THE DRIVE HOME

The interior of my car was identical to that of a 97 Buick Century. Reality and appearances need not be the same.
"Power up" I instructed in galactic common,an artificial language we've developed to facilitate communication between species.
A stirring of power could be felt as the AI unit in the car activated it's energy cels.
"Darken the windows40 per cent,"I continued. This would be enough at night to keep us from being observed by other drivers.
"Autodrive.Home base.".
The car pulled out of our parking space and began our exit from the garage.
"Cute tricks," commented Marchell. "How does a girl get one of these things?"
"Maybe I'll get you one for Christmas," I replied.
"Nah. Don't celebrate that one. Halloween, maybe?"
Vampires!
We came to the exit. I paid the parking fee and we sped off into the night.
"Let's see what's happening," I suggested.I switched back to galactic."Radio on."
The radio was preset to one of the news stations. The discussion that was underway involved the New York Times.Seems they had recently published details on how the government tracked monetary transaction in order to track down terrorists. One commentator sounded like he wanted to take the Times staff out behimd the barn, shoot them and leave them for the buzzards. His counterpart was defending the Times. prattling on about the public's right to know, which, I must note, is quite different fron the public's need to know or in the public's best interest to know.
"Really, Frazz, don't you find human politics a bit tedious?"
"It's part of the job, " I replied. "Can't evaluate humanity without understanding what's going on. Besides,I find the stupidity of the news media utterly fascinating."
"How so?"
"They just don't get it. There is no seperation between the observer and the observed. Both are always part of a larger system.When they report something regarding this war on terror. they influence the war on terror."
"The news services know that. Part of their choices on what and how to report things are often based on a personal agenda."
"And, I suspect, for power as well. Something not given or earned , but usurped, " I speculated. But you're missing my point. They are proceding without wisdom. As participants in this war they have a vested interest in the outcome of this war. As things stand now they have great freedom to print what they wish how they wish. The religous fanatics have stated they expect to conquor the West over a hundred years.If they did, all the vaunted rights of these arrogant news services are going to disappear, as will some reporters' heads. They, too, are under attack
and it would behoove them to take an active part in winning the war instead of hiding behind flimsy claims of principle and hindering it."
Marchell chuckled. "It's a daylighter trait to work against one's own self interest," she agreed. "It's called "shooting one's self in the foot.' Don't siuppose you could get some jazz on this thing, could you?"