to greenlit it so that he could request assistance from the Boer Commandoes. That way he didn’t have to consume all his resources and manpower into the operation, and the Boer Commandoes would have time to shine as he stopped taking credit all by himself.

Pretorius naturally responded quickly and discreetly with a messenger. The Boer in his thirties enjoyed the sight of the lack of excrement in the ground but had to head back to his town with excrement after handing over the letter.

Dear Jan,

I approve of your operation. Feel free to request support from the other Commandoes and Veldkornets. They would be pleased to help as much as they can. Do not be shy, and if you need help, do request it.

Yours sincerely,

Pretorius

With that approval, he sent out letters to various Veldkornets and Commandoes that had little booths set up by the Natalia Securities Exchange to include them in the operation. This was to deepen ties between both parties, as well as seek further cooperation so that their local town economies can be further integrated with his town’s economy. His town was industrializing and produced consumer goods like bread and wine, which needed markets for export.

With the opportunity to prove their worth to Pretorius, many amiable letters were sent back stating their interest in cooperating with this operation. He had the towns supply Boers and elf servants as agents, while his town supplied the English and Xhosa as agents.

In the various English towns, they found a wave of Boer-Elf migration streaming into the towns. They somehow had pound sterling with them and were able to integrate themselves smoothly. The Englishman who acted as their guarantor helped to integrate them into the town, and thus many English towns began to have a sizeable Boer-Elf minority. For some reason, they all lived by the town hall. But it was dismissed as a matter of convenience so that they could access the administrative services right by the town.

At night, there were reports of scampering around in the flora of the numerous bushes by the outskirts of the town. A detachment was sent to investigate it, but nothing was found. The members of the English Town Council were puzzled and sent further patrols, yet it yielded nothing.

“Strange. Why is all of this happening once those Boers moved in?”

“Pff… Do you think those farmers are doing something in the bush? Most likely taking a shit there or having sex. Eh. We should leave it be.”