The Jek Floggerty interview hour: Mirage

[Not Ordo]

The hustle and bustle of the studio was intense and Jek walked around in a red suit coat and heart spotted boxers beneath shirt stays arouns his skinny legs that attached to his calf high black socks.

" GIL! GIL WHERE ARE MY PANTS!? " Jek yelled over everything as people tried to ignore his pasty white legs and white boxers spotted with red and pink hearts.

"Some one get me my pants! GIL YOU ARE USELSS!" He said stomping a foot and clenching his hands into fist, "I AM ABPUT TO UNLEASH THE FORCE OF MY FOOT ON SOME ONES..."

"Jek!" Gil interupted, "I think you left your pants in the refresher. Here."

"Good work gil." Jek said taking the pants and stuffing a shoe covered foot down a pant leg and hopping arpund trying to get the heel all the way out. "Gil steady me while I put these on."

Gil quickly grabbed Jek from behind and held on as Jek pulled on his heel hoping on one foot causing it to look rather like an awkward attempt at trying to save a choking victim. The shoe finally made it out and Jek started to bend down and looked back awkwardly.

"You can let go now Gil." He said as Gil slowly let go and looked around obviously confused about what he was just doing.

"Places people!" Gil yelled abruptly as he scurried away like he was unsure of what to do. "We are live in 30 seconds."

Jek bounded up the steps to his chair and quickly began pounding glasses of scotch as he waited for his guest to arrive.

"I just have to say...I love scotch." He said as he made a motion as if the glass were dancing as it drew near his lips "and scotch loves me. I love scotch get in my belly down down down make me happy mm mm mm." He sang as he finished the thrid glass. He shivered for a moment and shook his head vigorously before picking up his data pad and clearing his throat.

"Live in five, four," Gil said before holding up his fingers silently to show 3 2 and 1.

"Good evening holonet this is your man your myth your mustache clad hero, Jek Floggerty, here for another edition of The Jek Floggerty Interview Hour." He said with a smug grin, "To day we have a special guest. He has wowed people across the galaxy with his illusionary works of epic proportions. He has been call the greatest magician of our day and proved it. The one! The only! [member="Mirage"] the Magnificent!"

Jek stood and clapped self importantly as ever as he waited for his guest to walk out for the interview.

 

[Mirage]

The life of a celebrity was not short on fame, fortune and endless interviews from press conferences, to red carpet star-studded events, and yes - even the holonet news anchors who moonlighted as pseudo talk-show hosts. At times the pedantic parade grew wearisome, but people like [member="Jek Floggerty"] made up for the less than candid and pandering yes men he'd seen in his career thus far. While he certainly wasn't the sharpest crayon in the box, he was a lively fellow with a huge following - even if they were just looking for the next ambitiously foolish act to be caught on life holonet feeds. When his new agent: [member="Danger Arceneau"] had called to inform him that she had booked him on Jek's highly favored show, Elias was well pleased to entertain the aloof brigand of the holonet.

Once you got behind the cameras, and got to see some of the actual sets, you started to understand a bit more about how Illusions worked. There was a paramount need for deception when the sets themselves were nothing but sheets of flimsi fiber woven together and added with a touch of paint. Not to say that Jek's set wasn't top of the line, but most of the stuff was not as real as it seemed when broadcast. This was a favorable feature to Mirage as he felt right at home where the reality of the moment was transformed by the view given to the audience. And then there was the host of the show, a man who by no shortage of wild antics also entertained the masses. The Magician could certainly appreciate that.

Lights. Camera, Action. The orchestrated and well oiled machine of the broadcast went into full motion. Cameras zoomed in, they tightened and widened, directed by voices in the control booth that routed these holofeeds across their various channel designations. People behind the scenes mulled about controlling the lighting and making sure spot lights and floodlights were right where they needed to be. Everyone had their job to do, and it was impressive to see such harmony working together and tying up the show into a nice neat bow, and let the only focus be of the man on stage who so enthusiastically dolled out a boastful slew of adjectives to introduce the main event. Elias gave a sly smile beneath the reflective dome that covered his entire head. All eyes (both virtual and present) turned to the entrance curtain to watch it part for the man of the hour.

Unfortunately no one came. A few people in the background scurried nervously looking in desperation. They had lost their star! He wasn't in the dressing room, he wasn't off-stage swilling a cup of stimcaf and he certainly wasn't on stage. Or was he? After what seemed like an eternity, but was actually only about fifteen seconds something shifted on stage. In the chair opposite Jek the patterns of the wall behind it, and the shape and slope of the chair seemed to unnaturally bend. Then in a wash of reality, the clever guise of a technology that only resembled stealth camouflage was pulled back like a curtain to reveal that of Mirage, in all his glory, had been seated in the chair the entire time. The reflective mask turned to face the audience before his suited figure stood upright to confront the host, and hold out his gloved hand for a hardy shake.

"Thank you Jek, it's a pleasure to be here." Mirage's voice echoed across the stage, without even the need for a microphone (as there happened to be a built in projector in the helmet). The thunder of applause radiated over from his unsuspecting entrance. "Thank you for having me on your show." He further complimented the scotch swilling host while he waited for the crowd to die down in it's praise, and for both of them to have a seat. Digits rose and un-clipped the majestic helmet to slide it off of his head and reveal his true face. Mirage didn't hide his identity from the tabloids, and he was rather open about who he was. Elias Nox rested the helmet to the floor at his feet while he slid fingers through his hair to ensure it was perfectly combed. Another man with a healthy mustache looking back at Jek with a celebrity smile.

 

[Not Ordo]

[member="Mirage"]

Jek turned to see the man appear in the chair and jumped into his as the magician rose and greeted the crowd. He may have squeeled a little but it was drowned out by the roaring applause and screaming fans. Jek stwpped down from his seat cleared his throat and straightened his suit before walking up and taking the man's hand firmly as if nothing had happened.

"You are welcome." He said as he sat down across form the man and sat an elbow on the chair arm and rested his chin on his palm. "Can I just say...WOW! ABSOLUTELY AMAZING!" Jek said dramatically as he sat tall in his chair and looked out at the audience. "Wasn't that incredible ladies and gentlemen!?" Jek said as he led the audisnce in another round of applause. He ckapped like mad and tossed in a few thumbs up gestures and mouthed the words "Super duper." Several times before the crowd settked down again.

"Super...duper amazing is all I can say." He said to the magician as he leaned back in his chair and took out a mustache comb as breifly brushed his mustache before looking at the man.

"Mirage. MAGNIFICENT MIRAGE." Jek said as he looked across at the man, "I have to ask you. How long have you been practicing the fine art of illusions?"