The Board of Directors Meets with Project: The Four Horsemen

#1

"Now you must understand we appreciate the hard work that the Temporal Division has done. Keeping the Iron Republic safe is an important undertaking. But the loss of the Polar Expanse to the criminal elements of The Trilat has damaged us financially. The Banking Guild markets of the Polar Expanse no longer have only the choice of IR licensed products.

This means we have an overproduction in the Brethren Expanse, and no Markets to move it to. The defense of Earth is no longer a top priority according to fiscal projections. On our last quarterly vote, Director Maehl’s Wing of the Stockholders only swung the vote against destroying Earth and replacing it with a theme park by one vote.

It is only a matter of time before the vote swings in my party’s favor."

Director Yamada spoke loudly through her robotic voicebox. The cybernetic Director was massive, but her face remained female. From her point of view Earth has caused too much trauma to the universe with her Earthers. Now she felt they finally had a chance to fix that by re-educating humanity without fear of Demonic influence or alien motivations.

It was a unique time to move quickly and reorder the people of the IR into a new path. But that would cost immense funds. Funds they could drain right from the Temporal Division budget.

#2

A man in a black mask with simple white dots for eyes and mouth addressed the Directors.

"Board of Directors, We have kept everyone safe since our project was greenlit.

In this final phase of our project we need to keep our funding. I can finally admit to you, the Directors of the Iron Republic, that we have made immense progress.

As we reported at the last Stockholder meeting, the threat of demonic influence is neutralized for now. The Warmonger Cult starships are still active, but their demonic soldiers are gone. Only their undead and monsterous servants remain.

The Demons forcing the E-strain onward are now gone, and they have stopped expanding outward from their current holdings.

Now we have even made sure to make the Governor of a provisional colony on Refuge our agent. We have even added a Candidate for the Earth Expeditionary Force Colony General of Refuge to our agents as well.

As this august body knows, the planet Refuge has been the source of the first and only successful revolution against your might in the history of the Iron Republic. They are the soul source of the social infections known as the Unity, Fort Lendill and Kasanthians. They have even unleashed the Uloh Free Confederacy and other alien menaces upon your space lanes.

#3

“And yet, we are steps away from claiming their military and the planet once again” finished Death of the Four Horsemen. His face mask made him seem more menacing even though it was just three white dots. A skull would have somehow been less terrifying.

Director Yamada replied, “Your report and progress are both appreciated, Project Administrator. Your long stewardship is the only reason this project is as successful as it has been.”

#4

Death stood once more before the Board of Directors. His news this time was less than happymaking.

"Honored Board of Directors, I am concerned. Deeply concerned. Our contacts within the Temporal Empire report there is a power struggle going on between an organization known as G.A.S.T. and the more well known Temporal Enforcement Agency. This power struggle is resulting in the official closing of the border of the Free Systems.

Within the year, all ships bearing Quall variants and other threats like Neliff and Krato are to be turned back at their borders."

“Our IRLCs will keep the trade flowing,” said Director Freidrick Cal Marx, “They have already kept the trade flowing with the expanding Unity space.”

“Yes, the threat of Unity space is a problem for another discussion,” interrupted Director Ormar Dureng, “But there are more pressing issues if the Free Systems are closing their borders. That means every damn space pirate that they have in their jails will be expelled and sent back to their homes. And most of those scumbags call I.R. space home.”

“Respectfully, Director Dureng,” countered Director Yamada, “Most of known space is I.R. Space. Even with the loss of the section now known as Unity Space, and the loss of the Draco Constellation settlements to the EEF of Refuge, and the extensive losses with the expanding E-strain Space, the Iron Republic is the primary force in this universe. And the times this august body forgets that are the times we are made fools and our people put in danger.”

The robotically enhanced Director lifted up a small cup of tea to her mouth and sipped it slowly, demanding the silence linger until she was done whetting one of the few organic parts of her body.

"Now when we forgot this fact, the penal colony of Refuge released the Unity and the Estrain and the EEF which caused the very threats we now face. I will not allow us to make the same mistake with the Pirates that will be expelled from the Free Systems. Now we all remember the dangers of the Pirate Captain Ironsbane, and we will not revisit that era again.

I want this issue to be made a priority. Find out why the Free Systems are having this civil war. Track down members of this G.A.S.T. organization and see what their motivations are."

Death bowed, “Yes Director, consider your orders my number one priority.”