(OOC: Please do not post until I declare that you can.)
Toksun Ance City, March 15, 2017, 1450 hours
Taylor Joseph was the director of a fairly important agency (or at least in the eyes of top military officials), the Toksun Ancean Nuclear Armament Program (TKANAP), which was strictly kept a secret to the point that not even the prying eyes of the Tretridians had any clue to what was happening. And to Joseph, it was always good for the Tretridians or their Atlaesian buddies not to know.
Or at least, not yet.
His car approached a gate barring the path to the parking lot to an elegant building. Manning that particular gate was a young guard who was examining papers. Judging by the bored look on his face, Joseph could tell that it was a tedious job.
When Joseph stopped and rolled down his window, the guard looked up at him and asked (with very little emotion in his voice), “Do you have clearance?”
Joseph gave the man the paper that was issued to him several days earlier. The guard gave the paper back to Joseph and opened the gate. Joseph drove through, and he heard the gate close behind him.
After he parked, he opened the door, took out the slip of paper, a manila envelope with ᴛᴏᴘ ꜱᴇᴄʀᴇᴛ stamped on the outside, and closed the door. He then walked across the parking lot and entered the building.
He found him in the lobby, with a receptionist checking her schedule. He gave that receptionist his slip of paper. She looked over the paper carefully and said, “You’re Taylor Joseph?”
Joseph nodded.
“And you have an appointment with Minister Williamson?”
He nodded again.
The receptionist checked the slip against the schedule. “It all checks out.” She then gave the slip back to Joseph and gave him directions to Williamson’s office.
Once he had reached the door of Williamson’s office, he read the plaque on the door.
— Begin quote from ____
HENRY WILLIAMSON
MINISTER OF PEACE AND WAR
— End quote
(OOC: In other words, he both manages foreign affairs, which isn’t much of a job, and also manages the military, which is a somewhat more important job.)
Joseph saw a barcode reader on a platform just next to the door. He scanned the barcode, saw a light go green, and heard a clicking sound. Apprehensive, he took a deep breath and opened the door.
[hr]TAAF Headquarters, Toksun Ance City, 1500 hours
Williamson was seated in the room, with another chair opposite him that was vacant. When Joseph entered, Williamson’s eyes darted upwards to meet Joseph’s face. “Please take a seat.”
Joseph nervously sat down.
Williamson looked directly into Joseph’s eyes, something that always made Joseph uncomfortable. “I hope… your little project is going well?”
Joseph didn’t answer, but he placed the envelope on the desk and carefully opened it. He removed some reports. “These are reports of our progress. I expect a fully-functional bomb will come within months.”
Williamson read the reports, then placed them on his desk. “Good. I hope you have a functioning bomb by April 15.”
Joseph squirmed in his seat. “Only 1 month?”
Williamson looked directly at Joseph. “Yes. We expect a demonstration of your nuclear capabilities on that day. The Great One himself will be in attendance.”
It was rare for the dictator of Toksun Ance, who was referred to as “The Great One” or something similar, to leave his underground bunker deep in Toksun Ance City.
Joseph stammered, “T-The Great One h-himself?”
Williamson nodded. “If your bomb fails in any way, or you don’t have it ready, let’s just say that there will be… unpleasant consequences.”
“Wouldn’t the Tretridians and their allies find out if it succeeds?”
Williamson paused. “Those bastards? Certainly. That’s when we unveil our newfound capability. I also expect you to have another bomb, but not to detonate.”
“What will we do with them?”
“Why, ballistic missiles, obviously.”