INAUGURATION BLITZ, DAY THREE!
Moving forward! This
week is Glass House's Inauguration Blitz—not annual, since this only happens once every four to eight years!
Our … once-every-four-to-eight-years Inauguration Blitz, then. We’re focusing
on government, how the country was born, presidential and congressional
behavior and ethics, and—most importantly—the idea of revolution. With that in
mind, we’ve gathered some of our favorite revolutionary characters for some
down-and-dirty answers about their fights, who they’re fighting against, and when they know it's time to stand up and fight for the right side.
Next up, we have Helen, that crafty and brilliant heroine from George Ebey's Helen of Mars series.
Next up, we have Helen, that crafty and brilliant heroine from George Ebey's Helen of Mars series.
1.
So first, the obvious. Tell us about
your world. Where do you live? What’s the story there?
I live in Portland, Oregon. But that’s
just where I eat, sleep, and occasionally check in with my parents. Truth be
told, a majority of my time is spent online, playing games that take place in a bunch of different settings. It’s said that my generation will likely spend 30 to 40
percent of their lives fully immersed in some kind of augmented reality. I’m
afraid I’m no exception. I’ve likely seen more artificial worlds through the
eyes of one of my online avatars than I’ve seen the real world through my own
eyes.
2.
Got it. And now, the bad guy. Who are
you fighting against? And why?
My nemesis, you might say, is a shady
company called MARSCORP. They own a fleet of cargo ships and robotic rovers,
which they use to mine the surface of Mars for valuable minerals. And if that
were the extent of it, everything would be fine. But there’s a problem.
The mining rovers are controlled
remotely from Earth—sort of like a video game avatar, only it’s a real piece of
equipment … on a real planet. It’s expensive to put them in the field, and to
offset this cost, the company leases the rovers out to individuals to do the
mining work for them. If you buy into one of these leases, you get to keep a
percentage of any ore you find. So you could hit it rich … if your rover finds a particularly valuable deposit.
But here comes the other catch. In
order to get one of these leases, you have to put up collateral, which could include,
you know, everything you own. Your
savings, your house, and any other asset you might have. If something happens
to your rover—if it breaks down or gets damaged in some way—MARSCORP keeps your
collateral and you end up with
nothing.
So yeah, not good. A lot of people take
the deal anyhow, because they see it as their ticket to untold riches. But in
reality, most of them end up working like slaves for MARSCORP, never finding
enough to pay off the initial investment, and worse, losing everything they
have if something bad happens to their rover equipment. Essentially, MARSCORP is
risking nothing while the average Joe who buys into a lease is risking
everything.
The way I see it, they’re selling an
impossible dream to people who are just looking for a way to get ahead. It’s basically
predator lending, and it’s going unchecked because a few people in power are
making a ton of money from it—mostly off the hard work and risk-taking of
honest folks.
So what’s the answer? Call me an
idealist, but it’s pretty clear to me. That’s not right. And it needs to stop.
3.
What do you think of revolutions, then?
Obviously you’re a fan of fighting back. If you come across a corrupt
government or system, do you think it’s your responsibility to fight them?
Yeah, I think that if you see a system
or organization clearly using their power and influence to subjugate others for
its own gain, you have a moral obligation to stand up to it. If that’s a form
of revolution, then so be it. I didn’t aim to be a rebel—but here I am. And I
don’t think I’d change that.
4.
What’s your goal with your fight? What
do you hope to see happen?
I want MARSCORP to be held accountable
for what they’re doing. I want them to admit that they’re setting people up for
failure—and put safeguards in place that will make things fairer for them.
After all, those people are just trying to earn an honest living. Is it right
that they’re punished by someone who has more money than God, and who doesn’t
care about the little people? Of course that would cost MARSCORP money, which
means they’ll never do it.
Not unless someone makes them.
5.
Do you think you’ll succeed?
I have to. Unfortunately, my own
parents have decided to buy into one of these Mars mining leases. They don’t
see the danger involved. They only see their shot at making a fortune. I tried
to talk them out of it, but they won’t listen. My family has put everything on
the line for this.
And there’s something else that I
haven’t mentioned yet. Not every rover operator is content with simply mining
to make their money. Some operators are using their rovers to attack others and
take the ore deposits that the miners worked so hard to find. What you have up
there is a Wild West—on Mars. Gun-slinging bandits are holding people … or
rovers … hostage, stealing everything they have, and getting away with it! And
so far, MARSCORP has done next to nothing to stop this. They actually allow it! They don’t care if your rover
is attacked and destroyed by some would-be thief. Why would they? They’re
making money either way.
So, you see? I have no choice but to get involved. I have to do
whatever I can to help protect our family’s rover, while at the same time trying
to figure out a way to force MARSCORP to give up this ridiculous scheme. And
stop the bandits up there, while I’m at it. The odds may be against me. But as
far as I’m concerned, failure is not an option.
6.
How do you know you’re doing the right
thing? Don’t you think there are a lot of other people who are probably on the
other side of the line?
Look, I have no problem with companies
making money … as long as they do it fairly and follow the rules. But MARSCORP
is using its position of power to make its own rules (rules that improve its bottom
line at the expense of others), and that’s not right. As long as they insist on
doing that, I’ll continue to resist them. And yeah, I’m pretty sure I’m doing
the right thing.
7.
Final question. What do you think of
being a heroine rather than a hero? Does it matter? Can a girl be just as
revolutionary as a boy?
Are you kidding? In my world, a
girl can throw down just as well as any boy. A person’s skill is defined by
how hard they work, not what their gender is. My best friend, Misty, and I have
played countless games over many different platforms. Our avatars have battled
beasts, conquered quests, and beaten the tar out of a slew of rival players,
both male and female. These are the skills I plan to use once I get my hands on
the controls of a Mars rover.
And when I do, MARSCORP is going to find out just
how well this girl can play their game.
Keep up with George, and watch for the first full Helen novel, out this year!
Twitter: @ebeybooks
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