“So did you meet the lad who contacted you?” Christy asked Seamus as they strolled along the river. It was high lunch time in central Dublin and Seamus had a reprieve from his day-job long enough for the two of them to talk. He had messaged him after Christy's date with the gypsies that he had gotten through.

“Oh yea, I did.” Seamus replied as they walked slowly down the river-side. Lunch-goers were out in force but too preoccupied with their lives or office affairs to notice to the two men. But their conversation so broken by their passing it would hardly matter. And with both men in long suit coats they could be excused easily enough for young business officers. Though in truth, perhaps one was more than the other.

“I didn't get anything concrete out of him though.” Seamus admitted woefully. He turned up from watching the street to his friend's face looking down at him. Christy was easily stacks taller than the portly Seamus, “He's committed to help, but I didn't know what to say to him.” he blubbered. His face was a warm pink in the cold December wind.

“How committed is he?” Christy inquired.

Seamus shrugged, “He said he'd get back to us on his own time or something.” he reported, “I believe he wants to meet us personally but gave no details on where to meet, when and what.”

“He's being real bloody sneaky I take it?” asked Christy, turning back to continue the slow stroll down the street.

“Oh for sure.” shivered Seamus, “It gives me the creeps it does.”

“It's nothing our forebearers hadn't had to do.” reminded the kingly Christy, “You don't fight the English with the sticks in your yard or the knives in your drawers. You also don't do it directly.

“Any idea what sort of support this man will be offering?”

“I...” Seamus started, “I may have made him a promise we'd seek a loan of a million euros.”

Chrsity was unphased, “That's a tidy sum.” he remarked, unshot.

“Wait, you mean: really?” Seamus gawked, “You're not at all worried.”

“There's nothing that worries me that leads to us ultimately bringing back all Irish peoples. It's very romantic, I will admit. I will even concede that it might be impossible. But if the world can permit a Caliphate to rule in the Middle East and we stand idly by as they lob heads then there's nothing that says that bringing together the Irish once again under one banner isn't impossible. Even if in the unlikely circumstance of from Boston to Australia.”

“Jesus Christ, you're spooky mate.” Seamus commented.

“It's the pride talking.”

December 8th, 2015

The wind was like ice slicing through his skin. However Doctor Gyeong smiled wider than he had in months as he looked across the field and at the marvel that towered before him and his team.

A rocket.

Years of research, test after countless test, and many staff leaving the team unannounced all led to this day. The day he would prove to Commander Cho and the world that the Democratic People's Republic could become a nuclear power. He just had to pray to whatever gods there were that this was not wasted.

"Doctor!"

Gyeong turned and his eyes widened. Commander Cho marched towards him from the main complex, behind him at least twenty more Officers with insignias showing their positions of power in regions all across the nation. However, what shocked Gyeong was not the number of men. What shocked him was who walked beside the Commander.

"Doctor, I would like to introduce you to Marshal Kim Jong-Un. Marshal, Doctor Dong Ha Gyeong is the finest Nuclear Physicist I have met in my years commanding this station. I am sure he will show us something spectacular today."

Commander Cho gave a glance to Gyeong, his eyes showing a mixture of concern and worry hidden behind a happy facade. Marshal Un looked over Gyeong for a moment before raising his lips into a large smile as he held out his hand.

"It is a great pleasure to meet you Doctor Gyeong, if you are as genius as Commander Cho has been saying then I dare say you'll be in my cabinet soon enough!"

The petty officers and Commander Cho all let out a laugh, as was common whenever the Marshal made a joke. Though Gyeong could tell few of them truly found Un's statement laugh-worthy.

"Of course, Marshal Un. My staff and I have worked tirelessly for days to bring honor to our nation, to you, and to General Secretary Kim Il-Sung, may he rest in peace."

Un gave a nod, his smile unchanged. Quickly Commander Cho filled the sudden silence with more mild chit-chat, however Un's eyes had raised to the rocket towering over the entire congregation.

The rocket was the same model as all the previous tests in 2006 and onward, a Taepongdong-2 ballistic missile. In 2012 the Taepondong-2 saw it's first successful flight that December, in which it was used as a space-launch vehicle. However with new modifications, this was meant to become something far more deadly.

Gyeong took his chance and quickly cut Cho off as he finished some idle joke, once again sending the petty officers into a roar of laughter.

"Gentlemen. With the recent changes to the national budget and the new allocation of funds to our testing grounds, my staff and I have worked without rest in preparation for Marshal Un and his staff's arrival. Gentlemen, today I present to you Taepondong-3."

Gyeong gestured to the rocket behind him far down the field, snow beginning to stick to the metal behemoth as it sat like a sentinel in the noon sunlight.

"While the Taepondong-2 eventually saw it's position changed from ballistic missile to space launch vehicle, the modifications my staff has made to the missile's weight and diameter believe we have at last found the key to advancement in ICBM technology."

"The bomb..." Marshal Un said, his smile widening and a gleam filling his eyes.

"Indeed Marshal. We believe we have found the final ingredient needed for our first successful hydrogen bomb." Doctor Gyeong continued, giving a nod to some of his nearby staff to finish preparations. "We will be begin our live test shortly. Of course, there is no nuclear warhead on the missile. However, if this test proves successful, testing of that nature can begin as soon as spring of next year."

---

With the snow piling as it was, the fields could no longer be tilled. Therefore, Jun-seo no longer had any immediate work. While his mother had begun boiling cabbage for dinner, Jun met with Ji-hu and Seo-yun. Ji was the model teenager for the military tract, standing at five foot five and easily one hundred eighty pounds of pure muscle and had a obsession with the soldiers who came to the village. Meanwhile Seo was far more homely, and one of the only girls who had the gall to associate with boys at their age. Her hair was raven black and looked of silk, and her face was smooth. She was exempt from the labors many of the children, both male and female, had to do due to her father being a scientist for the government. In fact, many of the adults in Jun's village had one connection or another to the government. Though this was likely due to just how close the Chongjin Military Headquarters was to their home. At night Jun would sometimes hear the sound of jets overhead as they flew south to patrol the coast.

As Jun marched through the sludge like snow towards town, the air itself seemed to explode with a sound. It was like the roar of a great dragon, the kind his father told stories about that existed in the days of kings and queens. However this was much louder than any dragon. It was like a jet, but far more guttural.

Jun turned his eyes up towards the pale blue sky and saw it. A black object, shaped like a pencil. From the 'eraser' shot what looked like flame and mist as it soared upward, reaching into the sky.

It was a rocket...