Chapter Fourteen – Libre’s Office

Chapter Fourteen – Libre’s Office

“I’m sorry, sir, but you need to prove your age–“

“Sorry, sir. Let’s start over from the start. I need a picture, a retinal scan, blood sample, spit sample, DNA sample, I need your social security number, and credit history, as well as a reference from the last three social media sites you made accounts on.”

–Recording of a Customer Service call, 2029

***

I chewed on my lower lip. I wanted to smack this guy on coming in, and I wasn’t sure if I didn’t still want to, but, yeah, he was planning shit on a level or two above what I did. Still…

“You know that there’s no planning around the Antithesis, right?” I asked.

Libre licked his lips. “I think that’s a common misconception, and something that a lot of people say. It’s politically unpopular to spend billions and put a lot of capital into defences and preparations that may well only lead to any sort of result ten years down the line. You can predict them. What you can’t do is underestimate them.”

“Isn’t that what you’re doing by predicting them?” I asked.

His eyes twitched, and I felt like I’d just struck a chord with the man. “I am not underestimating them.”

“If you’re not underestimating them, then why are they still alive? Why haven’t you called for reinforcements?”

Libre rocked back onto his heels. “You think I didn’t? You think I want to be fighting the Antithesis with just this?” He gestured widely at the room and all of the people in it. People not really wearing uniforms beyond ‘office chic.’ “The soldiers and professionals I’ve been working with have been dying or burning out. I’m left with scraps, untrained militias, and whatever junk I can scrounge from the city. This isn’t a proper, well-funded operation like what you may be used to, Samurai Stray Cat.”

Damn, I felt a little bad for the people in here that had just been cooked by this guy, they didn’t look like they deserved to be catching strays like that.

Gomorrah cleared her throat. “You said that you did call for reinforcements?”

“Obviously,” he said. “Just a day before the Phobos incident, we had an inkling that the Antithesis were going to push harder. We called for reinforcements and received one samurai and a small boost to the local garrison, and that was all. After that, things grew busy, and my second call for assistance went ignored.” He worked his jaw. “At least, until now. I can’t say that your arrival isn’t timely. It’s just also disruptive.”

I glanced around, trying to take in the mood from Gomorrah and Hedgehog. Crisis Mode I didn’t know well enough to read at a glance. They didn’t look super impressed.

“Yeah, nah, I don’t get it,” I said. “Myalis, did you see that call for reinforcements?”

I can see it. It was a rather polite request made some two weeks ago, asking for additional funding, supplies, and forces for the Quebec region, as well as any available samurai in the region.

“Okay,” I said, ignoring Libre’s frown. If he didn’t like me second-guessing him, then he could stop being so damned suspicious. “And was that it? Nothing after?”

Not that I can see.

“I–“

We all turned towards Crisis Mode, who hesitated under all the scrutiny. Still, she rallied a moment later.

“I did ask you for more help, Libre,” she said. “A few days ago. And some days before that. You said that it wasn’t necessary. That we couldn’t. And that was before the media blackout.”

I turned back towards Libre. Yeah, that didn’t look good. “I had my reasons,” he said.

“And those were?” I asked.

“I don’t owe you a full accounting of my actions,” Libre replied tersely. He shifted to the side, trampling over the centre of the Quebec hologram. “I had my reasons.”