Australus
01-02-2005, 08:11
As he sits in his sparsely appointed office on the 23rd floor or the Australus City Hall, A. Hendrik James looks out the floor-to-ceiling plate glass window. The highrises of the sprawling metropolis march toward the horizon to meet the red dawn sky.
From the corner of his mind, James can hear the click of his office door opening. Per Anderssen, his personal secretary peeks his head in: "Sir, Press Secretary Yamamoto is here." It takes a moment for James, lost in his own thoughts, to come to and realise what he has heard.
"Oh," says James. "Thanks Per. Send her in."
Momentarily, Anja Yamamoto walks into the room, dressed in a dark blue pin-stripe suit with long skirt. "Mister Chancellor, the press conference begins in thirty minutes. We should get going."
James raises an eyebrow. "Anja, we've known each other for how long now? I think we've gotten past the point of you referring to me as 'Mister Chancellor.' We've been working together since I made my first run for MP for Bosjekloof and the CBD. Don't tell me you've decided to get into the act of professional propriety now?"
Yamamoto grins, her posture loosening from the tautness that had gripped it a few seconds ago. "Sorry. It's the first day for the both of us. This press conference really is make-or-break. I don't even know how you're so calm about it."
James slowly rises out of the utilitarian task chair behind the unfinished wooden desk. As he begins to gather and stuff papers into an accordion envelope he looks up briefly. "Secretly Anja-san? The butterflies in my stomach... you have no idea." He grins
___
Yamamoto smooths out any nonexistent wrinkles in her suit, a nervous habit she has developed. She then walks out, composed onto the elevated carpeted platform and steps behind the podium, behind which is the Australus City Seal.
"Good morning, everyone." she says. A chorus of polite "good mornings!" ripples through the assembled reporters. She's temporarily stunned by the responsiveness of the group but masks that as best she can. "It's my first day and I know you've all been rested up and raring to go since the elections ended... nonetheless, go easy on me." She smiles. A wave of chuckles passes through the group.
"This press conference is the first international press briefing held in the history of Australus. Congratulations," she says, briefly flipping through notes with feigned nonchalance. "You're making a little bit of history, I reckon. The Chancellor will be out in a few moments, he'll make some remarks about Australus and then we'll open it up to questions. With that, Chancellor James."
James steps through the door and walks briskly to the podium. "Good morning," he says as he steps behind the podium. "Thank you."
"Only recently has Australus, a developed nation, made the move to join the United Nations as a sign of our commitment to international dialogue and understanding. We've thus opened to the world at large, and as a nation, we are interested in participating in a larger scale in international political and economic affairs.
"Australus is a modern nation, a city-state of over 500 million people, made up of people from a wide range of ethnic backgrounds, European and Asian. All of our citizens, despite their diverse backgrounds, are committed to the same ideals of freedom, both economic and social as well as justice and equality.
"As a part of this government's desire to become better understood by the world and to increase communication, we have decided upon this press conference.
"That being said, I'd now be pleased to take questions about Australus and its policies as well as some questions about myself and my plans for the City during this term of office."
_____
[ooc: sorry if this very thread itself violates RP parameters. this is my first attempt.]
From the corner of his mind, James can hear the click of his office door opening. Per Anderssen, his personal secretary peeks his head in: "Sir, Press Secretary Yamamoto is here." It takes a moment for James, lost in his own thoughts, to come to and realise what he has heard.
"Oh," says James. "Thanks Per. Send her in."
Momentarily, Anja Yamamoto walks into the room, dressed in a dark blue pin-stripe suit with long skirt. "Mister Chancellor, the press conference begins in thirty minutes. We should get going."
James raises an eyebrow. "Anja, we've known each other for how long now? I think we've gotten past the point of you referring to me as 'Mister Chancellor.' We've been working together since I made my first run for MP for Bosjekloof and the CBD. Don't tell me you've decided to get into the act of professional propriety now?"
Yamamoto grins, her posture loosening from the tautness that had gripped it a few seconds ago. "Sorry. It's the first day for the both of us. This press conference really is make-or-break. I don't even know how you're so calm about it."
James slowly rises out of the utilitarian task chair behind the unfinished wooden desk. As he begins to gather and stuff papers into an accordion envelope he looks up briefly. "Secretly Anja-san? The butterflies in my stomach... you have no idea." He grins
___
Yamamoto smooths out any nonexistent wrinkles in her suit, a nervous habit she has developed. She then walks out, composed onto the elevated carpeted platform and steps behind the podium, behind which is the Australus City Seal.
"Good morning, everyone." she says. A chorus of polite "good mornings!" ripples through the assembled reporters. She's temporarily stunned by the responsiveness of the group but masks that as best she can. "It's my first day and I know you've all been rested up and raring to go since the elections ended... nonetheless, go easy on me." She smiles. A wave of chuckles passes through the group.
"This press conference is the first international press briefing held in the history of Australus. Congratulations," she says, briefly flipping through notes with feigned nonchalance. "You're making a little bit of history, I reckon. The Chancellor will be out in a few moments, he'll make some remarks about Australus and then we'll open it up to questions. With that, Chancellor James."
James steps through the door and walks briskly to the podium. "Good morning," he says as he steps behind the podium. "Thank you."
"Only recently has Australus, a developed nation, made the move to join the United Nations as a sign of our commitment to international dialogue and understanding. We've thus opened to the world at large, and as a nation, we are interested in participating in a larger scale in international political and economic affairs.
"Australus is a modern nation, a city-state of over 500 million people, made up of people from a wide range of ethnic backgrounds, European and Asian. All of our citizens, despite their diverse backgrounds, are committed to the same ideals of freedom, both economic and social as well as justice and equality.
"As a part of this government's desire to become better understood by the world and to increase communication, we have decided upon this press conference.
"That being said, I'd now be pleased to take questions about Australus and its policies as well as some questions about myself and my plans for the City during this term of office."
_____
[ooc: sorry if this very thread itself violates RP parameters. this is my first attempt.]