The intro music is the same, and the intro is basically the same, but ONN’s logo now appears in the bottom right corner for one difference. Keeping It Real has been syndicated.
As the intro fades, the camera reveals a sweeping view of one of Cocoon’s business districts. The camera is focused on a particular business and is zooming in as though sweeping down from a higher angle further up the street. Canopies block the interior view of the establishment, and the holo-graffiti “No Jobs 4 Skinjobs” temporarily captures the viewer’s eyes until it has been swept past and the friendly blue neon glow of the establishment’s interior replaces it.
Sable’s dulcet voice begins speaking while the camera sweeps the storefront revealing the image of a glowing rabbit head behind the blue-striped bar.
“The Briar Patch Brewery,” she says, “is a new establishment in the Plaza District of Cocoon Station. Across the street sits an empty lot. The biz is kitty-corner to Free Company’s headquarters and easy enough to find.”
The camera sweeps the bar and then comes to rest, framing the electric blue-haired visage of the newscaster herself.
“The question I sought to answer is simple,” she pauses for effect. “Just how friendly to the residents of Cocoon Station are the Black Rabbits and what does this new biz mean for the citizens? Mister Holloway, the Black Rabbits’s PR Manager, was kind enough to give me an interview.”
Now the scene fades, replacing itself with Sable seated at the short end of the bar and a well-dressed businessman standing near the pillar. The camera rotates to focus primarily on Holloway, whose name is displayed in the bottom third left corner of the screen across from Keeping It Real and ONN’s logo:
Holloway
Black Caste
PR & Marketing Manager
Briar Patch Brewery
Black Rabbits
Others are at the bar, but the camera pays them no mind.
Holloway cracks a smile, "So, what questions can I answer for you?"
"Well,” Sable begins, “there's a lot of ground to cover. I like giving my audience a peek under the hood, something that allows them to trust the establishment they're likely to patronize. There's far too much on this station that can't be trusted. So, how about elaborating for me on the way you introduced yourself. You indicated that this brewery isn't the only pie on the window shelf for the company, and am I to assume that there's a different organization behind the Brier Patch?"
Holloway eyes the drone as it swivels to keep him in focus. While staring the device down, the marketing man says rather flatly, "Yes. I agree utterly. Far too challenging these days to trust anyone or anything." He smiles and switches his focus back to Sable. "That said, we aim to make trusting us the easiest thing a person could do on Cocoon. Easy, and right."
His tone changes to reflect that of a used car salesman. "Oh, that. Well of course. It's no secret the Briar Patch was founded and is operated by The Black Rabbits. Nothing more than a... tightly knit organization, a family of sorts really, that I represent. One that aims to improve life for all those on the station or the system at large really. Help those around you and those around you help you in return, so to speak."
Holloway moves his left hand to indicate the rabbit logo on his suit, those on the walls, and other uniforms that those behind the bar wear. "This is no secret. We wear our identity with pride, as any family like ours would."
The camera angle shifts to show Sable leaning a little more on the bar as he finishes speaking, her head titled attentively to the side, the blue curls of her TechHair® glittering. "The Black Rabbits..." she ponders out loud when he finishes. "What makes the Black Rabbits a family instead of just another gang, Mr. Holloway? Citizens of Cocoon have seen many different guises worn by many different kinds of organizations. Not intending any offense, but when you say that the Black Rabbits intend to improve the lives of the people here, how do you intent to do so? Others have made that claim and then operate a little more nefariously in the shadows to take advantage of the people."
Holloway starts his reply with a polite, professional performance and tone, smiling a seemingly perpetual grin. As he fulminates, he becomes a little more passionate. "Ah yes. Very fair question. I'm sure we've all seen one too many of these gangs crop up time and time again, turning from Rob and Hood kindly types to abhorrently violent messes. Fear not, you nor your constituents. We're a family in that we're all born of the same blood. Blood of the poor, the downtrodden, the hopeful, the loving. We have come together out of optimism, a passion, and a desire, nay a NEED to make our lives the best they can be. The lives of those who suffer alongside us in the gutters, in the alleys, in the piles of trash and human refuse left all along the waysides of this station and stations like it. We are a family because we care. Because we price our beers responsibly, respectfully, and without excessive greed. Because we know that corporations serve only to serve themselves and do so at the cost of all those they deem beneath them as often as they can. Because we know what's really turning the gay frogs straight, because we believe no man, woman or child deserves to drink unflouridated water. We are a family, miss because we will not rest until the public knows the truth and justice has been served for those who have abused and molested by the nefarious and abhorrent violence that is fluorescent lighting, the most carcinogenic and mind-controlling of all light production methods." He huffs, having not breathed much during all that.
Sable leans towards Holloway, her calm expression not changing, "Are you saying that there's a humanitarian mission behind the Black Rabbits and their holdings, Mr. Holloway?"
Black Caste straightens, takes a deep breath, and pulls the hem of his suit to remove the wrinkles. "In no way do I wish to mince words here. In as plain a language as I can say it; The Black Rabbits stand for a great many things. Most of which if not all are intended to be for the betterment of all. I am not currently prepared for specifics on these details as such a thing is a long, calculated process requiring great consideration and thought, but I will say this much. We are not willing to let our action or inaction be the worsening of joy nor health to those we intend to not worsen in health nor joy. I hope that clears things up." He nods confidently.
Gentry smiles, "Well, it certainly doesn't muddy the waters any, Mr. Holloway. It does raise another question though. To what extent will the Black Rabbits go to enforce their..." she pulls the words she overheard with her enhanced audio into the question, "... mission statement?"
Holloway politely holds up a few fingers, indicating a correction he wishes to make, and thus does. "As I mentioned, I am not currently prepared with a statement on the exactness of what we will nor will not do in our endeavors, but I can say confidently it is nothing your audience will not enjoy, nor endorse. We are, after all, a people for the people. Mostly we'll sell affordable, delicious beer for now."
Sable Gentry settles back and rests her right forearm on the bar while the camera shifts its focus to solely frame Holloway. Once the camera is in position, she asks, "Is this brewery the only location the Black Rabbits currently own?"
Holloway folds his hands into each other, "This is currently our only public property, yes. Many of our members do have homes of their own, private assets as they are but nothing else owned by the organization as a whole. We did, for some time, manage the Kitsune but renovations on this location went quickly and as such we moved our operations in as timely a fashion as we could."
Sable’s voice carries a hint of professional surprise, "You managed the Kitsune? Were you behind all of those feeding the homeless initiatives?"
Holloway smiles brightly and holds out a restraining hand, "Please, if the Black Rabbits were responsible for such an initiative, and I'm not saying we were not nor am I saying we do not currently run a similar program, but if we were we would not do it with the desire to be credited for it. The dispersing of the food would be reward enough for us."
Sable’s voice returns to her normal soft purr, "Of course. One last question for you, Mr. Holloway. What's your parting message to the people of Cocoon Station?"
Holloway takes a moment — a long moment — to gather himself. He folds his hands behind his back, takes a deep breath, and smiles brightly, first at Sable, then at the drone hovering above her. As he starts his final message, he slowly walks closer and closer, keeping his focus on the drone and thus the camera.
"I would like to say this, simply and directly. Speaking to the people now, the hungry masses, the sad and the cowering. We are here for you. We are here. We will not leave you. Unless we're out on a delivery."
He explains in a quick sidebar to Sable, "We are looking to expand into delivery services. Quick Bunny Courier services, coming to a station near you."
Then he looks back at the drone, "We will aim to make this station, to make Luna and to maybe even make Mars... the best they can be. I want it to be known that no man woman or child of any gender, age real or fictitious is alone. Not anymore. We are here. We are Rabbits, and we will take care of you."
The pause he takes here would imply he is done, but he is not.
"There is nowhere, no time, no how that those ROTTEN. DECEITFUL. CONNIVING little rat corpo fascists can hide from us. We know… WE ALL KNOW THE TRUTH and the truth knows us. We will fluoridate the water! We will Centralize cloned banana prices. We WILL bring freedom, and love and control and stability to this system. We are the Black Rabbits. And we will not turn your gay frogs into cis, heteronormative, endothermic beings of oppression."
He reaches up to grab the drone with both hands, holding it right in front of his face. "We are here. To sell beer."
Once he releases the drone, the camera turns back to capture Sable, who is barely refraining from an expression of amusement and calmly says, "Thank you for your time, Mr. Holloway. I'm sure you'll see some results stemming from this interview. I look forward to seeing all that the Black Rabbits can achieve."
The drone moves back into position, shifting its focus to a more ambient observation. This fades into the image of Sable standing further up the street with the Briar Patch in the background. Once again, the graffiti is easily visible, “No Jobs 4 Skinjobs” in glowing red.
“There you have it, chooms. From the mouth of the spokesman himself, they are the Black Rabbits, and they are on a mission.” Glancing back over her shoulder, she adds, “Since this interview, there has been little noteworthy news made by the Black Rabbits, though the Briar Patch seems to be picking up patronage their claims of,” she returns her eyes to the camera, “doing something to the ‘corpo fascists’ or bringing ‘love and control’ to the system are thus far only hyperbole.
"Their logo is the head of a bunny. It sits right next to a rather poignant social statement," she glances back towards the Briar and the graffiti, "Which leads this reporter to ask, are they nothing more than a marketing machine designed to push products through meaningless claims of social support and reform, and does this reform include the synths and replicants or are they in support of the movement to eliminate those demographics from the population?
“This is Sable Gentry, Keeping It Real now with ONN. We’ll catch you on the flip side, choombatta.”
The ending jingle begins to play, revealing the Keeping It Real logo followed by ONN’s.
