Chapter Text
PART 1: STORIES FROM BEFORE THE WAR
1: status quo ante bellum
12-06-2119: Akane
“Enforcer?” the Inspector asked.
“I’d like my old job back please,” the Enforcer responded.
Silence.
“Akane. I can’t just give you your old job back. You’ve been a latent criminal for six months now,” Inspector Ginoza replied dryly. A little too dryly, she supposed considering the initial shock on his face.
In response, Enforce Akane Tsunemori put a dominator in his hands and pointed it at herself. He didn’t know how she had got a dominator outside the field, but she had.
Crime Coefficient: 39. Subject is an enforcer; enforce at w-not a target for enforcement.
Ginoza looked at once confused and suspicious.
“Why is your crime coefficient so low?” Ginoza asked.
Akane sighed.
“I have been using various mental exercises to ensure my coefficient remains above the specified minimum for latent criminality. In reality, my coefficient, after a period of meditation will return to a natural state of around 30,” Tsunemori responded. “My hue is a little harder to fake, but they don’t monitor the enforcers much. Sibyl knows we are latent criminals; why bother checking our hues regularly. However, I realised something: hue colour is not directly correlated to criminality. Sure, it usually correlates, but it some cases it can be seen to be contradictory to the coefficient, particularly if the subject has an extremely calm personality. The system acknowledged this and accepted that my hue might be a lighter colour than most enforcers.”
Ginoza was speechless.
12-06-2119: Ginoza
Ginoza decided it would be best to involve the rest of Division 1 in this…whatever it was. Shimotsuki, Hinakawa, Sugo and Kinizuka filed in to begin their workday as he went to fetch Karanomori. She was as much a part of Division 1 as the rest of them at this point.
As he walked back to the officer with her, he decided to gather some information about what exactly was going on with Akane.
“Shion, is it possible to fake your crime coefficient through mental exercises?” Ginoza asked.
Karanomori was puzzled at this very unusual question and the fact that Gino had used her first name. She considered the question for a moment.
“By fake, you imply that the coefficient will return to its previous state eventually, yes? In that case, not really. I mean, sometimes treatment methods might be temporary but it’s hardly a reliable way for someone with a high coefficient to lower their coefficient in order to appear normal,” the analyst responded.
“I didn’t mean it that way. I was thinking about someone with a low coefficient manually raising their coefficient,” the inspector clarified.
Karanomori was even more puzzled at this.
“Well that would be more plausible. Early developmental Sibyl research has shown it is quite possible to temporarily raise your coefficient through certain exercises, which exacerbate criminal tendencies in the eyes of the Sibyl System. It’s been debated but never proven, whether this phenomenon also means the reverse is true; that by meditation or similar practises a coefficient could be lowered. However, research has shown that for these techniques to have any level of effectiveness more than a few points change the individual must begin with an extremely clear hue and mental state. Anyhow, this is pretty niche knowledge. I can’t see why a person would want to increase their coefficient anyway…” Karanomri explained offhandedly.
“You’ll see in a second, Shion,” Ginoza said, seemingly both perplexed and worried as he opened the door to the office.
The rest of the division had arranged themselves in a loose semi-circle around the office, varyingly propped up on desks or sitting on chairs turned to face the centre of the room.
“Ok, everyone is here. We have a situation to discuss,” Ginoza said. “To begin with, I want you all to point a dominator at Akane.”
Akane sighed. The other members of Division 1 either raised an eyebrow or stared at her perplexedly.
“Does everyone really need to? You’ve already seen it yourself Ginoza-san, why don’t you tell them?” Akane said, unperturbed. She remain so calm— always—that it had begun to grate on Ginoza’s nerves since they had swapped roles.
“It’s not something one believes without seeing it with their own eyes,” Gino rebutted. “Although Shion will have to rely on our word, unless she wants to become an enforcer.”
Akane, still frighteningly collected, passed the Dominator to Yayoi.
Crime Coefficient: 29. Subject is an enforcer; warning your actions may be subject to disci-not a target for enforcement.
Yayoi gasped, dropping the dominator. She opened her communicator out and ran a psycho-pass on Akane.
Clear turquoise.
“How?” Yayoi questioned disquietly. “How is your coefficient so low?
“Want to tell everyone else what you saw, Yayoi? Might save us some time,” Akane queried.
“Her crime coefficient. Its 29. Her psycho-pass. It’s clear turquoise.”
…
Silence. Everyone except Ginoza was stunned.
Mika was the first to break the silence.
“What? How? Why?” she demanded.
Akane gave Mika the same explanation she gave Ginoza.
“That doesn’t fully answer my question, Tsunemori,” Mika stated, she slammed her hands down on the desk opposite Akane and turned her hard piercing gaze upon her. Akane remained as stoic as usual. “Why? And don’t you dare lie to me.”
“I can’t tell you the full truth unfortunately. However, I can tell you the abstract truth. Firstly, there is an external threat of significance that is a threat to my safety. As an enforcer, I never leave this building and am always watched; it’s safer for me. Also, there is a truth that will be shown to this country soon, and I will need to act when it is shown. Just wait a little bit longer,” Akane explained.
Ginoza sighed.
“I’ve known that you’ve been keeping secrets ever since I was an Enforcer under you. But, I’ll be patient. I’ll see what happens. And as for you; your future and position in the MWPSB isn’t in my hands. Kasei will decide it, and you’ll probably be moved to another division consider that we already have two inspectors,” Ginoza said.
“It’s okay; Kasei is already aware of the situation,” Akane smiled humorously, internally laughing at her own private joke. “And I’ll be staying in Division One as a Special Inspector. You all get to enjoy the pleasure of working under me,” Akane continued, her grin growing somewhat sly and sardonic as she talked. “Inspectors Ginoza and Shimotsuki will continue your jobs as before, with a new Enforcer assigned to replace me. I will not disrupt you, except for to steal Enforcers and/or yourselves when I need some assistance. I might also weight into your cases a little. If needed, more Enforcers will be transferred to Division One.”
Stunned silence ensued.
“You guys seem to be enjoying the jaw on the floor idiot look today far too much,” Akane noted.
Ginoza gathered the nerve to speak.
“So. err... What will you be doing exactly, as a ‘Special Inspector’?” Ginoza queried.
“As, I said, have patience. The answers to your questions will become apparent,” Akane responded. “Oh, and we’ll be moving offices. We will probably need to have extra Enforcers at some point in the future; and Shion?”
“Yes, Akane?” Shion responded.
“You’ll be a full time member of Division One. We have a very large office space to move into and your equipment will be moved into the office,” Akane stated no room for argument. With that said, she turned to her workspace and begin packing her stuff up.
No one else moved from his or her positions, opting to stare at Akane’s back instead. Ginoza was muttering something under his breath. Mika was trying her best to hide in the shadows under the window. Slowly, they begun to pack up their workstations lethargically, still shell-shocked.
02-08-2119: Akane
“Today, ladies and gentlemen,” Akane announced grandly as she entered the office. “Is the day!”
“Still living in your enforcer’s quarters Inspector? You’re always here before Shimotsuki and Ginoza,” Sugo enquired.
“Yeah, something like that. But, as I said, today is the day when it either all starts to come crumbling down or we move forward. Either way, you’ll want to pay attention to the mandatory public broadcast,” Akane said.
In the next 15 minutes, the two inspectors and an uncharacteristically bedraggled Kunizuka and Shion straggled into the room, rounding out the division.
“Busy night?” Akane asked, raising her eyebrows.
“Yeah, yeah,” Shion responded waving a hand in her direction, a loud yawn escaping her mouth.
“There will be a public announcement that will be pushed out to all communicators before nine o’clock,” Akane said, glancing up at the clock which read 8:59. “Also a new Enforcer should be here as well. If he doesn’t get here on time, he’ll probably get held up watching the announcement.”
Mika stared at Akane.
“It’s the truth about Sibyl isn’t it, Inspector?” Mika asked worriedly.
“You know, then…huh…” Akane said distractedly. “When did that happen...”
“During the Kamui case, Kasei—
At that, the clock struck nine, and everyone’s communicators buzzed
Silence came over the office like a dense fog.
Mika was the first to say something.
“It’s not…,” she said, confused.
“No, it’s not that. Sibyl doesn’t feel the public is ready for it. Personally I don’t think they’ll ever be ready for it,” Akane responded.
The rest of them were still enthralled in their communicators. The broadcast finished at exactly 9:12, but no one decided to clear the oppressive silence until 9:23:05.
“Okay, I’ll do it. What does everyone think?” Akane asked openly.
“Giving us some personal freedom back? Democratically elected positions, which have some influence. Promises of these people being able to talk to the system?” Ginoza mused. “It’s an interesting development whose impacts are not yet obvious.”
“Hmm…that’s not quite true,” Akane mused.
“What isn’t?” Ginoza asked.
“Hmm…, telling you would tell you the truth,” Akane responded cryptically.
“We’re not getting any answers out of you are we?” Ginoza asked, eyebrow raised.
“Hmm…, yes I suppose…,” Akane responded.
“Ginoza, your leg is being pulled,” Shion stated, lazily.
“Hmm…,” Akane said, faux-contemplation visible on her face.
Laughter broke out, and out of fear of committing a faux pas none of them raised the topic of Akane’s naming in the broadcast.
The new enforcer opened the door and hesitated, unsure of what to do next.
“Uh…Proconsul?” the new face asked.
“Oh, Enforcer Akiko Takahashi,” Akane said. “Welcome to…
“Division 1!”
“The Proconsul’s Office?”
“Super Special Secret Ops?”
“It’s both Division One and the Proconsul’s Office, I guess. You guys are Division 1, and I’m the Proconsul. My ‘Office’ will be moving in over the next few weeks. We’ll continue to work together when needed,” Akane supplied.
“I see why we moved into such a large office,” Sugo said.
“Yes, ma’am, sir, captain, inspector, Proconsul, majesty!” Hinakawa joked. Akane had noticed he’d come out of his shell a little in the past few years, but he still was hardly Kagari. Akane wondered if Shion had put him up to it. She fixed him with a withering glare either way.
He shrunk a little, still a little in awe of Akane.
Akane smiled. She wished this moment would last forever.
She looked at the communiqué on her monitor, and knew it wouldn’t.
CLASSIFIED COMMUNICATIONS.
PROCONSUL.
AEGIS.
02-08-2118
THE FOLLOWING IS A TRANSCRIPT OF AN INTERCEPTED COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE FIGURE KNOWN AS ‘BARON’ AND AN UNKNOWN INTERMEDIARY.
FRONT:
Red,
Mark wants to ask North if she knows how to help him.
P.S. I hope this finds you well.
REVERSE UNDER UV LIGHT:
ATONEDONOTRETURNL3LESSTHANHISBLUEH1POINTATTHISTOG5NTREYTHMOPPLL&YHGASYDBTYYTUUIIQ2JGHDUEMGSJWLA1NVNWJJNDNFNGHHHJFDPPASDJDEGMFMGMRG9.