"Of course. I'm planning to abstract copper coins into something called work points—basically a point system," Phield said. "You just add or subtract numbers next to a person's name. No need to hand out real money."
"After all, money can be stolen. Work points can't."
Phield spread his hands. "Once someone accumulates points equal to the value of a gold coin, they can earn a pardon from slavery and become a free citizen. And later, when the territory has more supplies, work points can be exchanged for extra bread, daily necessities, or whatever else we decide. For a better life, they'll work hard on their own."
"Hiss—" Tate sucked in a sharp breath, visibly shaken. "That's right. As long as we keep records, strong slaves can't steal anything. And since points are only awarded for individual work and calculated on the spot, there's no way for the strong to seize them."
