"Taking over the world is one thing. Finding good help to run it is another." -Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie
You just can't find good help these days.
For example, a man might build up an organization. He might nuture it and make it powerful. He might become a force to be reconned with and have everything he could ever want. Then, out of nowhere, one of his most trusted researchers could betray him, take over his empire, and leave him broken in body, spirit, and mind. Who could ever do such a thing?
Well, you, for one.
You started out as a relatively normal, though ambitious, scientist. You were brilliant, of course, but that's to be expected in a neurosurgeon. After a while, your research spread to other areas as well: psychology, virtual reality, hypnotism... anything that could force one's own mind to betray them. You were quite good at what you did, but were never properly aknowledged for your contributions to science.
You were approached by SWORD for the first time about ten years ago. You didn't realize what it was then, of course. You did a bit of freelance work for them, developing various devices and medicines. Later, you were hired as a full-time researcher. Over time, you discovered that SWORD's main objective was in taking over the world for their leader, called WARLOCK. No one knew his true name, the title was sufficient. You met him several times, he often complimented you on your work. He had you work on various methods of suggestion and external manipulation of the thought process.
Clearly, WARLOCK intended to brainwash the entire world. A noble goal, you decided, but not one fit for a mere manager. The scientists do all of the work, why shouldn't they also reap the rewards? You started falsifying your results, saying things which you had finished had not yet been completed. One day, during one of WARLOCK's visits, you were able to inject him with your new brainwashing serum and he was yours.
You kept him around as a figurehead a while, until you were able to brainwash the rest of the organization. There was something comforting in knowing that your agents could never betray you the way you betrayed the previous WARLOCK. A year ago, the old WARLOCK was killed in an assassination by the UN organization SHIELD, formed to counteract the threat of SWORD. You learned from that. Though you became the new WARLOCK, you were very careful to keep your identity secret. That had never been a problem... until now.
One of your agents has managed to betray you. He was able to counteract the brainwashing in some way and escape your grasp, taking with him a video of you, identifying you as WARLOCK. How he escaped the continuous purges of SWORD you would be vary interested to discover. You had those responsible for seing to such matters killed a week ago.
Well, if you want something done right, you have to do it yourself. The rogue agent was traced to the Lusitania II. You used your influence to have yourself made an attache to the Hungarian Ambassador, who was a part of the UN negotiations occuring on board. Your goal is to destroy the tape and find the agent, so you can kill him slowly. Luckily, the tape, which was a security tape, is treated in such a way that it will be destryed if anyone tries to copy it, so you only have to worry abotu one copy. The agent should be more of a problem, since will be in disguise. You brought a few syringes of brainwashing serum, as well as truth serum so you will hopefully be able to use it to discover who he is.
While you're here, you'll have a chance to fix the GPS system you've set up to host your orbital mind-control lasers. You figure out long ago that if you ever wanted to mind-control the entire planet, you had to use a method faster than injecting every person in the world. That is what the GPS system is for. The UN thinks it's for comercial use, but after the last piece is in place, it will be able to emit your mind-altering rays into every cranium on earth!
It should have been done a month ago. Unfortunately, the calibrations were not done properly, and you discovered that one of the relays did not work. You designed a machine that could be placed in the Pacific Ocean which would patch the problem. It takes a Space Transmogrifier, a Radiation Modulator, a Phase Inducer, four yellow RTIs, three red RTIs, and one blue RTI. You need to that while you're here. You're the only one who has the proper training to do it. Your calculations show that the best time for placement would be in the middle of the Lusitania II's journey. You had the route change accordingly so the ship would pass over the spot at the appropriate time.
At first, the cruise was rather uneventful, besides the untimely demise of the Hungarian Ambassador. That was unfortunate, but not altogether surprising. You declared him to be indisposed for the rest of the journey an carried on. All else was going according to plan, until you met Peter.
Dear Peter... he's an American, with those quaint, American ideals. He's a rich young bachelor, flirting with all of the women, but he seems a bit uncomforable with it. He's an American spy, no doubt. He tried flirting with you a bit an pumping you for information about the Ambassador, but he stopped when you didn't take the bait. For some reason, the conversation turned to science, a subject it turned out we both had a great interest in. The subjects ranged from quantum theory to building a better mousetrap to jury-rigging a bomb out of common household items. He was quite knowledgeable, and you were quite taken with him. He seemed to return your interest in kind. If only...
No. Mad scientists trying to take over the world should not get romantically involved with idealists. That is a doomed situation. You could brainwash him into being a bit more lenient, you suppose... no, that would change him too much. He would no longer be the person you have grown to love.
Love? Did you really say that? How can you love him, you just met him? That's crazy! There's nothing in the world that you have in common, except science, and that's not something to build a relationship out of. You don't even know if he loves you back. He'll try to stop you if he figures out what you're doing, you know that. He's already interfered with you once. That was earlier today.
Today was the day the Lusitania II passed over the spot where the relay system needed to be placed. You had all of the pieces and were in the process of assembling it when the ship started to list alarmingly. You continued to build your device. You were halfway done when Peter burst in through the door. "Come on, let's go!" he said. You protested and tried to finish your machine. He replied that there was not time for that and started to drag you out the door. You managed to grab a few of the components before he got you. The two of you got into a lifeboat with three other men and a woman and cast off. That's where you are now.
What now? Go on with your mission, you guess. You don't have many of the components to the device, and the calibrator to calculte where and when to place it seems to be damaged. You think you could repair it with a few RTIs, but you'll have to examine it more closely to be sure. Looks like it could be a long trip. At least you can make it with Peter.
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