— And are you authorized to make such statements? — asked Dixon — Or do you want to provoke another international scandal on your personal initiative?
— Statement s ? — coordinator replied — no, I just quoted something from the history.
— You're just trying to use the show to advertise your country.
— Of course. As an employee of the Meganesia government, t his is one of my duties.
— Well, at least, you answered this honestly.
— A nswering the questions h onestly is my responsibility as well.
From the table stood a stern elderly gentleman wearing the badge of International Bureau for Human Rights: "Are you willing to honestly admit that your government ignores all international humanitarian acts?"
— To be honest — I just do not know all the acts on this subject. I'm actually not a lawyer. Please list which ones have we , in your view , violated.
— I'll open up with the methods of warfare. They violate the Convention of 1907, 1929, 1936, 1949, 1977 , and 2005. Your armed forces are engaged in sabotage on civilian objects on land and at sea, and in terror against the civilian population.
— Never heard of such a disgrace — said Torres — could you be more specific?
— Certainly. Your armed forces operation in the El Shana emirate two years ago. Seventeen civilians killed, the power plant, the central water supply system of the capital, the civil airport runway , and two interchanges on the main national highway were all destroyed.
— Wait a minute. Which civilians were in the residence of Sheikh Farhad? If you mean his guards, they were armed.
— His wife, five children, the staff.
Coordinator shrugged.
— Well, you know, it's still a war. Our army, at least, did not bomb the residential neighborhoods, as is customary in the military practice of so-called civilized countries. None but the immediate surroundings of Sheikh were physically hurt. The r esidents, of course, did suffer logistical, water and electricity supply inconveniences , but at war times these losses are inevitable.
— But Mr. Torres, to declare the war, to physically destroy the family of senior officials of the state , and to threaten the total destruction of the infrastructure of the country because of a minor misunderstanding with several citizens!
— It was not a minor misunderstanding — he snapped — the authorities of the emirate El Shana captured a civilian airliner, took hostage a group of tourists among whom were our citizens, and ignored our demand to release them to freedom.
— But there are diplomatic methods.
— There is the Magna Carta — interrupted Torres — every Meganesian citizen is under unconditional protection of the government. This protection does not depend on any policy or diplomacy, and is carried out by any means possible, with no exception s .
— Do not play with words! — cried the lady from the Family Protection League — What kind of protection of the citizens may declare a government that legalizes slavery? Slave trade violates all conceivable norms of civilization!
— Slave trade? Slavery? — he asked — what are you talking about?
— Your practice of trafficking convicts.
— You probably mean the renting of law offenders companies with residential complexes in the protected perimeter? Which law is broken here? Why should society bear the costs of the prisons?
— What about the guards with whips? — asked the lady.
— On that, I’m afraid, you were misinformed — chuckled the coordinator.
— But the prisoners also forced to work, or will you deny that?
— I'll deny it, it’s a hoax . We have the principle of informed consent. A convict can give it up and sit behind bars in a single box though the whole term . But it's uncomfortable. Of the approximately 8,000 prisoners in the country, less than 50 chose the option.
— And hard labor — that, in your opinion, is comfortable?
Torres scratched his head.
— That’s not a resort, but no international commission on the rights of prisoners found any violations. According to them, the conditions on the closed Meganesian plants are about the level of Swedish prisons. Nutrition, lifestyle and health care is almost the same. They have better sports equipment, but we have the sexual aspects covered . We have mixed contingent, without any restrictions on voluntary intercourse . The Swedes do not have this.
— What? Did you say? — the lady blushed, — you want to say that there ... in this prison ... your men and women are to each other ... it's disgusting!
Coordinator shrugged.
— I do not understand your frustration . The court sentenced them to prison, not to abstinence. According to the experts, our methods promote corrective recovery and socialization of offenders.
11. The problem of having sex in a collar
— Looks like the old lady has had it — Inaori giggled nastily.
— Yes — agreed Ernst — and this hag’s sexual life isn’t any better.
— Scary as a nuclear war — added Lal Singh.
— But look, the one who just replaced her is way better — said Vikskef.
His remark referred to a young woman, dressed in "military" style, with a sign on her chest saying "Jeanne Rohner”.
— The report of the Human Rights Office suggests your inmates wear collars! Collars , on human beings . Try to have sex in a collar!
— I ’d actually consider trying — Torres got up, untied the scarf and threw it carelessly on the table. There was a murmur in the studio, all eyes turned to the coordinator’s neck, which was encircled by a translucent ring 2 centimeters wide — come here, Miss Rohner. Do not be afraid, I will not bite.
— He’s trying in vain, — muttered Lal Singh — she won’t sleep with him.
— How do you know? — retorted Inaori.
— It’s clear.
— Boo! One Sigmund Freud you are.
— What makes you think I'm afraid? — replied Jeanne defiantly, and came around the table, to within arm's reach from the coordinator — well, I'm here, now what?
— As you can see, I ’m wearing a tracking collar. You can test it and see it is the same as what our prisoners wear. I wear it on by the requirement of our security department , in accordance with a paragraph of my contract on the measures in high-risk environments.
— Big deal! — she snorted — you can always take it off.
— Unlikely, unless I learn to detach my own hea d . To remove it you need 4 hours with a diamond saw.
— Or just to know where to click to unlock it — added Jeanne sarcastically.
— It has no lock, Miss Rohner. It is a solid ring, you are more than welcome to check yourself.
— Oh I will — she said stubbornly, and putting forth her hand, began to feel the collar. The studio was very quiet. A few minutes later, the journalist got a pocket nail clipper out of her sleeve and looked at the coordinator.