Alien Abductions/KiTA's Stories/Next Channel

From Grigbertz

ABN Network, around 11:47 PM

A short and lithe woman stood in the middle of the stage, her bronze skin seeming to glisten as the lights caused her to sweat slightly. A spritz of oil she applied before the show helped the process along. Careful studying of the first few week's audiences showed that when she was damp like this, her ratings went up.

"We have a great show tonight. First up, we have T.J. Miller with his new film, Search Party." Nancy smiled, "Followed up by our continuing expose -- The Abducted Girls: Bondage Crazed Nymphos or Insane Cult?"

Her audience, decidedly more male than her competition's, stared on enthralled. A few remembered to clap. Viewers at home didn't notice -- a recording of applause filled the gaps.

"We'll round out the evening with stand up from friend of the show, David K.C.!"

Decidedly more clapping this time, although she knew it wouldn't be enough -- the recording would be playing to those watching at home.

Fools, the lot of them. Nancy smoldered, although her smile didn't fade. She would have the success she deserved. Couldn't they see to what lengths she would go for it?

Indeed, how could they not?

"I'm Naked Nancy Yamamoto, and when you strip away all pretense, you're left with..." She shifted her pose, thrusting her hips slightly as the band began playing some generic music, "The Bare Essentials."

Unlike her compatriot one channel over, there was no fashion line to pitch before the first break -- no fashion at all, in fact. Unlike her somewhat more respectable competition, Nancy was completely and utterly nude, her skin unbroken by any clothing, jewelry, accessories... even shoes. Her modesty being protected, technically, by a team of computer nerds applying a mosaic filter to her body before the film went out over the air.

It was all coldly calculated by executives and Nancy herself. If Natalie exposing a little skin on "The Naked Truth" was good, then Nancy showing a lot of skin on "The Bare Essentials" was better, right? The fact that somehow Natalie's show had gotten a free pass to show nudity certainly helped; it meant that as long as Nancy and the network stuck to the story that she was affected in the same way, they had to let them continue.

The only thing not Nancy on stage with her was an old style wireless microphone, which she gripped like a club.

The lights dimmed and the cameraman gave her a thumbs up.

"And we're out!"

Nancy sneered, spinning on the balls of her bare feet as she stormed off the set. The second she was out of view of the audience, her long suffering assistant began rushing towards her, doing his best not to look directly at her naked body. He held a mass of blue fabric out in front of him comically, like a shield.

"Jimmy, you idiot, you're supposed to have it ready to slip on, not all wadded up." She ripped the blue robe out of his hands, slipping it over her shoulders. "Seriously, why am I surrounded by unprofessional fools?"

"Sorry, Ms. Yamamoto."

Nancy stormed over to a small table off to the side even as a sharp dressed man tried to intercept her. Jimmy kept going, reaching the table -- and it's precious coffee maker -- first.

"Ms. Yamamoto, we have spoken about this." He crossed his arms, staring down at the short hostess. "If it gets out that you're not really affected the same way that Natalie and those abductees are, we'll be off the air within hours."

"You let me worry about that, Mr. Winters." She scoffed as Jimmy handed her a large cup of coffee. "I'm not walking with my assets on display more than I have to. No one notices when I leave work because with a hat and clothes on, I'm just another Asian intern in the crowd."

"Nancy..."

"Mike." Nancy grinned, adjusting his tie for him. "I knew the risks when I pitched this asinine idea to the network."

Which was true, she thought to herself, she had known the risks. The catch was she had planned on selling the idea to the studio and having them hire some bimbo to take those risks. By the time she had realized they had intended on using her as the starring role, it was too late to back out.

"The network heads trust my judgment. I make a lot of money doing what I do. I won't do anything that will put that at risk."

"You mean the show, right?" Mr. Winters said, impassively staring on. "You won't risk the show and all these people whose lives are reliant on you keeping up this... pretense?"

Nancy remained silent. The money was good, but ratings were down. For some reason, her nudity seemed to be getting old, while Natalie's seemed to draw in new viewers every day. Or worse, Nancy thought to herself, Natalie's show was somehow... better, and the audience could look past all the skin on display and see that. The thought annoyed her to no end on some level.

Still, Nancy could count the days before she broke the charade, came out as a fake, and wrote a tell all book. She just needed the show to work long enough to create buzz for the book -- and for her to finish it. The show would never survive it, but she would be able to retire off the proceeds and no one would ever forget the name Nancy Yamamoto.

She would have her success, damnit, one way or another.

"Sixty Seconds, Nancy." A man with headphones on shouted as he leaned around the corner, careful not to look straight forward. On the set of "The Bare Essentials," the only people who survived past the first week were those who learned never, ever to risk seeing Nancy Yamamoto naked when they didn't absolutely have to.

She downed the rest of her coffee in one gulp. "Ugh, Jimmy, clean that damned coffee pot, this tastes like copper."

"Yes, Ms. Yamamoto."

Mr. Winters shook his head and walked away. Nancy smiled briefly at him. Even as important as he was, the last thing the man from the network would want would be to be dragged in front of Human Resources again for looking at her. They were both professionals and he would act like it. Or else.

With a sigh, Nancy slipped her robe off her shoulders, leaving her utterly naked once more. She handed it to Jimmy, who kept his eyes tightly shut.

"Remember Jimmy." Nancy traced a finger across his chin. "If I ever catch you looking, you'll never work in this town again."

"Yes, Ms. Yamamoto."

"Thirty Seconds!" Someone shouted from behind her.

He wasn't a bad kid, Nancy thought as she padded back to the set, just a bit young and ruled by hormones. Still, she wouldn't put up with anyone looking at her body who didn't have to. It was with that thought, along with a silent curse directed towards lawyers and her own stupidity for not reading her contract, that she held as she returned to the stage, repressing the desire to flip off some idiot in the front row who started whistling at her.

...

Jimmy kept his eyes tightly shut as he heard the 'slap, slap' sound of Nancy's bare feet on the tile of the studio floor. Seconds later, he reached silently into his pocket and produced a phone.

"Yeah, it's me. I slipped it into her coffee. She'll be ready tonight. I trust you'll have my money ready?"

Jimmy silently opened his eyes, staring off towards the set. Nancy's bare hips were on display as she slipped around the sofa, hiding behind her desk. She was safe there, props specifically placed to hint, but not quite show, her nudity for the rest of the evening. To the audience at home, anyway. To anyone in the studio -- guests, audience members, staff -- she was completely on display for anyone brave enough to look.

Three people had been fired or transferred to other shows this week alone.

"Oh, don't worry. I'm sure she deserves whatever you have planned."