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"Hello, I'm Melissa Bungalow, your crime and justice correspondent with Earth News Network," said an attractive lady aged about thirty. She was addressing the camera robot that accompanied her.

"As you can see, I'm standing outside the Public Safety Service headquarters in Central City. I'm here to deliver a special report on the breaking piece of news that hit our stations- the arrest of Senator Alice Gasutu in relation to the failed coup of Admiral Tenka."

A Public Safety Service speeder landed just outside the building.

"No doubt that is the transport bringing the senator to the PSS HQ. The senator was arrested this afternoon at her senatorial office in Central City. She is arrested under suspicion of conspiring with Tenka to overthrow the government. This accusation follows her surprise decision to leave the governing People's Party and to join the radical right-wing Citizens' Party," explained Melissa Bungalow.

The doors of the speeder opened and two Public Safety Service officers stepped out. They bundled out a woman in her late forties who was dressed in a dark business suit and heels.

"I have been given special permission to interview the senator as she is taken into custody. We will shortly be going inside the booking area with her," said Melissa.

The senator was clearly trying to maintain her dignity as she was frogmarched towards the building, yet with her hands cuffed behind her, she was losing the battle.

Melissa approached the party, microphone in hand. The camera robot followed behind.

"Hello, Senator Gasutu. I'm Melissa Bungalow from the Earth News Network. We've been given permission to speak to you on this unfortunately distressing occasion. I'd like to put some questions to you on behalf of the viewers."

"Of course. I'd be happy to answer any questions," replied the senator who came to halt.

"Keep walking," instructed one of the officers.

The reporter had to quicken her pace to keep up with the party.

"I understand this arrest had been pre-arranged and did not come as a surprise to you?" said Melissa.

"I don't know about pre-arranged, but I was told I would be arrested four hours earlier. I didn't expect to be put in handcuffs, however," said Gasutu, giving the two officers a dirty look.

"Senator, did you conspire to overthrow the government?" asked Melissa.

Gasutu laughed.

"I am totally innocent of these wild accusations. I have serious disagreements with the present government, but I would never betray my senatorial oath," she replied.

"According to investigators, you had numerous communications with Admiral Kathy Tenka before her coup attempt," said Melissa.

One of the officers opened a steel door, through which the party entered.

"Yes, I have communicated with Admiral Tenka," replied Gasutu. "She is a very vocal individual who frequently expresses her opinions to politicians. We have had many discussions."

The senator was ushered towards the booking desk.

"Did you have any awareness of Tenka's plans?" asked Melissa.

"What plans? To overthrow the government? I would remind you, Melissa, that Tenka has not yet stood trial. She may yet prove herself innocent and I am sure she will do so. She's always shown herself to be loyal to the Terran Republic."

One of the officers removed Gasutu's cuffs. The senator gave a sigh of relief and began rubbing her wrists.

"So you are close to Tenka?" asked Melissa.

"I don't know what you mean by close, but I respect her as a war hero and a great military officer. I don't agree with all of her opinions naturally," said Gasutu.

"If there is anything in your pockets, please place it on the desk," instructed the custody officer behind the desk.

"These charges are entirely politically motivated," said the senator. "This is an attempt to silence a critic of the government. By joining the Citizens' Party, I ruffled too many feathers. Now the oligarchs who run this once great republic are trying to ruin me."

The custody officer interrupted again.

"Please remove your jewelry, senator," he said.

Senator Gasutu made a face, before removing her necklace, followed by her earrings.

"Why did you leave the People's Party, senator?" asked Melissa.

"I got tired of the wasteful bureaucracy and the pandering to special interests. I'm fearful of the future of the Republic. The colonies are being allowed too much power. I don't want to see them breakaway and form independent governments. That would be bad for the human race. Yet the government seems quite content to sit by and let that happen. We need a stronger leadership and the Citizens' Party seemed to be the only ones who realize that."

"Take off your shoes, please," ordered the custody officer

"Is all this really necessary?" barked Gasutu, turning back to the officer.

"We treat everyone the same way. The Public Safety Service treats everyone fairly," said the custody officer. "You need to take your shoes off."

Gasutu pulled off her high heeled shoes and slammed them down angrily on the desk.

She was then asked to sign a receipt for her property.

A female officer then began gently patting down the senator. Gasutu turned to the reporter.

"You see how I am treated like a commmon criminal?" said Gasutu. "This is a tyranny. The government will turn on anyone who won't tow the line. It is determined to crush all opposition to its corrupt ways."

"We need to go now," said one of the officers. "We've got a cell waiting for you."

"Another question, senator, if these people don't mind..."

"No, I'm sorry. This interview is going to have to end now," insisted the officer.

"Sir, the viewers want answers to some of the questions they no doubt have. I must ask the senator..."

The officers were already leading Gasutu to the cells. Melissa tried to follow.

"Senator, do you think..."

"Enough I said!" snapped the officer.

"I have to insist..." cried Melissa.

"Alright, have it your way," said the PSS man. "Melissa Bungalow, I am arresting you for interfering with PSS duties."

He then grabbed the microphone from her hands.

"I don't care. Just as long as you put me in the same cell as the senator, so I can finish this interview," said Melissa.

"Give the woman a break! She doesen't want to be locked up all night with you," said the custody officer with a laugh. "Now you've seen the drill- pockets empty, jewelry and shoes on the desk, please."

Melissa continued to address the camera robot.

"As you can see, I am being arrested myself. No doubt some people will see this as an unwarranted interference in media freedom. This is your correspondent, Melissa Bungalow..."

"Somebody turn that thing off!" snapped the custody officer.

Description
"Hello, I'm Melissa Bungalow, your crime and justice correspondent with Earth News Network," said an attractive lady aged about thirty. She was addressing the camera robot that accompanied her.

"As you can see, I'm standing outside the Public Safety Service headquarters in Central City. I'm here to deliver a special report on the breaking piece of news that hit our stations- the arrest of Senator Alice Gasutu in relation to the failed coup of Admiral Tenka."

A Public Safety Service speeder landed just outside the building.

"No doubt that is the transport bringing the senator to the PSS HQ. The senator was arrested this afternoon at her senatorial office in Central City. She is arrested under suspicion of conspiring with Tenka to overthrow the government. This accusation follows her surprise decision to leave the governing People's Party and to join the radical right-wing Citizens' Party," explained Melissa Bungalow.

The doors of the speeder opened and two Public Safety Service officers stepped out. They bundled out a woman in her late forties who was dressed in a dark business suit and heels.

"I have been given special permission to interview the senator as she is taken into custody. We will shortly be going inside the booking area with her," said Melissa.

The senator was clearly trying to maintain her dignity as she was frogmarched towards the building, yet with her hands cuffed behind her, she was losing the battle.

Melissa approached the party, microphone in hand. The camera robot followed behind.

"Hello, Senator Gasutu. I'm Melissa Bungalow from the Earth News Network. We've been given permission to speak to you on this unfortunately distressing occasion. I'd like to put some questions to you on behalf of the viewers."

"Of course. I'd be happy to answer any questions," replied the senator who came to halt.

"Keep walking," instructed one of the officers.

The reporter had to quicken her pace to keep up with the party.

"I understand this arrest had been pre-arranged and did not come as a surprise to you?" said Melissa.

"I don't know about pre-arranged, but I was told I would be arrested four hours earlier. I didn't expect to be put in handcuffs, however," said Gasutu, giving the two officers a dirty look.

"Senator, did you conspire to overthrow the government?" asked Melissa.

Gasutu laughed.

"I am totally innocent of these wild accusations. I have serious disagreements with the present government, but I would never betray my senatorial oath," she replied.

"According to investigators, you had numerous communications with Admiral Kathy Tenka before her coup attempt," said Melissa.

One of the officers opened a steel door, through which the party entered.

"Yes, I have communicated with Admiral Tenka," replied Gasutu. "She is a very vocal individual who frequently expresses her opinions to politicians. We have had many discussions."

The senator was ushered towards the booking desk.

"Did you have any awareness of Tenka's plans?" asked Melissa.

"What plans? To overthrow the government? I would remind you, Melissa, that Tenka has not yet stood trial. She may yet prove herself innocent and I am sure she will do so. She's always shown herself to be loyal to the Terran Republic."

One of the officers removed Gasutu's cuffs. The senator gave a sigh of relief and began rubbing her wrists.

"So you are close to Tenka?" asked Melissa.

"I don't know what you mean by close, but I respect her as a war hero and a great military officer. I don't agree with all of her opinions naturally," said Gasutu.

"If there is anything in your pockets, please place it on the desk," instructed the custody officer behind the desk.

"These charges are entirely politically motivated," said the senator. "This is an attempt to silence a critic of the government. By joining the Citizens' Party, I ruffled too many feathers. Now the oligarchs who run this once great republic are trying to ruin me."

The custody officer interrupted again.

"Please remove your jewelry, senator," he said.

Senator Gasutu made a face, before removing her necklace, followed by her earrings.

"Why did you leave the People's Party, senator?" asked Melissa.

"I got tired of the wasteful bureaucracy and the pandering to special interests. I'm fearful of the future of the Republic. The colonies are being allowed too much power. I don't want to see them breakaway and form independent governments. That would be bad for the human race. Yet the government seems quite content to sit by and let that happen. We need a stronger leadership and the Citizens' Party seemed to be the only ones who realize that."

"Take off your shoes, please," ordered the custody officer

"Is all this really necessary?" barked Gasutu, turning back to the officer.

"We treat everyone the same way. The Public Safety Service treats everyone fairly," said the custody officer. "You need to take your shoes off."

Gasutu pulled off her high heeled shoes and slammed them down angrily on the desk.

She was then asked to sign a receipt for her property.

A female officer then began gently patting down the senator. Gasutu turned to the reporter.

"You see how I am treated like a commmon criminal?" said Gasutu. "This is a tyranny. The government will turn on anyone who won't tow the line. It is determined to crush all opposition to its corrupt ways."

"We need to go now," said one of the officers. "We've got a cell waiting for you."

"Another question, senator, if these people don't mind..."

"No, I'm sorry. This interview is going to have to end now," insisted the officer.

"Sir, the viewers want answers to some of the questions they no doubt have. I must ask the senator..."

The officers were already leading Gasutu to the cells. Melissa tried to follow.

"Senator, do you think..."

"Enough I said!" snapped the officer.

"I have to insist..." cried Melissa.

"Alright, have it your way," said the PSS man. "Melissa Bungalow, I am arresting you for interfering with PSS duties."

He then grabbed the microphone from her hands.

"I don't care. Just as long as you put me in the same cell as the senator, so I can finish this interview," said Melissa.

"Give the woman a break! She doesen't want to be locked up all night with you," said the custody officer with a laugh. "Now you've seen the drill- pockets empty, jewelry and shoes on the desk, please."

Melissa continued to address the camera robot.

"As you can see, I am being arrested myself. No doubt some people will see this as an unwarranted interference in media freedom. This is your correspondent, Melissa Bungalow..."

"Somebody turn that thing off!" snapped the custody officer.