Vance Valentine's Arc

Chapter 2 of 2

Vance Valentine needed a camera operator, and he needed one today. He couldn't run his media empire alone—not if he wanted to be in front of the lens where he belonged. He stood in the empty studio and pulled out his camera, holding it at arm's length to snap a photo of himself. The angle looked wrong. His magnificent cranium appeared slightly off-center, and the lighting didn't capture his best side. He lowered the camera and frowned. Every successful broadcaster had a crew, people who made them look good while they focused on being brilliant. He'd have to find someone willing to work for exposure and future pay. Vance snapped one more photo, this time with a confident smile that said he'd already solved the problem. He walked outside and circled around to the back of the headquarters. A metal structure caught his eye—tall and silver, with a curved dish pointing toward the sky. The Galactic Broadcast Dish gleamed in the light, its surface smooth and reflective. Vance stopped and stared at it. This was exactly what he needed to reach viewers across the entire planet. He pulled out his camera and took a photo of the dish, then another of himself standing proudly beside it. His pink hand rested on the metal base as he smiled. The equipment looked impressive, expensive, like something a real media empire would own. He'd figure out how to operate it later. Right now, he just needed people to see that Vance Valentine had the tools to broadcast to every corner of Auster. He walked back inside and sat down in the empty control room. The silence pressed against his ears. Starting a media career meant more than just having the right equipment—he needed to understand how everything worked together. The cameras had to connect to something. The audio had to flow somewhere. The signals had to travel through that dish outside and reach screens across the planet. Vance tapped his fingers on the desk. He'd learn it piece by piece, starting with the basics. Tomorrow he'd focus on the cameras. Next week, the audio setup. The week after that, the broadcast signals. Each step would bring him closer to his first show, his first audience, his first taste of recognition. He stood up and straightened his turquoise jacket. The dream was beginning. All he had to do was keep moving forward, one broadcast at a time, until everyone on Auster knew his name.