“I disagree with your assessment, Captain,” Umagoe argued, his voice rising with frustration.
“You can disagree with my assessment all you want,” Saitoh didn’t bother looking up from his terminal, his fingers flying as he worked on yet another briefing, “but it won’t change the reality of the situation.” Trying to recall the name of an intersection, he paused for a moment, and then upon remembering, started typing again.
“I’ve already scheduled an intercept,” The younger captain, recently promoted and the son of a high ranking justice minister was not used to being dismissed so easily and continued to push his case.
“Then reschedule the damn intercept,” Saitoh said shortly as he finished the last paragraph of his briefing and started to review to ensure that no pertinent information had been missed. “A few hours will not make a difference in whether you succeed apprehending the suspect or not. Take the time you need to determine what you are going up against.”
“I can’t reschedule,” Umagoe said petulantly, “there are…extenuating circumstances that must be considered.”
Saitoh did look up at the officer, his eyes narrowing in sudden comprehension. “You’ve notified the press, haven’t you?”
Umagoe face flushed with indignation at the utter contempt in the older officer’s tone. “My father…”
“Is a moron and so are you if you actually think that this is going to end well,” Saitoh said flatly, no hint of compromise in his demeanor.
“You have issues with freedom of the press?”
“I have issues with people getting injured or killed needlessly,” Saitoh said as he went back to proofreading, already knowing that Umagoe was not going to listen to reason, only to ratings. It was a disturbing trend among some of the other squadrons, tipping off the press about upcoming raids or intercepts. Successful raids always made the news channels and were trumpeted as proof that the government was succeeding in its attempts to stamp out corruption and vice within the city of New Meiji. Monitored raids that went poorly were also sent out on the news web as proof that the cops in the city were incompetent or unsympathetic to the plight of the average citizen.
“This is a high visibility case, and if it goes well,”
“IF being the operative word,” Saitoh muttered as he scanned through the briefing pages.
“If it goes well, and I am confident it will, the intercept will bring needed positive publicity to our department!”
“You don’t give a damn about this department, or the officers who are going to be put at risk for the sake of your overinflated ego,” Saitoh said quietly as he saved the briefing file and started the encryption process.
“I am leading a group of highly trained officers on this intercept,” Umagoe sniffed.
“How many are you taking?” Saitoh asked.
“Five.”
“Idiot,” Saitoh hit the submit button. “Are you so eager to die?”
“We have weapons, and training.”
“You are going up against a new drug class that we have never seen before and a man who is also well armed and has received advanced training.” Saitoh warned, “You are underestimating your adversary and overestimating your abilities, Captain. That makes for a very bad ending.”
“You seemed to do well enough,” Umagoe pointed out rather snidely.
“He wasn’t trying to kill me and I also had assistance from Takagi-san,” Saitoh took out a cigarette and rolled it between his fingers. “Had either of those variables changed, I would have not survived.”
“Yeah, the new PA was a real big help, wasn’t she?” The young and exceptionally foolish offer continued, “I heard she went above and beyond the call of duty and went topless…put on a nice show for everybody.”
“If by put on a show, you mean that she saved the life of a police officer and shot and killed an armed AMP user, then yes, you are correct,” Saitoh stood up and tucked in his chair. “If you are unwise enough to be inferring something else, something that reflects poorly on that woman’s character, then you will answer to me, do I make myself clear?” Gone was the dry, slightly sarcastic tone that he used when normally dealing with morons who didn’t know their heads from a posthole. Saitoh walked over to where the shorter man was standing and looked down at him, wondering how the force was ever going to survive if there were such weak, unprincipled officers serving on it. “Get out of my office.”
Umagoe started to argue, then seeing that the older man was not bluffing, shut his mouth and turned to leave. “This isn’t over, Saitoh, not by a long shot.”
“It will be if you don’t re-examine your strategy,” Saitoh said, appealing to the man one last time. “For the sake of the officers that you’ll be taking with you, scan the building, confirm that there are no civilians and then dust the place with a nerve inhibitor and make the arrest. You’ll have your positive press, if that is what truly matters to you and the narcotics squad will get the intel it needs about the drug he was using and if its already in distribution on the streets.”
“You lead your squadron; I’ll lead mine,” Umagoe snapped as he turned and stomped out of Saitoh’s office. “And let’s see who ends up ahead.”
no subject
“You can disagree with my assessment all you want,” Saitoh didn’t bother looking up from his terminal, his fingers flying as he worked on yet another briefing, “but it won’t change the reality of the situation.” Trying to recall the name of an intersection, he paused for a moment, and then upon remembering, started typing again.
“I’ve already scheduled an intercept,” The younger captain, recently promoted and the son of a high ranking justice minister was not used to being dismissed so easily and continued to push his case.
“Then reschedule the damn intercept,” Saitoh said shortly as he finished the last paragraph of his briefing and started to review to ensure that no pertinent information had been missed. “A few hours will not make a difference in whether you succeed apprehending the suspect or not. Take the time you need to determine what you are going up against.”
“I can’t reschedule,” Umagoe said petulantly, “there are…extenuating circumstances that must be considered.”
Saitoh did look up at the officer, his eyes narrowing in sudden comprehension. “You’ve notified the press, haven’t you?”
Umagoe face flushed with indignation at the utter contempt in the older officer’s tone. “My father…”
“Is a moron and so are you if you actually think that this is going to end well,” Saitoh said flatly, no hint of compromise in his demeanor.
“You have issues with freedom of the press?”
“I have issues with people getting injured or killed needlessly,” Saitoh said as he went back to proofreading, already knowing that Umagoe was not going to listen to reason, only to ratings. It was a disturbing trend among some of the other squadrons, tipping off the press about upcoming raids or intercepts. Successful raids always made the news channels and were trumpeted as proof that the government was succeeding in its attempts to stamp out corruption and vice within the city of New Meiji. Monitored raids that went poorly were also sent out on the news web as proof that the cops in the city were incompetent or unsympathetic to the plight of the average citizen.
“This is a high visibility case, and if it goes well,”
“IF being the operative word,” Saitoh muttered as he scanned through the briefing pages.
“If it goes well, and I am confident it will, the intercept will bring needed positive publicity to our department!”
“You don’t give a damn about this department, or the officers who are going to be put at risk for the sake of your overinflated ego,” Saitoh said quietly as he saved the briefing file and started the encryption process.
“I am leading a group of highly trained officers on this intercept,” Umagoe sniffed.
“How many are you taking?” Saitoh asked.
“Five.”
“Idiot,” Saitoh hit the submit button. “Are you so eager to die?”
“We have weapons, and training.”
“You are going up against a new drug class that we have never seen before and a man who is also well armed and has received advanced training.” Saitoh warned, “You are underestimating your adversary and overestimating your abilities, Captain. That makes for a very bad ending.”
“You seemed to do well enough,” Umagoe pointed out rather snidely.
“He wasn’t trying to kill me and I also had assistance from Takagi-san,” Saitoh took out a cigarette and rolled it between his fingers. “Had either of those variables changed, I would have not survived.”
“Yeah, the new PA was a real big help, wasn’t she?” The young and exceptionally foolish offer continued, “I heard she went above and beyond the call of duty and went topless…put on a nice show for everybody.”
“If by put on a show, you mean that she saved the life of a police officer and shot and killed an armed AMP user, then yes, you are correct,” Saitoh stood up and tucked in his chair. “If you are unwise enough to be inferring something else, something that reflects poorly on that woman’s character, then you will answer to me, do I make myself clear?” Gone was the dry, slightly sarcastic tone that he used when normally dealing with morons who didn’t know their heads from a posthole. Saitoh walked over to where the shorter man was standing and looked down at him, wondering how the force was ever going to survive if there were such weak, unprincipled officers serving on it. “Get out of my office.”
Umagoe started to argue, then seeing that the older man was not bluffing, shut his mouth and turned to leave. “This isn’t over, Saitoh, not by a long shot.”
“It will be if you don’t re-examine your strategy,” Saitoh said, appealing to the man one last time. “For the sake of the officers that you’ll be taking with you, scan the building, confirm that there are no civilians and then dust the place with a nerve inhibitor and make the arrest. You’ll have your positive press, if that is what truly matters to you and the narcotics squad will get the intel it needs about the drug he was using and if its already in distribution on the streets.”
“You lead your squadron; I’ll lead mine,” Umagoe snapped as he turned and stomped out of Saitoh’s office. “And let’s see who ends up ahead.”