Weekly Writing Exercise Volume II, Theme: Newspaper Style...

[Just Joe]

So, this week's theme springs from my love of media that gives me a specific date and time and location. I don't know why, but my little nerd heart just goes crazy when TV shows or movies scroll the date, time, and location of the setting at the top (or bottom) of the screen with typewriter or old school printer sounds to go over it.

So, for this week's exercise, I want the location, date (day and month, at least), and time at the top of the page, and I want you to write the scene from an outsider's perspective. A newspaper article, an incident report, a police call log...have fun with it.

[Jive Farwell]

Versal News!

Space Captain Eats Entire Can of Peaches!


The Black, 'The Serenade'
July 9'th 2517

Jive Farwell, Captain of the Serenade, a salvage ship roaming the black, just consumed the total contents of one can of peaches. This is a critical event of note as Captian Farwell usually just drinks the sugary juices that collect in the bottom. “I normally throw the peaches away, or give them to my wife,” the married salvager commented, “I love the sludge that slowly fills the bottom of the can. However, today I felt like giving the fruit a try. It turns out, they're delicious.”

No statement has yet been given as to the effects this change may have on the Farwell's marriage.

[Veena Farwell]

Aw, gorram it. What am I gonna put over my yogurt now?

[Holly Sands]

(((OOC:Author's note. I had no idea that this is where this was going when I started it. Also, not all of the dialogue is mine, obviously.)))

Vid Playback of Asset Induction Interview
Date: [REDACTED] 2514
TIME: 2348
Ministry of Intelligence Bunker
[REDACTED], Londinium

Interviewer: [REDACTED]
Subject: Holly Anne Sanderson
Alias: Holly Sands
Occupation: Thief, Con Artist
Offense: Bound by law as a POI for the theft of Governor Allesandro's [REDACTED]

After proper medical attention was applied to the subject’s (Holly Anne Sanderson, Ident Number 186,336,1,9747) various injuries (sustained during multiple altercations with law enforcement) the subject was placed in the seated position in a metal chair, and offered water to drink. Relevant files were placed in a folder and presented to her, with all information gathered open for perusal. The interviewer sat across the table from her in a black suit, hands folded on the table. She sat in a torn evening gown, apparently uninterested, with her arms folded, staring at the Interrogator for approximately 90 seconds before he spoke. The interview is as follows.

Interrogator: So, Miss Sanderson...Why did you try to steal the Governor's [REDACTED]?

Holly Anne Sanderson: I didn’t try to steal it. I never try to steal anything. *smiles*

I: Then you succeeded in stealing it?

HAS: *shakes head* I never said that.

I: You implied it.

HAS: *shakes head* No. You inferred it.

I: We caught you red handed.

HAS: *looks at hands* My hands are flesh toned. *waggles fingers*

I:You were in his apartment, and his [REDACTED] is missing. That
speaks pretty highly to your actions.

HAS: We were at a party together last night. We danced, we dined. He invited me back to his place for some...alone time. He didn’t know his wife had come home early, and so things got a little bit out of hand.

I: Define out of hand.

HAS: She threw a CorPad at his head. It connected. *leans forward, hands folded, elbows on table*

I: Yes. He's going to spend a lot of money keeping this out of the newswaves. And you have no idea where [REDACTED] is?

HAS: *shakes head* Nope.

I:So you’re as innocent as a lamb in all this, then?

HAS: Maybe not that innocent, but innocent of theft, yes.

I:*nods and peruses the files for a few moments* Tell me about the Empire of Dust.

HAS: *goes very still* What about it?

I: I’m from Persephone, you know. People come in and start mucking about in my back yard, making a ruckus, word spreads. I do business with people there. The Hu Lao among them. Tell me, how is Uncle Po these days?

HAS: *silence*

I:You see, we know a lot more about you than anybody else. We know who you are, and what you’re capable of. What you’ve done. Just because we can’t prove it yet, doesn’t mean we don’t know.

HAS: *silence*

I: We’re very interested in your activities, Miss Sanderson.

HAS: And? What are you going to do about them? *crosses arms defiantly* Lock me up? Throw away the key? For what? Thefts you can’t prove? Trumped up charges, probably. What’s it going to be? Fraud? Terrorism? Treason?

I: *smiles* Oh, this is embarrassing. You seem to be misapprehending my purpose in being here.

HAS: Why are you here then?

I: We don’t want you to go to prison, Miss Sanderson.

HAS:*silence*

I: We’d like you to use your talents in a more...constructive manner.

HAS: Da shing la se la ch'won tian, are you offering me a job?

I:Penny for the smart lady. *stands up, straightens his very fine bowler hat, and smiles* I’ll give you some time to think it over. If I might offer my own opinion?

HAS:*stunned, nods*

I:Working for the Alliance isn’t such a bad deal.

This post has been edited by Holly Sands on Aug 3 2012, 09:14 AM