Union: Episode 2
Start from the beginning : Union : Episode 1
Sienna read about Rajiv and Kori's and all other 102 couples about a hundred times. She saw their interviews and analysed their body language, tone and eye muscle movement. She was designed to counsel the couples and make them stay in the competition. She had other motives too.
Kori was marveling at Sienna. She had come across humanoids before but Sienna was absolute perfection.
'So, is there anything you want to know more?' Sienna asked.
'I was wondering if you could run the schedule with us' spoke Rajiv. He just wanted to confirm everything again.
'Very well. It's a standard schedule followed by all participating couples. Due to different time zones, you will see different couples doing different things but you're to follow your timeline.'
'I thought the concept of time will be removed'
'That's right, Kori. There will be no clock in the house. You will be judging the time by yourself'
'Moving on, there are list of things you need to follow. The telecast recording time is 4 hours. So throughout the day they will record a maximum of 4 hours of footage per couple but the live stream works 24/7'
'You need to make things to make you likable. Remember the point of Union. It is to show people that in love, you can be happy'
Kori and Rajiv nodded their heads in agreement.
'One more thing, look as real as possible but fake it when it's absolutely necessary for your image. I know you may disagree but what people think about you will mean everything when nobody quitting voluntarily. My analytics show that within 6 months, the remaining participants will be 51. That's about half already gone. But when the show will starting testing you- '
'What is this testing that they haven't explained to us at all?' Kori asked in suspicion.
'I am not at liberty to tell you anything because I am unaware too' Sienna then drew herself closer to both of them. 'But what I do know is that it won't be easy you will want to quit. Both of you'
'What's is your role in this?'
'I'm going to keep you alive and safe. Your tracker will feed me with your health stats. No participants can continue if you develop a type-A medical problem'
'Develop a type-A medical problem?'
'Being away from the outside world for such a long time can lead to a situation of neurosis. It's my job to not let that happen'
'For other things, you can rest assured'
There were things Sienna withholding deliberately. Kori as she judged was better equipped to deal with situations as they come. Rajiv who she studied extensively was lacking empathy. In 12 hours her contestants would depart. She was hoping to see them only after three years. Three years to freedom, she thought.
***
'I am not able to sleep'
'Me neither'
Kori switched her side towards Rajiv. She touched his warm cheeks, he smiled. They shared a kiss and she buried her face into him. 'How do you feel?' Rajiv asked.
'The house in nice, the courtyard is beautiful'
'I know, can't complain much'
'What do you think they are showing them?'
'I don't know, maybe the pot you broke at the entrance'
Kori burst into laughter. 'Yes! How clumsy of me, what a first impression'
'I think people are going to find it funny' he concluded.
A few minutes later they were both asleep. Sienna called them up on the scheduled time, right after breakfast.
'You're both doing great' she said cheerfully.
'Its just been a day, Sienna' Rajiv said expressing no sense of achievement.
'Well, tell that to the 5 teams that have already pulled out' Sienna remarked.
Rajiv and Kori were amazed to hear. 'No way, what happened?'
'Well, few skeletons in the closet can't make up even with 10 million dollars'
'Anyway, there are change of plans now. Union wanted the first week to be exciting but as 5 teams have quite after mere 24 hours, they will not give any tasks to be fulfill. In my opinion, do something like you did last night more often'
Rajiv and Kori looked at each other.
'What'
'Yes, that moment between you two was very endearing. And it made good content for 5 minutes of run-time. They have asked me to congratulate you'
'Are you saying we made it to the edited stream?'
'Yes, you both made it to the final-cut stream 1 of Union. Approximately a billion people watched the stream. One million Tweets were for you two'
'WOW!'
'I'm proud of you both. Time's nearly up. Take care of yourselves.'
Sienna cut the call. She removed her earpiece and put it on the table. She looked at the screen where she saw Rajiv and Kori hug each other. They seemed optimistic and confident. She saw them last night too, she found it a little too ordinary but the people disagreed. The world was so out of love that an act of considerate attention even if it meant two minutes was engaging a million people out there.
In the beginning of all of this, they were told a small lie. Things were not going to be made tough, they would become hellish. Union had plans for every couple, to test strengths and weaknesses in a whole new manner. Their motive? To make people long for companionship despite everything.
Sienna had one job. To keep them going no matter what the odds be.
***
Sienna read about Rajiv and Kori's and all other 102 couples about a hundred times. She saw their interviews and analysed their body language, tone and eye muscle movement. She was designed to counsel the couples and make them stay in the competition. She had other motives too.
Kori was marveling at Sienna. She had come across humanoids before but Sienna was absolute perfection.
'So, is there anything you want to know more?' Sienna asked.
'I was wondering if you could run the schedule with us' spoke Rajiv. He just wanted to confirm everything again.
'Very well. It's a standard schedule followed by all participating couples. Due to different time zones, you will see different couples doing different things but you're to follow your timeline.'
'I thought the concept of time will be removed'
'That's right, Kori. There will be no clock in the house. You will be judging the time by yourself'
'Moving on, there are list of things you need to follow. The telecast recording time is 4 hours. So throughout the day they will record a maximum of 4 hours of footage per couple but the live stream works 24/7'
'You need to make things to make you likable. Remember the point of Union. It is to show people that in love, you can be happy'
Kori and Rajiv nodded their heads in agreement.
'One more thing, look as real as possible but fake it when it's absolutely necessary for your image. I know you may disagree but what people think about you will mean everything when nobody quitting voluntarily. My analytics show that within 6 months, the remaining participants will be 51. That's about half already gone. But when the show will starting testing you- '
'What is this testing that they haven't explained to us at all?' Kori asked in suspicion.
'I am not at liberty to tell you anything because I am unaware too' Sienna then drew herself closer to both of them. 'But what I do know is that it won't be easy you will want to quit. Both of you'
'What's is your role in this?'
'I'm going to keep you alive and safe. Your tracker will feed me with your health stats. No participants can continue if you develop a type-A medical problem'
'Develop a type-A medical problem?'
'Being away from the outside world for such a long time can lead to a situation of neurosis. It's my job to not let that happen'
'For other things, you can rest assured'
There were things Sienna withholding deliberately. Kori as she judged was better equipped to deal with situations as they come. Rajiv who she studied extensively was lacking empathy. In 12 hours her contestants would depart. She was hoping to see them only after three years. Three years to freedom, she thought.
***
'I am not able to sleep'
'Me neither'
Kori switched her side towards Rajiv. She touched his warm cheeks, he smiled. They shared a kiss and she buried her face into him. 'How do you feel?' Rajiv asked.
'The house in nice, the courtyard is beautiful'
'I know, can't complain much'
'What do you think they are showing them?'
'I don't know, maybe the pot you broke at the entrance'
Kori burst into laughter. 'Yes! How clumsy of me, what a first impression'
'I think people are going to find it funny' he concluded.
A few minutes later they were both asleep. Sienna called them up on the scheduled time, right after breakfast.
'You're both doing great' she said cheerfully.
'Its just been a day, Sienna' Rajiv said expressing no sense of achievement.
'Well, tell that to the 5 teams that have already pulled out' Sienna remarked.
Rajiv and Kori were amazed to hear. 'No way, what happened?'
'Well, few skeletons in the closet can't make up even with 10 million dollars'
'Anyway, there are change of plans now. Union wanted the first week to be exciting but as 5 teams have quite after mere 24 hours, they will not give any tasks to be fulfill. In my opinion, do something like you did last night more often'
Rajiv and Kori looked at each other.
'What'
'Yes, that moment between you two was very endearing. And it made good content for 5 minutes of run-time. They have asked me to congratulate you'
'Are you saying we made it to the edited stream?'
'Yes, you both made it to the final-cut stream 1 of Union. Approximately a billion people watched the stream. One million Tweets were for you two'
'WOW!'
'I'm proud of you both. Time's nearly up. Take care of yourselves.'
Sienna cut the call. She removed her earpiece and put it on the table. She looked at the screen where she saw Rajiv and Kori hug each other. They seemed optimistic and confident. She saw them last night too, she found it a little too ordinary but the people disagreed. The world was so out of love that an act of considerate attention even if it meant two minutes was engaging a million people out there.
In the beginning of all of this, they were told a small lie. Things were not going to be made tough, they would become hellish. Union had plans for every couple, to test strengths and weaknesses in a whole new manner. Their motive? To make people long for companionship despite everything.
Sienna had one job. To keep them going no matter what the odds be.
***
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