NationStates Jolt Archive

OOC: The thread we discussed earlier. Sorry if it's a bit brief, but I have been a little short of time lately.

S:t Therese was a small and insignificant island in the southeastern part of the Zacheri Sea. In the 17th century, Zaheranian Puritans had tried to colonise the island, dreaming of a life free of of oppression and poverty. For a few years, the settlement had prospered and grown. The mighty forests slowly gave away to farms and pasture land. But famines and epidemies had struck 'The New Eden' and as the last settler died, nature began to retake it's lost territory. Now only the ruins of the stone church remained, a stern warning to those that sought to challenge the wilderness. Wild animals once again roamed the forests of the pristine land, unaware that the tide of change was coming.

26th September 2008, 14.46
Over S:t Therese

Friedrich Schleben, Captain of the Imperial Air Force, looked down at the island below his aircraft. The dense forest made it hard to see what was under the foliage, but he was quite sure it was only animals. If there was any humans on the island, he and his comrades would have seen them by now.
"This is Eagle 1 reporting in", he said through the comlink. "No sign of human activity detected. My fuel is running low, so I'm heading back to base."
"Roger that, Eagle 1", the communication officer on the carrier, codenamed Stormwind, replied. "Eagle 2 and 3 haven't seen anything either, so it's mission concluded. How is it with landing sites?"
"Impossible for planes, but the Marines won't have any problems. The nothern shorline looks like a solid choice, it's a nice sand beach. I almost expected to see some fat tourists and a luxory hotel. The tourist industry have hit the jackpot with this colony, that's for sure. Eagle 1, over and out."
He increased his speed, giving the fuel gauge a worried glance. Not critical, not yet. He would make it back to the carrier. Still, it was with a sigh of relief he saw the The Emperor's Hammer appear on the horizon. The proud flagship of the Sixth Fleet was a imposing sight, a harbinger of death and destruction, with the strength to level cities and sink fleets. The Nimitz carrier was surrounded by an armada of other ships: frigates, destroyers, landing ships, two helicopter carriers and a collection of auxillary ships. And this was only half of the Zaheranian contingent that would participate in the colonisation of S:t Therese.
As soon as the Monavians arrived, the colonisation process would start. The island would be transformed into a trade and defence hub, much like the one that had been established with the Alfegans on Neo'Ilos, closer to the mainland. The strategic victories would be many: a stronger economy, an excellent observation post from which Zaheran's neighbours to the east could be observed, and another military base from which enemy ships and aircraft could be intercepted in case of war. With it's completion, the final brick would be added into the wall that kept the Empire safe from a surprise attack from the south, freeing more military resources for the patrolling of the northern waters. Because of this, a sizable naval force had been assigned to the task of guarding the the new colony in the early stages of it's developments. Two carrier groups were patrolling as close as they could to the shore, and another four were taking up strategic positions further out, ready to intercept any vessel that showed suspicious interest of the island.

Onboard The Emperor's Hammer

A light knock on the door woke Admiral Johann Kahler up from his peaceful slumber in his cabin armchair. He sat up and took up some papers, pretending to read them.
"Come in!", he said with a dignified, commanding voice. The door opened and the communications officer stepped in, giving the seemingly busy admiral a frightened glance.
"Eagle Squadron has returned, admiral. No signs of human activity have been detected. The island's up for grabs, it seems."
"Excellent, lieutenant. And the Monavians?"
"They should appear on the radar soon, sir. Do you want me to contact them?"
"That might be a good idea. Meet me in the communication central in fifteen minutes."
The young man saluted and left the room. Kahler stood up and stretched, working the stiffness out of his body. He was getting old, he could feel that. Napping on duty. He shook his head shamefully. But now it was time to get back to work. He stepped out of the room, closing the door behind him. Time to contact the Monavians.



From: Admiral Johann Kahler, Zaheranian Commanding Officer, Operation Colonial Venture
To: Monavian Commanding Officer

Everything is ready. We recommend landing by sea, as no safe landing site for planes exist.

Yours,
Johann Kahler
Admiral and officer in charge

OOC:

I am assuming that my fleet has already been dispatched to the location a few weeks prior to this time, so it will be in the general vicinity.

IC:

Admiral Samuel Hampton was a man of great respect among his colleagues. His reputation preceded him to most places that he went, however in this instance, he was quite unknown. Nonetheless, his venture was to lay the foundation for a new chapter in the growth of the Monavian Empire.

A fleet of several ships, mostly Royal Coast Guard vessals, was arriving at the place of destination. Exploration and research vessels mad up the bulk of the fleet, although several escort ships were also in the area. A naval fleet, consisting of several reserve ships, some of which were brought out of the Mothball Fleet, was also present in the area.

The force approached the island, waiting for further information from their Zaheranian counterparts. So far, the progress of the operation was slow, but would soon pick up a lot of much needed speed. Orders were sent out to the ships to prepare landing parties for the arrival at the shoreline.

Admiral Hampton then sent out a reply to the Zaheranian commander.

Admiral Kahlar:

Our landing parties are being prepared for arrival at the beaches. Expect them to arrive in about three hours. They consist of research parties, scientists, and surveyors. Once we have the data we need, Colonists will be allowed to come.

You may be pleased to discover that the program for finding colonists has been quite a success, with more than 50,000 people being willing to set up what they need here. Many businesses are also wanting to get a slice of the pie, but first we must construct the necessary facilities.

Sincerely,

Admiral Samuel Hampton
Commander of the S:t Therese Expedition Fleet

Admiral Kahler took the Monavian reply and read through it. He hadn't heard the namer of the commander before, but that was to be expected. There hadn't been much in the way of prior contact with the Monavian Navy. He handed the message back and turned to his senior officers.
"The Monavians are in position. The landing operation will commence in about three hours. Major Archal, are the engineers ready?"
"They are, sir." The man who answered was short and tubby and could easily have been mistaken for a civilian despite his uniform, but only a fool underestimated Major Marcus Archal. The corpulent little man was a master engineer, widely believed to have once constructed an airplane out of chewing gum and paper clips. It was he who lead the engineer battalion that would construct the infrastructure the expedition would need in it's latter stages. "We have materiel and equipment we need, so we'll get you your airport and port facilities, no need to worry."
Kahler nodded. "Very well. Then I will leave you to continue with your preparations. How about the rest of the expedition?"
"Arrived ten hours ago", another man answered. "They are ready to get to work, and quite enthusiastically at that."
Kahler nodded. "Good. I'll send an reply to the Monavians, while you take care of the last details. I want no accidents, period. If someone screws this up, the person in question will be looking for a new job before the day is over. Is that clear?"
The men nodded. Kahler wasn't joking, they all knew that. He was a hard boss, but fair.


From: Admiral Johann Kahler
To: Admiral Samuel Hampton

Our research team will be ready when you are. We will send a small detachement of soldiers to protect the civilians, just in case of an unexpected event.

We have been able to recruit about 47,000 colonists for the initial wave, as well as a number of corporations. A group of engineers will construct port and airport facilities to make resupply and landing of heavy equipment easier.


The boat carrying the Zaheranian part of the expedition was going into position near the northern beach, while the boats and helicopters that would carry the expedition and their equipment ashore was readied. Among the expedition members were a wide array of scientists, everything from biologists and and geologists to archeologists and oceanographers. The island would be studied down to the slightest detail, every natural resource and animal type reported. Much money would be and had been invested in the project, and the government and funding corporations was expecting a quick return of their money. With about two and a half hours left to landing, the mood among the group was nervous but enthusiastic. A news team was waiting in a corner, ready to record the historical event for the populace.

A communicateion was sent back shortly after the Zaheranians had replied. It was brief, but contained information needed to ensure that all things went off without a hitch.

To Zaheranian Fleet Commander Admiral Johann Kahler:

I would recommend that the geography be surveyed and examined, among other things, before any permanent construction takes place. I will not, however, have any issues with temporary facilities being erected until we have all of our data.

Once we have what we need, building can begin and the colonists can start setting up a viable trading center. The colonists will arrive at the island shortly.

Sincerely,

Admiral Samuel Hampton, Commander of the S:t Therese Expedition Fleet

The fleet neared the shoreline, and the colonists in their vessels came closer, being within the island's immediate vicinity shortly. Admiral Hampton ordered the landing parties to organize themselves onboard their respective vessels for the landing on the beaches.

Two hours passed, and apart from some announcements, it was a little uneventful among the Monavians.

A long, haunting shriek from the landing ship's sirens announced the start of the operation. The expedition personnel and their equipment was loaded into the landing craft. A lone helicopter hovered above as the crew unmoored the boats. Carefully, the captain guided their vessels towards the shore. The waters around the island had not yet been fully surveyed, so they kept a wary eye out for reefs and other obstacles, so that the boats wouldn't be damaged by a collision. The helicopter was faster and soon reached the island. A squad of Imperial Marines in camouflage uniforms leaped out as soon as it touched down, quickly securing the beach area.

A few minutes later, the first landing craft reached the shore, soon followed by the rest. The crews unloaded their load while a small camp of white tents was constructed, to serve as the first base camp.

Admiral Hampton left his flagship and boarded a landing craft. Several of his officers also went with him, and soon the craft was filled. It made its way to the shore, being guided by one of the sailors sent for the voyage. The craft proceeded to the shore, where its front door was opened, allowing water to flood the front half of the boat.

The bow, now filled to a suitable depth, was prefect for launching a small boat which Admiral Hampton had brought over for the expedition. He climbed in with his men, and the boat simply floated out of the landing craft.

Once the boat reached the shore, Admiral Hampton moored it to a stake he drove into the sandy ground. He stepped out, followed by the others, and then found a suitable location on a rocky outcrop just a few yards from the shore. Its sandy top was perfect for planting a flag.

He waited for more of the personnel on board the ships to arrive before giving a brief address about the founding of the colony.

Admiral Kahler reached the outcrop a few minutes later, planting the Zaheranian flag beside the Monavian one. He nodded to the Monavian and held out his hand. "Admiral Samuel Hampton, I presume? An honour to meet you. I'm Johann Kahler, Zaheran's commander-in-charge for this expedition."

As more and more expedition personnel reached the shore, a small crowd gathered under the outrop where the admirals were standing, assuming that they would make some kind of announcement as soon as everyone had arrived.

Admiral Hampton took the hand of Admiral Kahler, looking square into his eyes for a moment, before smiling ever so slightly. He then replied. "Admiral Kahler, I am so overjoyed that this occasion has come! Let's begin shortly."

He took out a brief prepared statement, before moving off to the side. "After you, my dear colleague."

Kahler took a deep breath and stepped forward.
"Men and women of Zaheran and Monavia! This day will forever be an important date in the histories of our nations. This day marks the start of a new era, an era of cooperation and mutual understanding. Look around you, citizens of Zaheran, citizens of Monavia. Beside you stand the citizens of another nations, different from you, yet so alike. Look into the their eyes and see them for what they are, not strangers, but brothers and sisters, working towards the same goal as you are. Together we will remake this island, turning it into a oasis of prosperity and understanding, a worthy monument of the friendship between our two nations. You came to this island as Monavians and Zaheranians, but you will leave it as Theresians, united in brotherhood and friendship. You will be remembered forever as pioneers, prophets of of an era of peace and prosperity. You will say 'I was there' with pride in your voices, knowing that you have made the world a better place. Men and women of Zaheran and Monavia, your voices will echo in eternity!"
He stepped back, leaving the scene to Admiral Hampton.

Having seen the crown break into jubilation over the eloquent address of Admiral Kahler, Admiral Hampton mounted the peak of the rocky outcrop and stood at attention. He saluted his officers, who returned the favor, and then unfolded a small sheet of paper which he removed from his coat pocket. He began to read it aloud to the people assembled before him.

"My neighbors, fellow citizens, and friends, I come with all of you to bring about the beginning of the next chapter in the history of this part of the world. This island, long derelict and neglected, shall become a center of commerce, trade, and most important of all, a place of safety for our nations.

"We have all ventured here at great expense of time and labor, and not the least of all, money. We come to establish a new symbol of power in this region, and to serve the the need to protect and defend our nations. We must put the greater good forward in this endeavor.

"This time in our history is a time for exploration, for pioneering, and for progress, something that has been lacking here. We shall mark the hours of our progress, not by mere contributions to global economics or political power, but by achievements and discoveries. Our time begins now, and I ask all of you to bond with your neighbors in fellowship and peace.

"Now that the time of our labor has begun, let us bring about prosperity in all forms, and let us celebrate the bringing of civilization to another part of the world! My friends, the annals of history shall not forget this undertaking, but rather, they shall praise it above so many others!

"For our people, for our countries, and for ourselves, LONG LIVE THE THERESIAN COLONY, AND ITS INHABITANTS!"

Wild applause broke out as Admiral Hampton finished his speech. Kahler smiled and waved to the crowd. Their enthusiasm seemed to be endless. He waited to the crowd had dissolved, then he turned to Hampton. "We need to talk. Follow me, please."

He led the Monavian further down the beach to the base camp and showed him into his tent, where a table and two chairs had been placed. A Navy steward arrived with a bottle of spring water, cooled in a bucket of ice, and two crystal glasses. Kahler smiled and poured his guest a glass. "I have never denied myself the small pleasures of life. Please Admiral, take a seat."
He unfolded a map of the island and placed it on the table. The encampment had been marked out as a red spot. The map was sketchy, mostly based on flight photos. The island was quite large, about the same size as Madagascar, and based around a mountain in the middle, thought to be an dormant volcano. Kahler pointed to the red dot.

"This is where we currently are. I would suggest that we first explore the immediate surroundings, to get a feel for the island and learn if there are any dangerous animals or diseases we should be aware of. i also suggest that we place a team of geologists on the volcano or whatever it is in the middle. We can get them there by helicopter, so they don't become bogged down in the forest if there is a storm. What do you say?"

Admiral Hampton was pleased with his initial success on the island, so naturally, being somewhat tired, as the afternoon began to wind down, he drank heartily of the water provided by the generous Admiral Kahler. He also took a moment to think about the suggestion given to him by Kahler, and soon had some ideas to share.

"Admiral, the large mass of ground which appears to be a volcano should be examined very quickly. If it was active in the least bit, it may be a hinderance, or worse, a serious obstacle to our colonization effort. I can get some helicopters readied tomorrow morning to survey the mountain from the air, before determining a landing site for the geological crews. They can be flown in later this week, once this has been determined.

"Due to the size of the island, I must concur with your assessment of its exploration. I would certainly agree to have the area, say, within a five kilometer radius of the base camp, explored first. The location of the old settlement could also be explored if it is within that area.

"As for the colonists, this island cannot support very many yet. Most of them will have to live on the ships until we have enough things built for them to use. A camp of tents can only support so much"

Pausing to down another galssful of the delicious spring water, he then tooke several deep breaths before continuing.

"To continue, I must also recommend getting a place to build some infrastructure cleared and sealed off from incursions by wild animals. I would doubt that any serious diseases are present, since all of the original settlers had perished long ago, however, with the risk that something is out there, it would also be best to restrict the colonists from venturing too deeply into the island until it can be surveyed for diseases.

"If anyone got infected by a bacterial or viral agent, or worse yet, a parasite, they should be isolated from healthy colonists and treated by a doctor."

He was by now quite comfortable in the tent that Admiral Kahler had set up, and soon sent a message to one of his staff to bring in something for Kahler. The messenger departed, taking a short handwritten note to Hampton's secretary, who gave the man some boxes to deliver to Kahler.

The boxes contained some things of importance, including some information garnered from arial flights over the landing site, showing topography and terrain types. They also contained a mysterious object that a colonist found. The object in question was a small piece of hammered gold, which the colonist theorized that it was a lost piece of jewelry that belonged to one of the original inhabitants.

Taking the gold fragment out of the box, Admiral Hampton gave it to Kahler.

"Admiral, I think that this is of historical importance to the Zaheranian people."

Kahler nodded and poured himself a glass.

"Indeed, dear colleague. A volcanic eruption could easily become a catastrophy. I can arrange for some experts from the Eisland Volcanological Institute to be flown in once a landing site has been determined. They have ample expertise in that particular field of work.

"You are correct that a camp of tents can only support a very limited amount of people, but we are working on establishing more permanent facilities. First and foremost among our pririties is of course a field hospital, so that we can isolate and treat suspected cases of diseases. Until more permanent housing facilities has been established however, the majority of the colonists will have to live on the ships. We expect that this will cause no major problems."

He paused and took a sip of water, seeing the messenger return with the boxes. He took the gold fragment that Hampton gave him and studied it carefully.

"I'm no archeologist, but I think I've seen jewelry like this before on a museum. If this has belonged to the original colonists, it is worth much to the Zaheranian people. I will let one of my experts study it. Thank you very much."

Hampton smiled, feeling pleased with Kahler's reaction to the find one of the colonists made. He regarded Kahler with a high level of respect and admiration, and had no doubts about his experience and skill. Nevertheless, he still didn't have a complete feel for the way Zaheranian naval commanders carried out their duties, but then again, he had little reason to worry about the matter.

Hampton then spoke briefly about the state of the volcano.

"Admiral, can you tell me more about the status of the volcano? I hear that little is known about it, although if there is anything you or your scientists know that may be helpful to me, I can arrange for an expedition to be mounted by a scientific team."

Kahler handed the gold fragment to a servant and took a thoughtfull sip of water. He took up the flight photos the Monavian had provided and studied them carefully.

"We have virtually no information on the status of that volcano. That's partially why it's worrying me. From my very limited knowledge, I don't think there has been any volcanic eruptions in this region in the latest centuries, but I don't know for sure. We need to get some experts down here as soon as possible."

"I can arrange that now if you like," Hampton replie. "I can contact one of my officers on board, my flagship and have her perpare the geologic team in the morning."

He sent a short message to the ship.

Captain Weiss:

Ready the geologic teams for an expedition to the island in the morning. If they can prepare any of their supplies or equipment before nightfall, have that done as well.

Also, expect some assistance from the Zaheranian teams. If you arrive at the volcano, which is the focus of this study, before the Zaheranians, set aside as much space as they need for their camp.

Admiral Hampton

He also sent a coded message to Monavia.

To the Right Honorable Carl Blake, Minister of Defense

Mr. Blake:

The expedition so far has been a success. I will be looking forward to your visit in a month.

Admiral Hampton

Kahler nodded. "Thank you. I'll do the same." He turned to his aide and said a few quiet words. The officer saluted and walked out of the tent. A few minutes later, a message was dispatched to The Emperor's Hammer.


Captain Gelhoff:

Prepare the geological team for an expedition to Mt S.t Therese tomorrow. Have their supplies and equipment readied before dawn. Make sure that they are accompanied by an appropriate security force.

Inform the men that they are to cooperate with a Monavian team, that should arrive at about the same time.

While Admiral Hampton waited fro Kahler to send his message, he stepped out to look into the western horizon. The bright disc of the sun was slowly descending to a point where it would highlight the sillouettes of the ships anchored off the island. Hampton surmised that the sun would set in less than half an hour.

He strode back intot he tent, and drank another glassful of Kahler's wonderful spring water.

Kahler looked up from his desk as Hampton returned. A group of white-clad servants had erected a portable table, which they now were laying with crystal glasses, chinaware and silver cutlery. The admiral gestured to it with a smile.

"Would you mind to join me for supper, Admiral? The kitchen facilities might be a little primitive, but my chefs are first-class. I have been told that today's main course is roast veal with mashed potatoes and steamed vegetables. I recommend the red wine. It's an excellent vintage, a favorite among the wine authorities."

"My friend, it would be my pleasure to join you. I most assuredly accept your kind offer."

Hampton then had his messenger, who had returned with a report of the disposition of the Monavian ships in the waters off the island's coast, to bring back with him a pine box in the stern of his landing boat. The messenger soon returned with the box, and left it inside the tent.

Few people knew about the early life of Admiral Hampton. He had grown up on the outskirts of the capital, in a small township. Many retired people lived there, in addition to factory workers and farmers. His parents' house was located off the main road through their part of town, about a quarter mile from his uncle's farm.

His uncle, who tended vineyards and grain fields, spent much time managing his main farm, though he did not lack time to devote to another plot of land he owned across town. There, he grew vegetable that were sold in the local market, and which often had a habit of ending up on the tables of wealthy retirees in the capital, who purchased them from markets there.

Hampton now remembered the food that his uncle grew, and the pleasant scents that wafted in from the kitchen that Kahler's chefs had prepared only served to remind him of the days when he was a child...

"Excellent, my friend. Let us start out with a little aperitif while we wait for the food to arrive. I'll have my aide bring us some sherry and appetizers."

The young man, who had been waiting in a corner of the tent, snapped to attention as Kahler said his name. The admiral said a few words in German, and the young officer saluted in reply and left the tent, returning a few minutes later with a bottle, two glasses and a small silver tray with a selection of cheese, crackers and olives. He placed it on a small table and filled the glasses, handing them to the admirals. He then returned to his corner, with Kahler's approving stare in his back. The admiral smiled and raised his glass.

"To a long life and a successful mission. Cheers!"

"Cheers, my friend," Hampton replied, clicking his glass against the side of Kahler's. Hampton picked a few choice pieces from the tray and ate them, before proposing a toast of his own.

"Admiral, to our friendship and service. Let it last many years," he said raising his glass of sherry.

A procession of servants entered the tent as Kahler raised his glass in response to Hampton's toast, carrying serving dishes with culinary delights. Kahler smiled.

"Ah, here comes the food. Excellent. Please, admiral, take a seat. Let us see what the chefs can produce out here."

He sat down. A Navy steward filled his and Hampton's glasses with wine, before cutting the roast veal, giving the two naval commanders a couple of slices each. Kahler took a sip of the wine.

"Even better than I remember. It's a family product, actually. My father has a vineyard, and my brother owns the winery. This is one of the better vintages, from 1968 if I remember right. My father gave me a couple of bottles as a reward for helping him with the harvest. Good times."

Hampton took his seat, pausing for but a second or two to admire the fine quality of the veal brought to him. He then spoke to Kahler.

"Good times indeed. A bottle kept unopened for forty years is something not ssen much among my colleagues in the military. I have rarely happened to come upon such a treasure as this." Pausing to taste the wine, Hampton sipped it with great pleasure. Its aged taste impressed him, and thus he was pleased with Kahler's hospitality.

"This is the best wine of its kind, in my own experience, that I have had the chance to drink. I admit that I once tasted a wine much like it, but it was probably imported. Monavian wine, though it is quite renowned by many critics, still has its rivals. Such a vintage as this, at least in my own humble opinion, is surpassed by very few. My compliments to you," he said, almost grinning. The wine was by this time making his face redden, and his usually stern demeanor was being eclipsed by his other, more jovial one.

Hampton then lifted his knofe and fork, dividing up his roast veal, and took a bite of it. A perfect compliment to Kahler's great wine, he thought happily.

Kahler laughted softly and took another sip of the wine.

"Not many people have had the chance to taste it, no. It's very exclusive. As a matter of fact, it's tradition among some of the noble houses to give wine bottles as birthday presents. Often they are never opened. Instead the owner keep it for a year or two as a ornament, a trophy he or she can impress their friends with. Then it is given to another relative or friend. Some bottles can stay in circulation for years. I have heard of one family that still has a bottle made in the fifteenth century."

He shook his head, taking another bite of the veal. The steward began to serve the other dishes, giving the two admiral a sizeable portion of mashed potatoes and steamed vegetables each. Kahler thanked him briefly, then turned back to Hampton.

"And then there are people who invest all their capital in old wine bottles, hoping that the prices will rise over the years. It is a long-time investment, but it usually pays off. A two or three hundred year old bottle often costs about the same as a country estate. The Finance Department is looking into the matter. We don't want another crash like the tulip mania in the Netherlands in the 1630s."

After receiving his portion of vegetables and mashed potatoes, Hampton talked about the Zaheranian customs concerning wine.

"Admiral, the customs of the noble houses intrigue me and only broaden my curiousity. I have, admittedly, never heard about circulating gifts in such a manner for so much time, so I am undoubtably interested in the ways in which you do these things.

"I heard of an old adage that originated long ago, perhaps in the last thousand years. It said that the best gifts are ones that can be given again and again, and thus allow people to keep on giving. So, in this spirit, I will present you with this."

Leaving his seat, Admiral Hampton strode over to the side of the tent, picked up the pine box, and pried it open with a small steel bar that the messenger had left with it.

Inside, enclosed in much padding and packing material, was a bottle of fine champagne. Its value was around 800 thalers per bottle, whereas a normal bottle of table wine might cost only fifteen or twenty thalers. It was not, as some people might believe, purchased form any store.

Nearly ten years earlier, on a visit to his uncle's farm, Hampton was assisting the man in tidying up his cellar. In one of the aging wooden racks against a wall, there were a number of old bottles, gathering dust for a great amount of time, numbering about thirty or so. One of them was a champagne bottle dated 1944, produced during the days of the Vendian Upheaval, when the nation was at war.

Hampton was allowed to keep the bottle as a gift; its value only became apparent, however, when Admiral Hampton had it inspected by a neighbor who owned a wine shop.

The bottle sat in Hampton's wine cellar for oner nine years, before the expedition was announced, and was promptly packeged for delivery to the Zaheranian commander as a gift. Thus was the story of Hampton's gift.

Handing the bottle to Admiral Kahler, Hampton said, "May you and your friends treasure this gift for the ages."

Hampton, his curiousity now reignited by his memory of Kahler's description of the Finance Department and investors' deals, listened intently for Kahler's insight and expertise as he posed the question, "Admiral, what can you tell me of wine investments in Zaheran?"

Kahler admired the champagne bottle, examing it like it was a precious stone. When he spoke again, it was with real emotion in his voice.

"Thank you, my friend. This is a truly generous gift. While I generally prefer to drink my wines, this is something very special, to be saved for a very special day. It will be a reminder of our friendship for many years to come."

He took a sip of the wine and pondered Hampton's question about the wine investments for a moment.

"The tradition among the noble houses to circulate wine bottles is old, probably dating back to the times when the Scirian people first colonised Zaheran and began to grow grapes. But it is first in the latest few years that it has become popular to invest in wine among the general populace. The prices have rised dramatically as demand has increeased: three hundred per cent in just ten years. Many economists are afraid that the bubble will burst someday. That could result in negative consequences for the entire economy. There are many people who have invested their whole fortune in wine bonds. If the bubble bursts, well, you can probably figure what will happen. But at least we are aware of the problem, and the Finance Deaprtment is trying to disarm the bubble."

"A collapse of an entire segment of your economy, especially a segment which has so many people involved in it, would be disasterous, to say the least. Such is what happens when too many people jump onto a single bandwagon and allow speculation to alter the state of supply and demand for a particular product."

Hampton took a breath, and, thinking deeply about what to say next, allowed himself to descend into a brief pause. He soon had more to say on the matter. Some might consider it a piece of friendly advice, others might reluctantly accept it, and still others may outright reject it, viewing it as intrusive or offensive. Nonetheless, the admiral resolved to make a point, if only for the sake of benefiting Zaheranian citizens, not the least of whom was his newly won friend.

"Admiral Kahler, I admit that I have little experience in investing or the buying and trading of stocks and securities. However, after I completed some cursory studies on economics, I have been instilled with confidence in my capacities to share some popular wisdom with friends and associates.

"If I was to be given the option of investing my money in an area of the economy that involved a market with ever changing prices, I would not, to use an ancient proverb, place all of my eggs in one basket, especially a basket that cannot be guaranteed to stay undamaged by outside forces. I have no doubts in the ability of Zaheranian citizens to properly manage their own finances, but I have seen the ravages of economic recessions and depressions in other countries that I have visited.

"As long as the Finance Department is able to handle the matter, I can certainly say, with much pride, that I trust this system. I have only ample respect for your investors as of yet."

Kahler nodded silently. He was impressed by Hampton's knowledge of economics. The admiral had made the same analysis of the situation as the Finance Department.

"You give sound advice, my friend, and I agree completely. The method you proscribed is actually the one the Finance Deprtment is trying. There is currently a public information campaign going on, informing people of the danger of 'putting all of one's eggs in one basket' as you so accurately pointed out. Unfortunately, not all of our citizens are as educated in economics as you are. People have a tendency of only seeing the possible profits, ignoring or overlooking the risks. But as we are aware of the problem, we are quite sure that we will be able to handle a crisis if it comes up."

As Hampton listened to Kahler's words, he sipped down much of the wine in his glass, in order to wash down the vegetables he was eating. He had already finished his portion of the veal, and was considering the idea of requesting seconds.

"I still am left with this question, which has burned intensely in my mind, ever since you first posed the concept of the wine exchange. I have come to the novel idea of expanding the market to include foreign traders, perhaps to allow Monavian citizens as well as others to participate in this economic segment.

"Now, my question to you is this: is it possible to allow foreigners to trade in wines through the methods you have described earlier?"

Kahler gestured to the steward to refill their plates and glasses.

"Well, as you know, our countries agreed on free trade a few months ago, so Monavian producers are able to compete on the wine market on the same terms as domestic producers. What you need is contacts among the sellers. My family is a large producer and has many contacts. We actually operate a number of shops. If you want, I could ask my father to introduce your products. They are of high quality from what I've seen and heard so far, so there shouldn't be any problems in selling."

"As for the trade in old wine bottles, there shouldn't be any problems as long as they are old enough and of good quality."

"That can be arranged shortly." Hampton said in reply. "It is probably for the best that we open up our respective stock exchanges to one another as well. Then again, such an opening would have to be prepared some way or another. I will figure out something."

Hampton ate a little more before he stopped to write a few words on a small card that he kept in his pocket. After he finished, he gave the card to Kahler.

Meanwhile, their conversation continued.

"That would be a political decision, but I will forward your proposal to a relative of mine in the Finance Department. Another of my brothers actually. We are a quite influential family."

Kahler smiled and turned his attention to the food for a couple of minutes, while Hampton wrote on the card. He accepted it and read through it, before placing it in the breast pocket of his uniform.

"While we are on the subject of economics, what can you tell me about the silk market in Monavia? I own twenty-five per cent of a small chain store that specialises in textiles, and we have had our eyes on Monavia for a time. Do you believe that the demand is high enough that introducing our products on the Monavian market would be profitable?"

"The silk market would be quite helpful to the Monavian economy. While a portion of our silk is produced domestically, this portion amounts to only 40% of our total use. Therefore, demand would be high enough to provide Zaheranian companies with very attractive profits."

Hampton then paused briefly, noticing the sun sink lower still as it reached the horizion. Its fringes had now reached the bottom of the sky, and Hampton could observe its glowing disc beginning to wane further still. The clouds, few and far in between by this time, were brightly lit by the fading rays of light that eminated from the setting sun.

Hampton then returned his gaze, which had wandered toward the sunset, back to Admiral Kahler. He then asked him, "What do you have in mind?"

"Very well. So both parts would benefit, then. I'll recommend my companions that starting a branch in Monavia would be a good idea. You'll probably start seeing our products in five months or so. Are there any complicated laws that I should be aware of, just so I'm prepared?"

He looked out on the setting sun and became silent for a moment. His green eyes became dreamy as he watched the last sunrays lit the sky on fire. When he spoke again, it was quietly and a with melancholic smile.

"I love the sea. I always have. When I was younger my grandfather used to take me on fishing trips. We used to be out there for days, with nothing but the gulls to keep us company. Those were the happiest days of my life. We could sit quiet for hours, just listening to the waves and the birds. When I grew up, I joined the Navy the moment I was old enough. The ocean is my first and deepest love, and I always return to her, no matter how much I love my wife and children. She is like the siren of legend, beautiful and deadly, and her call is irresistible."

"Admiral, I am no expert in the legal system governing my nation's economy. I doubt there are very many regulations in the textile industry in terms of trade or money use, though there are plenty of safety requirements and and laws about certain work practices, such as working ages and minimum wages for certain positions. Of course, some of these regulations are done by the industry itself, but the majority are still made by legislatures.

"Five months would no be a very long time to wait for lower prices. If anything, news of such an event would scare certain producers into driving prices up to maximize their profits before they begin to lose their power in the market. Then, as supply begins to pace itself with demand, prices will drop, allowing for more customers to purchase these products."

Admiral Hampton watched the sun sink to its lowest level in the evening thus far as he conversed with Kahler. By the time he finished, the sun was almost halfway below the horizon.

Kahler's story of his childhood brought Hampton to feel slightly tired. Isolated from "proper civilization", which Hampton used to refer to built up areas, on a calm beach with a new colleague, eating such fine foreign cuisine...this was almost like a pleasant dream. Hampton, now lulled into a very mellow mood, stared out into the sky. The first stars would not appear for some time, but that could wait. Hampton wanted to talk more with Kahler over dinner.

Ironically, as the sun shrank to a perfect half-circle, and the people on the island began to prepare for nightfall, a siren split the air.

The siren was coming from a patrol boat, which had ran aground on a small shoal near the beach. The shoal was so small that it could barely be noticed, but that did nothing to negate its dangers. The boat was undamaged, however, and was able to pull itself off and go back to the main body of ships.

"I understand. Then there should be no problem. We have very strict work policies, so I believe that we could adapt to Monavian conditions quite easily. Zaheranian silk is generally of very high quality, and I believe that your compatriots will find it satisfying. I have question, though. The current fashion in my country prescribes clothes in dark colours and slightly old-fashioned cut. Do Monavians prefer something else, or should we stick to our current conc..."

The wailing siren interrupted him. With a curse he rised from his chair and walked to the telt opening, looking out into the twilight. A watch officer arrived and gave him a concise report. Kahler grunted in answer and walked back to the table.

"Someone ran his patrol boat aground. Those hidden shoals can be dangerous if one doesn't keep the concentration up. No serious harm done, it seems. They got the boat afloat again, luckily enough."

"I have no doubts about the ability of the crew to rectify their mistakes, though it would seem unusual for them to encounter difficulties so early on," said Hampton. "Now, on the issue of the silk, variety would make it very competitive in the marketplace. Fashion is a little...behind what some other countries would call cutting edge, at least as a generality.

"I am sure that advertising a little bit of Zaheranian fashion would pique the interests of some of my fellow citizens. Perhaps Monavian fashion can be exported as well."

OUT OF CHARACTER:

Monavian fashion tends to be fairly "conservative", and excessive "bare skin" is frowned upon by a large number of people. It is heavily influenced by eastern European and 1950s American fashion in terms of RL counterparts.

Also, you won't see weird behavior, such as paying T$60.00 for ripped jeans when you can buy three good pairs for that price. In fact, things that look worn out or damaged are generally sold cheap, not for exorbitant prices. [This is based on an RL experience I have had when a girl from school said that she paid sixty dollars for a pair of jeans which looked like they came out of a dumpster.]

"I hope that the Monavian consuments will find Zaheranian fashion interesting. If this little experiment goes well, other parts of the fashion industry will probably be interested in introducing their products on your market. As for your fashion industry, my compatriots would surely enjoy some variety. It would certainly be worth a try."

"Then, if you will allow me, I will give you a list of contacts in the textile market. I have lists of manufacturing contacts from various industries that I keep on board my ship at this time. I can have it delivered to you in the morning."

The disc of the sun was almost completely obscured by the horizon. In a minute or two, it would be all gone, and the pale light would begin to fade into darkness as night approached.

Kahler yawned and looked at his watch. It was getting late and it had been a long day.

"That would be very kind of you. Speaking of the morning, maybe we should get some sleep. I suggest that we meet here again at 09.00 tomorrow to discuss and coordinate the operations of the day. Until then, I bid you farewell."

As Hampton began to walk out of the tent, having finished his dinner and enjoyed the pleasure of Kahler's company, he noticed the last rays of the sun beginning to fade into darkness. The sky directly overhead was already darkened a great deal, and within the hour the whole place would be covered by the inky blackness of night.

Admiral Hampton bade farewell to Kahler, and slowly made his way back to the boats. From there, he returned to his ship, where he prepared for the night. He settled into his quarters, and composed some plans for the work to begin the next day.

After seeing the Monavian admiral disappear into the night, Kahler returned to the tent and ordered the servants to clear the table. They did so with quiet efficiency, and in a metter of minutes the collapsible table and its contents had been removed, along with one of the chairs. Kahler settled back into the other, gratefully accepting a mug of tea from one of the attentive stewards. It had been a productive day, albeit a tiring one. The colonisation process had been initiated with great success, and the dinner with Hampton had certainly been a pleasant experience. Hopefully it would be economically beneficial, too. If Hampton did as he had promised, tomorrow he would recieve a list of contacts in the Monavian industry. That would be very advantageous when his textile company introduced their products on the Monavian market. With some luck, he might be able to double his fortune.

As the night wore on, Hampton finished composing his orders for the next day. He sent them down to the officers who would disseminate them among the crews and the colonists, as well as divide up the work accordingly. He then sat at a desk and read several pages of a treatise on construction, and then placed the book back onto its shelf. Hampton always had a slight interest in engineering, in addition to farming, business, and the Navy. he had spent much of his life cultivating these pursuits, and had, by this time, made much progress.

He now took an old Bible, printed and bound nearly a hundred years before, and read a passage from the New Testament. He finished a few minutes later, and soon said goodnight to his aides. He retired by about ten o'clock that night.

Dawn came early to S:t Therese. Kahler had always been an early riser, having grown up on a farm where the sun was the only alarm clock. He yawned and stretched. He had spent the night sleeping in the chair and his muscles were stiff. A pile of reports were piled on his knees and the floor. He brushed them aside with a irritated sweep of his arm and rose to his feet. His head was aching from a slight hangover. The darkness of the tent prevented him from seeing the figures on his wristwatch, but he guessed it was early. He removed the drapery that covered the tent opening. The sun was rising over the horizon. but he could see no movement in the little camp around him. He looked at his watch. 05.25. The cooks and kitchen personnel would awake in five minutes, the rest would sleep an hour more. Breakfast would be served at seven o'clock. Plenty of time to take care of the remaining reports and compose his orders for the day. With a last glance at the rising sun, he went back into the tent, changed into a fresh uniform and started working.

OOC: I'm going to be away for four days, starting tomorrow. I look forward to continuing this thread when I get back.

As the Zaheranian commander awoke, some of the Monavian colonists began to stir, some of whom were about before dawn. Admiral Hampton himself woke up around 6:00 that morning and prepared for his own morning routine. He spent the next 45 minutes showering, dressing, and making the bed, among other things. By quarter to seven, he had made his way to the bridge, where he read from some of his orders to the crew and then issued them accordingly.

He then travelled to the mess hall, where he conversed with a few of his lower officers, and then went to a separate compartment where he and several others had breakfast.

Kahler had breakfast with his senior officers while he briefed them on the plans for the day. During the night, several ships carrying prefabricated buildings had arrived, which would be used to shelter the colonists during the first phases of the colonisation process. They had also recieved materials for the construction of a small airfield, as well as other basic infrastructure. The officer in charge of the archeological team reported interesting findings in the area where the Monavians had found the jewelry. Kahler decided to declare the excavation area off limits to colonists until it had been thoroughfully examined. A number of other subjects were discussed as the brakfast progressed. Several colonists had been hospitalised after having drinked from a watercourse at the outskirts of the settlement. It was decided that it would be sealed off by the expedition's soldiers until could be examined and hopefully purified. The medical personnel reported that no tropical diseases had been encountered so far. Apart from the incident with the patrol boat, no accidents had been reported aboard the ships. It seemed that everytging was progressing well.

After breakfasting, Admiral Hampton began organizing the movements of his fleet, as well as those of the colonists to begin construction. Equipment was brought in to aid the installment and erection of the prefabricated structures, and more of these structures were also being brought in. Machinery was also being employed to clear a space for the airfield.

Meanwhile, the geologic team was being briefed by Captain Weiss prior to their departure. They would leave in an hour or so, and would meet with their Zaheranian counterparts. From there, they would proceed to the volcano.

Due to the developments that were happening on the beaches, Hampton soon took it upon himself to send an open message to ground personnel. Among the few brief pieces of advice that he transmitted to them, he warned them not to allow any vessels to come too close to uncharted portions of the coastline, in order to avoid a repeat of the previous day's occurrance.

The helicopters carrying the geological team took off from the deck of the helicopter carrier HMS Lothringen at exactly 09.00. Standing outside the tent serving as an officers mess, Kahler could observe them as they came in over the island, heading for the volcano, where they would set up a base and start the surveying. As no roads existed as of yet, supplies and equipment would have to be delivered by helicopter. The situation worried Kahler a little. If the weather got really bad, it was fully possible that the helicopters would not be able to operate normally, and that could be disastrous to the scientists. The admiral had therefore ordered that a road would be cleared through the forest as soon as possible. It would take at least a week to complete, his engineers had told him, but that was better than nothing. And the road would be useful anyway, when the colony had to expand beyond its current boundaries.

After seeing the helicopters disappear behind the mountain, Kahler turned around and looked at the little settlement in the valley below. Construction had already started. Cranes and bulldozers had been brought ashore, and were now enthusiastically put to use by the colonists. Farther away, the runways for the airport had begun to take form. The smell of asphalt could be felt from far away. Everything was progressing according to plan and, amazingly enough, to schedule.

Once the geologic team was fully prepared to depart, and their equipment was completely loaded onto the awaiting helicopters, they left the deck of the Royal Coast Guard ship Juno and proceeded to the volcano summit. They reached the coast by 09:30, and were at their destination by 10:45.

The Zaheranians had already begun to unload their equipment and set up camp, leaving ample space to the other team. A short, stubby man with a Scandinavic appearance, a Zaheranian would instantly have recognized him for a native Eislander, came to meet the Monavians when their helicopters had landed.

"Hello there. Welcome to Mount S:t Therese. I am Maximilian Raustling. I'm responsible for the Zaheranian team up here. Who of you is in charge?"

The Monavian team, which landed about forty yards from the Zaheranians in three helicopters, soon disembarked to find the friendly voice of Maximilian Raustling greeting them. They were led by Professor Walter Thompson, the director of the Federal Geological Institute in Ravenna. He strode toward Raustling, and then spoke in reply.

"I am Professor Thompson, the leader in command of this geologic expedition. I shall also introduce to you the ranking members of my team." He soon went down the line and introduced a few people, the rest also offering their names soon after. Professor Thompson soon walked back toward the helicopter to retrieve some maps and surveying equipment.

Raustling greeted the Monavians with a smile. He then walked back to his own team to supervise the unloading of the equipment, especially the fragile and expensive spectrometers that would be used to analyse the emission of volcanic gases. Other equipment included seismographs, communication equipment, tiltmeters,total stations and leveling instruments. He had equipment carried into a tent, where the sensitive electronics would be protected against powers of the weather. An assistant handed some maps and satellite photos the team had been issued before they leaved the ship, which he began to study.

Professor Thompson and several of his assistants began to set up a staging area for their supplies. New places were observed from afar, including some distant hills in the landscape.

OOC:

I have a few questions, which I believe will clear up some ambiguity in this thread.

1. You said previously that the island was the size of RL Madagascar. Just where on the island is the volcano, and where is the base camp?

2. How old is the volcano? This should help to determine if it could ever be active.

3. Are there any other geographic details that I should be aware of in RPing my character movements and such?

OOC: I should probably have done this sooner, looking in hindsight. Anyway, here goes.

http://i197.photobucket.com/albums/aa139/trert/Theresesianmap.jpg

I hope that answers your questions about the terrain and locations. For the volcano, it is about the size of Mount Etna(3,329 meters high, covers an area of 1,190 square km and with a basal circumference of 140 km). It is about one million years old.

OOC:

Thanks, this works perfectly. Due to the age of the volcano, I can say that it would not be very likely to be active, although it still has a chance of being so. There are, after all, some volcanoes that still remain active after long periods of time.

IC:

Another one of the scientists, one Daniel Troutman, walked over to Rautling. He asked him, "Are you planning a trip to the crater any time soon?"

Rautling nodded and smiled.

"As a matter of fact, we are. I was thinking of mounting an expeditiion tomorrow to try to locate the rater. Unforunately, the helicopters can't land up there, so we'll have to walk. Have any experience with mountain climbing?

"You are in luck," said Troutman. "I have been a mountaineer and a volcanologist for the lats ten years. Walking shall not be a problem, although I do have the means for carrying some of the heavier materials farther up the mountain."

Troutman referred to a set of three large ATV type tractors, which were modified for climbing up steep grades. They were not very large, but whatever was too heavy to carry on foot all of the way could be carried up for most of the distance, at least until the terrain was too difficult for it to pass.

The ATVs were good news to Rautling, as the Zaheranian team did not yet have these excellent machines. He was sure they would make a big difference when it came to hauling equipment up the mountain.

"That is good news. It is good to know that we won't have to carry all the equipment on our backs when we make our ways upward. Are any more of you Monavians coming with us, or will you be the only one? From us, it will be me and three more."

"Professor Thompson has twenty-four people here in all. Four of them, counting myself, are planning on accompanying your team. The remainder is busying itself with setting up the other monitering equipment." Troutman said.

Just then, as he had finished with Rautling, Professor Thompson approached. "Dr. Troutman, take these other three people with you." He was indicating the three others thta would drive the ATVs up the mountainside. These, in addition to Troutman and the three others, made a total of seven Monavians.

Rautling did some quick arithmetic in his head. Eleven men all in all, then, with the ATV drivers included. That was a bit more than he had originally intended, but as the ATVs would make it possible to take more and heavier equipment with them, he had no reason to object.

"I suggest that we meet here tomorrow at seven-thirty. This mountain is quite high, so it will take a while to reach the top. How rough terrain can those ATVs handle? My pilots tell me that it's quite steep farther up."

"These ATVs can travel up gardes up to twenty percent, from what I remember. They can carry roughly 500 pounds of equipment, give or take about 100 pounds. Would that be sufficient?"

"That should be sufficient. Useful machines, those are. What manufacturer do you buy them from? I think the Institute would be very interested in acquiring a few of these machines."

"The manufacturer is Talus Machinery Incorporated. This particular model is a D-4400." He produced a pocket calculator from his front coat pocket. After hitting a few numbers, he continued. "They cost around 3,500 Thalers per unit, which translates to 4,935 USD."

Rautling took out a calculator of his own.

"That should translate to 4,080 reichmarks. That isn't too expensive. I will recommend that the Institution places an order as soon as possible. D-4400, you said? And from Talus Machinery Incorporated?"

He wrote down the name of the company and the model in a little notebook.

"That would be correct," Troutman said. "The D-Series is made for rough terrain, such as what we have here. I remember that the only series better than this one is the E-Series, but its models are almost twice as expensive."

"We will take look at the catalogue of Talus Machinery Incorporated, as their products seems to be very useful in terrain such as what we have here. The inhabitants of Eisland might be interested too. The road network of my home province is quite primitive, unfortunately. The only way to get anywhere in the inland is by horse. These machines might come in handy to solve that problem."

"I will have to rummage through the document office on board the research ship Juno, where my team is quartered. On board, there should be a catalog to look at, since new machinery is ordered often when necessary."

"That would be most kind of you. Now, if you excuse me, I must go to check if my men are finished unloading our equipment. The lazy bastards have a tradition of slacking off when I'm not supervising them. Remember, tomorrow morning at seven-thirty."

"Very well," Dr. Troutman said. "Until then, I will be assisting Professor Thompson and the team with finishing the unloading."

He then returned to the site where, in about an hour, he had finished his work and sat upon a rock to rest.

Rautling walked back to his men, who as he had suspected weren't working at all, merely sitting on some rocks and drinking coffee. After having spent ten minutes or so telling them off, he suspiciously supervised the unloading of the remaining equipment. After the work was finished, a group of three volunteers was sent away to try to locate a water source, while the rest went to collect firewood. While they had spirit stoves, Rautling wanted to save the fuel for days when they couldn't light a fire. Soon a bonfire was crackling, and the first party returned with their buckets full of fresh water. Within a few minutes, the smell of food filled the air.

By the time that Rautling's team had begun to prepare their food, the equipment was fully unloaded and was almost done being set up. The Monavians had also brought some food along, and begun to set up their own stoves near those of the Zaheranians, though slightly removed.

The early afternoon meal was soon prepared, and Professor Thompson offered to trade ethnic cuisines with the Zaheranians.

Rautling and his comrades heartily accepted and brought forward the food they had been preparing. The pots contained the characteristic Zaheranian boiled potato dumplings, filled with minced meat. They were served with a sour cream sauce and boiled vegetables. One of the geologists went to the helicopter to get a beer crate he had brought with him, returning with his arms full of Zaheranian low-alcohol lager and the helicopter pilots.

Professor Thompson was only too happy to return the favor. He offered some of his own native dishes, notably a series of small salted beef sausages and a soup made from chopped mushrooms, carrots, and chicken suspended in a light and airy broth. The most striking feature of the whole assortment was the large loaves of fire baked wheat bread stuffed with powdered garlic and topped with ground spices of varying assortments. This, in addition to some soft white cheese that seemed to almost melt in the mouth of whoever ate it, made for a modest, yet highly pleasing meal.

The lunch was quite simple and modest, but delightful even so. The Zaheranians sat on the smooth lava stones and ate, chatting with their Monavian counterparts. Rautling was chewing on a slice of bread and cheese, which he had found to be rather to his liking. The sun was shining from a bright blue sky, the birds in the trees were singing. A light breeze brought the smell of the sea to his nostrils. It was a fine day, and he felt entirely content. His colleagues were enjoying themselves too. It seemed that they got along well with the Monavians, so cooperation between the teams would hopefully not be a major problem.

As the geologic teams ate, the day began to shift from a rising sun to a setting one. High noon soon passed, and by about the time that the midday breezes began to blow over the sides of the volcano, the pleasantries enjoyed by both groups seemed to only grow ever better.

Dr. Troutman finished early, having eaten more quickly than his colleagues, and had decided to go up the side of the mountain for a stroll. After ascending about a hundred feet up or so, he felt less energetic and walked down, awaiting the day when he would be able to climb to the top.

Rautling had too finished his meal. He had noted that Troutman had disappeared, probably to take a stroll. And why not? The nature was certainly beautiful, and completely pristine. It had been several hundred years since a human being last walked in the forests and climbed the mountains. The birds were signing innocently in the forest below, unaware that a time of change was coming. The forests would fall, as always, for the bulldozer that was 'civilisation'. A pity. But such was the course of humanity. It would never change. And he would do his part in it. With a sigh he rose from his seat. There was work to do.

Dr. Troutman returned to check the equipment, and to moniter readings for certain devices. He found no problems so far, and opened up a small insulated cooler with dessert: chocolate covered fruit. He had taken some fruit the night before, and dumked each piece in chocolate, before refrigerating them to take as dessert. He had brought several pounds of it, and soon began to pass out bowls of the stuff to the members of each team.

As with the rest of the Monavian cuisine, Troutman's dessert was immensely popular among the Zaheranians. Although somewhat improvised, the chocolate-covered fruit appealed to the taste of the Zaheranian team, and many of the geologists wrote down the the 'recipe' in their notebooks, to use at future parties and picnics.

In his tent, Rautling was looking at the photos the pilots had provided him with, trying to find a good route to take at the following day's expedition.

While Professor Thompson was known widely as a geologist and a professor of the natural sciences, he did have in his possession a degree in archeology. He had received word of the finds being unearthed at the beach by the Zaheranians, which piqued his interest. He walked over to Rautling, picked up a rock, and rapped it against a larger one outside the tent, as if he were to knock on a door. He then drew back the opening to speak with Rautling.

"Sir, I have a little question that has seemed to possess me for a while. Can you elaborate on the nature of the finds being discovered at the beach?" he asked.

Rautling turned around and gave Thompson a welcoming smile, amused by his creative way of knocking.

"Certainly. From what I have heard, we have found several pieces of jewelry, five to six hundred years old, weapons from the same epoch and ceramics that are a bit older. There have also been finds of an old settlement, which predates the other finds, the archeologists date it to around the thirteenth century. That the finds I know about, but there may be even more."

"If the remains are already this extensive," began Professor Thompson, "then it would be wise to rope off an even larger area near the initial find. This woulf also prevent damage to the site by construction."

As the geologic teams were completing their work on the mountain for the day, the Monavian construction crews were surveying land, marking out places for new buildings, and drawing plans for future expansions. Already, more permanent shelter was being erected for the colonists on the island, and new temporary quarters were being built on the beachside to house colonists, so that some of the ships could be freed up to return with more supplies.

"A wise idea. I will recommend to the archeological team that they do so. They have probably already thought of it, but it is worth to check."

____________________________

The Zaheranians, as well, were erecting shelters. A simple but functioning was rapidly developing on the beach, consisting of mostly temporary housing, but more and more permament buildings were in the process of being erected. The work on the airfield was progressing. With the first runway halfway completed and work on other airport facilities started, the high command planned to have it functioning within two weeks.

Professor Thompson then bade Rautling fairwell, and went back toward the setup near the landed helicopter, where he again checked his equipment readings.

Down by the beach, a helipad was beginning to be built, and the site of three more was being prepared for construction, starting the next day.

Bump to prevent loss.

Bump to prevent loss.

OOC: Copy the link and then paste that link on a wordpad or something so that if it falls off the page you just have to copy the link from your wordpad and then your back. :)

OOC: Copy the link and then paste that link on a wordpad or something so that if it falls off the page you just have to copy the link from your wordpad and then your back. :)

Thank you. :wink:

OOC: There is also a very handy subscription service under 'Thread Tools'. It have proven very useful for me. :)

Rautling nodded farewell to his Monavian colleague. He then went back to checking through his flight photos.

At the beach, an engineer battalion was busy trying to build a small harbour to make unloading of the ships easier. Five piers, each reaching about two hundred meters into the sea, were being built. Steel poles were drilled into the ocean floor. Reinforced concrete was then added in the spaces between them, creating a firm and strong structure that could withstand both waves and storms. One pier had already been finished and the engineers were halway done with the second. Within the week, the structures would be finished. The engineer battalion would then begin to work on a large breakwater farther out, so that the unloading efforts would become even more effective, even in storm.

OOC: There is also a very handy subscription service under 'Thread Tools'. It have proven very useful for me. :)

I always wondered how subscribing works.

IC:

By mid afternoon, the geologic team was preparing to depart. Nearly a thousand more colonists had by this time landed on the island, to begin the construction of even more living spaces. They also made plans on how to occupy them shortly thereafter.

OOC: All threads you subscribe to appears in your User CP, in the section called 'Subscribed Threads'. Click on 'List Subscriptions' to see the threads you have subscribed to.

IC:

The Zaheranians, as well, were readying themselves for the expedition, checking their equipment and stuffing supplies into their rucksacks. In the camp/settlement down at the beach, Kahler and his officers were planning an expedition to explore the forests and the lands to the west, as the number of colonists was rapidly growing and more land would be needed soon.

IC:

Around 17:00 in the afternoon, the Monavian team prepared to board the helicopters, leaving behind certain supplies. The ninety minute trip back would see the sky darken as night approached.

The Juno rolled slowly with the gentle waves of the sea, being rocked back and forth by the action of the ever-moving water. The helicopter soon came in, landing at 18:30.

OOC:

Do you think that you can overlay the expedition routes on the map, or update it from time to time?

The Zaheranians were preparing to spend the night on the mountain, both as matter of convenience, as they would not have to get up early to get back to the camp, and to safeguard the equipment and supplies against animal scavengers and other dangers. The tents were large and comfortable, so the geologists had no reason to complain. A light evening meal was being prepared as the Monavians leaved, and the men sat down around the bonfire, enjoying the delightful scents of food and each others company.

OOC: Will do. I'll get an updated map up tomorrow or Thursday.

Once the monavians had arrived on their research vessel, the captain radioed a report to Admiral Hampton, explaining the day's progress. The Admiral dispatched another transport vessel, now emptied of all passengers and their supplies, to make a return trip to Monavia to pick up more equipment and building materials.

On board Hampton's flagship, Captain Weiss dangled a thin line from a fishing rod over the side. He felt a slight increase in the tension of the line, and reeled in a piece of driftwood. It was the third such piece that he had pulled up in an hour. He cast his line again as the sun set, and pulled up a small fish five minutes later. It was a scrawny and pitiful little creature, not worth bothering to prepare for eating. Captain Weiss threw it back, and continued to fish, although he pulled up nothing else that night.

Two more of the gigantic transport vessels, having unloaded their human cargo, left the fleet and headed north to pick up more colonists and equipment. Nearly four thousand Zaheranians had now moved ashore. More and more houses were in the process of being added to the rapidly growing settlement, buildings materials being consumed as soon as they arrived. A small-scale timber industry had been started on the edge of the forest by a group of smart contractors. At the moment it only consisted of a sawmill and two harvesters, but the owners were planning to expand as the colony grew larger. Other pioneers were planning to start producing cement, but so far no natural deposits of alite had been found.

In the camp on the volcano, the scientists ate their meal and went to sleep, leaving the bonfire burning to keep wild animals away. A fire guard was appointed to keep an eye on it so it would not get out of control.

Bump?

Edit: New Map (http://i197.photobucket.com/albums/aa139/trert/Theresesianmap2.jpg)

The next morning, Admiral Hampton received a brief report about the progress of the geological team's initial expedition. He ordered them out again, this time earlier, to meet with the Zaheranians. At 10:15, they arrived at the camp.

Industrial machinery was being prepared for installation in a new factory, which would be used to produce new building materials. This was being either airlifted in by helicopters, or carried in by heavy trucks, driving along the newly-built piers.

To signal their arrival, Professor Thompson rang a brass bell which he kept on board the helicopter when they got within a hundred yards of the landing site. Its shrill ring could be heard throughout the mountainside.

The Zaheranian team had been awake for about an hour and a half. They had enjoyed a rather large breakfast provided by the team's excellent cooks before they started on the day's work. Rautling and the men who would participate in the expedition to the vocano crater were readying their equipment. When something as unusual as a the chimes of a bell reached them they abandondoned their work and looked out of the tents. They saw the Monavians returning, and many smiled at their eccentric way of announcing their arrival.

Professor Thompson, upon observing the Zaheranians acknowledge their arrival, lept form the helicopter as it touched town on the side of the volcano. Dr. Troutman followed close behind him, carrying an extra gas can to power the ATVs. The team disemabarked.

Within five minutes, the ATVs were ready for action, though the men and their equipment would take a few more minutes longer to ready. Dr. Troutman handed a catalogue, bound like a pamphlet yet having nearly a hundred pages inside, to Rautling.

"This catalogue contains some details about ordering new ATVs and equipment from Talus Machinery, Inc."

Rautling gestured to the expedition members to gather their equipment. He nodded to Thompson and Troutman and took the catalogue with a grateful smile.

"Thanks. I'll look through it when I have the time. Are you ready to leave?

"Thanks. I'll look through it when I have the time. Are you ready to leave?

"I think that we are almost ready to proceed." Troutman looked at another geologist behind him. "How long?" he asked.

"About two more minutes." said the geologist. "This ATV has a small problem with the battery."

Troutman was well aware of the battery issues that plagued the expedition. The original battery had been damaged, so a new one was put in, although it didn't work, due to being dropped into water by accident. "Have a new one put in when we get back to the ship." Troutman said.

Rautling watched the two men discuss. Battery problems with the ATV. Well, they could do without that one. No problems, they would just have to carry more on their own backs, like they had done in the old days. He gave Troutman a reassuring smile.

"Problems? Don't worry. We just have to divide the equipmernt that thing would carry among our own backpacks. It'll get a little heavier, but I'll think we'll manage. Are the other ATV's working?"

"They are," Troutman said, "but it will still be able to carry the material up to the steeper part of the mountain. From there, it will have to be left behind and we will have to carry the extra weight ourselves up the steeper part. Still, we will have a brief reprieve."

The sound of the engine raoring back to life interrupted Troutman, who notice that it was working again, albeit poorly. He loaded up the last of the gear and put it into gear.

Within moments, the Monavians were ready to proceed and began to make their way away from the camp. Professor TRhompson spoke to Rautling.

"I believe that we are all ready to go. I will follow you up the slope."

EDIT: I have bumped up the Internal Tensions thread. No one seems to be posting... :(

Rautling nodded.

"Do so. Very well, let's go, then."

He slung the rucksack over his back and began to walk up the slope, followed by the others. He gave the ATV a suspicious glance. The thing seemed to have come back to life, but he still suspected that it would break down again, sooner or later.

OOC: Well, the natural reaction of my government would be to wait and see, but I will see if i can get a post up.

The two groups proceeded up the side of the mountain for about twenty minutes, before stopping briefly to observe the path ahead. Jagged boulders and rough foliage covered the side where the trail continued upward. The ATV still functioned normally, although its engine seized up on occasion as it climbed over bumps. The other two were in perfect working order.

By the time that the teams had arrived at the steeper part of the mountain, they were slightly fatigued. Professor Thompson ordered the group to stop, so that everyone could catch their breaths. Professor Thompson and Dr. Troutman went over to Rautling.

"I believe that we should travel in advance for a short while, to make sure that the path ahead is passable. If there is nay impassible terrain, then we will have to find another way through the area." Thompson said.

Meanwhile, Troutman had gone back to the ATV to help unload it. He piled some spare supplies into his pack, and then went back over to where Rautling stood.

OOC: Sorry for my absence. I've had major problems with my internet connection.


IC:

When they finally stopped for rest, Rautling was breathing heavily. Although he hated to admit it, he was growing older, and he didn't train as much as he knew he should. He took a plastic water bottle from his rucksack and downed half in one gulp. At least the view was fantastic. From where he stood, he could see a fantastic panorama of pristine forest, stretching to the horizon. He was so absorved by the fantastic sight that it took him few seconds to absorb what Thompson had said. With an effort, he pulled his eyes away from the view and turned to face the two Monavians.

"True. Well, let's get moving, then."

OOC: Sorry for my absence. I've had major problems with my internet connection.

OOC:

I have updated some other threads, including Internal Tensions.

IC:

Professor Thompson and Rautling began to ascend the side of the volcano, toward the higher elevations. After going up for a few minutes, Thompson found no impassible terrain that was nearby. He descended and ordered the group to proceed, until it became too steep for the ATVs to continue. The defective one was driven up another hundred feet or so, before being turned off to prevent it from getting stuck, as its engine began to lose power. It would have enough to make it back down, so it was left where it was.

After spending several hours walking and climbing up the increasingly steeper mountain side, the team stopped for rest on a plateau, about 2,000 meters above the sea. A kilometre or so remained to the top. Rautling wiped the sweat from his brow with an handkerchief which he produced from his shirt pocket. Far above him, the snow-covered mountain peak glittered in the sun. He hoped that they would be able to reach it before the sun went down, as the prospect of spending the night on the chilly mountain side didn't appeal to him in the slightest.

Both teams continued up for a while longer, until it was about 4:00 in the afternoon. By then, the terrain became too steep for them to climb. They were unloaded, and the Monavians continued up without them.

The final part was the hardest. The scientists had to climb up the final hundred meters of the snowy slope using ropes, crampons and ice axes, an operation which took over two hours. But it was well worth the effort. From the mountain peak, one could see nearly whole the inland of the island. The forest stretched outwards from the volcano for many miles. Closer to the coast grass-covered plains took over, and to the north and west one could see the blue ocean. Rautling took a deep breath of the fresh air. He searched through his rucksack and found a neatly folded flag, which he tied to a collapsible aluminium pole one of his colleagues handed him. Soon the Zaheranian flag was flying in the hard wind on the highest point on the island, a symbol of the new times that had come to S:t Therese. Rautling watched it for a few minutes with a proud expression. He then turned to his Monavian counterparts.

"Well, with the ceremonies finished, let us find the main crater. It should be somewhere in the vicinity."

After the ceremonies had taken place, Professor Thompson took several photographs of the volcano and the landscape, so as to provide a record of the expedition's progress.

They soon were on their way toward the crater.

It took another hour before one of the scientists found the crater, a few hundred meters beneath the peak. It was about five hundred meters in diameter. Rain and melting snow had filled the depression, creating a beautiful crater lake with wonderously clear water. Despite its innocent looks, Rautling decided to not let anyone drink from it until a chemical analysis could be carried out to reveal if it was posionous. As the volcano hadn't been active in many hundred, if not thousand, years, it would probably be harmless, but he wasn't taking any chances with the health of his team.

The sight of the marvelous crater lake enthralled the Monavians. Only a few of them had seen such a pristine and majestic lake, and the spectacle still held their wonder and amazement for some time. When they finally remembered to descend farther down the crater, they photographed several important geologic formations and examples of plant life.

Professor Thompson radioed the Juno, telling them that they had safely arrived at the crater.

The Zaheranian team snapped some pictures of the crater lake and its environment. They then began the difficult descent down the steep slope down to the crater itself. On several occasion they had to use rope and climbing equipment to get down particulary difficult precipices. It took a while, but then they were finally standing on a small plateau, only a few meters above the water. For the first time ever, human eyes looked out over the lake and into its clear water. A geologist was even lowered down to the surface itself to take samples of the water, which would be analysed once they returned to the camp.

By now, night was fast approaching. The samples were taken as soon as possible, and the pictures being taken were being copied. The volcano seemed to be at peace, but a feigned period of silence was the worst of all dangers here. The results of the sampling would determine whether the island was completely suitable for colonization, and if it was safe for long-term habitation.

With the night fastly approaching, the team hastily made their way down the mountain again, not wanting to spend the night on the mountain. When they reached the ATV's again, the sun was going down behind the mountain, and when they finally reached the camp, it had disappeared completely behind the horizon. The samples were placed in sanitary bags, so that they would not be contamined by other materials. Rautling then nodded goodnight to the Monavians and went to bed, completely exhausted. Most of the Zaheranians did the same.

The Monavians set up camp for the night, having a short dinner of roasted beef and pan fried rice. They were soon preparing to sleep around 8:00 that night.

Down at the beaches, construction slowed down as the darkness spread over the land. They crews put away their tools, and work was halted for the night by 9:30 that night. The report of the day was soon sent to Admiral Hampton.

Rautling awoke early the next morning. When he looked at his watch he saw that the time was 06.21. It was his time to make breakfast, so after a quick dip in one of the many rivulets running down the mountain side, he lit a small fire and began to make coffee. A half-dozen eggs went into the frying pan, as did a packet of bacon. One after one, yawning scientists crawled out of their tents and collected a plate with scrambled eggs, two slices of bacon and a strong slice of bread, together with a cup of coffee. With his cooking duties finished, Rautling took his own plate and sat down on a smooth volcanic stone, enjoying the breeze against his face. He ate slowly, enjoying the simple but deligthful food and the beautiful scenery. When he was finished, he handed his plate and mug to the man who handed the day's dishes. Streutz, the chemist, was walking towards the tent that functioned as his workplace. Rautling waved to him and walked over.

"Are the tests of the water from the crater lake finished?"

The man shone up and nodded enthusiastically.

"Yes. Found nothing. The water is completely clean. This volcano has been dormant for some time, I would say. Completely harmless to drink, even more pure than what you get from the tap at home."

Rautling thanked him and walked back towards his own tent, content with what he had been told.

Professor Thompson awoke early, some time around 05:45, though he never checked his watch until about 06:30. He had by then gotten dressed and laid some dry twigs and kindling on the smoldering coals which remained of the fire he had built the previous night, and soon had a small campfire burning again. He doused a large piece of wood in lighter fluid and then dropped it in the center with a shovel, allowing it to burn for the next half hour or so, after which time, the other expedition members would add their share of the labor to buillding it up.

He approached Rautling's camp, which was but a few yards away, and asked about the condition of the water sample tests. He was quite hungry, and was enticed further by the scent of the eggs and bacon.

Dr. Troutman and several other scientists were also getting up by now, and were preparing some breakfast. Dr. Troutman's associate from college, a geologist named Benedict Andretti, was already awake and arranging his gear for the day, as he was expecting the others to be preparing breakfast for the day.

OOC:

Bump. Check out my new Factbook for 2009. Also, I have updated Internal Tensions.

OOC: Must have missed you post somehow, my apologies.

Rautling nodded to the Monavian as he approached the Zaheranian camp.

"Good morning. The water samples have been analysed. They are completely clean. There should be no problems with drinking it."

_______________________


Down at the settlemen by the shore, the settlers were beginning to wake up and start the day's work. The engineer battalion working on the harbour continued their work with the piers. The first and second pier had already been finished, and they were now working on the third. The first two were already in use by colonist carriers and the dozens of other ships that provided the growing colony with everything it needed to survive.

Another prioritised project was a power station that could at least give some parts of the city electrical power. Eventually, Admiral Kahler's engineers planned to build an hydroelectric power plant in one of the streams that flowed down the mountain slope, but for now, they sated with a small coal-fueled plant to the north of the city. Coal was something Zaheran had in abundance, and though not exactly environmentally friendly, it was a cheap source of power for a small colony with a limited budget.

"That is quite good to hear. I will mention it and find a way to carry some of it down with us if necessary."

--------------------

At the beaches and the coast, Monavian workers built portions of a road for connecting the piers to the inner portions of where the city would be. Within a week, the road would be completed. At the site where the power plant was being built, lines and cables were being laid in trenches which extended for a hundred yards or so away from the building's location. Power lines and poles were to be added as well, but at a later date.

OOC:

THIS IS MY 800TH POST!

OOC: Congratulations. :)

IC:

Rautling nodded.

"Do so. Have you found anything else of interest?"

____________________

After the incident with the colonists who had been hospitalised after drinking from a watercourse near the settlement, Admiral Kahler had sealed off the area and had it investigated by a team of chemists. They quickly concluded that the poisoning had been caused by bacterial contamination of the water, probably by E. coli. Until a water purification plant could be constructed, they decided to seal off the watercourse. Fortunately, there were many other water supplies in the vicinity, so the problem was not very grave.

"I have found no signs of settlement in the crater or its vicinity. I doubt that there would be any, as this is not a very good place to build a settlement. I can see for some distance away, almost to the coast on the opposite side of the island, but I still cannot see the ruins. We should organize a brief mission to explore that part of the island, but not yet.

"There appear to be several layers of sedementary rock covering some of the volcanic formations around here. This can mean either of two things: first, it can mean that the volcano has not fully covered all of its faces with new lava flows in the past, or secondly, that it has been dormant so long that parts of its surface have been covered up by compressed sediments. I will need to further examine the rocks here to draw a conclusion."

"I think that Admiral Kahler is planning to mount an expedition to explore the inner parts of the island and the west coast soon, although he has more pressing matters to deal with right now. But I believe that he shares your views on the subject. To excavate the ruins of the former settlement would be of high scientific value. Personally, I'm specially interested in what killed the first settlers."

He looked up towards the mountain rising above them and studied it for a few seconds.

"As for the volcano, we have concluded our search for previous eruptions. Logically, if there had been an eruption here, our ancestors would have noticed, the mainland is not far from here. And since we have records from as early as the eleventh century, we hoped that we might find something. But we have found no mentions of neither tsunamies nor earthquakes. Likewise, the geological search has been resultless. We contacted the Zaheranian Geological Institute. Apparently, the only layers of volcanic ashes found in the region is over a million years old."

"Whatever killed off the first settlers still remains elusive, but I have heard that it is some form of disease. Perhaps a lethal plague, or a virus? Whatever it is, it was able to swiftly overcome everyone and could not be stopped, save by allowing it to spread and kill off all possible hosts, where it would then lack any other place to live.

"The absence of eruptions on any records will explain the lack of any activity being reported, yet, I do not know if the historians ever took into account the possibility that smaller eruptions, or even ventings of the main lava conduit may have occured which could not be seen form the mainland."

Rautling nodded thoughfully.

"True. But it is a strong indicator that there haven't been any major eruptions during the latest centuries. We will of course conduct tests on this island too, once we have the necessary resources. If we don't find any ash layers younger than those we found on the mainland and on the other islands, we can quite safely assume that this vulcano has been dormant for some time."

"Very well, perhaps it then is safe to say that there is little or no danger of an eruption, and thta the original plague is the only danger yet to be eliminated from a possible list of threats."

"Let us hope so. If it was a epidemy that killed of the original settlers, we don't want to encounter it, although we could probably handle it. After all, the medical science has progressed greatly over the last decades. But it is probably extinct by now. The last hosts must have died a long time ago."

"That is very good to hear. I will return to the camp to prepare the equipment and the team for the next phase of this expedition on the mountain."

Rautling nodded goodbye to the Monavian and walked back to his own camp. The next phase of the expedition, at least for the Zaheranian team, was to place out seismographs and other surveying equipment around the volcano to see if it was still geologically active. They would also try to locate the main magma chamber. Rautling suspected that the volcano had been dormant for a very long time, but it was worth checking out if there still was magma in the underground. If there wasn't, if the volcano had cooled of completely, the risk of eruption was almost non-existant. But if there was, pressure could be building up in a hidden chamber under the mountain, ready to erupt in a non too distant future.

Once Professor Thompson had returned to his camp, he ordered the crew to pack up their supplies and equipment for the next phase of the expedition. He had several ground measurements collected and placed surveying markers around the hillside.

At the beaches, the road to the power plant and the underground cables were nearing completion, but still would require a few days to be in full working order. The plant would take some rime to be made operational, but that otherwise, construction all over the island was proceeding at a rate of such speed as was never seen on the island before...

Rautling assembled a three man team, lead by his trusted assistant Dr. Vanheim, to scout the mountainside for suitable locations for surveying equipment and mark out passable routes. Some of the scientific equipment weighed a lot and would have to be carried to their assigned locations by ATV's or other mechanical transports. Rautling wanted to make sure that the machines would get past the difficult terrain that covered parts of the hillside.

_____________________________

The timber industry had blossomed as more and more settlers arrived to the island and the demand for building materials skyrocketed. Five large sawmills now supplied the colony with wood products, employing a solid 200 people. The city, yet unnamed, was growing rapidly, with the construction companies barely being able to keep up with the ever-increasing demand for more housing.

As timber frames began to rise above the ground, c0ncrete foundations were being poured all across the new building sites. When they had hardened, new fromes and floors would be added. Roads were now being surveyed, as sewer and electrical lines were being laid into trenches, and water pipes were being brought in.

A water tower and treatment plant were also being planned for later. As time passed by, the city would rise to become one capible of housing and employing all of the colonists.

The work on the airport had been progressing according to schedule. With the two main runways finished, the construction crews had begun to work on hangars and a small passenger terminal. An control tower would be added later, when traffic became heavy enough to mandate it.

With the five piers finished at the harbour, the engineer battalion had started to work on the next project: a breakwater that would protect the harbour against the storms often ravaged the sea outside. The construction was simple but effective. Twenty large blocks of reinforced concrete were lowered into the quite shallow water two hundred and fifteen meters out from the shore. They had been specially manufactured by a civic engineering contractor to fit admiral Kahler's specifications, and were lowered into their positions by a custom-made barge with an attached crane.

Bump

OOC:

Please excuse my prolonged and uncontrollable absence. I have had a hard drive crash which has kept me offline for two weeks.

IC:

New roads were soon linking the airport, harbor, and central portion of the town together. Power lines were also extended to provide permanent electrical energy sources to the rapidly expanding infrastructure.

Admiral Hampton soon wired a telegram to his Zaheranian counterpart.

Admiral Kahler:

Now that we have many of our facilities built, we can begin to move more colonists onto the land. What is the status of the construction progress?

OOC: I see.

Admiral Kahler recieved the message in his newly built headquarters, a two-storey wood building in the centre of the settlement that functioned both as a administrative centre and a headquarter for the military, such as it was. The admiral's office overlooked a small town square halfway into the process of being paved. A naked lightbulb lighted up the sterile room. The only pieces of furniture was a simple desk and an office chair. Apart from a laptop with satellite internet standing on the desk, no personal possessions could be seen. Kahler himself was slumbering in the chair with a report from the Land Allocation Office open in his lap. Sleep had been somewhat of a luxury for the latest weeks. As the colony grew, so did the pile of administrative work. The admiral had spent the night going through reports of everything from sewage treatment to expansions of the electric power plants.

A gentle knock on the door awoke him. Hid aide, a young army lieutenant, poked his head into the room.

"Sir, we have recieved a message from Admiral Hampton. He is inquiring about the status of the construction process."

Kahler grunted in reply and rose to his feet. He took the envelope the man held out and sank back into the chair. He read through the short message a couple of times. He then produced a pencil and a paper from a drawer and began to wite a reply. Ten minutes later, the answering message was dispatched to Admiral Hampton.


Everything is proceeding according to schedule. The construction of basic infrastructure will be finished in another week, and can easily be expanded to include new city districts. The airport will be opened to traffic in two days and the harbour is already fully operational.

OOC: I see.

Admiral Kahler recieved the message in his newly built headquarters, a two-storey wood building in the centre of the settlement that functioned both as a administrative centre and a headquarter for the military, such as it was. The admiral's office overlooked a small town square halfway into the process of being paved. A naked lightbulb lighted up the sterile room. The only pieces of furniture was a simple desk and an office chair. Apart from a laptop with satellite internet standing on the desk, no personal possessions could be seen. Kahler himself was slumbering in the chair with a report from the Land Allocation Office open in his lap. Sleep had been somewhat of a luxury for the latest weeks. As the colony grew, so did the pile of administrative work. The admiral had spent the night going through reports of everything from sewage treatment to expansions of the electric power plants.

A gentle knock on the door awoke him. Hid aide, a young army lieutenant, poked his head into the room.

"Sir, we have recieved a message from Admiral Hampton. He is inquiring about the status of the construction process."

Kahler grunted in reply and rose to his feet. He took the envelope the man held out and sank back into the chair. He read through the short message a couple of times. He then produced a pencil and a paper from a drawer and began to wite a reply. Ten minutes later, the answering message was dispatched to Admiral Hampton.

That morning, Admiral Hampton had left his ship, shortly after he dispatched his message to Kahler's headquarters. He was soon visiting with several officers who were meeting to direct the next phases of the construction process.

The courier carrying Admiral Kahler's reply was redirected to the other ship, where the meeting was taking place. It had only proceeded along for five minutes, and was expected to last for fifteen more before adjourning for the day. By the time that it had, the courier had arrived and was proceeding to the room, where Hampton was busy writing down a brief note about something he needed to do later that night.

After receiving the message, he read through the reply twice, carefully examining it and nodding in approval. He then set it down ont the table and got up to head back to his ship, while a new land base for him and some of his men was being finished.

With the construction of the most vital infrastructure finished, the colony was moving into the next phase. Schools, hospitals, shops and government buildings were growing up across the city, and the districts near the city centre were beginning to lose their makeshift characteristics. One after one, the one-storey prefabricated buildings were disappearing, replaced with apartment buildings in a myriad of different styles. Traffic was growing denser, especially on the road serving the harbour, where hundreds of lorries carried the hundreds of thousands of items the colonists needed further inland.

By now, the majority of the colonist carriers had unloaded their human cargo and returned home. Colonists were still streaming in, but now most arrived via the newly constructed airport, freeing capacity in the harbour.

With the growth of the city continuing, it was expected that it would soon become self-sufficient in terms of producing its own supply of raw materials from what was on the island. Once factories were built, new products could be manufactured as well, and industry would arrive, bringing trade and money with it.

As the island was to be designated a free trade zone, commercial enterprises and international corporations would be free to expand there, and the wealth generated would increase the size of the income to both nation's coffers.

Industrial districts were growing up in the outskirts of the city. Many corporations were moving part of their production to S:t Therese, making use of its status as a free trade hub and its current exemption from taxes. As the traffic to and from the harbour was growing more and more dense, Admiral Kahler ordered the construction of an additional ten piers. The once so makeshift harbour was beginning to resemble those of more developed cities, with dozens of warehouses, gigantic cranes unloading cargoes and heavy industrial facilities belching black smoke into the air. Dozens of ships of different sizes and colours were anchored inside the harbour, loading or unloading goods.

At the airport, the development was similar. It now had three large terminals, one for passengers and two for cargo, and over a dozen hangars. A control tower was halfway into the process of being constructed, and the number of runways expanded at a steady rate.

Later that day, Admiral Hampton arrived on the island to survey the recent expansion of the city. He was quite pleased with what he observed, and believed that within a week or so there would be sufficient accommodations for all of the colonists. Everyone who could be building something was now on the island, and those who still could not, numbering around 8,000 or more, were slowly leaving the ships as space to build and supplies became available.

With the number of inhabitants of S:t Therese growing day by day, Admiral Kahler and his staff decided to open up the western parts of the island for inhabitation. The group in charge of the project had worked out a somewhat ambitious plan. A two-lane asphalted road was to be built through the central forest, connecting the undeveloped eastern parts of the island with the more and more urbanised western ones. Simultaneously, a exploration team would be sent by boat to explore the new land, secure items and sites of archaelogical value and find suitable locations for future urban areas. They would also establish basic infrastructure, so that the development process of the new areas could be speeded up.

It was projected that the remaining colonists would be able to move onto the island within a week, and thet the ships could return to port for more supplies. At the moment, half of the fleet carrying the colonists was approaching Monavian harbors, and would return in another week or two.

The ruins were a source of fascination for Professor Thompson. Dr. Troutman, however, was not as interested. He believed that there may be buried bacteria or viruses in the soil of the runis, and that precautions should be taken before ever travelling there. He had sent a box of soil samples he had taken in a few places back on the helicopter to be studied later. He hoped, but was unsure if it was possible, that no infectious elements remained.

The soil samples were carefully examined by bacteriologists, virologists and toxicologists, who found that they contained no harmful substances, viruses or bacteria. It seemed that whatever had killed the colonists had died with them. Still, it was decided that the archeologists who would study the ruins would take extra precautions, such as wearing protective gloves and filter masks. They would also go through decontamination at the end of their working shift. Medical personnel going with the expedition were informed how they should detect unknown diseases and how suspected cases should be treated.

Construction of the road began. A path was slowly cut through the forest, with the felled trees being hauled back to the timber processing facilities. When stumps and undergrowth had been removed, an army of men with road construction equipment began the slow process of building the road itself.

*Bump*

The soil samples were carefully examined by bacteriologists, virologists and toxicologists, who found that they contained no harmful substances, viruses or bacteria. It seemed that whatever had killed the colonists had died with them. Still, it was decided that the archeologists who would study the ruins would take extra precautions, such as wearing protective gloves and filter masks. They would also go through decontamination at the end of their working shift. Medical personnel going with the expedition were informed how they should detect unknown diseases and how suspected cases should be treated.

Construction of the road began. A path was slowly cut through the forest, with the felled trees being hauled back to the timber processing facilities. When stumps and undergrowth had been removed, an army of men with road construction equipment began the slow process of building the road itself.

Several archeologists were being prepared to visit the ruins, though they would get threre later on the next day. For now, they were busy reading reports about the site and what little knowledge was available about the history of the island. They also needed some more equipment, which needed to be brought on board the Juno from another vessel, where the said equipment was in storage.

It was expected that construction of the road would take several weeks, depending on the conditions of the weather and the pace of work.

Small towns and villages were growing up on the edge of the forest as the road slowly crept further and further inland, housing the hundreds of workers involved in the road construction. The island's small industrial sector was reaping big profits, selling asphalt and cement and repairing machines that had broken down. Logistics companies were making fortunes hauling machinery, personnel and supplies between the city, the harbour and the construction sites.

To prepare for the expedition to the other side of the island, admiral Kahler sent out helicopters to scout out suitable landing sites for the exploration team.

Given the large amounts of money that was flowing into the island, it was expected that when colonization was far enough along to have taxes, that it would provide substantial revenue to both governments. While the financial aspects of the colony's growth were being planned elsewhere, with daily reports being sent out, construction continued throughout the length of the beach and extending farther inland.

Bump...bump...bump.

The island's growing economy and the subject of taxes had been discussed internally in the Zaheranian government for several days. As the island was under joint ownership, the matter would have to be discussed with the Monavians before any action was taken. As several others matters had not yet been decided, for example the naming of the city and the establishment of a more permament government administration, it was eventually decided that a meeting was necessary between the two colonial powers. A message was sent to the Monavian government, inviting them to a conference to discuss the island's future.

http://img383.imageshack.us/img383/1717/sealxr7.gif
The Holy Empire of Zaheran
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Official Communication




To. Frank Carter, Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Imperial Federation of the Monavian Empire
From: Marius Stee, Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Holy Empire of Zaheran

Dear Sir,

The colonisation of S:t Therese has progressed to the point where several important decisions have to be taken about the island's future. I would therefore like to invitate a representative of the Monavian government to a conference on S:t Therese, so that we may discuss matters such as taxation, construction of military bases and the establishment of a more permament government administration.

Yours sincerely,

Marius Stee
Minister of Foreign Affairs

Within a day of reveiving the query from Marius Stee, a replay was being mailed with details about the meeting. Mr. Carter mentioned that he had to make arrangement in order to leave for the island, but that he should be expected there shortly.

With the date set for the visit of the two foreign ministers, preparations for the conferance begun. As the existing government buildings were not suited for such events, the arrangers began to look for a suitatable building to hold the conference in. Eventually, they found a quite luxury hotel just a few kilometres from the airport, which usually served the businessmen who had begun to stream onto the sland over the latest months. The owner readily agreed to let them rent the premises for the duration of the conference. Catering firms were contracted to provide food and drinks for the conference guests, and limousines were rented to transport them from the airport.

Within a few days, Mr. Carter's plane was being prepared for its flight to S:t Therese. It was scheduled to take off in a few hours or so, and the results of the construction were expected to bring about his satisfaction.

The Zaheranian delegation had arrived a day early for a private mini-conference with admiral Kahler and his staff, to hear their viewpoints and opinions before the coming meeting with the Monavians. Marius had also been out in the city to meet the people and listen to their opinions about the island's future. Now he was at the airport, awaiting the Monavian delegation's arrival in the back of a black limousine. It was raining outside, but despite the harsh weather, a large crowd of reporters and locals had gathered outside the airport. Vendors of umbrellas and ponchos were having a good time, selling their goods from roofed market stalls at the edges of the crowd. A screen of policemen were ensuring that no one got to close to the runway or the VIP vehicles that were waiting near it.

The plane carrying Mr. Carter approached the island. It was not known if the control tower was operational, so a test of the radio and communications equipment was in order.

"S:t Therese airport tower, this is the pilot of Frank Carter's plane. Do you copy?"

He waited for a reply.

The tower was indeed operational, since three days back, and so one of the air controllers responded within a minute.The communication equipment was not exactly state of the art, but his voice came through loud and clear.

"We copy. Welcome to S:t Therese. You have been assigned runway one. Just follow the lights. A car is waiting for Mr. Carter. Tower, over and out."

The plane was still twenty minutes away, but it had already descended to an altitude which permitted landing manuevres to take place. The plane soon made its final descent toward the runway.

"Tower, we are coming for a landing."

Five minutes later, Mr. Carter had landed and was disembarking.

Marius stepped out of the car and walked towards the plane. An aide held an umbrella above his head to shield him from the rain. Cameras flashed around him as the media recorded the event. The police was struggling hard to hold back the crowd. Reporters and paparazzis tried to break through the ranks to get closer shots, but the green-clad policemen held them back. The Zaheranian foreign minister stopped in front of the airplane and waited for his Monavian counterpart to disembark.

The rain had prompted Mr. Carter to remove an umbrella from one of the compartments, delaying him briefly as he searched for it and went back toward the front exit. He held it aloft, along with his briefcase, and stepped aside for a valet to carry out a suitcase with luggage in it down to the tarmac.

He then stepped out, poised as if to please the growing crowd of media personnel, which he had seen looking out through the window of his cabin, and unfolded the umbrella amidst his exit from the doorway, as if to provide enough room for it to unfold. He walked down the stairs toward Marius.

Marius smiled warmly and stepped forward, extending his hand to his Monavian colleague.

"Good to see you again, Mr. Carter. It has been a while. How is the state of affairs in Monavia nowadays? Have things calmed down with Senator Bates' trial and all that?"

"National politics seems to have cooled down temporarily. The trial has so far produced a few small surprises, and I will find out the results after I get back, unless it drags on."

Mr. Carter happily took Stee's hand and shook it vigoriuosly, as if to please the photographers, yet that was not his true intention. He enjoyed the company of such knowledgable and experienced individuals, and always knew when it was best to determine matters of policy.

"Good to hear. We have had some concerns that the situation might escalate further, but that does not seems to be the case, fortunately."

He gestured towards the waiting cars.

"This way, please. There are cars waiting to take us to the conference."

"Thank you, it would be my pleasure," he replied heartily. He followed marius about two paces behind him.

A new bump.

There was even more camera flashes as the two foreign ministers walked towards the waiting limousines. Marius smiled and waved to the reporters with his usual charm, sometimes taking the time to shake hands with someone he recognised. The chauffeur open the door as he reached the car, and with a final wave to the crowd outside, the stepped into the vehicle, followed by Mr. Carter. The limousine began to make its way towards the hotel, escorted by police motorcycles and the cars of high officials in the island administration.

Mr. Carter looked out of thw windows, viewing the expansion of both commerce and industry on the island. He marveled much at the scale of the city that had so far been built. His mind was quite starined as he attempted to understand how so m uchg could be accomplished in so little time, and was grateful that progress was proceeding so smoothly.

"Minister Stee, is there anything you would like to tell me about the progress I am observing here?" he inquired.

"I'm rather impressed myself", the Zaheranian foreign minister said with a smile. "Hampton and Kahler have worked miracles. The original settlement has grown to a small city, construction of basic infrastructure is almost complete and the island's econonomy has expanded at a fantastic rate. The colony has made huge progress in just a few months, far more than we had ever expected. According to the latest statistics, it has over seventy thousands inhabitants by now. I cannot recall another colonisation attempt that has progressed with such remarkable speed."

"Such speed is admirable, but can it be sustained for much longer? Much like a bubble, it may only grow so much before it cannot grow any larger, lest it comes apart."

Carter sat in thought for a few moments. "It seems that trade and commerce will have yet another hub to grow from. We may need to sign an agreement later on that will protect its free trade status."

"That may perhaps be the case", Marius replied, "but with such competent leadership as the colony has seen so far, I am sure that such a situation can be avoided.

"On your second point, I could not agree more. An agreement ratifying S:t Therese's free trade status will be very beneficial to both Monavia and Zaheran."

The car arrived at the hotel. The soldiers who guarded the entrance to the hotel area saluted smartly as the vehicle and its numerous escorts passed through the gate. The security detail at the conference building was quite large, albeit smaller than it would have been if the meeting had been held on the mainland. No known terrorist or extremist groups were known to operate on the island, but the head of security was not taking any risks. The hotel personnel had had their backgrounds thoroughly checked, and no one but the persons on the guest list was allowed to trespass into the area around the hotel. Nothing would be allowed to disturb the meeting.

Mr. Carter glanced haphazardly at the hotel and the grounds. He noticed some minor details of the layout of the place, and made a mental note about the nature of the security measures there. After a moment in thought, he felt satisfied with what he had observed, and continued into the building.

"I am not immediately authorized to sign any agreements, but I can contact some members of the government and discuss any possible proposals later today."

"I understand", Marius replied as they walked through the doors and into the hotels lobby. A couple of security guards followed them at a discreet distance, dutifully scanning the room for possible threats against their clients. Another man was waiting in the elevator, keeping the doors open for the two ministers. When they had stepped into the elevator, he pushed the button for the third floor. The elevator began to ascend quietly.

"Hopefully, we can work out a preliminary agreements at today's meeting, which can then be referred for consideration within our respective governments. The issues we will discuss today will not be especially controversial, so I doubt there will be any major problems."

"That will do. I know the rudiments of what is to be desired, and I'm sure that several provisions of the Treaty of Chalcedon which concern our relations here will also be brought up. After all, some of its articles prescribe certain actions to be taken after it was implemented."

"That is correct", the Zaheranian Foreign Minister said as the doors opened with a ping. He stepped through the doors and looked around. A group of aides were waiting a few meters away. He walked forth to them and spoke quietly in German with them for a few moments. He then walked back to Carter.
"Everything is finished. This way please. The conference hall is directly to the left. Seems like their waiting for us. Do you know if Admiral Hampton has decided to come?"

"He may appear today, although it may be a while. He is busy dealing with a logistical snag that was caused by a delayed shipment of materials, due to foul weather," Mr. Carter said, proceeding down the hallway.

"I see. I hope it will not delay him too long. I believe his input may be quite valuable."

They had arrived at a heavy oak door. Another security guard opened it and showed them inside, where several people wére sitting around a large conference table, including Admiral Kahler and several other senior officials in the island administration. Everyone rised to their feet as the two foreign ministers entered the room. Kahler bowed his head respectfully.

"Minister Stee, Minister Carter. On behalf of S:t Therese's government administration, I welcome you to our fair island and this conference. Did you have a nice journey?"

Mr. Carter, being an invited guest to the conference, allowed Minister Stee to answer first. When he had finished, he added his own feelings in.

"Admiral, my sojourn here was pleasant, is somewhat uneventful. Admiral Hampton should arrive shortly, though I am not sure when."

"That is good to hear. Please, take a seat."

He gestured to a section of the table marked out with small Monavian flags. Marius sat down next to Kahler, opened his briefcase and took out a paper. He read through it a couple of times and then looked around the room.

"As we are all here, with the exempt of Admiral Hampton, I believe we should start. The first item on the agenda today is the matter of naming the yet unnamed "capital" of S:t Therese. The city now has a population exceeding ten thousands people, so I think we all agree that it is time to give it a formal name. Any suggestions?"

Mr. Carter took his seat. He paused in thought before being alerted by the sound of Marius opening up his briefcase and removing the paper. He attentively listened for any sound that could indicate Admiral hampton's arrival. He would not have to wait for long.

After receiving Marius' query about the naming of the capital, he leaned back in his seat a few inches, as his mind beg an to come up with appropriate ways of determining the name of the capital.

"A city of this size should have a name that is easily recognizable. Since it has significance as a port city, the name 'Port Therese' seems to be right."

The others pondered Mr. Carters suggestion for a few minutes. Finally, Marius nodded.

"Port Therese seems like an appropriate name. I agree with Mr. Carter. Any objections?"

The other delegates shook their heads.

"Excellent, then. Port Therese it is. David", he said, addressing on of his aides, "can you add that to the protocoll, please. Now, with that simple matter finished, let us move over to the next item, which will probably take a little longer to discuss. S:t Therese is currently governed by a provisional administration, and though it has performed excellently so far, the growing population of the island calls for a more permanent solution. So what we will now discuss is how the future 'government' should look like, and how it should be appointed. Mr. Carter, as Monavia's representative at this meeting, what would your governments prefered form of government be on S:t Therese? An appointed governor, a mayor or something elected through general election, or another solution?

Mr. Carter replied, "In the traditional Monavian system, which is legally still in effect, the governor of a new colony would be appointed directly by the monarchy, though Parliament still has some clout in choosing who this individual is. Most governors, such as those of actual provinces, are elected by the populace residing therein, but as this is a new colony, with no official permanent government or any set precedents within S:t Therese that would serve to guide them through a formal election, I will have to agree with the notion of direct royal appointment.

"Now, in addition to directly appointing the colonial governor, the individual holding the post would be tasked with all aspects of colonial administration which fell under their jurisdiction, including overseeing the process by which mayors of cities were chosen. Usually, if the colony would take some substantial amount of time to develop to a point where an election could be held to determine the holder of the governorship, the governor would appoint the mayors directly until local infrastructure and, for that matter, society as a whole within the confines of the island had developed enough to make direct democratic election of mayors by the people of a city feasible.

Pausing to take a breath and sip some of his water, Mr. Carter continued upon finishing. "If the colony was believed to be progressing quickly enough to not require such an active and intrusive role by the colonial governor, then the first mayor of each city would be directly appointed and then the people of each city could elect the mayor themselves. In addition, once this has taken place, society and chance willing, the governorship would finally become an elected position, being chosen directly by the entire populace who were eligible to vote. Usually, the firct governor would be appointed and it has been rare in our history for a second one to need to be appointed before governors could be elected."

Admiral Hampton approached the room, proceeding past the guards in the hallway. He was annoyed, if only slightly, by his own tardiness, but he understood that things which were partly beyond his control had brought about his lateness and that he was tasked with clearing up the mess that had resulted due to the delayed shipment.

"I find this plan quite excellent", Marius replied. "Let's see, if I understand you correctly, a government-appointed colonial governor would take charge of the island and appoint the mayors until such time S:t Therese is ready for elections. I believe that my government surely would support that plan. However, one question remains. Since there are two nations in on this endeavour, how should the governor be chosen? Should we have two governors, one from each nation? Or should we agree on a certain individual?

"It is preferable that as S:t Therese has been a territorial division of Zaheran in some respects, it would be most unwise to usurp the original authority of His Imperial Majesty in this matter. international laws and covenants would dictate that one of two options would be possible.

"The first is that the colony, being shared by boith nations involved, should be divided in half according to an agreement worked out at a later time. Both governors could then be individually chosen. Under this system, both officials could exercise jurisdiction over their respective portion of the colony and report independently to their superiors.

"In the second option, S:t Therese would be governed by one individual. Even if that individual was agreed upon by both parties, there would be not impartial authority for them to report to, and as they would be required to obey orders given by both governments, a conflict of interests, or rather many such conflicts, would potentially take place."

Mr. Carter stopped to think about how he could select a practical and efficient system that was preferable to both parties. Almost instantly, he reasoned that the former option was favorable to the latter.

"Minister Stee, I believe that as the original nation claiming sovereignty over S:t Therese, any plan to divide the island territorially should accommodate Zaheranian precedence in the matter. I do not object to dividing the colony and having each government provide a governor for each half, to avoid possible political and bureaucratic tangles. In addition, citizens of the colony, regardless of which portion they reside in, should retain their citizenship with their nation of origin and also be entitled to dual citizenship with the other nation."

Admiral Hampton now entered, appearing in the doorway. His polished demeanor and immaculate appearance only heightened the aura of authority and experience that had brought him to his present station and contributed to his degree of achievement in the armed forces. He strode over to the table.

"Dividing the island in two administrative zones would be an acceptable solution, as long as the inhabitants of the island are able to move freely over the 'borders'. It may also be wise to make sure that tax rates are the same on both sides, so that no zone is disadvantaged in terms of economic development because of higher or lower tax rates. But more on that later. For the moment, I am prepared to accept your proposal. The exact details, for example the sizes of the respective zones, can be discussed later."

He turned his head as the door opened and Admiral Hampton entered. With a warm smile he rose from his chair and extented his hand to the Monavian.

"Admiral Hampton, I presume? Pleased to meet you. I am Marius Stee. Please, take a seat. Daniel, please give the admiral the protocoll, so he can catch up."

Marius' private secretary, who had recorded everything that had been said, rose from his chair and walked over. With a polite bow of his head he introduced himself and handed over the transcripts to Hampton.

"Taxation rates can be adjusted to account for this difference," Carter replied.

"Minister Stee, it would be my honor to meet with you at last. Mr. Carter informed me that you are quite the accomplished diplomat." He took a seat close to Carter. "If you would not mind, Minister, I would like to read this first," he said.

"Admiral, take a moment to do so before we continue. I'm sure you will like to know what has been decided."

About two minutes later, Admiral Hampton put down the copy on the table. "This works in a satisfactory manner. You have my approval."

"Good, very good. Unless anyone has any objections, we will move on to the next item on the agenda: the establishment of military bases on S:t Therese to guard the island and the region from external threats. This was covered in the Treaty of Chalcedon, but the details still need to be worked out. I believe your input can be very valuable here, admirals, as you are the military expertise in this room. To start with, what would be an appropriate number of soldiers and aircraft to station on S:t Therese? I was thinking of maybe a division's worth of infantry, and a fighter wing or two, plus their necessary logistics personnel. The island could also become a quite strategic naval base. Admiral Hampton, what are your opinions on the matter?"

I will need to consult with my superiors on the numbers of troops which can be available, but I gan almost guarantee that fortifications will be built to accommodate a larger garrison than will likely be stationed here. A brigade or two might be enough...but then again, I will still need to speak with others on that matter." Admiral Hampton replied.

Mr. Carter then added in his own idea. "Seeing how this island is positioned, an advanced early warning system, radar emplacements, and missile silos would be suited for this location."

"Yes, however, the Zaheranians will need to agree to the placement of these articles and facilities."

"I understand. Pardon me for getting too carried away."

"I've had similar ideas myself, actually", Marius said with a smile. "We would have no objections to facilities of the kind you mentioned, rather the opposite. An early warning system on S:t Therese would be idealic, as it would give us precious minutes in the event of a ballistic missile launch."

"Anbtiballistic missile systems could also be included into the system. These would prevent any attack by ICBMS and similar delivery systems from successfully arriving near the Zaheranian mainland."

"That would certainly be desirable", Marius replied. "If the worst happens, it could save millions of lives. Similarly, radar emplacements and interceptor aircraft could be very valuable in the event of a war. However, if that happens, S.t Therese would be a quite vulnerable target, so we would need a quite sizeable land force, too."

"A naval force would also be needed. However, if the importance of the island and the extent of its facilities can be properly concealed, then we need not worry...yet."

"Appropriate measures should be taken so that all important military facilities are adequately camouflaged and protected against enemy attacks, yes. In a war situation, it would also be necessary to keep S:t Therese's civic and military administration intact. I would suggest that we build a series of secure bunkers and command and control centrals under Port Therese or in the city's vicinity, so that the island's administration can continue to function even if the island comes under attack. Since S:ty Therese holds such a strategic position, I would also suggest that important military infrastructure such as airfields and port facilities should also be camouflaged, to the degree it is possible. It may be expensive, but it would save us a lot of trouble in the event of a war.

'From what I read in Rautling's report, thje volcano is inactive, if not entirely extinct. A command bunker could possibly be built within it." The admiral paused. "Right now, I am certain that the transportation infrastructure, including the road to the other side of the island, is growing quickly every day, and the workers are making great progress. These roads and such can serve as a means of moving troops and supplies between the facilities. Perhaps," he thought, his mind conjuring up a novel idea, "perhaps even a railway could be built."

"A railroad would be beneficial both to the military and the civilian population", Kahler replied with a glance at his superior. "Both troops and goods could be transporter quicker, and it would tie the eastern and western part of the island closer together. I am all in favour of the idea."

"So am I", Marius said. "I like the idea of a command bunker inside the mountain. With enough ammunition and supplies, S:t Therese's military and civilian leadership could hold their ground for years if the island is attacked."

*Bump*

"Then we can agree to having a railway, command bunker, missile silos, early warning systems, radar emplacements, civilian bunkers underneath the cities, and antiballisitc missile defense systems," Mr. Carter said. "The island's industry will be taxed quite heavily in building these things, especially since production of raw materials will need to be expanded and whatever cannot be built or manufactured here will need to be transported here from elsewhere."

"Besides, there is much need for building materials to expand the cities and sustain what is already built, providing the citizens thereof with food, electricity, fuel, water, sewage removal, and other needed things," the admiral chimed in. "We already have much of it, but it will be a question of how long it can be sustained until the infrastructure needs to be expanded further."

"We have a bit of a problem there", Marius agreed. "Much of the things you mentioned have to be imported, since S:t Therese's industrial capacity is quite limited and much resources are swallowed by the expansion of the civilian infrastructure. In the short term we will have to rely on imports, but in the long term I think it would be a good idea to stimulate the growth of the industrial capacity of this island, both in the military and the civilian sector. Unfortunately, S:t Therese seems to be scarce on strategic natural resources such as iron ore and coal, although no detailed studies have yet been made. I don't know if there are any deposits of other important resources, but it seems like many raw materials needs to be imported. However, the presence of the volcano suggests that this island might be suited for large-scale geothermal energy production. Though the volcano itself is extinct, there is probably still much heat below the ground that can be used to produce electricity to a low price. And since many industries, for example aluminium production, demand much energy, an abundance of cheap energy will certainly attract investors. Thus, while S:t Therese itself might lack natural resources, raw materials can be processed into finished products at a cheaper price here than elsewhere."

"While there may be a lack of any minerals which are known here, volcanoes produce minerals in higher than average quantities, and a survey of all possible deposits should be made, in case there are mineral deposits that can be of almost immediate use to us."

"A good idea. A survey should be made, so that we know what resources there is in S:t Therese's soil, and what use they are to us. What do you think, would it be worth the effort to search for oil or natural gas deposits outside the coast?"

"The volcanic nature of the island makes the possibility of oil or natural gas almost nonexistant within the islans itself, but the sea floor surrounding it may hold what we are looking for. A cursory examination should take plae in order to assess where such deposits may be the most likely to form, and then more detailed searches should be conducted where such locations are found," Admiral Hampton replied.

"Then we will do so. If we find any deposits of oil or natural gas, it will be well worth the effort. That was all I had to say on this subject. Does anyone else have any suggestion regarding the economy or infrastructure of S. Therese?"

"I will end my preliminary remarks on this topic by pointing out that the importance of Port Therese as a center of commerce and trade will continue to grow, and it will eventually need to be equipped with facilities suitablke to handle the incoming traffic that will come in the next few decades."

"I agree. Keeping the port and airport facilities up to date should be a priority of S:t Therese's administration. It would also be wise to build facilities able to handle airships and their cargo, as they are a prefered method of cargo transportation in some of the countries in the Fegosian Union, especially Alfegos. Equipped with facilities able to handle all types of trade vessels, S.t Therese could become an important junction in the trade within the Union.

"What is the range of sizes for Alfegan airships?" Carter asked.

"I can't give you the exact range, unfortunately, for there are many classes of airships and I am by no means a technical experts. Rather the opposite", he added with a smile. "I know, however, that most can reach the Neo'Ilos Joint Territory, which is further north and currently has the only airport in Zaheran that can handle airships in larger numbers. If they can reach that far, they can surely reach S:t Therese without any problems at all."

"Considering the size of the airships, I will have to ask the engineers to determine what type of facilities and locations for the same would be adequate for our purposes."

"Do so. I will consult my own experts on the matter." He took a look at his watch. "I think it is time to take a lunch break, after which we can return here to finish the negotiations and write up a final document."

"I concur. We have found answers to our questions about how to continue the establishment of the colony, and in very little time, I may add." Mr. Carter looked to the side at Admiral Hampton. "Anything else?" he asked.

Temporary bump.

Both Admiral Kahler and Marius shook their heads, as did the rest of the delegation. The Zaheranian foreign minister glanced at Admiral hampton to see if he had anything to add.

Taking a moment to think, he said, "I will wait for you to draw up our supplement treaty. In the meantime, I will contact my superiors and let them know while you are taking care of this."

Marius nodded.
"Good. We take a break for lunch now, and meet here again in two hours, so that those who wish to do so can send messages to their superiors or consultants. Follow me, please. The dining room is on the bottom floor. Just ask in the reception if you need the keys to your private rooms. Computers with internet access can be borrowed there, too."

He rose from his chair and showed the way downstairs to a lavishly decorated dining room. A lunch buffet with hot and cold dishes from Monavia and Zaheran had been put on a table. Another table had been provided for the conference delegates. The seats of individual delegates were marked out with small name signs.

"Thank you, Minister," Mr. Carter replied. "I will be sure to enjoy the fine cuisine that you offer." It had been a while since he had eaten any Zaheranian dishes, and he was sure to savor whatever he found to his liking. He took a seat near the admiral.

Marius took a seat opposite Mr. Carter, while Admiral Kahler sat down by his side. A waiter appeared to take their order for drinks. The minister ordered in a bottle of mineral water and turned to Carter with a smile.

"A rather successful conference so far, or what do you think? We have manged to conclude the negotiations on the most important issues before lunch. The only thing remaining is to write up the supplement treaty, and judging by how we have been progressing so far, I think we will be finished before dinner."

"I'm confident that the supplement treaty will produce favorable results. S:t Therese is a large island with much room for expansion, thus the size of the colony will inevitably increase and eventually be divided into two halves, each of which will become a province of one nation or the other. Between this arrangement, the free trade agreement, the joint agencies, the port facilities, the military bases, and the taxation arrangement, S:t Therese appears to ahve a bright future."

Mr. Carter began to fill his plate with a number of dishes from Zaheran, picking out the lighter foods firts and working his way toward the heavier dishes. Admiral Hampton had already begun to pick up several appetisers, which were clearly Monavian in origin, and proceeded to eat as he listened to the conversation.

"Indeed. S:t Therese surely has the prerequisites to eventually become a prominent and prosperous province, as well as a vital asset in the defence of the mainland. It may even grow to be a trade hub large enough to rival Neo'Ilos itself."

He excused himself and left the table for a few moments to fill his plate with a selection of Monavian dishes, of which some were unknown to him, but he found them all to be to his liking. He returned to the table and began to slowly work his way through the food, taking his time to enjoy each dish.

"So how are things progressing in Monavia, in regards to the Bates trial? It has been a bit quiet about that at home, with the war in Cyncia going on and all that."

"It had concluded in a proper manner. The results were satisfactory, and justice has been served. Bates is currently awaiting a hearing by the Senate about what measures they plan to take. Few punitive actions seem to be on the table, however, given some new things which have come to light."

He continued eating. Admiral Hampton had his own query. "What can you tell me about the city of Neo'Ilos? I hear that it's importance in Nova is almost unrivalled for its corner of the region."

OOC:

The trial is still running, with me RPing a meeting with Alfegan operatives and the beginning of the trial proper being put on hold until New Manth can post some more. I just don't want to spoil the details of its results...yet.

"Actually, it is an island to the north of here, close to the mainland. It used to belong to Zaheran, but the Alfegans conquered it during the civil war, and since then it has been a joint territory of Zaheran and Alfegos and an important hub in the trade between us and the Alfegans. It is also a major military base for the Fegosian Union Rapid Reaction Force."

"I remember hearing that Monavian personnel who were selected for the FURRF have been stationed there," the admiral said. "Seeing how stable your government appears and how peaceful your people seem, I would never have thought that a civil war had happened."

"We have become a stable nation under the Emperor's reign, but it was always so. We had a communist government before the Civil War. The government bigwigs were living in luxury, as usual, while hundreds of thousands died of starvation each year. The collective farms had effectively killed off our agricultural industry, so there was a constant lack of food. The government's oppressive politics eventually led to a military revolt, which resulted in the Civil War. Several organisations tried to grab the power, but in the end it was the Emperor who united the nation again. After the economic reforms we implemented directly after the war, no Zaheranian has to starve any more. In fact, we actually export agricultural products nowadays."

"Communism...how awful. As is common in governments which follow such a system, a few powerful individuals skim off some money from the coffers as they redistribute the money among the populace, and grow fat on the spare cash while leaving the common man with less than he is entitled to. Pray tell, how long did your people endure this tyranny before the Emperor restored their liberty and prosperity?"

"Forty years. Before that, we had some kind of democracy, but the political chaos during that period was not much better than what followed. Between the years 1926-1993, it is estimated that sixty million people died of starvation. Nearly twenty million were killed by the communist government or perished in the labour camps."

"I am sorry to hear that. I have heard stories about the death tolls caused by both communism and its polar opposites, yet how it could emerge in a democratic society and create such a situation is still a little enigamatic to me. From what I understand, there needs to be some measure of violence or chaos in order for the democratic system to fail and give rise to communism, and then after about two or three generations, economic deterioration and unrest causes it to collapse, making way for a new system, whatever it is."

"Violence and chaos we had in abundance", Marius said with a bitter laugh. "In fact, the democracy did not ever work. In twenty-seven years with the democratic system, we had seventy-five governments. It was inevitable that some kind of extremist fringe group would take the power sooner or later."

"I understand. I must surmise that the system was therefore flawed." He began eating more fried potato slices and brown rice, a dish that originated in the Monavian southwest, near the coasts. The fanciful arrangement was soon demolished into a disorganized pile as he devoured the confection.

Marius fell silent and turned his attention to the food. He was hungrier than he had first noticed. He determinedly attacked his lamb chops, rösti and fried mushrooms, along with a number of Monavian dishes he did not recognise but found to be to his liking.

The light lunch had soon taken on greater proportions as the Monavians began to go up for seconds and bring them back. It seemed as if half an hour had passed when they had gotten full, even though only half that time had actually gone by.

The Zaheranian foreign minister finished his food and wiped his mouth with a linen napkin. He ordered in some coffee from the waiter and gave the table with desserts and biscuits a glance, wondering if he would dare to take one. Ultimately he decided against it, his wife had made her opinions on the subject very clear, as had his doctor. Instead he waited for the coffee to arrive. To his left Admiral Kahler was hungrily devouring a thick slice of chocolate cake. With an effort Marius took his gaze from the pastries on the younger man's plate, silently cursing doctors and blood cholesterol levels.

Ultimately the meal began to wind down as all of the participants had either filled themselves or simply quit from lack of hunger, and in some cases, had eaten more than they had intended. Admiral Hampton was in fine shape, having chosen to forgo the heavier desserts and take a narrow slice of cake, before pushing his dishes to the side to indicate that he was done. The Minister, however, was still figuring out how to stuff down a final helping of pastries before calling it quits. He was perhaps more adventurous with his tastes than his aides or valets, yet he seemed to enjoy the pleasure of satisfying his curiousity.

Marius excused himself and left the table. He collected his room key in the reception and walked up to his room, which was on the third floor, overlooking the outskirts of the forest that covered a large part of the island. His luggage had already arrived. He rummaged around in the numerous bags and briefcases until he found his laptop. Quickly, he scribbled down a brief report about the day's negotiations, which he forwarded to the Zaheranian consulate in Port S:t Therese, where it would be made into a fair copy and sent to the capital. With that done, he looked at his watch. Twenty minutes left of the lunch. He made a hasty visit to the lavatory and then walked down to the reception area to wait for the other delegates. Kahler was already there, chatting with the bartender over a drink. The conversation stopped when Marius arrived, but from what he had overheard, it was about life in the Navy. The bartender had an anchored tattooed on his left arm, so it was very possible he had been a sailor. Marius sat down next to the admiral and ordered in a drink.

Reserved for IC post.

By the way, Internal Tensions is still running, although you, Lamoni, New Manth, Etoile Arcture and Mokastana have missed a lot of juicy action.

OOC: Sorry for that. I had intented to involve myself in that thread, but some other things got in the way, unfortunately. I will try to get a post up once the trial starts. Also, consider this a bump.

OOC:

IC post shifted here.

IC:

Admiral Hampton conversed with Minister Carter for a few minutes and then excused himself to use one of the public lavatories. Upon returning, he ordered a drink and then looked around the room, admiring the work that had been put into the building of the hotel. Mr. Carter contemplated what he would tell the Monavian Foreign Relations Council, in particular, its chairman, Robert D. Farrington.

OOC: My apologies for the dealy. Have been quite tied up in some RL issues lately.

IC:

The two Zaheranian dignitaries talked with low voices as they waited for the Monavians to finish, discussing the latest events in the Empire, especially the tragic terrorist attack against a nightclub in Ahrensburg, which had claimed over eight hundred lives, and the following invasion of the nation responsible. The bartender, who was a Zaheranian as well, contributed with a few words now and then in the pauses between serving drinks to thirsty diplomats. The man, Marius noted to his amusement, appeared to not be disturbed by the presence of one of the most powerful men in the country. It was quite refreshing. He ordered in another drink and glanced at his watch. Five minutes left before the lunch break was over.

OOC: My apologies for the dealy. Have been quite tied up in some RL issues lately.

OOC:

Same here.

IC:

The conversation soon ended as the pair proceeded to the bar. They stopped to wait for Marius and Admiral Kahler, who would then show them back to the meeting room.

The two Zaheranians rised from the chairs and walked forth to the Monavian pair. Marius led them to the elevator and back to the conference room. They were the first to arrive, all others still loitered in the lobby or in their rooms. Marius sat down in his seat and began to look though the notes he had taken during the meeting while he waited for the multitude of secretaries and aidies to arrive. Soon the first ones had arrived and taken their seats. The room was filled over the course of two minutes while they waited for the conference to restart.

While Minister Carter and Admiral Hampton waited, there were new developments concerning the work of Professor Thompson and Dr. Troutman. The pair had apparently written a brief report of their findings while analyzing the island's geology. Although Admiral Hampton had to attend to matters of the fleet and colonial security later that day, Carter would be able to read a copy on the plane home.

With the conference room finally filled, the guards closed the door. Marius raised his arms to call for silence and the murmur died down.
"Thank you. Since we are all here, I hereby declare this meeting reopened. Daniel, can you provide the honoured delegates with the draft you prepared?"

The aide nodded and began to hand out papers from a folder he had held under his arm. Each delegate was provided with copy as Marius began to speak once more.

"While we were eating, my staff has drafted a development plan for S:t Therese, based on the points we agreed on earlier today. If you have any ideas, objections or proposals, please voice them. This is by no means a final document, and we want your input."


S:t Therese Development Plan

Section One. The Administration of S:t Therese

Article I. The regional capital of S:t Therese will be named Port S:t Therese.

Article II: S:t Therese is to be divided into two administrative zones, hereby referenced to as the Monavian Aministrational Zone(MAZ) and the Zaheranian Aministrative Zone(ZAZ). Each will have a governor appointed by their respective governments.

Article III: Taxation rates shall be the same in the two administrative zones. These taxation rates will be decided via negotiations between the governments of Zaheran and Monavia.

Section Two. Military Facilities and Infrastructure.

Article I. Responsibility for the defense of S:t Therese shall be divided equally between the armed forces of Zaheran and Monavia.

Article II. Early warning systems and anti-ballistic missiles shall be placed on S:t Therese to aid in the strategic missile defense of both signatory nations.

Article III: It is vital that the civilian and military administration of S:t Therese is kept intact in the case of war. For this reason, measures shall be taken to ensure that all all important military facilities are adequately camouflaged.

Article IV: Funds shall be provided for the construction of a railroad across the island, to ensure the swift movement of the defending forces in case of war.

Section Three. Civilian Infrastructure

Article I. Measures shall be taken to ensure that the civilian infrastructure of S:t Therese, such as ports, roads and airports, is expanded with population growth.

Bump.

OOC:

Sorry for delaying, I now have an IC post here.

IC:

Mr. Carter took the copy which Daniel handed to him and began reading it, and soon had a few ideas in mind for revising it. Admiral Hampton also had some ideas in mind, although he would wait for Carter to finish formulating his revisions, and then the two would discuss. After some time, they pair submitted a slightly revised version which reflected various interests of the two nations in somewhat greater detail.

S:t Therese Development Plan

Section One. The Administration of S:t Therese

Article I. The regional capital of S:t Therese will be named Port S:t Therese. The city which shall become Port Therese shall consist of the original area of settlement by the first colonists and an area that will be chosen by the city's civil administration to constitute the extent of city limits.

Article II: S:t Therese is to be divided into two administrative zones, hereby referenced to as the Monavian Aministrational Zone (MAZ) and the Zaheranian Aministrative Zone (ZAZ). Each will have a governor appointed by their respective governments.

Article III:

Clause One: Taxation rates shall be the same in the two administrative zones. These taxation rates will be decided via negotiations between the governments of Zaheran and Monavia. Such negotiations may be requested at any time by either party.

Clause Two: Local changes in taxation rates (within individual cities) must be reported to both governments.

Section Two. Military Facilities and Infrastructure.

Article I. Responsibility for the defense of S:t Therese shall be divided equally between the armed forces of Zaheran and Monavia.

Article II. Early warning systems and anti-ballistic missiles shall be placed on S:t Therese to aid in the strategic missile defense of both signatory nations. Offensive missile systems shall not be deployed on S:t Therese without the consent of both governments.

Article III: It is vital that the civilian and military administration of S:t Therese is kept intact in the case of war. For this reason, measures shall be taken to ensure that all all important military facilities are adequately camouflaged, and if necessary, properly fortified.

Article IV: Funds shall be provided for the construction of a railroad across the island, to ensure the swift movement of the defending forces in case of war.

Section Three. Civilian Infrastructure.

Article I. Measures shall be taken to ensure that the civilian infrastructure of S:t Therese, such as ports, roads and airports, is expanded with population growth. Funding systems for such expansions shall be determined at a meeting of all concerned parties, which will also serve to determine the extent and cost of such improvements.

Marius and Admiral Kahler looked over the revised document for a few minutes, making careful notes of the changes the Monavians had made. Finally, Marius nodded and raised his eyes from the paper.
"These changes seems very reasonable to my eyes. I'm quite prepared to accept this version as the final document for this meeting. Mr Carter, Admiral Hampton, is there anything you would like to add before we call this a day?"

"I would like to know if there are any provisions that come to mind in our first treaty that we may need to refine here. Beyond that, I would propose that we add some details about how civil administration can be managed. I will think of something to add," answered the admiral. He borrowed a sheet of paper from Mr. Carter to begin writing down a few suggestions.

Admiral Hampton's revisions were written in green ink, while he highlighted the earlier revisions in blue.

S:t Therese Development Plan

Section One. The Administration of S:t Therese

Article I. The regional capital of S:t Therese will be named Port S:t Therese. The city which shall become Port Therese shall consist of the original area of settlement by the first colonists and an area that will be chosen by the city's civil administration to constitute the extent of city limits.

Article II: S:t Therese is to be divided into two administrative zones, hereby referenced to as the Monavian Aministrational Zone (MAZ) and the Zaheranian Aministrative Zone (ZAZ). Each will have a governor appointed by their respective governments. At such time that the populations of each zone constitute a sufficient number to carry out elections properly, they may petition to have elections for the position of governorship.

Article III:

Clause One: Taxation rates shall be the same in the two administrative zones. These taxation rates will be decided via negotiations between the governments of Zaheran and Monavia. Such negotiations may be requested at any time by either party.

Clause Two: Local changes in taxation rates (within individual cities) must be reported to both governments.

Section Two. Military Facilities and Infrastructure.

Article I. Responsibility for the defense of S:t Therese shall be divided equally between the armed forces of Zaheran and Monavia.

Article II. Early warning systems and anti-ballistic missiles shall be placed on S:t Therese to aid in the strategic missile defense of both signatory nations. Offensive missile systems shall not be deployed on S:t Therese without the consent of both governments.

Article III: It is vital that the civilian and military administration of S:t Therese is kept intact in the case of war. For this reason, measures shall be taken to ensure that all all important military facilities are adequately camouflaged, and if necessary, properly fortified.

Article IV: Funds shall be provided for the construction of a railroad across the island, to ensure the swift movement of the defending forces in case of war.

Article V: A naval base shall be established to harbor and supply fleets which are deployed to ensure the colony's security.

Section Three. Civilian Infrastructure.

Article I. Measures shall be taken to ensure that the civilian infrastructure of S:t Therese, such as ports, roads and airports, is expanded with population growth. Funding systems for such expansions shall be determined at a meeting of all concerned parties, which will also serve to determine the extent and cost of such improvements.

OOC:

This is a bump.