[centre][hr][img]https://fontmeme.com/permalink/201221/c3a967d6e424067ec92578d84d3a05b2.png[/img] [sub]Interacting with - [@Conscripts][/sub] [hr] [/centre] [color=Silver] When the door slid open, he turned his head over to the beating rhythm of cane-foot-cane. He kept a straight expression for the duration of his arrival and introduction. Ah, the Board of Administration - at least one of them. Mr Ochisuita: a man of many straight lines and black ink splodges seen only by the keenest of eyes. Through and through, he had been one of the most interesting assets placed at the helm of the organisation, with his extremely direct connection to the very force they were tasked with countering. It was a risk, and a gamble, but men like Konno Mashai were eager to see where things went. Never tried, never learnt. And if he lost, he lost. It was how things were, and he'd come to peace with the lottery of life, politics, espionage and malpractice. It was important for a man who came out of nowhere, popularising the steadfast reconstruction of Japan back to its pre-2012 self, a nation with an identity. As expected, Mr Ochisuita took a collected lead of the processions. Though Mashai ruled the Kingdom, this was the director's castle. And, most importantly, it was respectful to that of his fellow workmen and figures in the struggle against the Jinrai. Any cameraman would have slaughtered thousands to have seen the noir tension lift as soon as the door slid shit behind the director, and with the instruction to take a seat, the proceedings began as intended.[/color] [color=BDE90B][b]"Mr Ochisuita; it's wonderful to be able to meet on such short notice."[/b][/color] [color=Silver]As he moved to the seat, just before he placed himself upon the throne, he held out a stiff hand to be shaken with a half smile on his face. He followed with the usual formalities.[/color] [color=BDE90B][b]"How's Anya?"[/b][/color] [color=red][b]"We've just talked last night. She's doing great."[/b][/color] [color=Silver]Takeda answered, meeting the handshake with a firm grip from his other hand.[/color] [color=red][b]"How about yours, Mr Prime Minister?"[/b][/color] [color=BDE90B][b]"Please, Mr Mashai is more than enough. And she is doing well enough, though even after three years she still can't quite adjust to life in Tokyo. She hasn't quite enjoyed the looming threat but takes it each day with a smile."[/b][/color] [color=Silver]As the two separated their grips, he finally sat down in his seat and let his head tilt up toward the blackened ceiling. The polish of the room was much to admire and he did enjoy the astuteness of its pristine perfection. All perfect for the means of ensuring its members knew that a 'job-well done' meant flawlessness.[/color] [color=BDE90B][b]"Mr Ochisuita, as I said, I am more than happy to have been able to meet you on this busy schedule but I think it's about time we get the simple matter out of the way first. Please, do update me on the routines of the NSF these last few months? Have we gotten any closer to finding any insurgent cell within our ranks?"[/b][/color] [color=Silver] There was a brief silence as he reached into his suit-jacket and pulled out a small, aluminium flask, unscrewed its lid and doused his tongue in its bitter yet refreshing sustenance. It smelled rich, at least more than the average beverage, but nothing too extravagant. After all, what would a middle-man have without his middle-of-the-spectrum drink?[/color] [color=ed1c24][b]"Certainly."[/b][/color] [color=silver]Takeda reached into his suit pocket in the meantime for the tablet.[/color] [color=red][b]"Data is ready on the mainframe for viewing."[/b][/color] [color=Silver] He cleared his throat as he waited for Mashai to be on the same page as him.[/color] [color=Red][b]"Our internal investigation yielded some results. There are some unrelated cases of corruption within the government here and there like insider trading or electoral manipulation, but the more interesting information unearthed is the man called Honda Iwanami."[/b][/color] [color=Silver] Scrolling to the man in question, Takeda continued.[/color] [color=Red][b]"Interrogations yielded not only his affiliation with Jinrai figures, but also the fact that he also has links to a tech company called Ansoft. It's an American-based company with a track record of foreign interference for resources. We have yet to discover if this company is involved in providing the Jinrai with the equipment or intel to carry out their operations or not, including the coup. However, we also have identities of the Jinrai officials in charge as well. More information can be extracted from them if we proceed forward from here."[/b][/color] [color=Silver] At the conclusion of his update, Konno looked studied the tablet and Honda Iwanami. It wasn't a name he was inherently familiar with, but the practices of of Jinrai affiliates to the outside world was something he'd expected, but not fully prepared for. And more so, the existence of Ansoft was something he had definitely known about. Their foreign activities weren't to his best knowledge but he knew that they spelled a great deal of trouble. The nationalists, ironically, outsourcing to gaining ammunition, weapons, equipment and potential enhancements pulled the heavier strategic and logistical advantage away from the NSF. Konno frowned and leant back in his seat, pressing his fingers together just before his nose. It was a lot to take in, but it hadn't overwhelmed him. It further solidified the unfavoured myth some of the NSF operators held: the Jinrai were nothing more than ideologues that were driven by their fantasies over reason. And whilst he still considered them far too unreasonable to be welcomed in Japan, let alone NeoTokyo, seeing that untrue notion collapse further made a lot more sense. They wouldn't let their ultranationalist ways block them from their means to continue the fight. Victory was going to be achieved and by means that were both logistical, strategic and most importantly in favour of the public's perception. Despite the shadowy nature of the war, each faction had set in stone the pretences to if it went live in the mainstream world - and whoever was exposed would want and need all the cards they could play to win the love of the public.[/color] [color=BDE90B][b]"They are but caged rats, Mr Ochisuita. And like trapped rodents they'll take any handouts and deals they can with the outside world until they are strong enough to gnaw their way outside. I'll review your accepted means of squandering this in a moment."[/b][/color] [color=silver]As he set aside the director's new and exciting piece of information, he reached into his own suit jacket and pulled out his own tablet. After fiddling for a second with the screen's slow start-up, he placed it on the table and waited for a short digital document to appear on-screen. He sat back in his chair and let it present itself.[/color] [color=BDE90B][b]"As for you, Mr Ochisuita, I'd like to bring forth a little bit of extra information."[/b][/color] [color=Silver]He took another swig from his flask and tucked it away back into his jacket, clearing his throat once it had cleared his tongue. Suddenly, a [url=https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/487356536470110208/791091122335121418/9k.png]unceremonious woman[/url], in her 30s, appeared on screen. Whilst the picture wasn't too flattering itself, it had clearly been taken from a series of off-side official documents, espionage reserves or paparazzi takes.[/color] [color=BDE90B][b]"I'd like to introduce another individual to our scope. Michiko Sato, a relatively small official within my cabinet. She once tried her hand at ascending to Govenor of NeoTokyo, but hasn't seen too much success. Either way, she's been relatively under my radar until as of recent. She's disappeared from view, gone without a trace, as far as the police are aware."[/b][/color] [color=Silver] Konno swiped through the tablet's presentation, bringing up a small corporate logo. It wasn't anything exciting nor was it anything infamous to the eyes of the NSF. Something with barely the notoriety to be recognised outside of those who dealt with such business models and products as they produced. Kizou Corp.[/color] [color=BDE90B][b]"See, a personal investigation by my security detail came across a lot of links to her involvement in Kizou Corp, a localised mid-grade corporation who deals in small-arms manufacturing and, as of recent, research into lightly armoured vehicles. Standard practice. As we investigated into the corporation, we have evidence heavily suggesting that one of their factories and warehouses has been supplying the Jinrai since 2029, mainly in ammunition and the occasional firearm that won't alter their product inventory too much. Ms. Sato has been making many encrypted phone calls with them, which we've yet to really uncover."[/b][/color] [color=Silver]With a long and arduous breath, he looked on to the director with a straight glare, showing that he was in fact serious with his next propositions.[/color] [color=BDE90B][b]"Mr Ochisuita - I'm granting you temporary special powers for these circumstances. I can forward over some more documents before I leave, but here this carefully. You, and the Board of Administrators, are to allocate reasonable resources into looking into what I present to you today, until you succeed or until something of greater importance shows itself - from this I hope you will also take action against the factory and ensure it isn't arming our adversaries. As for Ansoft, I'm willing to give you one chance at a 'strike' against them at an opportune moment. I suggest, greatly, that you catch them when meeting with the Jinrai as to lessen the impacts, but if no opportunity arises then I trust you will find ways to see into their influences and shut down their interests in the Jinrai to the best of your ability."[/b][/color] [color=Silver] He paused, standing up from his seat and adjusting his suit jacket. He cleared his throat for a second time and stretched, retrieving the tablet from the desk and sliding it back into his pocket. For a short second, he smiled the same kind smile he did for his speeches, public rallies and broadcasted appearances. It wasn't one of deviance, but of an ounce of trust.[/color] [color=BDE90B][b]"Keep up the internal investigation. And let your subordinates know of what the NSF must do. I'll send over the same funding we always do, and maybe a small bonus from my own pocket,"[/b][/color] [color=Silver]before he made his way outside of the door, he turned and smiled back at Takeda,[/color] [color=BDE90B][b]"so long as you don't tell my wife."[/b][/color]