Main: Retraction

In the Illyriad Free Times Cowshed.

Editor: “I think we should go careful on this”

 Murdoch:  “ Lord Granlik has asked what we are doing about it, he says everyone is     talking about it”

 Editor:  “ Tell him we are investigating, tell him we are looking into it”

 Murdoch:” So do we say something?”

 Editor: “What! Don’t be stupid. This is going to end up in Court. The Herald is a commercial money-grabbing outfit and they will be going to sue the Circle of Five for causing injury to their reporter. Never mind what this retraction rubbish says. Think of all the cash they could get. The Circle is going to have its fingers burned”

 Murdoch: “Like that reporter….  I knew him back in college and he was always getting into trouble then”

 Voice from back office: “ The fingers just fell off, they weren’t burnt Sir”

 Editor: “ Well, once we have got the lawyer in post he can make it his first task to work out the lie of the land.  Are there any applicants yet?”

 Voice from the back office:  “Thirty nine to date Sir”

 Editor: “Thirty nine?  sh*t, pull the advert now!”

 Voice from the back office: “ It’s still got two weeks to run Sir”

 Editor: “I said pull it now and I want the interviews to start next week”

 Murdoch: “You and me for the interviews?”

 Editor: “Yup, as Chief of staff I want you there, hold on I’ve got an idea, nip over to Nifflink and have a word with the top magician there, Gumblehag, I think. He has a major certificate in FrostIcedCharms. Ask him if he could pop over here to see the lawyer once we have picked one and fill us all in on this Circle of Five.”

 Murdoch: “I’ve heard that this Circle is one of the top groups and each one of the five is a specialist in their own field. I’m surprised the Herald sent someone to ask questions. They must have heard something”

Editor: “I wish I had their resources. Three main offices, a score of fully paid reporters and umpteen regional hacks, ink, paper, all metal printing, messengers, layout benches, subsidised canteens, money, furniture and a proper office with sufficient staff to run things properly”

 Murdoch: “Thank you Sir”

 Voice from back office: “Thank you Sir”

 Murdoch: “ Hay, I just remembered! That reporter is a relation of King Sigurd! He always had people sucking up to him, the greasy spoonbag”

 Editor: “Whooo… that will keep Granlik of our backs once he knows. He won’t want us to get involved with this story now”

 Murdoch: “ I don’t know about that. He’s always trying to get an invitation to the Royal Palace. He may want us to do a front page spread on the injury to curry favour with the King”

 Editor: “ Holy Cowpats. Why do I bother with all this? I should have stayed a street urchin and never have taken that leaflet job”.