pastoral-responsibility

The chapter introduces Reverend H. Hornswell Hake on his thirty-ninth birthday as he conducts marriage counseling for a plural marriage facing dissolution. His routine is interrupted by a mysterious government agent who summons him for a confidential matter involving national security, highlighting the tension between his personal, pastoral duties and larger political forces. The chapter also depicts the socio-economic hardships of the setting, including power rationing and local unrest, grounding the narrative in a troubled, near-future environment.