A call to the department of public order

Taksu exhales as he dismisses a bald man from his office. He raps his knuckles on his desk for a few moments, chewing his lip as he stares at his phone. He finally snatches it up, and dials the number for the office of Nebu. "Mhm, yes, this is Taksu of human resources. Please forward me to Nebu," he speaks calmly into the phone, despite the look of apprehension on his face.

A posh yet forceful voice responds promptly to the call "This is Commander of the 4th Neo-Tokyan platoon, general of the Philippine front, and founder of the Department of Public Order, the venerable Nebu-sama! Please explain this sudden disturbance thoroughly and succinctly!". Nebu sounds incredibly impatient and slightly aggravated.

Taksu swivels his chair to look out onto the park his garden was built over as he runs a hand through his greasy balding head. "Is that really the way you address a peer when they call your office? I was hoping you didn't think so lowly of me, Mr. Nebu, that I might be considered a disturbance," he says, smirking to himself.

"You dare to place a mere politician such as you as an equal to me? Tell me Taksu, where were you during the second war? When those Indonesian barbarians were raping our people and burning our farmlands scum such as you huddled inside the sheltered cage of the Dome. I risked my life, limb, and fortune for the Japanese people earning by prestige and title! I will not be compared to a filthy heap of garbage such as you!" Nebu rants furiously. Nebu lets out a few coughs and he can be heard taking a quick drink of water over the phone. In a calm and composed voice he graciously states "Now then Human Resources Manager Taksu, why do you waste my time? I am busy preparing new patrol patterns. The commoners have become quite agitated and order must be restored with efficiency and haste.".

Taksu rolls his eyes, and clears his throat, "Need I remind you, that as a department head, I've also earned my position serving the people of Neo-Tokyo? I do hope your time with those barbarians hasn't made you forget how civilized people act, Mr. Nebu. But our petty little squabble aside, its funny you mention efficiency, I have called you on a matter pertaining to such. Shall I continue, or do you perhaps need another moment to compose yourself?" says Taksu is a high pitched whine, as he covers the speaker momentarily after to chuckle to himself.

"A noble-born man such as myself is composed at all times. But yes go ahead Taksu, I'm sure a man who has served Neo-Tokyo so much has something of great importance to tell me." Nebu responds sharply.

"A question, Nebu. If you have two enemies that fight each other, do you strive to put yourself in-between them as they fire at each other? I've gotten word that your police force has been sticking its nose in Crusade business," says Taksu.

Nebu-sama starts his rant off cold and scathing yet slowly grows more passionate and furious as continues until he concludes his rant almost shouting "Ah yes, the 'Purity Crusade'. Taksu, you do understand that I am entirely fine with your little pet project. What bothers me and forces me to intervene is when you don't follow proper rules and procedures. You were only allowed to continue this perverse hobby of yours under very strict conditions as outlined in Proclamation #137. One of these being the constant supervision of the commoners you've recruited. However, recently I've received reports of large gangs of peasants wandering the streets of Old Tokyo and conducting vigilante justice. Do you understand the significance of this and the danger it represents to the public's safety and dare I say order!? This seems like a perfectly reasonable justification for the Public Order Patrol Force's interference. After all, the primary purpose of my Department is to ensure that the commoners remain docile and at peace. What these, practically terrorist groups, are doing is riling up a powerful minority who we've barely kept passive through education programs and what little welfare we could afford! It is my, nay, our duty to ensure these domestic disputes do not spiral out of control into full-blown civil war! Of course, if you attended meetings on time instead of sleeping around with cheap whores and drinking vile liquors!".

"I am ensuring safety Nebu, OUR safety," says Taksu, as he sits up, his voice growing more shrill, "We have those disgusting masses out there demanding more and more from us with every passing month. Thanks in no small part to your little hand-outs! And the mutants, they grow more uppity, and worse yet, more organized. Answer another question honestly, Nebu. Do you think any army the dome could muster stands a chance in hell against even half of them?" he yells, and then pauses to take a breath, before continuing, "I'm killing two birds with one stone. I can keep those peasants under my thumb with empty promises of eventual citizenship, and keep the mutants ire focused on them, and not US. And as much as I love our little conversations Nebu, I'd still take it to talking in circles with that damn council for hours."

"Ensuring our safety? How? By arming and radicalizing the peasants? By persecuting the mutants? When those commoners discover your devious machinations they will undoubtedly turn upon you and I using all of the fury and zeal you've instilled within the populace as a casus belli to begin an insurrection against the Dome. Listen to yourself Taksu, it is you who have lost both your mind and your composure as you try to pathetically defend your foolish mistake. Before the Purity Crusades, the mutants were a discontent yet controllable lot. It was more than easy enough to buy their complacency with small tokens of food and housing. At the same time, the commoners didn't trust them yet still maintained some degree of tolerance for the status quo. Now we can neither rely on the people of Old Tokyo to respect our regime nor be safe in ignoring the mutants. Furthermore, if I were you I would be wary and respectful of the Council. While they are quite ineffectual at times, they technically outrank the both of us. In all actuality, I wouldn't mind any of this if you hadn't gone ahead and intervened in my sphere of influence without undergoing the proper procedures. Your little riots have made quite a bit of extra work for my department and my men aren't happy having to work overtime without pay, especially if it's just to babysit your little lynchings." Nebu responds flippantly.

Taksu exhales slowly, "We're not going to get anywhere arguing like this. You refuse to see the benefit of playing our foes against each other. If you insist on getting good dome citizens involved, I'll see to it that the crusades 'lynches' are under dome supervision. Now then, just one more piece of business. My men told me you apprehended a mutant that couldn't be burned. I have a friend looking for one of those, and willing to pay good money for it. We can discuss price if you want, but I figured somewhere in the ballpark of 50000¥," says Taksu non-nonchalantly, through gritted teeth.

"This is non-negotiable. That specimen is being held for future interrogation and as evidence against those savages should they grow too recalcitrant and rebellious." Nebu pauses to take a sip of water before resuming. "I understand your logic in playing the two against one another but my point is that such a tactic would've been unnecessary had you not galvanized these two previously loyal groups. My point is, you've created a solution to a problem that only existed after you tried to solve it. I do hope we can remain amicable in spite this ordeal as I've heard disturbing reports from my units in the Phillippines that something unusual is going on. I don't have much specifics but the Dome must be united should an external threat arise. That is why your inflammatory actions should best be saved for a time in which we are more secure from foreign threats, Taksu-chan." Nebu states coldly and matter-of-factly.

"I don't really know what your talking about with interrogation and evidence, but I don't care. As for the mutants, I'm trying to find a long-term solution that isn't, 'Hope they don't decide to kill us all'. Seeing as how were unlikely to find middle ground, I'll play by your rules. As for the Philippines and other external threats, do keep me informed, and should things get out of hand, I'll call in a few favors," says Taksu. "Now, I believe that's all the business we have, so I'll bid you a good day." he finishes.

"Sayonara, Taksu-san. Hopefully are domestic squabbles do not blind us to greater threats abroad." Nebu ends the call and sits back in his chair with a great sigh. His eyes drift to a manila folder on his task labeled Phillippine Activity Report.