NationStates Jolt Archive

Dearing Oil Industries Base Camp, Main Shoal, Ors Reefs. Thirty miles off the coast of Raymzonian Dominion.

The sea were rough, and the winds brought cold stinging needles into their faces as they quickly headed into their tent.

The man in the lead didn't even take time to stamp his feet at the entrance or to take off his thick gloves or raincoat as he rushed to the radio. His two companions hung back at the entrance to their tent and deposited their weather gear.

"Base Camp to Main, Base Camp to Main. Holy Christ. Main, do you copy?"

"This is Main, Base Camp. Anything wrong?"

"Not really, Main, unless there's anything wrong with the findings I'm sending you now. Will you keep a line open for the incoming data?"

"Coming in now, BC. We're getting the preliminary readings you got from the reefs area. Not really expecting much, but we figure there should be at least a very small deposit of... of... " The voice on the other end of the conversation trailed off.

The leader of the prospecting exdetition leaned nearer into the microphone and grinned. His companions, smiling, were crowded around the radio. "Anything wrong, Main?"

The man from the main headquarters swallowed, audibly. "This can't be right. Oh sweet Jesus, if it is, we're talking the major find of the century here. Oh my God. Two point two billion barrels, estimate?"

"At LEAST. AND indications that there are abundant veins of gold in the area."

"Okay, Base Camp, hold on, I'll inform the section head. This is a BIG deposit, BC. Biggest I've ever seen outside the East. Oh sweet Lord."

The men in the tent began to laugh.

--o0o---

That night, satellites, phones, and telegraphs across the surrounding nations were abuzz with the news. Oil. Gold. More than enough for a large country's needs for half a century.

The Dearing International prospecting expedition, launched from Raymzonia, watched as it was by the Templar network, got word out too fast and too much, before the news could be contained.

The agents involved were privately flogged, publicly demoted, and the President withdrew to the Room of Thrones, with his screens and reports and his Lord Ministers of State.

tag, for now

The Raymzonian STAR:

"Citadel, Black Isle- Raymzonian High Lord Minister of Foreign Affairs Darius Koeffler announced yesterday the discovery of oil deposits on the Ors Reefs off the Raymzonian coast. In a statement to the press, Koeffler stated that the Reefs 'could revitalize the Dominion and ensure a steady flow of capital for the economy.' He also mentioned that difficulties may arise from the Reefs' proximity to the borders of surrounding nations, but said that the government is ready to deal with foreign powers in an effort to enrich Raymzonia.

The Ors Reefs, a large group of reefs and small islands, thirty miles off the coast, have long been a minor note in navigators' maps. Lifeless, barren and swept by continuous typhoons, efforts to prospect for mineral wealth were long put on hold.

A recent prospecting expedition launched from the Raymzonian branch of Dearing International Oil uncovered a sigificant amount of oil and traces of gold in the Reefs, a major find that could greatly aid the already thriving Dominion economy."

Barokoy Federation Chairman Caesar Montano sat in his executive office reading newspapers and government reports by flickering candle light.
The recent civil war had destroyed most of his small nation's infrastructure, including several power plants.

The painful task of reconstruction was being overseen by his fledgeling government but it was going slow.

His people needed money, and to get money he needed to get trade back to pre-war levels. To jump-start trade, all industrial areas had to get back on line. And for that he needed money.

"Interesting." he muttered while reading a copy of the Raymzonian Star, a combatant in the war that had shattered his country and had left thousands dead.

Ringing a bell, he called his private secretary into his office.

"Please call the Foreign Affairs Minister and tell him to meet me in twenty minutes. Have the people at the Ministry of Energy call me as soon as possible. And get in touch with Geographical Services, I need a map of...Ors Reefs."

"Oh, and get me another candle."

Lifting his telephone, he dialed the San Serif office of Petro-Dactyl Ltd., an oil exploration and extraction company that imported oil into the country.

"Hello, Basil. I'm sending you an interesting newspaper article I've just read. No...I can't fax it. I'll have a courier bring it to you. Yes. Great."

President's Villa:

The Minister of Commerce walks in to the President's Office. He's holding a copy of the article that mentions the oil finding. The Minister is just wearing T-shirt and jeans and so is the President.

Sir! Look at this!

What Nikolai?

Free oil! We're rich! This'll give us a monopoly!!

Always thinking like a Capatilist. Let me see that.

Sergei starts reading the article and his jaw drops.

Holy s***! We're rich!

Sergei, remember others will try to claim it...

Oh right... just send some frigates to protect it.

And with that, some frigates left for the Island. They were unarmed but they were headed there. They were heading fast, screw International law, they needed that oil. Of course, the issues with the colonies would matter. But they needed that oil, more glory to the Rose of course. And if anybody was to move in, well... they'd have to negotiate. Eh, C'est la Vie!

OOC: MY POST!

The patrolling <i>Seawolf</i>-class submarine moved slowly and noiselessly in the depths. Midshipman Brillantes, on sonar, called for his section chief's attention: "Sir, you might want to look at this."

His superior watched the incoming data and grabbed the headphones. Ships. Frigate-sized, multiple marks. He put the captain on the horn.

"Sir, we're reading a group of blips on sonar. A small group of frigate-size vessels, unidentified, bearing down on the outer perimeter of the reefs. They're not in too much of a hurry."

Captain Elvis Chang frowned. There was no word of military exercises in this sector. He ordered the sat buoy raised and sent a tightly-coded message to HQ.

OOC: Assuming we can see your subs...

The five frigates that were sent to claim an area of the reef started arriving. They looked at the horizon.

Ha ha! Said on sailor. Ours!

The Captain looks at the Sonar.

Don't be sure yet, something's on the radar. I'll send a dispatch

On the Radio:
This is Captain Raphael Trotsky! Any hostile vessels do not shoot. We are trying to take a piece of the reef. It is not claimed by one nation so now we're trying to take it. So if you excuse us, we will sail on yes?

OOC: Too tired to RP in detail. Sorry/

To: The Rulership of the Isle of Rose
Re: Naval Presence as of 100H

It has been brought to our attention that several of your military vessels have taken up position in the Ors Reefs, right outside our border. While you have not taken any hostile action or penetrated Dominion waters, it would be prudent for you to stay within your own borders.

Please explain the pesence of your ships in the Reefs, as Rose has no claim to them, except for the portions which fall within your own aquatic borders. Any foray into the aquatic borders of Raymzonia will have severe diplomatic repercussions.

The Dominion will not tolerate anything that impinges upon the government's sovereignity, and as such is prepared to defend itself, with force if necessary.

President Raymz Marlocke the 23rd

through the High Lord Minister of Foreign Affairs Office
through most secure channels.

Official Statement from the Island of Rose:

Sir, we haven't heard any official statement of you actually owning the reefs. We will stay in our borders and we will use the oil. But note until you actually have ships in the area, I can move an entire battle fleet if the President wished it so. Also, it was unwise for you to make it public. Tsk tsk, bad move. The Frigates are unarmed and will soon start an oil operation in the area. But any armed intrusion without radio communication will be seen as an hostile action. If you do start anything like that, Sergei'll make sure nobody can have the reef... permanently.
-Minister of Foreign Affairs: Rosta Einvach

OOC: Death threats are okay right @.@

OOC: Rose, nobody OWNS the reefs yet, per se. which is why this thread is up in the first place. And frigates can't harvest oil- that needs heavy drilling, and platform construction, all told taking months and months. And since the oil well is also so large it's IN the borders of different nations, you can't just go in and grab what you can.

bump?