Author's Note

Special thanks to 8andahalftby11 for allowing me to use his story universe to make this story possible.

This is a very work in progress story and will be subject to change in the future. Thank you :D

Reviews are much appreciated

One Year Before The Sky Full of Thunder

The Kantei (Prime Minister's Office), Tokyo

It has been a busy day in Tokyo, Japan. Communications between Earth and the Special Region went normal and smoothly. Emails came back and forth from Fort Alnus and into the servers at the Japanese Ministry of Defence headquarters in Shinjuku, then forwarded again to the Japanese Defence Minister's government email account. Which then in turn is passed on to the Prime Minister.

In front of the Prime Minister, is a whole lot of paperwork with regards to lessening trade regulations and giving access other nations access to the Special Region for resources, tourism and investigations. But that didn't bother him at all, his main concern was the blue paper in front of him. It is about whether to agree to letting the WHO access to the Special Region to teach the natives on basic sanitation, first aid and disease prevention. A groan could be heard from the Prime Minister's Office.

WHO and the UN have been pestering the Japanese Diet and the US Congress so much about this issue for months now. Japan and the US fought tooth and nail against this proposing as it could jeopardize the "long-term military-strategic dangers, arising through misuse as weapons technology" argument.

The Minister let out a sigh, "It's time to let them through" thought the Prime Minister. He then turned on his intercom, "Miss?" said the Minister. There was a slight silence.

"Yes sir?" said his secretary.

"Please give the US President Mahana ring, and tell him it's urgent. Then put him on any available line. Also can you please send me Defence Minister Nomura to my office, thanks."

"Alright sir, I'm on it."

What seemed like hours to him, was only 2 minutes. A knock was heard and "Sir, it's Nomura" said Defence Minister Nomura.

"You may enter." Said the Prime Minister. "You may take a seat, here"

The Defence Minster sat on the black seat in front of the desk. "Why did you call me?" asked Nomura.

"You are here, because I have contacted President Mahana and he should be waiting on a line at this moment. It's regarding WHO and the Special Region."

"Prime Minister, you already know letting WHO and other UN member through the Gate could jeopardize, our argument of ending the sharing of science and technology to the Special Region." Defence Minister Nomura exclaimed.

"Yes I know, but if we don't…"

At that moment, the door to the Prime Minister's office creaked open and a young secretary stuck her head into the room. "Sorry for interrupting," she said. "The President of the United States is waiting on Line Three."

The Prime Minister gave a sigh and leaned over his desk to hit the speaker button so that Nomura could listen in. "Good Morning President Mahana" he said in English.

Dirrel's successor was a firm, but soft-spoken man from Massachusetts, and had a New England accent to match that made the Prime Minister's life difficult at times. Fortunately, he was less bull-headed than Dirrel, and was supported by a less aggressive cabinet.

Or, perhaps he didn't need to be much more aggressive, considering that the Americans had already achieved most of their important geopolitical objectives with regards to the Gate...short of being given free access to Falmart. Still, discussion about the Gate was nowhere near as prominent as it was after it first appeared, and the world had mostly stopped talking about it after the Korean crisis took over the headlines.

"Good evening, Prime Minister," Mahana said. "So what's the urgency? I was about to take my children to the cinema tonight."

"It's WHO again, they sent me those blue papers again." Said the Prime Minister.

President Mahana sighed, "Those lab coat guys again. They keep buggering me too about it. You know if we let them…."

"Sorry, yes, Yes I know that. It can jeopardize the agreement and put Earth's security in danger." "But if we don't we risk put too much strain on our Special Region Budget" said the Prime Minister.

"The US does not have a problem." Said Mahana.

"Yes, of course not you, it's Japan's budget. We already over-spent our budget on building the station for the densha and its tracks between Italica and Alnus Hill." "Perhaps we can make an exception or two?"

"Go ahead, I'm listening" said Mhana intrigued.

"We already permitted Astronomy Sciences to continue. As "You cannot weaponize star charts!", if WHO sends in personnel and they want to go back home. They have to be quarantined for a duration of time in order to make sure no one has brought any unintended creatures home."

"Exactly!" shouted the US President excitedly. "So I guessed this is finally cleared up, so I will see you at the next G20. My children are bickering me. Thanks and good night!"

With that phone called ended and the Prime Minister was left holding the phone in his hand. Shaking his head, he placed the phone back in its receiver and asked, " What will I say to the diet and what are our options?"

The Defence Minister snapped out of his thought, "Say what you just said to the US President to the Diet then to the UN.", "I am sure they would agree under those terms." Said Nomura.

"But what happens if one of the personal sent by WHO, turns rogue and aids the natives in Science & Technology?" "This could lead to a Second Inter-War or something far worst." Exclaimed the Prime Minister.

"Then we would catch the person and put him/her to justice or pull out the entire WHO expedition team out of the Special Region. That's easy."

"Then who will replace them? Another WHO team or the Red Cross Charity? Who can we trust as a backup plan, someone that is private and willing to do whatever it takes. Someone that cannot just give but can take too. Who?

"I have an answer" said the young secretary peering through door. "The RDA can help us or perhaps the world entirely."

"Ummm, who is this RDA, I am not too familiar with this organisation." Asked Nomura

"The RDA, stands for the Resource Development Administration. Their CEO is Mr. Minh and they are the largest single non-governmental scientific research organization in human space. Their power is such that it outmatches most Earth governments in wealth, political influence, and military capability. They are the ones that the successfully mass produced a vaccine that would inhibit the spread of brain tumours, eventually eradicating all known possible ailments of the brain itself, not WHO. But they mostly keep to themselves and stay in the shadows." The young secretary explained.

"You just said the word space? And Military capability?" asked the Prime Minister concerned.

"Yes, I indeed said space, as they are currently assisting Space-X and NASA into getting to Mars and other planets quicker." "Also, to colonise it of course. They are much larger than Space-X or NASA." "They are currently doing mining operations for Helium-3 on the moon and distributing it to varies countries, including Japan." "They own their own private military, a private security or so they call it."

"So how do you know a lot about them?" Asked Nomura

"They cured my mom of brain cancer a few years back and gave me their flyer and business card. Telling me that in the future, I might need it." The secretary explained.

"Miss, then go quickly phone them, and tell them that the Prime Minister of Japan wants to meet the CEO." Shouted the Prime Minister excitedly.

After that of she went. "Defence Minister Nomura, you are excused." They then bowed and Nomura left the office to return to his business.

With all that done, the minister sat down on his black chair and then let out a long deep sigh. "Things will get interesting soon" he thought to himself. Then he returned to finish his paperwork.