22-03-2026, 09:43 PM
The Bothersome Job
Fort William, 17 February 5719
“A decade late?!” Maxwell Granger’s voice rang throughout the office, his voice barely restraining the anger and surprise that led him in this predicament. Granger was merely the head of Luthori’s rather infamous attempt at developing domestic missile weaponry, having been appointed there by Prime Minister Schnee, after numerous warnings that the program wasn’t going that well.
He could still remember the Prime Minister’s words: “Do not expect a miracle, it’s a mess.”
He had underestimated the Prime Minister and Defence Secretary’s warning, after all, as a civil servant in His Majesty’s Government for 27 years, he had seen worse. This was merely another part of his rather unimpressive career, entering an agency, sees its issues, report to the government and steadily lead it before someone else more competent took the job.
He had been approached by the Prime Minister – to take over the overseer role in Luthori’s missile program, it was traditionally filled with the military’s “best-and-brightest", at least so he thought.
Today was his first day on the job – and boy, was he regretting ever accepting the offer.
As he reached to mass his temples, he sighed and quietly said with a defeated voice “Explain why.”
The intern that had to give him the terrible news was, to say it lightly, scared of anything he might say next, considering his new boss’ reaction, maybe that wasn’t all...
“Quick!” his strong voice roared throughout the room, forcing him out of his thoughts. He scrambled among his numerous documents to try to give an honest and hopefully...valid answer.
“So...there has been a lot of delays...in the research and development part...” he fixed his glasses to see the documents better, “simply put...following these delays, there project’s expected aim date should be scaled back by another decade.”
Now, having calmed himself from the shock that this news brought to him, Granger fixed his own glasses, pulling them closer to his eyes while sighing. “The missile development program was supposed to end when, originally?”
“5720, at least by optimistic status reports.”, the intern, whose name plate told “Jerome Platner”, said, matter-of-fact tone. He added: “Unfortunately, there has been a lot of issue concerning the simultaneous program of satellite development – while SATO and Luthorian corporations’ collaboration has been fructuous, it hasn’t reached its full potential, I’m afraid”
Granger removed his glasses, frowning: “So. 5720, 3 years from now. It was supposed to be over. But...it’ll not be as such. But 10 years? This doesn’t look like unfortunate delays; it more looks intentional sabotage...”
Platner left out a nervous laugh, before quickly recovering his composure upon seeing his boss’ annoyed look. “Hm. Unfortunately sir, it is. And I-, well not I, but we would recommend delaying the Crios-V project by 10 years. Releasing and testing it by 5730, not 5720. We believe that it’s the best way to...well, have a quality weaponry at our disposal.”
Granger thought about the prospect, on one hand, he was increasingly dissatisfied about the news, thinking that he was a fool by accepting this post. On the other hand, a part of him couldn’t help but feeling that it was his fault. After all, he was the one who accepted it, he was the one who underestimated his predicament, by ignoring the Prime Minister and the Defence Secretary’s advice.
He reached for his phone and after a sharp look to the ever-frightened intern, told him to leave, he needed to call the Prime Minister.
It seems that the unimpressive civil servant’s career had took a sharp turn from what he originally thought.
Fort William, 17 February 5719
“A decade late?!” Maxwell Granger’s voice rang throughout the office, his voice barely restraining the anger and surprise that led him in this predicament. Granger was merely the head of Luthori’s rather infamous attempt at developing domestic missile weaponry, having been appointed there by Prime Minister Schnee, after numerous warnings that the program wasn’t going that well.
He could still remember the Prime Minister’s words: “Do not expect a miracle, it’s a mess.”
He had underestimated the Prime Minister and Defence Secretary’s warning, after all, as a civil servant in His Majesty’s Government for 27 years, he had seen worse. This was merely another part of his rather unimpressive career, entering an agency, sees its issues, report to the government and steadily lead it before someone else more competent took the job.
He had been approached by the Prime Minister – to take over the overseer role in Luthori’s missile program, it was traditionally filled with the military’s “best-and-brightest", at least so he thought.
Today was his first day on the job – and boy, was he regretting ever accepting the offer.
As he reached to mass his temples, he sighed and quietly said with a defeated voice “Explain why.”
The intern that had to give him the terrible news was, to say it lightly, scared of anything he might say next, considering his new boss’ reaction, maybe that wasn’t all...
“Quick!” his strong voice roared throughout the room, forcing him out of his thoughts. He scrambled among his numerous documents to try to give an honest and hopefully...valid answer.
“So...there has been a lot of delays...in the research and development part...” he fixed his glasses to see the documents better, “simply put...following these delays, there project’s expected aim date should be scaled back by another decade.”
Now, having calmed himself from the shock that this news brought to him, Granger fixed his own glasses, pulling them closer to his eyes while sighing. “The missile development program was supposed to end when, originally?”
“5720, at least by optimistic status reports.”, the intern, whose name plate told “Jerome Platner”, said, matter-of-fact tone. He added: “Unfortunately, there has been a lot of issue concerning the simultaneous program of satellite development – while SATO and Luthorian corporations’ collaboration has been fructuous, it hasn’t reached its full potential, I’m afraid”
Granger removed his glasses, frowning: “So. 5720, 3 years from now. It was supposed to be over. But...it’ll not be as such. But 10 years? This doesn’t look like unfortunate delays; it more looks intentional sabotage...”
Platner left out a nervous laugh, before quickly recovering his composure upon seeing his boss’ annoyed look. “Hm. Unfortunately sir, it is. And I-, well not I, but we would recommend delaying the Crios-V project by 10 years. Releasing and testing it by 5730, not 5720. We believe that it’s the best way to...well, have a quality weaponry at our disposal.”
Granger thought about the prospect, on one hand, he was increasingly dissatisfied about the news, thinking that he was a fool by accepting this post. On the other hand, a part of him couldn’t help but feeling that it was his fault. After all, he was the one who accepted it, he was the one who underestimated his predicament, by ignoring the Prime Minister and the Defence Secretary’s advice.
He reached for his phone and after a sharp look to the ever-frightened intern, told him to leave, he needed to call the Prime Minister.
It seems that the unimpressive civil servant’s career had took a sharp turn from what he originally thought.
"With all due respect, this is a bunch of malarkey." ~ President Joseph R. Biden Jr.
Primary in Luthori.
Primary in Luthori.