{"data":{"id":13595,"title":"DATELINE: SESEN: Part Six","rsi_url":"https:\/\/robertsspaceindustries.com\/comm-link\/serialized-fiction\/13595-DATELINE-SESEN-Part-Six","api_url":"https:\/\/api.star-citizen.wiki\/api\/comm-links\/13595","api_public_url":"https:\/\/api.star-citizen.wiki\/comm-links\/13595","channel":"Undefined","category":"Undefined","series":"Dateline: Sesen","images":[{"id":1292,"name":"DatelineSesenFI3.jpg","rsi_url":"https:\/\/robertsspaceindustries.com\/media\/x3l6h1jdbgno8r\/source\/DatelineSesenFI3.jpg","alt":"","size":1595560,"mime_type":"image\/jpeg","last_modified":"2014-01-29T19:43:33+00:00","api_url":"https:\/\/api.star-citizen.wiki\/api\/comm-link-images\/1292","similar_url":"https:\/\/api.star-citizen.wiki\/api\/comm-link-images\/1292\/similar"}],"images_count":1,"translations":{"en_EN":"Is Sensationalism Getting in the Way of Real Reporting? Special: New United Expos\u00e9.\n\nEven song birds will peck our eyes out when their nest is threatened. Yadav didn\u2019t have time to contemplate how she might be threatening anyone\u2019s nest. The next moment the door flew inward, and the governor slipped through.\n\n\u201cMay I introduce a cabinet member and my close advisor, Wei Martinez,\u201d the governor said, gesturing to the man behind her.\n\nBlack, straight hair fell to Martinez\u2019s shoulders, and a thin mustache perched over his lip like an oiled caterpillar. Upon entering, he made a point of smoothing and buttoning his suit jacket, which was well tailored. If he\u2019d worn a tie, Yadav was sure he would have cinched it tight. Strapped to his belt was a holster carrying a kinetic sidearm.\n\nYadav eyeballed the gun, wary.\n\n\u201cI am Governor Tentopet Jones. And your ID codes say that you are \u2026?\u201d She and Martinez both crossed their arms expectantly.\n\nYadav felt a bit like a young child in the principal\u2019s office under Jones\u2019 scrutiny. But Martinez\u2019s countenance gave her graveyard chills.\n\n\u201cI\u2019m Ulla Yadav,\u201d she said without hesitation, holding up her press tattoo. \u201cOf New United.\u201d\n\nJones nodded, satisfied.\n\n\u201cYou landed illegally on our planet,\u201d Martinez broke in. \u201cNo passes or permissions were given. Your ship was destroyed. When and how do you intend to vacate the system?\u201d\n\n\u201cIs that important?\u201d Yadav asked\n\nHis gaze narrowed. \u201cYes.\u201d\n\nTheir medical scans hadn\u2019t even picked up on the beacon in her intestines. What century were these people living in?\n\n\u201cWhy don\u2019t you just deport me?\u201d she asked.\n\n\u201cWe don\u2019t have the resources to waste,\u201d Jones said smoothly. \u201cWho knows you\u2019re here?\u201d\n\nYadav carefully gauged the pitch and timber of Jones\u2019 question. The answer was uncertain \u2014 maybe all of New United, maybe no one. It was impossible to tell if someone had picked up her trail yet or not, especially since she didn\u2019t know how much time had passed since the crash. But that wasn\u2019t important. Yadav had to tell them \u2014 especially this Martinez character \u2014 exactly what they needed to hear.\n\n\u201cI have a contact out of system,\u201d she said. \u201cHe\u2019s got his ears open. He knows to alert the company if he doesn\u2019t hear from me every forty-eight hours.\u201d\n\nMartinez let out an aggravated, \u201cHa.\u201d Whether it was because he didn\u2019t believe her, or didn\u2019t want to believe her, Yadav wasn\u2019t sure.\n\n\u201cWhy is my colleague dead?\u201d she blurted.\n\nJones didn\u2019t answer right away. She seemed to be searching for the right words. \u201cWe were unable to save him. I\u2019m sorry. I don\u2019t know how much you saw from the med shuttle, but we are not a well-to-do society. Our capabilities proved inadequate.\u201d\n\n\u201cBut at first glance they didn\u2019t appear inadequate,\u201d Yadav said. She needed to get a feel for the political dynamics in play. Exactly what kind of a leader was this Ten-toe-pet Jones? \u201cThe city at the bottom of the hill is in shambles, but you tried to build something imposing and modern up here. Have a nice little private compound, don\u2019t you?\u201d\nMartinez looked as though he might lash out at any minute. Frustration wafted off of him like bad cologne. \u201cWhat\u2019s your point?\u201d\n\n\u201cYou don\u2019t seem to have a lot to work with, but you sure did your best to make it look like you\u2019ve got deep pockets.\u201d\n\n\u201cIt makes the public believe that prosperity is achievable,\u201d Jones said. \u201cIf they knew the truth, that not even their government had wealth, they would despair.\u201d\n\nYadav openly scoffed. Warlords and pseudo-emperors loved their high towers and gilded palaces. Such compounds were displays of power meant to keep people in their place. They highlighted the massive gap between the oppressed and the oppressors. Made the public feel weak, incapable.\n\nIt surprised Yadav that Jones would attempt to claim their compound as anything more than uprising insurance.\n\nThe governor sat down across from the reporter and leaned in. \u201cWei and I are cousins,\u201d she said, gesturing to Martinez, who rolled his eyes. \u201cWhere we come from originally, no one has money. No one appears to have money. This society might look impoverished to you, but you\u2019ve never seen our home station.\n\n\u201cMost of my childhood memories run together. One day was mostly like the next. But there was one that sticks out in my mind as a turning point \u2014 it\u2019s the reason I chose to be a leader. The reason for these buildings.\n\n\u201cThere was this fence \u2014 well, more of a wall. It was made of rusty metal slats, and blocked off a dilapidated, toxic apartment. The chemical smell was horrendous \u2014 the place had been used to cook SLAM. Some kid had found a half-empty can of spray paint and covered the thing in vulgarities. The wall sat like that, a sickening eyesore in the heart of our rundown space station for years. Until some people chipped in to buy a few gallons of paint off a traveling salesman. As a community, we whitewashed that wall. Made it shine.\n\n\u201cThat wall made us believe things could get better. A silly, crappy faux wall that we made beautiful. The premise here is the same.\u201d\n\nJones sat back. \u201cI am a public servant, Ms. Yadav, trying to increase the morale of my strained people. If I have to do a little hand waving, a little deceiving, to make them believe in improvement, I do it without hesitation.\u201d\n\nGreat, another politician with a sob story, toting civic duty like a Roman cross, Yadav thought. \u201cWhat is your relationship with the pirates like?\u201d\n\nThe governor was quiet for a split second. \u201cTenuous.\u201d\n\n\u201cHow are you protecting your people? Are you protecting your people?\u201d\n\n\u201cOur cannon worked well enough, didn\u2019t it?\u201d\n\n\u201cBut what else?\u201d\n\n\u201cYou\u2019ve got no reason to take up the governor\u2019s time,\u201d Martinez protested. \u201cShe doesn\u2019t have to prove anything to you. We\u2019re here to interrogate you, not the other way around.\u201d\nJones held up a placating hand.\n\n\u201cInstead of an interrogation, how about a formal interview?\u201d asked Yadav. \u201cIn the streets, amongst the people.\u201d Maybe she would get to inspect those lean-tos after all.\n\nA subtle smile played over Jones lips, as though she\u2019d been waiting for this chance. \u201cIf I show you our colony, will you do a story on it? Make us major news?\u201d\n\n\u201cIf there\u2019s something newsworthy happening on this planet, I\u2019ll write about it,\u201d Yadav replied slyly.\n\n\u201cThis isn\u2019t a good idea,\u201d Martinez said.\n\n\u201cGet me someone who can remove her restraints,\u201d Jones decided, ignoring his concern. \u201cI\u2019m taking our new friend for a walk.\u201d\n\nMartinez bent close to Jones\u2019 ear, laying a firm hand on her shoulder. Yadav noticed his knuckles strained against her jacket. \u201cWe\u2019re going to regret this,\u201d he said darkly. \u201cYou should have taken my initial recommendation.\u201d\n\n\u201cThank you for your concern,\u201d Jones said unemotionally. \u201cBut under the circumstances, I\u2019ll be keeping my own counsel.\u201d She gave him a meaningful look.\n\n\u201cFine,\u201d he said, moving toward the door. \u201cBut a government\u2019s number one concern must always be the protection of its people. Don\u2019t let this newswoman make you think any different. Rosy PR means nothing if the people can\u2019t produce.\u201d\n\nYadav wanted to assure him that the last thing he had to worry about was her interfering with their public relations, but staying quiet when necessary was just as important as shooting off the right questions at the right time.\n\n\u201cThank you,\u201d Jones said again. \u201cPlease get me an escort, something to free her hands \u2014\u201d\n\n\u201cAnd a change of clothes?\u201d Yadav suggested. A hospital robe was hardly appropriate street wear.\n\n\u201cAnd the spare suit from my office,\u201d Jones added.\n\nMartinez opened his mouth to protest again, but Jones barked, \u201cGo.\u201d\n\nHe nodded, suddenly gracious. Then he allowed his gaze to meet Yadav\u2019s for a split second before he disappeared.\n\nYadav felt like she\u2019d just disturbed an ants\u2019 nest and was waiting for the first of a thousand stings.\n\nto be continued \u2026","de_DE":"Kommt der Sensationismus der realen Berichterstattung in die Quere? Besonders: Neues United Expos\u00e9.\n\nSelbst Singv\u00f6gel werden uns die Augen aushacken, wenn ihr Nest bedroht ist. Yadav hatte keine Zeit, dar\u00fcber nachzudenken, wie sie das Nest von jemandem bedrohen k\u00f6nnte. Im n\u00e4chsten Moment flog die T\u00fcr nach innen, und der Gouverneur schl\u00fcpfte durch.\n\n\"Darf ich ein Kabinettsmitglied und meinen engen Berater Wei Martinez vorstellen\", sagte der Gouverneur und sagte zu dem Mann hinter ihr.\n\nSchwarzes, glattes Haar fiel auf Martinez' Schultern, und ein d\u00fcnner Schnurrbart sa\u00df \u00fcber seiner Lippe wie eine ge\u00f6lte Raupe. Beim Betreten legte er Wert darauf, seine Anzugjacke zu gl\u00e4tten und zu kn\u00f6pfen, die gut geschnitten war. Wenn er eine Krawatte getragen h\u00e4tte, war sich Yadav sicher, dass er sie eng geschnallt h\u00e4tte. An seinem G\u00fcrtel befestigt war ein Holster mit einem kinetischen Seitenarm.\n\nYadav starrte die Waffe an, vorsichtig.\n\n\"Ich bin Gouverneur Tentopet Jones. Und deine ID-Codes sagen, dass du....?\" Sie und Martinez verschr\u00e4nkten beide erwartungsvoll die Arme.\n\nYadav f\u00fchlte sich ein wenig wie ein kleines Kind im B\u00fcro des Rektors unter Jones' Aufsicht. Aber Martinez' Gesicht gab ihr auf dem Friedhof eine G\u00e4nsehaut.\n\n\"Ich bin Ulla Yadav\", sagte sie ohne zu z\u00f6gern und hielt ihr Pressetattoo hoch. \" Von New United.\"\n\nJones nickte, zufrieden.\n\n\"Du bist illegal auf unserem Planeten gelandet\", brach Martinez ein. \"Es wurden keine P\u00e4sse oder Genehmigungen erteilt. Dein Schiff wurde zerst\u00f6rt. Wann und wie wollen Sie das System verlassen?\"\n\n\"Ist das wichtig?\" Yadav fragte\n\nSein Blick verengte sich. \" Ja.\"\n\nIhre medizinischen Scans hatten nicht einmal das Leuchtfeuer in ihrem Darm erfasst. In welchem Jahrhundert lebten diese Menschen?\n\n\"Warum deportiert ihr mich nicht einfach?\", fragte sie.\n\n\"Wir haben nicht die Ressourcen, um sie zu verschwenden\", sagte Jones glatt. \"Wer wei\u00df, dass du hier bist?\"\n\nYadav \u00fcberpr\u00fcfte sorgf\u00e4ltig die Tonh\u00f6he und das Holz von Jones' Frage. Die Antwort war ungewiss - vielleicht ganz New United, vielleicht niemand. Es war unm\u00f6glich zu sagen, ob jemand ihre Spur schon aufgenommen hatte oder nicht, zumal sie nicht wusste, wie viel Zeit seit dem Unfall vergangen war. Aber das war nicht wichtig. Yadav musste ihnen - vor allem diesem Martinez - genau das sagen, was sie h\u00f6ren wollten.\n\n\"Ich habe einen Kontakt au\u00dferhalb des Systems\", sagte sie. \"Er hat die Ohren offen. Er wei\u00df, wie er die Firma alarmiert, wenn er nicht alle 48 Stunden von mir h\u00f6rt.\"\n\nMartinez lie\u00df ein ver\u00e4rgertes \"Ha\" aus. Ob es nun daran lag, dass er ihr nicht glaubte oder ihr nicht glauben wollte, Yadav war sich nicht sicher.\n\n\"Warum ist mein Kollege tot?\", tauchte sie auf.\n\nJones antwortete nicht sofort. Sie schien nach den richtigen Worten zu suchen. \"Wir konnten ihn nicht retten. Es tut mir leid. Ich wei\u00df nicht, wie viel du vom Med Shuttle gesehen hast, aber wir sind keine wohlhabende Gesellschaft. Unsere F\u00e4higkeiten erwiesen sich als unzureichend.\"\n\n\"Aber auf den ersten Blick schienen sie nicht unzureichend\", sagte Yadav. Sie musste ein Gef\u00fchl f\u00fcr die politische Dynamik im Spiel bekommen. Was f\u00fcr ein Anf\u00fchrer war dieser Jones mit zehn Zehenspitzen? \"Die Stadt am Fu\u00dfe des H\u00fcgels ist in Tr\u00fcmmern, aber du hast versucht, hier oben etwas imposantes und modernes zu bauen. Du hast eine sch\u00f6ne kleine private Anlage, nicht wahr?\"\nMartinez sah aus, als k\u00f6nnte er jede Minute um sich schlagen. Frustration wehte von ihm ab wie schlechtes Parf\u00fcm. \"Worauf willst du hinaus?\"\n\n\"Du scheinst nicht viel zu haben, mit dem du arbeiten kannst, aber du hast dein Bestes getan, damit es so aussieht, als h\u00e4ttest du tiefe Taschen.\"\n\n\"Es macht die \u00d6ffentlichkeit glauben, dass Wohlstand erreichbar ist\", sagte Jones. \"Wenn sie die Wahrheit w\u00fcssten, dass nicht einmal ihre Regierung Verm\u00f6gen hat, w\u00fcrden sie verzweifeln.\"\n\nYadav spottete offen. Warlords und Pseudo-Kaiser liebten ihre hohen T\u00fcrme und vergoldeten Pal\u00e4ste. Solche Verbindungen waren Machtdemonstrationen, die dazu dienten, die Menschen an ihrem Platz zu halten. Sie betonten die massive Kluft zwischen den Unterdr\u00fcckten und den Unterdr\u00fcckern. Das hat dazu gef\u00fchrt, dass sich die \u00d6ffentlichkeit schwach und unf\u00e4hig f\u00fchlte.\n\nEs \u00fcberraschte Yadav, dass Jones versuchen w\u00fcrde, ihre Verbindung als etwas anderes als eine Aufstandsversicherung einzustufen.\n\nDer Gouverneur setzte sich gegen\u00fcber dem Reporter hin und lehnte sich hinein. \"Wei und ich sind Cousins\", sagte sie und winkte zu Martinez, der die Augen verdrehte. \"Wo wir urspr\u00fcnglich herkommen, hat niemand Geld. Niemand scheint Geld zu haben. Diese Gesellschaft mag f\u00fcr dich verarmt erscheinen, aber du hast noch nie unsere Wohnungsstation gesehen.\n\n\"Die meisten meiner Kindheitserinnerungen laufen zusammen. Ein Tag war meistens wie der n\u00e4chste. Aber es gab einen, der mir als Wendepunkt in Erinnerung bleibt - das ist der Grund, warum ich mich entschieden habe, ein Leiter zu sein. Der Grund f\u00fcr diese Geb\u00e4ude.\n\n\"Da war dieser Zaun - nun, eher eine Mauer. Es war aus rostigen Metallst\u00e4ben gefertigt und blockierte eine verfallene, giftige Wohnung. Der chemische Geruch war schrecklich - der Ort wurde zum Kochen von SLAM genutzt. Ein Kind hatte eine halb leere Dose Spr\u00fchfarbe gefunden und das Ding mit Vulgarit\u00e4ten bedeckt. Die Wand sa\u00df so, ein ekelhafter Schandfleck im Herzen unserer heruntergekommenen Raumstation \u00fcber Jahre hinweg. Bis einige Leute eincheckten, um ein paar Gallonen Farbe von einem reisenden Verk\u00e4ufer zu kaufen. Als Gemeinschaft haben wir diese Mauer wei\u00df get\u00fcncht. L\u00e4sst es leuchten.\n\n\"Diese Mauer lie\u00df uns glauben, dass die Dinge besser werden k\u00f6nnten. Eine dumme, beschissene unechte Wand, die wir sch\u00f6n gemacht haben. Die Pr\u00e4misse hier ist die gleiche.\"\n\nJones lehnte sich zur\u00fcck. \"Ich bin eine Beamtin, Frau Yadav, die versucht, die Moral meines angespannten Volkes zu verbessern. Wenn ich ein wenig mit der Hand winkend, ein wenig betr\u00fcgend tun muss, damit sie an Verbesserung glauben, dann tue ich es ohne zu z\u00f6gern.\"\n\nGro\u00dfartig, ein weiterer Politiker mit einer schluchzenden Geschichte, der die B\u00fcrgerpflicht wie ein r\u00f6misches Kreuz behandelt, dachte Yadav. \"Wie ist dein Verh\u00e4ltnis zu den Piraten?\"\n\nDer Gouverneur war f\u00fcr einen Bruchteil einer Sekunde still. \" Schwach.\"\n\n\"Wie besch\u00fctzt du dein Volk? Sch\u00fctzt du dein Volk?\"\n\n\"Unsere Kanone hat gut genug funktioniert, nicht wahr?\"\n\n\"Aber was noch?\"\n\n\"Du hast keinen Grund, die Zeit des Gouverneurs zu nutzen\", protestierte Martinez. \"Sie muss dir nichts beweisen. Wir sind hier, um Sie zu verh\u00f6ren, nicht umgekehrt.\"\nJones hielt eine beschwichtigende Hand hoch.\n\n\"Anstelle eines Verh\u00f6rs, wie w\u00e4re es mit einem formalen Interview?\" fragte Yadav. \"Auf der Stra\u00dfe, unter den Menschen.\" Vielleicht w\u00fcrde sie diese Lean-Tos doch noch inspizieren k\u00f6nnen.\n\nEin subtiles L\u00e4cheln spielte \u00fcber Jones Lippen, als h\u00e4tte sie auf diese Chance gewartet. \"Wenn ich dir unsere Kolonie zeige, wirst du dann eine Geschichte dar\u00fcber schreiben? Machst du uns wichtige Neuigkeiten?\"\n\n\"Wenn auf diesem Planeten etwas berichtenswertes passiert, werde ich dar\u00fcber schreiben\", antwortete Yadav heimlich.\n\n\"Das ist keine gute Idee\", sagte Martinez.\n\n\"Besorg mir jemanden, der ihre Fesseln entfernen kann\", entschied Jones und ignorierte seine Bedenken. \"Ich gehe mit unserem neuen Freund spazieren.\"\n\nMartinez beugte sich nahe an Jones' Ohr und legte eine feste Hand auf ihre Schulter. Yadav bemerkte, dass sich seine Kn\u00f6chel gegen ihre Jacke spannten. \"Wir werden das bereuen\", sagte er dunkel. \"Du h\u00e4ttest meine erste Empfehlung befolgen sollen.\"\n\n\"Danke f\u00fcr deine Sorge\", sagte Jones emotionslos. \"Aber unter diesen Umst\u00e4nden werde ich meinen eigenen Anwalt behalten.\" Sie gab ihm einen aussagekr\u00e4ftigen Blick.\n\n\"Gut\", sagte er und ging auf die T\u00fcr zu. \"Aber das wichtigste Anliegen einer Regierung muss immer der Schutz ihres Volkes sein. Lass dich von dieser Nachrichtensprecherin nicht dazu bringen, anders zu denken. Rosy PR bedeutet nichts, wenn die Leute nicht produzieren k\u00f6nnen.\"\n\nYadav wollte ihm versichern, dass das Letzte, wor\u00fcber er sich Sorgen machen musste, ihre Einmischung in die \u00d6ffentlichkeitsarbeit war, aber ruhig zu bleiben, wenn es n\u00f6tig war, war genauso wichtig wie die richtigen Fragen zur richtigen Zeit abzuschiessen.\n\n\"Danke\", sagte Jones noch einmal. \"Bitte besorg mir eine Eskorte, etwas, um ihre H\u00e4nde zu befreien -\"\n\n\"Und ein Kleiderwechsel?\" schlug Yadav vor. Ein Krankenhausgewand war kaum geeignet f\u00fcr Stra\u00dfenkleidung.\n\n\"Und den Ersatzanzug aus meinem B\u00fcro\", f\u00fcgte Jones hinzu.\n\nMartinez \u00f6ffnete seinen Mund, um wieder zu protestieren, aber Jones bellte, \"Los\".\n\nEr nickte, pl\u00f6tzlich gn\u00e4dig. Dann lie\u00df er seinen Blick f\u00fcr einen Bruchteil einer Sekunde auf Yadavs treffen, bevor er verschwand.\n\nYadav f\u00fchlte sich, als h\u00e4tte sie gerade ein Ameisennest gest\u00f6rt und wartete auf den ersten von tausend Stichen.\n\nwird fortgesetzt.....","zh_CN":"Is Sensationalism Getting in the Way of Real Reporting? Special: New United Expos\u00e9.\n\nEven song birds will peck our eyes out when their nest is threatened. Yadav didn\u2019t have time to contemplate how she might be threatening anyone\u2019s nest. The next moment the door flew inward, and the governor slipped through.\n\n\u201cMay I introduce a cabinet member and my close advisor, Wei Martinez,\u201d the governor said, gesturing to the man behind her.\n\nBlack, straight hair fell to Martinez\u2019s shoulders, and a thin mustache perched over his lip like an oiled caterpillar. Upon entering, he made a point of smoothing and buttoning his suit jacket, which was well tailored. If he\u2019d worn a tie, Yadav was sure he would have cinched it tight. Strapped to his belt was a holster carrying a kinetic sidearm.\n\nYadav eyeballed the gun, wary.\n\n\u201cI am Governor Tentopet Jones. And your ID codes say that you are \u2026?\u201d She and Martinez both crossed their arms expectantly.\n\nYadav felt a bit like a young child in the principal\u2019s office under Jones\u2019 scrutiny. But Martinez\u2019s countenance gave her graveyard chills.\n\n\u201cI\u2019m Ulla Yadav,\u201d she said without hesitation, holding up her press tattoo. \u201cOf New United.\u201d\n\nJones nodded, satisfied.\n\n\u201cYou landed illegally on our planet,\u201d Martinez broke in. \u201cNo passes or permissions were given. Your ship was destroyed. When and how do you intend to vacate the system?\u201d\n\n\u201cIs that important?\u201d Yadav asked\n\nHis gaze narrowed. \u201cYes.\u201d\n\nTheir medical scans hadn\u2019t even picked up on the beacon in her intestines. What century were these people living in?\n\n\u201cWhy don\u2019t you just deport me?\u201d she asked.\n\n\u201cWe don\u2019t have the resources to waste,\u201d Jones said smoothly. \u201cWho knows you\u2019re here?\u201d\n\nYadav carefully gauged the pitch and timber of Jones\u2019 question. The answer was uncertain \u2014 maybe all of New United, maybe no one. It was impossible to tell if someone had picked up her trail yet or not, especially since she didn\u2019t know how much time had passed since the crash. But that wasn\u2019t important. Yadav had to tell them \u2014 especially this Martinez character \u2014 exactly what they needed to hear.\n\n\u201cI have a contact out of system,\u201d she said. \u201cHe\u2019s got his ears open. He knows to alert the company if he doesn\u2019t hear from me every forty-eight hours.\u201d\n\nMartinez let out an aggravated, \u201cHa.\u201d Whether it was because he didn\u2019t believe her, or didn\u2019t want to believe her, Yadav wasn\u2019t sure.\n\n\u201cWhy is my colleague dead?\u201d she blurted.\n\nJones didn\u2019t answer right away. She seemed to be searching for the right words. \u201cWe were unable to save him. I\u2019m sorry. I don\u2019t know how much you saw from the med shuttle, but we are not a well-to-do society. Our capabilities proved inadequate.\u201d\n\n\u201cBut at first glance they didn\u2019t appear inadequate,\u201d Yadav said. She needed to get a feel for the political dynamics in play. Exactly what kind of a leader was this Ten-toe-pet Jones? \u201cThe city at the bottom of the hill is in shambles, but you tried to build something imposing and modern up here. Have a nice little private compound, don\u2019t you?\u201d\nMartinez looked as though he might lash out at any minute. Frustration wafted off of him like bad cologne. \u201cWhat\u2019s your point?\u201d\n\n\u201cYou don\u2019t seem to have a lot to work with, but you sure did your best to make it look like you\u2019ve got deep pockets.\u201d\n\n\u201cIt makes the public believe that prosperity is achievable,\u201d Jones said. \u201cIf they knew the truth, that not even their government had wealth, they would despair.\u201d\n\nYadav openly scoffed. Warlords and pseudo-emperors loved their high towers and gilded palaces. Such compounds were displays of power meant to keep people in their place. They highlighted the massive gap between the oppressed and the oppressors. Made the public feel weak, incapable.\n\nIt surprised Yadav that Jones would attempt to claim their compound as anything more than uprising insurance.\n\nThe governor sat down across from the reporter and leaned in. \u201cWei and I are cousins,\u201d she said, gesturing to Martinez, who rolled his eyes. \u201cWhere we come from originally, no one has money. No one appears to have money. This society might look impoverished to you, but you\u2019ve never seen our home station.\n\n\u201cMost of my childhood memories run together. One day was mostly like the next. But there was one that sticks out in my mind as a turning point \u2014 it\u2019s the reason I chose to be a leader. The reason for these buildings.\n\n\u201cThere was this fence \u2014 well, more of a wall. It was made of rusty metal slats, and blocked off a dilapidated, toxic apartment. The chemical smell was horrendous \u2014 the place had been used to cook SLAM. Some kid had found a half-empty can of spray paint and covered the thing in vulgarities. The wall sat like that, a sickening eyesore in the heart of our rundown space station for years. Until some people chipped in to buy a few gallons of paint off a traveling salesman. As a community, we whitewashed that wall. Made it shine.\n\n\u201cThat wall made us believe things could get better. A silly, crappy faux wall that we made beautiful. The premise here is the same.\u201d\n\nJones sat back. \u201cI am a public servant, Ms. Yadav, trying to increase the morale of my strained people. If I have to do a little hand waving, a little deceiving, to make them believe in improvement, I do it without hesitation.\u201d\n\nGreat, another politician with a sob story, toting civic duty like a Roman cross, Yadav thought. \u201cWhat is your relationship with the pirates like?\u201d\n\nThe governor was quiet for a split second. \u201cTenuous.\u201d\n\n\u201cHow are you protecting your people? Are you protecting your people?\u201d\n\n\u201cOur cannon worked well enough, didn\u2019t it?\u201d\n\n\u201cBut what else?\u201d\n\n\u201cYou\u2019ve got no reason to take up the governor\u2019s time,\u201d Martinez protested. \u201cShe doesn\u2019t have to prove anything to you. We\u2019re here to interrogate you, not the other way around.\u201d\nJones held up a placating hand.\n\n\u201cInstead of an interrogation, how about a formal interview?\u201d asked Yadav. \u201cIn the streets, amongst the people.\u201d Maybe she would get to inspect those lean-tos after all.\n\nA subtle smile played over Jones lips, as though she\u2019d been waiting for this chance. \u201cIf I show you our colony, will you do a story on it? Make us major news?\u201d\n\n\u201cIf there\u2019s something newsworthy happening on this planet, I\u2019ll write about it,\u201d Yadav replied slyly.\n\n\u201cThis isn\u2019t a good idea,\u201d Martinez said.\n\n\u201cGet me someone who can remove her restraints,\u201d Jones decided, ignoring his concern. \u201cI\u2019m taking our new friend for a walk.\u201d\n\nMartinez bent close to Jones\u2019 ear, laying a firm hand on her shoulder. Yadav noticed his knuckles strained against her jacket. \u201cWe\u2019re going to regret this,\u201d he said darkly. \u201cYou should have taken my initial recommendation.\u201d\n\n\u201cThank you for your concern,\u201d Jones said unemotionally. \u201cBut under the circumstances, I\u2019ll be keeping my own counsel.\u201d She gave him a meaningful look.\n\n\u201cFine,\u201d he said, moving toward the door. \u201cBut a government\u2019s number one concern must always be the protection of its people. Don\u2019t let this newswoman make you think any different. Rosy PR means nothing if the people can\u2019t produce.\u201d\n\nYadav wanted to assure him that the last thing he had to worry about was her interfering with their public relations, but staying quiet when necessary was just as important as shooting off the right questions at the right time.\n\n\u201cThank you,\u201d Jones said again. \u201cPlease get me an escort, something to free her hands \u2014\u201d\n\n\u201cAnd a change of clothes?\u201d Yadav suggested. A hospital robe was hardly appropriate street wear.\n\n\u201cAnd the spare suit from my office,\u201d Jones added.\n\nMartinez opened his mouth to protest again, but Jones barked, \u201cGo.\u201d\n\nHe nodded, suddenly gracious. Then he allowed his gaze to meet Yadav\u2019s for a split second before he disappeared.\n\nYadav felt like she\u2019d just disturbed an ants\u2019 nest and was waiting for the first of a thousand stings.\n\nto be continued \u2026"},"links_count":0,"comment_count":53,"created_at":"2014-03-07T00:00:00+00:00","created_at_human":"12 years ago"},"meta":{"processed_at":"2026-05-14 16:21:11","valid_relations":["images","links"],"prev_id":13594,"next_id":13596}}