The universe is vast. Filled with the unknown, the crazy, the unsightly. Out among the stars that hang and project their light into the eyes of the willing,sits a large floating colossus stone and metal structure. On top of an asteroid caught in the orbit of a small star the building rotated and spun with the turn of the rock. It looked like giant cone. The outside was carved with groves that wrapped around and spun to the top of the needle. Windows cut the wrapping and painted horizontally around the whole building. Large holographic adverting illuminated the darkness and floated around the needle. Near the base, wrapped around was a space port. It looked like a metallic wave stuck in time crashing away from the structure. Each window corresponded floor which was staffed with rows and rows of old style wooden desks. Each one had two draws on the left side, dull grey metal handles, and a holo typewriter which sat on the desk. One could look up and see another person fiercely typing away or drinking the copious amounts of atomic coffee that flowed through all the writers. These rows of desks rested on the floor and on the ceiling. While there was no need for them, large columns connected the floors. They interrupted the continuous view from one side to the next. As you moved up the cone to the top the offices got smaller and nicer. Some writers had their own fully furnished space and when you got to the top you ran into the big boss. A room decked in all the luxuries space could offer.
At one of the wooden desks a women sat with her feet propped up. She was wearing a tight fitting space suit of blue and purple. Small golden accents polished her shoulders and boots. Her hair was a dark shade of purple and ran down her shoulders like a silk water fall. A black headband sat in her hair just before her poofy bangs which covered her whole forehead. A holo panel was lit up before her eyes and she was swiping between panels and news from the the far galaxies. News was always in, but important news was harder to find. A man stood in front her desk which she didn’t notice till he slammed his hand at the base of her feet. She slid her feet off and turned off the music which was blasting in her ears.
“Amanda” The man shouted “I have been standing here for five minutes, Mr. Gerryheld needs to see you, now”
She stared at him blankly then lookd up to the desk on the ceiling from her. A lady stared wide eyed then returned to her writing.
“Reason?” Amanda turned the holo panel off.
“Does it matter? Come on” The man started to trail off and she hopped off her chair and followed.
In the middle of the room sat a single office. Frosted Glass which seemed to drip from the ceiling surrounded it in a circle. The man phased through and she did the same. The sounds from the large room deadened and classical music of Jupiter bells and Martian pianos replace them. The room was seemed much bigger on the inside.
“Mr. Gerryh-“ the man started, but was cut off my Mr. Gerryheld putting up his hand.
“shhh, a single moment please” Mr.Gerryheld looked young. He had ash blue skin, black hair which was cut and smoothed to the sides. His eyes were a dull grey, but his features were soft. He sat and they both stood waiting for the music to finally crash and die out. Mr.Gerryheld nodded and ushered them to sit.
Mr.Gerryheld took in a breath and looked over a panel to his right then leaned forward towards them. “Amanda”
“Yes sir”
“What stories have you published in the last six months?” he stared intently.
“Well sir, I have been working on so-“
“How many published” his stare grew more intense
Amanda searched the ceiling with her eyes and bit her bottom lip “None”
“None, that’s right” Mr.Gerryheld nodded. “You have publish nothing in the last six months, no article about wars, love, the new trash of a restaurant, Burger Atoms, nothing. You know this is a news service, we supply news across the galaxies. No matter how small or big. So tell, what have you been doing? If not publishing”
The room was silent. Amanda ran through some of the stories she had tried writing. One about some asteroid snakes, another about a man who thought he could read minds, A sand biker who fell off a cliff and into another dimension. Nothing had stuck and she had grown bored
and unable to finish anything. It also didn’t help that others beat her to the punch.
“I’m sorry sir, but everyone always gets to the stories before me. Or at least they publish before me” Amanda said throwing her head back.
Mr.Gerryheld propped his head up with his left arm and yawned. “Okay okay, you have a month. A single month. Get a new story, publish it, and if. IF, it does well, you might get to keep your job.”
“A single month” Amanda stood up “That’s to short, it will take me that long to travel somewhere interesting”
“Well then you should pack your bags, because you, Amanda Elara, need to get started as soon as possible.” Mr.Gerryheld smiled.
Amanda scowled “You know what?” Mr.Gerryheld shrugged “I’m going to give you the greatest story you have ever known, it’s going to slay ratings” she took a breath and stomped off towards the frosted wall.
“You just watch me” she yelled before slipping into the large room.
The man that had gone to fetch Amanda remained.
“Why didn’t you just fire her now, six months, she should have hundreds of pieces published in that time, and just one in a month? Sir, I just don’t get it”
Mr.Gerryheld leaned back into his chair and clasped his hands behind his head.
“Miss Amanda Elara has not been publishing because she has been doing other sorts of things. And I would say they are a lot more interesting then the garbage we put out here. Shes a golden ticket up this corrupt pin we reside in.” Mr.Gerryheld smiled and a gave a laugh “Many secrets that one has”
Inspired by Space Slaves of Venus Cover by ALY FELL I read what that comic is supposed to be about and it talks about a Galatic Newspaper and I thought that seemed pretty cool. Also the girl on the cover looks like a badass.
I fumbled a bit with this and I might actually rework this character in the future. I would like Amanda Elara to be more swashbuckling. Someone who enjoys adventure and saving planets and danger. She could also be a reporter as well. Elara is one of Jupitars Moons