The virgin & the bad boy (Gravity)

Chapter 46/King maker

Image: Hieldburg

A/N What did you think of the guest cover?   

You know what the biggest problem with the people of Earth is? The biggest problem is they don't have a name. If you're from Mars your Martian if you're from Venus your a Venusian if you're from earth you're what? Earthling sounds really lame in my ears. They really should sort out some cooler title. Case in point on why 'earthling' sounds so useless.

It was a  Sunday morning,  and I was stirring in bed with a slight sense of curiosity about what to do that today. When not leading a busy social life (insert hollow laugh here), I kept checking out the architecture of Earth. My mom and dad designed habitats and I thought I could do them some favors by checking out nonmartian buildings. Photography was my new hobby. A couple of days ago I had been with Io on another one of her sell out talks as the token embarrassed human, the feeling of resentment I felt was making it harder to support her. Giving her Dante's money made me feel less like one of the bad guys. I know machine's don't have feelings like resentment but you do wonder. So it's a Sunday and a good day to visit buildings. Question is where today? Kentro came up and changed the cup of coffee next to the bed.

"What time is it?" I asked.

"Nearly 10:00 Madam" said Kentro.

Why is he waking me up so early?  Was that the real time? I put my ring on waved at the TV set and it came on. It was a political program. Not surprisingly Ronald Bentham was on.

"Further more I want to see Mallory Bank's birth certificate, and her passport, driving licence and three utility bills from her current address. You see I'm not sure Mallory is the person she claims to be"

The news reporter had a look like she was dealing with a difficult toddler. You could see her first reaction to his outburst as a mother her self was, 'is he just a bit hungry ?'. She resisted her natural instinct of stuffing a Farley's Rusk down his mouth.

"It will say she was born a man, I mean Mallory Banks, if she wins, will be the first Transgendered General Secretary of the UN" it's in her campaign literature.

"That's what I mean. I'm not sure she was ever a man" Ronald said not missing a beat "I mean studies have shown 34% of people who claim they used to be men and are now women lied about being men in the first place, and have been women all along."

"What? Even the one's who fathered children with other women?" said the reporter.

"Especially the one's who fathered children with other women" said Roland "I mean I've seen the way Mallory looks at me. Women react to me in a certain way and I know it, she responded exactly like a woman. That's how I know this sky-girl is a robot."

"You met sky girl?" said the reporter.

"Sure we had a long conversation a couple of days ago at my house. Nice girl but not, you know, human."

I sat there having a weird time travel moment. If it was two days ago that would be the day I was with Io all day in China, so they couldn't have talked. I know everyone says politician's lie but actually discovering one is different. I texted Io with the question.

I turned to Kentro "Is that 34% true?" I asked.

"According to 115 sources it is not. Mr Bentham just made that fact up in his head. Earth has become the solar system's first post-factual civilization. If Mr Bentham admits to false hood he will not loose sleep, votes or esteem over it. His followers despise facts as David Kardel said you 'shouldn't let little things like facts keep getting in the way of the truth'. "

"You're still four percent behind in the polls" said the interviewer.

"But not in the...." Bentham started.