Lobby, Director’s Office
Heikari Research Station
Yeisho-ju, Asankari Star Republic, Kisian League
Deputy Commander Keisage Heikoru wasn’t in the best of moods today. He fast-walked down the corridor, flanked by two members of the State Army. Keisage was an older kisian, in his late 80s, his hair and fur had long since turned grey-white, his whiskers also drooping with age. His muscled body and scarred visage betrayed his age however. A veteran of the First Republican Rising, the Five Bloody Years, as well as the Republican Reunification Wars, Keisage had been around for some time.
His olive drab half-cloak fluttered slightly from the speed he was walking, matching his equally colored tunic; the dark khaki trousers with red piping and jet-black boots complimented the entire outfit. A garrison cap with red piping adorned his head, four equally red diamond shaped pips sat to the right, just below a blue, white, and red colored cap badge indicating he was an officer of the Asankirian State Army.
As he walked into the lobby of the Director’s Office, a young woman looked up from her desk and eyed him. “Deputy Commander Heikoru? Director Meitado is waiting for you in his office. If you’d follow me…” she said, before he stopped her.
“It’s fine, I know the way. Just buzz me in, if you would please.” Heikoru spoke, before giving a curt nod to the secretary. Turning to his guards, he motioned for them to wait in the lobby, before proceeding ahead alone.
Directors Office
Director Aiku Meitado was sitting at his elegant desk, absentmindedly thumbing through some reports while smoking a cigar. The entire room, which resembled more of a mansion’s study than it did a central office, even had a window overlooking one of the worlds in the system. Bored with reports for now, he got up and walked over to a wall console. Hitting a button, a panel moved away to reveal a fully stocked liquor bar.
He was in the middle of pouring himself a glass of Naporsli when Heikoru walked in, giving Meitado a quizzical look at the bright green looking beverage. When he returned the gaze in response, Heikoru merely rolled his eyes and took a seat.
“We have matters to discuss.” Heikoru stated plainly.
“They call it Naporsli. I got a rather expensive bottle of it as a gift from one of the leading Fuvuni working with us on the project. I knew there was a reason I’d open it today…” Meitado replied, ignoring the comment at first.
Heikoru disliked Meitado to some degree, both of them being different products of their times. While both of them were Asankirians, Heikoru had grown up in the twilight years of a dying empire and rather crisis-prone First Republic. Meitado had grown up in the relative peace and prosperity of the Second Republic, the troubling times of the First Republic mere chapters in the history books to him.
At only 32 years old, the light-grey furred Kisian had managed not only to obtain a prestigious position- he’d done it without his family, having been disowned by them shortly into adulthood. Being the second son, it was expected he’d enlist in the military to fight for glory and honor; instead, he took another path- that of an engineer. Being from a prominent political family, the resultant internal discord and public loss of face the family suffered was severe, and as a last ditch effort to save face, his father disowned and subsequently banished him, revoking his original last name as a final insult.
He cared little, taking on the family name of his mother before she married. Using what little savings he had left, he bought a ticket, and set sail for new opportunities in the frontier. He was not as order-bound as his father- or Heikoru for that matter. He held a view that patriotism could come in many more flavors than just fighting and dying on the line for the League, that order and stability, while having it’s place, needed to be tempered with proper democratic zeal, and that the alien, while to be distrusted, could be worked with to some degree.
It was these contrasting views between the old and new generations that split them apart, causing the two to not see eye to eye on many issues.
“I don’t appreciate your tomfoolery in the least.” Heikoru replied, wrinkling his nose at the foreign beverage. “I don’t see how you do it, treating with these aliens and partaking of their food and beverages. Is that really how you think a Kisian should behave?”
“The Fuvuni by all means, are very skilled weapons designers and allies of the Republic. I think it is safe to partake of their meat and spirits, at the least. They help us in our overall goal of keeping our nation safe. That’s all that matters to me.” Meitado fired back, Heikoru giving a slight nod.
“Anyhow.” he continued, sipping on the beverage. “I take it you’re here to inquire about the…delays in the new department?” He inquired, looking at the aged general.
“Indeed. I’ve put a large investment of my time and political credit, if you will, into seeing this project blossom. Succeed, and we’ll both be looking at a smooth ride for the foreseeable future as the League pioneers these new weapons systems into general combat usage. Fail, and we’ll both be dismissed as fools.” He looked across the room to the window, staring out at the planet. “I’d rather take my own life than suffer the embarrassment of such an abject existence.” Meitado scoffed.
“You sound very much like my father, his honor is his life.” He said in a mocking manner, before suddenly becoming much more serious. “I am however, still an Asankirian, and my word is my honor as well.” Hammering back the rest of the drink, he slammed the cup down on the desk and began rapidly clacking away on his keyboard, before turning one of the many screens on his desk to face the general. On the screen were several images of various prototype weapons, with associated technical jargon and other such stats. Meitado stood, pouring himself another drink before walking to the other side of the desk. Before Heikoru could complain, he stopped him again.
“Admittedly, I think better when I’m slightly inebriated.” he stated plainly, with his colleague shrugging and motioning him to continue. Taking a sip, he then went on. “Before you are all of the prototype weapons you and your colleagues have requested. Working with the Fuvuni, who are admittedly much better experts in the field of uranium and atomic based weapons systems, we’ve more or less finalized everything, and we’ll be holding the joint preliminary trials before we put them into full production very soon. “
Heikoru clapped his hands together. “Excellent. I’ll info-” he paused for a second. “Joint? You mean they’ll be there?”
“This is a combined effort development between the Hand of Xikanra Manufacturing Corporation and Fennesraum People’s Armory. They’ll be there to also observe and to collect data on the weapons designed specifically for their species. Obviously, a Kisian weapon is much too big for them to handle, and vice versa for ourselves. Speaking of….” Meitado briefly walked back around, typed some more commands, and an outline of a tank came into view. He talked with apparent pride evident in his voice.
“This is one such design. We created a vehicle that essentially induces criticality events to fire concentrated beams of irradiated energy at people. It would be great for area denial or to clear out buildings and other such areas before a general assault. We got the idea by-”
“You can spare me the more technical aspects of your weapons platform, Director. Just inform me of when it’ll be taking place and I’ll be there. I’m making final preparations to propose the formation proper of the Nuclear Cadre, and I need these results before I go before the Army Command to suggest such a thing.” He stood, beginning to take his leave.
“Soon, so very soon, I’ll be in command of the newest branch of the Combined Armies….” He said, trailing off in delight. He turned back to Meitado. “Sometimes, we don’t exactly see eye to eye. But I know you're a patriot in your own way. Do what needs to be done.”
Meitado raised the drink up while simultaneously doing a nod with his head, before downing the 2nd glass, and going back to sit at his desk to work on things.
Sometime later
Testing Range No. 4
Assembled at the range’s observation room was a small handful of researchers, a cadre of military officers led by Heikoru, as well as Meitado. They all were in quiet conversation as they watched what was the first of the final prototypes of the so-called ‘Atomic Railguns’ to be set up. Metado brought some displays up on screen.
“Gentlemen, being set up now is we are calling the Type 242 Uranium Anti-Material Rail-Rifle. It utilizes a depleted uranium penetrator round, which is encased in a magnetic sabot to assist in firing the round and in maintaining its accuracy over long ranges. Additionally, with the help the Concordat, we’ve made significant improvements in battery life compared to our older Type 174 Marksman Rail-Rifle.” Meitado stated, the assembled looking on at the various stats of the weapon, before turning back to the armored viewport overseeing the range.
A soldier came on over the radio. “Director, Type 242 Prototype 6 is ready for demonstration. Targets have been set up down range and safety measures have been disengaged.” Meitado made a hand motion to one of the researchers standing next to a comms panel, who flipped some switches, and the lights in the room turned a dull red, and a distant buzzing noise was heard.
“Zone is secured and testing alert has been sent to the greater station. We’re ready to proceed.” the same researcher stated.
“Excellent. The first targets are three Imperial-era warsuits. Deputy Commander, would you like to give the order to fire?” Meitado enquired. Heikoru nodded, stepping forward, accepting a headset that Meitado retrieved from his pocket, already configured.
“Firing authority has been granted to the Deputy Commander, stand-by!” the researcher barked into the comm unit.
Heikoru took a breath, before hitting a button on the headset. “Fire!” he shouted.
There was a flash of light and the screeching of crumpling metal as the round shot through all of it’s targets like butter, before eventually hitting several layers of reinforced metal and concrete. Everyone clapped as the weapon test went off without a hitch. While everyone in the observation room celebrated, on the range the now destroyed husks were removed, and different ones put in place.
“As you can see gentlemen, the Type 242 will be an excellent addition to our Arsenal of Democracy, with the uranium rounds giving increased ‘oomph’, if I do say so myself. Our next target will be some mockups of heavy tanks. After you, Deputy Commander.” Meitado stated.
Heikoru nodded. “Fire!”
Like before, there was a flash of light and the screeching of crumpling armor. This time however, the soldier operating the weapon fired off several shots in quick succession, showing the quickness and ease-of-use of the weapon. While the majority of the rounds fired off penetrated all the tanks, there were a few that didn’t, something that was reflected on the viewscreens in the observation room.
“Most of the rounds managed to penetrate all the tanks in the same general areas, as you can see on the screen there. Naturally, not every round will manage to do so, but considering these will be employed in units larger than one man, the volume of fire shall compensate for this. ” Meitado explained.
The room again broke into clapping and approval, as the prototype was removed from the room and the armored shutters in the observation room closed back. "As you can see gentlemen, this powerful weapon is just one of several we've developed. We will be ready to put them into full production within the next few months, for actual field testing against our enemies. I thank you for your time." Meitado turned and gave a deep bow, before one of the attendant researchers opened the door leading out of the chamber.
