Comments are being solicited, as are constructive critiques.

_____________________________________

Luck of the Dragon
Chapter One hundred Eighty-seven
© 2012 by Walter D. Reimer
(Songmark and characters courtesy of Simon Barber. Thanks!)

A stylized image of a mountain drew back to reveal that it was a bold letter ‘A’ and the fanfare accompanying it heralded the title card Azimuth Movie News. Mothers shushed noisy children as the newsreel began with the well-known voice of Carl Stoat.

Tatiana liked the ferret’s voice, attached to a bourgeois though it was.

The monochrome image on the screen in the darkened theater was very crisp and clear, with only an occasional flicker in one corner. The initial report on the continuing conflict in China finally ended with carefully edited pictures of the Japanese parading through Nanking.

Shin hoped Hao hadn’t seen the newsreels before heading to San Francisco with Xiu.

Both Liberty and Tatiana nodded approvingly as the newsreel went on to describe the recent air raids on Seville and Valladolid by the Spanish Republican Air Force. There was a group shot of the pilots who had flown the raid. They were a raffish bunch of differing species and nationalities.

The next report, with Rule, Britannia on the soundtrack, showed an equine femme surrounded by what looked like acres of fine lace taffeta as she cradled a newborn foal. Stoat’s warm baritone voice said, “All of England is awash with jubilation as Queen Wallis presents the United Kingdom and the Empire with a bouncing baby boy. Cute little fellow, isn’t he? Named Edward, the colt was born on January twenty-fifth. Mother and son are reported by the Palace as being in excellent health and fine spirits, as a welcome infusion of Yankee blood is brought to the British monarchy.” As he said this, the soundtrack changed to Yankee Doodle.

Brigit stirred irritably in her seat, settling down as Michael touched the back of her paw. "Shush," he whispered.

“Bloody – “

"The people in the front row can hear your teeth grinding, Brigit. Hush, please." The hawk leaned in close and nuzzled her.

“The heir to another empire was born in Britain at around the same time, with worldwide herbivore food company F.R. Buckhorn and Sons announcing that the son of its owner, Reginald Buckhorn, has been presented with a fine fawn by his wife Willow. Mrs. Buckhorn is also American, so we can guess there’ll more stars and stripes in the Union Jack, eh?” The screen showed a whitetail buck cradling a baby while a smiling doe looked on from a deeply-upholstered chair.

Liberty clenched her fists at the sight of the news favorably portraying a capitalist tycoon’s degenerate son, but she remained quiet. Her expression brightened, however, as the next item came on.

This had marching music under the voiceover and showed a large group of men and women moving in formation down a wide boulevard. They were all bundled up well against blowing snow as they tramped through the slush. “In Washington, D.C., the first contingent of President Long’s Anti-Wealth League marched from the White House to Capitol Hill to show their support for the Kingfish.” The film cut away to show the canine shaking a fist while declaiming to a bank of microphones.

The final segment made all four Songmark students lean forward in their seats.

This piece of film showed a night sky shot through with what looked like glowing streamers and curtains of diffuse light. The eerie wails of Theremins added a counterpoint to Stoat’s voice as he said, “On the night of January twenty-fifth the skies over Europe were treated to something unusual. No, it’s not Martians, folks; it’s the aurora borealis, the Northern Lights. Not usually seen this far south, it held observer’s attention as far south as Gibraltar before eventually fading away.”

The newsreel then switched to sports, before wrapping up with an interest piece about a feral cat and mouse that had the same fur patterns and were apparently inseparable friends. “Looking at Maud and Jan makes us feel that there’s hope for the world yet,” and Stoat’s voice faded as the music swelled into the closing fanfare.

The main feature was an English translation of Red Knight, the latest ultra-expressionist effort from Germany. Compared to earlier works that were so stark as to occasionally cause viewers to faint dead away, however, the story appeared weak and the characters a bit two-dimensional.

“Waste of good money,” Shin grumbled as the group left the theater.

“It wasn’t that bad, Shin,” Liberty countered. “I liked the strong female lead.”

“Yeah, she did well.” The red panda glanced at the canine. “I saw you smiling during the newsreel.”

“Was it that obvious?”

“You don’t smile often, so when you do people notice.”

“Usually t’take cover,” Brigit laughed, paw in paw with Michael. The red-tailed hawk merely looked pleased with himself.

“I was pretty pleased to see those marchers in Washington,” the New Havenite explained, and elaborated when she saw Shin’s curious look. “The proletariat in the United States is starting to feel its true power, you see. Long’s idea is simple gradualism – instead of forcing revolution on the power structure and its defenders, he takes it in small steps. When the workers see how effective one step is, they’ll want to see another step taken, then another and another. Eventually America will be as socialist as – “

“As New Haven?” Brigit asked.

“Probably not,” Liberty conceded. “We’re not as addicted to bourgeois comforts as the Yankees, and the – what?” she asked Tatiana.

“Objectively,” the Russian sable pointed out, “it’s only a matter of time before the reactionary forces in the country take steps to counter Long.”

“Quite right,” the canine conceded. “That’s why Long is taking these small steps, masking his true intentions.”

“So Long’s a revolutionary?” Shin asked.

“In a sense, yes,” Liberty replied as Tatiana nodded. “I don’t think it’ll be a true Fourth Internationalist revolution, as there’s little sign at this time of a general uprising of the workers. It’s coming from above. Much as I hate to admit it, revolutionaries of the Right have demonstrated that one path is through so-called ‘legitimate’ political means.”

“Ye’re thinkin’ o’ Italy, then?” the Irish setter asked.

“Exactly. Or Germany. Il Puce worked through the power structure, not against it.”

“Better not let Maria hear that,” the sable said with a grin. “You might find yourself upside down again.”

Liberty growled at the memory while the others giggled. “I let my anger get the better of me back then.”

____________________________________

The picture of Red Dorm (L to R, Tatiana, Brigit, Shin, and Liberty) is by the talented  moodyferret
Wo Shin ©  walt46; all others © Simon Barber.