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recovered.
    “That’s an excellent question, Eva,” Indie said.
    “So I hear,” she said, shaking her head pleasantly.
    Indie gestured warmly. “The world’s in turmoil. Unemployment is at record rates. Nuclear war was imminent.”
    “Excuse me,” Halliwell interrupted, “I’m aware of that. By the way, I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for getting rid of all these horrible nuclear weapons.”
    Regi and Justica enthusiastically clapped. Demus joined in.
    “But…” Halliwell held a finger up into the air, “why can’t you trust us to deal with our own problems? We didn’t ask for you .”
    “I understand that, Ms. Halliwell, I really do.”
    “Call me Eva.”
    “Yes, Eva,” Indie said, bringing her arms down slightly in perfect parallel form, “It’s absolutely necessary.”
    “We didn’t ask for you, did we?” Halliwell appeared gentle, but aimed her words like daggers at Indie.
    Indie attempted to keep her cool. “Eva, if you’d just let me explain.”
    Halliwell knew she had made her point. She waved her hand. “Oh, never mind. I just thought I’d put that in there. Good luck with being our new kings and queens. You’re going to need it.”
    Amanda swiftly covered for Indie. “Thank you so much, Eva, it meant a lot to us to have you here. Next Petitioner is Rosa Garcia, a policy analyst in Mexico City, with the National Human Rights Commission of Mexico.”
    A slender, short woman with short-cropped black hair appeared on the screen. She was speaking Spanish, but Amanda only heard the English transcription.
    “Good morning, Liberators,” Garcia began, “I wish to identify myself.”
    “Amanda already—” Indie held her hand up.
    Looking directly at her notes, Garcia ignored the reminder. “I am the senior policy analyst for headquarters, National Human Rights Commission of Mexico. Our mandate is to investigate all human rights violations in Mexico that fall under our jurisdiction. We’re not recognizing your legitimacy over Mexico. However, I do have a question about a condition of hiring your Supreme Liaison, who apparently is supposed to answer to us.”
    Amanda turned her head, startled. Was she being challenged?
    “Yes, Rosa?” Justica asked in Spanish.
    The stranger finally gazed ahead at the screen. “You said that the competition was open only to those aged twenty-seven years or under.”
    Indie looked uncomfortable. “Yes, that’s correct. Amanda is twenty-two years old.”
    Garcia glared through the screen. “I’m fully aware of Ms. Fullerton’s age and that she meets your criteria. I personally don’t have a problem with her. The question is why did you set that age limit? Such an age limit violates our constitution based upon human rights.”
    Justica shot a quick glance at Indie. Indie drew in her lips, and then crisply said, “It’s based upon a personal preference.”
    “And what personal preference is that?”
    Indie shot an angry glance. “Don’t trust anyone over the age of thirty. The Supreme Liaison wouldn’t yet turn thirty by the time she finished her three year term.”
    Garcia opened her eyes wide in a show of incredulity. “Did I hear right? Don’t trust anyone over thirty?”
    Demus interjected, “You heard the lady. It’s the policy of all the four Liberators, standing united as a group.” He turned to Amanda. “Her question’s done. Turn to the next Petitioner.”
    Amanda gulped, then pushed the button as Garcia said, “Now, really…”
    She found her voice. “Next Petitioner is Professor Adam Scully, of the Economics Department of the University of Toronto in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.”
    An image of a clean-shaven man, with a receding hairline and gentle-looking eyes, appeared on the screen. He was wearing a suit jacket and tie. “Good morning, Liberators.”
    “Good morning,” Indie answered back.
    “Very interesting. Very interesting,” the professor thoughtfully murmured. “I never thought in this day and age