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talking heads (fiction)
June 4, 2012
"Good morning, this Monday, June 4th, 2012, I'm Michael Sandor ... "
".. and I'm Rachel Danner. A strange story unfolding in the far east today, Michael."
"Indeed there is, Rachel. Authorities in Japan are cautiously releasing details about a twenty-fold increase in deaths among seemingly healthy Japanese men during the month of May. What began as a blip on the radar five weeks ago has turned into a relentless tide of deaths among men for no apparent reason."
"The Japanese Government has opened its doors to the World Health Organization and sought help from the Centers For Disease Control. For more on CDC involvement, here's James Young here at CDC Atlanta. Any early information from CDC, James?"
"Good morning Rachel, good morning Michael. Early word here is that CDC is looking at explanations which are less like viral outbreaks and more like the bee collapse, where the cause of death is unknown, or at least, not known at this time. The one official I spoke to just a few moments ago said the CDC is - and I'm quoting here - "extremely alarmed" unquote by the phenomenon and will extend all its expertise freely to the Japanese people."
"James, we're hearing that approximately 7500 men died in Tokyo Prefecture alone since Friday. Is CDC aware of those numbers?"
"I didn't have a long conversation with anyone, Michael, I arrived here at 4am to find the CDC Parking Lot nearly full, so my guess is in some general way, CDC is aware of numbers like that, which explains the high level of activity here so early."
"James, I just heard in my ear an update that the Japanese Health Ministry will be holding a press conference at 9am their time Tuesday to ... are those helicopters, James?"
"Umm ... yes, Rachel, we have by my count seven Comanche's hovering around the heliport atop the CDC headquarters, one is clearing coming in to put down, the others presumably waiting their turn. I can't tell whether they're empty & picking people up or full & dropping people off."
"James, Rachel, word in my ear this time that Health & Human Services Secretary Ronald Vance will be holding a press conference at the bottom of the hour."
* * *
Melakt didn't move his eyes from the mirror. "You had nothing to do with this?"
Taris was as close to tears as she could get. "I swear, ah had nothin' tuh do with it."
Melakt looked at Tavakh. "And you?"
Tavakh slowly shook his head.
Melakt sighed. "Very well, war it is."
Taris hung her head and said nothing.
Tavakh quietly & briskly left the room.
"Good morning, this Monday, June 4th, 2012, I'm Michael Sandor ... "
".. and I'm Rachel Danner. A strange story unfolding in the far east today, Michael."
"Indeed there is, Rachel. Authorities in Japan are cautiously releasing details about a twenty-fold increase in deaths among seemingly healthy Japanese men during the month of May. What began as a blip on the radar five weeks ago has turned into a relentless tide of deaths among men for no apparent reason."
"The Japanese Government has opened its doors to the World Health Organization and sought help from the Centers For Disease Control. For more on CDC involvement, here's James Young here at CDC Atlanta. Any early information from CDC, James?"
"Good morning Rachel, good morning Michael. Early word here is that CDC is looking at explanations which are less like viral outbreaks and more like the bee collapse, where the cause of death is unknown, or at least, not known at this time. The one official I spoke to just a few moments ago said the CDC is - and I'm quoting here - "extremely alarmed" unquote by the phenomenon and will extend all its expertise freely to the Japanese people."
"James, we're hearing that approximately 7500 men died in Tokyo Prefecture alone since Friday. Is CDC aware of those numbers?"
"I didn't have a long conversation with anyone, Michael, I arrived here at 4am to find the CDC Parking Lot nearly full, so my guess is in some general way, CDC is aware of numbers like that, which explains the high level of activity here so early."
"James, I just heard in my ear an update that the Japanese Health Ministry will be holding a press conference at 9am their time Tuesday to ... are those helicopters, James?"
"Umm ... yes, Rachel, we have by my count seven Comanche's hovering around the heliport atop the CDC headquarters, one is clearing coming in to put down, the others presumably waiting their turn. I can't tell whether they're empty & picking people up or full & dropping people off."
"James, Rachel, word in my ear this time that Health & Human Services Secretary Ronald Vance will be holding a press conference at the bottom of the hour."
* * *
Melakt didn't move his eyes from the mirror. "You had nothing to do with this?"
Taris was as close to tears as she could get. "I swear, ah had nothin' tuh do with it."
Melakt looked at Tavakh. "And you?"
Tavakh slowly shook his head.
Melakt sighed. "Very well, war it is."
Taris hung her head and said nothing.
Tavakh quietly & briskly left the room.
