Listening In

Let me just say for the record how much I love running through the woods with Sam and Janine bickering in my ear.  Really.  I just adore that.  Fact is that they both seem to be operating under the false assumption that I have to listen to either one of them.  Don’t get me wrong: they’ve both saved my butt on more than one occasion, but if communications gives me some stupid directive – like, say, “run towards those New Canton runners,” I *will* ignore it.  My job is to run supply and tactical missions while – and this is key – while staying alive.  Everything we know about New Canton suggests an oppressive and isolationist government and, if we’ve learned nothing from the last five millennia of human history, it’s that oppressive isolationist governments tent to spread propaganda that is less than friendly about other settlements.

So... spying on NC today with Lem's headset.  I was right: propaganda.  But it never hurts to be reminded that they are people too, and they are hurting as much as anyone.  But they don't trust us, so I'd rather meat them on my own terms, thank you very much.