The Age of Odin - James Lovegrove [73]
"Aren't you staying?" Odin said. "Aren't you willing to fight on the Aesir's behalf? You appear to be. More so, certainly, than a couple of days ago. Thor's convinced you'll be a terrific asset. He told me you're positively bloodthirsty. You know no restraint."
"I... I've not signed on any dotted line yet."
"But you'd like to."
That solitary eye of his bored into me. I felt like an open book.
"I might," I said. "Maybe if I knew what we're going up against... I mean, that is why you brought me here to the Norns' lovely Hello! magazine spread mansion, isn't it? To clue me in on who the enemy is."
"And you have earned the right to be told," said Urd. She had another videocassette in her hands. A bog-standard black one this time, which she slipped out from a sleeve bearing the Sony logo.
Verdande ejected my gold tape and slotted the new one in.
Skuld said, "This was recorded just days ago."
"What, off the telly? It isn't somebody else's life story then?"
"A broadcast from one of the commercial terrestrial stations," said Urd.
"An episode of a popular documentary series," said Verdande.
"We've trimmed it down to the relevant portions," said Skuld.
I was baffled. They'd just shown me me, some kind of magical filmic compilation of events taken from my life, Gid's Greatest Hits - and now we were about to watch an edited version of a programme off ITV or Channel 4? The contrast was almost surreal.
What the hell. Might as well play couch potato for a bit.
I leaned back, folding my arms behind my head and stretching out my legs.
"Don't suppose anybody's got any popcorn?" I said.
Twenty-Seven
Transcribed excerpts from Makepeace Meets... President Keener
Makepeace: [in studio, to camera] Good evening. I'm Peter Makepeace, and tonight on Makepeace Meets... we have a rare exclusive. For the past three weeks we've been granted continuous, unrestricted access to the subject of this episode. We've been following her every step, filming her while she handles her punishing workload, catching her on off-guard moments, interviewing her candidly one-to-one on several occasions, and also seeing her at home as she juggles the challenges of the most important and difficult job in the world with the arguably no less demanding role of wife and mother. She's a controversial figure, to put it mildly, much loved in her homeland, less so abroad, outspoken, gutsy, not afraid to stand up for what she believes in, intolerant of dissent, a strong advocate of libertarianism and individual responsibility who also implements draconian laws and espouses a hawkish foreign policy. There hasn't been a stateswoman of international standing to match her since Margaret Thatcher. She is, of course, the first female President of the United States, President Keener.
Audio Description Commentary: There is a sequence of shots. We see President Keener going over papers in the Oval Office - climbing aboard Air Force One - meeting a delegation of African heads of state - listening attentively while her daughter practises the violin.
Makepeace: Who is this woman who came from nowhere to seize the most powerful political post on the planet? How do her strong Christian principles influence and inform her decision-making? Why is America so in thrall to her that it has elected her twice, both times by a landslide? And what are her hopes and plans for the future? Over the next hour we are, I believe, going to answer those questions through our unrivalled fly-on-the-wall coverage of the day-to-day dealings of the USA's First Lady. This is Makepeace Meets... President Keener. Keep watching.
Audio Description Commentary: Peter and the president are strolling across a snow-covered White House lawn. They are well-wrapped-up against the weather. She has her arm linked through his.
Mrs Keener: People claim I play up my Georgia roots, Pete. Some of the civil liberties groups say I shouldn't be so darn proud of where I come from. The South has a history, as you may be aware, not that charming a one. But, what, I'm supposed to be ashamed