RVA: Shadow of Doubt, Spin Doctoring
Mar. 14th, 2016 05:11 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
jeriendhalJumping back to the chronological narrative.
* * *
Salli looked up when Ali came in to her suite, and noted the sour expression on her face. “What’s the matter?” she asked.
“Nothing,” Ali said, her tone short. She seemed to catch herself and deliberately relax her stance, putting a smile on her muzzle. “I took too long to get cleaned up and dressed.”
Deciding not to push, Salli replied, “I’m on vacation, there’s no need to hurry on my account.” Her palm comp chimed, and she pulled it out, brow wrinkling as she read the message there. “Though it seems we do have an appointment.”
“With whom?” Ali asked.
“The district press officer.” Salli headed out into the hallway, angling towards the conference parlor where the press officer said they could find him.
Ali followed, her face scrunching up in puzzlement briefly. “You’ve got your own press office?”
She smiled. “Oh, yes. The district has almost thirty million subjects after all. We’re rather obligated to let them know what we’re doing. Actually we had one when we just administered my mother’s domain too, but they tended to simply send out the occasional press release when some new business opened in the domain or Mother was attending an important meeting. The vixen who ran it before found reason to retire shortly after Mother was elevated to the Countess-ship, I fear. I haven’t met the new one yet.”
They entered the conference parlor, decorated in bright yellow floral wallpaper with matching padded chairs. Sitting in one of them was a tall human with dark brown skin, and darker brown eyes, wearing foxen style Commoner culottes and short sleeve collared shirt His foot pads, feet rather, were protected by light sandals, rather than the clunkier foot protectors most humans wore. When they entered he smiled and stood up, bowing in the foxen style of Commoner to Noble.
“Lady Darktail, Ms. Blacksailor, I’m Phillip Jackson, House Darktail’s chief press officer.” Unusually for a human, he was speaking Foxen, not Galactic Basic, his accent almost flawless, given his mouth was the wrong shape for many of the vowels.
Salli nodded back in greeting neutrally. “Hello, Phillip, a pleasure to meet you finally.”
“Thank you. Please, sit down, both of you,” he said, closing the door to the parlor.
Salli took a seat one of the chairs facing Phillip, motioning for Ali to do the same. The bodyguard reluctantly moved from her default furniture-against-the-wall position and sat beside her. “What’s prompted you to request this meeting?” Salli asked.
“You’re aware of the article published a few days ago on Oceanic Newsnet, I assume,” Phillip said delicately.
“Painfully aware,” Salli said, trying not to growl. Beside her, Ali flinched.
He nodded. “Good. Well, it should come as no surprise that Oceanic and some of the other major orbital news services are trying to follow up on it. Obviously Ms. Blacksailor’s trial and conviction are a matter of public record, nothing to be done about that. What I need to know from you is how to handle more personal details, should they ask about them.”
Salli glanced briefly at Ali, who gave an affirmative twitch of her ears. “If anyone is rude enough to ask, you may answer that she and I are in a relationship. I am not ashamed of that. I am aware of Alinadar's past history, her crimes have been judged by a court of law, and she is serving her sentence. If they want to know anything else then they can bite my wagging tail.”
“I see,” Phillip said carefully. “But, how exactly do you want to spin it?”
“Spin it? I should think stating the facts is sufficient.”
Lacking mobile ears or a tail, human expressions tended to be hard to read for foxen. Nevertheless, even though she couldn't see how Phillip's face or stance changed an iota, he managed to project an air of condescending pity at her assertion.
“News is Narrative, Lady Darktail,” he said after a moment. “No matter how much the news services state they're giving out the truth, what they're really giving is a story, something that will catch a listener's attention. The question is, do you want the news outlets to set the narrative all by themselves, or would you prefer to try and guide it?”
Salli sighed. “Given what happened previously, I suppose guiding it would be a better idea. Do you have any suggestions?”
Phillip nodded eagerly. “Well, I think it would be a good idea to get the word out about Ms. Alinadar's story.”
“My story?” Ali asked, looking surprised.
“Oh, yes. A young cub, her family murdered, forced into being a child soldier, then finally found again by her surviving brother and taken under the wing of a powerful Noble. That's instant sympathy right there.” He held out his hand, turning it over palm down. “The alternative is Oceanic’s take on it: Murderously insane Commoner gets away with major crimes, protected from serious consequences by the fancy of a Countess’ Heir. Cue up examples of injustice against Commoners, etc., etc. You’ve seen how that works out.”
“Well, I suppose if you put it that way,” Ali agreed reluctantly.
“So we’ll definitely want to set you up with a couple of interviews with friendly news services. Perhaps with an emphasis on the danger represented by pirates in uncontrolled space, and your abuse as a slave of Bloody Margo.”
“They didn’t hit me that much…” Ali muttered. “Wait, interviews? With me?”
Philip nodded again. “Of course.” He made a measuring gesture with his hand. “I’m sorry, but as short as you are and with that fur pattern and eyes, you’re actually pretty cute. The cameras would love you.”
Ali slumped down in her chair, obviously less that thrilled with the idea. “Cameras…” she muttered.
Salli reached over and patted her paw. “I can be there with you, dear.”
Ali took Salli’s paw in hers and gave an answering squeeze. “Please, yes.”
She cocked a head at Phillip in curiosity. “I wonder at this interest in publicly discussing the situation. Were you prompted by my mother to contact us?”
His expression distinctly ironic, Philip answered, “No, Lady Sallivera, your father actually.”
Working at cross-purposes apparently, if Salli was interpreting the information right. “I see,” she said delicately.
“Indeed.” Philip stood up, giving them both another bow. “Well then, with your permission, Lady Sallivera, I’ll talk to a couple of my media contacts and start setting up interviews. I’ll let you know about them well in advance so you’ve got plenty of time to prep.”
“That would be greatly appreciated.” She stood up, Ali taking her usual position beside her. She cocked her ears in curiousity. “May I ask if you’re going to secure my mother’s permission for this event?”
“Ah.” Philip bow to her again, the movement tinged with irony. “As the original request came from the Count, I am assuming he is keeping your lady mother apprised.”
“Indeed.”
Interesting.
* * *
Salli looked up when Ali came in to her suite, and noted the sour expression on her face. “What’s the matter?” she asked.
“Nothing,” Ali said, her tone short. She seemed to catch herself and deliberately relax her stance, putting a smile on her muzzle. “I took too long to get cleaned up and dressed.”
Deciding not to push, Salli replied, “I’m on vacation, there’s no need to hurry on my account.” Her palm comp chimed, and she pulled it out, brow wrinkling as she read the message there. “Though it seems we do have an appointment.”
“With whom?” Ali asked.
“The district press officer.” Salli headed out into the hallway, angling towards the conference parlor where the press officer said they could find him.
Ali followed, her face scrunching up in puzzlement briefly. “You’ve got your own press office?”
She smiled. “Oh, yes. The district has almost thirty million subjects after all. We’re rather obligated to let them know what we’re doing. Actually we had one when we just administered my mother’s domain too, but they tended to simply send out the occasional press release when some new business opened in the domain or Mother was attending an important meeting. The vixen who ran it before found reason to retire shortly after Mother was elevated to the Countess-ship, I fear. I haven’t met the new one yet.”
They entered the conference parlor, decorated in bright yellow floral wallpaper with matching padded chairs. Sitting in one of them was a tall human with dark brown skin, and darker brown eyes, wearing foxen style Commoner culottes and short sleeve collared shirt His foot pads, feet rather, were protected by light sandals, rather than the clunkier foot protectors most humans wore. When they entered he smiled and stood up, bowing in the foxen style of Commoner to Noble.
“Lady Darktail, Ms. Blacksailor, I’m Phillip Jackson, House Darktail’s chief press officer.” Unusually for a human, he was speaking Foxen, not Galactic Basic, his accent almost flawless, given his mouth was the wrong shape for many of the vowels.
Salli nodded back in greeting neutrally. “Hello, Phillip, a pleasure to meet you finally.”
“Thank you. Please, sit down, both of you,” he said, closing the door to the parlor.
Salli took a seat one of the chairs facing Phillip, motioning for Ali to do the same. The bodyguard reluctantly moved from her default furniture-against-the-wall position and sat beside her. “What’s prompted you to request this meeting?” Salli asked.
“You’re aware of the article published a few days ago on Oceanic Newsnet, I assume,” Phillip said delicately.
“Painfully aware,” Salli said, trying not to growl. Beside her, Ali flinched.
He nodded. “Good. Well, it should come as no surprise that Oceanic and some of the other major orbital news services are trying to follow up on it. Obviously Ms. Blacksailor’s trial and conviction are a matter of public record, nothing to be done about that. What I need to know from you is how to handle more personal details, should they ask about them.”
Salli glanced briefly at Ali, who gave an affirmative twitch of her ears. “If anyone is rude enough to ask, you may answer that she and I are in a relationship. I am not ashamed of that. I am aware of Alinadar's past history, her crimes have been judged by a court of law, and she is serving her sentence. If they want to know anything else then they can bite my wagging tail.”
“I see,” Phillip said carefully. “But, how exactly do you want to spin it?”
“Spin it? I should think stating the facts is sufficient.”
Lacking mobile ears or a tail, human expressions tended to be hard to read for foxen. Nevertheless, even though she couldn't see how Phillip's face or stance changed an iota, he managed to project an air of condescending pity at her assertion.
“News is Narrative, Lady Darktail,” he said after a moment. “No matter how much the news services state they're giving out the truth, what they're really giving is a story, something that will catch a listener's attention. The question is, do you want the news outlets to set the narrative all by themselves, or would you prefer to try and guide it?”
Salli sighed. “Given what happened previously, I suppose guiding it would be a better idea. Do you have any suggestions?”
Phillip nodded eagerly. “Well, I think it would be a good idea to get the word out about Ms. Alinadar's story.”
“My story?” Ali asked, looking surprised.
“Oh, yes. A young cub, her family murdered, forced into being a child soldier, then finally found again by her surviving brother and taken under the wing of a powerful Noble. That's instant sympathy right there.” He held out his hand, turning it over palm down. “The alternative is Oceanic’s take on it: Murderously insane Commoner gets away with major crimes, protected from serious consequences by the fancy of a Countess’ Heir. Cue up examples of injustice against Commoners, etc., etc. You’ve seen how that works out.”
“Well, I suppose if you put it that way,” Ali agreed reluctantly.
“So we’ll definitely want to set you up with a couple of interviews with friendly news services. Perhaps with an emphasis on the danger represented by pirates in uncontrolled space, and your abuse as a slave of Bloody Margo.”
“They didn’t hit me that much…” Ali muttered. “Wait, interviews? With me?”
Philip nodded again. “Of course.” He made a measuring gesture with his hand. “I’m sorry, but as short as you are and with that fur pattern and eyes, you’re actually pretty cute. The cameras would love you.”
Ali slumped down in her chair, obviously less that thrilled with the idea. “Cameras…” she muttered.
Salli reached over and patted her paw. “I can be there with you, dear.”
Ali took Salli’s paw in hers and gave an answering squeeze. “Please, yes.”
She cocked a head at Phillip in curiosity. “I wonder at this interest in publicly discussing the situation. Were you prompted by my mother to contact us?”
His expression distinctly ironic, Philip answered, “No, Lady Sallivera, your father actually.”
Working at cross-purposes apparently, if Salli was interpreting the information right. “I see,” she said delicately.
“Indeed.” Philip stood up, giving them both another bow. “Well then, with your permission, Lady Sallivera, I’ll talk to a couple of my media contacts and start setting up interviews. I’ll let you know about them well in advance so you’ve got plenty of time to prep.”
“That would be greatly appreciated.” She stood up, Ali taking her usual position beside her. She cocked her ears in curiousity. “May I ask if you’re going to secure my mother’s permission for this event?”
“Ah.” Philip bow to her again, the movement tinged with irony. “As the original request came from the Count, I am assuming he is keeping your lady mother apprised.”
“Indeed.”
Interesting.
