[hr][b]ELYSIUM SYSTEM
NEW HAVEN
CAPITAL CITY ATHENIA[/b][hr]

The announcement finally came through. For years New Haven thought it was alone in its founding, for years it had assumed that there was no other colony out there that could've survived, but it was wrong. Today, it was announced and made official - there were others that survived. The majority of people were excited and elated that Dick and Hubert took a more diplomatic approach instead of approaching with hostility. However, there was one man in New Haven that was not satisfied in the slightest with this pacifist approach.

"BALDERDASH!" a cup of tea hurled through the air and smashed against the walls of Timothy Candy's office.

"These [i]aliens[/i] and [i]foreigners[/i] cannot be trusted! They have their own interests and goals! How long before they turn to us to exploit!"

Hubert was in the middle of the room as a hologram. He watched Tim's meltdown with apathy. "Tim, Tim, Timmy, Timbo... Do you think these people really want to go out of their way to wage war? It's probably the last thing they want."

"They will bully us! Our military strength is pitiful compared to when it was during the Proxy War. I propose we modernize to meet the strength of these new threats!" Tim puffed out his chest as he pulled up new designs for warships and vehicles.

"Don't worry about it Tim..." Hubert dismissed the holographic projections with a wave of his hand, "... I already have it covered... Besides, something as blatant as modernizing our warships would clearly signal to the other nations that we're gearing up for war and thats not-"

"That is precisely what we must do!" Tim interrupted the Lead Director, "If they sense we are weak, we may just end up as [i]their[/i] colony! We must protect New Havenist independence."


"And your idea protecting that independence is to gear up for war? This will fly in the face of everything we've tried to establish through our diplomatic efforts."

"Your pacifism will-"

"TIM! SHUT UP! I've told you already. Let. me. handle. it. Lest you forget who's the Lead Director here."

Timothy looked at Hubert with frustration, "Yes sir."

Hubert closed his transmission and his hologram disappeared from Timothy's office. He looked out at New Athenia and pictured it burning to a crisp at the hands of foreign invaders. He could not sit idly by while an incompetent buffoon like Hubert ruin it all. Things would be different if he were the Lead Director, but such a scheme would take time. There are other like minded people in the Board of Directors and amongst the people. Such a coup would be possible with a little finesse.

[hr]

Unbeknownst to Hubert, these plans would be made against him and the Directors who stand by him. There's rough times ahead, he knew this, however, he never expected it to come from within the directorate. For now, he would continue to work on his projects with the foreigners. The Praetorian program, the Directorate's new pet project. This was Hubert's plan, a mechanized force capable of land, air, sea, and space interdiction. It was still a military focus, but with the project being clearly a new development and having no modernization programs for current military platforms. Hubert then thought that his more innocent agenda of just having giant killer robots to be genuine. It was genuine in the first place, but it was only half-truth.

"Computer, any updates from the Columbians or the Xandalians about our request to start a joint weapons development program?"

The computer replied in its regular monotone voice, "Not yet Lead Director."

"OOOOOOOH! The suspense is KILLING ME! I cannot wait! But I can't just send another message... It'd send the wrong message."

The computer then asked, "How can sending another message with the same request, send the wrong message? This logic is confusing Lead Director."

"Because if I send another message I'll look desperate! I'm not desperate! I'm just excited gosh darn it! I WANT GIANT KILLER ROBO MECHS ALREADY!" Hubert jumped around in frustration, "FUCK! Ah well... Nothing to do except wait... Also computer I want another latte."

"Right away Lead Director."

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[sub][@Sigma][@Crusader Lord][/sub]