Hudathan war? We did . Who pays the taxes necessary to support the bloated bureaucracy ? We do . Who suffers as a result of ill-conceived military cutbacks? We do .”
Pardo paused to let her words sink in. The hover cam cruised from one end of the room to the other. The shot conveyed order, purpose, and a sense of calm. There was a dissolve followed by a montage of beggars.
“If you think the wars ended fifty years ago, then think again. We continue to deal with rebellions, interplanetary disputes, and outlaw armies. The men, women, and cyborgs seen here were encouraged to fight for the Confederacy, only to be abandoned like so much trash.”
The camera cut back to her face. She looked angry and determined. “Well, not any more! Thanks to their courage and skill, we can still take this planet back.
“ I will serve as governor until the emergency is over and elections can be held. Complete details concerning my staff, our military arm, and related matters can be found on the net. A series of programs describing your responsibilities and privileges will be broadcast around the clock. Please take the time necessary to view them.
“Remember, there is no reason to panic. You, your homes, and your livelihoods are intact. The only thing that has changed is your status as second-class citizens. You are free!”
The politician adopted a somewhat stern expression. “Make no mistake, however-there are those who wish to deny your freedom and will do anything to restore the status quo. They may even go so far as to take up arms against us! Such efforts will be punished.
“With that in mind, it will be necessary to ask all active and reserve military personnel to report to their duty stations, lay down their arms, and await processing.
‘ ‘Once that has been accomplished, all such men, women, and cyborgs will be invited to join our forces.
“Civilians must observe the posted curfews, obey travel restrictions, and avoid public gatherings.”
Pardo smiled. It was warm and engaging. “We’re sorry for the inconvenience these measures may cause and assure you that they will be lifted as soon as it’s feasible to do so.”
The director spoke into his headset, the video faded, and a variety of preproduced holos blossomed in its place. There were different versions for different audiences, each structured to accommodate the differences in language, culture, and religion still found on the planet.
Pardo had to give Qwan and his company credit. Having chosen representative sample populations, and conducted carefully disguised opinion polls, Noam Inc.’s media experts had taken the most frequently heard themes and codified them into messages calculated to restate already existent biases and misconceptions: “The Confederacy wouldn’t exist if it weren’t for humans.” “Terrans pay more than their fair share of taxes.” And the ever popular “Aliens grow fat while our people starve” motif.
All of which distorted reality ... but contained enough truth to be credible. The director gave a thumbs-up. “That’s a wrap, folks. Nice job, Governor ... you were ‘on message.’ Early results from the focus groups and sample pops look positive. Some negative ... especially in certain pockets ... but that’s to be expected.”
Pardo nodded her thanks, made her way across the Operations Center, and looked up toward a row of monitors. Fighting had broken out in Chicago, and a gunship was strafing a high-rise hab complex. Windows exploded and flames appeared. “Some negatives,” indeed. The politician headed for her makeshift office. She had com calls to make, VIPs to cajole, and a facial at 10:00.
Booly woke without knowing why. The room was dark. His bedclothes were wrapped around his knees. Air whispered through an overhead duct. It looked normal, but something was amiss. What?
Though not gifted with the supersensitive sense of smell that his Naa brethren had, the officer did have the ability to detect odors
Pardo paused to let her words sink in. The hover cam cruised from one end of the room to the other. The shot conveyed order, purpose, and a sense of calm. There was a dissolve followed by a montage of beggars.
“If you think the wars ended fifty years ago, then think again. We continue to deal with rebellions, interplanetary disputes, and outlaw armies. The men, women, and cyborgs seen here were encouraged to fight for the Confederacy, only to be abandoned like so much trash.”
The camera cut back to her face. She looked angry and determined. “Well, not any more! Thanks to their courage and skill, we can still take this planet back.
“ I will serve as governor until the emergency is over and elections can be held. Complete details concerning my staff, our military arm, and related matters can be found on the net. A series of programs describing your responsibilities and privileges will be broadcast around the clock. Please take the time necessary to view them.
“Remember, there is no reason to panic. You, your homes, and your livelihoods are intact. The only thing that has changed is your status as second-class citizens. You are free!”
The politician adopted a somewhat stern expression. “Make no mistake, however-there are those who wish to deny your freedom and will do anything to restore the status quo. They may even go so far as to take up arms against us! Such efforts will be punished.
“With that in mind, it will be necessary to ask all active and reserve military personnel to report to their duty stations, lay down their arms, and await processing.
‘ ‘Once that has been accomplished, all such men, women, and cyborgs will be invited to join our forces.
“Civilians must observe the posted curfews, obey travel restrictions, and avoid public gatherings.”
Pardo smiled. It was warm and engaging. “We’re sorry for the inconvenience these measures may cause and assure you that they will be lifted as soon as it’s feasible to do so.”
The director spoke into his headset, the video faded, and a variety of preproduced holos blossomed in its place. There were different versions for different audiences, each structured to accommodate the differences in language, culture, and religion still found on the planet.
Pardo had to give Qwan and his company credit. Having chosen representative sample populations, and conducted carefully disguised opinion polls, Noam Inc.’s media experts had taken the most frequently heard themes and codified them into messages calculated to restate already existent biases and misconceptions: “The Confederacy wouldn’t exist if it weren’t for humans.” “Terrans pay more than their fair share of taxes.” And the ever popular “Aliens grow fat while our people starve” motif.
All of which distorted reality ... but contained enough truth to be credible. The director gave a thumbs-up. “That’s a wrap, folks. Nice job, Governor ... you were ‘on message.’ Early results from the focus groups and sample pops look positive. Some negative ... especially in certain pockets ... but that’s to be expected.”
Pardo nodded her thanks, made her way across the Operations Center, and looked up toward a row of monitors. Fighting had broken out in Chicago, and a gunship was strafing a high-rise hab complex. Windows exploded and flames appeared. “Some negatives,” indeed. The politician headed for her makeshift office. She had com calls to make, VIPs to cajole, and a facial at 10:00.
Booly woke without knowing why. The room was dark. His bedclothes were wrapped around his knees. Air whispered through an overhead duct. It looked normal, but something was amiss. What?
Though not gifted with the supersensitive sense of smell that his Naa brethren had, the officer did have the ability to detect odors
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