"Succumb to me? There's no need for laughter anymore," Akado said with a smile as Geir held the door open, allowing the visitor to enter Akado's residence. Geir then stepped out, closing the door behind him.
"It is indeed a surrender to you. I think I should align myself with a reliable ally, or perhaps a strong leader," Gustav Strelesman said politely. "You might not be too familiar with me as compared to your grassroots reputation in the National Defense Forces. I am just a minor figure."
"Minor figure?" Akado chuckled. "If the most influential diplomat of the German Ministry of Foreign Affairs, who also happens to be Gustav Strelesman, the German Foreign Minister, considers himself minor, then my little colonel title is even more insignificant. Why have you sought me out?"
Gustav Strelesman shook his head, his tone earnest: "German diplomacy has always been conservative. We've been unable to counter the combined pressures from Britain and France. One might even say that German diplomacy has failed. Now, with the loss of the military support we relied upon, our situation has worsened."
He walked to a sofa, sat down gracefully, and rested his hands on the armrests, looking composed. "The crisis in the Ruhr area showed me that without a robust defense, diplomatic efforts to protect Germany are futile. Diplomacy needs strong military backing, so at least for now, our goals align—we need to build a formidable defense force."
"Minister Gustav? Strelesman, you still haven't explained why you came to me. You could have approached General Seekert, or even the new government leader, Marshal Hindenburg. Yet, you've decided to place your bets on me, a mere colonel. I'm puzzled by your choice."
Akado moved from the doorway to the kitchen, where he poured two cups of brewed coffee. Returning to the living room, he placed one cup in front of Gustav Strelesman and held the other. "Marshal Hindenburg is facing a significant crisis. In my humble opinion, whether he can maintain his position will depend heavily on effective policy implementation, which I suspect will mostly come from his advisors—like yourself."
Gustav Strelesman smiled, sipped his coffee, then set the cup back on the coffee table. "As for General Seekert, though he remains the head of the National Defense Force, you have the capability to challenge him in court—you needn't be modest, you have that power."
Akado smiled, remaining silent.
Gustav continued, "I know President Albert was assassinated by someone from the IDF, driven by his compromises due to the fragile economic situation and internal power struggles. Whatever his reasons, they only worsened Germany's plight. I believe he deserved more than one death, and I reckon only you had the capability and courage to confront a former president."
He raised his hand to forestall any objections from Akado and continued, "Thus, I'm here to pledge my loyalty to you. I will do my utmost to assist and support you because our purpose is the same—to strengthen Germany. My reason for surrendering to you is simple: we both strive to fortify our nation, and you are better suited to lead."
"So, that brings us to the next question," Akado said, setting his coffee cup down. The smile had vanished from his face, replaced by a serious look. "How will you prove your loyalty to me?"
"How about a letter of guarantee?" Gustav Strelesman suggested with a smile, pulling a document from his jacket pocket. He unfolded it and showed it to Akado. "This document, signed and stamped with my handprint, states that I will unconditionally follow any orders from Mr. Akado Rudolph. It also includes a detailed list of my personal network—friends, relatives, and all available resources."
"What assurance do you need from me?" Akado inquired thoughtfully.
"Lead us to victory," Gustav Strelesman replied, standing and setting the document down.
"Then you must follow my lead closely and not hold me back," Akado responded with a grin.
Gustav Strelesman also chuckled. "What do you need me to do?"
"Push through the 'Pluto Project,'" Akado instructed.
---
In the conference room adjacent to the president's office, a group convened for the first emergency meeting after Marshal Hindenburg's election as President of Germany. However, the atmosphere was tense, even charged with hostility.
"Do we really need to increase the National Defense Force's budget by another 30%? What a joke! Everyone in Germany is scrimping and saving, and that still wouldn't cover such a huge shortfall," a Ministry of Finance official remarked, shaking his head.
Hindenburg, looking equally frustrated, tossed the documents onto the table and sighed. "These are the terms the National Defense Forces set for supporting my presidency. I must consider them."
"Since 1920, Germany hasn't invested more than 200,000 marks in infrastructure. It's as if we've stagnated since then," a bearded politician in a suit complained.
"General Seekert didn't attend due to illness! How absurd! Where does that leave the new president and us?" a middle-aged politician slammed his hand on the table. "Does he see the IDF as his private army?"
"Quiet, Mr. Durmke. General Seekert supports Marshal Hindenburg as president, but he doesn't wish to see me now," Akado said with a smile from the end of the table. Despite his lower rank, President Hindenburg had summoned him as an advisor.
"That's preposterous," the politician named Durmke muttered, but he refrained from further criticism of Seekert.
"What do you think, Colonel Akado? Rudolph, you now represent the National Defense Forces and have close ties with the government. If you have to balance both, is there a solution?" Hindenburg asked, his voice carrying the authority and gravity of someone long accustomed to high office.
"The funding cannot be reduced; otherwise, we'll be unable to handle another crisis like the one in the Ruhr area!" Akado declared.
"The National Defense Forces need more funds. We need substantial resources to continue the 'Pluto Project,'" he added.
"Is that your opinion?" a politician interjected eagerly, hoping to impress the new President Hindenburg. "You want to overthrow our President Hindenburg!"
"Silence! Let him finish his point, or I'll have you removed," Hindenburg snapped, glaring at the young man who had spoken.
"Perhaps everyone only glanced at the first seven pages of the Pluto plan and lost interest. It details the financial needs of the National Defense Army for researching new weapons and how many War Horse machine guns need to be purchased. So, you might not find it very appealing," Akado said with a light-hearted chuckle, eliciting laughter from some of the younger attendees, though the older politicians remained serious and allowed him to continue.
Akado was pleased to elaborate, so he went on: "The Pluto project includes a sub-program called 'White Dove,' which may not have been taken seriously or fully understood. This plan is crucial for resolving the differences between the government and the National Defense Army."
"Oh? What do you mean?" Hindenburg asked, his memory of the White Dove plan vague.
"Our army needs railways, highways, inland ports, and other transportation infrastructure; our navy requires large-scale ports; our as-yet-nonexistent air force needs airports; the new army will need substantial reserves of gasoline and diesel, and the war will consume vast amounts of food and steel; producing new weapons requires skilled workers and advanced industrial technology. These are all things that need to be developed through educational institutions," Akado explained, counting off each point on his fingers. By the end, all ten fingers were extended, and he was still listing examples.
"What are you suggesting?" President Hindenburg asked, narrowing his eyes.
"Building up the National Defense Force does not conflict with national development. On the contrary, these efforts complement each other!" Akado stood up, his voice filled with conviction. "I believe the new president should immediately order the implementation of the 'White Dove Project.'"
He spoke eloquently, and his words lit up the room: "The short-term part of this plan will involve constructing 100 new railways and highways, adding new docks to German port cities, and building 79 airports for peacetime air transport and wartime reserves. The long-term part will see the construction of 20 brand-new factories, 50 assembly workshops, and the establishment of 3 schools to train a large number of high-tech workers."
"Once this plan is launched, it is expected to create 500,000 jobs across Germany. This time, the Defense Force will contribute $2 million to this plan, and the government only needs to provide $700,000," Akado concluded, then sat back down.
The room buzzed with discussion as everyone realized the potential returns on their investments in the National Defense Army. If implemented, this plan would not only bolster German infrastructure but also provide the new government with 500,000 jobs, essentially at no cost. This would be a significant boon for President Hindenburg's administration.
Everyone was abuzz, excited by the promising concessions from the IDF. Only in a corner, a bearded man with a pockmarked face sighed softly.
Half an hour later, President Hindenburg approved the "White Dove Project." Interestingly, when it came time to vote, it was Foreign Minister Gustav Strelesman, who had opposed Akado's "Pluto Project" just days earlier, who raised his hand in support.