Thorn: That’s a compulsion? Not only “don’t make your own outside contracts” but you can’t do something you want for free? That’s — I don’t know a word for it!
It’s disgusting. It’s blatant exploitation. It’s unjust! This is true as long as you belong to the Embassy?
Leif: Yes. Or to somebody else, if my contract gets traded.
Thorn: And for how long is your contract?
— Oh. You don’t have to say. I see! It’s long.
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Random question, is there a Weather Underground/Sybanese Liberation Army-type group in Sonheim, and are there IRA/ETA groups in Sonheim-owned territories?
…well now, that would be telling.
*FANFIC INTENSIFIES*
Life. It’s a life long contract isn’t it?
Indentured servitude itself is not super great (understatement), but if he has basically no chance of ever working off the debt, then it’s essentially slavery. Are we even sure his contract can be worked off? Maybe it’s measured in years or generations rather than monetarily so no chance of working extra-hard and getting ahead. And no chance of Thorn buying out his contract with enough money…
Weren’t Leif and the other embassy workers talking about maybe Thorn would like Leif enough to buy him, earlier in the comic? Thorn could probably buy him with enough money. The question is, can Thorn afford that?
From what Katya was implying, no, there’s not a snowball’s chance in 29 Palms that Leif is ever leaving servitude, barring some amazing fluke of fate.
Had to go back and check but you’re right, the prospect of Thorn buying out Leif’s contract is brought up & then dismissed as fantasy. Probably the equivalent of someone in our world daydreaming about meeting a prince, falling in love & becoming a princess — technically possible (Grace Kelly, Monaco) but extremely unlikely.
But that does answer my question — it’s a monetary amount not say, a sentence of 50 years. Still the concept of “buying” a human being makes me shudder.
Leif needs all the hugs. Hugs are free, right?
I’m guessing his sentence spans decades. Poor bby.
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