I\u2019ve met a lot of people in my life. Usually, if I don\u2019t like them right away, I never will. If I like them off the bat, I usually always do. Most people are quick to read. The interesting ones are those who I can\u2019t figure out right off the bat. Sometimes I\u2019ll engage them just because I want to know who they are. Sometimes the person I end up meeting improves my faith in the human races. Sometimes they don\u2019t.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Jack leaned against a wall with arms and legs crossed, scanning the studio and the studio audience waiting for the show to start. Jasmine and Betty leaned against the wall on either side of him, while Charles and Dorothy stood across from them in the small offstage run. Their Texas Marine Dress Whites shown bright in the light spilling off the stage, even though they weren\u2019t all planning to be on the show. They made an impressive sight walking down the halls.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt will not be much longer,\u201d Charles intoned in a careful manner, keeping his voice low. \u201cAre you sure you are ready?\u201d<\/p>\n
Jack smiled. \u201cI was born<\/em> ready.\u201d<\/p>\n Charles raised a single eyebrow at Jack. \u201cI am serious. If you do not feel comfortable, we can cancel right now.\u201d<\/p>\n Jack shook his head. \u201cNo need. The network agreed to the conditions.\u201d<\/p>\n Charles grumped. \u201cAnd then picked her<\/em> for the interview?\u201d<\/p>\n Jack shrugged. \u201cBacking out would look bad for us.\u201d<\/p>\n Charles chuckled. \u201cThat does not mean I like it.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMe neither,\u201d Jack answered with a smile. \u201cBut seriously, Sir, Betty and Jasmine have done their homework. I can end the interview whenever I need to without making it look like I\u2019m ending the interview.\u201d<\/p>\n The opening music of the Landing Report filled the studio, and they turned to the stage. It was the oldest and most prestigious newscast on New Earth and Jack just didn\u2019t know why they wanted to interview a Cowboy. He knew what they said. They wanted to interview one of the Americans who saved New Earth, to get to know who would leave their home to fight out here. They wanted him on the primetime newscast, for everyone in the system to see. They wanted to show the people a real American hero. That is what they said.<\/p>\n And then they handed the interview to their religion<\/em> consultant rather than one of their main anchors. That<\/em> was what had him confused. And that was why he\u2019d asked Betty and Jasmine to scan the nets for anything he could use on her if he had to. They\u2019d come back with some interesting information. He would keep that in his back pocket, just in case he needed it. But he would work with her as long as she was willing to work with him. He would find how willing she was soon.<\/p>\n The former Miss Universe contestant walked onto the stage wearing a smile and a suit that accentuated all of her curves while still looking business-like. She had the reputation of a good, clean, Christian girl to maintain after all. The religion correspondent waved at the studio audience and they cheered back as she sat down behind the news desk. She looked at the cameras and the applause faded away with the music, leaving the most prestigious stage on New Earth to her.<\/p>\n \u201cThank you for tuning in tonight,\u201d she said in a clear soprano tone that carried through the studio without any need of amplification. It was a beautiful voice actually, one that had done well in the competitions in the past. \u201cI am Faith Hendriks, speaking for\u2026the Landing Report, and it is a pleasure to be here, on today of all days.\u201d<\/p>\n Jack had to hand it to her. She did sound real sincere. He wondered if she was putting on an act or if she meant everything she said.<\/p>\n \u201cOne month ago,\u201d Faith continued, \u201ctwo major war fleets attacked New Earth. Our brave navy destroyed both fleets, with the help of the Peloran and a brave group of American fighter pilots,\u201d she said through lusty cheering and applause from the studio audience. \u201cToday we have a guest you will not soon forget! He is a fighter pilot who has faced down the Shang and the Chinese in multiple star systems, and come back looking for more to kill,\u201d she announced and the cheering erupted again. \u201cHe is\u2026a real American Cowboy!\u201d<\/p>\n Jasmine and Betty rolled their eyes. Jack just chuckled at the campy introduction, tipped his cowboy hat towards them, and walked out onto the stage with a jaunty gait, a beaming smile, and a waving hand. The studio audience ate it up and their applause followed him all the way to the desk. He placed a hand on the chair and smiled at Faith. \u201cMay I?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOf course,\u201d she returned in a whisper and waved for him to take the chair. As he sat down, she returned her focus to the cameras and the studio audience. \u201cIt is my pleasure to introduce you to Captain Jack\u2026\u201d she paused as she squinted at the teleprompter and blushed. \u201cI\u2019m sorry\u2026how do<\/em> you pronounce your last name?\u201d<\/p>\n Jack smiled at her, wondering why she\u2019d not taken the time to learn that behind his mask. \u201cThe way it\u2019s spelt, Ma\u2019am.\u201d He turned his smile on the audience. \u201cMy momma always taught me to help people sound it out.\u201d His smile turned humorous. \u201cAnd if I learned one thing, it\u2019s to listen to my momma,\u201d he finished with a chuckle. The studio audience laughed and applauded him and he could see he had captured them. They liked him. That would be worth a lot if he needed it.<\/p>\n Faith looked at the prompter again for nearly second before looking back to him. \u201cCan I just call you Jack?\u201d<\/p>\n Jack\u2019s smile grew and he rubbed his chin with a thumb. \u201cWell, if we\u2019re going for Christian<\/em> names, can I call you Faith<\/em>?\u201d<\/p>\n Faith chuckled and shook her head. \u201cI wish I could tell you that you\u2019re the first to ask me that question.\u201d<\/p>\n Jack winked at her. \u201cOld joke?\u201d<\/p>\n Faith sighed in response. \u201cAs old as I am.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh,\u201d he whispered, emoting the perfect slice of surprise for the audience. \u201cA very young<\/em> joke then,\u201d Jack said with another wink and the audience laughed again.<\/p>\n Faith just shook her head and gave him a demure smile. \u201cWhy, thank you.\u201d<\/p>\n Jack spread his hands out wide and shrugged as if he spoke nothing but the truth.<\/p>\n \u201cWell, enough about me,\u201d she said with a self-effacing smile towards the audience. \u201cI would love<\/em> to know what you think of New Earth. Is this your first time here?\u201d<\/p>\n Jack laughed. \u201cOh yes. First time. And let me tell you, my muscles ache every night what with this crazy gravity,\u201d he said towards the audience with a wink and an affected old-man slump. They laughed back as he knew they would. \u201cAnd I\u2019m still<\/em> learning how to drink your air here,\u201d he added and feigned an attempt to catch his breath. The audience\u2019s laughter redoubled at his antics. \u201cSeriously, you are real supermen here,\u201d he finished and the audience applauded his appreciation.<\/p>\n \u201cYes, New Earth is no place for the weak of heart,\u201d Faith said, trying to bring the interview back under control. Then her smile grew. \u201cAnd speaking of hearts, I understand you\u2019ve found someone special<\/em> here on New Earth. I would love<\/em> to know who this mystery girl is,\u201d Faith gushed.<\/p>\n Jack held his smile in place, but the urge to do something very ungentlemanly filled him for an instant. He had no intention of bringing Samantha into this. And it wasn\u2019t like she was really a mystery either. Everybody on the campus knew them. \u201cI\u2019m very sorry,\u201d he said to Faith before turning to the audience again with a large smile. \u201cBut I can not<\/em> comment on that rumor. I learned long ago that nice<\/em> young ladies appreciate a man who does not kiss and tell,\u201d he added and waggled his eyebrows towards them. They laughed and he turned back to Faith with a smile on his face, inviting her to move on to her next question.<\/p>\n \u201cHow very gentlemanly of you,\u201d she answered his smile. \u201cI\u2019m sure she appreciates that.\u201d<\/p>\n Jack answered with a simple shrug and a wave of one hand just to keep things moving.<\/p>\n Faith took in a deep breath and filled the silence quickly. \u201cWell, as I said, it truly is<\/em> an honor to have you here, especially as it is one of the last days you can be here. I understand that your squadron is shipping out to War again. What can you tell me about what you\u2019ve been doing to get ready?\u201d<\/p>\n Jack kept his eyes wide and friendly by force of will alone. She\u2019d just broken the agreements wide open. He wondered what the network was thinking with this, but he held his smile and answered gamely. \u201cWell, as to that, Ma\u2019am, I can not speak. What with The War and all, I can\u2019t really discuss military maneuvers. \u2018Loose lips sink ships,\u2019 right?\u201d he asked the audience and they gave him a round of approving claps.<\/p>\n She seemed chastened by that comment. \u201cOf course. I\u2019m sorry. Can you tell us how you got here?\u201d<\/p>\n Jack chuckled, back on ground he was willing to answer. \u201cWell, it\u2019s no secret that we were chasing that Chinese fleet that hit you back before New Year\u2019s. Your navy was doing a real good job of holding them off by the way. It was our pleasure to give all those brave sailors a helping hand.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh, you\u2019re being too modest. The way I hear it, your fleet broke the back of the Chinese navy. I understand the Cowboys destroyed a naval squadron on your own in hyperspace, an impressive feat I must say.\u201d<\/p>\n And just like that, she dove back into detailed military information. \u201cWell, Ma\u2019am, I of course can\u2019t comment on that. Military maneuvers during Wartime and all that,\u201d he said with a glance towards the audience. They mumbled in support, aiming uncomfortable looks her way.<\/p>\n \u201cOf course, of course,\u201d Faith said, mollifying the audience with her practiced smile. \u201cBut isn\u2019t that how you got your second cyber? Her pilot died in that battle, right?\u201d<\/p>\n Jack smiled and decided it was time to redirect her with a half-answer. \u201cWell, Ma\u2019am, as to that, no pilot ever gets<\/em> a cyber. Fighter pilots are lucky enough to be chosen<\/em> by a cyber who wants to be our partner.\u201d<\/p>\n Faith smiled and pounced on his answer. \u201cAnd here you are, lucky enough to have been chosen by two<\/em> cybers,\u201d she said with a wave of her hand towards where Jasmine and Betty stood on the wings. \u201cHow do<\/em> you do it?\u201d<\/p>\n Jack leaned back into his chair and aimed a smile at the audience. \u201cClean living and a healthy conscience,\u201d he announced with a self-deprecating wave of a hand.<\/p>\n The studio audience laughed at him.<\/p>\n He turned back to Faith to see a faint glare on her face. She hid it well, but he could see the signs. She didn\u2019t like how he continued to avoid her questions. He smiled back at her, showing that he was perfectly happy to answer any question that didn\u2019t cross the lines.<\/p>\n She responded quickly. \u201cSo what\u2019s it like having two cybers?\u201d<\/p>\n Jack sighed and turned to look at Betty and Jasmine on the wings. They cocked their heads to the side, intensely interested in his response. He smiled, sucked in a deep breath, and turned back to Faith. \u201cHave you ever had a friend who you could talk to about anything or anybody on all the worlds?\u00a0\u00a0 A friend you can trust without hesitation, who will stand with you no matter what? Someone who will join you in a ridiculous practical joke on another friend right here, or a damn fool idealistic crusade on the other side of the known galaxy? One who will never lie to you, who sees who you really are, all your strengths and your weaknesses, and who still has your back no matter what?\u201d<\/p>\n Jack cleared his throat, realizing he\u2019d gone on a bit more than he planned. He scanned the studio audience, sitting in utter silence, and realized he\u2019d hit a chord with them. He looked at Faith and saw in her eyes that she would never answer his question. Her smile held, and most people would just see her waiting for him to continue, but he could see he\u2019d hit her. She didn\u2019t have a friend like that. In that moment, he pitied her.<\/p>\n Jack smiled. \u201cThat\u2019s who a cybernetic partner is.\u201d He turned to the audience with a mischievous wink. \u201cI\u2019ve heard it said that a friend smiles and tries to talk us out of getting into dangerous situations. A best<\/em> friend skips along beside us with a baseball bat, singing \u2018someone\u2019s gonna get it,\u2019\u201d he finished in a sing-song child\u2019s voice.<\/p>\n Jack paused for the audience\u2019s laughter and turned to look at Jasmine and Betty again. They smiled back and he knew he\u2019d calculated correctly. He looked at the audience again and shrugged. \u201cWell, they carry monogrammed<\/em> baseball bats.\u201d<\/p>\n Faith aimed a pleased smile at him, but he caught the glint of something in her eyes that suggested\u2026a hunter. \u201cIt sounds like you\u2019re saying they\u2019re the best thing that ever happened to you.\u201d<\/p>\n Jack paused a moment, wondering where she was going with that question. It seemed\u2026aimed at something. A part of him wanted to stop right there and then, end the interview and get out, but he had to keep playing to the studio audience while he figured out what her game was. \u201cWell, it\u2019s the people we connect with that make our lives fantastic, that make us the best we can be.\u201d Jack smiled. \u201cAssuming they\u2019ve got our best interests at heart of course.\u201d<\/p>\n Faith nodded in approval. \u201cThat is the important question.\u201d<\/p>\n Jack saw the shift behind her eyes and knew she\u2019d gotten wherever she wanted to be.<\/p>\n Faith turned to the audience with a calm smile. \u201cTo those of you who watch my show, you know that whenever I interview someone, I always like to ask what faith they follow. Our faiths motivate us after all.\u201d She turned back to Jack and he believed he understood what an antelope felt when a lion licked its lips in his general direction. \u201cWho do you believe has your best interests at heart, Jack? What faith motivates you to do what you do?\u201d<\/p>\n Jack licked his lips at the question. He tried not to think about that kind of stuff. But he\u2019d expected that question from her, so had come mostly prepared. \u201cWell, my parents were holy rollers. They believed that God did miracles and talked to us and everything. We went to all those churches where people dance in the aisles and shout alleluias and all that. I met a lot of nice people in those places.\u201d<\/p>\n Faith cocked her head in interest. \u201cAnd is that what you<\/em> believe?\u201d<\/p>\n Jack shrugged. \u201cI don\u2019t know. You see I believe that a lot of the people were more interested in the \u2018Thou shalt not\u2019 parts of the Bible than they were in the \u2018Thou shalt do\u2019 bits.\u201d Jack shook his head and winked at her. \u201cHonestly, I like doin\u2019 a lot more than not.\u201d<\/p>\n Faith frowned and considered his words for a few seconds before asking her next question \u201cSo, have you walked away from your parents\u2019 faith?\u201d<\/p>\n Jack shook his head again. \u201cNot really. I don\u2019t know. Maybe.\u201d Jack sighed. \u201cWe had a disagreement in priorities. My<\/em> priority was doin\u2019 to others as I\u2019d want them doin\u2019 to me. I guess I never did react well to being told what not<\/em> to do. By anyone.\u201d<\/p>\n Faith shook her head. \u201cHowever did you survive your first drill sergeant?\u201d<\/p>\n Jack laughed. \u201cWell, as to that, Marines have drill instructors<\/em>,\u201d he corrected with wry smile. \u201cAnd me and the Gunny came to a mutually beneficial arrangement.\u201d At her surprised looked he waggled his eyebrows. \u201cI<\/em> accepted that the Gunny was always right, and he<\/em> let me live.\u201d<\/p>\n They laughed together, and the audience joined in. He noticed the loudest laughter coming from a group of military men in one corner. It was good to have someone on his side here.<\/p>\n Faith sighed and leaned in towards him. \u201cAnd from those humble beginnings, you became a Cowboy?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHe did good with those of us willing to listen.\u201d Jack spread both arms out wide and cleared his throat. \u201cWhich I suppose even I<\/em> can be once you whack me enough times.\u201d<\/p>\n Faith looked at him as if she was actually interested in him for once. \u201cWould you mind telling us how you became a Cowboy?\u201d<\/p>\n Jack leaned back and considered the question for a moment before answering. \u201cWell, after the Gunny proclaimed me capable of pulling my own boots on without adult supervision, I got sent down to the Marine training center in Corpus Christi, Texas. It\u2019s pretty much the<\/em> location where we were doing the advanced training. Fighter pilots in our cases.\u201d<\/p>\n There was that look of genuine interest again. \u201cBy \u2018we\u2019 you mean the Ageless that were just volunteering after Yosemite?\u201d<\/p>\n Jack smiled at her. \u201cYes. Most of us had never served in the military. We had everything from accountants to tour<\/em> guides in my class.\u201d Jack spread his arms out wide again and winked again. \u201cAnd some partiers too.\u201d<\/p>\n Faith shook her head with a rueful smile. \u201cNever underestimate the partiers, right?\u201d<\/p>\n Jack laughed. \u201cThey can be real scary when you spill their beers.\u201d<\/p>\n She paused again, considering him for a moment before asking. \u201cDid you expect to be in a famous fighter squadron?\u201d<\/p>\n Jack rubbed his chin in thought for a few moments. \u201cYes and no.\u201d<\/p>\n Faith looked confused. \u201cWhy both?\u201d<\/p>\n Jack shrugged. \u201cOn the one side, we\u2019re Ageless. That makes us very rare and very visible. But loath as I am to admit it, fighting is a lot more about knowing<\/em> how to fight than it is just having a natural talent for it. The military in general didn\u2019t think we really had the\u2026killer instincts to be real warriors. And they were right.\u201d<\/p>\n Faith actually looked outraged at the statement. \u201cBut you\u2019re one of the best squadrons!\u201d<\/p>\n Jack laughed again. \u201cMost of us were on our second month since we volunteered.\u201d He shook his head. \u201cOh, we\u2019d done boot camp and we\u2019d been through an insanely fast class on basic space fighting and how to work with cybers and stuff. But you have to understand that before The War the military spent two years<\/em> training pilots, at least<\/em>. And most of us never would have thought of doing anything like that. Only two<\/em> of us were combat veterans.\u201d<\/p>\n Faith looked down at the notes on her desk. \u201cYou mean Colonel Johanson and Major Randalf?\u201d<\/p>\n Jack nodded. \u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n She returned her gaze to him, really curious again. \u201cThey weren\u2019t Ageless, were they?\u201d<\/p>\n Jack shook his head. \u201cNo. They were veterans and real good trainers. They drilled us hard, and we learned how to fly the rivets off those Avengers under them. They got us into shape and when it came time they got us into position to make a difference.\u201d<\/p>\n She nodded as she began to understand something that had passed her by before. \u201cYou\u2019re referring to Fort Wichita. They died leading you into battle to save the Peloran squadron, right?\u201d<\/p>\n Jack smiled. \u201cThey\u2019re the heroes. They\u2019re the warriors. We just did what they taught us and we survived. The rest was\u2026well it was an impressive battle.\u201d<\/p>\n She glanced down at her notes again. \u201cYes, I hear that the Constellation<\/em> is still undergoing repairs after that one.\u201d<\/p>\n Jack cleared his throat, working hard to keep his eyes from flashing in anger. Once again she was talking about military deployments. Looking her in the eyes, he knew she understood. She was doing it on purpose, but this time she had the presence of mind to look regretful. \u201cWell, Ma\u2019am, I can\u2019t really say anything about that of course. What with The War<\/em> going on and all.\u201d<\/p>\n She nodded in understanding. \u201cOf course. I\u2019m sorry. What can<\/em> you say about the carrier you served on for\u2026how many months was it again?\u201d<\/p>\n Jack chuckled and decided to avoid the question with grace. \u201cWell, Ma\u2019am, Connie\u2019s a real classy lady. She\u2019s a beautiful ship and I love her. She always made me feel welcome on her decks. It was a pleasure to serve on her, and I hope when she sees this she knows how much I miss her. She was the first place that ever felt like home to me after Yosemite.\u201d<\/p>\n Faith smiled in understanding and he thought he caught a part of her sense changing. \u201cHow many homes have you had in your life?\u201d<\/p>\n Jack returned her smile. \u201cFew enough that I treasure each one.\u201d<\/p>\n Faith laughed with good grace, accepting that she wasn\u2019t going to get an answer there either. \u201cOkay. So what\u2019s it like growing up Ageless?\u201d<\/p>\n Jack shrugged and rubbed his chin. \u201cWell, we don\u2019t actually grow up Ageless. We grow up like anybody else, go to school like anybody else, and get jobs like anybody else. Though we have<\/em> found some traits that most<\/em> Ageless share.\u201d<\/p>\n Faith paused for a moment, and Jack could tell he\u2019d derailed her from what she\u2019d been planning to ask. \u201cWhat traits?\u201d<\/p>\n Jack smiled. \u201cWell, most of us don\u2019t grow up as the football star or head cheerleader,\u201d he said with a chuckle. \u201cA lot of us are kinda special, in ways that parents really hoped we wouldn\u2019t be in the past. We sometimes see things other people can\u2019t see, or do things other people don\u2019t do. Sometimes we\u2019re just a bit hyper, sometimes we\u2019re the kid who has a compulsion to turn left the same number of times they turn right, and sometimes we see the things that go bump in the night.\u201d<\/p>\n Faith frowned. \u201cThings that go bump in the night?\u201d<\/p>\n Jack laughed. \u201cThe monster under the bed, or in the closet. The spirit that keeps opening and shutting the doors in the house.\u201d<\/p>\n Faith cocked her head to the side. \u201cSo you believe in ghosts?\u201d<\/p>\n Jack shrugged. \u201cI don\u2019t know<\/em> what I believe,\u201d he said in a soft tone and shook his head. \u201cBut I know this. Back in the old days, the people in charge pumped the kids full of drugs so they could be \u2018normal\u2019 like everybody else. But then they couldn\u2019t think anymore. They\u2026lost themselves. I can\u2019t think of anything worse to do to somebody than that.\u201d<\/p>\n Faith stared at him, looking like she was afraid to ask the next question. \u201cHave you<\/em> seen or heard things that others can\u2019t?\u201d<\/p>\n Jack chuckled and gave her a wide smile. \u201cI do every time I get into a fighter.\u201d He paused and turned to the studio audience, seeing that they were breathless, waiting for his answer. \u201cSpace. Freedom,\u201d he finished and saw amusement run through it. And agreement. And some disappointment.<\/p>\n Faith stared at him and in her eyes he saw a question that she thought would hurt him badly. He had some ideas of what it could be. He\u2019d seen enough hacked up \u201cinterviews\u201d over the years to know the tactics they used when they wanted to make someone look bad. So he watched and waited for her to commit. She surprised him though when she blinked, pushed the question away, and shook her head. \u201cAre you going to answer my question?\u201d<\/p>\n Jack scanned her, interested by what he saw in her stance. She didn\u2019t feel as assured of her position as she had when the interview started. But he didn\u2019t know what she wanted. She met his gaze with eyes that looked uncertain for the first time. He let out a short breath, pushed his chair back, and rose to his feet in a fluid motion. He stepped over towards her and held a hand out.<\/p>\n She gave him a confused look, but raised a hand to his. He pulled her up, raised a hand to cover his lips, and whispered into one ear as she came to her feet. \u201cDo you really want to know the answer to that question, or are you just looking for ammunition to use against me for whoever pulled the strings to get you this interview?\u201d<\/p>\n He stepped back with a grand gallant gesture for the crowd, grabbing their attention and giving her a second to respond. He kept an eye on her, watching shock and worry running through her eyes. Her face kept her perfect smile and she moved with him naturally, the perfect actor that kept anyone else from seeing that it wasn\u2019t real. But he could tell he\u2019d hit a nerve, he\u2019d found something close to the truth.<\/p>\n Finally, she answered his question in a whisper so low even he<\/em> almost missed it. \u201cI want to know,\u201d she said out of unmoving lips. Her eyes met his gaze and for the first time in the entire interview, he truly and completely believed what she said. He breathed in, breathed out, and decided that he didn\u2019t need to destroy her career after all.<\/p>\n He smiled at her. \u201cMa\u2019am, I never answer a question like that on the first date,\u201d he said and the studio audience laughed at her shocked expression.<\/p>\n \u201cWell played,\u201d she whispered under her breath, her eyes looking at him in approval. Then she turned to the studio audience with her blazing smile. \u201cThen we\u2019re just going to have to bring him back for another\u2026interview, don\u2019t you think?\u201d she asked and the audience applauded and cheered.<\/p>\n Jack smiled back at them and tipped his hat, acknowledging their approval. He\u2019d been hoping to win the audience and been worried he would have to destroy a career. He looked down at Faith with a broad smile. He\u2019d never expected to get her on his<\/em> side. Though how much she was on his side was a good question. At least she wasn\u2019t opening fire on him. He could work with that to start with. The rest would come in time. And there was far more to her than what met the eye. That could be a very good thing in the future. It could also be very bad, but there was always that old saying about hope springing eternal.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" I\u2019ve met a lot of people in my life. Usually, if I don\u2019t like them right away, I never will. If I like them off the bat, I usually always do. Most people are quick to read. The interesting ones[…]↓ Read the rest of this entry…<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[30],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5672","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-2304-forge-of-war-earc","uentry","postonpage-1","odd","post-author-medron-pryde"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/jackofharts.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5672","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/jackofharts.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/jackofharts.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jackofharts.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jackofharts.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=5672"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/jackofharts.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5672\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5673,"href":"https:\/\/jackofharts.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5672\/revisions\/5673"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/jackofharts.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=5672"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jackofharts.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=5672"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jackofharts.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=5672"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}