[11]You leave the compound, feeling free for the first time in a long while. You take in the glow of the morning sun, drifting over the spires of the Golden City of the Holy SEED. You don't think your guard noticed you sneaking out. You approach a withered debt-slave at a newspaper stand, and buy each and every paper from the many publishers within the Holy City. You find yourself a chair nearby in a bar on one of the lower levels of the Outer City and eavesdrop while reading through them.
[5] The papers are devoted propaganda sources. There's barely any mention of casualties and the mentions that are there downplay the significance. But, as several advertisements show; SEED is recruiting heavily. Debt slaves are being promised freedom and a plot of land in the new to be settled western province-- formerly the no-mans-land. Not to mention a bunch advertising service to SEED...hell, eight out of the ten newspapers in this city town are gossip rags or spout the lines given to them by the administration.
[17] You do notice a follow-up story concerning your supposed love life with a Family-born Emma Thornton, which amuses you to no end, considering that its from the Thornton owned press, and lists a 'anonymous source' from within your compound. But what really makes you laugh is that it's Emma's style of writing.
[11] Many of the patrons seem to be missing limbs. They have crude plastic prostheses. They drink in somber silence, only interrupting it to cheer a name or raise a toast. You can tell, simply by looking at them, the war is going bad. This is no poor man's drinking hall, no speakeasy serving cheap gin. It's close to the hoverport, and these men have the look of the middle class in their clean outfits and careful speech.
[-.20 credits] You order yourself the daily special, the only meal this place sellsl, and the Chef brings it out to you. Baby potatoes, [beast of burden, cow, beef] steak and some assorted fall vegetables. Its salty, and buttery, and delicious, and you eat your fill. The chef might have recognized you. He brings you out an extra loaf of bread and a small, sweet cake that's slightly stale. You pay only for your drink and the meal-- the dessert and bread were free.
[-] You make your way back to the compound, catching the odd eye of the passerby. Occasionally, someone bows, and you dip your head politely.
William is in the range, keeping a burner las-rifle steadily braced with one arm as he lays on the floor. He glances back towards you-- no, it would be better to explain it as he shrinks before you...His willpower, which leaks like a sieve, flees before your's instinctively. He looks momentarily concerned, before, offering, sheepishly, hesitantly. "Its different...seeing you like this."