Lockdown On Planet Sem

Sem Lockdown, Day 22

"Hey, what do you want to do on our last day?" Akira asked on the team's daily call.

Everyone was feeling the same way she was, ever so slightly consumed by the prospect of returning to their normal lives. Though it hadn't been long or even necessarily a great struggle to live in Alpha Radio Station 1, the Rising Star Battalion were young, vibrant and eager to begin progressing towards the next stage of their lives again, both individually and together as a team. 

It was all too possible that, with a lack of older adults, they had forgotten the meaning of living every moment and enjoying it to its full.

"Sure, definitely," agreed Miles, "How about we have a feast?"

"Yes, that sounds good. I was thinking we might sit for a while and just discuss ordinary things. It's not often we get a chance to just be ourselves and take time to get to know each other better," Tristan suggested.

"Yeah, okay," agreed Kain, "That's a plan."

"Splendid. Good idea, Akira, thank you for that. I'm going to head off now and get ready for broadcast, but keep doing what you've been doing, team. Let's give the people of Sem the news they need to hear," Tristan signed off.

"Roger!"

******

"Good evening, fellow citizens. Hope you're all still coping well. We sadly don't yet have an update from the Supreme Leader but, rest assured, it shan't be long until we hear from him and find out more about what will happen after the lockdown is over and how exactly it will end. Miles does have some information for you this evening though.

Firstly, here's Kain with the daily news updates as always."

******

"Thanks, Captain, and good evening to you all.

Today, the only remaining member made a statement with regard to her fellow researchers. It went as follows:

I apologise on the behalf of my analyst friends. I have been in contact with them and they are all feeling very conscious that they disobeyed the rules while doing invaluably important work in the public eye. They say that they can only hope that having crāpulavirus is reasonable retribution for what they've done.

While keeping in contact with the others, I have been working closely with both crāpulavirus data and anlysing the cheese dropped here by the Sterculians. I link my work to my own life force and take it very seriously so, I hope you can trust me when I say that I aim to have all the answers I can give to you as soon as possible. Thank you.

In other news, lockdown has seen some fishers and farmers re-thinking how they cope with supply and demand for food, with the idea of creating something to aid people in producing more of their own food at home in the event of poor weather or work absences.

Other changes in the market have also occurred as the small. but high-functioning beautician industry in central Simul Santu has found that some people have enjoyed their radical change in skin colour so much that they may be willing to buy purple, blue, green or even orange skin dye. Of course, such a product would have to be ethically tested first before it was available for sale.

More research is also likely to go into methods of preventing future grievous outbreaks of crāpulavirus and far deadlier diseases. It is thought that medical care which will control crāpulavirus will be mentioned in the Supreme Leader's speech when he joins us for a broadcast soon.

Anyway, that's all from me this evening. Here's Miles with the latest medical updates."

******

"Good evening, planet Sem.

As Kain and Tristan have both mentioned, Supreme Leader Sir Leonty Hershall will be not be joining us this evening but shall be with us soon.

Now though, I would like to bring up home-test kits. We have been told that everyone should please continue to use them even after lockdown has ended as part of keeping a focus on where the disease is spreading and also as part of testing a new strategy for future outbreaks. The red containers will remain with you at your households and you can still get in touch to ask for new kits if you need them. This system will remain in place until the current outbreak is over.

Thank you. Here's Akira with the weather."

******

"Good evening, everyone.

I hope everyone in Secat enjoyed seeing the snowy weather fade away today. Unfortunately, Storm François is headed over tomorrow, but the rain won't last for long. It won't be rainy to start with in the morning, but it will be windy with an average temperature of 7 degrees centigrade. Meanwhile, the weather in Simul Santu will be warm and slightly less windy with a temperature of 13 degrees centigrade. In Piscanturia, there will be a few more rainy spells but the temperature will remain at 19 degrees centigrade. 

Weather at the Poles will be unchanged. Back to you, Captain."

******

"Thank you, Akira, and thanks to all of you for your attention and co-operation through these times and for holding it during these more uncertain days. We should have more information soon but, hopefully, there was enough to keep you satisfied in this evening's broadcast.

To play us out tonight, here's a song from me which I find a new message in every individual time I hear it. I hope you can take something interesting from it.

Goodnight, fellow citizens."