Transmigrant - Chapter 37
Copyright © 2024 Stephen B. Anthony
When truth and revelation shatter the old world, the dawn of a new era begins—not with the clash of weapons, but with the quiet courage to face what remains.
—Ray Decker, Rebirth of the Eldar
CHAPTER 37
Ben Ackerman arrived at the Congressional building two hours before the special session of Congress, hoping to get an early scoop for the Galactic News Network broadcast. If he could grab a story, maybe he could get his face on the news again. The problem was that nobody was talking. There were few hints about what the special session would include.
“What you got?” he asked Lily Torus from Charan News Today.
“No idea,” she said. “Maybe newer tech from the artifact? But I think Senator Stewart is going to open the session.”
“Lady’s like a cat,” Ben said. “Nine lives.”
“Yeah,” Lily replied. “Her career was in flames six months ago.”
She was right, although it sometimes felt like a very long time ago. The Senator had refused to discuss the claims that her daughter took part in the attack on Eden Station. Prognosticators had declared her dead as a politician, including some talking heads on his own network.
However, her silence had become her greatest achievement. Rather than defend her daughter from an unbelieving media frenzy, she had protected an active special operations mission—Operation Jackknife. She had taken the brunt of the worst kind of accusations and, like gold from the fire, came out purified. She had allowed the truth to come out in its own time.
“No one will ever apologize for the tar-and-feathering job we did to the family,” Ben offered.
“Ancient history,” Lily said.
She was right about that, too. The most vocal talking heads had become walking heads. They’d been disinvited to prognosticate on any other matters for a while. But they were like cats too. They’d return as soon as everyone forgot how vile they’d been just a few months earlier.
“You think it’s more about Niruku?”