“Strange,” Zechs murmured. “Very strange. Well, if it helps - you don’t need them, during that year. So far as anyone has told me, the Earth has been at peace.”

His lips thinned a moment. “They likely would keep me in the dark about smaller threats, but you had seen how effective a scarecrow I was. If there was yet another Marimeia, I would’ve been recalled from my exile.”