Broadcasting Rooms - GNN Central

 

On this level of the GNN building, one can find all the manner of equipment and stages to allow the GNN to deliver its fine quality programming. The main area here is dominated by a singular yet curved green desk with a blue screen behind it. That area makes up the set where the general news broadcasts to the public are made. Off to another side one can find a small set used for the ever-popular interviews. This area can be configured to simply have two modern contoured chairs with the flag of the country involved freeze framed as flowing in the wind, or can be done with a smaller, more home style feeling with simple wooden chairs, desk, or table and a nice country house background. This area is also used to house the various GNN field equipment, from the cameraman’s light powerful camera, and the small anti-gravity cameras used for emergencies, to the odd looking microphones with the "Capcom" logo on them.

 

Frenzy's Studio

 

Floor 2 <F2> leads to GNN Central - Offices.

Lobby <G> leads to San Angeles - GNN Central.

 

Chest is currently seated in one of two rather comfortable looking chairs situated in front of bookcases filled with a virtual legion of hardcover books, all with titles easily readable. 'A Demographic Analysis Into the African People', 'Cyborgs: The New Horizon', 'The Psychogenesis of the Robot Masters', 'The Armed Reploid', 'Where's Cyber-Waldo?', 'Ethics and the Maverick Hunters', and 'The New Role of the United Nation' are among the many more. Next to Chest's chair is another chair, between which is a small table which can be used for any glasses of water anyone brings along. The GNN bossman is currently reading over a series of notes, muttering to himself as he waits for Doppler to arrive. Crews are running each and every way, getting the lighting, cameras, and make-up just right.

 

Dr. Doppler takes a bit longer in make-up than expected, as the nicks and scratches he's explained away as resulting from a 'minor lab mishap' needed some additional touching up. The doctor is dressed professionally, in a navy blue business suit, white shirt and gray and burgandy-striped tie. His can taps lightly on the studio floor as he makes his way from the green room to the stage.

 

Camera <Chest> has arrived.

 

Chest smiles and stands up, putting down his notes on the table next to a glass of water. "Pleasure to have you here, Doctor." He says, sounding sincere. While normally the mech would shake the hand of the guy he's interviewing, Chest doesn't offer. His insurance premiums do cartwheels each time he does that with a Maverick. A makeup butterfly flitters by for a last-minute powdering of Doppler's nose, if he'll allow it. A human, hiding a scowl, offers Doppler a glass of water if he wants it. The director - you can tell by the poorly kept scraggly hair, shaggy beard, and frantic look in his eyes - abruptly calls out, "Thirty seconds!" The butterfly flutters away and Chest takes a seat, gesturing to the other for Doppler. The lights dim, the music plays, and 3... 2... 1...

 

The Camera turns on.

 

Music composed by Javelin Whitetail plays for five to ten seconds while a graphic is shown. And then... "Chest here, reporting live at GNN Central Studios in in the city of San Angeles." The camera pulls back from Chest, revealing opposite to him in another chair, the infamous father of the Mavericks, Dr. Doppler. Behind them is the usual array of bookcases filled to the brim with intelligent sounding titles ('A Demographic Analysis Into the African People', 'Cyborgs: The New Horizon', 'The Psychogenesis of the Robot Masters', and 'Ethics and the Maverick Hunters', among others). Chest glances towards the fellow in the other chair, "We have with us today the man behind all Reploids, Dr. Sigmund Doppler. It's a pleasure to have you here, Doctor." Chest said that before the camera rolled, but he has to do it again on the air. The camera focuses on Doppler for his introductions.

 

[Radio: (A) Global] Krieger Wolf transmits, "Oh, this ought to be good."

 

Dr. Doppler needs no introduction, really. Between being Viceroy of the Coalition and the UN's Most Wanted Man, the number of people who don't recognize him are few indeed. He is dressed professionally, having exchanged his labcoat for a a navy blue business suit, white shirt and gray and burgandy-striped tie. His cane has been hidden behind the stuffed chair and therefore out of the camera's view. "Thank you for having me here, Chest," he says politely.

 

The camera returns to Chest. Now that the falsely polite greetings are finished, he starts things off, "Looking at the last two major attacks by the Coalition, Doctor, we have here an assault on a /food shipment/, and an invasion against a /hospital/. One of which destroyed much needed supplies in Moscow as well as bringing about the destruction of grain stores. Commander Signas of the Hunters called this a 'deplorable tactic'. The other involved kidnapping humans without anyone's say-so other than your own." Chest leans back in his seat, "Given that the Coalition sees itself as representing the best future for Earth, how can you possibly defend these latest moves by your organization?"

 

A little ticker message at the bottom of the screen reads: Have your thoughts and questions for Dr. Doppler heard! Call 1-888-gnn-news with your question or comment.' (paging chest) Anyone who calls in will get what's essentially an answering machine where questions can be left and read off on the air as needed. Evidently GNN doesn't want to risk having twits (read: Robot Masters) talking live to the doctor.

 

Dr. Doppler absolutely refuses to look uncomfortable at the pointed line of questioning. "The abduction of the children was necessary to save their lives," he states. "Russia at this time has no stable national government, and the surviving local politicians are more interested in saving their own necks. This is why I chose such direct action. The five children we rescued have been under my care and their treatment has had my personal supervision. If you are concerned for their well-being, I assure you that they are much healthier now than they have been in months, if not years." A momentary pause. "As for the attack on the convoy, we at the time had good reason to believe that it had passed through the Empire on its way to Russia. Our intelligence suggested that it may have also been carrying weapons for use against us by rebels that have taken up residence in eastern Russia and Poland. That is why we attacked it. The loss of food to the Russian people is regrettable, but we belived that the attack was justified."

 

Chest arches an optical ridge and takes a sip of water while the camera is focused on Doppler. He sets it back down as the doctor finishes and the camera returns to Chest. "A lot of people are concerned for their well-being, Doctor. I for one look forward to when, since 'they are much healthier now than they have been in months, if not years', the public gets to see them again, speak with them again, and hear all about their adventures with the Coalition as well as being able to speak with a nice, neutral psychologist for a good several hours." Chest pauses, "Which I will assume is going to happen soon, right? After all, they will be fully fledged citizens of the Coalition as you have mentioned before."

        Chest changes gears, "Now about the shipment, surely there was a better way of handling this suspicion - which turned out to be false - than sending Vile to annihilate it." Chest smiles, "Sometimes I think the cashier at my local grocery store is short-changing me every so often, but I don't pull out a gun and start with the killing." Chest continues onward, "Couldn't a simple inspection work? And how about the grain elevator targeted and destroyed by an EM Pulse? Or the silos burned to the ground by sabotage with incendiary rounds?" Chest smiles again, "Were those silos also carrying weapons? Was knocking on the front door too much of a hassle? Isn't it true, doctor, that the Coalition just wanted to go out and /hurt/ someone and get some revenge on humanity, and so attacked civilians in a way that they could not defend themselves?"

 

"Katina and Sergei have nearly fully recovered from their surgery," Doppler assures. "In the interest of their health, it was best not to subject them to any kind of media blitz before they were ready for it. No offense to you and your fellow reporters, Chest, but exposure to the media can be overwhelming for any young child. Gavrie, Ustin, and Vadim are still in the process of being cured, but once they've had chance to recover, they will be seen by the public as well."

            The doctor frowns faintly as the topic returns to the recent attack on Russia. "Again, there is no government in Russia with which we can address our grievances. If you believe that the rebels operating in the area would be willing to submit themselves to an inspection, well," he gives a small shrug, "I assure you that they wouldn't. As for how General Vile handled the sortee, he is a sound tactician, one of the best in the world. If there had been weapons in those silos, and it /is/ a known tactic, if you read your history of early twenty-first century warfare, then it was prudent reasoning to attack them before they could be used."

 

Chest smiles, "Oh I have read my 21st century history on warfare. In fact, I'm reminded of something from then right now. The idea that the possibility of weapons - on what turns out to be faulty intelligence - being a reasonable excuse to launch an attack has been used before. I mean, what's next? What's to stop you from doing attacking human civilians whenever you like under the guise of weapon inspection. I guess what I'm saying, doctor, is that it's best to find out for sure about these things before firing the missiles. It's how we keep innocent casualties down in a war already filled with too many." Chest gives a sly smirk, "Since Vile, the sound tactician, incorrectly handled the issue, I presume the Coalition will be punishing him for his incorrect decision?"

        Chest pauses and listens to something radioed to him, "We have a question from the viewers at home." A recording plays: "So, Herr Doktor, how do you explain the embracing of humans anyway? You yourself seem to enjoy pretending that you are one of your own creations, but do you really think that slapping a new wrapper around a human makes them any different?" Although no name is given, the voice matches that of Krieger Wolf.

 

"If the military division of the Coalition concludes that General Vile did act improperly either on planning the attack or his conduct in the field, then he will be disciplined, yes." Doppler's expression is stone-cold serious as he says this. "I personally would prefer to keep this a clean war, with no more civilian casualties than necessary. Unfortunately, this /is/ war, and so there will be civilian deaths no matter how careful one is."

            The Viceroy is silent as he listens to the recorded question, and suppresses a smirk as he recognizes the voice. "I'm sure that question has been on several people's minds," he says, steepling his fingers. "Then let me answer it. Humanity is fundamentally flawed, that has not changed. However, it is not humanity's fault that they are the way that they are. The biological flaws at least can be removed with cybernetic augumentation. Understand this. Katina, Sergei, Gavrie, Ustin, and Vadim have been trapped in bodies that are failing them. It is the grater cruelty to allow them to die when modern science is capable of letting them live normal lives."

 

Chest leans back in his chair, "Well lets look at the facts, shall we?" He chuckles slightly, "In order to help out the military division of the Coalition." Chest raises a finger, "The Coalition thinks there might be weapons being smuggled by, ahem, grain elevators and silos." He raises another finger. "The Coalition wants a clean war with as little civilian casualties as possible, as you have said." He now raises a finger on his other hand and says, "Vile then annihilated the much needed food and silos, causing many civilian deaths when there were no weapons anywhere around. Evidently none too careful." Chest glances at his left hand, which holds the first two facts. Then he glances at his right hand, which holds the third fact. "Sounds improper to me, Doctor. I look forward to hearing about it when he is removed from command due to this fiasco." Chest shall not be holding his breath, to say the least.

        Chest is about to move onto the humanity question when he once again pauses and listens to his radio, "Well we have ourselves a reply." Krieger, again: "Like the brain, Herr Doktor? You'll never get rid of that, you know....that clump of grey porridge will follow you all the way to your grave." Chest nods and adds a few points himself, "That's an interesting point our viewer brings up, Doctor. What is it about humans that are flawed? Is it their physical aspects, in which case... well... c'mon, who cares? Or is it their minds, which are a tad trickier to remove their humanity from."

 

Dr. Doppler does smirk now. "Perhaps you should put him on for an interview," he muses quietly. Then, in a more conversational tone of voice, "Much of their flaws are due to biology, yes. Human genetics are extremely complex and not easily changed. In spite of what some people in Neo-Arcadia may tell you, the fundamental flaws in human genomes are not so easily removed. It is like attempting to remove individual fibers from a cloth without causing the whole to unravel. The best that can be done is to minimize these flaws. This has been best accomplished by cybernetics.

 

"As our caller has pointed out, the organic brain remains an integral part of any human. Thus, the mental flaws are retained to a degree even after augumentation. Some of these flaws may be societal in nature, a matter of culture and upbringing. These may not be able to be removed, but they can be managed with proper treatment."

 

Chest is not going to interview Vile. This is because Chest is not, what we in the reporting business call, 'suicidal'. At any rate, he doesn't chuckle at the joke (if it was one). The focus returns to Chest, and the android looks into the camera. "We'll have to leave it up to the viewers at home to decide if humanity is really improved in this manner, and whether the difference is so great as to warrant not having the right to exist without agreeing to it. I'd like to thank Dr. Doppler for spending his time with us here tonight, as well as those who called in." See? Chest is back into 'required niceness' mode. He has no choice about this. It just has to be this way. The camera switches to Doppler to see if he has any last words. Or if he just wishes to look scary or something.

 

Dr. Doppler offers a pleasant smile to his interviewer, and by extension to the audience at home. That in itself may be frightening to some. "Thank you, Chest."

 

The classy Javelin Whitetail composed music plays, and GNN switches to doing another story.

 

The Camera turns off.

 

[Radio: (A) Global] President Elpizo transmits, "I must say, Dr. Doppler. Even though there were some points that I disagree with, you did a splendid job in relating your facts other than blatantly saying 'humanity inferior', like so many of your bretheren."

 

Chest stands up as the cameras stop rolling in this studio, "Thanks for coming along, Doctor. We'll have to arrange a time for when you think the children are ready to tell everyone how're they're doing." Chest can only hope they haven't been brainwashed beyond recognition, but sadly, he has a feeling the Coalition won't decide they're 'ready' until this is precisely the case.

 

Dr. Doppler would normally offer a handshake, but current conditions (such as him dripping with Virus) simply won't allow that. So, he instead gives a small bow. "I will let you know. Possibly tomorrow. The children have made remarkable progress - I think you'll be pleased when you see them." He disconnects his microhone, then retrieves his cane.

 

[Radio: (A) Global] Dr. Doppler transmits, "I am a scientist, Presidente. I do not believe in stating things without sufficient evidence."