Harold Simm
Minister of Defense for His Majesty's Government
Minister of Defense for His Majesty's Government
18:30 (21-6-2010)
Residential Neighborhood, London Suburbs
I'm jogging. It's dark out, the streetlights and the glow from large houses illuminates my path. My MP3 player transitions to the next song. I can't tell what it is, I'm listening to a playlist of songs with zero play counts. I look at the player's screen. "Better Than Life" from People In Planes' Beyond the Horizon. It's okay, as I slow down to a walk I rate the song three stars. I pause by a mailbox, looking around I see nobody. The street is empty but for me. I adjust one of my earbuds for a better fit, slip an envelope into the mailbox, and continue running.
7:00 (22-6-2010)
Hyde Garden Towers Complex, London
My MP3 player's dock begins playing my morning playlist precisely at seven. The first song is "Slow Jam" by the now defunct band New Order. The band was formed from the remnants of Joy Division in the early eighties and released their first album Power, Corruption & Lies in 1983. They go their first break that year with their hit "Blue Monday". Strangely enough the album was released without this song. Retailers eventually had to place a sticker on the cassette's cover so that consumers would know "Blue Monday" was not among the tracks. Power, Corruption & Lies is representative of much of their early work. Post-punk with heavy electronic and synthpop sounds. I didn't care for it. In 2001 they released Get Ready, from which the song currently playing comes. By this time their sound had evolved and, I think, become more mature. It was somewhat closer to alternative rock than it was to post-punk. "Slow Jam" is a mellow but upbeat (in a slow sort of way) song that features elements of electronic music, especially in the intro and outro, without being obnoxious as I often find synthetic sound to be. The lyrics are perfect with a catchy but restrained refrain which all serves to give the song a message of contentedness.
I don't want the world to change
I like the way it is
Just give me one more wish
I can't get enough of this
When it is to be alive
And not just to survive
To hit and not to miss
I can't get enough of this
"Slow Jam" is not the most popular track from the album (that honor goes probably to "Someone Like You") but it is my favorite and an excellent song to wake up to. I think it's important to wake up to the proper type of music because the mood we're in in our first few hours plays a huge roll in the type of mood we're in for the rest of the day.
I've never been a morning person and I always allow myself one full song before I actually get up. Luckily for me "Slow Jam" lasts a full four minutes and fifty-three seconds. New Order is replaced by Aqualung singing "Easier to Lie". My legs are sore from running last night. I stop the song, though I like it, and remove the player from its dock. I walk to the bathroom and place it on a second dock, I use the touchscreen to maneuver to my playlists and flick the screen scrolling near the bottom selecting a Smart Playlist called Seeing Stars. It only contains tracks that I have given four and five star ratings and excludes genres like Soundtrack and Classical. It's music that is good for casual listening and the four and five stars ensures it's made up of songs that I like. The dock in the bathroom is connected to larger speakers so that I can hear the music over the shower. I hit the play button and "Unexpected Places" by The Academy Is... begins to play. I urinate and then step into the shower, half humming and half whispering the lyrics to the song.
Don't try to tell me you've been thinking of us
'Cause I don't ever believe ya
and now you're shit out of luck, yeah
Don't cut no corners when you're talking to me
Like I don't know how it is
But I can see it all of it
I've shampooed by the time the next song starts, "Grounds for Divorce" by Elbow. I make it through Panic! at the Disco's "Pas De Cheval" and Cobra Starship's "Guilty Pleasure" before I'm stepping out and onto the rug in front of the shower to Shinedown's "I Own You". I shave to "You're Gonna Go Far, Kid" by The Offspring and I put on a suit (black with a black tie) to "Behind the Sea" by Panic! At the Disco. I walk into the living room.
I live in the Hyde Garden Towers Complex and my room overlooks Hyde Garden (hence the name) which is the largest park in London. I am on the 92nd floor and my penthouse has a commanding view of the river that bisects the city as well as both the government and business districts. Most cabinet ministers have flats in the city for when they need to be close to the government but most prefer to live in the country or in the residential areas out past the suburban area. I'm different, I prefer being in the city. It's more in line with my pace of life, I also grew up in an urban setting. This apartment complex is among the nicest in the city, the topmost floors are owned by the upper strata of society.
My "neighbors" are (respectively on my right, left, and across the hall) an extended member of the Royal Family, Richard Shaw (son to Tobias Shaw of the Shaw-Fujikawa Group), and a Belmontien film star. That being said I could count of a single hand the number of times I've seen them here, the rich and famous have a habit of owning more homes than they could practically live in.
"When the Day Met the Night" by Panic! At the Disco is now playing, I realize the unlikely odds of hearing three songs by the same band in one morning but I don't mind. I love this track.
I pour myself a bowl of cereal. The milk jug is nearing empty and I write "MILK" on a list near the refrigerator so that my housekeeper knows to buy more. I stare at the note, pick it back up, and toss it into the trash. I rewrite "Milk". No need to yell. I carry my bowl back into the living room and turn on the television, I instantly mute it so that it does not interfere with my music; "Scope" by Bowling for Soup. I don't see anything and don't know what's wrong until I realize that it's on the input for my game console. I switch to the satellite and then change to the BNC news channel. The headline says "WPDO RALLY IN GAZA" a video clip of Chariman Bishara is playing but I don't know what he's saying because I've turned the sound off. I turn on the menu and flip forward through the schedule to see if the Prime Minister is still set to give an interview in the afternoon. The guide still has the event listed. I set the DVR to record the program and then turn the television back off.
Once I have finished the cereal I put the bowl in the sync and then go to my study. It used to be a second bedroom but I couldn't have my desk and papers in the living room or some equally public space just in case I had guests. "Sweet Tangerine" by The Hush Sound begins in the other room. I smile to myself as I hunt for the folders that I want. "Sweet Tangerine" had been lost in my labyrinth of music with a three star rating. I don't know what mood I had been in when I gave it that but I was very wrong. It's a fantastically catchy song in the way that Indie Rock songs can be. It's refrain has simple enough lyrics but the music is perfect and I find myself singing along every time they get to it. I find the proper folders and place them in my briefcase, I debate taking my notebook computer and eventually put it in the case as well. On top of that I place the three red boxes I had taken home the previous night, I have not yet read half of the papers. I carry this stack into the kitchen and put them on the counter. It's now 7:41. My cellphone vibrates I answer, knowing who it is. "Good morning sir, I will be arriving in under a minute." I thank Richard, my driver, and then slip my shoes on (I never wear them until I'm absolutely ready to leave). I check everything. My papers and computer are in my briefcase, the red boxes are there. Phone, MP3 player, keys, wallet all in my pockets. Richard knocks on the door, I open it. He takes my red boxes I carry my briefcase.
8:30 (22-6-2010)
Ministry of Defense, London
It took twenty minutes to drive from my flat to the Ministry. I got to my office, dropped off my things and I am now in a general meeting with my staff. About fifteen people are here, only six or so are important. We're going over some recommendations for reaction to the Oikawan/Jizhou business. The general consensus is to ignore the whole matter. Public opinion isn't for either side, in fact it's generally uninterested. Nobody sees any reason to interfere, it seems an entirely internal Oikawan affair. Britain can do little more than lodge a complaint anyway. I agree. We address the budget which is an almost daily matter now, the budget report to Parliament is due in a few months and there are rumors that the Prime Minister intends to slash spending. The Prime Minister has categorically refused to give a straight answer and I don't want to press him. I hate Wilson but my job depends on him so I won't rock the boat. I am hounded day and night by civil servants and military men, I deflect but it just makes them edgier. As we leave Vice Admiral Ackerson catches my eye and moves towards me. He is the Director for Acquisitions underneath the Assistant Secretary of the Royal Navy for Research, Development and Acquisitions. "Minister," he says, "do you have a few moments?" I sigh. "Certainly Admiral. If you would like to come around to my office in five minutes we can talk." He nods and leaves. He's mad but I don't think it's at me. I cut out before I can cornered by anybody else.
I reach the room before my office and see my Principal Private Secretary. I tell him that Ackerson will be around shortly and to push anything back that was already scheduled. Once in my office I unpack my briefcase, placing the notebook computer on the side of the desk near the desktop computer, I slip my MP3 player onto a charger, put the files off to the side near the laptop, and then place the empty case leaning against the desk's side. I sit for a few minutes, not wanting to do much of anything. Staff meetings always make me so very bored. I realize I'm tapping absentmindedly on my desk when Ackerson enters led by my Principal Private Secretary. He asks if I would like him to take minutes, I tell him it won't be necessary and he leaves the room. I ask Ackerson what I can do for him.
"Well, Minister, bluntly I want to know what's going to happen to the budget." I ask him if anything is out of the ordinary that makes him think anything is going to "happen" to it.
"Well no, not strictly speaking. Nothing official." I ask him what he means by "nothing official" he hesitates.
"It's just, you know, rumors." he lies. I tell him that I know as much as he does and that it seems the Prime Minister is thinking it over. The Vice Admiral looks flustered. "This uncertainty won't do. This is our national defense we're talking about. I've read he plans on cutting even the naval budget."
I look taken aback and ask him were he read that. He double backs, "Well...er...rather I heard it. Another rumor you know." I tell him to calm down and that I'm just as worried as he is but there's not much we can do until the Prime Minister decides to broach the subject. He mumbles "There's always something that can be done." I pretend I did not quite hear and ask him to repeat. He looks distracted, "Nothing minister. I...er...I won't take anymore of your time. Thanks for seeing me on such short notice." I tell him he's always welcome.
9:45 (22-6-2010)
Ministry of Defense, London
I have a scheduled meeting with Timothy Price, he's the Vice President for Marketing at Traxus Heavy Industries and has been acting as liaison with the Ministry on some recent purchases. He enters the office smiling that artificial smile that executives are prone to.
As he sits I see that his eyes are red and bloodshot, I also notice a dark stain on his collar. I ignore his appearance as he seems okay. I offer him a seat. He takes it. "Tough night?" I ask. "Killer." he replies. I tell him that this meeting is purely a formality and that I would just like an update on the construction of the Valiant. He nods, "I assumed so, I've brought some progress reports if you'd like to read them. I nod and take them, placing them on my desk so that someone can take them away later. He continues, "The keel has been fully put down and construction in earnest will begin soon. There were some delays in shipping special metal components which we can't start without but I'm told that it's all been sorted and they can start within the week."
I'm a little disappointed by the setback though it is minor. This would be the first battleship built in Britain since the fifties and some delays were inevitable. Valiant was my own brainchild and I want everything to go as well as possible. Carriers are fine for power projection but no nation had attempted a fully functioning battleship for the 21st Century and this project would be a very popular move in the public's eyes. Especially now that people were wondering about the future of the nation's defense capabilities. I thank him for his time and tell him that he can leave any additional resources with my office on his way out. I say that I have another meeting that I really need to get to. I don't.
After he leaves I open my laptop and open my music library. I find that a relaxing way to pass time is to categorize and catalog my music collection. I know that that probably sounds dull but it's something I quite like. I suspect it's the same as any other hobby focused around collection. Stamps, butterflies, music I think it's all the same. My library is a tad extensive but I try to keep it within a manageable level and I don't hold onto every piece of music that comes my way. I have 3,754 tracks spread across 607 albums from 367 artists. It used to be much worse. I find that the genre system in most music players and library managers is of only a minimal amount of usefulness. I have opted for my own scheme which implements genre and subgenre levels. I use sixteen genres which are the broadest category with items as large as "Rock" and "Jazz" which, obviously, do little to narrow down the type of music. So, to increase the usefulness of categorizing the music, I expand and also divide tracks based on eighty-five subgenres which are thinks like "Post-Punk Revival" or "Hard Rock" or "Zydeco". Using these and Smart Playlists I am able to create very fine-tuned selections of music that are update dynamically. After the creation of the portable music player I would say that giving files the ability to have attached metadata is the most important development in music in the last twenty or thirty years (though an often underrated one). At the moment I am trying to give a star rating to every song which is immensely helpful but, at the same time, a monumental task and one that I put off for sometime simply because of the amount of time it will take. I now have 887 tracks rated. If I am not bothered I can knock out a few dozen more.
11:30 (22-6-2010)
Ministry of Defense, London
I go to the Ministry's cafeteria for lunch. My Permanent Secretary invites himself and tries to subtly and politely drill me for information regarding the budget. I dodge the questions and tell him that I know only as much as he does. He says that he hardly thinks that's true. I laugh beside myself and compliment him on his droleness.
I like eating in government cafeterias. They often have some of the best food. I know that sounds strange, the government serves the same food at schools as it does at prisons so why should a ministry be any different. The answer is that civil servants work (and eat) there so obviously it is staffed well. I have the shad-roe ravioli with apple compote as an appetizer and the meat loaf with chèvre and quail-stock sauce for my entrée. Dessert is a mango sorbet. The wine is Belmontien (Château L'Dion 1997). So is the chef.
The taxpayer picks up the check. I leave satisfied.
12:15 (22-6-2010)
Prime Minister's London Residence, London
Our cabinet meeting starts at 12:15. By 12:20 I'm bored out of my mind. I've grown more and more tired with this administration over the past few years. They've all become so complacent. They're like dinosaurs. Old men talking about nothing and doing less. I give my report on Oikawa and Jizhou. Nobody is very interested (though on this issue I can hardly blame them, it has nothing to do with Britain and we probably would have not even brought it up except it is government policy to keep an eye on anything the Eastern Giant gets up to). I end my report, everybody looks at me as if they expected me to say more. There are a few glances back and forth. They want me to broach the subject of the budget. They've all heard rumors of changes and naturally assumed that there was the chance they were personally being kept in the dark about it while the rest of the cabinet knew. If that was the case that minister would wonder if the Prime Minister planned a reshuffle that included knocking them up stairs (to the House of Lords and out of Government forever) or out (even worse). Their job was the only thing these old fossils get excited about anymore. If I say nothing it will only help to reinforce their fears. I say nothing.
We end after forty-five minutes, though it seems like more. As everyone files out Wilson beckons me to stay. Some of the departing ministers exchange worried glances, it looks even more suspicious if he talks to me in private. I inwardly smile at their terror. I ask the Prime Minister what I can do for him. He looked annoyed, "You could stop your ministry from leaking like a goddamn colander for one thing!" I feign ignorance. Wilson makes it clear that he is referring to the budget rumors. I ask if he is planning changes. "No! I don't even know where they're coming from. Did you see my interview today?" I shake my head in the negative. "Disaster, I might as well been thrown into a boxing match. How can I defend myself against rumors that are fabricated. I looked an idiot and it's your ministry's fault." I look insulted and worried, as if my job is on the line. "You fix this or I will find someone that will."
14:15 (22-6-2010)
Ministry of Defense, London
I return to my office. I'm late for a meeting with Jean Williams. She's supposed to come in and give me a short presentation on some electronic systems that her company is making for us to install in soldier's helmets. A heads-up-display and some other features. My Principal Private Secretary tells me that her office called and said they would have to reschedule as she's not come into work and they can't reach her. I'm a little happy, I spend the alloted time working with my music library. At three I leave for a vote in Parliament.
17:15 (22-6-2010)
Ministry of Defense, London
I return to my office to pack my things. I phone my driver who arrives shortly after, he takes my red boxes I take my briefcase and he drives me back to my flat. We get there and I tell him I can manage everything. He asks if I'm sure and I say I am. I carry my case and the three boxes. As I enter a guard at the sign in desk. "No jog tonight I suppose sir?" "Sorry?" I say. "I suppose you won't be able to jog tonight."
"Sorry friend, you must be confused. I don't jog."