Good things happen to those who hustle.
~ Anais Nin
~ Anais Nin
Company Transmission Number: SHWIOR289342867 Nonpublic
Addressed To: Company Security Forces Management
NOTICE TO ALL COMPANY SECURITY FORCES MANAGEMENT: Please distribute to your respective employees that the Board has motioned to begin aggressive acquisitions of all necessary hostile targets which have been repeatedly infringing upon the necessary conduct of proper business management.
Attached to this you will also find that we have affixed specific locations and targets to be acquired and that each of you has been given the necessary tasks and equipment to functionally eliminate this threat.
Take vessels, cargo, men, and equipment if the opportunity should arise. You are cleared to destroy vessels should yours not be capable of accommodating prisoners or taking a ship, especially in the case fo submarines.
Should you have any questions or concerns, contact me at any time.
Attached to this you will also find that we have affixed specific locations and targets to be acquired and that each of you has been given the necessary tasks and equipment to functionally eliminate this threat.
Take vessels, cargo, men, and equipment if the opportunity should arise. You are cleared to destroy vessels should yours not be capable of accommodating prisoners or taking a ship, especially in the case fo submarines.
Should you have any questions or concerns, contact me at any time.
Mathis Bonicium
Director of Security
Ostronopolian General Trading Company
Attachment 1AGEEV Delethos
13:37 Hours - Wednesday, June 23, 2014
International Waters
Forty miles off the coast of the Noocracy of Solm
A siren rang out through the halls of the Submarine Delethos. Amber light melted onto the walls giving a red tint to everything inside. Men threw on their clothes, ran to their stations, and awaited orders. Dioikitis Neicus Velenium sat in the command chair, just behind the photonic mast operator.
"What do you see?"
"It's three kilometers starboard, Dioikitis."
"Bring us about!"
The Delethos whirled in the brine and faced its intended target. "Torpedo Launchers Ready" gleamed on the weapons control panel. A submarine of many individuals, often laughing and joking and making noise, made not a single sound. Only the barely audible hum of the engines pushing against the water could be heard.
"Fire."
One, then another, and finally a third torpedo propelled towards the Solmian merchant ship. Water cracked and shattered around the speeding harbinger of destruction as they slid through the water.
"What do you see?"
"Nothing yet,"
It was then that the first explosion was seen. The first torpedo slammed into the side of the merchant ship. Steel began to blister and peel and turn red hot as the fiery explosions overtook the section of the ship.
"Direct hit, they're taking water."
As the second torpedo hit the ship, another explosion was seen, this one even larger. A fireball consumed the side in a blanket of orange light which looked almost harmless at a distance.
"Second hit, still taking water."
The final torpedo hit the center and the ship buckled with a jolt that was palpable even at the distance of the submarine.
"She's broken."
The crew cheered as the visage of a broken and embattled ship succumbed to the rush of water devouring it beneath the foam. Bodies and mangled remains of steel and human flesh dotted the water in a grisly sight of horror. Seagulls could be heard chirping harmlessly above, gliding over a fresh sight of carnage.
Back aboard the submarine, things turned to normal. White light once against washed the walls of their former red highlights and there was now the audible chirpings of men who were delighted with the profound evil deed they had done.
Velenium sat in his ready room sipping a cup of vo. As he gazed at the monotonous columns of the newspaper he wondered what they would say tomorrow, when the inevitability of the report on the Solmian merchant ship’s ill-fated voyage becomes public knowledge. He couldn’t help but wonder, “Why had his employers asked this in the first place?”
Executive Office, Ostronopolian General Trading Company
09:37 Hours - Wednesday, June 18, 2014
City of Dolenikum
Most Noble Republican Union of Ostronopolis
Ostronopolian Trading Company officials review figures indicating Solmian merchants are decreasing profits
“And if you look here, you can see the drop for the seventh straight quarter. Around this location our competitors are continually augmenting profits by shorting out our sales. The best we can estimate is that they’re appealing to the local governments to give them contractually better deals. Port Eleftheria has seen a nearly 4.6% total drop in just net cotton sales to this one region alone, bringing its total down nearly 2.3% beyond the numbers you had previously heard. There are reports they’re barely able to keep the lights on.”
Around the room Neivus Nolenthias could see the looks on each Board member’s face grimace as the wallet-damaging numbers were thrown at them. A solid red arrow depicted a downtrend as figures and numerals of all sorts flashed on the powerboard behind the speaker. He himself had been watching the situation develop for some time now. Solmian merchant companies had been hitting the profit margin of Port Eleftheria, especially, and the subsequent entirety of the AGEE’s shipping might in the region.
As the speaker returned to his seat, a silence fell about the room that loomed awkwardly overhead for a solid minute.
“What if we undercut the prices?”
“We can’t do that, we’re competing with a marketer who has governmental support in at least three nations.”
“How about trying to undercut their governmental support with our own?” another member asked.
“It could work, but governments never move quickly enough, and what if we then are left with a no? Then we’re completely screwed and we’ve just lost another quarter of sales.”
Suddenly, Novus Gixas unfolded his hands and stood up. The room fell silent.
“We must make it substantially unprofitable for them to continue these tradings. And by that we inflict heavy damage to their shipping corps. We send our security forces and we sink their merchant ships. They will withdraw.”
A deafening silence continued to grip the board room. The AGEE had not used force on another company since the 1960s, and the last one took an untold number of lives. Marcus Kefias broke the stillness, “Aye.”
Each board member then raised their hands, “Aye.”
“It’s settled then.”
International Waters
12:37 Hours - Monday, June 23, 2014
300 miles due west of Solm
AGEES Tropea
The men aboard the AGEES Tropea has been escorting AGEE merchant vessels for years. Though their travel was seldom to the same place, the voyages seemed to blend together into a mirk of similarity.
Today was different though. After the recent email had gone out describing the actions needing to be taken underway by the Security Forces of the AGEE, there wasn’t an AGEE merchant ships in sight. Instead, the guns had seemed to be a bit more on alert, and the Destroyer had been stockpiling weapons since Thursday. For what reason though, only some of the more privileged managerial ranks had that information.
On the bridge the First Officer was in charge, however, as the Captain had retired to his quarters the night prior. Although Akea Foeristus had been in her position for a while, she had never had to do anything particularly aggressive.
“Sure, I’ve fought off a few pirates here and there, but I’ve certainly never been one” she thought.
The radar operator interrupted her silent ponderance. “Maneisas, we have come across one bearing 2-4-5, mark 3-2-1.”
“Helmsman, adjust our course to that location. Bring us to condition yellow. Operations, tell the ship to prepare, and give the infantry their orders. Also, radio the captain.”
Foeristus sat in the Captain's chair and listened, as did the rest of the ship, to the bellowing Operations officer. “NOW HEAR THIS: Target vessel bearing 2-4-5, mark 3-2-1, condition yellow. All boarding managers, prepare your personnel.”
Yellow lights flashed and gleamed throughout the ship, as a small buzz signaling the alert status was barely audible over the shuffle of people scrambling to their posts. Each Security Forces boarding infantryman prepped their gear and laced their boots. Each weapon was inspected by the sergeant of each troop. Ammunition was loaded, and for them, it was as close to war as they could imagine.
Each person of the batteries readied the naval guns as the destroyer shifted and swam through the ocean below. The guns’ computers readied their entire inventory, and the targeting personnel readied to give the few clicks needed to rain armageddon on to these specific ships.
The Captain had returned from his quarters and sat upon the bridge. He ordered, “Hail them and tell them to surrender.” The acoustic device bellowed the voice of the Communications Seaman, “NOW HEAR THIS: Prepare to be boarded, bring your vessel about, and acquiesce. Come to full stop.”
He replied, “no response Captain. They are continuing course and speed.”
“Tell the boarding parties.”
Each small landing craft was dropped into the water, and each slap of the rubber craft could be heard clearly by the previous. Armed men from all walks of Ostronopolis were readying their guns. The first one reached the side of the merchant ship and prepared to climb aboard. Two men from every boat threw a rope aboard and hooked the side. They pulled it taut as the others began to climb up.
Out of his binoculars, Captain Quorsas saw his men crawling like ants aboard the ship, weapons strapped to their legs and backs, readied to do evil to the target should they resist…
