Jallama Reed

Jallama Reed was the name of both a fictional character and a series of rapid-image transmissions featuring her as protagonist. The transmissions were designed by the Great Houses to be deep-impact, icon-intense packages that would castrate Remote expansionist tendencies when sent into the culture of the colony on Fallahal.

Jallama Reed herself was designed to appear as an "everyman" or "everywoman", even though she was physically striking and weighed only 35-kilograms (a weight chosen by the Houses in the knowledge that undernourished humans were more easily manipulated). Despite wearing the armour of all elite Remote shock-troops, her face was sculpted to convey to the audience that she was a troubled, relatable human being.

Remote media system transmissions usually followed no narrative structure, but through direct, rapid-fire images, the Jallama Reed transmissions successfully transformed Jallama Reed into a significant new icon in Remote culture. As such, she reassured her "listeners" that their menial roles meant they were engaged in a dangerous and important quest for truth, maximising their introversion and self-involvement while simultaneously minimising their urges to look outside their own small social circles. This effect made Jallama Reed an important predecessor to the New Young Gods project.

Pictures in the series included Jallama Reed is the New Pioneer, Jallama Reed is Life Under Siege, Jallama Reed is the Model of Tragedy, and Jallama Reed is the Avatar of Us All. (PROSE: The Book of the War)