Part LII: Tangled in Their Own Web
Date: Yippah 17th, 114 A.U.
Governor Astrid impatiently tapped her foot as she waited for her signal to go out on stage with the talk show host to talk about her campaign. She had argued this as far as she could go with her campaign manager but to no avail. All that her manager had had to do was to bring up the poll numbers—42% for Astrid, 43% for Iraina with 16% undecided, and Astrid knew that she had lost.
The red light flashed. That was the signal. Governor Astrid quickly walked on stage as she spotted the smiling talk show host, Julia Verne. Astrid saw right through her fake clip-on smile—just like she saw through Julia’s repeated claims that she was neutral in this race. Astrid knew right where Julia would be placing the ballot when election day came in two days.
“Governor Astrid!” Julia exclaimed, vigorously shaking Astrid’s hand. “Why, it’s so good to see you!”
“Same to you,” Astrid said, but she made no attempt to smile. No sense lying about things. Then again, her campaign manager would not be happy to see her like this on the most popular talk show in Araelia. Astrid managed to force a smile.
“Please, sit down,” Julia said motioning to the chair.
Astrid did so, eyes casting around to look for any opportunity possible to do something to change their footing. Astrid did not like feeling in an inferior position. And a conversation with a talk show host who secretly wanted Iraina to win did not make Astrid feel like she was in a superior position.
“So, Governor Astrid,” Julia said upon sitting down. “The elections are in two days and you are currently at a deadlock with Mr. Iraina. How confident do you feel about this election?”
“Well, I haven’t been elected time and time again for the past hundred years because I failed,” Astrid said, cracking a smile. “No, I’m very confident that my voters, who have seen my record, see that I’m the candidate in this race who they can be sure will bring our city to greatness again.”
“It’s funny you should mention your reelection streak,” Julia said, her eyes beginning to narrow. “A good many voters have begun to be expressing concern that because of your long term in office, you can’t connect with the average person anymore—that you’re too aloof from the issues of the common man.”
“That’s ridiculous,” Astrid said, trying to choke back her anger. “I have seen no such statistic or poll about the voters. Look at my record. I have had an abundance of experience—both in serving as governor in Araelia, and as part of the ruling Triumvirate before the Great Upheaval.”
“Yes, the Great Upheaval,” Julia said. “Now, Mr. Iraina has raised the point that the Triumvirate were helpless against the elves and were unprepared for them. He brings up the point that you are at least partially to blame for the disaster. Do you think that’s what the voters want to hear?”
Astrid glowered at Julia’s loaded question. “No government on Arquenia was ready to deal with Jaigran and his elves,” she rebutted. “If the greatest minds alive couldn’t see what was happening, how can that be held against me?”
“Well, for someone who holds their position in the Triumvirate as a pro rather than a con, I don’t see how that can’t be held against you, don’t you think?” Julia asked. It was all Astrid could do to keep herself from exposing Julia for how pro-Iraina she was. Of course, Julia had dozens of different possible answers to both defend herself and make her look bad. Astrid sometimes wanted to strangle her.
“No, I don’t see things that way,” Astrid said. “I have had over a century of experience in government while my opponent has had none. I can’t see all that experience as a negative for my side.”
“Don’t you think you’ve been in government long enough?”
“Excuse me?!”
“Don’t you think you’re monopolizing the governorship when there are plenty of citizens able to keep the job?”
“What kind of a question is that?” Astrid said, turning to gaze out into the video cameras, and through them to the watching audience. “There’s no rule that no one else can run.”
“But none of the people running are more qualified than you.”
“I’m the best qualified candidate, yes,” Astrid said, uneasy about where this conversation is going.
“So why don’t the voters think that way?”
“What?”
“According to recent polls, you and Iraina are at a deadlock,” Julia said. “If you’re the best qualified candidate, why have all these voters, who for the past century have supported you, suddenly turned aside to Iraina.”
“Do you have an answer for that?” Astrid said, laughing as she tried to turn it into a joke. “I mean, voters have a lot of issues they’re judging on and-”
“Well, according to the polls, the majority of people voting for Iraina are doing so because of his strong stance toward the elves,” Julia said. “Are you really better qualified to deal with them?”
“Yes; I’ve had a century’s worth of experience fighting against them.”
“You mean hiding from them.” Julia’s support for Iraina was becoming more and more obvious.
“No, I mean fighting them,” Astrid said. “We have not been idle for the past century, contrary to popular myth. There are a good many operations-”
“Name me one of them.”
“Excuse me?”
“Name me one of those operations,” Julia said, leaning back. “Name me one of the operations you undertook against the elves.”
Astrid smiled. “I would, except I’m under a restraining order. Strategic intelligence, you know?”
“So on the one issue that the majority of voters care about the most, you can’t tell us why you’re better than Iraina?”
“No,” Astrid said. “You were there when I elected the Xavier Team. Is not-”
“You claim responsibility for the Xavier Team?”
“Yes,” Astrid said. “I sent out the call and-”
“But I thought you believed in the prophesy.”
Astrid’s blood froze. “Of course I do, I-”
“Because the prophesy gives the star the responsibility for calling the Xavier Team, not Governor Astrid,” Julia said. “But here you are, claiming responsibility for the star. So, I assume you don’t believe in the prophesy?”
Astrid floundered for a response.
Question of the Week:Give a backstory for Iraina. I haven't come up with much of one so I want to hear yours...
Date: Yippah 17th, 114 A.U.
Governor Astrid impatiently tapped her foot as she waited for her signal to go out on stage with the talk show host to talk about her campaign. She had argued this as far as she could go with her campaign manager but to no avail. All that her manager had had to do was to bring up the poll numbers—42% for Astrid, 43% for Iraina with 16% undecided, and Astrid knew that she had lost.
The red light flashed. That was the signal. Governor Astrid quickly walked on stage as she spotted the smiling talk show host, Julia Verne. Astrid saw right through her fake clip-on smile—just like she saw through Julia’s repeated claims that she was neutral in this race. Astrid knew right where Julia would be placing the ballot when election day came in two days.
“Governor Astrid!” Julia exclaimed, vigorously shaking Astrid’s hand. “Why, it’s so good to see you!”
“Same to you,” Astrid said, but she made no attempt to smile. No sense lying about things. Then again, her campaign manager would not be happy to see her like this on the most popular talk show in Araelia. Astrid managed to force a smile.
“Please, sit down,” Julia said motioning to the chair.
Astrid did so, eyes casting around to look for any opportunity possible to do something to change their footing. Astrid did not like feeling in an inferior position. And a conversation with a talk show host who secretly wanted Iraina to win did not make Astrid feel like she was in a superior position.
“So, Governor Astrid,” Julia said upon sitting down. “The elections are in two days and you are currently at a deadlock with Mr. Iraina. How confident do you feel about this election?”
“Well, I haven’t been elected time and time again for the past hundred years because I failed,” Astrid said, cracking a smile. “No, I’m very confident that my voters, who have seen my record, see that I’m the candidate in this race who they can be sure will bring our city to greatness again.”
“It’s funny you should mention your reelection streak,” Julia said, her eyes beginning to narrow. “A good many voters have begun to be expressing concern that because of your long term in office, you can’t connect with the average person anymore—that you’re too aloof from the issues of the common man.”
“That’s ridiculous,” Astrid said, trying to choke back her anger. “I have seen no such statistic or poll about the voters. Look at my record. I have had an abundance of experience—both in serving as governor in Araelia, and as part of the ruling Triumvirate before the Great Upheaval.”
“Yes, the Great Upheaval,” Julia said. “Now, Mr. Iraina has raised the point that the Triumvirate were helpless against the elves and were unprepared for them. He brings up the point that you are at least partially to blame for the disaster. Do you think that’s what the voters want to hear?”
Astrid glowered at Julia’s loaded question. “No government on Arquenia was ready to deal with Jaigran and his elves,” she rebutted. “If the greatest minds alive couldn’t see what was happening, how can that be held against me?”
“Well, for someone who holds their position in the Triumvirate as a pro rather than a con, I don’t see how that can’t be held against you, don’t you think?” Julia asked. It was all Astrid could do to keep herself from exposing Julia for how pro-Iraina she was. Of course, Julia had dozens of different possible answers to both defend herself and make her look bad. Astrid sometimes wanted to strangle her.
“No, I don’t see things that way,” Astrid said. “I have had over a century of experience in government while my opponent has had none. I can’t see all that experience as a negative for my side.”
“Don’t you think you’ve been in government long enough?”
“Excuse me?!”
“Don’t you think you’re monopolizing the governorship when there are plenty of citizens able to keep the job?”
“What kind of a question is that?” Astrid said, turning to gaze out into the video cameras, and through them to the watching audience. “There’s no rule that no one else can run.”
“But none of the people running are more qualified than you.”
“I’m the best qualified candidate, yes,” Astrid said, uneasy about where this conversation is going.
“So why don’t the voters think that way?”
“What?”
“According to recent polls, you and Iraina are at a deadlock,” Julia said. “If you’re the best qualified candidate, why have all these voters, who for the past century have supported you, suddenly turned aside to Iraina.”
“Do you have an answer for that?” Astrid said, laughing as she tried to turn it into a joke. “I mean, voters have a lot of issues they’re judging on and-”
“Well, according to the polls, the majority of people voting for Iraina are doing so because of his strong stance toward the elves,” Julia said. “Are you really better qualified to deal with them?”
“Yes; I’ve had a century’s worth of experience fighting against them.”
“You mean hiding from them.” Julia’s support for Iraina was becoming more and more obvious.
“No, I mean fighting them,” Astrid said. “We have not been idle for the past century, contrary to popular myth. There are a good many operations-”
“Name me one of them.”
“Excuse me?”
“Name me one of those operations,” Julia said, leaning back. “Name me one of the operations you undertook against the elves.”
Astrid smiled. “I would, except I’m under a restraining order. Strategic intelligence, you know?”
“So on the one issue that the majority of voters care about the most, you can’t tell us why you’re better than Iraina?”
“No,” Astrid said. “You were there when I elected the Xavier Team. Is not-”
“You claim responsibility for the Xavier Team?”
“Yes,” Astrid said. “I sent out the call and-”
“But I thought you believed in the prophesy.”
Astrid’s blood froze. “Of course I do, I-”
“Because the prophesy gives the star the responsibility for calling the Xavier Team, not Governor Astrid,” Julia said. “But here you are, claiming responsibility for the star. So, I assume you don’t believe in the prophesy?”
Astrid floundered for a response.
Question of the Week:Give a backstory for Iraina. I haven't come up with much of one so I want to hear yours...
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