gains from it against the risks to the environment.”
“What sort of risks are we talking about?” the blonde, coiffed reporter asked.
“To the wildlife, first of all,” Joseph said. “There are animals that use this area to make their homes or hunt. Our research has shown that once disturbed by humans, those animals are unlikely to return to the area for some time. They are driven away to find new places to live, possibly forever. That’s a loss for local people and to the delicate ecosystem that thrives here.”
The reporter nodded solemnly. “What else?”
“The paleontologists are working very close to the edge of the woodland area. Some of these trees are hundreds, even thousands of years old. At this time, as I understand it, no trees have been taken down. But what if they suddenly discover a T. rex? Do you think they would hesitate in felling those trees in order to excavate that skeleton?”
“Well, we can see the dig here is causing some friction between the two groups of scientists,” the reporter said as she turned back to the camera. “While we wait to hear what else comes out of this exciting dig, the risks surrounding this sort of activity are becoming ever more clear. More on this story as we get it. Back to you in the studio.”
I was furious, the red haze masking my ability to think logically. This was sabotage, plain and simple.
The film crew seemed happy with the footage and were packing up. The reporter in her prim suit was already climbing into a car, letting the crew finish the heavy lifting, moving the equipment back into the van. From where I was standing, it looked like Joseph was talking to a director or a producer; they exchanged a few words, a handshake, and Joseph went back to his car.
A few minutes later, they’d all driven away, leaving me to try to figure out what the fuck I was going to do.
It was only a few minutes’ walk back to the site, and I simultaneously thought and fumed as I stomped the distance away. I’d have to contact Sam; he’d probably get a call anyway, but this was his job, to deal with the press.
The news segment ran that night. Boner and I made sure we were alone in the motel room so I could watch it and get all of my ranting anger out before we went back to work. Being my best friend meant Boner sat and took all the vitriol, then called Sam for me and let us rant at each other for thirty minutes or so. I wasn’t sure I felt better after, but it was good knowing we’d gotten it all out.
Of course, there was no way of keeping it from the rest of the team. They all had TVs, and I couldn’t exactly tell them not to watch the news. I was conflicted. Either I brushed it off as unimportant and got on with the job, or I addressed it, brushed it off as unimportant, and got on with the job.
I wasn’t one to ignore a conflict.
“I doubt the press will call any of you directly,” I said, standing on the steps of the trailer with the team gathered loosely in front of me. “If they do, refer them to Sam and don’t make a comment. I spoke with Sam last night. He’s going to issue something formally, and the last thing any of us want is to get in his way.”
That drew a few chuckles from people who had been in Sam’s way before; it wasn’t a nice place to be.
“Okay, let’s get going,” I said and hopped down from my perch.
I fell into step alongside Raven as we headed out over the dig; she had caught the news like everyone else, but unlike the rest, she didn’t seem too bothered by it. Suddenly there was a prickle of something uncomfortable at the back of my neck. I grabbed Raven’s arm, and she startled.
“Shh,” I warned her.
It was probably only an animal. We were working in a nature reserve, after all. One of the first jobs I’d taken care of when recreating the dig as my own was installing a tall perimeter fence to keep wildlife off the site, for the benefit of the animals as well as for our safety. The site had definitely been
“What sort of risks are we talking about?” the blonde, coiffed reporter asked.
“To the wildlife, first of all,” Joseph said. “There are animals that use this area to make their homes or hunt. Our research has shown that once disturbed by humans, those animals are unlikely to return to the area for some time. They are driven away to find new places to live, possibly forever. That’s a loss for local people and to the delicate ecosystem that thrives here.”
The reporter nodded solemnly. “What else?”
“The paleontologists are working very close to the edge of the woodland area. Some of these trees are hundreds, even thousands of years old. At this time, as I understand it, no trees have been taken down. But what if they suddenly discover a T. rex? Do you think they would hesitate in felling those trees in order to excavate that skeleton?”
“Well, we can see the dig here is causing some friction between the two groups of scientists,” the reporter said as she turned back to the camera. “While we wait to hear what else comes out of this exciting dig, the risks surrounding this sort of activity are becoming ever more clear. More on this story as we get it. Back to you in the studio.”
I was furious, the red haze masking my ability to think logically. This was sabotage, plain and simple.
The film crew seemed happy with the footage and were packing up. The reporter in her prim suit was already climbing into a car, letting the crew finish the heavy lifting, moving the equipment back into the van. From where I was standing, it looked like Joseph was talking to a director or a producer; they exchanged a few words, a handshake, and Joseph went back to his car.
A few minutes later, they’d all driven away, leaving me to try to figure out what the fuck I was going to do.
It was only a few minutes’ walk back to the site, and I simultaneously thought and fumed as I stomped the distance away. I’d have to contact Sam; he’d probably get a call anyway, but this was his job, to deal with the press.
The news segment ran that night. Boner and I made sure we were alone in the motel room so I could watch it and get all of my ranting anger out before we went back to work. Being my best friend meant Boner sat and took all the vitriol, then called Sam for me and let us rant at each other for thirty minutes or so. I wasn’t sure I felt better after, but it was good knowing we’d gotten it all out.
Of course, there was no way of keeping it from the rest of the team. They all had TVs, and I couldn’t exactly tell them not to watch the news. I was conflicted. Either I brushed it off as unimportant and got on with the job, or I addressed it, brushed it off as unimportant, and got on with the job.
I wasn’t one to ignore a conflict.
“I doubt the press will call any of you directly,” I said, standing on the steps of the trailer with the team gathered loosely in front of me. “If they do, refer them to Sam and don’t make a comment. I spoke with Sam last night. He’s going to issue something formally, and the last thing any of us want is to get in his way.”
That drew a few chuckles from people who had been in Sam’s way before; it wasn’t a nice place to be.
“Okay, let’s get going,” I said and hopped down from my perch.
I fell into step alongside Raven as we headed out over the dig; she had caught the news like everyone else, but unlike the rest, she didn’t seem too bothered by it. Suddenly there was a prickle of something uncomfortable at the back of my neck. I grabbed Raven’s arm, and she startled.
“Shh,” I warned her.
It was probably only an animal. We were working in a nature reserve, after all. One of the first jobs I’d taken care of when recreating the dig as my own was installing a tall perimeter fence to keep wildlife off the site, for the benefit of the animals as well as for our safety. The site had definitely been
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