This article, the last in the HGH reflections series that the Observer has run regarding the events on July 14th to 15th when Yuugen and other gang terrorists worked together to destroy the Hathian General Hospital.
For readers who lived through the experience, you may skip the bullets below, which recap on these tumultuous events. You can instead skip straight to the next set of headings, where we cover a little more about one of the masterminds of the attack, our take on the newly reopened HGH and how, in our view, this is a finger up to those who tried to bring the town down and finally, an advertisement for the official reopening ceremony to rededicate the HGH. But for now, a recap:
Recap Of Events Surrounding the Destruction of the HGH
- On July 14th and 15th our reporters covered, live, the destruction of the HGH
- The immediate aftermath and how citizens could help was covered
- Yua talked to us about her experience of being a hostage during the crisis
- We covered the creation of a relief fund (which later made substantial donations to those in need)
- The sad story of Catalina, a mother who lost her life in the disaster led to an outpouring of grief
- Events including the Luxure charity ball to raise further funds were covered
These traumatic events, that touched many Hathian Citizens reverberated far beyond what our paper could cover. Anger. Fear. Resentment. Pain… you, the Hathian Citizens felt all of these and over the last four or so months have done what you can to move on, in many different ways.
But what now?
Reflections On A Terrorist
As many of you will recall, at the end of the siege of HGH, many citizens, officers and gang members were injured. The keen eyed among you will recall the photos of Tori, Tabitha, Mu, Elben, and Rejects members being led away by HPD.
Something that the town deserves is finding out what she did this for and why… but the woman is notorious for her views and I wasn’t sure, even as a victim of her previous pain and hurt, if she would open up at all. I tried to stack the odds in my favour, but in the end as you’ll see, I feel she bested me again. I’m sorry readers, but make what you can from this.
Brought up to the interview room by Porkins, I started once she was seated:
Daiyu: “Tori… The fearless leader who went from games, to torture to mass terrorism…I said one day we should do an interview, would now be good, at your ‘leisure’?”
I could tell she wasn’t taking me seriously. I had brought a close friend and the rudeness and dismissiveness on Tori’s face, hurt. Citizens, sometimes it’s really hard to be your journalist you know? It also was hard when I will admit I thought she could hear me, I didn’t realise we had to use the phones on the wall.
Tori: “So, want to repeat whatever cheesy villian or hero speech that was just now? Seemed important.”
Bitch.
Daiyu: “Tori… Games, hurt… mass terror… that kind of thing… you don’t need the speech. I want to ask you some questions and while you have a lot of nice glass between us and I am sure you’ll be out and about soon. You do need to not have Landon or others pay you a visit more than needed. So… can we talk about HGH?”
Tori: “What about it. Just ask your damn questions!”
I hate using a threat, but what leverage did I have (and since I didn’t really have it, it was a bluff… maybe it worked).
Daiyu: “You do games, games to ‘teach’ people. Games that hurt people and their beliefs and you keep playing them here because the HPD of the past, when it used to hang people isn’t the HPD of today… I wouldn’t be surprised if somehow you managed to evade domestic terrorism charges, otherwise the Feds would be here for you… So, why blow up a hospital, did they not treat your case of being an asshole properly? Why a hospital? What can it possibly prove to anyone other than you don’t care. You’re so dead inside that you had to do something even worse, even more atrocious? Why. Why did you do it?”
She laughed at me…
Tori: “You think the HPD is different now? Tell that to Hiro and the bullet her took, unarmed, in his cell two days ago, but that’s besides the point. Whatever the HPD was to me then, doesn’t effect what I do now. The HGH? I didn’t blow it up. The Rejects and my people simply loaded it with barrels of gasoline. With a bunch of damn hostages in it. That was the HPD that blew it up. Sending grenades into the building with no thought or care who was in it. Much like they blindly shot in through the windows and hit a bunch of hostages just for the off chance they might hit one of us. To be fair, Elben did start a fire in the basement. But it was the HPD that caused the explosions that rocked the hospital off it’s foundations.”
She laughed again…
“You can’t place all the blame on the Yuugen, the Rejects or me. The HPD had their hand in it!”
Tori to Daiyu in HPD
Tori: “Again with this I’m dead inside bullshit? That’s your closed minded thinking. Nothing more. As for why the hospital?” She stared straight into my eyes, mocking me. Taunting you. Taunting what people should hold dear. Readers, it’s so hard to deal with people like her. “Why not? Who said the hospital was untouchable or out of bounds? It’s on the board, therefore it is in play. And besides, it gets the most attention doesn’t it? The HPD can’t ignore a hospital.”
My friend Daria said it best “Oh for attention” and she said it in a way that showed she could mock Tori as an attention seeker. I clung onto this as I continued.
Daiyu: “For attention… All the media and all the cops and all the gangs paying homage… You would have been hanged by now if HPD was the same. Or set on fire in the courtyard. They’d have had the adoration of the masses and so much cover. So either you’ve bought them, or they’ve changed. The words you say don’t disguise the fault, this isn’t Star Trek where everyone only hits the bad guys. HPD don’t got the skills to do things the way you say and I don’t believe you mean it. You know they shoot crap and are just as fallible as your gang members because of where we are… Do you play the game because everything else is boring? Life, sex, family and the rest, a bit boring without a gun in your hand and a ‘plan’ to play? Would you still do it if Vanora shot Elben dead now? She could do it. Would you still play the board if your king was removed like if I clicked my fingers? How long would you play for… what about kids? If they disappeared?”
Tori: “You really are naïve if you believe that just because they haven’t lit up someone in the parking lot, means they are different. Her name was Corty, by the way. The woman they burned. And trust me when I say they didn’t have the adoration of the masses. Whoever told you that is an idiot. But I supposed, you had to have been there. I’m pretty sure you aren’t listening. Again, not everything in my life is boring. The sex, truly isn’t. Elben is very skilled in that department. As for playing with my gun, you are mistaking me for my Yang. He likes the guns.”
She taunted me, took it seriously when she knew I was asking something else. Outplayed again.
Tori: “I’ve told you my reasoning for doing things. A few times. You simply choose not to accept it or try some deeper meaning to it. I don’t need a reason to do anything that I do. I simply do it because I can and it’s my damn right. I’m truly free, they are weak. Therefore, they are mine to play with. Just as you are. Because that’s how the world works. Survival of the fucking fittest. And making people see that and come to terms with it, that’s all well and good. But getting people to join in on it? That’s where the real fun is. and careful now. If Elben was shot dead, that would be unfortunately for the rest of this city. Because if he dies, I have to join him. And if I have to join him, then I have nothing to lose and I will take as many fucking people with me as possible. So unless you want to see what /real/ destruction and death looks like, I would be careful. Ask your questions, Daiyu. Get to the meat of it. What exactly do you want to know about the hospital. Because I’m not going to sit here and debate chaos and the Yuugen’s Ikigai with someone to blind to see or understand it.”
Daiyu: “That… puts it into perspective. They could just shoot both of you at once and problem solved? The meat of it… fine… Did you kill anyone, you or your gang? There’s a missing woman, at least one. Secondly, I’m sure our readers will want to know, what are you going to do next when you get out… earlier than you deserve. People join you because they are scared they will be hurt otherwise, or they like chaos or pain. So final question, you claim HPD shot hostages, some ‘senator’s daughter’ told me the same. Give me proof…”
Tori: “We killed a few people. You’re asking me about Catalina. So. Her family does want her back? Good. Has her father asked about her? What will I do when I get out? Something personal. Settle an old score. Catalina… I met her father back when I was only eighteen. Just another CU freshman. He stalked me. Earned my trust and then used it against me. Did you know, street racing was the only real crime I used to be party to back then. But like the old HPD Captain, Nikolai Neikerk had different plans for me. You can tell her family, that everything Neikerk did to me, I did to her. And more. As for where she is, I think I’ll keep that to myself for now. I’m not done with this game. Not by a fucking long shot. As to the cops? We wanted to see how many cops we could lure in. They can’t ignore the hospital. Because the hospital is sacred right? We knew they would come in for us, that’s what made it fun. Bryce and I were hoping to catch a few inside when the building went up. But instead… the building came down. Did you see it? Were you there? It was fucking a sight to see, it collapsing in on itself.”
I couldn’t do this readers. She had got to me. She had hurt, killed and laughed as a hospital collapsed and I was no closer to understanding her, understanding her really.
Tori: “It’s true. If people aren’t like me, then they get hurt. They aren’t free. They don’t live. They don’t see the truth and go through life with a false sense of security. They don’t see the real picture, the beauty in the finer details. A picture looks good from far away. But get closer you see its canvas, its pixels, the more you see what makes it up. The chaos of color up close that splatters in a way that doesn’t seem to make sense, but you know it means something anyway. It’s just how the world truly is at its base, under the laws and norms that blind everyone else. If you can’t or won’t understand that, then just get over it. Those that do see the color, the specks of reality from close up that make up what you see from farther away, we are the ones who get it.”
I had to finish, I couldn’t do this. But Tori had one last ‘pearl of wisdom’ which I’ve spent time deciding whether to include…
“Why don’t you ignore me, be the first, Daiyu? Be that person. Be the one who ignores me. All you have to do… is not write this up in your newspaper. Not give credence to my actions. You can choose to make me insignificant. To make me nothing. All you have to do, is ignore me. And pretend I don’t exist. But can you? Can you shrug me off and make the world forget me?”
Tori to Daiyu
As you can tell readers, I couldn’t… I’ve left it months, to give her less attention, to not reward her and not to bring her crimes out as the priority over the reconstruction… but now seemed the right time. I hope you agree with me. She’s… not right and I’d ask you, as good citizens to help the rest of us to keep people like her down as they don’t learn.
Out Of The Ashes
The new HGH has had the full resources of Hathian thrown at it and has been built relatively quickly using a plot of land that was requisitioned for the City. With a project that could be expected to take years, the town is now looking at the official opening (although Hospital staff are keen to point out that some areas are still under construction or may be changed or expanded over time) of the core services as well as many new services that the old HGH didn’t have. These include:
- An expanded therapy offering, including psychotherapy and group therapy
- A larger maternity service, including specialist OB-GYN services
- A new ER with more space and equipment, including trauma surgery
- Imaging and other diagnostic services
- Physical Therapy services
- Recovery Wards, including Private Wards when needed with TVs and showers
Our small gallery below includes some photos of the various areas:
The new services, which citizens will be able to tour (see the event section below) look great. A significant upgrade on the old HGH.
The New Chief Of Staff
Our editor, Daiyu Tang, met with Simon LeMarchand in the new HGH, prior to the official ‘opening’ which you can read about in our next section. Daiyu talked through a range of topics with Simon, including how he was appointed to the role of Chief of Staff, whether he still got to practice medicine as much as he wanted and what the new HGH can offer the community that is perhaps new against the older hospital.
Daiyu: “Thank you for meeting with the Observer. It’s a great pleasure to be here to see how our town comes together to rebuild and put those who tried to take away our future out of sight and mind finally. I’m writing an article that’s recapping on what happened in July, an interview I did with Tori and this interview with you where you can tell me a bit more about the staff, your ideas for the place and so on and then I thought I’d link to the event that I know you’re running. How does that sound?”
Simon: “I am happy to answer any questions you might have. All of our staff are very excited about this weekend. It has been some time coming!”
Daiyu: “Great, so I guess if you don’t mind, just a little on how you became the boss? The Chief? The… Director? Then, well, tell me about your hospital, what’s changed? Can you do more here now? Anything really you want to get across?”
Simon: “My title is Chief of Staff, being the customary title for the Chief Executive of a hospital. I am the youngest Chief in the history of Hathian General. But age is no barrier to excellence. My gift for leadership was recognized early in my career by the Hospital Board and when I was shoulder tapped to apply for the position, it came as no surprise to me. I went through the three days of interviewing with Board members and senior staff and all were unanimous that I be appointed. And what we can do? HGH is vastly more than what we used to have. We have far more elective surgery capabilities than ever possible before. Our overstretched ER has now expanded and we are able to hire more staff who are happier in their roles with
more modern facilities. Our staff roster has grown rapidly since the new facility was commissioned. We felt that a facility that allowed for future expansion would be prudent for our growing population and the needs of Hathian.”
Daiyu: “That’s great, Hathian really needs more facilities. So I was wondering, how much time in the hospital would you say that leaves you for doing medical work yourself, rather than say managing budgets, staff or other issues such as that? Do you get less time doing medicine than you’d prefer? I’m also afraid I’m going to have to ask it, but I remember not much more than a week before the terrorist attack, writing about you and some perhaps… interaction with Camden Fabers? How did your background and… ‘noise’ feature in those interviews?”
Simon: “I am in the OR quite a bit less now as the role expects quite a lot of administration. Naturally there has to be some consideration of this regarding my own patient load and so my department heads keep that minimal for me”
At this point Simon didn’t pause, his skills with answering questions are not in doubt.
Simon: “A very good question about that. It must seem like a miraculous transformation to most folks who were…unfortunate enough to encounter me during the worst time of my life. The question was asked. Repeatedly. How I would cope with the demands of this position given my… mental state. Senior staff had the right to ask this of me. They need to look to me for guidance and leadership and they must know I will make the right choices for them.”
“The answer is faith. And Trust. These things are earned. And I don’t know if I am there yet. It will take time. I am young. But I am determined to make it work”
HGH Chief of Staff Simon LeMarchand considering what he still had to prove in his role
Daiyu: “I understand on the surgery part, administration can be a bit of a pain, but hopefully you can share that load around as you noted. Ok, so we’ve covered a little bit about you, about the extra services… Can you tell me a little about any of your key staff, anyone you’d want to call out now? You’ve got a diverse range of staff that I know about, but always interested in the take of the boss!”
Simon: “I now have four department heads and my general manager in our senior leadership team. Head of Surgery is Dr Simona Annaloro, whom I have worked with for years and was once my own supervisor. Head of General Practice is Dr Allie Brentt, who was one of my attendings during my residency. A mentor and a friend. Head of Security is Mr Azariah Brentt, former chief of police where I went to medical school in California and Allie’s husband. A fine man that I know well. Our final department Head, is our Head of Nursing is Ms Zariah Scott, whom I have recently appointed to that position as she has demonstrated vast competence and initiative in a short space of time. Then there is my general manager, Ms Yua Matsumoto who is responsible for the running of the hospital beyond medical and security. We are all newly appointed but we are rapidly growing in step with each other and the administration of the hospital. So far, my team have not failed me. Though it is early days yet.”
Daiyu: “Ok, I think in the interests of space, that’s a great place to nearly get to our last piece, your event… but if I might also ask, I met with the leader of the Yuugen who had no shame for what she and the Rejects did… Is there something uplifting you can say to people like her? And then yes, can I have as much detail about your event as possible? The who, where, what and all that good stuff. What do citizens need to know?”
“All I can say is. What goes around in this town. Comes around. They will all come under our scalpels at some point in time. It is inevitable. My staff and I lost friends and colleagues in that fire. I cannot promise that our hands will be gentle.”
Simon, when asked about the HGH attackers
The Event
“The Hathian community is invited to come along and hear speeches thanking them for their fine fundraising efforts. We will cut a ribbon and they can tour the place and see what we offer. Then we all go and fully enjoy ourselves at the black tie ball with After the Fall performing at Luxure. It ought to be a very fun afternoon and evening for Hathian citizens!”
Simon, Chief of Staff – HGH
The Observer has attended events at Luxure before and can heartily recommend the atmosphere, which with the live music promised will be great. Check out the poster reproduced below, or review information on Yua (and other HGH staff members) Twitter accounts.
