Interview with Sergeant Robert Scout Baker

Reporter: Sergeant Robert Baker—

Scout (cutting him off playfully): Call me Scout, buddy. Only my mom ever called me Robert, and she wasn’t happy when she did.

Reporter: (nervously chuckling) Right, Scout. You’ve got a reputation as the team’s go-to guy for infiltration and reconnaissance. What’s it like working in Captain Power’s unit?

Scout: (grinning) What’s it like? Let me put it this way—it’s never boring. Jon runs a tight ship, but he trusts us to do what we do best. Me? I get to be the eyes and ears, slipping past Dread’s tin-can army while they’re too busy scratching their metal heads. Keeps me sharp, keeps me alive.

Scout: You know, you remind me of a holo-journalist I spoofed once. Big nose, bad questions, same recorder. Guy never saw it coming when I fed his “exclusive scoop” straight into Dread’s propaganda network. It’s amazing what you can do with a little tech and a lot of guts.

Reporter: (blushing) Uh, thanks... I think. Speaking of guts, it sounds like you’ve been through some tough times.

Scout: (expression sobering) Yeah. Haven’t we all? Look, I don’t fight for glory or because it’s fun to mess with Blastarr’s circuits—which, don’t get me wrong, it totally is. I fight because this war took everything from me. My mom... she didn’t make it through the Metal Wars. Dread’s bots leveled our neighborhood like we were nothing. I can’t bring her back, but I can make sure no one else has to go through that.

People think it’s just machines we’re up against, but it’s more than that. It’s fear, control, the idea that freedom doesn’t matter anymore. Dread’s whole philosophy is poison. Soaron and Blastarr? They’re just extensions of him—mindless, soulless monsters. I don’t just want to stop them; I want to erase every trace of Dread’s twisted vision from this planet.

But hey, let’s not get too heavy, right? You’re the journalist here. Shouldn’t you be asking me the hard-hitting stuff, like what’s my favorite food? (mock serious) For the record, it’s chili fries. Not that we get much of that these days.

Reporter: (laughing) I’ll keep that in mind. Any words for the folks out there reading this?

Scout: Yeah. Keep fighting, however you can. Don’t let Dread’s lies turn you into one of his drones. And, uh, maybe next time, bring better questions. Journalism’s about digging deep, right? Here, take this. It’s a signal jammer. Use it if Soaron shows up, or, you know, if you want some peace and quiet instead of being on the digitize menu

Reporter: Thanks! So, Scout, you’ve got a pretty tight team here. What’s it like working with Captain Power and the others?

Scout: (smirking) Oh, you want me to gush about my teammates? Alright, but don’t tell them I said any of this. I’ve got a reputation to maintain.

Reporter: (laughs) Deal.

Scout: Let’s start with the Captain. Jon Power... man, where do I even begin? He’s the kind of guy who makes you believe we can win this thing. Not just because he’s a great leader, but because he cares. He’s not just barking orders; he’s out there with us, taking the hits, making the hard calls. Plus, he’s got this uncanny ability to inspire people. You’d follow him into the fire and not think twice about it.

Reporter: And Hawk?

Scout: Hawk’s the heart of this team, no question. The guy’s seen it all, and he still fights like the world’s worth saving. He’s got this old-school toughness about him, but underneath, he’s got the biggest heart. Plus, he’s a blast to be around—when he’s not lecturing me about “kids these days.” Don’t tell him I said this, but I think of him as the cool uncle I never had.

Reporter: What about Tank?

Scout: Tank’s like a human bulldozer, but don’t let the big guy fool you—he’s got more brains than people give him credit for. He’s loyal to the core, and when you’re in a tight spot, there’s no one else you’d rather have at your back. I mean, who else can rip a door off its hinges and still crack a joke about it?

Reporter: And Pilot?

Scout: (pausing, looking thoughtful) Pilot... she’s the glue that holds us all together. She’s wicked smart, brave as they come, and she’s got this way of making you feel like everything’s gonna be okay, even when it’s not. And, let’s be real, she is easy on the eyes. And - her flying skills? Absolute legend. She can outmaneuver Soaron like she’s playing a game, and she makes it look easy.

Reporter: Sounds like an incredible team.

Scout: (fake yawning) Yeah, they’re alright. I mean, they put up with me, so that’s saying something. But don’t let them hear me get all sentimental, okay? Gotta keep them guessing. And hey, speaking of guesses, wanna know what Tank and Soaron have in common?

Reporter: Uh, sure?

Scout: Neither of them gets my jokes. (laughs): Interview’s over, pal. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got some circuits to fry.

Reporter: Thank you Sergeant Scout!

This fictitious interview © Peter S. Murano

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