The Eight of Earth

10: Gwinn DeMarco- *Psychological Warfare*

The new Consulate is minimalist, yet somehow pretentious. A massive crescent-shaped table, forged from minerals all but exhausted, is erected from the same material. Retractable glass wraps the entire floor in all directions. The glass is down tonight, and the breeze tiptoes its way through the room. Cool at first, chilling, raising the hair on my skin, and waking up my senses. Then a warmer breeze creeps in. Cozy and comforting. Back and forth, it goes. The others aren't as sensitive to the temperature; they don't even notice.

Power consumes the other chairs that surround the table. High Councilors from each Province. I'm not one to be intimidated, but if there was ever a time...

I can't tell where I feel more unwelcome, the streets of the city, or in this room. Not that I care either way. The show of support by the Savron in the lobby was surprising, to say the least, but the goodwill earned by Emoss only extends so far to me.

A hologram of Valenia flickers in the middle of the room, the table curving around it. Aside from the table and the hologram, the room is barren.

Each seat at the table has a dataplate built into the smooth stone surface and their own smaller personal hologram projecting Valenia. I press on my datapad, and the screen illuminates.

Okotall High Council Candidate #2

Name: Gwinnett DeMarco

Organic Age: Youth/Prime+

Race: Human

Province of Origin: Unknown - "Okotall"

Council Experience: None

Lineage: Unknown - "Emoss"

A picture of my face is displayed next to my bio information. My features look softer, more welcoming than they are. The work of Tolla, no doubt. It's a full-time job to keep me appealing to the public. She works night and day to make me more approachable. Intimidating. Aggressive. Provocative. All words attached to my perception we've had to fight to counter. Tolla was a Low Councilor under Emoss for years at the end of his tenure. When he passed, she bid for his position, but the High Council deemed she wasn't qualified for all the opposite reasons I'm being criticized for. They felt she was too compassionate, to the point where she couldn't enforce policy effectively.

They wonder if I have a heart...

She was also too passive, allowing other voices to influence her decision making. They worry no one can sway my opinions, even if they're better informed. And she wasn't physically appealing enough. Almost boring. Plain, simple. Not beautiful, or ugly, just ordinary. They worry people can't relate to me because I'm too attractive. As if anyone on the planet can relate to the alien. The hypocrisy is maddening.

I tap the screen again, and my scores from the previous tests appear.