# The Decade's Reckoning explained — Short Fiction

> Chapter companion for Short Fiction by Mack Reynolds.

## What happens

At the ten-year mark, the Earth teams from Genoa and Texcoco meet aboard the Pedagogue to compare progress. The Genoese team, led by Amschel Mayer, reports industrial expansion and educational advances, while the Texcocan team under Joe Chessman describes a unified state built on communes and military pacification. Tensions flare over polygamy, lost team members, and ideological differences. Both sides decide to place intelligence agents on the other's planet, signaling growing distrust.

## Themes in this chapter

### Power and Corruption

The Texcocan team's militarization, loss of dissenting members, and use of communes to control labor reflect the corrupting influence of absolute power.

### Social Class and Caste

Polygamy and resource distribution on Texcoco are tied to rank and ability to support, creating a new caste system.

### Rebellion and Revolution

The Texcocan team crushed a rebellion, losing members like Cogswell and MacBride, highlighting the cost of maintaining order.

## Character check-ins

### Jerome Kennedy

Genoese team member, drinks heavily, comments on Texcocan polygamy and progress.

### Barry Watson

Texcocan military figure, boasts of having six to eight wives, defensive about his status.

### Joe Chessman

Texcocan team leader, defends commune system and military consolidation, dismisses Genoese criticism.

### Amschel Mayer

Genoese team leader, advocates free competition, orders intelligence agents placed on Texcoco.

### Martin Gunther

Genoese team member, questions Texcocan commune system and polygamy.

### Dick Hawkins

Texcocan team member, laughs at Watson's harem, supports placing security on Genoa.

### Natt Roberts

Texcocan technician, offers to train security agents for Genoa.

### Taller

Teenage son of Reif, present as a Tulan observer, stirred by Watson's comments.

## Key lines

> Jerry, you’re putting on weight.” Kennedy looked down at his admittedly rounded stomach. “Don’t get enough exercise,” he said, then reversed the attack. “You look older. Are your taking your rejuvenation treatments?”

Kennedy deflects Watson's jab about his weight by pointing out Watson's aging appearance.

_Shows the personal tensions and aging concerns among the team members._

> Barry has a house as big as a castle and six or eight women in his harem.” Watson flushed, but obviously without displeasure.

Hawkins teases Watson about his large house and multiple wives, which Watson takes as a compliment.

_Illustrates the polygamous social structure on Texcoco and Watson's pride in his status._

> The march to the anthill,” Amschel Mayer muttered.

Mayer compares the Texcocan commune system to an ant colony, implying loss of individuality.

_Highlights the ideological clash between individual freedom and collective efficiency._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/short_fiction_36_se/chapters/viii
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/short_fiction_36_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/short_fiction_36_se/chapters