The camera was off, the director standing just behind it, his right hand raised, as a makeup attendant powdered something onto Julia's face. She was numb. This was, quite simply, the most important day of her life. She was about to address, on a public, live broadcast..well, everyone.
The autocue came on.
The producer counted her in.
Five.
Four.
Three.
Two.
The lights went up, the camera went live, and she began.
"Citizens of the Galaxy."
"On Benduday evening last, I received formal notice from the President of the Independent Systems Consortium to begin our great endeavour, to reach out to the stars, to look beyond, with hope and aspiration for a galaxy that is free from the virus which sweeps ever further across your systems. It was the evident wish of the President, and of the Systems he represents, that this should be conducted with the utmost haste, and with the immediacy deserving of the crisis, which grips us still."
"I consider it prudent, therefore, to lay out to you all, the next steps in this undertaking, that will wrestle the galaxy back from the brink of collapse, and enable it to step forward into a brighter future."
"As with all things, it begins with a question - to you, and to your representatives, presidents, prime ministers, monarchs, viceroys and all other nature of leaders that command resources and power, to save us all. Can you do this alone?"
"I know the answer to that question."
"I have seen what this virus can, and is doing to the people of the galaxy."
"I have heard the cries for help, for salvation from worlds who thought they could fight the plague alone."
"And I wish never to hear them again."
"We must come together, in the face of this peril, unite and fight, as one."
"To form an administration of this scale and complexity is an undertaking that cannot be taken lightly, but there exists within the structures of the Independent Systems Consortium the will, the commitment and the fervour to see it done. Lahsbane, Naboo, Bestine, and countless other worlds have come together, pooled what resources we can, to take the fight to this plague, to safeguard and protect the trillions of citizens of the galaxy."
"So I ask again."
"Can you do this alone?"
"I hope I may be pardoned for what I ask of you, the people of the galaxy, for I ask much. I hope I may be understood by your leaders when I asked - Join us."
"In the past few days, since my appointment as Secretary of State, I have spoken to many leaders in both politics and business, and there is, naturally, concern around the cost of unity. I will work through these concerns with each and every one of you, for I know, as I think we all know, the cost of staying apart will be measured not in credits, but in the lives of our people, our friends, and our families."
"We have before us an ordeal of the most grievous kind. We have many months, some would say years of struggle to overcome this calamity. No one can stand alone against such a force, and nobody should. We must muster all our might, with all the strength the force can give us, and wage a total war against tis plague, never before surpasses in the ruinous horror it even now inflicts on this galaxy."
"But in the end, we have but one aim."
"Victory."
"We shall move together, forward toward this aim, and so I say again - nobody can stand alone."
"So let us stand together, and build that brighter tomorrow, today."
The autocue came on.
The producer counted her in.
Five.
Four.
Three.
Two.
The lights went up, the camera went live, and she began.
"Citizens of the Galaxy."
"On Benduday evening last, I received formal notice from the President of the Independent Systems Consortium to begin our great endeavour, to reach out to the stars, to look beyond, with hope and aspiration for a galaxy that is free from the virus which sweeps ever further across your systems. It was the evident wish of the President, and of the Systems he represents, that this should be conducted with the utmost haste, and with the immediacy deserving of the crisis, which grips us still."
"I consider it prudent, therefore, to lay out to you all, the next steps in this undertaking, that will wrestle the galaxy back from the brink of collapse, and enable it to step forward into a brighter future."
"As with all things, it begins with a question - to you, and to your representatives, presidents, prime ministers, monarchs, viceroys and all other nature of leaders that command resources and power, to save us all. Can you do this alone?"
"I know the answer to that question."
"I have seen what this virus can, and is doing to the people of the galaxy."
"I have heard the cries for help, for salvation from worlds who thought they could fight the plague alone."
"And I wish never to hear them again."
"We must come together, in the face of this peril, unite and fight, as one."
"To form an administration of this scale and complexity is an undertaking that cannot be taken lightly, but there exists within the structures of the Independent Systems Consortium the will, the commitment and the fervour to see it done. Lahsbane, Naboo, Bestine, and countless other worlds have come together, pooled what resources we can, to take the fight to this plague, to safeguard and protect the trillions of citizens of the galaxy."
"So I ask again."
"Can you do this alone?"
"I hope I may be pardoned for what I ask of you, the people of the galaxy, for I ask much. I hope I may be understood by your leaders when I asked - Join us."
"In the past few days, since my appointment as Secretary of State, I have spoken to many leaders in both politics and business, and there is, naturally, concern around the cost of unity. I will work through these concerns with each and every one of you, for I know, as I think we all know, the cost of staying apart will be measured not in credits, but in the lives of our people, our friends, and our families."
"We have before us an ordeal of the most grievous kind. We have many months, some would say years of struggle to overcome this calamity. No one can stand alone against such a force, and nobody should. We must muster all our might, with all the strength the force can give us, and wage a total war against tis plague, never before surpasses in the ruinous horror it even now inflicts on this galaxy."
"But in the end, we have but one aim."
"Victory."
"We shall move together, forward toward this aim, and so I say again - nobody can stand alone."
"So let us stand together, and build that brighter tomorrow, today."