Champion and took home ten-million dollars!”
The camera zoomed in on the smiling picture of a muscular young man wearing a black suit leaning on the roof of a sleek sports air-car.
“Bob Smith is now living a life of luxury! So tune in to You Bet Your Life every Tuesday at 8 PM eastern, 9 PM central on this station to see the chills and thrills of live arena combat!”
The camera focused on the Coliseum again. The on-screen gladiator armed with the trident tripped his opponent’s legs with his net and impaled him through the chest. The camera zoomed in on the gladiator’s bloody chest as he clutched at the shaft. He gritted his teeth and dropped to the ground holding the shaft with both hands.
“So as you can see, ladies and gentlemen, this innovative game show takes no prisoners!” the announcer said, grinning widely at the camera.
The camera panned down the stage, focusing quickly on each implement of torture starting with the electric chair and ending with the old-style movie camera.
“So you choose, America! Will it be the electric chair or the chance of freedom in the gladiator arena on You Bet Your Life! It’s up to you!”
The camera and spotlight moved abruptly back to the young, tuxedoed announcer, who now wore an expression of poorly feigned solemnity.
“And now, for our first criminal, a little background….” he began, as another camera focused on the movie theatre-sized screen.
The excessively solemn face of another announcer filled the large white movie screen. The camera zoomed back to reveal a tall, middle-aged, distinguished-looking, gray-haired gentlemen wearing a gray suit, holding a microphone up to his perfect teeth. A high gray wall topped with barbed wire loomed in the background.
“Hello, I’m Rick Stark, reporter for Monday Night Justice. I’m standing outside the Frump National Penitentiary, waiting for the corrections officers to bring the perpetrator out to the hover-van that will take him to our television studio. Earlier this evening, the perpetrator was tried and convicted in a court of law in less than two hours by utilizing indisputable videodisc evidence. As you all know, years ago when the Justice System was in chaos, it took months to try dangerous criminals in courts of law and often years for their sentences to be imposed. The Justice Reform Act of 2046 put an end to that. Today, most trials are completed in a few days and if the evidence is indisputable like today, a few hours. This video disc speaks for itself.”
Rayne sat on his couch riveted to the screen as the scene changed to a wide, dark city street surrounded by low, dilapidated buildings. A chill crawled down the back of his neck as something about the scene struck him as familiar. He suddenly realized it was the same road he and his friends had traveled on earlier tonight to get to their homes!
Peter assumed the television camera was attached to the front of an anti-grav vehicle because the street flew by in a linear perspective until it closed in on a sea of lights moving on the streets below. Peter sat upright when he realized it was a scene of hundreds of people carrying torches and signs in the street.
The protesters !
The camera zoomed in on the front of the demonstration where Martin Prince was striding confidently down the street surrounded by enthusiastic demonstrators. Some were shouting slogans and many were carrying signs and placards. The middle-aged reporter’s voice interjected into the scene.
“The well-known Civil Rights activist, Martin Prince, organized a demonstration earlier this evening in Inner City. Prince has been an advocate for disadvantaged people for several years and specializes in organizing peaceful demonstrations. Today’s demonstration began peacefully….” the reporter let his words hang, ominously, as the television camera zoomed in on Prince
The camera zoomed in on the smiling picture of a muscular young man wearing a black suit leaning on the roof of a sleek sports air-car.
“Bob Smith is now living a life of luxury! So tune in to You Bet Your Life every Tuesday at 8 PM eastern, 9 PM central on this station to see the chills and thrills of live arena combat!”
The camera focused on the Coliseum again. The on-screen gladiator armed with the trident tripped his opponent’s legs with his net and impaled him through the chest. The camera zoomed in on the gladiator’s bloody chest as he clutched at the shaft. He gritted his teeth and dropped to the ground holding the shaft with both hands.
“So as you can see, ladies and gentlemen, this innovative game show takes no prisoners!” the announcer said, grinning widely at the camera.
The camera panned down the stage, focusing quickly on each implement of torture starting with the electric chair and ending with the old-style movie camera.
“So you choose, America! Will it be the electric chair or the chance of freedom in the gladiator arena on You Bet Your Life! It’s up to you!”
The camera and spotlight moved abruptly back to the young, tuxedoed announcer, who now wore an expression of poorly feigned solemnity.
“And now, for our first criminal, a little background….” he began, as another camera focused on the movie theatre-sized screen.
The excessively solemn face of another announcer filled the large white movie screen. The camera zoomed back to reveal a tall, middle-aged, distinguished-looking, gray-haired gentlemen wearing a gray suit, holding a microphone up to his perfect teeth. A high gray wall topped with barbed wire loomed in the background.
“Hello, I’m Rick Stark, reporter for Monday Night Justice. I’m standing outside the Frump National Penitentiary, waiting for the corrections officers to bring the perpetrator out to the hover-van that will take him to our television studio. Earlier this evening, the perpetrator was tried and convicted in a court of law in less than two hours by utilizing indisputable videodisc evidence. As you all know, years ago when the Justice System was in chaos, it took months to try dangerous criminals in courts of law and often years for their sentences to be imposed. The Justice Reform Act of 2046 put an end to that. Today, most trials are completed in a few days and if the evidence is indisputable like today, a few hours. This video disc speaks for itself.”
Rayne sat on his couch riveted to the screen as the scene changed to a wide, dark city street surrounded by low, dilapidated buildings. A chill crawled down the back of his neck as something about the scene struck him as familiar. He suddenly realized it was the same road he and his friends had traveled on earlier tonight to get to their homes!
Peter assumed the television camera was attached to the front of an anti-grav vehicle because the street flew by in a linear perspective until it closed in on a sea of lights moving on the streets below. Peter sat upright when he realized it was a scene of hundreds of people carrying torches and signs in the street.
The protesters !
The camera zoomed in on the front of the demonstration where Martin Prince was striding confidently down the street surrounded by enthusiastic demonstrators. Some were shouting slogans and many were carrying signs and placards. The middle-aged reporter’s voice interjected into the scene.
“The well-known Civil Rights activist, Martin Prince, organized a demonstration earlier this evening in Inner City. Prince has been an advocate for disadvantaged people for several years and specializes in organizing peaceful demonstrations. Today’s demonstration began peacefully….” the reporter let his words hang, ominously, as the television camera zoomed in on Prince
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