Cloud Cent Chronicles: Part 1 Chapter 5

 

Transcript: Interview with the City’s Leader

Interview conducted by Cloud Cent. Hosted by Kef of Gov Net

Transcribed by Night of the Sergeants

 

Kef: Hello everyone watching at home, we’ve got a very special show for you tonight. Recently, journalist Cloud Cent of the daily inquisitor has raised some doubts in the public’s mind about the state of certain government investigations, so today, Mr. Cent will sit down with the city’s Leader to set everyone’s minds at ease.

 

Kef: For those of you who have not read through Cloud Cent’s recent articles, Cent has uncovered some concerns about the two suicides on mod block. With conspiracies and accusations flying, our Leader decided that the best way to clear up this confusion would be to speak with Cent himself. Let’s bring him out now, why don’t we. Mr. Cent, you can come out!

 

Cloud Cent walks out from backstage, giving the crowd a quick wave and head tilt. He shakes Kef’s hand, then takes a seat.

 

Kef: Hello Mr. Cent. It’s good to have you here.

 

Cloud: Good to be here. Excited to clear some things up.

 

Kef: Why don’t you tell the audience a little bit about yourself.

 

Cloud: Uh, hello there. Uh, my name is Cloud Cent. And. Um. Sorry, I’m more used to printing my words than actually speaking them. Sorry. Well, like Kef said, I’m a journalist at the daily inquisitor. Recently, I was promoted to senior reporter, so I started getting juicier assignments. My first was covering the death on mod block a little while ago. Then I was sent to write about the Village outside of the city. After that I covered the project in the Slums, and then the second death. Through these reports I started seeing a common theme. One thread linking them all. Keep in mind, this could all just be a coincidence, but, that’s why I’m here today, to make it clear what is happening in the city. 

 

Kef: A common thread? What is it?

 

Cloud: You’ll have to wait to hear about it with everyone else.

 

Kef: Aw come on, not even a little sneak peak.

 

It is important to note that Cloud Cent’s tone changed here. Before, he was serious, but still a bit lighthearted. But here, he began to act deadly serious, and a little sad.

 

Cloud: I’m sorry, but no. Where’s the Leader?

 

Kef: Excited to start the interview, eh? Well, I guess we’re ready to get started. If he’s ready, let’s bring out the Leader.

 

The Leader entered from the opposite side of the stage Cent did. He had a Sergeant on either side of him. The leader was dressed simply. His hair was slicked back and dark. He was wearing a plain gray suit, gray slacks, and black loafers. Kef stood to meet the leader. Cent remained seated.

 

Kef: Leader! It’s fantastic to see you! Pleaser sir, have a seat!

 

The Leader sat down. Cent was on the left of Kef with the Leader to Kef’s right.

 

Cloud: Mr. Leader. It’s nice to meet you. I hope you can clear some things up for me.

 

Leader: Mr. Cent, you do get straight to the point. Well, go ahead, ask your questions and I’ll make everything perfectly clear for you.

 

Cloud: Good. So, who was the victim in the first mod block case?

 

Leader: His name was Cecil Tribal. And yes, as you posited in your article, he was a protestor, spouting nonsense about the project in the Slums.

 

Cloud: How did he Mr. Tribal die?

 

Leader: He committed suicide. It’s tragic. The man clearly needed help. If only we could have given him the help he needed. Unfortunately, he took his own life before he could get help.

 

Cloud: What exactly did Mr. Tribal believe the Slums project to be?

 

Leader: It was complete nonsense. Like I said, the man clearly needed professional help.

 

Cloud: Humor me.

 

Leader: Fine. I said I would answer your questions and I will. He believed that the project was a means to take control of the Slums. That the government would build the project, then use that as a means to steal the people of the Slums’s land. What that theory fails to realize is that that land is of no value to the government. The only thing that We value there are the people, and this project is designed to help them.

 

Cloud: Because the government has never left people out to dry right? Never forced people out of their ways of life to better conform to society?

 

Leader: To my knowledge no, We have not.

 

Kef: Mr. Cent, please try to keep things civil.

 

Cloud: Of course, my apologies.

 

Kef: Okay Mr. Cent, please continue.

 

Cloud: Who was the victim in the second mod block case?

 

Leader: His name was Leon. He used to be a carpenter, but his business apparently went under a while ago. Unfortunate, but not surprising. Woodworking is a dying art, after all. 

 

Cloud: And his death was a…

 

Leader: Suicide. The Sergeants are theorizing that he took his own life because he felt he had nothing left to live for. He lost his job and, according to his neighbors, had no family. At least, none that they knew of. Again, another tragic case, but there was nothing anyone could have done, besides reach out to him and try to help. Unfortunately, it is too late for that now. All we can do is remember him.

 

Cloud: And Leon was in no way related to Cecil?

 

Leader: No.

 

Cloud: So, a crazed conspiracy theorist takes his own life. Then another, unrelated man also takes his own life in the same place.

 

Leader: Unfortunately, yes.

 

Cloud: So, we’ve heard your take on what happened-

 

Leader: Not my ‘take’, the truth.

 

Cloud: Now for what I think happened. Cecil somehow picked up on the true purpose for the project in the Slums, to take over the land in the Slums. You say that it serves no value to the government, yet I’ve heard contrary reports. The Slums have desirable land for farming, but the people in the Slums are currently using it for themselves, so you came up with a plot to get it from them. The project would force the people in the Slums to become part of the government’s lifestyle, which would result in them eventually needing to sell their land to you. It certainly wouldn’t be the first time the government let the people of the Slums down to benefit themselves. So, Cecil knew this information and, being the activist that he was, was going to reveal it. So, the Sergeants ‘handled’ him and dumped him in a shady part of town, mod block.

 

Cloud: As for Leon, he was a deviant to the city’s lifestyle, being a carpenter. That didn’t fit with your idea for how life should be, so the government made sure to destroy his business. It ruined him. Skip forward to Cecil’s death, and Leon heard about it. Leon put the pieces together, much like I did. Leon had experienced the government’s meddling first hand, so he was able to figure out what happened. He wanted to expose what the government did, not just to him, but to Cecil as well, didn’t he? And so, he was killed, and put in mod block to make it look like that was just becoming a suicide spot. It’s sick. You’re sick.

 

Kef:...

 

Leader:..

 

Cloud: Well, Mr. Leader. Would you care to respond?

 

Leader:...Respond!? You expect me to respond to this...this, insanity!? I will not dignify this asinine story with a response! This is over!

 

Cloud: Yes, it is.

 

The leader stormed off the stage with his Sergeants.

 

Kef:...

 

Cloud Cent smiled.

 

Cloud: Well, I hope that cleared things up for your viewers.

 

The broadcast ended without an outro from Kef. Offstage, the Leader never took his mic off.

 

Leader: Handle it.

 

Local journalist mia

 

Written by Squall Sif