A Quick Bout of Chess
“Ms. Mars?” Mimi peered into the space where Kore was still sitting, seemingly unbothered by the way the events had unfolded. “It’s just as I suspected,” Kore poured hot water into a tea cup, her head beginning to throb. Today was going to be a very long day. Here she had thought after waking up this morning that it would be smooth sailing, but the first hiccup had happened while she had dozed like a princess. “They’re useless,” she dipped a floral brew into water and allowed it to steam, waiting on Ljilja’s manager to return.
He seemed hesitant around her, although Kore wasn’t sure why. She had never been unkind to him or any of the other overseers. The managers too, Kore could be strict sometimes, but she was never outright rude. “Welcome back, where should we start?” She waved her hand over the pod on the table, the holo screen flickering to life. It was split down the center, one half showing the security feed again, the other, Ljilja’s profile.
Kore seemed at ease, taking a long sip of her brew. “The security feed, or your contestant?”
Her eyes flicked up and down, reading his body language. He strode over quickly, closing the distance between them and sat down, stretching out in a show of comfort. The edges of her lips tilted upwards, ever so slightly.
After all, Jaden was just another pawn on her chess board.
“Sorry,” he yawned. “Long night, let’s start with the feed.”
Kore waved a hand over the pod once more, the feed coming to life. It played in a loop, detailing the accident and cutting out, before restarting. “You really should have some tea, it does wonders for fatigue,” she took another pointed sip before setting her cup down on the table and leaning back, her slender legs crossed in front of her.
“Do you want to tell me what really happened?” She smiled, leaning her chin on her fist. Her words were sharp, but not biting. Jaden laced his fingers together and rested his head in the cradle he had made. “I assume you’ve already spoken with the editors?”
“The editors were the ones that pointed to you,” Kore replied, lying smoothly. Half of being a celebrity was about being able to tell a lie. “I’m going to assume you also know who the mysterious figure your little fish was referring to then?” She smiled suddenly.
Jaden seemed anxious, he shifted, his gaze going to the wall for only a moment. Did he think that Kore was testing him? Well, maybe she was. “I think a better question is...” he trailed off for a moment, perhaps to think, “If you didn’t already know who it was, would you have let her go without a description?”
Oh what a crafty, shifty little- she took another sip of tea to disguise her displeasure. “Thank you for your honesty, to be frank, it’s refreshing. Now, let’s move on,” she placed her cup down and clapped her hands together. “Have you decided on an angle?”
Jaden nodded, leaning forward. This was something he was good at, after all. They were all aware that half of the games were about marketing, it was a money maker, not just gambling, but for the ships and the government. “She’s the under-dog type, obviously,” he waved a hand, grinning. Was he confident in his little fish? “Perfect for the fuddy duddies who want to fawn over a home-grown hero.”
Kore nodded, her smile remaining cautiously neutral. “Her files say her Dad died recently, how recent is that?” Kore brought up the notes with another wave over the holo pod. “We can use that to garner sympathy with the audience, if that’s the angle you want to play.” Kore swiped again, brow knitting for just a moment when she looked at the screen. “This is her support weapon? Is it a robot?”
“Dad died last year, around this time. The wound’s still fresh and she’s got an-” he waved a hand around, “adoptive sister, or something like that. Had a falling out, but she’s still watching the feeds.” Jaden grinned, “Audiences will eat it up if we can get a crew out to Fort Kate.”
Kore nodded, bringing up the keyboard to start typing. “I’ll put in a request,” they couldn’t just show up to Fort Kate with a camera crew and demand an interview. “The robot thing is called a Long jack,” long jack? Kore had never heard of that.
“I’m putting in a request for an interview, do you have a name?” Her fingers quickly flew across the board. “Sonja Valentintov.” With that final bit of information, Kore sent in the request. There was a calculating look in her eye, “You don’t have any sponsors lined up, are you planning on stranding her out there?”
“I didn’t think she would need them with those bad boys, but she’s gotta have water.” He sighed, no doubt that would be an obstacle in the first game. “There’s a few soft drink companies that would probably love to have their name on her clothes.” He held two hands up as though he was picturing it.
Kore finished inputting the notes. “Alright, I think you have all your bases covered. You can go now, if you want.” The managers were allowed to hang out in the lounge, but now that their competitors were here, most of their time would be spent on the floor.
Jaden rose slowly, stretching one last time. “Thanks,” he said curtly, then, “Keep an eye on yours.”
Kore’s smile was crafty, but it didn’t quite reach her eyes. “It’s a pleasure Jaden, as always.”
It was only after she was certain that Jaden was gone that Kore allowed her brow to twitch in annoyance.
He seemed hesitant around her, although Kore wasn’t sure why. She had never been unkind to him or any of the other overseers. The managers too, Kore could be strict sometimes, but she was never outright rude. “Welcome back, where should we start?” She waved her hand over the pod on the table, the holo screen flickering to life. It was split down the center, one half showing the security feed again, the other, Ljilja’s profile.
Kore seemed at ease, taking a long sip of her brew. “The security feed, or your contestant?”
Her eyes flicked up and down, reading his body language. He strode over quickly, closing the distance between them and sat down, stretching out in a show of comfort. The edges of her lips tilted upwards, ever so slightly.
After all, Jaden was just another pawn on her chess board.
“Sorry,” he yawned. “Long night, let’s start with the feed.”
Kore waved a hand over the pod once more, the feed coming to life. It played in a loop, detailing the accident and cutting out, before restarting. “You really should have some tea, it does wonders for fatigue,” she took another pointed sip before setting her cup down on the table and leaning back, her slender legs crossed in front of her.
“Do you want to tell me what really happened?” She smiled, leaning her chin on her fist. Her words were sharp, but not biting. Jaden laced his fingers together and rested his head in the cradle he had made. “I assume you’ve already spoken with the editors?”
“The editors were the ones that pointed to you,” Kore replied, lying smoothly. Half of being a celebrity was about being able to tell a lie. “I’m going to assume you also know who the mysterious figure your little fish was referring to then?” She smiled suddenly.
Jaden seemed anxious, he shifted, his gaze going to the wall for only a moment. Did he think that Kore was testing him? Well, maybe she was. “I think a better question is...” he trailed off for a moment, perhaps to think, “If you didn’t already know who it was, would you have let her go without a description?”
Oh what a crafty, shifty little- she took another sip of tea to disguise her displeasure. “Thank you for your honesty, to be frank, it’s refreshing. Now, let’s move on,” she placed her cup down and clapped her hands together. “Have you decided on an angle?”
Jaden nodded, leaning forward. This was something he was good at, after all. They were all aware that half of the games were about marketing, it was a money maker, not just gambling, but for the ships and the government. “She’s the under-dog type, obviously,” he waved a hand, grinning. Was he confident in his little fish? “Perfect for the fuddy duddies who want to fawn over a home-grown hero.”
Kore nodded, her smile remaining cautiously neutral. “Her files say her Dad died recently, how recent is that?” Kore brought up the notes with another wave over the holo pod. “We can use that to garner sympathy with the audience, if that’s the angle you want to play.” Kore swiped again, brow knitting for just a moment when she looked at the screen. “This is her support weapon? Is it a robot?”
“Dad died last year, around this time. The wound’s still fresh and she’s got an-” he waved a hand around, “adoptive sister, or something like that. Had a falling out, but she’s still watching the feeds.” Jaden grinned, “Audiences will eat it up if we can get a crew out to Fort Kate.”
Kore nodded, bringing up the keyboard to start typing. “I’ll put in a request,” they couldn’t just show up to Fort Kate with a camera crew and demand an interview. “The robot thing is called a Long jack,” long jack? Kore had never heard of that.
“I’m putting in a request for an interview, do you have a name?” Her fingers quickly flew across the board. “Sonja Valentintov.” With that final bit of information, Kore sent in the request. There was a calculating look in her eye, “You don’t have any sponsors lined up, are you planning on stranding her out there?”
“I didn’t think she would need them with those bad boys, but she’s gotta have water.” He sighed, no doubt that would be an obstacle in the first game. “There’s a few soft drink companies that would probably love to have their name on her clothes.” He held two hands up as though he was picturing it.
Kore finished inputting the notes. “Alright, I think you have all your bases covered. You can go now, if you want.” The managers were allowed to hang out in the lounge, but now that their competitors were here, most of their time would be spent on the floor.
Jaden rose slowly, stretching one last time. “Thanks,” he said curtly, then, “Keep an eye on yours.”
Kore’s smile was crafty, but it didn’t quite reach her eyes. “It’s a pleasure Jaden, as always.”
It was only after she was certain that Jaden was gone that Kore allowed her brow to twitch in annoyance.