Fujiwara Masahiro raised a hand and brought up a yellowed Holographic Projection. In the image, a younger Fujiwara stood with Selen before an old cluster of buildings somewhere in Tokyo, Japan.
"Selen warned us long ago.
"We had to find a solution before Earth was engulfed by the crisis of the Source of Destruction. That was why Ifait's underground array had been buried so deep beneath the subway lines.
"Tokyo had long begun preparing a solution for this coming crisis.
"Even if the price was halting the 'Lost Thirty Years.'
"I also said that if Tokyo was destroyed because of this, I would bear the responsibility alone."
"Bear it?"
Erich suddenly let out a mocking laugh, swiping across his screen to pull up an encrypted document.
"Your so-called responsibility was building a shelter beneath Tokyo and arranging a double with the exact same build and voiceprint as you?
"Washington received the intelligence long ago."
He turned his gaze toward Hall.
"Representative Hall, is this the 'responsibility' you people tacitly approved of?"
Hall leaned back in his chair.
He spoke slowly, his voice seemingly tempered in ice.
"Fujiwara, you really don't want to miss out on anything.
"You found a double to shoulder the responsibility for you, so you didn't even have to feel the slightest psychological burden. Is that appropriate?"
In the Holographic Projection,
his finger tapped the screen.
"The President has just signed the United Government's final directive:
"Immediately terminate the Mars operation and prioritize ensuring Earth's safety.
"If the Swarm breaches Mars, activate the 'Solar System Firewall' plan—destroy every interstellar route between Mars and Earth."
"That double was forged by Leis Angton. I knew nothing about it!"
Fujiwara Masahiro gave a disdainful smile.
"Only rats hiding in gutters would cling to life in the face of the apocalypse.